Regulation of Water in Plant Cells

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowles, Richard V.

2010-01-01

Cell water relationships are important topics to be included in cell biology courses. Differences exist in the control of water relationships in plant cells relative to control in animal cells. One important reason for these differences is that turgor pressure is a consideration in plant cells. Diffusion and osmosis are the underlying factors…

Bookshelf. Seize the Moment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilde, Susie

1997-01-01

Optimal classroom read-aloud sessions result from teachers' planning and practice. Important considerations include choosing the right book, prereading, reading dramatically, and choosing authors who have written several books. Books that are sure to go over well include those that let the students get involved, stories that start discussions, and…

Seismic Structural Considerations for the Stern and Base of Retaining Walls Subjected to Earthquake Ground Motions

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Seismic Structural Considerations for the Stem and Base of Retaining Walls...as represented by response spectra are determined. Several modes of vibration are considered. The number of modes included in the analysis is that...response spectrum- modal analysis procedure. Especially important is the number of excursions beyond acceptable displacement. As with the response

Work Group on American Indian Research and Program Evaluation Methodology, Symposium on Research and Evaluation Methodology: Lifespan Issues Related to American Indians/Alaska Natives with Disabilities (Washington, DC, April 26-27, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Jamie D., Ed.; Erickson, Jill Shepard, Ed.; Johnson, Sharon R., Ed.; Marshall, Catherine A., Ed.; Running Wolf, Paulette, Ed.; Santiago, Rolando L., Ed.

This first symposium of the Work Group on American Indian Research and Program Evaluation Methodology (AIRPEM) explored American Indian and Alaska Native cultural considerations in relation to "best practices" in research and program evaluation. These cultural considerations include the importance of tribal consultation on research…

Performance-Based Accountability in Qatar: A State in Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaafar, Sonia Ben

2011-01-01

It has become a normative practice to include Performance-Based Accountability (PBA) policies in educational reforms to foster school changes that enhance student learning and success. There is considerable variation in PBA models that have an important impact on how they operate in schools. It is, therefore, important to characterize PBA models…

Emotion-Related Regulation: An Emerging Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Nancy; Champion, Claire; Ma, Yue

2004-01-01

Emotion-related regulation is a topic of considerable current interest; however, this was not always true. We briefly discuss the history of interest in the topic and then the current state of the field, including definitions of the construct. In addition, we summarize some of the important issues for future attention, including definitional…

Refusal of Emergency Medical Treatment: Case Studies and Ethical Foundations.

PubMed

Marco, Catherine A; Brenner, Jay M; Kraus, Chadd K; McGrath, Norine A; Derse, Arthur R

2017-11-01

Informed consent is an important component of emergency medical treatment. Most emergency department patients can provide informed consent for treatment upon arrival. Informed consent should also be obtained for emergency medical interventions that may entail significant risk. A related concept to informed consent is informed refusal of treatment. Patients may refuse emergency medical treatment during their evaluation and treatment. This article addresses important considerations for patients who refuse treatment, including case studies and discussion of definitions, epidemiology, assessment of decisional capacity, information delivery, medicolegal considerations, and alternative care plans. Copyright © 2017 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CHARACTERIZING THE CONFORMATIONAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF CONAZOLE FUNGICIDES

EPA Science Inventory

Conazole fungicides have important environmental and human health considerations including chemical reactivity and transformation pathways. The electronic and conformational properties of an organic molecule determines in conjunction with solvent properties, its chemical reacti...

Ethical guidelines in pandemic influenza: recommendations of the Ethics Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee of the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PubMed

Kinlaw, Kathy; Barrett, Drue H; Levine, Robert J

2009-12-01

Because of the importance of including ethical considerations in planning efforts for pandemic influenza, in February 2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested that the Ethics Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee to the Director develop guidance that would serve as a foundation for decision making in preparing for and responding to pandemic influenza. Specifically, the ethics subcommittee was asked to make recommendations regarding ethical considerations relevant to decision making about vaccine and antiviral drug distribution prioritization and development of interventions that would limit individual freedom and create social distancing. The ethics subcommittee identified a number of general ethical considerations including identification of clear goals for pandemic planning, responsibility to maximize preparedness, transparency and public engagement, sound science, commitment to the global community, balancing individual liberty and community interests, diversity in ethical decision making, and commitment to justice. These general ethical considerations are applied to the issues of vaccine and antiviral drug distribution and use of community mitigation interventions.

Some Simple Solutions to the Problem of Predicting Boundary-Layer Self-Induced Pressures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bertram, Mitchel H.; Blackstock, Thomas A.

1961-01-01

Simplified theoretical approaches are shown, based on hypersonic similarity boundary-layer theory, which allow reasonably accurate estimates to be made of the surface pressures on plates on which viscous effects are important. The consideration of viscous effects includes the cases where curved surfaces, stream pressure gradients, and leadingedge bluntness are important factors.

Designing Epigenome Editors: Considerations of Biochemical and Locus Specificities.

PubMed

Sen, Dilara; Keung, Albert J

2018-01-01

The advent of locus-specific protein recruitment technologies has enabled a new class of studies in chromatin biology. Epigenome editors enable biochemical modifications of chromatin at almost any specific endogenous locus. Their locus specificity unlocks unique information including the functional roles of distinct modifications at specific genomic loci. Given the growing interest in using these tools for biological and translational studies, there are many specific design considerations depending on the scientific question or clinical need. Here we present and discuss important design considerations and challenges regarding the biochemical and locus specificities of epigenome editors. These include how to account for the complex biochemical diversity of chromatin; control for potential interdependency of epigenome editors and their resultant modifications; avoid sequestration effects; quantify the locus specificity of epigenome editors; and improve locus specificity by considering concentration, affinity, avidity, and sequestration effects.

Neglected Parasitic Infections in the United States: Trichomoniasis

PubMed Central

Secor, W. Evan; Meites, Elissa; Starr, Michelle C.; Workowski, Kimberly A.

2014-01-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is one of the most common human parasitic infections in the United States, as well as the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection. However, it has long received much less consideration than other parasitic and sexually transmitted diseases. Much of this inattention can be attributed to a poor understanding of the public health impact of trichomoniasis. Increasing recognition of the sequelae of infection, including increased risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus and adverse outcomes of pregnancy, has led to increased interest in T. vaginalis. Recent innovations include development of diagnostic tests that could improve detection of the parasite. A number of important questions, such as the epidemiology among men and women, the true public health burden of symptomatic and asymptomatic T. vaginalis infections, and whether current treatments will be adequate to reduce the substantial health disparities and costs associated with trichomoniasis, need consideration to remedy neglect of this important disease. PMID:24808247

Using discrete choice experiments within a cost-benefit analysis framework: some considerations.

PubMed

McIntosh, Emma

2006-01-01

A great advantage of the stated preference discrete choice experiment (SPDCE) approach to economic evaluation methodology is its immense flexibility within applied cost-benefit analyses (CBAs). However, while the use of SPDCEs in healthcare has increased markedly in recent years there has been a distinct lack of equivalent CBAs in healthcare using such SPDCE-derived valuations. This article outlines specific issues and some practical suggestions for consideration relevant to the development of CBAs using SPDCE-derived benefits. The article shows that SPDCE-derived CBA can adopt recent developments in cost-effectiveness methodology including the cost-effectiveness plane, appropriate consideration of uncertainty, the net-benefit framework and probabilistic sensitivity analysis methods, while maintaining the theoretical advantage of the SPDCE approach. The concept of a cost-benefit plane is no different in principle to the cost-effectiveness plane and can be a useful tool for reporting and presenting the results of CBAs.However, there are many challenging issues to address for the advancement of CBA methodology using SPCDEs within healthcare. Particular areas for development include the importance of accounting for uncertainty in SPDCE-derived willingness-to-pay values, the methodology of SPDCEs in clinical trial settings and economic models, measurement issues pertinent to using SPDCEs specifically in healthcare, and the importance of issues such as consideration of the dynamic nature of healthcare and the resulting impact this has on the validity of attribute definitions and context.

Virtual boundaries: ethical considerations for use of social media in social work.

PubMed

Kimball, Ericka; Kim, JaeRan

2013-04-01

In real life, we often use physical cues to help us identify our role and put the appropriate boundaries in place, but online it is more difficult to determine where our boundaries lie. This article provides and overview of various social media tools and uses along with personal and professional considerations to help in guiding the ethical use of social media tools. As the use of social media continues to grow, the importance of virtual boundaries will also rise. Therefore, proactive considerations that include policies and guidelines that encourage responsible and ethical use of social media are needed to help social workers mediate personal and professional boundaries.

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

PubMed

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

2015-01-01

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

Geospatial considerations for a multiorganizational, landscape-scale program

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Bowen, Zachary H.

2013-01-01

Geospatial data play an increasingly important role in natural resources management, conservation, and science-based projects. The management and effective use of spatial data becomes significantly more complex when the efforts involve a myriad of landscape-scale projects combined with a multiorganizational collaboration. There is sparse literature to guide users on this daunting subject; therefore, we present a framework of considerations for working with geospatial data that will provide direction to data stewards, scientists, collaborators, and managers for developing geospatial management plans. The concepts we present apply to a variety of geospatial programs or projects, which we describe as a “scalable framework” of processes for integrating geospatial efforts with management, science, and conservation initiatives. Our framework includes five tenets of geospatial data management: (1) the importance of investing in data management and standardization, (2) the scalability of content/efforts addressed in geospatial management plans, (3) the lifecycle of a geospatial effort, (4) a framework for the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) in a landscape-scale conservation or management program, and (5) the major geospatial considerations prior to data acquisition. We conclude with a discussion of future considerations and challenges.

Creating a learning organization to help meet the needs of multihospital health systems.

PubMed

Ward, Angela; Berensen, Nannette; Daniels, Rowell

2018-04-01

The considerations that leaders of multihospital health systems must take into account in developing and implementing initiatives to build and maintain an exceptional pharmacy workforce are described. Significant changes that require constant individual and organizational learning are occurring throughout healthcare and within the profession of pharmacy. These considerations include understanding why it is important to have a succession plan and determining what types of education and training are important to support that plan. Other considerations include strategies for leveraging learners, dealing with a large geographic footprint, adjusting training opportunities to accommodate the ever-evolving demands on pharmacy staffs in terms of skill mix, and determining ways to either budget for or internally develop content for staff development. All of these methods are critically important to ensuring an optimized workforce. Especially for large health systems operating multiple sites across large distances, the use of technology-enabled solutions to provide effective delivery of programming to multiple sites is critical. Commonly used tools include live webinars, live "telepresence" programs, prerecorded programming that is available through an on-demand repository, and computer-based training modules. A learning management system is helpful to assign and document completion of educational requirements, especially those related to regulatory requirements (e.g., controlled substances management, sterile and nonsterile compounding, competency assessment). Creating and sustaining an environment where all pharmacy caregivers feel invested in and connected to ongoing learning is a powerful motivator for performance, engagement, and retention. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of Anesthesiologist in the Management of a Child with Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Shaikh, Safiya Imtiaz; Hegade, Ganapati

2017-01-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a spectrum of nonprogressive neurological disorders with disturbances in posture and movement, resulting from perinatal intrauterine insult to developing infant brain. Many conditions associated with CP require surgery. Such cases pose important gastrointestinal, respiratory, and other perioperative considerations. Anesthetic management in these cases is delicate. Intraoperative complications including hypovolemia, hypothermia, muscle spasms, seizures, and delayed recovery might complicate the anesthetic management. A thorough preanesthetic evaluation allows for a better intra- and post-operative care. Postoperative analgesia is important, particularly in orthopedic surgeries one for pain relief. This review highlights the clinical manifestations in CP and anesthetic considerations in such child presenting for various surgeries. PMID:28928544

Effective Affective Design for Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zvacek, Susan M.

1991-01-01

Discusses the importance of affective considerations when designing instruction for distance education. Topics discussed include learner motivation based on Keller's ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction); communication patterns that facilitate interaction between students; and ethics involved with marketing programs,…

The Industry, the Psychologist and What We Can Do To Build Working Relationships between Them.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parr, Joyce; Green, Sara

The housing industry for the elderly has changed from being primarily the effort of charitable organizations to include a large number of for-profit businesses. Psychologists interested in dealing with this industry will have to be aggressive. Important considerations include the following: (1) managers make decisions about finances, products, and…

What quality-of-life issues do women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) consider important when making treatment decisions?

PubMed

Mercieca-Bebber, Rebecca; King, Madeleine T; Boxer, Miriam M; Spillane, Andrew; Winters, Zoë E; Butow, Phyllis N; McPherson, Joan; Rutherford, Claudia

2017-09-01

To explore quality-of-life (QOL) issues considered important when deciding on treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Breast Cancer Network of Australia members diagnosed with DCIS in the past 5 years (self-identified) participated in an online survey (Sep-Nov 2015). From a list of 74 QOL issues, participants selected all issues they experienced during DCIS diagnosis, treatment or recovery, then the issues they felt important to making a DCIS treatment decision, and completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Associations between QOL issues and self-reported treatment received were assessed with χ 2 tests. The primary analysis included 38 participants treated with breast-conserving surgery (n = 15), mastectomy (n = 23), and/or radiotherapy (n = 14). Fatigue-related symptoms (82%) and "fear of progression" (50%) were the most frequently-experienced issues. When deciding on DCIS treatment, the most important consideration was "fear of progression" (50%). A higher proportion of mastectomy (compared to non-mastectomy) patients considered "difficultly looking at yourself naked" (p = 0.03). Radiotherapy (compared to non-radiotherapy) patients were more likely to consider "feeling unwell" important (p = 0.006). Results were similar in a sensitivity analysis involving all 101 respondents (i.e., including 63 respondents who reported receiving chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and/or Herceptin, suggesting that they may have been treated for invasive breast cancer). Health literacy was high across all nine HLQ scales. Fear of progression is a key consideration in DCIS treatment decision making for women with high health literacy. QOL treatment considerations differed by treatments received. Women diagnosed with DCIS may benefit from evidence about QOL to inform treatment decision making.

The Ethics of Prayer in Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weld, Chet; Eriksen, Karen

2007-01-01

Spirituality has become increasingly important in counseling, with prayer being the spiritual intervention of choice for Christian counselors. The controversial nature of including prayer in counseling requires careful consideration of ethical issues. This article addresses the intersection of spiritual interventions, particularly prayer, with…

In Vitro Dosimetry of Silver Nanoparticles

EPA Science Inventory

An important issue for interpreting in vitro nanomaterial testing is quantifying the dose absorbed by target cells. Considerations include the concentration added to the culture and the proportion of the applied dose that is absorbed by the target cells. Rapid and efficient techn...

Frontiers for geological remote sensing from space; Geosat Workshop, 4th, Flagstaff, AZ, June 12-17, 1983, Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, F. B. (Editor); Rock, B. N. (Editor)

1983-01-01

Consideration is given to: the applications of near-infrared spectroscopy to geological reconnaissance and exploration from space; imaging systems for identifying the spectral properties of geological materials in the visible and near-infrared; and Thematic Mapper (TM) data analysis. Consideration is also given to descriptions of individual geological remote sensing systems, including: GEO-SPAS; SPOT; the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS); and the Shuttle Imaging Radars A and B (SIR-A and SIR-B). Additional topics include: the importance of geobotany in geological remote sensing; achromatic holographic stereograms from Landsat MSS data; and the availability and applications of NOAA's non-Landsat satellite data archive.

Formulary considerations in selection of beta-blockers.

PubMed

Yedinak, K C

1993-08-01

Selection of beta-adrenergic blockers for formulary addition can be a difficult task, especially with the increasing availability of new beta-blockers, as well as the numerous differences in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of currently available agents. Nevertheless, appropriate evaluation of the important characteristics of beta-blockers should allow selection of the most cost-effective agents for formulary addition. Most importantly, differences in efficacy, product formulation and cost should be carefully considered when making formulary decisions. Notably, evidence from clinical trials indicates differences in efficacy among beta-blockers for post-myocardial infarction prophylaxis, situational anxiety, essential tremor, thyrotoxicosis, migraine prophylaxis and prevention of bleeding associated with oesophageal varices. For many clinical situations, it is also important to select an effective agent that is available in both an oral and intravenous formulation, especially for cardioprotection after acute myocardial infarction and for use in supraventricular arrhythmias. In addition, availability of sustained release products and generic formulations should be considered for their potential to increase compliance and decrease cost, respectively. Comparative drug costs, as well as costs associated with decreased compliance, should also be carefully evaluated. Differences in beta-receptor selectivity, duration of action and presence of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA) are also important considerations in the selection of beta-blockers for formulary consideration. Although degree of selectivity is relative, beta 1-selective agents may be less likely to induce bronchospasm in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may be less likely to affect glucose homeostasis in patients with diabetes mellitus. Duration of action of a beta-blocker is an important consideration for evaluation of efficacy throughout the recommended dosage interval. In addition, beta-blockers with a long duration of action can often be administered once or twice daily, potentially leading to increased compliance and thereby improved effectiveness and economic efficiency. The presence of ISA is an important consideration because certain beta-blockers with ISA may be less effective than those without ISA for certain indications. Factors considered to be less important when making formulary decisions of choice of beta-blockers include the route of elimination, lipophilicity and presence of membrane stabilising activity.

Selecting the Right Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shearn, Joseph

1987-01-01

Selection of administrative software requires analyzing present needs and, to meet future needs, choosing software that will function with a more powerful computer system. Other important factors to include are a professional system demonstration, maintenance and training, and financial considerations that allow leasing or renting alternatives.…

DOSE RECONSTRUCTION FROM URINARY BIOMARKERS

EPA Science Inventory

The use of biomarkers for human health risk assessment is attractive because they are an indicator of the dose that actually entered the body by all mechanisms. This is an important consideration given the need to include aggregate exposures from diet and other pathways for pes...

Vaginismus: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fertel, Norman S.

1977-01-01

Vaginismus includes both physical as well as psychological aspects that make vaginal penetration extremely painful if not altogether impossible. Aside from history, diagnosis rests on the physical examination. The most important considerations in therapy seem to be the patient's understanding of the problem and flexibility of approach. (Author)

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Personal Identity: Ethical Considerations

PubMed Central

Iwry, Jonathan; Yaden, David B.; Newberg, Andrew B.

2017-01-01

As noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technology advances, these methods may become increasingly capable of influencing complex networks of mental functioning. We suggest that these might include cognitive and affective processes underlying personality and belief systems, which would raise important questions concerning personal identity and autonomy. We give particular attention to the relationship between personal identity and belief, emphasizing the importance of respecting users' personal values. We posit that research participants and patients should be encouraged to take an active approach to considering the personal implications of altering their own cognition, particularly in cases of neurocognitive “enhancement.” We suggest that efforts to encourage careful consideration through the informed consent process would contribute usefully to studies and treatments that use NIBS. PMID:28638327

Finding the Stable Structures of WxN1-x with an ab-initio High-Throughput Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-13

cubic boron nitride[4], carbonitrides,[5] and transition metal borides .[6, 7] Over the past several years there has been considerable theoretical...include ionic and covalent structures which seem chemically similar to W-N. These include borides , carbides, oxides, and other nitrides. In this paper we...metallic alloys, [23–27] we extended it to include over fifty new structures. These include nitrides, oxides, borides , and carbides. The important

A person-centered approach to study intimacy and sexuality in residential care facility (RCF) clients with dementia: Methodological considerations and a guide to study design.

PubMed

Roelofs, Tineke S M; Luijkx, Katrien G; Embregts, Petri J C M

2017-01-01

The person-centered perspective of residential care facility (RCF) residents with dementia with regard to their intimate and sexual lives is largely neglected in research. We aim to provide methodological considerations and reflections on a performed qualitative study. Recommendations and a guide to study design are provided to inform and encourage future research on the inclusion of people with dementia as participants. Methodological recommendations and reflections are described in chronological order of the procedure. Fragments of interviews are included for further illustration and clarification. Considering preparation, close involvement of clinical practice, and extensive deliberation regarding study design tended to be important. Considering procedure, investment in contacts with clinical practice and authorized representatives; an introduction meeting; person-centered inclusion and consent; profound skills in interviewing participants with dementia; and flexibility in data collection were proven of importance. Considering data analysis and study quality, including field notes and aiming at a balance between study quality and practicability to enhance study 'rigor' were found important. Including the person-centered perspective in research on intimacy and sexuality of RCF residents with dementia, is challenging and takes a flexible and creative approach. It is, however, worthwhile to close the gap in literature.

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

Considerations of informed consent and decision-making competence in older adults with cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Mayo, Ann M; Wallhagen, Margaret I

2009-04-01

Including older adults with cognitive impairment in research studies is necessary to ensure that interventions designed to improve care are effective for all older adults. However, issues related to capacity to consent raise many difficult questions that nurse researchers must address. Protecting vulnerable participants while simultaneously maintaining autonomy and moving important research forward can be challenging. Assessing the decision-making abilities of understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expressing a choice is an important aspect of determining decision-making capacity. Yet although this is the prominent rational method for judging decision-making competence, it does not take into consideration the importance of culture, values, and emotions. This article focuses on the assessment of decision-making capacity to consent, recommendations for obtaining informed consent in older adults with cognitive impairment, the use of surrogate decision makers, strategies to maximize research participation, and directions for future research. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Nature's Design Rules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reicher, Dan

2000-01-01

Discusses school design considerations for energy-efficient schools that provide learning environments that lead to improved student performance. Design myths are addressed as are use of daylighting and designing schools that can teach students and adults about the importance of conserving energy and money. Two online resources are included. (GR)

Which Online Resources Are Right for Your Collection?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearlmutter, Jane

1999-01-01

Discusses important considerations for library media specialists creating a virtual-resources-collection policy, including selecting the right resources, navigating licensing fees, and free, searchable online sources. A sidebar lists resources for evaluating Web sites and places that lead to recommended sites for students. (AEF)

Fatigue Resistant Design Criteria for MD SHA Cantilevered Mast Arm Signal Structure

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

The fatigue design of the mast arm structures and connections vary significantly based on the Category of Importance factor adopted and the load cases for fatigue design loads. Consideration should include the cost and size of the structures for both...

Why I Fought.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakanishi, Don T.

1990-01-01

An Asian Pacific American professor, D. T. Nakanishi, describes his decision to fight the University of California Los Angeles' initial denial of tenure, including the legal and tactical considerations involved, his sense of generational duty, the case's importance for other Asian Americans, and the personal pain and suffering involved. (JB)

Acoustic Detection of Insects in Palm Trees

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Commercial-crop and ornamental palm trees serve important functions in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and considerable precautions are taken each year to identify and control infestations of a variety of different insect pests. Large weevils, including the red palm weevil and the co...

Factors Influencing the College Choice Decisions of Graduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallio, Ruth E.

1995-01-01

A study investigated the relative importance of 31 institutional characteristics in 1,068 graduate students' decisions to enroll or not enroll in the institution. Factors having the greatest influence included residency status, quality and other academic environment characteristics, work-related concerns, spouse considerations, financial aid, and…

Cultural Beliefs about Autism in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riany, Yulina Eva; Cuskelly, Monica; Meredith, Pamela

2016-01-01

Cultural beliefs about parenting have an important influence on parenting behaviours, including considerations about appropriate ways to parent children with autism. Although Indonesia has one of the largest and most ethnically diverse populations in the world, little is known about cultural beliefs regarding children with autism within Indonesian…

9 CFR 116.1 - Applicability and general considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... manufacturer of biological products imported into the United States shall maintain, at the licensed or foreign... of successive steps in the development and preparation of biological products, including new products... the preparation of biological products; and shall be verified by initials or signature of the person...

9 CFR 116.1 - Applicability and general considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... manufacturer of biological products imported into the United States shall maintain, at the licensed or foreign... of successive steps in the development and preparation of biological products, including new products... the preparation of biological products; and shall be verified by initials or signature of the person...

9 CFR 116.1 - Applicability and general considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... manufacturer of biological products imported into the United States shall maintain, at the licensed or foreign... of successive steps in the development and preparation of biological products, including new products... the preparation of biological products; and shall be verified by initials or signature of the person...

DOSE RECONSTRUCTION FROM URINARY BIOMARKERS USING PHARMACOKINETIC MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

The use of biomarkers for human health risk assessment is attractive because they are an indicator of the dose that actually entered the body by all mechanisms. This is an important consideration given the need to include aggregate exposures from diet and other pathways for pes...

Intensive Input in Language Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimino, Andy; Ferguson, Nancy

This paper discusses the role of input as one of the universals in second language acquisition theory. Considerations include how language instructors can best organize and present input and when certain kinds of input are more important. A self-administered program evaluation exercise using relevant theoretical and methodological contributions…

9 CFR 116.1 - Applicability and general considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... manufacturer of biological products imported into the United States shall maintain, at the licensed or foreign... of successive steps in the development and preparation of biological products, including new products... the preparation of biological products; and shall be verified by initials or signature of the person...

Consider Creating a Channel Management Strategy with Both Colleagues and Patients

PubMed Central

Felkey, Bill G.; Fox, Brent I.

2013-01-01

Patient engagement is poised to provide considerable opportunities for reaching patients. The range of connectivity options should be considered to include the best option for each specific patient. In this article, we address this area of growing importance, telecommunication channel management. PMID:24421455

The School and Community Relations. Sixth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Donald R.; Bagin, Don; Kindred, Leslie W.

Ways in which educators can communicate well, and subsequently gain support for programs, curriculum, and discipline, are presented. The book is divided into four parts: "Essential Considerations,""Relations with Special Publics,""Communication Tools," and "Evaluation." In part 1, some of the topics discussed include the importance of public…

Oral manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Mortada, I; Leone, A; Gerges Geagea, A; Mortada, R; Matar, C; Rizzo, M; Hajj Hussein, I; Massaad-Massade, L; Jurjus, A

2017-01-01

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, have important extraintestinal manifestations, notably in the oral cavity. These oral manifestations can constitute important clinical clues in the diagnosis and management of IBD, and include changes at the immune and bacterial levels. Aphthous ulcers, pyostomatitis vegetans, cobblestoning and gingivitis are important oral findings frequently observed in IBD patients. Their presentations vary considerably and might be well diagnosed and distinguished from other oral lesions. Infections, drug side effects, deficiencies in some nutrients and many other diseases involved with oral manifestations should also be taken into account. This article discusses the most recent findings on the oral manifestations of IBD with a focus on bacterial modulations and immune changes. It also includes an overview on options for management of the oral lesions of IBD.

Implementation of the Interdisciplinary Generalist Curriculum Project: considerations of structure, funding, and design.

PubMed

Wilson, M; Kahn, N; Wartman, S

2001-04-01

Implementation of the Interdisciplinary Generalist Curriculum (IGC) Project involved complex processes that reflect structural, funding, and intervention design considerations. Among structural considerations, the IGC Project benefited from a national structure above the level of the demonstration schools. Governance by committee was highly effective because it harnessed and balanced power. At the national level, governance by committee was enhanced by strong central coordination, and it had a role-modeling effect for governance at the school level. The IGC experience over the seven-year course of the project suggests that it is important to revisit the role of a national advisory committee over time and to revise that role as warranted. Funding considerations, including the importance of funding evaluation for a period of time long enough to measure intended impacts and the length and amount of funding to demonstration schools, are discussed. Prescription of the IGC intervention and the focus on years one and two of medical education are critical design considerations. The authors conclude that the IGC Project used relatively few federal dollars to demonstrate a highly prescribed intervention in a limited number of medical schools toward a clear and limited goal. IGC lessons apply to programs specifically targeting primary care education, but also to other medical school curricular innovations, and perhaps, to a larger framework of multi-site educational interventions.

Advances in the biological effects of terahertz wave radiation.

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Hao, Yan-Hui; Peng, Rui-Yun

2014-01-01

The terahertz (THz) band lies between microwave and infrared rays in wavelength and consists of non-ionizing radiation. Both domestic and foreign research institutions, including the army, have attached considerable importance to the research and development of THz technology because this radiation exhibits both photon-like and electron-like properties, which grant it considerable application value and potential. With the rapid development of THz technology and related applications, studies of the biological effects of THz radiation have become a major focus in the field of life sciences. Research in this field has only just begun, both at home and abroad. In this paper, research progress with respect to THz radiation, including its biological effects, mechanisms and methods of protection, will be reviewed.

Workshop Report on Deep Mars: Accessing the Subsurface of Mars on Near Term Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langhoff, Stephanie R. (Editor)

2008-01-01

The workshop encompassed three major themes. The first theme was the scientific objectives of drilling, which center on the search for clues to the existence of past life and to the geological and climate history of Mars. Key questions are where and how deep to drill? Planetary protection issues were stressed as an important consideration in the design of any drilling mission. Secondly, architectures for drilling missions were discussed, including an overview of most of the current drills in operation that would be applicable to drilling on Mars. Considerable emphasis was placed on remote operation and drilling automation technologies. Finally, alternatives to conventional drilling were discussed. These included underground moles, penetrometers, horizontal drilling, impactors, and access to the subsurface from subsurface cavities. Considerable discussion centered on the possible Mars drilling missions that could be performed in both the near and longer term. The workshop participants concluded that useful science could be obtained today using low-cost impactors, with or without a sheperding spacecraft.

78 FR 58523 - Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section of the International Commission for the Conservation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-24

... considering a number of other important issues, including ecosystem approaches to management, the... to shark conservation and management; (2) ecosystem considerations and the precautionary approach; (3... authority of the organization in this regard. In addition, some Contracting Parties to the organization...

Cooperative Buying for New Associates: Some Assembly Required. Important Safety Instructions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talarico, Scott

1998-01-01

A guide for using cooperative buying to block-book campus activities or attractions through a campus activities convention provides a step-by-step process and outlines some specific considerations, including forms, pricing, preparation for the conference, follow-up approaches, and hints for new users of the system. (MSE)

Transborder Data Flow, Informatics and National Policies: A Comparison among 22 Nations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wigand, Rolf T.; And Others

The product of advanced information technology and digital transmission capabilities, transborder data flow (TDF)--the flow of information across national borders via computer and other electronic communications systems--has considerable political, social, economic, and legal implications. Important issues in TDF include (1) the regulation of…

Our New Challenge: Recreation for the Deaf-Blind.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brannan, Steve A., Ed.

Presented are 20 papers delivered at the 1975 Northwest Regional Conference on Recreation for the Deaf-Blind. Included are papers on the following topics (with sample papers in parentheses): national trends; interdisciplinary considerations ("Movement and Physical Activity: the Foundation for the Most Important R" by J. Stein); community…

Learning Disabilities: A Practitioner's Scriptal Accommodation of More Recent Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Majsterek, David J.

Intended for teachers of students with learning disabilities, the paper reviews recent trends in research. The importance and the difficulty of keeping up with new developments in the field are noted. Research and theoretical considerations are presented for the following topic areas: definition and identification difficulties (including,…

Design for Change: How to Plan the School Library You Really Need.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lankford, Mary D.

1994-01-01

Examines issues that librarians need to address when remodeling or designing school libraries. Topics discussed include the librarian's role in decision making; cost considerations; evaluation of present services as well as future needs; the importance of communication; location; library technology; furniture; and the role of architects and…

Emotions and Motivation in Mathematics Education: Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Contributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schukajlow, Stanislaw; Rakoczy, K.; Pekrun, R.

2017-01-01

Emotions and motivation are important prerequisites, mediators, and outcomes of learning and achievement. In this article, we first review major theoretical approaches and empirical findings in research on students' emotions and motivation in mathematics, including a discussion of how classroom instruction can support emotions and motivation.…

Making Performance Assessments a Part of Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haun, Billy

2018-01-01

The purpose of this commentary is to describe recent efforts in Virginia to develop and use performance assessments, including the challenges that emerged during this process and key considerations for states that integrate performance assessment into their systems. Performance assessments can play an important role in preparing students for…

Planning the School Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babcock, Ruth E.; And Others

This report consists of recommendations for library facilities in either new or existing school buildings. Suggestions are made for the location and size of the library. Also included are considerations for library acoustics, heating and interior finish. It is considered to be of critical importance that adequate and separate space should be…

Shhhh! Don't Tell: Advertising Design Impacts Sales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaub, Laura; Kelsey, Roy

2000-01-01

Discusses the creation of an advertisement to catch the attention of the target audience: student readers. Notes the consideration of several important factors including: the product, the audience, the positioning, the principles, and the ingredients. Describes ways to get started and several points in approaching the design process. (SC)

Seeding techniques for sagebrush community restoration after fire

Treesearch

Jeffrey E. Ott; Anne Halford; Nancy Shaw

2016-01-01

Purpose: To outline important considerations and options for post-fire seeding, including the selection of seed mixes and seeding equipment for restoring sagebrush communities following fire. The emphasis is on lower-elevation communities where restoration needs are greatest. References and resources are offered for greater detail and guidance on specific...

Developing and validating a nutrition knowledge questionnaire: key methods and considerations.

PubMed

Trakman, Gina Louise; Forsyth, Adrienne; Hoye, Russell; Belski, Regina

2017-10-01

To outline key statistical considerations and detailed methodologies for the development and evaluation of a valid and reliable nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Literature on questionnaire development in a range of fields was reviewed and a set of evidence-based guidelines specific to the creation of a nutrition knowledge questionnaire have been developed. The recommendations describe key qualitative methods and statistical considerations, and include relevant examples from previous papers and existing nutrition knowledge questionnaires. Where details have been omitted for the sake of brevity, the reader has been directed to suitable references. We recommend an eight-step methodology for nutrition knowledge questionnaire development as follows: (i) definition of the construct and development of a test plan; (ii) generation of the item pool; (iii) choice of the scoring system and response format; (iv) assessment of content validity; (v) assessment of face validity; (vi) purification of the scale using item analysis, including item characteristics, difficulty and discrimination; (vii) evaluation of the scale including its factor structure and internal reliability, or Rasch analysis, including assessment of dimensionality and internal reliability; and (viii) gathering of data to re-examine the questionnaire's properties, assess temporal stability and confirm construct validity. Several of these methods have previously been overlooked. The measurement of nutrition knowledge is an important consideration for individuals working in the nutrition field. Improved methods in the development of nutrition knowledge questionnaires, such as the use of factor analysis or Rasch analysis, will enable more confidence in reported measures of nutrition knowledge.

Determining Recommendations for Improvement of Communication Skills Training in Dental Education: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Ayn, Caitlyn; Robinson, Lynne; Nason, April; Lovas, John

2017-04-01

Professional communication skills have a significant impact on dental patient satisfaction and health outcomes. Communication skills training has been shown to improve the communication skills of dental students. Therefore, strengthening communication skills training in dental education shows promise for improving dental patient satisfaction and outcomes. The aim of this study was to facilitate the development of dental communication skills training through a scoping review with compilation of a list of considerations, design of an example curriculum, and consideration of barriers and facilitators to adoption of such training. A search to identify studies of communication skills training interventions and programs was conducted. Search queries were run in three databases using both text strings and controlled terms (MeSH), yielding 1,833 unique articles. Of these, 35 were full-text reviewed, and 17 were included in the final synthesis. Considerations presented in the articles were compiled into 15 considerations. These considerations were grouped into four themes: the value of communication skills training, the role of instructors, the importance of accounting for diversity, and the structure of communication skills training. An example curriculum reflective of these considerations is presented, and consideration of potential barriers and facilitators to implementation are discussed. Application and evaluation of these considerations are recommended in order to support and inform future communication skills training development.

European Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome - 2016 Update.

PubMed

Sweet, David G; Carnielli, Virgilio; Greisen, Gorm; Hallman, Mikko; Ozek, Eren; Plavka, Richard; Saugstad, Ola Didrik; Simeoni, Umberto; Speer, Christian P; Vento, Máximo; Visser, Gerard H A; Halliday, Henry L

2017-01-01

Advances in the management of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) ensure that clinicians must continue to revise current practice. We report the third update of the European Guidelines for the Management of RDS by a European panel of expert neonatologists including input from an expert perinatal obstetrician based on available literature up to the beginning of 2016. Optimizing the outcome for babies with RDS includes consideration of when to use antenatal steroids, and good obstetric practice includes methods of predicting the risk of preterm delivery and also consideration of whether transfer to a perinatal centre is necessary and safe. Methods for optimal delivery room management have become more evidence based, and protocols for lung protection, including initiation of continuous positive airway pressure and titration of oxygen, should be implemented from soon after birth. Surfactant replacement therapy is a crucial part of the management of RDS, and newer protocols for surfactant administration are aimed at avoiding exposure to mechanical ventilation, and there is more evidence of differences among various surfactants in clinical use. Newer methods of maintaining babies on non-invasive respiratory support have been developed and offer potential for greater comfort and less chronic lung disease. As technology for delivering mechanical ventilation improves, the risk of causing lung injury should decrease although minimizing the time spent on mechanical ventilation using caffeine and if necessary postnatal steroids are also important considerations. Protocols for optimizing the general care of infants with RDS are also essential with good temperature control, careful fluid and nutritional management, maintenance of perfusion and judicious use of antibiotics all being important determinants of best outcome. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Recommendations for Neuroimaging Methods in the Study of Cognitive Impairment in Non-CNS Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Deprez, Sabine; Kesler, Shelli R; Saykin, Andrew J; Silverman, Daniel H S; de Ruiter, Michiel B; McDonald, Brenna C

2018-03-01

Cancer- and treatment-related cognitive changes have been a focus of increasing research since the early 1980s, with meta-analyses demonstrating poorer performance in cancer patients in cognitive domains including executive functions, processing speed, and memory. To facilitate collaborative efforts, in 2011 the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force (ICCTF) published consensus recommendations for core neuropsychological tests for studies of cancer populations. Over the past decade, studies have used neuroimaging techniques, including structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography, to examine the underlying brain basis for cancer- and treatment-related cognitive declines. As yet, however, there have been no consensus recommendations to guide researchers new to this field or to promote the ability to combine data sets. We first discuss important methodological issues with regard to neuroimaging study design, scanner considerations, and sequence selection, focusing on concerns relevant to cancer populations. We propose a minimum recommended set of sequences, including a high-resolution T1-weighted volume and a resting state fMRI scan. Additional advanced imaging sequences are discussed for consideration when feasible, including task-based fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging. Important image data processing and analytic considerations are also reviewed. These recommendations are offered to facilitate increased use of neuroimaging in studies of cancer- and treatment-related cognitive dysfunction. They are not intended to discourage investigator-initiated efforts to develop cutting-edge techniques, which will be helpful in advancing the state of the knowledge. Use of common imaging protocols will facilitate multicenter and data-pooling initiatives, which are needed to address critical mechanistic research questions.

Economic considerations and health in all policies initiatives: evidence from interviews with key informants in Sweden, Quebec and South Australia.

PubMed

Pinto, Andrew D; Molnar, Agnes; Shankardass, Ketan; O'Campo, Patricia J; Bayoumi, Ahmed M

2015-02-18

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is a form of intersectoral action that aims to include the promotion of health in government initiatives across sectors. To date, there has been little study of economic considerations within the implementation of HiAP. As part of an ongoing program of research on the implementation of HiAP around the world, we examined how economic considerations influence the implementation of HiAP. By economic considerations we mean the cost and financial gain (or loss) of implementing a HiAP process or structure within government, or the cost and financial gain (or loss) of the policies that emerge from such a HiAP process or structure. We examined three jurisdictions: Sweden, Quebec and South Australia. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 12 to 14 key informants in each jurisdiction. Two investigators separately coded transcripts to identify relevant statements. Initial readings of transcripts led to the development of a coding framework for statements related to economic considerations. First, economic evaluations of HiAP are viewed as important for prompting HiAP and many forms of economic evaluation were considered. However, economic evaluations were often absent, informal, or incomplete. Second, funding for HiAP initiatives is important, but is less important than a high-level commitment to intersectoral collaboration. Furthermore, having multiple sources of funding of HiAP can be beneficial, if it increases participation across government, but can also be disadvantageous, if it exposes underlying tensions. Third, HiAP can also highlight the challenge of achieving both economic and social objectives. Our results are useful for elaborating propositions for use in realist multiple explanatory case studies. First, we propose that economic considerations are currently used primarily as a method by health sectors to promote and legitimize HiAP to non-health sectors with the goal of securing resources for HiAP. Second, allocating resources and making funding decisions regarding HiAP are inherently political acts that reflect tensions within government sectors. This study contributes important insights into how intersectoral action works, how economic evaluations of HiAP might be structured, and how economic considerations can be used to both promote HiAP and to present barriers to implementation.

Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nlebedim, I. C.; King, A. H.

2017-12-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the target points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. The aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.

Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nlebedim, I. C.; King, A. H.

2018-02-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the target points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. The aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.

Interphase layer optimization for metal matrix composites with fabrication considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morel, M.; Saravanos, D. A.; Chamis, C. C.

1991-01-01

A methodology is presented to reduce the final matrix microstresses for metal matrix composites by concurrently optimizing the interphase characteristics and fabrication process. Application cases include interphase tailoring with and without fabrication considerations for two material systems, graphite/copper and silicon carbide/titanium. Results indicate that concurrent interphase/fabrication optimization produces significant reductions in the matrix residual stresses and strong coupling between interphase and fabrication tailoring. The interphase coefficient of thermal expansion and the fabrication consolidation pressure are the most important design parameters and must be concurrently optimized to further reduce the microstresses to more desirable magnitudes.

Automated storm water sampling on small watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harmel, R.D.; King, K.W.; Slade, R.M.

2003-01-01

Few guidelines are currently available to assist in designing appropriate automated storm water sampling strategies for small watersheds. Therefore, guidance is needed to develop strategies that achieve an appropriate balance between accurate characterization of storm water quality and loads and limitations of budget, equipment, and personnel. In this article, we explore the important sampling strategy components (minimum flow threshold, sampling interval, and discrete versus composite sampling) and project-specific considerations (sampling goal, sampling and analysis resources, and watershed characteristics) based on personal experiences and pertinent field and analytical studies. These components and considerations are important in achieving the balance between sampling goals and limitations because they determine how and when samples are taken and the potential sampling error. Several general recommendations are made, including: setting low minimum flow thresholds, using flow-interval or variable time-interval sampling, and using composite sampling to limit the number of samples collected. Guidelines are presented to aid in selection of an appropriate sampling strategy based on user's project-specific considerations. Our experiences suggest these recommendations should allow implementation of a successful sampling strategy for most small watershed sampling projects with common sampling goals.

Contraception and mental health: a commentary on the evidence and principles for practice.

PubMed

Hall, Kelli Stidham; Steinberg, Julia R; Cwiak, Carrie A; Allen, Rebecca H; Marcus, Sheila M

2015-06-01

Among the most prevalent and disabling chronic diseases affecting reproductive-aged women worldwide, depression and anxiety can contribute to adverse reproductive health outcomes, including an increased risk of unintended pregnancy and its health and social consequences. For women with these common mental health conditions who want to avoid an unintended pregnancy, effective contraception can be an important strategy to maintain and even improve health and well-being. Reproductive health clinicians play a critical role in providing and managing contraception to help women with mental health considerations achieve their desired fertility. In this commentary, we review the literature on relationships between mental health and contraception and describe considerations for the clinical management of contraception among women with depression and anxiety. We discuss issues related to contraceptive method effectiveness and adherence concerns, mental health-specific contraceptive method safety and drug interaction considerations, and clinical counseling and management strategies. Given important gaps in current scientific knowledge of mental health and contraception, we highlight areas for future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eleven essential steps to purchasing or selling a medical practice.

PubMed

Barrett, William

2014-01-01

Based on our experience in representing more than 100 doctors and medical specialists in practice sales and acquisitions, we have identified 11 key considerations important to a deal. There are several issues to consider while going through the process of buying or selling a practice including the implementation of a "letter of intent" as a first step rather than drafting a contract, securing a lease, and verifying the property is not in violation of the local zoning requirements. There are also considerations with regard to the patients, which range from how will the accounts receivable at the time of the closing be handled to who is responsible for the handling of continued treatment in an ongoing case after a deal is finalized. This article details these considerations and more.

Dust storms on Mars: Considerations and simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, R.; White, B. R.; Pollack, J. B.; Iverson, J. D.; Leach, R. N.

1977-01-01

Aeolian processes are important in modifying the surface of Mars at present, and appear to have been significant in the geological past. Aeolian activity includes local and global dust storms, the formation of erosional features such as yardangs and depositional features such as sand dunes, and the erosion of rock and soil. As a means of understanding aeolian processes on Mars, an investigation is in progress that includes laboratory simulations, field studies of earth analogs, and interpretation of spacecraft data. This report describes the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel, an experimental facility established at NASA-Ames Research Center, and presents some results of the general investigation. Experiments dealing with wind speeds and other conditions required for the initiation of particle movement on Mars are described and considerations are given to the resulting effectiveness of aeolian erosion.

Multidisciplinary care considerations for gender nonconforming adolescents with eating disorders: A case series.

PubMed

Donaldson, Abigail A; Hall, Allison; Neukirch, Jodie; Kasper, Vania; Simones, Shannon; Gagnon, Sherry; Reich, Steven; Forcier, Michelle

2018-05-01

Gender nonconforming youth are at risk for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Currently, only a small body of literature addresses this high-risk group. The five cases in this series highlight important themes for this patient population from an interdisciplinary perspective. Identified themes include increased risk for self-harm/suicide, complex psychiatric, and medical implications of delay to treatment for either gender dysphoria or disordered eating, and the importance of collaborative management to maximize care and facilitate healthy development to adulthood. The purpose of this case series is to expand the interdisciplinary discussion regarding the breadth of presentation and management considerations for gender nonconforming adolescents with disordered eating. An interdisciplinary approach to care might enhance access to comprehensive, collaborative treatment for disordered eating, and gender dysphoria in this unique population. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Timescales and the management of ecological systems.

PubMed

Hastings, Alan

2016-12-20

Human management of ecological systems, including issues like fisheries, invasive species, and restoration, as well as others, often must be undertaken with limited information. This means that developing general principles and heuristic approaches is important. Here, I focus on one aspect, the importance of an explicit consideration of time, which arises because of the inherent limitations in the response of ecological systems. I focus mainly on simple systems and models, beginning with systems without density dependence, which are therefore linear. Even for these systems, it is important to recognize the necessary delays in the response of the ecological system to management. Here, I also provide details for optimization that show how general results emerge and emphasize how delays due to demography and life histories can change the optimal management approach. A brief discussion of systems with density dependence and tipping points shows that the same themes emerge, namely, that when considering issues of restoration or management to change the state of an ecological system, that timescales need explicit consideration and may change the optimal approach in important ways.

Local Anesthesia Part 2: Technical Considerations

PubMed Central

Reed, Kenneth L.; Malamed, Stanley F.; Fonner, Andrea M.

2012-01-01

An earlier paper by Becker and Reed provided an in-depth review of the pharmacology of local anesthetics. This continuing education article will discuss the importance to the safe and effective delivery of these drugs, including needle gauge, traditional and alternative injection techniques, and methods to make injections more comfortable to patients. PMID:23050753

School Psychology, Juvenile Justice, and the School to Prison Pipeline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sander, Janay B.

2010-01-01

Juvenile offending is associated with several bleak outcomes, including high rates of continued crime and incarceration, substance use, and higher mortality rates due to crime. Academic achievement is a very important consideration in the area of crime and delinquency: Failure is associated with greater delinquency, and success is a protective…

Archeology and the Federal Government.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, George S., Comp.; And Others

1988-01-01

The U.S. Government's concern for preservation of important archeological properties began during the 19th century in response to the destruction and looting of Indian ruins in the U.S. Southwest. Since that time, the breadth of this concern has grown to include the consideration of impact to archeological properties, as well as to other kinds of…

Literacy Education and Orthography in the Spanish Golden Age, 1531-1631

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez Camacho, Alejandro; Casado Rodrigo, Jesús

2016-01-01

During the Spanish Golden Age, language was developing fast. An important debate on orthology and orthography was taking place at the time. Many authors posed different proposals for a reform of spelling. The arguments discussed in these works also included educational considerations in favour of their proposals, which makes them an invaluable…

Considerations for the Use of the Observation Experience to Aid in Early Socialization and Retention of Athletic Training Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Dodge, Thomas

2014-01-01

Context: Retention of quality students in athletic training programs (ATPs) is important. Many factors contribute to retention of students, including their motivation level, peer support, positive interactions with instructors, clinical integration, and mentorship. Objective: Highlight the use of the observation period for preparatory athletic…

Themes from a Camp Maintenance Network: Camp Maintenance and Property Personnel Share Their Insights and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whyman, Wynne

2003-01-01

A camp maintenance survey was completed by maintenance personnel from 99 camps. Results highlighted several important considerations: ensuring sufficient maintenance funds for aging infrastructure, including camp/property personnel in decision making, publicizing completed maintenance projects, examining long-term needs of the land, and adopting…

76 FR 39705 - Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Operation of Offshore...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... freeze-up of the sea ice when wind, ice conditions, or other operational considerations prevent or limit... facility include the following: Two diesel generators (designated emergency generators); three turbine... one time); two high pressure turbine compressors; one low pressure flare; and one high pressure flare...

Poverty Alleviation and Integrated Service Delivery: Literacy, Early Child Development and Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordtveit, Bjorn Harald

2008-01-01

This paper argues that many internationally financed literacy programs do not sufficiently take into consideration important daily life issues of the learners, including nutritional deficiencies that may hinder learning, or of children-parent-society interactions that may improve learning. As a result, many programs have become synonymous with…

The Scenario of Gifted Education in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wechsler, Solange Muglia; Fleith, Denise de Souza

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of gifted education in Brazil. A scenario of the education of the gifted is presented, including the official concept of giftedness as well as programs and services available to emphasize important contributions to the area. Although there are considerable advances regarding policies, practices,…

Market Movements and the Dispossessed: Race, Identity, and Subaltern Agency among Black Women Voucher Advocates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedroni, Thomas C.

2005-01-01

Critical educational researchers in the United States and elsewhere are missing something essential in their inattention to considerable support among Black urban women for market-based educational reforms, including vouchers. While the educational left has engaged in important empirical and theoretical work demonstrating the particularly negative…

Social Accountability of Medical Schools: Do Accreditation Standards Help Promote the Concept?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdalla, Mohamed Elhassan

2014-01-01

The social accountability of medical schools is an emerging concept in medical education. This issue calls for the consideration of societal needs in all aspects of medical programmes, including the values of relevance, quality, cost-effectiveness and equity. Most importantly, these needs must be defined collaboratively with people themselves.…

Mental Health Concerns in Williams Syndrome: Intervention Considerations and Illustrations from Case Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Kristin D.; Klein-Tasman, Bonita P.

2009-01-01

The refinement of the Williams syndrome phenotype has frequently included the study of behavioral and temperamental features common to individuals with this disorder. Within this line of research, the importance of evaluating incidence of psychopathology has been increasingly recognized, with studies consistently identifying an increased risk for…

The Educational Afterlife of Greater Britain, 1903-1914

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Philip

2012-01-01

Following its late nineteenth-century emergence as an important element within federalist thinking across the British Empire, the idea of Greater Britain lost much of its political force in the years following the Boer War. The concept however continued to retain considerable residual currency in other fields of Imperial debate, including those…

Building the Partners HealthCare Biobank at Partners Personalized Medicine: Informed Consent, Return of Research Results, Recruitment Lessons and Operational Considerations

PubMed Central

Karlson, Elizabeth W.; Boutin, Natalie T.; Hoffnagle, Alison G.; Allen, Nicole L.

2016-01-01

The Partners HealthCare Biobank is a Partners HealthCare enterprise-wide initiative whose goal is to provide a foundation for the next generation of translational research studies of genotype, environment, gene-environment interaction, biomarker and family history associations with disease phenotypes. The Biobank has leveraged in-person and electronic recruitment methods to enroll >30,000 subjects as of October 2015 at two academic medical centers in Partners HealthCare since launching in 2010. Through a close collaboration with the Partners Human Research Committee, the Biobank has developed a comprehensive informed consent process that addresses key patient concerns, including privacy and the return of research results. Lessons learned include the need for careful consideration of ethical issues, attention to the educational content of electronic media, the importance of patient authentication in electronic informed consent, the need for highly secure IT infrastructure and management of communications and the importance of flexible recruitment modalities and processes dependent on the clinical setting for recruitment. PMID:26784234

Blood donor show behaviour after an invitation to donate: The influence of collection site factors.

PubMed

Merz, E-M; Zijlstra, B J H; de Kort, W L A M

2017-10-01

Show behaviour after invitation to donate varies considerably across donors. More insight into this variation is important for blood banks in achieving stable stocks. This study examined individual factors determining intended show behaviour. Most importantly, however, this study is the first study to account for variation in donor behaviour across different collection sites. We applied a multilevel approach to data from Donor InSight, including 11 889 donors from 257 fixed and mobile collection sites in the Netherlands. The aim of the multilevel models was to account for variance at two levels, that is donors and collection sites. We estimated the likelihood of showing after invitation based on individual predictors, including demographics, donation history and attitude. At the collection site level, we included satisfaction with the blood bank aggregated from individual responses by donors who donate at this site, opening hours and collection site type, that is fixed/mobile. Most importantly, show behaviour varied considerably across collection sites and depended on characteristics of these sites. Moreover, women, older and more experienced donors had higher odds of showing after invitation than men, younger and less experienced donors. Donors higher on warm glow, self-efficacy and donor identity more likely showed after an invitation. Higher aggregate satisfaction and donating at fixed collection sites increased the odds of show. In addition to individual factors, collection site characteristics are important in explaining variation in donor show behaviour, thus presenting clues for blood bank policies and interventions to improve donor show. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Considerations and Future Research Directions for E-Cigarette Warnings-Findings from Expert Interviews.

PubMed

Wackowski, Olivia A; Hammond, David; O'Connor, Richard J; Strasser, Andrew A; Delnevo, Cristine D

2017-07-14

Tobacco warning labels are important sources of risk information but research historically has been cigarette-centric. This qualitative study aimed to inform future direction and research on warnings for e-cigarettes. Between June and August 2016, we conducted interviews with 10 researchers with expertise in tobacco warning label research. Interviewees were registrants of a 2016 National Cancer Institute grantee meeting on tobacco warnings. Several participants agreed that the Food and Drug Administration's new nicotine addiction warning for e-cigarettes could be informative but that it might not resonate with young people. Many agreed that more than one warning would be important as e-cigarette science evolves and that research on additional warning themes (e.g., nicotine exposure, harmful constituents) and execution styles (including use of pictorials) was important. Participants were somewhat mixed about the use of reduced-risk messages within e-cigarette warnings, but agreed that research on how to communicate about cigarette/e-cigarette relative risks was needed. Overall, more research is needed on tobacco warnings for non-cigarette products, including on the message content, placement, execution and potential impact on audiences' product knowledge, risk perceptions and use intentions. This is particularly needed for products such as e-cigarettes which may have harm-reduction potential relative to cigarettes and require unique considerations.

Considerations and Future Research Directions for E-Cigarette Warnings—Findings from Expert Interviews

PubMed Central

Wackowski, Olivia A.; Hammond, David; O’Connor, Richard J.; Strasser, Andrew A.; Delnevo, Cristine D.

2017-01-01

Tobacco warning labels are important sources of risk information but research historically has been cigarette-centric. This qualitative study aimed to inform future direction and research on warnings for e-cigarettes. Between June and August 2016, we conducted interviews with 10 researchers with expertise in tobacco warning label research. Interviewees were registrants of a 2016 National Cancer Institute grantee meeting on tobacco warnings. Several participants agreed that the Food and Drug Administration’s new nicotine addiction warning for e-cigarettes could be informative but that it might not resonate with young people. Many agreed that more than one warning would be important as e-cigarette science evolves and that research on additional warning themes (e.g., nicotine exposure, harmful constituents) and execution styles (including use of pictorials) was important. Participants were somewhat mixed about the use of reduced-risk messages within e-cigarette warnings, but agreed that research on how to communicate about cigarette/e-cigarette relative risks was needed. Overall, more research is needed on tobacco warnings for non-cigarette products, including on the message content, placement, execution and potential impact on audiences’ product knowledge, risk perceptions and use intentions. This is particularly needed for products such as e-cigarettes which may have harm-reduction potential relative to cigarettes and require unique considerations. PMID:28708124

Bulk electric system reliability evaluation incorporating wind power and demand side management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Dange

Electric power systems are experiencing dramatic changes with respect to structure, operation and regulation and are facing increasing pressure due to environmental and societal constraints. Bulk electric system reliability is an important consideration in power system planning, design and operation particularly in the new competitive environment. A wide range of methods have been developed to perform bulk electric system reliability evaluation. Theoretically, sequential Monte Carlo simulation can include all aspects and contingencies in a power system and can be used to produce an informative set of reliability indices. It has become a practical and viable tool for large system reliability assessment technique due to the development of computing power and is used in the studies described in this thesis. The well-being approach used in this research provides the opportunity to integrate an accepted deterministic criterion into a probabilistic framework. This research work includes the investigation of important factors that impact bulk electric system adequacy evaluation and security constrained adequacy assessment using the well-being analysis framework. Load forecast uncertainty is an important consideration in an electrical power system. This research includes load forecast uncertainty considerations in bulk electric system reliability assessment and the effects on system, load point and well-being indices and reliability index probability distributions are examined. There has been increasing worldwide interest in the utilization of wind power as a renewable energy source over the last two decades due to enhanced public awareness of the environment. Increasing penetration of wind power has significant impacts on power system reliability, and security analyses become more uncertain due to the unpredictable nature of wind power. The effects of wind power additions in generating and bulk electric system reliability assessment considering site wind speed correlations and the interactive effects of wind power and load forecast uncertainty on system reliability are examined. The concept of the security cost associated with operating in the marginal state in the well-being framework is incorporated in the economic analyses associated with system expansion planning including wind power and load forecast uncertainty. Overall reliability cost/worth analyses including security cost concepts are applied to select an optimal wind power injection strategy in a bulk electric system. The effects of the various demand side management measures on system reliability are illustrated using the system, load point, and well-being indices, and the reliability index probability distributions. The reliability effects of demand side management procedures in a bulk electric system including wind power and load forecast uncertainty considerations are also investigated. The system reliability effects due to specific demand side management programs are quantified and examined in terms of their reliability benefits.

Dying with dignity: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Hemati, Zeinab; Ashouri, Elaheh; AllahBakhshian, Maryam; Pourfarzad, Zahra; Shirani, Farimah; Safazadeh, Shima; Ziyaei, Marziyeh; Varzeshnejad, Maryam; Hashemi, Maryam; Taleghani, Fariba

2016-05-01

This article is a report of an analysis of the concept of dying with dignity. Dignity is an important component of providing care for dying patients and their families. Nevertheless, given that this concept is poorly defined, concept analysis is one of the best ways to define and clarify the concept of death with dignity with the aim to enhance its application in clinical practice, research and education. A search of multiple nursing and social sciences databases was undertaken, including Academic Search Complete, Science Direct, ProQuest, Scopus, Medline, PubMed, EBSCO, Ovid, Noormage, Cinahl, Magiran, PsycINFO and SID. After an extensive review of the literature from 1998-2014, about 14 related articles were included in the study. Based on these articles, the applications, attributes and experimental results of and references to death with dignity were recorded. Based on this analysis, the most important attributes of this concept included respect for privacy, respect, spiritual peace and hope. The antecedents of this concept included consideration of moral values during caregiving, preservation of human dignity as a patient right and professional ethics, and belief in the dignity of self and others, consideration of culture in providing end-of-life care. The consequences of this concept included a sense of peace in the patient and their family, peaceful death and provision of patient privacy and comfort. The concept of patient dignity has been referred to in many contexts. However, considering the dignity of dying patients commensurate with their culture is the most important component of care provided by nurses to facilitate a peaceful death. Respecting the dignity of the patient results in the reduction of her/his suffering and prepares her/him for a comfortable death. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance considerations in long-term spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akins, F. R.

1979-01-01

Maintenance of skilled performance during extended space flight is of critical importance to both the health and safety of crew members and to the overall success of mission goals. An examination of long term effects and performance requirements is therefore a factor of immense importance to the planning of future missions. Factors that were investigated include: definition of performance categories to be investigated; methods for assessing and predicting performance levels; in-flight factors which can affect performance; and factors pertinent to the maintenance of skilled performance.

Comparative assessment of nanomaterial definitions and safety evaluation considerations.

PubMed

Boverhof, Darrell R; Bramante, Christina M; Butala, John H; Clancy, Shaun F; Lafranconi, Mark; West, Jay; Gordon, Steve C

2015-10-01

Nanomaterials continue to bring promising advances to science and technology. In concert have come calls for increased regulatory oversight to ensure their appropriate identification and evaluation, which has led to extensive discussions about nanomaterial definitions. Numerous nanomaterial definitions have been proposed by government, industry, and standards organizations. We conducted a comprehensive comparative assessment of existing nanomaterial definitions put forward by governments to highlight their similarities and differences. We found that the size limits used in different definitions were inconsistent, as were considerations of other elements, including agglomerates and aggregates, distributional thresholds, novel properties, and solubility. Other important differences included consideration of number size distributions versus weight distributions and natural versus intentionally-manufactured materials. Overall, the definitions we compared were not in alignment, which may lead to inconsistent identification and evaluation of nanomaterials and could have adverse impacts on commerce and public perceptions of nanotechnology. We recommend a set of considerations that future discussions of nanomaterial definitions should consider for describing materials and assessing their potential for health and environmental impacts using risk-based approaches within existing assessment frameworks. Our intent is to initiate a dialogue aimed at achieving greater clarity in identifying those nanomaterials that may require additional evaluation, not to propose a formal definition. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robotic Observatory System Design-Specification Considerations for Achieving Long-Term Sustainable Precision Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wray, J. D.

2003-05-01

The robotic observatory telescope must point precisely on the target object, and then track autonomously to a fraction of the FWHM of the system PSF for durations of ten to twenty minutes or more. It must retain this precision while continuing to function at rates approaching thousands of observations per night for all its years of useful life. These stringent requirements raise new challenges unique to robotic telescope systems design. Critical design considerations are driven by the applicability of the above requirements to all systems of the robotic observatory, including telescope and instrument systems, telescope-dome enclosure systems, combined electrical and electronics systems, environmental (e.g. seeing) control systems and integrated computer control software systems. Traditional telescope design considerations include the effects of differential thermal strain, elastic flexure, plastic flexure and slack or backlash with respect to focal stability, optical alignment and angular pointing and tracking precision. Robotic observatory design must holistically encapsulate these traditional considerations within the overall objective of maximized long-term sustainable precision performance. This overall objective is accomplished through combining appropriate mechanical and dynamical system characteristics with a full-time real-time telescope mount model feedback computer control system. Important design considerations include: identifying and reducing quasi-zero-backlash; increasing size to increase precision; directly encoding axis shaft rotation; pointing and tracking operation via real-time feedback between precision mount model and axis mounted encoders; use of monolithic construction whenever appropriate for sustainable mechanical integrity; accelerating dome motion to eliminate repetitive shock; ducting internal telescope air to outside dome; and the principal design criteria: maximizing elastic repeatability while minimizing slack, plastic deformation and hysteresis to facilitate long-term repeatably precise pointing and tracking performance.

Climate Change, Migration, and Allergic Respiratory Diseases: An Update for the Allergist

PubMed Central

Rottem, Menachem; Dahl, Ronald; Blaiss, Michael; Ridolo, Erminia; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Rosario, Nelson; Motala, Cassim; Ansotegui, Ignacio; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

2011-01-01

Abstract Local climate changes can impact on a number of factors, including air pollution, that have been shown to influence both the development and attacks of allergic respiratory diseases, and thus, they represent an important consideration for the allergist. Migration involves exposure to a new set of pollutants and allergens as well as changes in housing conditions, diet, and accessibility to medical services, all of which are likely to affect migrants' health. This review provides an update on climate change, migration, and allergy and discusses factors for consideration when making recommendations for local allergy service provision and for assessing an individual patient's environmental exposures. PMID:23268459

High-touch surfaces: microbial neighbours at hand.

PubMed

Cobrado, L; Silva-Dias, A; Azevedo, M M; Rodrigues, A G

2017-11-01

Despite considerable efforts, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to be globally responsible for serious morbidity, increased costs and prolonged length of stay. Among potentially preventable sources of microbial pathogens causing HAIs, patient care items and environmental surfaces frequently touched play an important role in the chain of transmission. Microorganisms contaminating such high-touch surfaces include Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, yeasts and parasites, with improved cleaning and disinfection effectively decreasing the rate of HAIs. Manual and automated surface cleaning strategies used in the control of infectious outbreaks are discussed and current trends concerning the prevention of contamination by the use of antimicrobial surfaces are taken into consideration in this manuscript.

Reliability-Related Issues in the Context of Student Evaluations of Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalender, Ilker

2015-01-01

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) have been the principal instrument to elicit students' opinions in higher education institutions. Many decisions, including high-stake ones, are made based on SET scores reported by students. In this respect, reliability of SET scores is of considerable importance. This paper has an argument that there are…

Program Adaptations for Students in Four Selected Sports: Badminton, Golf, Archery, and Tennis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowart, Jim

1982-01-01

The booklet reviews ways in which students with crutches may be helped to successfully participate in four specific sports. General guidelines for modifying programs for this group include the importance of thorough assessment, attention to details of the game play, and consideration of equipment and supply alterations. Each of the four sports is…

Urban Stormwater Runoff. Instructor Guide. Working for Clean Water: An Information Program for Advisory Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simko, Robert A.

Urban stormwater runoff collects pollutants from many parts of a city and is an important consideration in water quality planning. Presented is an instructor's guide for a learning session covering various aspects of urban runoff including pollutant sources, management practices, and regulatory programs. Intended for citizen advisory groups, this…

The Estuary: A Special Place. Student Guide and Teacher Guide. OEAGLS Investigation 20.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Rosanne; Mischler, Ron

In this unit students examine Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Sanctuary on Lake Erie to study the characteristics and importance of estuaries in general. Activities include the analysis of a pictured plankton sample, a transect study using computer data, a consideration of the ecological roles of various estuarine species, and a discussion of…

SCHOOL LIGHTING APPLICATION DATA. EXCERPTS FROM THE IES LIGHTING HANDBOOK, 3RD EDITION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illuminating Engineering Society, New York, NY.

THIS PUBLICATION REGARDING SCHOOL LIGHTING WAS PREPARED AS A USEFUL ADDITION TO THE AMERICAN STANDARD GUIDE FOR SCHOOL LIGHTING. THE MATERIAL HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM THE IES LIGHTING HANDBOOK TO INCLUDE A MORE DETAILED TREATMENT OF SUBJECTS TO WHICH THE DESIGNER MUST GIVE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION. THERE IS A MORE EXTENSIVE TREATMENT OF REFLECTED…

Extracting plant phenology metrics in a Great Basin watershed: methods and considerations for quantifying phenophases in a cold desert

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant phenology is recognized as important for all trophic interactions. There has been a recent advent of phenology and camera networks worldwide. The established PhenoCam Network has sites in coterminous United States, including the western states. However, there is a paucity of published research...

Historical and Political Gazeteer of Afghanistan. Volume 1, Badakhshan Province and Northeastern Afghanistan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamec, Ludwig W., Ed.

Combining the most important geographical data with historical, political, and cultural information, this work, one of six volumes designed as a tool of research and a general reference source, updates and includes a previous publication compiled in 1914 with corrections and additions of maps and considerable new material to take into account…

Checklist of Micro-Organisms Associated With Tree Seeds in the World, 1985

Treesearch

Robert L. Anderson

1986-01-01

Listed alphabetically by host are the major micro-organisms associated with tree seeds. Included are the countries where the organism originated, whether the organism causes a disease of considerable economic importance, whether treatment is available, and where evidence of the seedborne nature of the organism is incomplete or contradictory. The complete reference for...

Development of a Mobile-Optimised Website to Support Students with Special Needs Transitioning from Primary to Secondary Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Dianne; Coffey, Anne

2013-01-01

With an increasing number of students with special needs being included in regular classroom environments, consideration of, and planning for, a smooth transition between different school settings is important for parents, classroom teachers and school administrators. The transition between primary and secondary school can be difficult for…

Toxicity testing of chemical mixtures: some general aspects and need of international guidelines.

PubMed

Kappus, H; Yang, R S

1996-01-01

The topics discussed by the Working Group on Toxicity Testing of Chemical Mixtures included the following (1) the study designs and results from two real-life exposure scenarios as additional information to the various investigations reported at the conference; (2) the need to take into consideration low-level, long-term exposure (i.e. mimicking human exposure conditions) as well as the issue of limited resources in experimental toxicology studies; (3) the importance of exploring alternative and predictive toxicology methodologies to minimize animal use and to conserve resources; (4) the realization that interactive toxicity should include the consideration of physical and biological agents in addition to chemicals. Two specific studies reported at the conference were also discussed. A number of recommendations were made concerning the planning and implementation of toxicology studies on chemical mixtures.

THE DEFINITION AND INTERPRETATION OF TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT DESIGN INPUTS FOR VEHICLE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dale L.; Keller, Vernon W.; Vaughan, William W.

2005-01-01

The description and interpretation of the terrestrial environment (0-90 km altitude) is an important driver of aerospace vehicle structural, control, and thermal system design. NASA is currently in the process of reviewing the meteorological information acquired over the past decade and producing an update to the 1993 Terrestrial Environment Guidelines for Aerospace Vehicle Design and Development handbook. This paper addresses the contents of this updated handbook, with special emphasis on new material being included in the areas of atmospheric thermodynamic models, wind dynamics, atmospheric composition, atmospheric electricity, cloud phenomena, atmospheric extremes, sea state, etc. In addition, the respective engineering design elements will be discussed relative to the importance and influence of terrestrial environment inputs that require consideration and interpretation for design applications. Specific lessons learned that have contributed to the advancements made in the acquisition, interpretation, application and awareness of terrestrial environment inputs for aerospace engineering applications are discussed.

PLACE: an open-source python package for laboratory automation, control, and experimentation.

PubMed

Johnson, Jami L; Tom Wörden, Henrik; van Wijk, Kasper

2015-02-01

In modern laboratories, software can drive the full experimental process from data acquisition to storage, processing, and analysis. The automation of laboratory data acquisition is an important consideration for every laboratory. When implementing a laboratory automation scheme, important parameters include its reliability, time to implement, adaptability, and compatibility with software used at other stages of experimentation. In this article, we present an open-source, flexible, and extensible Python package for Laboratory Automation, Control, and Experimentation (PLACE). The package uses modular organization and clear design principles; therefore, it can be easily customized or expanded to meet the needs of diverse laboratories. We discuss the organization of PLACE, data-handling considerations, and then present an example using PLACE for laser-ultrasound experiments. Finally, we demonstrate the seamless transition to post-processing and analysis with Python through the development of an analysis module for data produced by PLACE automation. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Geochemical and analytical implications of extensive sulfur retention in ash from Indonesian peats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kane, Jean S.; Neuzil, Sandra G.

1993-01-01

Sulfur is an analyte of considerable importance to the complete major element analysis of ash from low-sulfur, low-ash Indonesian peats. Most analytical schemes for major element peat- and coal-ash analyses, including the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry method used in this work, do not permit measurement of sulfur in the ash. As a result, oxide totals cannot be used as a check on accuracy of analysis. Alternative quality control checks verify the accuracy of the cation analyses. Cation and sulfur correlations with percent ash yield suggest that silicon and titanium, and to a lesser extent, aluminum, generally originate as minerals, whereas magnesium and sulfur generally originate from organic matter. Cation correlations with oxide totals indicate that, for these Indonesian peats, magnesium dominates sulfur fixation during ashing because it is considerably more abundant in the ash than calcium, the next most important cation in sulfur fixation.

Health economics in clinical research.

PubMed

Manns, Braden J

2015-01-01

The pressure for health care systems to provide more resource intensive health care and newer, more costly, therapies is significant, despite limited health care budgets. As such, demonstration that a new therapy is effective is no longer sufficient to ensure that it is funded within publicly funded health care systems. The impact of a therapy on health care costs is also an important consideration for decision-makers who must allocate scarce resources. The clinical benefits and costs of a new therapy can be estimated simultaneously using economic evaluation, the strengths and limitations of which are discussed herein. In addition, this chapter includes discussion of the important economic outcomes that can be collected within a clinical trial (alongside the clinical outcome data) enabling consideration of the impact of the therapy on overall resource use, thus enabling performance of an economic evaluation, if the therapy is shown to be effective.

Behavioral, psychiatric, and sociological problems of long-duration space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, N. A.; Fedderson, W. E.

1971-01-01

A literature search was conducted in an effort to isolate the problems that might be expected on long-duration space missions. Primary sources of the search include short-term space flights, submarine tours, Antarctic expeditions, isolation-chamber tests, space-flight simulators, and hypodynamia studies. Various stressors are discussed including weightlessness and low sensory input; circadian rhythms (including sleep); confinement, isolation, and monotony; and purely psychiatric and sociological considerations. Important aspects of crew selection are also mentioned. An attempt is made to discuss these factors with regard to a prototype mission to Mars.

Juvenile psittacine environmental enrichment.

PubMed

Simone-Freilicher, Elisabeth; Rupley, Agnes E

2015-05-01

Environmental enrichment is of great import to the emotional, intellectual, and physical development of the juvenile psittacine and their success in the human home environment. Five major types of enrichment include social, occupational, physical, sensory, and nutritional. Occupational enrichment includes exercise and psychological enrichment. Physical enrichment includes the cage and accessories and the external home environment. Sensory enrichment may be visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, or taste oriented. Nutritional enrichment includes variations in appearance, type, and frequency of diet, and treats, novelty, and foraging. Two phases of the preadult period deserve special enrichment considerations: the development of autonomy and puberty. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analogy in causal inference: rethinking Austin Bradford Hill's neglected consideration.

PubMed

Weed, Douglas L

2018-05-01

The purpose of this article was to rethink and resurrect Austin Bradford Hill's "criterion" of analogy as an important consideration in causal inference. In epidemiology today, analogy is either completely ignored (e.g., in many textbooks), or equated with biologic plausibility or coherence, or aligned with the scientist's imagination. None of these examples, however, captures Hill's description of analogy. His words suggest that there may be something gained by contrasting two bodies of evidence, one from an established causal relationship, the other not. Coupled with developments in the methods of systematic assessments of evidence-including but not limited to meta-analysis-analogy can be restructured as a key component in causal inference. This new approach will require that a collection-a library-of known cases of causal inference (i.e., bodies of evidence involving established causal relationships) be developed. This library would likely include causal assessments by organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Toxicology Program, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, a process for describing key features of a causal relationship would need to be developed along with what will be considered paradigm cases of causation. Finally, it will be important to develop ways to objectively compare a "new" body of evidence with the relevant paradigm case of causation. Analogy, along with all other existing methods and causal considerations, may improve our ability to identify causal relationships. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethical considerations in the prevention and management of genetic disorders with special emphasis on religious considerations.

PubMed

Albar, Mohammed A

2002-06-01

Genetic diseases include not only single gene disorders, but multifactorial, somatic cell genetic disorders, mitochondrial and even chromosomal. One in 4 adults will suffer from a multifactorial or a somatic cell genetic disease. The common diseases in the community have a hereditary component namely diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart diseases and many types of cancer. Even monogenic diseases which affect a small number of the newborns (2%-3%), have a greater impact on childhood diseases up to age 15 years. Therefore, it is imperative to scrutinize the available methods of prevention and management of genetic disorders, their ethical implications, and since east Mediterranean region is mainly occupied by Arabs and muslims, religious considerations become of paramount importance. Islam differs from many other religions in providing a complete code of life, which encompasses the secular with spiritual, the mundane with the celestial and hence forms the basis of the ethical, moral and even juridical attitudes and laws towards any problem or situation. Islamic teachings carry a great deal of instructions for health promotion and disease prevention including hereditary and genetic disorders. This review discusses how the Islamic teachings play an important role in the prevention and management of genetic disorders and the type of ethical implications involved in such management namely premarital medical examination, the question of consanguinity, the genetic counseling, the question of preimplantation diagnosis, the question of abortion and the offering of alternative ways of reproduction.

Health care worker perspectives of their motivation to reduce health care-associated infections.

PubMed

McClung, Laura; Obasi, Chidi; Knobloch, Mary Jo; Safdar, Nasia

2017-10-01

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are largely preventable, but are associated with considerable health care burden. Given the significant cost of HAIs, many health care institutions have implemented bundled interventions to reduce HAIs. These complex behavioral interventions require considerable effort; however, individual behaviors and motivations crucial to successful and sustained implementation have not been adequately assessed. We evaluated health care worker motivations to reduce HAIs. This was a phenomenologic qualitative study of health care workers in different roles within a university hospital, recruited via a snowball strategy. Using constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research model, face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used to explore perceptions of health care worker motivation to follow protocols on HAI prevention. Across all types of health care workers interviewed, patient safety and improvement in clinical outcomes were the major motivators to reducing HAIs. Other important motivators included collaborative environment that valued individual input, transparency and feedback at both organizational and individual levels, leadership involvement, and refresher trainings and workshops. We did not find policy, regulatory considerations, or financial penalties to be important motivators. Health care workers perceived patient safety and clinical outcomes as the primary motivators to reduce HAI. Leadership engagement and data-driven interventions with frequent performance feedback were also identified as important facilitators of HAI prevention. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The interface of protein structure, protein biophysics, and molecular evolution

PubMed Central

Liberles, David A; Teichmann, Sarah A; Bahar, Ivet; Bastolla, Ugo; Bloom, Jesse; Bornberg-Bauer, Erich; Colwell, Lucy J; de Koning, A P Jason; Dokholyan, Nikolay V; Echave, Julian; Elofsson, Arne; Gerloff, Dietlind L; Goldstein, Richard A; Grahnen, Johan A; Holder, Mark T; Lakner, Clemens; Lartillot, Nicholas; Lovell, Simon C; Naylor, Gavin; Perica, Tina; Pollock, David D; Pupko, Tal; Regan, Lynne; Roger, Andrew; Rubinstein, Nimrod; Shakhnovich, Eugene; Sjölander, Kimmen; Sunyaev, Shamil; Teufel, Ashley I; Thorne, Jeffrey L; Thornton, Joseph W; Weinreich, Daniel M; Whelan, Simon

2012-01-01

Abstract The interface of protein structural biology, protein biophysics, molecular evolution, and molecular population genetics forms the foundations for a mechanistic understanding of many aspects of protein biochemistry. Current efforts in interdisciplinary protein modeling are in their infancy and the state-of-the art of such models is described. Beyond the relationship between amino acid substitution and static protein structure, protein function, and corresponding organismal fitness, other considerations are also discussed. More complex mutational processes such as insertion and deletion and domain rearrangements and even circular permutations should be evaluated. The role of intrinsically disordered proteins is still controversial, but may be increasingly important to consider. Protein geometry and protein dynamics as a deviation from static considerations of protein structure are also important. Protein expression level is known to be a major determinant of evolutionary rate and several considerations including selection at the mRNA level and the role of interaction specificity are discussed. Lastly, the relationship between modeling and needed high-throughput experimental data as well as experimental examination of protein evolution using ancestral sequence resurrection and in vitro biochemistry are presented, towards an aim of ultimately generating better models for biological inference and prediction. PMID:22528593

Recruiting medical students to rural practice

PubMed Central

Jutzi, Leah; Vogt, Kelly; Drever, Erin; Nisker, Jeff

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To explore the strategies used by rural recruitment programs and their perceived influence on medical students. DESIGN Two original questionnaires delivered electronically, one to medical students and the other to recruiters in rural Ontario communities. SETTING Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS All 525 medical students enrolled in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in London and physician recruiters in 71 rural communities in Ontario were invited to participate in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The factors that influence medical students to consider rural practice, strategies used by recruiters, and student perceptions of the ethical appropriateness of both. RESULTS The questionnaire was completed by 42.1% of medical students. Lifestyle considerations were an important influence for 93.1% of students. Themes from the qualitative analysis included the ethical appropriateness of financial considerations, economic forces, perceived disadvantages of rural practice, competition between communities, and lack of altruism. Responses were received from recruiters in 43.7% of communities; of those, 92.9% offered financial incentives to attract prospective physicians. CONCLUSION Financial and lifestyle considerations are important influences on medical students’ choice to practise in rural communities. Most medical students felt incentive programs offered by rural communities were ethically appropriate. PMID:19155375

Recruiting medical students to rural practice: perspectives of medical students and rural recruiters.

PubMed

Jutzi, Leah; Vogt, Kelly; Drever, Erin; Nisker, Jeff

2009-01-01

To explore the strategies used by rural recruitment programs and their perceived influence on medical students. Two original questionnaires delivered electronically, one to medical students and the other to recruiters in rural Ontario communities. Ontario, Canada. All 525 medical students enrolled in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in London and physician recruiters in 71 rural communities in Ontario were invited to participate in the study. The factors that influence medical students to consider rural practice, strategies used by recruiters, and student perceptions of the ethical appropriateness of both. The questionnaire was completed by 42.1% of medical students. Lifestyle considerations were an important influence for 93.1% of students. Themes from the qualitative analysis included the ethical appropriateness of financial considerations, economic forces, perceived disadvantages of rural practice, competition between communities, and lack of altruism. Responses were received from recruiters in 43.7% of communities; of those, 92.9% offered financial incentives to attract prospective physicians. Financial and lifestyle considerations are important influences on medical students' choice to practise in rural communities. Most medical students felt incentive programs offered by rural communities were ethically appropriate.

Valley plugs, land use, and phytogeomorphic response: Chapter 14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierce, Aaron R.; King, Sammy L.; Shroder, John F.

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic alteration of fluvial systems can disrupt functional processes that provide valuable ecosystem services. Channelization alters fluvial parameters and the connectivity of river channels to their floodplains which is critical for productivity, nutrient cycling, flood control, and biodiversity. The effects of channelization can be exacerbated by local geology and land-use activities, resulting in dramatic geomorphic readjustments including the formation of valley plugs. Considerable variation in the response of abiotic processes, including surface hydrology, subsurface hydrology, and sedimentation dynamics, to channelization and the formation of valley plugs. Altered abiotic processes associated with these geomorphic features and readjustments influence biotic processes including species composition, abundance, and successional processes. Considerable interest exists for restoring altered fluvial systems and their floodplains because of their social and ecological importance. Understanding abiotic and biotic responses of channelization and valley-plug formation within the context of the watershed is essential to successful restoration. This chapter focuses on the primary causes of valley-plug formation, resulting fluvial-geomorphic responses, vegetation responses, and restoration and research needs for these systems.

Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling

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

Nlebedim, I. C.; King, A. H.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the targetmore » points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. Lastly, the aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.« less

Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling

DOE PAGES

Nlebedim, I. C.; King, A. H.

2017-12-12

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the targetmore » points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. Lastly, the aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.« less

Comparative analysis of package inserts of local and imported antihypertensive medications in Palestine.

PubMed

Qatmosh, Sandra A; Koni, Amer A; Qeeno, Baraa G; Arandy, Dina A; Abu-Hashia, Maysa W; Al-Hroub, Bahaa M; Zyoud, Sa'ed H

2017-09-25

Package inserts (PIs) as a reliable reference for patients and health care providers should provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information. The purpose of the current study is to assess and compare the PIs of antihypertensive agents locally produced in Palestine and their imported counterparts. Thirty-five PIs were assessed for the presence of 31 information statements using a scoring method. Word counting of 20 headings and subheadings was used to evaluate and compare local and imported PIs for information quantity. None of the analysed PIs fulfilled the criteria. All of them included the brand name, active ingredients, indications, directions for use, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, pregnancy and lactation considerations, and storage. Whereas none of them, either local or imported PIs, included the shelf life and instructions to convert tablets or capsules into liquid forms. Additionally, only one (5%) imported and no (0%) local PIs mentioned the duration of therapy. Moreover, 93.4% of local PIs were deficient in areas regarding the inactive ingredients and date of last revision, and 86.7% did not mention the drug dose and possibility of tablet splitting. Furthermore, the maximum dose was not indicated in 90% of imported and 86.7% of local PIs. In general, imported PIs contained more detailed information than their local counterparts, where the range of differences in medians between the local and imported PIs was from 1.5-fold for pregnancy considerations to >42.00-fold for the effect on the ability to drive and use machines. The findings of this study revealed the superiority of imported over local PIs in both quality and quantity of information provided. This emphasises the need for appropriate measures to be taken by the Ministry of Health and local manufacturers to ensure efficiency of local PIs in providing accurate, complete and up-to-date information.

Clinical and financial considerations for implementing an ICU telemedicine program.

PubMed

Kruklitis, Robert J; Tracy, Joseph A; McCambridge, Matthew M

2014-06-01

As the population in the United States increases and ages, the need to provide high-quality, safe, and cost-effective care to the most critically ill patients will be of great importance. With the projected shortage of intensivists, innovative changes to improve efficiency and increase productivity will be necessary. Telemedicine programs in the ICUs (tele-ICUs) are a successful strategy to improve intensivist access to critically ill patients. Although significant capital and maintenance costs are associated with tele-ICUs, these costs can be offset by indirect financial benefits, such as decreased length of stay. To achieve the positive clinical outcomes desired, tele-ICUs must be carefully designed and implemented. In this article, we discuss the clinical benefits of tele-ICUs. We review the financial considerations, including direct and indirect reimbursement and development and maintenance costs. Finally, we review design and implementation considerations for tele-ICUs.

Measuring food and nutrition security: tools and considerations for use among people living with HIV.

PubMed

Fielden, Sarah J; Anema, Aranka; Fergusson, Pamela; Muldoon, Katherine; Grede, Nils; de Pee, Saskia

2014-10-01

As an increasing number of countries implement integrated food and nutrition security (FNS) and HIV programs, global stakeholders need clarity on how to best measure FNS at the individual and household level. This paper reviews prominent FNS measurement tools, and describes considerations for interpretation in the context of HIV. There exist a range of FNS measurement tools and many have been adapted for use in HIV-endemic settings. Considerations in selecting appropriate tools include sub-types (food sufficiency, dietary diversity and food safety); scope/level of application; and available resources. Tools need to reflect both the needs of PLHIV and affected households and FNS program objectives. Generalized food sufficiency and dietary diversity tools may provide adequate measures of FNS in PLHIV for programmatic applications. Food consumption measurement tools provide further data for clinical or research applications. Measurement of food safety is an important, but underdeveloped aspect of assessment, especially for PLHIV.

Soil carbon and nitrogen content and stabilization in mid-rotation, intensively managed sweetgum and loblolly stands

Treesearch

Kurt H. Johnsen; Lisa J. Samuelson; Felipe G. Sanchez; Bob Eaton

2013-01-01

Intensive forestry has resulted in considerable increases in aboveground stand productivity including foliar and belowground biomass which are the primary sources of soil organic matter. Soil organic matter is important for the maintenance of soil physical, chemical and biological quality. Additionally, sequestering carbon (C) in soils may provide a means of mitigating...

Student Aids and BBCCS (B'nai B'rith Career and Counseling Service): A New Look at an Old Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feingold, S. Norman

Approximately 95 percent of affiliated Jewish youth attend college. Much is happening in student aid today that will probably affect parents and their children. Issues of importance include: (1) legal considerations; (2) sources of financial aid; (3) applying for financial aid; (4) state and federal programs of financial aid; (5) sources of…

Biological invasion hotspots: a trait-based perspective reveals new sub-continental patterns

Treesearch

Basil V. Iannone III; Kevin M. Potter; Qinfeng Guo; Andrew M. Liebhold; Bryan C. Pijanowski; Christopher M. Oswalt; Songlin Fei

2015-01-01

Invader traits (including plant growth form) may play an important, and perhaps overlooked, role in determining macroscale patterns of biological invasions and therefore warrant greater consideration in future investigations aimed at understanding these patterns. To assess this need, we used empirical data from a national-level survey of forest in the contiguous 48...

Children's Literature-Comparatively Reading. Thinking about the Pink Bits: A Consideration of the Influence of English Children's Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Jean

This paper examines the state of children's literature by tracing some of the side effects of nineteenth-century English children's literature. During their early histories, the British colonies, including America, were economically unable to produce their own children's books. Reading materials were imported from the home country, and, likewise,…

Optimizing biomass feedstock logistics for forest residue processing and transportation on a tree-shaped road network

Treesearch

Hee Han; Woodam Chung; Lucas Wells; Nathaniel Anderson

2018-01-01

An important task in forest residue recovery operations is to select the most cost-efficient feedstock logistics system for a given distribution of residue piles, road access, and available machinery. Notable considerations include inaccessibility of treatment units to large chip vans and frequent, long-distance mobilization of forestry equipment required to process...

How Should "Quality" Technical Education and Training Be Defined? A Statement from the National Council for Occupational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, James; Gershwin, Mary; Hayes, Homer; Jacobs, James; Mundhenk, Robert

Although objectively measurable achievement of outcomes is an important guide to the quality of education, the process of defining and assuring the quality of technical education and training must include consideration for the context in which technical education and training occurs. It is also critical to remember that education has two sets of…

The Role of Ethnicity and Perceptions of the Family Environment in Self-Determination among Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Raymond J.

2010-01-01

Considerable research exists on the importance of self-determination in the transition of students with disabilities from high school. Much of this research has focused on conditions in the family that may nurture and support the development of self-determined motivation. These conditions, as described by Self-Determination Theory, include support…

Source processes for the probabilistic assessment of tsunami hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geist, Eric L.; Lynett, Patrick J.

2014-01-01

The importance of tsunami hazard assessment has increased in recent years as a result of catastrophic consequences from events such as the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Japan tsunamis. In particular, probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment (PTHA) methods have been emphasized to include all possible ways a tsunami could be generated. Owing to the scarcity of tsunami observations, a computational approach is used to define the hazard. This approach includes all relevant sources that may cause a tsunami to impact a site and all quantifiable uncertainty. Although only earthquakes were initially considered for PTHA, recent efforts have also attempted to include landslide tsunami sources. Including these sources into PTHA is considerably more difficult because of a general lack of information on relating landslide area and volume to mean return period. The large variety of failure types and rheologies associated with submarine landslides translates to considerable uncertainty in determining the efficiency of tsunami generation. Resolution of these and several other outstanding problems are described that will further advance PTHA methodologies leading to a more accurate understanding of tsunami hazard.

Growth failure and nutrition considerations in chronic childhood wasting diseases.

PubMed

Kyle, Ursula G; Shekerdemian, Lara S; Coss-Bu, Jorge A

2015-04-01

Growth failure is a common problem in many children with chronic diseases. This article is an overview of the most common causes of growth failure/growth retardation that affect children with a number of chronic diseases. We also briefly review the nutrition considerations and treatment goals. Growth failure is multifactorial in children with chronic conditions, including patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, congenital heart disease, human immunodeficiency virus, inflammatory bowel disease, short bowel syndrome, and muscular dystrophies. Important contributory factors to growth failure include increased energy needs, increased energy loss, malabsorption, decreased energy intake, anorexia, pain, vomiting, intestinal obstruction, and inflammatory cytokines. Various metabolic and pathologic abnormalities that are characteristic of chronic diseases further lead to significant malnutrition and growth failure. In addition to treating disease-specific abnormalities, treatment should address the energy and protein deficits, including vitamin and mineral supplements to correct deficiencies, correct metabolic and endocrinologic abnormalities, and include long-term monitoring of weight and growth. Individualized, age-appropriate nutrition intervention will minimize the malnutrition and growth failure seen in children with chronic diseases. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Health sector reform in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT): targeting the forest or the trees?

PubMed Central

GIACAMAN, RITA; ABDUL-RAHIM, HANAN F; WICK, LAURA

2006-01-01

Since the signing of the Oslo Peace Accords and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, reform activities have targeted various spheres, including the health sector. Several international aid and UN organizations have been involved, as well as local and international non-governmental organizations, with considerable financial and technical investments. Although important achievements have been made, it is not evident that the quality of care has improved or that the most pressing health needs have been addressed, even before the second Palestinian Uprising that began in September 2000. The crisis of the Israeli re-invasion of Palestinian-controlled towns and villages since April 2002 and the attendant collapse of state structures and services have raised the problems to critical levels. This paper attempts to analyze some of the obstacles that have faced reform efforts. In our assessment, those include: ongoing conflict, frail Palestinian quasi-state structures and institutions, multiple and at times inappropriate donor policies and practices in the health sector, and a policy vacuum characterized by the absence of internal Palestinian debate on the type and direction of reform the country needs to take. In the face of all these considerations, it is important that reform efforts be flexible and consider realistically the political and economic contexts of the health system, rather than focus on mere narrow technical, managerial and financial solutions imported from the outside. PMID:12582108

Responses and Clarifications Regarding Science and Worldviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauch, Hugh G.

2009-06-01

This article responds to the other 10 papers in this thematic issue on science and worldviews and it clarifies some of the points in my lead article. The Bayesian framework provides helpful structure for worldview inquiries by recognizing and integrating both public and personal evidence. Drawing upon the other 10 papers, six kinds of potential evidence or considerations are identified: the problem of evil, evolution, miracles and prayer, the Anthropic Principle, religious experience, and natural theology. The thesis is defended that considerations informing worldview convictions include public evidence from the sciences and the humanities and personal evidence from individual experience. Additional topics addressed briefly include scientific realism, the tentativeness of scientific knowledge, science’s presuppositions, the relationship between natural science and natural theology, the nature of religious faith, and the importance of philosophy in science education. Seven questions are posed for which further leadership from the AAAS and NAS would benefit the scientific community.

Extravehicular activity welding experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, J. Kevin

1989-01-01

The In-Space Technology Experiments Program (INSTEP) provides an opportunity to explore the many critical questions which can only be answered by experimentation in space. The objective of the Extravehicular Activity Welding Experiment definition project was to define the requirements for a spaceflight experiment to evaluate the feasibility of performing manual welding tasks during EVA. Consideration was given to experiment design, work station design, welding hardware design, payload integration requirements, and human factors (including safety). The results of this effort are presented. Included are the specific objectives of the flight test, details of the tasks which will generate the required data, and a description of the equipment which will be needed to support the tasks. Work station requirements are addressed as are human factors, STS integration procedures and, most importantly, safety considerations. A preliminary estimate of the cost and the schedule for completion of the experiment through flight and postflight analysis are given.

Regulatory Approaches for Adding Capacity to Existing Hydropower Facilities

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

Levine, Aaron L.; Curtis, Taylor L.; Kazerooni, Borna

In 2015, hydroelectric generation accounted for more than 6 percent of total net electricity generation in the United States and 46 percent of electricity generation from all renewables. The United States has considerable hydroelectric potential beyond what is already being developed. Nearly 7 GW of this potential is found by adding capacity to existing hydropower facilities. To optimize the value of hydroelectric generation, the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydropower Vision Study highlights the importance of adding capacity to existing facilities. This report provides strategic approaches and considerations for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensed and exempt hydropower facilities seeking to increasemore » generation capacity, which may include increases from efficiency upgrades. The regulatory approaches reviewed for this report include capacity and non-capacity amendments, adding capacity during relicensing, and adding capacity when converting a license to a 10-MW exemption.« less

Promise and Peril: Dissemination of Findings from Studies of Drugs Used in Pregnancy and Their Association with Birth Defects

PubMed Central

Patrick, Stephen W.; Cooper, William O.

2015-01-01

When and how to publish birth defects research can be complex, especially in the context of drugs used in pregnancy. Such research frequently involves multiple stakeholders, including regulatory agencies. Researchers must balance the potential peril of an unnecessarily panicked populace versus the benefit of protecting the public's health. We use a case presentation and contemporary literature to highlight the potential tradeoffs that researchers must consider. We highlight important considerations including the public health impact, examining the likelihood of causality, understanding common considerations when using large data sources, the role of peer review and working in partnership with regulatory agencies. We suggest that plans for analyses, dissemination and risk communication are done best a priori and not post hoc. Rigorous research evaluating the impact of drugs used in pregnancy, coupled with effective dissemination strategies, has the potential improve outcomes for mothers and their infants for generations. PMID:26153150

Sustainability considerations for health research and analytic data infrastructures.

PubMed

Wilcox, Adam; Randhawa, Gurvaneet; Embi, Peter; Cao, Hui; Kuperman, Gilad J

2014-01-01

The United States has made recent large investments in creating data infrastructures to support the important goals of patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and comparative effectiveness research (CER), with still more investment planned. These initial investments, while critical to the creation of the infrastructures, are not expected to sustain them much beyond the initial development. To provide the maximum benefit, the infrastructures need to be sustained through innovative financing models while providing value to PCOR and CER researchers. Based on our experience with creating flexible sustainability strategies (i.e., strategies that are adaptive to the different characteristics and opportunities of a resource or infrastructure), we define specific factors that are important considerations in developing a sustainability strategy. These factors include assets, expansion, complexity, and stakeholders. Each factor is described, with examples of how it is applied. These factors are dimensions of variation in different resources, to which a sustainability strategy should adapt. We also identify specific important considerations for maintaining an infrastructure, so that the long-term intended benefits can be realized. These observations are presented as lessons learned, to be applied to other sustainability efforts. We define the lessons learned, relating them to the defined sustainability factors as interactions between factors. Using perspectives and experiences from a diverse group of experts, we define broad characteristics of sustainability strategies and important observations, which can vary for different projects. Other descriptions of adaptive, flexible, and successful models of collaboration between stakeholders and data infrastructures can expand this framework by identifying other factors for sustainability, and give more concrete directions on how sustainability can be best achieved.

[Crisis management in pediatric anesthesia].

PubMed

Takeuchi, Mamoru; Otsuka, Yoji; Taga, Naoyuki; Sato, Yuki; Iwai, Hidetaka; Okada, Osamu

2009-05-01

We describe the risk management of pediatric anesthesia. The most important risk management of pediatric anesthesia is airway and temperature management. Neonates and infants easily become hypoxic due to their insufficient functional residual capacity. Therefore airway management is most important not only during induction of anesthesia but also during maintenance of anesthesia and extubation. The management of patients' temperature, including control of room temperature should be taken into consideration. In addition, careful attention should be paid not to introduce air bubbles in any lines, especially in patients with congenital heart diseases.

Civilian nuclear incidents: An overview of historical, medical, and scientific aspects

PubMed Central

Rojavin, Yuri; Seamon, Mark J; Tripathi, Ravi S; Papadimos, Thomas J; Galwankar, Sagar; Kman, Nicholas; Cipolla, James; Grossman, Michael D; Marchigiani, Raffaele; Stawicki, Stanislaw P A

2011-01-01

Given the increasing number of operational nuclear reactors worldwide, combined with the continued use of radioactive materials in both healthcare and industry, the unlikely occurrence of a civilian nuclear incident poses a small but real danger. This article provides an overview of the most important historical, medical, and scientific aspects associated with the most notable nuclear incidents to date. We have discussed fundamental principles of radiation monitoring, triage considerations, and the short- and long-term management of radiation exposure victims. The provision and maintenance of adequate radiation safety among first responders and emergency personnel are emphasized. Finally, an outline is included of decontamination, therapeutic, and prophylactic considerations pertaining to exposure to various radioactive materials. PMID:21769214

Considerations and caveats in anti-virulence drug development

PubMed Central

Maura, Damien; Ballok, Alicia E.; Rahme, Laurence G.

2016-01-01

As antibiotic resistance remains a major public health threat, anti-virulence therapy research is gaining interest. Hundreds of potential anti-virulence compounds have been examined, but very few have made it to clinical trials and none have been approved. This review surveys the current anti-virulence research field with a focus on the highly resistant and deadly ESKAPE pathogens, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We discuss timely considerations and caveats in anti-virulence drug development, including target identification, administration, preclinical development, and metrics for success in clinical trials. Development of a defined pipeline for anti-virulence agents, which differs in important ways from conventional antibiotics, is imperative for the future success of these critically needed drugs. PMID:27318551

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship: Use of Administrative and Surveillance Databases.

PubMed

Drees, Marci; Gerber, Jeffrey S; Morgan, Daniel J; Lee, Grace M

2016-11-01

Administrative and surveillance data are used frequently in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship (HE&AS) research because of their wide availability and efficiency. However, data quality issues exist, requiring careful consideration and potential validation of data. This methods paper presents key considerations for using administrative and surveillance data in HE&AS, including types of data available and potential use, data limitations, and the importance of validation. After discussing these issues, we review examples of HE&AS research using administrative data with a focus on scenarios when their use may be advantageous. A checklist is provided to help aid study development in HE&AS using administrative data. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-10.

Civilian nuclear incidents: An overview of historical, medical, and scientific aspects.

PubMed

Rojavin, Yuri; Seamon, Mark J; Tripathi, Ravi S; Papadimos, Thomas J; Galwankar, Sagar; Kman, Nicholas; Cipolla, James; Grossman, Michael D; Marchigiani, Raffaele; Stawicki, Stanislaw P A

2011-04-01

Given the increasing number of operational nuclear reactors worldwide, combined with the continued use of radioactive materials in both healthcare and industry, the unlikely occurrence of a civilian nuclear incident poses a small but real danger. This article provides an overview of the most important historical, medical, and scientific aspects associated with the most notable nuclear incidents to date. We have discussed fundamental principles of radiation monitoring, triage considerations, and the short- and long-term management of radiation exposure victims. The provision and maintenance of adequate radiation safety among first responders and emergency personnel are emphasized. Finally, an outline is included of decontamination, therapeutic, and prophylactic considerations pertaining to exposure to various radioactive materials.

Ideology, politics, and personality: shaping forces in Dutch psychology of religion, 1907-1957.

PubMed

Belzen, Jacob A

2009-08-01

Although the academic establishment of the psychology of religion in the Netherlands has been stronger than in any other Western country, the start of these developments has been remarkably late (in 1957), especially when taking into account that Dutch academic life: (1) before World War II modeled itself after Germany (where psychology of religion flourished); and (2) was to a considerable extent included in the system of pillarization, which characterized Dutch society at large. The general factors that can be distinguished as having played an important role in the shaping of the situation for psychology of religion in the Netherlands had different impacts in the several universities under consideration.

Habitat Design Considerations for Implementing Solar Particle Event Radiation Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Mathew A.; Clowdsley, Martha S.; Walker, Steven A.

2013-01-01

Radiation protection is an important habitat design consideration for human exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. Fortunately, radiation shelter concepts can effectively reduce astronaut exposure for the relatively low proton energies of solar particle events, enabling moderate duration missions of several months before astronaut exposure (galactic cosmic ray and solar particle event) approaches radiation exposure limits. In order to minimize habitat mass for increasingly challenging missions, design of radiation shelters must minimize dedicated, single-purpose shielding mass by leveraging the design and placement of habitat subsystems, accommodations, and consumables. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems RadWorks Storm Shelter Team has recently designed and performed radiation analysis on several low dedicated mass shelter concepts for a year-long mission. This paper describes habitat design considerations identified during the study's radiation analysis. These considerations include placement of the shelter within a habitat for improved protection, integration of human factors guidance for sizing shelters, identification of potential opportunities for habitat subsystems to compromise on individual subsystem performances for overall vehicle mass reductions, and pre-configuration of shelter components for reduced deployment times.

Genetic variation in domestic reindeer and wild caribou in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, M.; Renecker, L.; Pierson, Barbara J.; Patton, J.C.

1995-01-01

Reindeer were introduced into Alaska 100 years ago and have been maintained as semidomestic livestock. They have had contact with wild caribou herds, including deliberate cross-breeding and mixing in the wild. Reindeer have considerable potential as a domestic animal for meat or velvet antler production, and wild caribou are important to subsistence and sport hunters. Our objective was to quantify the genetic relationships of reindeer and caribou in Alaska. We identified allelic variation among five herds of wild caribou and three herds of reindeer with DNA sequencing and restriction enzymes for three loci: a DQA locus of the major histocompatibility complex (Rata-DQA1), k-casein and the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA. These loci are of interest because of their potential influence on domestic animal performance and the fitness of wild populations. There is considerable genetic variation in reindeer and caribou for all three loci, including five, three and six alleles for DQA, k-casein and D-loop respectively. Most alleles occur in both reindeer and caribou, which may be the result of recent common ancestry or genetic introgression in either direction. However, allele frequencies differ considerably between reindeer and caribou, which suggests that gene flow has been limited.

Commercial considerations in tissue engineering

PubMed Central

Mansbridge, Jonathan

2006-01-01

Tissue engineering is a field with immense promise. Using the example of an early tissue-engineered skin implant, Dermagraft, factors involved in the successful commercial development of devices of this type are explored. Tissue engineering has to strike a balance between tissue culture, which is a resource-intensive activity, and business considerations that are concerned with minimizing cost and maximizing customer convenience. Bioreactor design takes place in a highly regulated environment, so factors to be incorporated into the concept include not only tissue culture considerations but also matters related to asepsis, scaleup, automation and ease of use by the final customer. Dermagraft is an allogeneic tissue. Stasis preservation, in this case cryopreservation, is essential in allogeneic tissue engineering, allowing sterility testing, inventory control and, in the case of Dermagraft, a cellular stress that may be important for hormesis following implantation. Although the use of allogeneic cells provides advantages in manufacturing under suitable conditions, it raises the spectre of immunological rejection. Such rejection has not been experienced with Dermagraft. Possible reasons for this and the vision of further application of allogeneic tissues are important considerations in future tissue-engineered cellular devices. This review illustrates approaches that indicate some of the criteria that may provide a basis for further developments. Marketing is a further requirement for success, which entails understanding of the mechanism of action of the procedure, and is illustrated for Dermagraft. The success of a tissue-engineered product is dependent on many interacting operations, some discussed here, each of which must be performed simultaneously and well. PMID:17005024

Commercial considerations in tissue engineering.

PubMed

Mansbridge, Jonathan

2006-10-01

Tissue engineering is a field with immense promise. Using the example of an early tissue-engineered skin implant, Dermagraft, factors involved in the successful commercial development of devices of this type are explored. Tissue engineering has to strike a balance between tissue culture, which is a resource-intensive activity, and business considerations that are concerned with minimizing cost and maximizing customer convenience. Bioreactor design takes place in a highly regulated environment, so factors to be incorporated into the concept include not only tissue culture considerations but also matters related to asepsis, scaleup, automation and ease of use by the final customer. Dermagraft is an allogeneic tissue. Stasis preservation, in this case cryopreservation, is essential in allogeneic tissue engineering, allowing sterility testing, inventory control and, in the case of Dermagraft, a cellular stress that may be important for hormesis following implantation. Although the use of allogeneic cells provides advantages in manufacturing under suitable conditions, it raises the spectre of immunological rejection. Such rejection has not been experienced with Dermagraft. Possible reasons for this and the vision of further application of allogeneic tissues are important considerations in future tissue-engineered cellular devices. This review illustrates approaches that indicate some of the criteria that may provide a basis for further developments. Marketing is a further requirement for success, which entails understanding of the mechanism of action of the procedure, and is illustrated for Dermagraft. The success of a tissue-engineered product is dependent on many interacting operations, some discussed here, each of which must be performed simultaneously and well.

A review of sleepwalking (somnambulism): the enigma of neurophysiology and polysomnography with differential diagnosis of complex partial seizures.

PubMed

Hughes, John R

2007-12-01

The goal of this report is to review all aspects of sleepwalking (SW), also known as somnambulism. Various factors seem to initiate SW, especially drugs, stress, and sleep deprivation. As an etiology, heredity is important, but other conditions include thyrotoxicosis, stress, and herpes simplex encephalitis. Psychological characteristics of sleepwalkers often include aggression, anxiety, panic disorder, and hysteria. Polysomnographic characteristics emphasize abnormal deep sleep associated with arousal and slow wave sleep fragmentation. In the differential diagnosis, the EEG is important to properly identify a seizure disorder, rather than SW. Associated disorders are Tourette's syndrome, sleep-disordered breathing, and migraine. Various kinds of treatment are discussed, as are legal considerations, especially murder during sleepwalking.

United States Energy Policy: Security Not Independence

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

the ecosystem. Examples include fish migration considerations for hydropower, birds and bats being killed in wind turbine blades, and many of the U.S...declining oil imports, and domestic energy exploration will remain American priorities. He went on to list wind , solar, clean coal, and biofuels as...crops - Winds not constant or reliable -Impact to ecosystem -Unsightly addition to landscape Solar16 -Renewable and clean -Minimal impact to

The NuMI neutrino beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamson, P.; Anderson, K.; Andrews, M.; Andrews, R.; Anghel, I.; Augustine, D.; Aurisano, A.; Avvakumov, S.; Ayres, D. S.; Baller, B.; Barish, B.; Barr, G.; Barrett, W. L.; Bernstein, R. H.; Biggs, J.; Bishai, M.; Blake, A.; Bocean, V.; Bock, G. J.; Boehnlein, D. J.; Bogert, D.; Bourkland, K.; Cao, S. V.; Castromonte, C. M.; Childress, S.; Choudhary, B. C.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Cobb, J. H.; Corwin, L.; Crane, D.; Cravens, J. P.; Cronin-Hennessy, D.; Ducar, R. J.; De Jong, J. K.; Devan, A. V.; Devenish, N. E.; Diwan, M. V.; Erwin, A. R.; Escobar, C. O.; Evans, J. J.; Falk, E.; Feldman, G. J.; Fields, T. H.; Ford, R.; Frohne, M. V.; Gallagher, H. R.; Garkusha, V.; Gomes, R. A.; Goodman, M. C.; Gouffon, P.; Graf, N.; Gran, R.; Grossman, N.; Grzelak, K.; Habig, A.; Hahn, S. R.; Harding, D.; Harris, D.; Harris, P. G.; Hartnell, J.; Hatcher, R.; Hays, S.; Heller, K.; Holin, A.; Huang, J.; Hylen, J.; Ibrahim, A.; Indurthy, D.; Irwin, G. M.; Isvan, Z.; Jaffe, D. E.; James, C.; Jensen, D.; Johnstone, J.; Kafka, T.; Kasahara, S. M. S.; Koizumi, G.; Kopp, S.; Kordosky, M.; Kreymer, A.; Lang, K.; Laughton, C.; Lefeuvre, G.; Ling, J.; Litchfield, P. J.; Loiacono, L.; Lucas, P.; Mann, W. A.; Marchionni, A.; Marshak, M. L.; Mayer, N.; McGivern, C.; Medeiros, M. M.; Mehdiyev, R.; Meier, J. R.; Messier, M. D.; Michael, D. G.; Milburn, R. H.; Miller, J. L.; Miller, W. H.; Mishra, S. R.; Moed Sher, S.; Moore, C. D.; Morfín, J.; Mualem, L.; Mufson, S.; Murgia, S.; Murtagh, M.; Musser, J.; Naples, D.; Nelson, J. K.; Newman, H. B.; Nichol, R. J.; Nowak, J. A.; O`Connor, J.; Oliver, W. P.; Olsen, M.; Orchanian, M.; Osprey, S.; Pahlka, R. B.; Paley, J.; Para, A.; Patterson, R. B.; Patzak, T.; Pavlović, Ž.; Pawloski, G.; Perch, A.; Peterson, E. A.; Petyt, D. A.; Pfützner, M. M.; Phan-Budd, S.; Plunkett, R. K.; Poonthottathil, N.; Prieto, P.; Pushka, D.; Qiu, X.; Radovic, A.; Rameika, R. A.; Ratchford, J.; Rebel, B.; Reilly, R.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rubin, H. A.; Ruddick, K.; Sanchez, M. C.; Saoulidou, N.; Sauer, L.; Schneps, J.; Schoo, D.; Schreckenberger, A.; Schreiner, P.; Shanahan, P.; Sharma, R.; Smart, W.; Smith, C.; Sousa, A.; Stefanik, A.; Tagg, N.; Talaga, R. L.; Tassotto, G.; Thomas, J.; Thompson, J.; Thomson, M. A.; Tian, X.; Timmons, A.; Tinsley, D.; Tognini, S. C.; Toner, R.; Torretta, D.; Trostin, I.; Tzanakos, G.; Urheim, J.; Vahle, P.; Vaziri, K.; Villegas, E.; Viren, B.; Vogel, G.; Webber, R. C.; Weber, A.; Webb, R. C.; Wehmann, A.; White, C.; Whitehead, L.; Whitehead, L. H.; Wojcicki, S. G.; Wong-Squires, M. L.; Yang, T.; Yumiceva, F. X.; Zarucheisky, V.; Zwaska, R.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the hardware and operations of the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam at Fermilab. It elaborates on the design considerations for the beam as a whole and for individual elements. The most important design details of individual components are described. Beam monitoring systems and procedures, including the tuning and alignment of the beam and NuMI long-term performance, are also discussed.

Interaction of BDE-47 and its Hydroxylated Metabolite 6-OH-BDE-47 with the Human ABC Efflux Transporters P-gp and BCRP: Considerations for Human Exposure and Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp; also known as MDR1, ABCB1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP; also known as ABCG2), are membrane-bound proteins that mediate the cellular efflux of xenobiotics as an important defense against chemic...

Jet-impingement heat transfer in gas turbine systems.

PubMed

Han, B; Goldstein, R J

2001-05-01

A review of jet-impingement heat transfer in gas turbine systems is presented. Characteristics of the different flow regions for submerged jets--free jet, stagnation flow, and wall jet--are reviewed. Heat transfer characteristics of both single and multiple jets are discussed with consideration of the effects of important parameters relevant to gas turbine systems including curvature of surfaces, crossflow, angle of impact, and rotation.

Reliability and testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auer, Werner

1996-01-01

Reliability and its interdependence with testing are important topics for development and manufacturing of successful products. This generally accepted fact is not only a technical statement, but must be also seen in the light of 'Human Factors.' While the background for this paper is the experience gained with electromechanical/electronic space products, including control and system considerations, it is believed that the content could be also of interest for other fields.

The Significance of Mating System and Nonbreeding Behavior to Population and Forest Patch Use by Migrant Birds

Treesearch

Eugene S. Morton; Bridget J. M. Stutchbury

2005-01-01

Migratory birds are birds of two worlds, breeding in the temperate zone then living as tropical birds for most of the year. We show two aspects of this unique biology that are important considerations for their conservation. First, habitat selection for breeding must include their need for extra-pair mating opportunities. Second, non-breeding distributions in tropical...

The GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework for health system and public health decisions.

PubMed

Moberg, Jenny; Oxman, Andrew D; Rosenbaum, Sarah; Schünemann, Holger J; Guyatt, Gordon; Flottorp, Signe; Glenton, Claire; Lewin, Simon; Morelli, Angela; Rada, Gabriel; Alonso-Coello, Pablo

2018-05-29

To describe a framework for people making and using evidence-informed health system and public health recommendations and decisions. We developed the GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework for health system and public health decisions as part of the DECIDE project, in which we simultaneously developed frameworks for these and other types of healthcare decisions, including clinical recommendations, coverage decisions and decisions about diagnostic tests. Building on GRADE EtD tables, we used an iterative approach, including brainstorming, consultation of the literature and with stakeholders, and an international survey of policy-makers. We applied the framework to diverse examples, conducted workshops and user testing with health system and public health guideline developers and policy-makers, and observed and tested its use in real-life guideline panels. All the GRADE EtD frameworks share the same basic structure, including sections for formulating the question, making an assessment and drawing conclusions. Criteria listed in the assessment section of the health system and public health framework cover the important factors for making these types of decisions; in addition to the effects and economic impact of an option, the priority of the problem, the impact of the option on equity, and its acceptability and feasibility are important considerations that can inform both whether and how to implement an option. Because health system and public health interventions are often complex, detailed implementation considerations should be made when making a decision. The certainty of the evidence is often low or very low, but decision-makers must still act. Monitoring and evaluation are therefore often important considerations for these types of decisions. We illustrate the different components of the EtD framework for health system and public health decisions by presenting their application in a framework adapted from a real-life guideline. This framework provides a structured and transparent approach to support policy-making informed by the best available research evidence, while making the basis for decisions accessible to those whom they will affect. The health system and public health EtD framework can also be used to facilitate dissemination of recommendations and enable decision-makers to adopt, and adapt, recommendations or decisions.

Composite Fuselage Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lagace, Paul A.

1999-01-01

Work was conducted over a ten-year period to address the central issue of damage in primary load-bearing aircraft composite structure, specifically fuselage structure. This included the three facets of damage resistance, damage tolerance, and damage arrest. Experimental, analytical, and numerical work was conducted in order to identify and better understand the mechanisms that control the structural behavior of fuselage structures in their response to the three aspects of damage. Furthermore, work was done to develop straightforward design methodologies that can be employed by structural designers in preliminary design stages to make intelligent choices concerning the material, layup, and structural configurations so that a more efficient structure with structural integrity can be designed and built. Considerable progress was made towards achieving these goals via this work. In regard to damage tolerance considerations, the following were identified as important effects: composite layup and associated orthotropy/structural anisotropy, specifics of initial local damage mechanisms, role of longitudinal versus hoop stress, and large deformation and associated geometric nonlinearity. Means were established to account for effects of radius and for the nonlinear response. In particular, nondimensional parameters were identified to characterize the importance of nonlinearity in the response of pressurized cylinders. This led to the establishment of a iso-nonlinear-error plot for reference in structural design. Finally, in the case of damage tolerance, the general approach of the original methodology to predict the failure pressure involving extending basic plate failure data by accounting for the local stress intensification was accomplished for the general case by accounting for the mechanisms noted by utilizing the capability of the STAGS finite element code and numerically calculating the local stress intensification for the particular configuration to be considered. For the issue of damage arrest, placement of and configuration of stiffeners (including stiffener curvature), and magnitude and orientation of principal strains due to local bending were found to be key considerations. Means were established to account for stiffener effectiveness quantitatively based on radius, slit size, stiffener curvature' and relative bending stifffiesses involved. Geometric nonlinearity was also found to play an - 24 - important role here. Furthermore, it was determined that damage propagation is controlled by different mechanisms (hoop stress versus flapping stress and the associated factors involved in each) depending upon the direction of damage propagation. This latter item results in an inability to scale these phenomena in one test due to the different factors involved. Finally, the importance of shell curvature and associated instability in response to transverse loading including impact were found to be important considerations in damage resistance. A technique, involving asymmetric meshing of a finite element mesh, was developed to predict this behavior and showed excellent correlation with experimental results. Further details of these ten years of work are presented herein with references made to the fourteen documents produced during this work where full details can be found. Implications of this work are discussed and recommendations made. Although it is clear that there is more work to be done to fully understand composite fuselage technology and specifically the overall issue of damage in primary load-bearing composite structures, important understanding and capability has been extended via this work.

Value considerations in the treatment of head and neck cancer: radiation, chemotherapy, and supportive care.

PubMed

Baxi, Shrujal S; Sher, David J; Pfister, David G

2014-01-01

The management of head and neck cancer has advanced in many areas, including but not limited to diagnostic imaging and response assessment, radiation delivery, surgical approaches, combined-modality therapy, as well as new drug discovery. These advances have become widely used, however, the associated improvements in outcomes of interest compared with other options may at times be modest in magnitude or supported by limited data. In addition, the price tag of these advancements is often high. There is a growing mandate to look at existing data to identify insights into how to improve the value of care and to better understand the comparative effectiveness of one intervention versus another with regard to tumor control, quality of life, and other important outcomes; such insights become particularly important when considerable disparities exist in related costs. We review selected issues in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and supportive care applicable to the management of head and neck cancer and relevant to ascertaining the value of care.

Biochemical and molecular aspects of mammalian susceptibility to aflatoxin B{sub 1} carcinogenicity

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

Massey, T.E.; Stewart, R.K.; Daniels, J.M.

Aflatoxin B{sub 1} (AFB{sub 1}) is a fungal toxin that has been implicated as a causative agent in human hepatic and extrahepatic carcinogenesis. In this review, the mechanisms involved in AFB{sub 1} toxicity are delineated, in order to describe the features that make a specific cell, tissue, or species susceptible to the mycotoxin. Important considerations include: (i) different mechanisms for bioactivation of AFB{sub 1} to its ultimate carcinogenic epoxide metabolite; (ii) the balance between bioactivation to and detoxification of the epoxide; (iii) the interaction of AFB{sub 1} epoxide with DNA and the mutational events leading to neoplastic transformation; (iv) themore » role of cytotoxicity in AFB{sub 1} carcinogenesis; (v) the significance of nonepoxide metabolites in toxicity; and (vi) the contribution of mycotoxin-unrelated disease processes. Although considerable controversy remains about the importance of specific events, a great deal has been learned about biochemical and molecular actions of AFB{sub 1}. 157 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

PLANTS AS BIO-MONITORS FOR 137CS, 238PU, 239, 240PU AND 40K AT THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

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

Caldwell, E.; Duff, M.; Ferguson, C.

2010-12-16

The nuclear fuel cycle generates a considerable amount of radioactive waste, which often includes nuclear fission products, such as strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) and cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs), and actinides such as uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu). When released into the environment, large quantities of these radionuclides can present considerable problems to man and biota due to their radioactive nature and, in some cases as with the actinides, their chemical toxicity. Radionuclides are expected to decay at a known rate. Yet, research has shown the rate of elimination from an ecosystem to differ from the decay rate due to physical, chemical andmore » biological processes that remove the contaminant or reduce its biological availability. Knowledge regarding the rate by which a contaminant is eliminated from an ecosystem (ecological half-life) is important for evaluating the duration and potential severity of risk. To better understand a contaminants impact on an environment, consideration should be given to plants. As primary producers, they represent an important mode of contamination transfer from sediments and soils into the food chain. Contaminants that are chemically and/or physically sequestered in a media are less likely to be bio-available to plants and therefore an ecosystem.« less

IMPACTS OF IMAGERY TEMPORAL FREQUENCES ON LAND-COVER CHANGE DETECTION MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

An important consideration for monitoring land~cover (LC) change is the nominal temporal frequency of remote sensor data acquisitions required to adequately characterize change events, Ecosystem specific regeneration rates are an important consideration for determining the requir...

Sustainability Considerations for Health Research and Analytic Data Infrastructures

PubMed Central

Wilcox, Adam; Randhawa, Gurvaneet; Embi, Peter; Cao, Hui; Kuperman, Gilad J.

2014-01-01

Introduction: The United States has made recent large investments in creating data infrastructures to support the important goals of patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and comparative effectiveness research (CER), with still more investment planned. These initial investments, while critical to the creation of the infrastructures, are not expected to sustain them much beyond the initial development. To provide the maximum benefit, the infrastructures need to be sustained through innovative financing models while providing value to PCOR and CER researchers. Sustainability Factors: Based on our experience with creating flexible sustainability strategies (i.e., strategies that are adaptive to the different characteristics and opportunities of a resource or infrastructure), we define specific factors that are important considerations in developing a sustainability strategy. These factors include assets, expansion, complexity, and stakeholders. Each factor is described, with examples of how it is applied. These factors are dimensions of variation in different resources, to which a sustainability strategy should adapt. Summary Observations: We also identify specific important considerations for maintaining an infrastructure, so that the long-term intended benefits can be realized. These observations are presented as lessons learned, to be applied to other sustainability efforts. We define the lessons learned, relating them to the defined sustainability factors as interactions between factors. Conclusion and Next Steps: Using perspectives and experiences from a diverse group of experts, we define broad characteristics of sustainability strategies and important observations, which can vary for different projects. Other descriptions of adaptive, flexible, and successful models of collaboration between stakeholders and data infrastructures can expand this framework by identifying other factors for sustainability, and give more concrete directions on how sustainability can be best achieved. PMID:25848610

Anthropometric data collection of Portuguese children using 3D body scanning: considerations about the scanning booth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Campos, R.; Carvalho, M. A.; Lopes, H. P.; Xu, B.

2017-10-01

This paper presents some considerations regarding the scanning booth used in an anthropometric study done with a 3D body scanning technology. The data collected is part of a Ph.D. study conducted in Textile Engineering at University of Minho in Portugal, which aims to develop clothing for overweight and obese Portuguese children aged 2-11 years, of both genders. The challenges faced during data collection are described, and modifications of the scanning booth are proposed. It is possible to conclude that the importance of the scanning booth is key to an efficient anthropometric data collection, including the growth of this technology in the garment industry, Universities Research Institutes involved with anthropometric studies.

Psychotherapy training: Suggestions for core ingredients and future research.

PubMed

Boswell, James F; Castonguay, Louis G

2007-12-01

Despite our considerable depth and breadth of empirical knowledge on psychotherapy process and outcome, research on psychotherapy training is somewhat lacking. We would argue, however, that the scientist-practitioner model should not only guide practice, but also the way our field approaches training. In this paper we outline our perspective on the crucial elements of psychotherapy training based on available evidence, theory, and clinical experience, focusing specifically on the structure, key components, and important skills to be learned in a successful training program. In addition, we derive specific research directions based on the crucial elements of our proposed training perspective, and offer general considerations for research on training, including method and measurement issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Nudges and coercion: conceptual, empirical, and normative considerations.

PubMed

Cratsley, Kelso

2015-01-01

Given that the concept of coercion remains a central concern for bioethics, Quigley's (Monash Bioethics Rev 32:141-158, 2014) recent article provides a helpful analysis of its frequent misapplication in debates over the use of 'nudges'. In this commentary I present a generally sympathetic response to Quigley's argument while also raising several issues that are important for the larger debates about nudges and coercion. I focus on several closely related topics, including the definition of coercion, the role of empirical research, and the normative concerns at the core of these disputes. I suggest that while a degree of precision is certainly required when deploying the relevant concepts, perhaps informed by empirical data, we need to continue to push these debates towards more pressing normative considerations.

Sexual assault support services and community systems: understanding critical issues and needs in the LGBTQ community.

PubMed

Todahl, Jeffrey L; Linville, Deanna; Bustin, Amy; Wheeler, Jenna; Gau, Jeff

2009-08-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals encounter social conditions that create important considerations for LGBTQ sexual assault victims. This exploratory, mixed-methods study examines the relationship between community attitudes toward LGBTQ persons and associated community responses to LGBTQ sexual assault victims. An online and paper-and-pencil survey (n = 130) and four focus group interviews (n = 14) are analyzed using frequency distributions and grounded theory methods. The central theme that emerged in focus group interviews, titled "low community awareness and support for sexual violence in the LGBTQ community," was corroborated by survey participants. Participants' views of unique considerations for LGBTQ sexual assault victims are presented, including causal factors, consequences, and recommended strategies.

Patient centric formulations for paediatrics and geriatrics: Similarities and differences.

PubMed

Hanning, Sara M; Lopez, Felipe L; Wong, Ian C K; Ernest, Terry B; Tuleu, Catherine; Orlu Gul, Mine

2016-10-30

Paediatrics and geriatrics both represent highly heterogenous populations and require special consideration when developing appropriate dosage forms. This paper discusses similarities, differences and considerations with respect to the development of appropriate medicine formulations for paediatrics and geriatrics. Arguably the most significant compliance challenge in older people is polypharmacy, whereas for children the largest barrier is taste. Pharmaceutical technology has progressed rapidly and technologies including FDCs, multi-particulates and orodispersible dosage forms provide unprecedented opportunities to develop novel and appropriate formulations for both old and new drugs. However, it is important for the formulation scientists to work closely with patients, carers and clinicians to develop such formulations for both the paediatric and geriatric population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: Technical considerations and an update

PubMed Central

Dominguez-Escrig, Jose L; Vasdev, Nikhil; O’Riordon, Anna; Soomro, Naeem

2011-01-01

The widespread use of radiological imaging (ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) has resulted in a steady increase in the incidental diagnosis of small renal masses. While open partial nephrectomy (OPN) remains the reference standard for the management of small renal masses, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) continues to evolve. LPN is currently advocated to be at par with OPN oncologically. The steep learning curve and technical demand of LPN make it challenging to establish this as a new procedure. We present a detailed up-to-date review on the previous, current and planned technical considerations for the use of LPN, highlighting important surgical techniques, including single-port and robotic surgery, techniques on improving intra-operative haemostasis and the management of complications specific to LPN. PMID:22022109

A survey of gas-side fouling measuring devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marner, W. J.; Henslee, S. P.

1984-01-01

A survey of measuring devices or probes, which were used to investigate gas side fouling, was carried out. Five different types of measuring devices are identified and discussed including: heat flux meters, mass accumulation probes, optical devices, deposition probes, and acid condensation probes. A total of 32 different probes are described in detail and summarized in matrix or tabular form. The important considerations of combustion gas characterization and deposit analysis are also given a significant amount of attention. The results show that considerable work was done in the development of gas side fouling probes. However, it is clear that the design, construction, and testing of a durable, versatile probe - capable of monitoring on-line fouling resistances - remains a formidable task.

Global notes: counting the world's poor--how do we define poverty?

PubMed

Vidyasagar, D

2006-06-01

Health professionals are in constant interaction with parents and infants who are victims of poverty and poor socioeconomic status. But an important question remains: do we know how to define poverty? Defining poverty accurately is important as the definition is the basis of policy development. The definition of poverty has changed during the last quarter century. In addition to economic considerations, it is broadened to include other dimensions of life such as literacy, health and longevity. This article attempts to provide national and international definitions of poverty, the magnitude and effects of poverty.

A preliminary examination of patient loyalty: an application of the customer loyalty classification framework in the health care industry.

PubMed

Heiens, R A; Pleshko, L P

1997-01-01

The present article applies the customer loyalty classification framework developed by Dick and Basu (1994) to the health care industry. Based on a two factor classification, consisting of repeat patronage and relative attitude, four categories of patient loyalty are proposed and examined, including true loyalty, latent loyalty, spurious loyalty, and no loyalty. Data is collected and the four patient loyalty categories are profiled and compared on the basis of perceived risk, product class importance, provider decision importance, provider awareness, provider consideration, number of providers visited, and self-reported loyalty.

History of domestication and spread of Aedes aegypti--a review.

PubMed

Powell, Jeffrey R; Tabachnick, Walter J

2013-01-01

The adaptation of insect vectors of human diseases to breed in human habitats (domestication) is one of the most important phenomena in medical entomology. Considerable data are available on the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in this regard and here we integrate the available information including genetics, behaviour, morphology, ecology and biogeography of the mosquito, with human history. We emphasise the tremendous amount of variation possessed by Ae. aegypti for virtually all traits considered. Typological thinking needs to be abandoned to reach a realistic and comprehensive understanding of this important vector of yellow fever, dengue and Chikungunya.

History of domestication and spread of Aedes aegypti - A Review

PubMed Central

Powell, Jeffrey R; Tabachnick, Walter J

2013-01-01

The adaptation of insect vectors of human diseases to breed in human habitats (domestication) is one of the most important phenomena in medical entomology. Considerable data are available on the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in this regard and here we integrate the available information including genetics, behaviour, morphology, ecology and biogeography of the mosquito, with human history. We emphasise the tremendous amount of variation possessed by Ae. aegypti for virtually all traits considered. Typological thinking needs to be abandoned to reach a realistic and comprehensive understanding of this important vector of yellow fever, dengue and Chikungunya. PMID:24473798

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

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

Development of Efficient Authoring Software for e-Learning Contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozono, Kazutake; Teramoto, Akemi; Akiyama, Hidenori

The contents creation in e-Learning system becomes an important problem. The contents of e-Learning should include figure and voice media for a high-level educational effect. However, the use of figure and voice complicates the operation of authoring software considerably. A new authoring software, which can build e-Learning contents efficiently, has been developed to solve this problem. This paper reports development results of the authoring software.

Status of hardwood forest resources in the Appalachian region including estimates of growth and removals

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Jeffery A. Turner

2009-01-01

The Appalachian Hardwood Region (AHR) is an important wood producing area of the Eastern United States and is near a large portion of the U.S. population that is growing considerably. Combined, these two forces create the need for assessments of the hardwood forest resources in the region. Here we present results from an investigation into the forest resources of the...

Proceedings of a Workshop on Research Needs in Heterogeneous Tropospheric Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The role of heterogeneous reactions and processes in the troposphere is critically assessed. The results of this assessment, including identification and prioritization of a number of important and scientifically tractable processes, as well as recommendations of ways in which they can be incorporated into the existing NASA tropospheric chemistry program are presented. Also presented is a detailed summary of the considerations that led to the group's recommendations.

On the theory of evolution of particulate systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buyevich, Yuri A.; Alexandrov, Dmitri V.

2017-04-01

An analytical method for the description of particulate systems at sufficiently long times is developed. This method allows us to obtain very simple analytical expressions for the particle distribution function. The method under consideration can be applied to a number of practically important problems including evaporation of a polydisperse mist, dissolution of dispersed solids, combustion of dispersed propellants, physical and chemical transformation of powders and phase transitions in metastable materials.

The NuMI neutrino beam

DOE PAGES

Adamson, P.; Anderson, K.; Andrews, M.; ...

2015-10-20

Our paper describes the hardware and operations of the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam at Fermilab. It elaborates on the design considerations for the beam as a whole and for individual elements. The most important part of our design details pertaining to individual components is described. Beam monitoring systems and procedures, including the tuning and alignment of the beam and NuMI long-term performance, are also discussed.

Recent developments in suicide prevention among the Indigenous peoples of Australia.

PubMed

Dudgeon, Pat; Holland, Christopher

2018-04-01

Suicide is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter 'Indigenous') population health issue. Over 2015-2016, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Project (ATSISPEP) aimed to identify success factors in Indigenous suicide prevention. For non-Indigenous practitioners working with indigenous clients at risk of suicide, ATSISPEP identified important considerations to make treatment more effective. The start is acknowledging the differences in the historical, cultural, political, social and economic experiences of Indigenous peoples, and their greater exposure to trauma, psychological distress and risks to mental health. These mental health difficulties are specific and more prevalent amongst Indigenous peoples and communities due to the ongoing impacts of colonisation in Australia including a range of social determinants impacting on the well-being of Indigenous peoples today. Working effectively with Indigenous clients also includes being able to establish culturally safe work environments, and the ability of non-Indigenous practitioners to work in a culturally competent and trauma-informed manner. There are also considerations regarding time protocols and client follow-up. Further, postvention responses might be required. Supporting selective suicide prevention activity among younger people (and other groups at increased risk) and community-level work is an important complement to working with Indigenous individuals at risk of suicide.

Carcinogenicity assessments of biotechnology-derived pharmaceuticals: a review of approved molecules and best practice recommendations.

PubMed

Vahle, John L; Finch, Gregory L; Heidel, Shawn M; Hovland, David N; Ivens, Inge; Parker, Suezanne; Ponce, Rafael A; Sachs, Clifford; Steigerwalt, Ronald; Short, Brian; Todd, Marque D

2010-06-01

An important safety consideration for developing new therapeutics is assessing the potential that the therapy will increase the risk of cancer. For biotherapeutics, traditional two-year rodent bioassays are often not scientifically applicable or feasible. This paper is a collaborative effort of industry toxicologists to review past and current practice regarding carcinogenicity assessments of biotherapeutics and to provide recommendations. Publicly available information on eighty marketed protein biotherapeutics was reviewed. In this review, no assessments related to carcinogenicity or tumor growth promotion were identified for fifty-one of the eighty molecules. For the twenty-nine biotherapeutics in which assessments related to carcinogenicity were identified, various experimental approaches were employed. This review also discusses several key principles to aid in the assessment of carcinogenic potential, including (1) careful consideration of mechanism of action to identify theoretical risks, (2) careful investigation of existing data for indications of proliferative or immunosuppressive potential, and (3) characterization of any proliferative or immunosuppressive signals detected. Traditional two-year carcinogenicity assays should not be considered as the default method for assessing the carcinogenicity potential of biotherapeutics. If experimentation is considered warranted, it should be hypothesis driven and may include a variety of experimental models. Ultimately, it is important that preclinical data provide useful guidance in product labeling.

Agreed but not preferred: expert views on taboo options for biodiversity conservation, given climate change.

PubMed

Hagerman, Shannon M; Satterfield, Terre

2014-04-01

Recent research indicates increasing openness among conservation experts toward a set of previously controversial proposals for biodiversity protection. These include actions such as assisted migration, and the application of climate-change-informed triage principles for decision-making (e.g., forgoing attention to target species deemed no longer viable). Little is known however, about the levels of expert agreement across different conservation adaptation actions, or the preferences that may come to shape policy recommendations. In this paper, we report findings from a web-based survey of biodiversity experts that assessed: (1) perceived risks of climate change (and other drivers) to biodiversity, (2) relative importance of different conservation goals, (3) levels of agreement/disagreement with the potential necessity of unconventional-taboo actions and approaches including affective evaluations of these, (4) preferences regarding the most important adaptation action for biodiversity, and (5) perceived barriers and strategic considerations regarding implementing adaptation initiatives. We found widespread agreement with a set of previously contentious approaches and actions, including the need for frameworks for prioritization and decision-making that take expected losses and emerging novel ecosystems into consideration. Simultaneously, this survey found enduring preferences for conventional actions (such as protected areas) as the most important policy action, and negative affective responses toward more interventionist proposals. We argue that expert views are converging on agreement across a set of taboo components in ways that differ from earlier published positions, and that these views are tempered by preferences for existing conventional actions and discomfort toward interventionist options. We discuss these findings in the context of anticipating some of the likely contours of future conservation debates. Lastly, we underscore the critical need for interdisciplinary, comparative, place-based adaptation research.

Aircraft Power-Plant Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sontag, Harcourt; Brombacher, W G

1934-01-01

This report supersedes NACA-TR-129 which is now obsolete. Aircraft power-plant instruments include tachometers, engine thermometers, pressure gages, fuel-quantity gages, fuel flow meters and indicators, and manifold pressure gages. The report includes a description of the commonly used types and some others, the underlying principle utilized in the design, and some design data. The inherent errors of the instrument, the methods of making laboratory tests, descriptions of the test apparatus, and data in considerable detail in the performance of commonly used instruments are presented. Standard instruments and, in cases where it appears to be of interest, those used as secondary standards are described. A bibliography of important articles is included.

Virtual Global Transplant Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures for Blood Collection, PBMC Isolation, and Storage.

PubMed

Higdon, Lauren E; Lee, Karim; Tang, Qizhi; Maltzman, Jonathan S

2016-09-01

Research on human immune responses frequently involves the use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) immediately, or at significantly delayed timepoints, after collection. This requires PBMC isolation from whole blood and cryopreservation for some applications. It is important to standardize protocols for blood collection, PBMC isolation, cryopreservation, and thawing that maximize survival and functionality of PBMC at the time of analysis. This resource includes detailed protocols describing blood collection tubes, isolation of PBMC using a density gradient, cryopreservation of PBMC, and thawing of cells as well as preparation for functional assays. For each protocol, we include important considerations, such as timing, storage temperatures, and freezing rate. In addition, we provide alternatives so that researchers can make informed decisions in determining the optimal protocol for their application.

Clinical Applications of Resting State Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Fox, Michael D.; Greicius, Michael

2010-01-01

During resting conditions the brain remains functionally and metabolically active. One manifestation of this activity that has become an important research tool is spontaneous fluctuations in the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The identification of correlation patterns in these spontaneous fluctuations has been termed resting state functional connectivity (fcMRI) and has the potential to greatly increase the translation of fMRI into clinical care. In this article we review the advantages of the resting state signal for clinical applications including detailed discussion of signal to noise considerations. We include guidelines for performing resting state research on clinical populations, outline the different areas for clinical application, and identify important barriers to be addressed to facilitate the translation of resting state fcMRI into the clinical realm. PMID:20592951

Pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence: perceived treatment barriers and action strategies among Veterans Health Administration service providers.

PubMed

Harris, Alex H S; Ellerbe, Laura; Reeder, Rachelle N; Bowe, Thomas; Gordon, Adam J; Hagedorn, Hildi; Oliva, Elizabeth; Lembke, Anna; Kivlahan, Daniel; Trafton, Jodie A

2013-11-01

Although access to and consideration of pharmacological treatments for alcohol dependence are consensus standards of care, receipt of these medications by patients is generally rare and highly variable across treatment settings. The goal of the present project was to survey and interview the clinicians, managers, and pharmacists affiliated with addiction treatment programs within Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities to learn about their perceptions of barriers and facilitators regarding greater and more reliable consideration of pharmacological treatments for alcohol dependence. Fifty-nine participants from 19 high-adopting and 11 low-adopting facilities completed the survey (facility-level response rate = 50%) and 23 participated in a structured interview. The top 4 barriers to increased consideration and use of pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence were consistent across high- and low-adopting facilities and included perceived low patient demand, pharmacy procedures or formulary restrictions, lack of provider skills or knowledge regarding pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence, and lack of confidence in treatment effectiveness. Low patient demand was rated as the most important barrier for oral naltrexone and disulfiram, whereas pharmacy or formulary restrictions were rated as the most important barrier for acamprosate and extended-release naltrexone. The 4 strategies rated across low- and high-adopting facilities as most likely to facilitate consideration and use of pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence were more education to patients about existing medications, more education to health care providers about medications, increased involvement of physicians in treatment for alcohol dependence, and more compelling research on existing medications. This knowledge provides a foundation for designing, deploying, and evaluating targeted implementation efforts.

The unique experience of home for parents and carers of children with disabilities.

PubMed

Aplin, Tammy; Thornton, Heloise; Gustafsson, Louise

2017-01-24

The aim of this paper was to investigate the experience of home for parents and carers of children with disabilities in Australia. Data for this qualitative study were gathered using semi-structured interviews with four families living in their own homes. An inductive thematic analysis revealed two main themes. The first was titled 'Aspects making everyday life easier' explored the aspects of the home environment that facilitated home life for the child, including access to transport, services, family and home modifications. The second theme 'Decisions and efforts to create opportunities for the child' emphasized the efforts made by parents and carers to promote their child's independence and participation including a strong consideration for their children's future needs. The study indicated that the location of home, appropriate home modifications and planning for the future defined the experience of home for parents and carers. These findings identify some important considerations for occupational therapists when providing services in the homes of families with children who have a disability.

The language faculty that wasn't: a usage-based account of natural language recursion

PubMed Central

Christiansen, Morten H.; Chater, Nick

2015-01-01

In the generative tradition, the language faculty has been shrinking—perhaps to include only the mechanism of recursion. This paper argues that even this view of the language faculty is too expansive. We first argue that a language faculty is difficult to reconcile with evolutionary considerations. We then focus on recursion as a detailed case study, arguing that our ability to process recursive structure does not rely on recursion as a property of the grammar, but instead emerges gradually by piggybacking on domain-general sequence learning abilities. Evidence from genetics, comparative work on non-human primates, and cognitive neuroscience suggests that humans have evolved complex sequence learning skills, which were subsequently pressed into service to accommodate language. Constraints on sequence learning therefore have played an important role in shaping the cultural evolution of linguistic structure, including our limited abilities for processing recursive structure. Finally, we re-evaluate some of the key considerations that have often been taken to require the postulation of a language faculty. PMID:26379567

Promise and peril: Dissemination of findings from studies of drugs used in pregnancy and their association with birth defects.

PubMed

Patrick, Stephen W; Cooper, William O

2015-08-01

When and how to publish birth defects research can be complex, especially in the context of drugs used in pregnancy. Such research frequently involves multiple stakeholders, including regulatory agencies. Researchers must balance the potential peril of an unnecessarily panicked populace versus the benefit of protecting the public's health. We use a case presentation and contemporary literature to highlight the potential tradeoffs that researchers must consider. We highlight important considerations including the public health impact, examining the likelihood of causality, understanding common considerations when using large data sources, the role of peer review and working in partnership with regulatory agencies. We suggest that plans for analyses, dissemination and risk communication are done best a priori and not post hoc. Rigorous research evaluating the impact of drugs used in pregnancy, coupled with effective dissemination strategies, has the potential improve outcomes for mothers and their infants for generations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The language faculty that wasn't: a usage-based account of natural language recursion.

PubMed

Christiansen, Morten H; Chater, Nick

2015-01-01

In the generative tradition, the language faculty has been shrinking-perhaps to include only the mechanism of recursion. This paper argues that even this view of the language faculty is too expansive. We first argue that a language faculty is difficult to reconcile with evolutionary considerations. We then focus on recursion as a detailed case study, arguing that our ability to process recursive structure does not rely on recursion as a property of the grammar, but instead emerges gradually by piggybacking on domain-general sequence learning abilities. Evidence from genetics, comparative work on non-human primates, and cognitive neuroscience suggests that humans have evolved complex sequence learning skills, which were subsequently pressed into service to accommodate language. Constraints on sequence learning therefore have played an important role in shaping the cultural evolution of linguistic structure, including our limited abilities for processing recursive structure. Finally, we re-evaluate some of the key considerations that have often been taken to require the postulation of a language faculty.

Euthanasia of Cattle: Practical Considerations and Application.

PubMed

Shearer, Jan Keith

2018-04-17

Acceptable methods for the euthanasia of cattle include overdose of an anesthetic, gunshot and captive bolt. The use of anesthetics for euthanasia is costly and complicates carcass disposal. These issues can be avoided by use of a physical method such as gunshot or captive bolt; however, each requires that certain conditions be met to assure an immediate loss of consciousness and death. For example, the caliber of firearm and type of bullet are important considerations when gunshot is used. When captive bolt is used, a penetrating captive bolt loaded with the appropriate powder charge and accompanied by a follow up (adjunctive) step to assure death are required. The success of physical methods also requires careful selection of the anatomic site for entry of a “free bullet” or “bolt” in the case of penetrating captive bolt. Disease eradication plans for animal health emergencies necessitate methods of euthanasia that will facilitate rapid and efficient depopulation of animals while preserving their welfare to the greatest extent possible. A portable pneumatic captive bolt device has been developed and validated as effective for use in mass depopulation scenarios. Finally, while most tend to focus on the technical aspects of euthanasia, it is extremely important that no one forget the human cost for those who may be required to perform the task of euthanasia on a regular basis. Symptoms including depression, grief, sleeplessness and destructive behaviors including alcoholism and drug abuse are not uncommon for those who participate in the euthanasia of animals.

Rehabilitation of the Ankle After Acute Sprain or Chronic Instability.

PubMed

Mattacola, Carl G; Dwyer, Maureen K

2002-12-01

OBJECTIVE: To outline rehabilitation concepts that are applicable to acute and chronic injury of the ankle, to provide evidence for current techniques used in the rehabilitation of the ankle, and to describe a functional rehabilitation program that progresses from basic to advanced, while taking into consideration empirical data from the literature and clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Important considerations in the rehabilitation of ankle injuries include controlling the acute inflammatory process, regaining full ankle range of motion, increasing muscle strength and power, and improving proprioceptive abilities. These goals can be achieved through various modalities, flexibility exercises, and progressive strength- and balance-training exercises. In this article, we discuss the deleterious effects of ankle injury on ankle-joint proprioception and muscular strength and how these variables can be quantifiably measured to follow progress through a rehabilitation program. Evidence to support the effectiveness of applying orthotics and ankle braces during the acute and subacute phases of ankle rehabilitation is provided, along with recommendations for functional rehabilitation of ankle injuries, including a structured progression of exercises. RECOMMENDATIONS: Early functional rehabilitation of the ankle should include range-of-motion exercises and isometric and isotonic strength-training exercises. In the intermediate stage of rehabilitation, a progression of proprioception-training exercises should be incorporated. Advanced rehabilitation should focus on sport-specific activities to prepare the athlete for return to competition. Although it is important to individualize each rehabilitation program, this well-structured template for ankle rehabilitation can be adapted as needed.

Rehabilitation of the Ankle After Acute Sprain or Chronic Instability

PubMed Central

Mattacola, Carl G.; Dwyer, Maureen K.

2002-01-01

Objective: To outline rehabilitation concepts that are applicable to acute and chronic injury of the ankle, to provide evidence for current techniques used in the rehabilitation of the ankle, and to describe a functional rehabilitation program that progresses from basic to advanced, while taking into consideration empirical data from the literature and clinical practice. Background: Important considerations in the rehabilitation of ankle injuries include controlling the acute inflammatory process, regaining full ankle range of motion, increasing muscle strength and power, and improving proprioceptive abilities. These goals can be achieved through various modalities, flexibility exercises, and progressive strength- and balance-training exercises. In this article, we discuss the deleterious effects of ankle injury on ankle-joint proprioception and muscular strength and how these variables can be quantifiably measured to follow progress through a rehabilitation program. Evidence to support the effectiveness of applying orthotics and ankle braces during the acute and subacute phases of ankle rehabilitation is provided, along with recommendations for functional rehabilitation of ankle injuries, including a structured progression of exercises. Recommendations: Early functional rehabilitation of the ankle should include range-of-motion exercises and isometric and isotonic strength-training exercises. In the intermediate stage of rehabilitation, a progression of proprioception-training exercises should be incorporated. Advanced rehabilitation should focus on sport-specific activities to prepare the athlete for return to competition. Although it is important to individualize each rehabilitation program, this well-structured template for ankle rehabilitation can be adapted as needed. PMID:12937563

The Social Meaning of Leisure in Uganda and America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crandall, Rich; Thompson, Richard W.

1978-01-01

This paper analyzes cross-culturally the importance of social contact for leisure. The general findings of considerable similarity in evaluating preferences and the importance of social considerations provide a basis for preliminary comparisons and suggest that similar factors can affect leisure preferences in different cultural settings.…

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; social issues fact sheet 06: Important considerations for communicating about hazards

Treesearch

Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

2004-01-01

Effective public education and communication campaigns about wildland fire and fuels management should have clear objectives, and use the right techniques to achieve these objectives. This fact sheet lists seven important considerations for planning or implementing a hazard communication effort.

Important considerations for designing and reporting epidemiologic and clinical studies in dental traumatology.

PubMed

Andersson, Lars; Andreasen, Jens O

2011-08-01

The purpose of this article is to suggest important considerations for epidemiologic and clinical studies in the field of dental traumatology. The article is based on the authors' experiences from research in this field and editorial board work for the scientific journal Dental Traumatology. Examples are given of issues where development is important. The importance of planning ahead of the study and consulting with experts in other fields is emphasized. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Measurement of Circulating Cytokines and Immune-Activation Markers by Multiplex Technology in the Clinical Setting: What Are We Really Measuring?

PubMed

Aziz, Najib

2015-01-01

Measurement of circulating cytokine levels can provide important information in the study of the pathogenesis of disease. John L. Fahey was a pioneer in the measurement of circulating cytokines and immune-activation markers and a leader in the quality assessment/control of assays for measurement of circulating cytokines. Insights into the measurement of circulating cytokines, including consideration of multiplex assays, are presented here.

Application of the Moment Method in the Slip and Transition Regime for Microfluidic Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

systems ( MEMS ), fluid flow at the micro- and nano-scale has received considerable attention [1]. A basic understanding of the nature of flow and heat ...Couette Flow Many MEMS devices contain oscillating parts where air (viscous) damping plays an important role. To understand the damping mechanisms...transfer in these devices is considered essential for efficient design and control of MEMS . Engineering applications for gas microflows include

What's your group worth?

PubMed

Greenberg, M R

1986-01-01

With the advent of acquisitions and mergers of healthcare organizations, it has become necessary for medical group practices to know what they are worth. The traditional balance sheet valuation ignores what is perhaps the most important consideration of all: a group's earning potential. Discussed in this article are the many facets of the complex valuation process, including both tangible and intangible assets, and the author provides a method for adequately determining a range of values for a medical group.

Awareware: Narrowcasting Attributes for Selective Attention, Privacy, and Multipresence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Michael; Newton Fernando, Owen Noel

The domain of cscw, computer-supported collaborative work, and DSC, distributed synchronous collaboration, spans real-time interactive multiuser systems, shared information spaces, and applications for teleexistence and artificial reality, including collaborative virtual environments ( cves) (Benford et al., 2001). As presence awareness systems emerge, it is important to develop appropriate interfaces and architectures for managing multimodal multiuser systems. Especially in consideration of the persistent connectivity enabled by affordable networked communication, shared distributed environments require generalized control of media streams, techniques to control source → sink transmissions in synchronous groupware, including teleconferences and chatspaces, online role-playing games, and virtual concerts.

Surge Protection in Low-Voltage AC Power Circuits: An Anthology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martzloff, F. D.

2002-10-01

The papers included in this part of the Anthology provide basic information on the propagation of surges in low-voltage AC power circuits. The subject was approached by a combination of experiments and theoretical considerations. One important distinction is made between voltage surges and current surges. Historically, voltage surges were the initial concern. After the introduction and widespread use of current-diverting surge-protective devices at the point-of-use, the propagation of current surges became a significant factor. The papers included in this part reflect this dual dichotomy of voltage versus current and impedance mismatch effects versus simple circuit theory.

Advanced X-ray Spectroscopic Methods for Studying Iron-Sulfur-Containing Proteins and Model Complexes.

PubMed

DeBeer, Serena

2018-01-01

In this chapter, a brief overview of X-ray spectroscopic methods that may be utilized to obtain insight into the geometric and electronic structure of iron-sulfur proteins is provided. These methods include conventional methods, such as metal and ligand K-edge X-ray absorption, as well as more advanced methods including nonresonant and resonant X-ray emission. In each section, the basic information content of the spectra is highlighted and important experimental considerations are discussed. Throughout the chapter, recent applications to iron-sulfur-containing models and proteins are highlighted. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aeroelastic Tailoring for Stability Augmentation and Performance Enhancements of Tiltrotor Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Mark W.; Piatak, David J.; Corso, Lawrence M.; Popelka, David A.

1999-01-01

The requirements for increased speed and productivity for tiltrotors has spawned several investigations associated with proprotor aeroelastic stability augmentation and aerodynamic performance enhancements. Included among these investigations is a focus on passive aeroelastic tailoring concepts which exploit the anisotropic capabilities of fiber composite materials. Researchers at Langley Research Center and Bell Helicopter have devoted considerable effort to assess the potential for using these materials to obtain aeroelastic responses which are beneficial to the important stability and performance considerations of tiltrotors. Both experimental and analytical studies have been completed to examine aeroelastic tailoring concepts for the tiltrotor, applied either to the wing or to the rotor blades. This paper reviews some of the results obtained in these aeroelastic tailoring investigations and discusses the relative merits associated with these approaches.

Korean older intimate partner violence survivors in North America: cultural considerations and practice recommendations.

PubMed

Shim, Woochan S; Nelson-Becker, Holly

2009-01-01

While literature on elder abuse has expanded, elder abuse by intimate partners has been less investigated. Even less is known about intimate partner violence among older Koreans living in North America. This article identifies important cultural considerations for individuals helping the Korean older adult community, beginning with the definition of intimate partner violence in this community and barriers to leaving that include traditional views of the East Asian self. Current practice interventions are discussed and recommendations for future practice such as healing han, the accumulated suffering from years of abuse, are suggested. The ultimate goal of this paper is to expand awareness in order to develop the best culturally competent prevention and intervention practice for Korean older intimate partner violence survivors in North America.

Anesthesia For In Utero Repair of Myelomeningocele

PubMed Central

Ferschl, Marla; Ball, Robert; Lee, Hanmin; Rollins, Mark D.

2013-01-01

Recently published results suggest that prenatal repair of fetal myelomeningocele is a potentially preferable alternative when compared to postnatal repair. In this article, the pathology of myelomeningocele, unique physiologic considerations, perioperative anesthetic management, and ethical considerations of open fetal surgery for prenatal myelomeningocele repair are discussed. Open fetal surgeries have many unique anesthetic issues such as inducing profound uterine relaxation, vigilance for maternal or fetal blood loss, fetal monitoring, and possible fetal resuscitation. Postoperative management, including the requirement for postoperative tocolysis and maternal analgesia are also reviewed. The success of intrauterine myelomeningocele repair relies on a well-coordinated multidisciplinary approach. Fetal surgery is an important topic for anesthesiologists to understand, as the number of fetal procedures is likely to increase as new fetal treatment centers are opened across the United States. PMID:23508219

High-pressure melting curve of hydrogen.

PubMed

Davis, Sergio M; Belonoshko, Anatoly B; Johansson, Börje; Skorodumova, Natalia V; van Duin, Adri C T

2008-11-21

The melting curve of hydrogen was computed for pressures up to 200 GPa, using molecular dynamics. The inter- and intramolecular interactions were described by the reactive force field (ReaxFF) model. The model describes the pressure-volume equation of state solid hydrogen in good agreement with experiment up to pressures over 150 GPa, however the corresponding equation of state for liquid deviates considerably from density functional theory calculations. Due to this, the computed melting curve, although shares most of the known features, yields considerably lower melting temperatures compared to extrapolations of the available diamond anvil cell data. This failure of the ReaxFF model, which can reproduce many physical and chemical properties (including chemical reactions in hydrocarbons) of solid hydrogen, hints at an important change in the mechanism of interaction of hydrogen molecules in the liquid state.

Large-volume protein crystal growth for neutron macromolecular crystallography.

PubMed

Ng, Joseph D; Baird, James K; Coates, Leighton; Garcia-Ruiz, Juan M; Hodge, Teresa A; Huang, Sijay

2015-04-01

Neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMC) is the prevailing method for the accurate determination of the positions of H atoms in macromolecules. As neutron sources are becoming more available to general users, finding means to optimize the growth of protein crystals to sizes suitable for NMC is extremely important. Historically, much has been learned about growing crystals for X-ray diffraction. However, owing to new-generation synchrotron X-ray facilities and sensitive detectors, protein crystal sizes as small as in the nano-range have become adequate for structure determination, lessening the necessity to grow large crystals. Here, some of the approaches, techniques and considerations for the growth of crystals to significant dimensions that are now relevant to NMC are revisited. These include experimental strategies utilizing solubility diagrams, ripening effects, classical crystallization techniques, microgravity and theoretical considerations.

Selecting automation for the clinical chemistry laboratory.

PubMed

Melanson, Stacy E F; Lindeman, Neal I; Jarolim, Petr

2007-07-01

Laboratory automation proposes to improve the quality and efficiency of laboratory operations, and may provide a solution to the quality demands and staff shortages faced by today's clinical laboratories. Several vendors offer automation systems in the United States, with both subtle and obvious differences. Arriving at a decision to automate, and the ensuing evaluation of available products, can be time-consuming and challenging. Although considerable discussion concerning the decision to automate has been published, relatively little attention has been paid to the process of evaluating and selecting automation systems. To outline a process for evaluating and selecting automation systems as a reference for laboratories contemplating laboratory automation. Our Clinical Chemistry Laboratory staff recently evaluated all major laboratory automation systems in the United States, with their respective chemistry and immunochemistry analyzers. Our experience is described and organized according to the selection process, the important considerations in clinical chemistry automation, decisions and implementation, and we give conclusions pertaining to this experience. Including the formation of a committee, workflow analysis, submitting a request for proposal, site visits, and making a final decision, the process of selecting chemistry automation took approximately 14 months. We outline important considerations in automation design, preanalytical processing, analyzer selection, postanalytical storage, and data management. Selecting clinical chemistry laboratory automation is a complex, time-consuming process. Laboratories considering laboratory automation may benefit from the concise overview and narrative and tabular suggestions provided.

Considerations for throughfall chemistry sample-size determination

Treesearch

Pamela J. Edwards; Paul Mohai; Howard G. Halverson; David R. DeWalle

1989-01-01

Both the number of trees sampled per species and the number of sampling points under each tree are important throughfall sampling considerations. Chemical loadings obtained from an urban throughfall study were used to evaluate the relative importance of both of these sampling factors in tests for determining species' differences. Power curves for detecting...

Considerations for the Treatment of Children with Gender Identity Disorder.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergin, Audrey E.; Niclas, Mary Ann

1996-01-01

The treatment of children with Gender Identity Disorder is laden with important ethical and moral considerations. Gender-typed behavior is defined by culture; therefore, it is of paramount importance that therapists clarify their own biases and expectations of gender-based behavior before attempting treatment. Two case studies are presented. (LSR)

2018 New Drug Update.

PubMed

Hussar, Daniel A; Finn, Laura A

2018-04-01

Five new drugs marketed within the last year, which are used for medical problems often experienced by the elderly, have been selected for consideration in this review. The uses and most important properties of these agents are discussed, and a rating for each new drug is determined using the New Drug Comparison Rating system developed by the author (DAH). Advantages, disadvantages, and other important information regarding each new drug are identified and used as the basis for determining the rating. The drugs include an anticoagulant, an antiparkinson agent, an agent for tardive dyskinesia, an agent for psoriasis, and an agent for constipation. The drugs reviewed are betrixaban, safinamide mesylate, valbenazine tosylate, guselkumab, and plecanatide.

Cultural and spiritual considerations in palliative care.

PubMed

Long, Carol O

2011-10-01

Culture is a fundamental part of one's being. Spirituality is integrated with culture and both play a significant role in a person's journey through life. Yet, culture and spirituality are often misunderstood and may not seem to be important in healthcare settings. For adults with cancer and their families, this cannot be ignored. This paper reviews The Purnell Model of Cultural Competence as a framework for considering culture and spirituality in healthcare and discusses the importance of acknowledging and incorporating practices that support culture and spirituality in healthcare settings. Examples of how to include cultural and spiritual care in palliative and end-of-life care in healthcare settings are provided.

Flow visualization techniques in the Airborne Laser Laboratory program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walterick, R. E.; Vankuren, J. T.

1980-01-01

A turret/fairing assembly for laser applications was designed and tested. Wind tunnel testing was conducted using flow visualization techniques. The techniques used have included the methods of tufting, encapsulated liquid crystals, oil flow, sublimation and schlieren and shadowgraph photography. The results were directly applied to the design of fairing shapes for minimum drag and reduced turret buffet. In addition, the results are of primary importance to the study of light propagation paths in the near flow field of the turret cavity. Results indicate that the flow in the vicinity of the turret is an important factor for consideration in the design of suitable turret/fairing or aero-optic assemblies.

Sleep-Related Behaviors and Beliefs Associated With Race/Ethnicity in Women

PubMed Central

Grandner, Michael A.; Patel, Nirav P.; Jean-Louis, Girardin; Jackson, Nicholas; Gehrman, Philip R.; Perlis, Michael L.; Gooneratne, Nalaka S.

2013-01-01

Explore how social factors influence sleep, especially sleep-related beliefs and behaviors. Sleep complaints, sleep hygiene behaviors, and beliefs about sleep were studied in 65 black/African American and white/European American women. Differences were found for snoring and discrepancy between sleep duration and need. Sleep behaviors differed across groups for napping, methods for coping with sleep difficulties, and nonsleep behaviors in bed. Beliefs also distinguished groups, with differences in motivation for sleep and beliefs about sleep being important for health and functioning. These findings have important public health implications in terms of developing effective sleep education interventions that include consideration of cultural aspects. PMID:23862291

When your cap matters: structural insights into self vs non-self recognition of 5' RNA by immunomodulatory host proteins

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

Leung, Daisy W.; Amarasinghe, Gaya K.

Cytosolic recognition of viral RNA is important for host innate immune responses. Differential recognition of self vs non-self RNA is a considerable challenge as the inability to differentiate may trigger aberrant immune responses. Recent work identified the composition of the RNA 5', including the 5' cap and its methylation state, as an important determinant of recognition by the host. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the modified 5' RNA recognition and viral antagonism of RNA receptors. Here, we will discuss RIG-I and IFIT proteins as examples of host proteins that detect dsRNA and ssRNA, respectively.

Aggregate measures of ecosystem services: Can we take the pulse of nature?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyerson, L.A.; Baron, Jill S.; Melillo, J.M.; Naiman, R.J.; O'Malley, R.I.; Orians, G.; Palmer, Margaret A.; Pfaff, Alexander S.P.; Running, S.W.; Sala, O.E.

2005-01-01

National scale aggregate indicators of ecosystem services are useful for stimulating and supporting a broad public discussion about trends in the provision of these services. There are important considerations involved in producing an aggregate indicator, including whether the scientific and technological capacity exists, how to address varying perceptions of the societal importance of different services, and how to communicate information about these services to both decision makers and the general public. Although the challenges are formidable, they are not insurmountable. Quantification of ecosystem services and dissemination of information to decision makers and the public is critical for the responsible and sustainable management of natural resources.

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

Chironis, N.P.

This book contains a wealth of valuable information carefully selected and compiled from recent issues of Coal Age magazine. Much of the source material has been gathered by Coal Age Editors during their visits to coal mines, research establishments, universities and technical symposiums. Equally important are the articles and data contributed by over 50 top experts, many of whom are well known to the mining industry. Specifically, this easy-to-use handbook is divided into eleven key areas of underground mining. Here you will find the latest information on continuous mining techniques, longwall and shortwall methods and equipment, specialized mining and boringmore » systems, continuous haulage techniques, improved roof control and ventilation methods, mine communications and instrumentation, power systems, fire control methods, and new mining regulations. There is also a section on engineering and management considerations, including the modern use of computer terminals, practical techniques for picking leaders and for encouraging more safety consciousness in employees, factors affecting absenteeism, and some highly important financial considerations. All of this valuable information has been thoroughly indexed to provide immediate access to the specific data needed by the reader.« less

Aerobiology: Experimental Considerations, Observations, and Future Tools

PubMed Central

Haddrell, Allen E.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Understanding airborne survival and decay of microorganisms is important for a range of public health and biodefense applications, including epidemiological and risk analysis modeling. Techniques for experimental aerosol generation, retention in the aerosol phase, and sampling require careful consideration and understanding so that they are representative of the conditions the bioaerosol would experience in the environment. This review explores the current understanding of atmospheric transport in relation to advances and limitations of aerosol generation, maintenance in the aerosol phase, and sampling techniques. Potential tools for the future are examined at the interface between atmospheric chemistry, aerosol physics, and molecular microbiology where the heterogeneity and variability of aerosols can be explored at the single-droplet and single-microorganism levels within a bioaerosol. The review highlights the importance of method comparison and validation in bioaerosol research and the benefits that the application of novel techniques could bring to increasing the understanding of aerobiological phenomena in diverse research fields, particularly during the progression of atmospheric transport, where complex interdependent physicochemical and biological processes occur within bioaerosol particles. PMID:28667111

Modeling the impact of spatial relationships on horizontal curve safety.

PubMed

Findley, Daniel J; Hummer, Joseph E; Rasdorf, William; Zegeer, Charles V; Fowler, Tyler J

2012-03-01

The curved segments of roadways are more hazardous because of the additional centripetalforces exerted on a vehicle, driver expectations, and other factors. The safety of a curve is dependent on various factors, most notably by geometric factors, but the location of a curve in relation to other curves is also thought to influence the safety of those curves because of a driver's expectation to encounter additional curves. The link between an individual curve's geometric characteristics and its safety performance has been established, but spatial considerations are typically not included in a safety analysis. The spatial considerations included in this research consisted of four components: distance to adjacent curves, direction of turn of the adjacent curves, and radius and length of the adjacent curves. The primary objective of this paper is to quantify the spatial relationship between adjacent horizontal curves and horizontal curve safety using a crash modification factor. Doing so enables a safety professional to more accurately estimate safety to allocate funding to reduce or prevent future collisions and more efficiently design new roadway sections to minimize crash risk where there will be a series of curves along a route. The most important finding from this research is the statistical significance of spatial considerations for the prediction of horizontal curve safety. The distances to adjacent curves were found to be a reliable predictor of observed collisions. This research recommends a model which utilizes spatial considerations for horizontal curve safety prediction in addition to current Highway Safety Manual prediction capabilities using individual curve geometric features. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HPTLC in Herbal Drug Quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, Devanand B.; Chavan, Machindra J.; Wakte, Pravin S.

For the past few decades, compounds from natural sources have been gaining importance because of the vast chemical diversity they offer. This has led to phenomenal increase in the demand for herbal medicines in the last two decades and need has been felt for ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal drugs. Phytochemical evaluation is one of the tools for the quality assessment, which include preliminary phytochemical screening, chemoprofiling, and marker compound analysis using modern analytical techniques. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) has been emerged as an important tool for the qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the herbal drugs and formulations. This includes developing TLC fingerprinting profiles and estimation of biomarkers. This review has an attempt to focus on the theoretical considerations of HPTLC and some examples of herbal drugs and formulations analyzed by HPTLC.

Contemporary thinking in stroke prevention and management.

PubMed

Bryan, Jenny

Stroke is the third largest cause of death in the UK, after heart disease and cancer, and the largest single cause of severe adult disability (Stroke Association, 2003). Specialist and consultant stroke nurses are playing a growing role in rapid assessment clinics and acute care, as well as in coordinating rehabilitation and other follow-up services, including secondary prevention clinics. Health promotion to reduce the risk of stroke is also an important consideration and an area where nurses can play a leading role. Risk prevention measures and behaviours include physical activity, and cutting down on smoking and alcohol intake. A healthy diet is also a major factor in reducing stroke risk. This year Stoke Awareness Week, which starts on 29 September, is focusing on the importance of eating a colourful variety of fruit and vegetables, with the message: 'Eat a rainbow. Beat a stroke'.

Material Science in Cervical Total Disc Replacement.

PubMed

Pham, Martin H; Mehta, Vivek A; Tuchman, Alexander; Hsieh, Patrick C

2015-01-01

Current cervical total disc replacement (TDR) designs incorporate a variety of different biomaterials including polyethylene, stainless steel, titanium (Ti), and cobalt-chrome (CoCr). These materials are most important in their utilization as bearing surfaces which allow for articular motion at the disc space. Long-term biological effects of implanted materials include wear debris, host inflammatory immune reactions, and osteolysis resulting in implant failure. We review here the most common materials used in cervical TDR prosthetic devices, examine their bearing surfaces, describe the construction of the seven current cervical TDR devices that are approved for use in the United States, and discuss known adverse biological effects associated with long-term implantation of these materials. It is important to appreciate and understand the variety of biomaterials available in the design and construction of these prosthetics and the considerations which guide their implementation.

Material Science in Cervical Total Disc Replacement

PubMed Central

Pham, Martin H.; Mehta, Vivek A.; Tuchman, Alexander; Hsieh, Patrick C.

2015-01-01

Current cervical total disc replacement (TDR) designs incorporate a variety of different biomaterials including polyethylene, stainless steel, titanium (Ti), and cobalt-chrome (CoCr). These materials are most important in their utilization as bearing surfaces which allow for articular motion at the disc space. Long-term biological effects of implanted materials include wear debris, host inflammatory immune reactions, and osteolysis resulting in implant failure. We review here the most common materials used in cervical TDR prosthetic devices, examine their bearing surfaces, describe the construction of the seven current cervical TDR devices that are approved for use in the United States, and discuss known adverse biological effects associated with long-term implantation of these materials. It is important to appreciate and understand the variety of biomaterials available in the design and construction of these prosthetics and the considerations which guide their implementation. PMID:26523281

A review of mammalian carcinogenicity study design and potential effects of alternate test procedures on the safety evaluation of food ingredients.

PubMed

Hayes, A W; Dayan, A D; Hall, W C; Kodell, R L; Williams, G M; Waddell, W D; Slesinski, R S; Kruger, C L

2011-06-01

Extensive experience in conducting long term cancer bioassays has been gained over the past 50 years of animal testing on drugs, pesticides, industrial chemicals, food additives and consumer products. Testing protocols for the conduct of carcinogenicity studies in rodents have been developed in Guidelines promulgated by regulatory agencies, including the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) for the EU member states and the MAFF (Ministries of Agriculture, Forestries and Fisheries) and MHW (Ministry of Health and Welfare) in Japan. The basis of critical elements of the study design that lead to an accepted identification of the carcinogenic hazard of substances in food and beverages is the focus of this review. The approaches used by entities well-known for carcinogenicity testing and/or guideline development are discussed. Particular focus is placed on comparison of testing programs used by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) and advocated in OECD guidelines to the testing programs of the European Ramazzini Foundation (ERF), an organization with numerous published carcinogenicity studies. This focus allows for a good comparison of differences in approaches to carcinogenicity testing and allows for a critical consideration of elements important to appropriate carcinogenicity study designs and practices. OECD protocols serve as good standard models for carcinogenicity testing protocol design. Additionally, the detailed design of any protocol should include attention to the rationale for inclusion of particular elements, including the impact of those elements on study interpretations. Appropriate interpretation of study results is dependent on rigorous evaluation of the study design and conduct, including differences from standard practices. Important considerations are differences in the strain of animal used, diet and housing practices, rigorousness of test procedures, dose selection, histopathology procedures, application of historical control data, statistical evaluations and whether statistical extrapolations are supported by, or are beyond the limits of, the data generated. Without due consideration, there can be result conflicting data interpretations and uncertainty about the relevance of a study's results to human risk. This paper discusses the critical elements of rodent (rat) carcinogenicity studies, particularly with respect to the study of food ingredients. It also highlights study practices and procedures that can detract from the appropriate evaluation of human relevance of results, indicating the importance of adherence to international consensus protocols, such as those detailed by OECD. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Considerations for selecting personal protective equipment for hazardous materials decontamination.

PubMed

Lehmann, Jeff

2002-09-01

PPE is necessary to protect staff and to deliver rapid and efficient care to patients contaminated with HAZMAT chemicals. Planning for HAZMAT cases includes learning about the common chemicals in the area, what resources are available to care for victims, identifying a decontamination area, and providing PPE to protect employees and other patients. A customized service can be used to meet OSHA standards and reduce costs. Ongoing training will be an important part of any HAZMAT program.

What happened to life expectancy in Spain in the 1980s?

PubMed Central

Chenet, L; McKee, M; Otero, A; Ausin, I

1997-01-01

BACKGROUND: Life expectancy at birth in Spain improved between 1972 and 1982, by 2.5 years for males and 3.2 years for females. This slowed considerably in the following decade, with increases of only 0.5 and 1.7 years respectively. OBJECTIVE: To determine the causes of death that have been responsible for the failure by Spain to maintain in the 1980s and 1990s the rate of improvement in life expectancy seen during the 1970s. DESIGN: Data from WHO mortality tapes grouped in a series of clinically meaningful categories were used to calculate the contribution of each category, in five year age groups, to the changing life expectancy at birth in the two periods. SETTING: Spain. RESULTS: The trend in life expectancy at birth in Spain over this 20 year period can be considered to have two components, both with important consequences for public health policy. Underlying trends include a steady negative contribution from respiratory cancer in men and a reduction in cardiovascular disease. More recent trends include a considerable deterioration in deaths among young adults, most notably from accidents and, possibly, AIDS. CONCLUSION: The failure to maintain the rate of earlier gains in life expectancy in Spain can be attributed largely to a few conditions, although these may indicate less obvious underlying problems. These findings have important consequences for prioritising public health policies. PMID:9425460

Problems of elimination of low emission

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

Stepniowski, A.

1995-12-31

The Cracow Municipal Gas Distribution Enterprises is subordinated to the Carpathian Regional Gas Engineering Plant in Tarnow, which - in turn - is a part of Polish Oil Mining and Gas Engineering with its seat in Warsaw. The required quick development of power engineering in Poland needs harmonized development of all branches of power engineering, including the gas production and distribution industry which constitutes an element of technical infrastructure of Poland influencing the direction of development. After World War II, the gas engineering industry was transformed from a typical communal service to a big industrial structure which covers the entiremore » territory of the state and has considerable technical and material measures at its disposal. Programming of the gas industry development ranges from development of installation of gas-supply arrangements for communal purposes including modification of local gas generators - to the development of gas transportation, storage and purification system. At present gas is taken from following sources: import, own natural gas deposits (high-methane content gas and high-nitrogen content gas within Polish Lowland); cokeries, and local gas generators. Gas sorts obtained in these sources have differentiated physico-chemical properties and they are distributed by three independent transmission systems assigned for high-methane natural gas, high-nitrogen natural gas, and coke-oven gas. Taking into consideration the forecast demand and potential capacity of natural gas production in Poland, the required import of natural gas is estimated.« less

75 FR 71133 - Guidance for Industry: The Safety of Imported Traditional Pottery Intended for Use With Food and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-22

... considerations relevant to lead contamination of NLG traditional pottery, and labeling considerations for food... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0571] Guidance for Industry: The Safety of Imported Traditional Pottery Intended for Use With Food and the Use of...

Fertility Intentions, Career Considerations and Subsequent Births: The Moderating Effects of Women's Work Hours.

PubMed

Shreffler, Karina M; Johnson, David R

2013-09-01

Prior research indicates a negative relationship between women's labor force participation and fertility at the individual level in the United States, but little is known about the reasons for this relationship beyond work hours. We employed discrete event history models using panel data from the National Survey of Families and Households ( N = 2,411) and found that the importance of career considerations mediates the work hours/fertility relationship. Further, fertility intentions and the importance of career considerations were more predictive of birth outcomes as women's work hours increase. Ultimately, our findings challenge the assumption that working more hours is the direct cause for employed women having fewer children and highlight the importance of career and fertility preferences in fertility outcomes.

24 CFR 1.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., and the term State means any one of the foregoing. (e) The term Federal financial assistance includes... without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a consideration which is reduced for the... of its purposes the provision of assistance. The term Federal financial assistance does not include a...

Occupation, work environment, and disability pension: a prospective study of construction workers.

PubMed

Stattin, Mikael; Järvholm, Bengt

2005-01-01

This study investigated the importance of occupation and work environment for the risk of disability pension among construction workers in Sweden. The data include around 389,000 construction workers who participated in health examinations from 1971 to 1992. During that period 68,000 participants received disability pension in some form. Between 1985 and 1992 questionnaires were used to collect data regarding hazards in the work environment. Some 87,000 participants answered that questionnaire, and almost 6,000 of these were in receipt of a disability pension. To analyse the risk of disability pension in different occupations, incidence rates (SIR) were calculated according to the person-year method. Logistic regression was used to calculate age-controlled odds ratios according to physical and psychosocial work environment factors. The results show considerable variation in risk for disability pension between different occupations within the construction industry. Furthermore, analysis of work environment factors indicated associations with physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial work environment factors. A considerable variation between occupations indicates that characteristics in the work situation are important when explaining the risk of disability pension. The results from this study indicate that improvements in working conditions are an important area of intervention in order to facilitate and prolong labour market participation among elderly people.

Canyons and gorges as potential geotourism destinations in Serbia: comparative analysis from two perspectives - general geotourists' and pure geotourists'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Božić, Sanja; Tomić, Nemanja

2015-10-01

Serbia represents one of those countries which have not yet differentiated themselves on the world tourism map. However, it has an immense but still unrevealed potential for geotourism development. In this paper we analyzed several remarkable canyons and gorges of great scientific importance and geotourism potential. These sites include the Djerdap Gorge and Lazar River Canyon, located in Eastern Serbia and the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge and Uvac Canyon located in Western Serbia. One of the main goals of this paper was to analyze and compare the current state and tourism potential of these geosites by using the M-GAM model for geosite assessment. However, the principal aim of the paper is to analyze how important is each subindicator in the assessment process for different market segments. In this paper, we also analyzed how giving different importance to subindicators can influence the position of the geosites in the matrix indicating different assessment done by two chosen market segments. The research showed that general geotourists appreciate considerably different values when assessing a geosite in comparison to pure geotourists. The paper can be used as framework for developing the tourism management strategy of geosites taking into consideration the needs and preferences of the target market segments.

Algorithm for Video Summarization of Bronchoscopy Procedures

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The duration of bronchoscopy examinations varies considerably depending on the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used. It can last more than 20 minutes if a complex diagnostic work-up is included. With wide access to videobronchoscopy, the whole procedure can be recorded as a video sequence. Common practice relies on an active attitude of the bronchoscopist who initiates the recording process and usually chooses to archive only selected views and sequences. However, it may be important to record the full bronchoscopy procedure as documentation when liability issues are at stake. Furthermore, an automatic recording of the whole procedure enables the bronchoscopist to focus solely on the performed procedures. Video recordings registered during bronchoscopies include a considerable number of frames of poor quality due to blurry or unfocused images. It seems that such frames are unavoidable due to the relatively tight endobronchial space, rapid movements of the respiratory tract due to breathing or coughing, and secretions which occur commonly in the bronchi, especially in patients suffering from pulmonary disorders. Methods The use of recorded bronchoscopy video sequences for diagnostic, reference and educational purposes could be considerably extended with efficient, flexible summarization algorithms. Thus, the authors developed a prototype system to create shortcuts (called summaries or abstracts) of bronchoscopy video recordings. Such a system, based on models described in previously published papers, employs image analysis methods to exclude frames or sequences of limited diagnostic or education value. Results The algorithm for the selection or exclusion of specific frames or shots from video sequences recorded during bronchoscopy procedures is based on several criteria, including automatic detection of "non-informative", frames showing the branching of the airways and frames including pathological lesions. Conclusions The paper focuses on the challenge of generating summaries of bronchoscopy video recordings. PMID:22185344

Assessing risks and preventing disease from environmental chemicals.

PubMed

Dunnette, D A

1989-01-01

In the last 25 years there has been considerable concern expressed about the extent to which chemical agents in the ambient and work environments are contributing to the causation of disease. This concern is a logical extension of our increased knowledge of the real and potential effects of environmental chemicals and the methodological difficulties in applying new knowledge that could help prevent environmentally induced disease. Chemical risk assessment offers an approach to estimating risks and involves consideration of relevant information including identification of chemical hazards, evaluation of the dose-response relationship, estimation of exposure and finally, risk characterization. Particularly significant uncertainties which are inherent in use of this and other risk models include animal-human and low dose-high dose extrapolation and estimation of exposure. Community public health risks from exposure to environmental chemicals appear to be small relative to other public health risks based on information related to cancer trends, dietary intake of synthetic chemicals, assessment data on substances such as DDT and "dioxin," public health effects of hazardous waste sites and contextual considerations. Because of inherent uncertainty in the chemical risk assessment process, however, we need to apply what methods are available in our efforts to prevent disease induced by environmental chemicals. There are a number of societal strategies which can contribute to overall reduction of risk from environmental chemicals. These include acquisition of information on environmental risk including toxicity, intensity and extensity of exposure, biological monitoring, disease surveillance, improvement in epidemiological methods, control of environmental chemical exposures, and dissemination of hazardous chemical information. Responsible environmental risk communication and information transfer appear to be among the most important of the available strategies for preventing disease induced by chemicals in the environment.

Psychological and Pedagogical Considerations in Digital Textbook Use and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Railean, Elena

2015-01-01

With the emergence of digital tools into mainstream society, new applications for cutting-edge technologies enable innovations in the dissemination of information. Careful consideration of the impact of these tools is important to maximize benefits while avoiding misuse. "Psychological and Pedagogical Considerations in Digital Textbook Use…

Effective Assistive Technology Consideration and Implications for Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Vita L.; Hinesmon-Matthews, Lezlee J.

2014-01-01

Often the consideration of assistive technology devices and services during the individualized education program (IEP) process is overlooked. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorized this consideration, IEP team members must be keenly aware of the importance they hold in providing this valuable input. Thus, IEP…

Water management simulation games and the construction of knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusca, M.; Heun, J.; Schwartz, K.

2012-03-01

In recent years simulations have become an important part of teaching activities. The reasons behind the popularity of simulation games are twofold. On the one hand, emerging theories on how people learn have called for an experienced-based learning approach. On the other hand, the demand for water management professionals has changed. Three important developments are having considerable consequences for water management programmes, which educate and train these professionals. These developments are the increasing emphasis on integration in water management, the characteristics and speed of reforms in the public sector and the shifting state-society relations in many countries. In response to these developments, demand from the labour market is oriented toward water professionals who need to have both a specialist in-depth knowledge in their own field, as well as the ability to understand and interact with other disciplines and interests. In this context, skills in negotiating, consensus building and working in teams are considered essential for all professionals. In this paper we argue that simulation games have an important role to play in (actively) educating students and training the new generation of water professionals to respond to the above-mentioned challenges. At the same time, simulations are not a panacea for learners and teachers. Challenges of using simulations games include the demands it places on the teacher. Setting up the simulation game, facilitating the delivery and ensuring that learning objectives are achieved requires considerable knowledge and experience as well as considerable time-inputs of the teacher. Moreover, simulation games usually incorporate a case-based learning model, which may neglect or underemphasize theories and conceptualization. For simulations to be effective they have to be embedded in this larger theoretical and conceptual framework. Simulations, therefore, complement rather than substitute traditional teaching methods.

Water management simulation games and the construction of knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusca, M.; Heun, J.; Schwartz, K.

2012-08-01

In recent years, simulations have become an important part of teaching activities. The reasons behind the popularity of simulation games are twofold. On the one hand, emerging theories on how people learn have called for an experienced-based learning approach. On the other hand, the demand for water management professionals has changed. Three important developments are having considerable consequences for water management programmes, which educate and train these professionals. These developments are the increasing emphasis on integration in water management, the characteristics and speed of reforms in the public sector and the shifting state-society relations in many countries. In response to these developments, demand from the labour market is oriented toward water professionals who need to have both a specialist in-depth knowledge in their own field, as well as the ability to understand and interact with other disciplines and interests. In this context, skills in negotiating, consensus building and working in teams are considered essential for all professionals. In this paper, we argue that simulation games have an important role to play in (actively) educating students and training the new generation of water professionals to respond to the above-mentioned challenges. At the same time, simulations are not a panacea for learners and teachers. Challenges of using simulation games include the demands it places on the teacher. Setting up the simulation game, facilitating the delivery and ensuring that learning objectives are achieved require considerable knowledge and experience as well as considerable time-inputs of the teacher. Moreover, simulation games usually incorporate a case-based learning model, which may neglect or underemphasize theories and conceptualizations. For simulations to be effective, they have to be embedded in this larger theoretical and conceptual framework. Simulations, therefore, complement rather than substitute traditional teaching methods.

32 CFR 187.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... considerable importance involving substantial expenditures of time, money, and resources, that affects the... consideration may be associated. Deployment of ships, aircraft, or other mobile military equipment is not a...

32 CFR 187.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... considerable importance involving substantial expenditures of time, money, and resources, that affects the... consideration may be associated. Deployment of ships, aircraft, or other mobile military equipment is not a...

32 CFR 187.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... considerable importance involving substantial expenditures of time, money, and resources, that affects the... consideration may be associated. Deployment of ships, aircraft, or other mobile military equipment is not a...

32 CFR 187.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... considerable importance involving substantial expenditures of time, money, and resources, that affects the... consideration may be associated. Deployment of ships, aircraft, or other mobile military equipment is not a...

Ethical considerations in clinical research on herbal medicine for prevention of cardiovascular disease in the ageing.

PubMed

Koonrungsesomboon, Nut; Karbwang, Juntra

2016-10-15

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the ageing is a major public health problem worldwide. The nature of most CVD is subclinical with pathological processes that can span over years. Use of preventive measures could be an appropriate approach to prevailing over CVD in the ageing, and herbal medicine is one of the promising preventive approaches and is currently of interest among medical societies. In the evidence-based era, herbal medicine is, however, often underestimated and approached with skepticism, mainly due to the paucity of scientific evidence. Properly designed clinical trials on herbal medicine for prevention of CVD in a geriatric population are thus of importance and of clinical value. To review ethical issues and discuss considerations when such research is proposed. Four ethical issues, including the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent, are structured and extensively discussed in this article. Ethical core considerations of prevention research of CVD on herbal medicine involve particular attention on the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent. These issues and considerations are keys, although they must be adapted to an individual research setting in which a clinical study is proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Small round blue cell tumors of the sinonasal tract: a differential diagnosis approach.

PubMed

Thompson, Lester Dr

2017-01-01

One of the most challenging diagnostic categories within tumors of the sinonasal tract is the small round blue cell tumors. Biopsies are usually small and limited, resulting in considerable diagnostic difficulty for practicing surgical pathologists. These tumors share several overlapping histologic and immunophenotypic findings while also showing considerable variation within and between cases. Specific tumor site of origin, imaging findings, and clinical findings must be combined with the histology and pertinent ancillary studies if the correct diagnosis is to be reached. Discrimination between neoplasms is critical as there are significant differences in therapy and overall outcome. It is important to have a well developed differential diagnosis for this category of tumors, where each of the diagnoses is considered, evaluated, and either confirmed or excluded from further consideration. In an undifferentiated tumor, showing a small round blue cell morphology, using the mnemonic 'MR SLEEP' helps to highlight tumors to consider: melanoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (including NUT carcinoma), small cell osteosarcoma, lymphoma, esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma), Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor, pituitary adenoma, and plasmacytoma. A panel of pertinent immunohistochemistry studies, histochemistries and/or molecular tests should aid in reaching a diagnosis, especially when taking the pattern and intensity of reactions into consideration.

The morality of socioscientific issues: Construal and resolution of genetic engineering dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadler, Troy D.; Zeidler, Dana L.

2004-01-01

The ability to negotiate and resolve socioscientific issues has been posited as integral components of scientific literacy. Although philosophers and science educators have argued that socioscientific issues inherently involve moral and ethical considerations, the ultimate arbiters of morality are individual decision-makers. This study explored the extent to which college students construe genetic engineering issues as moral problems. Twenty college students participated in interviews designed to elicit their ideas, reactions, and feelings regarding a series of gene therapy and cloning scenarios. Qualitative analyses revealed that moral considerations were significant influences on decision-making, indicating a tendency for students to construe genetic engineering issues as moral problems. Students engaged in moral reasoning based on utilitarian analyses of consequences as well as the application of principles. Issue construal was also influenced by affective features such as emotion and intuition. In addition to moral considerations, a series of other factors emerged as important dimensions of socioscientific decision-making. These factors included personal experiences, family biases, background knowledge, and the impact of popular culture. The implications for classroom science instruction and future research are discussed.

Building partnerships in community-based participatory research: budgetary and other cost considerations.

PubMed

Hoeft, Theresa J; Burke, Wylie; Hopkins, Scarlett E; Charles, Walkie; Trinidad, Susan B; James, Rosalina D; Boyer, Bert B

2014-03-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an important framework for partnering with communities to reduce health disparities. Working in partnership with community incurs additional costs, some that can be represented in a budget summary page and others that are tied to the competing demands placed on community and academic partners. These cost considerations can inform development of community-academic partnerships. We calculated costs from a case study based on an ongoing CBPR project involving a Community Planning Group (CPG) of community co-researchers in rural Alaska and a bicultural liaison group who help bridge communication between CPG and academic co-researchers. Budget considerations specific to CBPR include travel and other communication-related costs, compensation for community partners, and food served at meetings. We also identified sources of competing demands for community and academic partners. Our findings can inform budget discussions in community-academic partnerships. Discussions of competing demands on community partners' time can help plan timelines for CBPR projects. Our findings may also inform discussions about tenure and promotion policies that may represent barriers to participation in CBPR for academic researchers.

Lessons Learned From an Epidemiologist-Led Countywide Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) in Oregon.

PubMed

Repp, Kimberly K; Hawes, Eva; Rees, Kathleen J; Vorderstrasse, Beth; Mohnkern, Sue

2018-06-07

Conducting a large-scale Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) in a geographically and linguistically diverse county presents significant methodological challenges that require advance planning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has adapted methodology and provided a toolkit for a rapid needs assessment after a disaster. The assessment provides representative data of the sampling frame to help guide effective distribution of resources. This article describes methodological considerations and lessons learned from a CASPER exercise conducted by Washington County Public Health in June 2016 to assess community emergency preparedness. The CDC's CASPER toolkit provides detailed guidance for exercises in urban areas where city blocks are well defined with many single family homes. Converting the exercise to include rural areas with challenging geographical terrain, including accessing homes without public roads, required considerable adjustments in planning. Adequate preparations for vulnerable populations with English linguistic barriers required additional significant resources. Lessons learned are presented from the first countywide CASPER exercise in Oregon. Approximately 61% of interviews were completed, and 85% of volunteers reported they would participate in another CASPER exercise. Results from the emergency preparedness survey will be presented elsewhere. This experience indicates the most important considerations for conducting a CASPER exercise are oversampling clusters, overrecruiting volunteers, anticipating the actual cost of staff time, and ensuring timely language services are available during the event.

Methods for medical device and equipment procurement and prioritization within low- and middle-income countries: findings of a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Diaconu, Karin; Chen, Yen-Fu; Cummins, Carole; Jimenez Moyao, Gabriela; Manaseki-Holland, Semira; Lilford, Richard

2017-08-18

Forty to 70 % of medical devices and equipment in low- and middle-income countries are broken, unused or unfit for purpose; this impairs service delivery to patients and results in lost resources. Undiscerning procurement processes are at the heart of this issue. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to August 2013 with no time or language restrictions to identify what product selection or prioritization methods are recommended or used for medical device and equipment procurement planning within low- and middle-income countries. We explore the factors/evidence-base proposed for consideration within such methods and identify prioritization criteria. We included 217 documents (corresponding to 250 texts) in the narrative synthesis. Of these 111 featured in the meta-summary. We identify experience and needs-based methods used to reach procurement decisions. Equipment costs (including maintenance) and health needs are the dominant issues considered. Extracted data suggest that procurement officials should prioritize devices with low- and middle-income country appropriate technical specifications - i.e. devices and equipment that can be used given available human resources, infrastructure and maintenance capacity. Suboptimal device use is directly linked to incomplete costing and inadequate consideration of maintenance services and user training during procurement planning. Accurate estimation of life-cycle costing and careful consideration of device servicing are of crucial importance.

Cost of illness of atopic dermatitis in children: a societal perspective.

PubMed

Kemp, Andrew S

2003-01-01

Childhood atopic dermatitis is a disorder with considerable social and financial costs. Consideration of these costs is increasingly important in view of the growing prevalence of atopic dermatitis, particularly in developed countries over recent decades. The family stress related to the care of children with moderate or severe atopic dermatitis is significantly greater than that of the care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The factors contributing to family stress include sleep deprivation, loss of employment, time taken for care of atopic dermatitis and financial costs. The financial costs for the family and community include medical and hospital direct costs of treatments and indirect costs from loss of employment. There are many interventions utilised in the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis which involve not only medical practitioners but nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, psychologists and purveyors of so-called alternative therapies such as naturopathy, aromatherapy and bioresonance, all of which contribute to the financial burdens on the parents and the community. It is possible that appropriate interventions directed to reducing trigger factors might produce worthwhile savings, although the cost benefit of these measures has not been demonstrated. In conclusion, atopic dermatitis should not be regarded as a minor skin disorder but as a condition which has the potential to be a major handicap with considerable personal, social and financial consequences both to the family and the community.

Large-volume protein crystal growth for neutron macromolecular crystallography

DOE PAGES

Ng, Joseph D.; Baird, James K.; Coates, Leighton; ...

2015-03-30

Neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMC) is the prevailing method for the accurate determination of the positions of H atoms in macromolecules. As neutron sources are becoming more available to general users, finding means to optimize the growth of protein crystals to sizes suitable for NMC is extremely important. Historically, much has been learned about growing crystals for X-ray diffraction. However, owing to new-generation synchrotron X-ray facilities and sensitive detectors, protein crystal sizes as small as in the nano-range have become adequate for structure determination, lessening the necessity to grow large crystals. Here, some of the approaches, techniques and considerations for themore » growth of crystals to significant dimensions that are now relevant to NMC are revisited. We report that these include experimental strategies utilizing solubility diagrams, ripening effects, classical crystallization techniques, microgravity and theoretical considerations.« less

Large-volume protein crystal growth for neutron macromolecular crystallography

PubMed Central

Ng, Joseph D.; Baird, James K.; Coates, Leighton; Garcia-Ruiz, Juan M.; Hodge, Teresa A.; Huang, Sijay

2015-01-01

Neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMC) is the prevailing method for the accurate determination of the positions of H atoms in macromolecules. As neutron sources are becoming more available to general users, finding means to optimize the growth of protein crystals to sizes suitable for NMC is extremely important. Historically, much has been learned about growing crystals for X-ray diffraction. However, owing to new-generation synchrotron X-ray facilities and sensitive detectors, protein crystal sizes as small as in the nano-range have become adequate for structure determination, lessening the necessity to grow large crystals. Here, some of the approaches, techniques and considerations for the growth of crystals to significant dimensions that are now relevant to NMC are revisited. These include experimental strategies utilizing solubility diagrams, ripening effects, classical crystallization techniques, microgravity and theoretical considerations. PMID:25849493

Large-volume protein crystal growth for neutron macromolecular crystallography

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

Ng, Joseph D.; Baird, James K.; Coates, Leighton

Neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMC) is the prevailing method for the accurate determination of the positions of H atoms in macromolecules. As neutron sources are becoming more available to general users, finding means to optimize the growth of protein crystals to sizes suitable for NMC is extremely important. Historically, much has been learned about growing crystals for X-ray diffraction. However, owing to new-generation synchrotron X-ray facilities and sensitive detectors, protein crystal sizes as small as in the nano-range have become adequate for structure determination, lessening the necessity to grow large crystals. Here, some of the approaches, techniques and considerations for themore » growth of crystals to significant dimensions that are now relevant to NMC are revisited. We report that these include experimental strategies utilizing solubility diagrams, ripening effects, classical crystallization techniques, microgravity and theoretical considerations.« less

[Computer eyeglasses--aspects of a confusing topic].

PubMed

Huber-Spitzy, V; Janeba, E

1997-01-01

With the coming into force of the new Austrian Employee Protection Act the issue of the so called "computer glasses" will also gain added importance in our country. Such glasses have been defined as vision aids to be exclusively used for the work on computer monitors and include single-vision glasses solely intended for reading computer screen, glasses with bifocal lenses for reading computer screen and hard-copy documents as well as those with varifocal lenses featuring a thickened central section. There is still a considerable controversy among those concerned as to who will bear the costs for such glasses--most likely it will be the employer. Prescription of such vision aids will be exclusively restricted to ophthalmologists, based on a thorough ophthalmological examination under adequate consideration of the specific working environment and the workplace requirements of the individual employee concerned.

Assessment of Adolescent Neurotoxicity: Rationale and Methodological Considerations

PubMed Central

Spear, Linda Patia

2007-01-01

This introduction to the special issue of Neurotoxicology and Teratology on “Risk of neurobehavioral toxicity in adolescence” begins by broadly considering the ontogeny and phylogeny of adolescence, and the potential value of animal models of adolescence. Major findings from the emerging neuroscience of adolescence are then highlighted to establish the importance of studies of adolescent neurotoxicity. A variety of methodological issues that are of particular relevance to adolescent exposures are then discussed. These include consideration of pharmacokinetic factors, inclusion of other-aged comparison group(s), and issues involving timing, route of administration, and exposure-induced alterations in growth rate. Despite such methodological challenges, research to determine whether adolescence is a time of increased vulnerability (or greater resiliency) to specific drugs and environmental toxicants is progressing rapidly, as exemplified by the work presented in the articles of this special issue. PMID:17222532

Some technical writing skills industry needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, F. R.

1981-01-01

It is suggested that engineers and other technical students be taught three classes of skills in technical writing. First, "Big Picture Things", which includes: the importance of clear writing, the wide scope of writing, the wide scope of writing tasks that will be faced in industry, and the principles of organization of technical materials such as; how to analyze, classify, partition, and interpret. Second, "Writing Procedures", which encompasses: how to get words on paper efficiently and team-write. Third, "Writing Details", in which two considerations are important: how to achieve precision in the use of language and the aspects of style. Three problems in style are cited: the problem of sentence transition, overuse of attributive adjectives, and verbosity in paragraph structure. The most important thing in technical writing is considered to be functionality, economy and clarity.

Lunar ash flow with heat transfer.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pai, S. I.; Hsieh, T.; O'Keefe, J. A.

1972-01-01

The most important heat-transfer process in the ash flow under consideration is heat convection. Besides the four important nondimensional parameters of isothermal ash flow (Pai et al., 1972), we have three additional important nondimensional parameters: the ratio of the specific heat of the gas, the ratio of the specific heat of the solid particles to that of gas, and the Prandtl number. We reexamine the one dimensional steady ash flow discussed by Pai et al. (1972) by including the effects of heat transfer. Numerical results for the pressure, temperature, density of the gas, velocities of gas and solid particles, and volume fraction of solid particles as function of altitude for various values of the Jeffreys number, initial velocity ratio, and two different gas species (steam and hydrogen) are presented.

Bioanalytical method transfer considerations of chromatographic-based assays.

PubMed

Williard, Clark V

2016-07-01

Bioanalysis is an important part of the modern drug development process. The business practice of outsourcing and transferring bioanalytical methods from laboratory to laboratory has increasingly become a crucial strategy for successful and efficient delivery of therapies to the market. This chapter discusses important considerations when transferring various types of chromatographic-based assays in today's pharmaceutical research and development environment.

Feedlot Euthanasia and Necropsy.

PubMed

Griffin, Dee

2015-11-01

Timely euthanasia of feeder cattle can minimize suffering of cattle that have little hope of recovery or pain abatement. Euthanasia techniques are described, including primary and secondary steps to ensure humane death. Considerations are discussed to ensure rendered product from euthanized cattle will be safe. A necropsy technique that is time efficient and thorough is outlined. An important aspect is minimizing the number of detached body organs, thereby making it easier to remove the necropsied animal. A necropsy data collection system is discussed that uses check-boxes to record findings. A link to a database that can be downloaded is included. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Don't break the chain: importance of supply chain management in the operating room setting.

PubMed

Bilyk, Candis

2008-09-01

Management of supplies within the operating room (OR) has considerable implications for decreasing healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. This area of healthcare therefore requires more monitoring by end-users including OR management, physicians, and nursing staff. This article is based on understanding supply chain management in the OR setting. Information provided throughout the article can be applied to small or large health care centers. It defines supply chain management and contains a brief overview of supply chain processes. It reviews the benefits of following these processes. The article also includes recommendations for improving the supply chain in the OR.

Significance of Dietary Antioxidants for Health

PubMed Central

Gordon, Michael H.

2012-01-01

Since evidence became available that free radicals were involved in mechanisms for the development of major diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, there has been considerable research into the properties of natural dietary antioxidants. However, it has become clear that dietary antioxidants can only have beneficial effects in vivo by radical scavenging or effects on redox potential if they are present in tissues or bodily fluids at sufficient concentrations. For many dietary components, absorption is limited or metabolism into derivatives reduces the antioxidant capacity. For many dietary phytochemicals, direct antioxidant effects may be less important for health than other effects including effects on cell signalling or gene expression in vivo. PMID:22312245

Setting Up CD-ROM Work Areas. Part I: Ergonomic Considerations, User Furniture, Location.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasi, John; LaGuardia, Cheryl

1992-01-01

The first of a two-part series on design of CD-ROM work areas in libraries discusses (1) space and location considerations; (2) ergonomics, including work surface, chairs, lighting, printers, other accessories, and security; and (3) other considerations, including staff assistance, reference tools, literature racks, and promotional materials. (MES)

Fertility Intentions, Career Considerations and Subsequent Births: The Moderating Effects of Women’s Work Hours

PubMed Central

Johnson, David R.

2014-01-01

Prior research indicates a negative relationship between women’s labor force participation and fertility at the individual level in the United States, but little is known about the reasons for this relationship beyond work hours. We employed discrete event history models using panel data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 2,411) and found that the importance of career considerations mediates the work hours/fertility relationship. Further, fertility intentions and the importance of career considerations were more predictive of birth outcomes as women’s work hours increase. Ultimately, our findings challenge the assumption that working more hours is the direct cause for employed women having fewer children and highlight the importance of career and fertility preferences in fertility outcomes. PMID:25506189

Citrate-Based Biomaterials and Their Applications in Regenerative Engineering

PubMed Central

Tran, Richard T.; Yang, Jian; Ameer, Guillermo A.

2015-01-01

Advances in biomaterials science and engineering are crucial to translating regenerative engineering, an emerging field that aims to recreate complex tissues, into clinical practice. In this regard, citrate-based biomaterials have become an important tool owing to their versatile material and biological characteristics including unique antioxidant, antimicrobial, adhesive, and fluorescent properties. This review discusses fundamental design considerations, strategies to incorporate unique functionality, and examples of how citrate-based biomaterials can be an enabling technology for regenerative engineering. PMID:27004046

Psychosocial Challenges/Transition to Adulthood.

PubMed

Frederick, Carla

2016-08-01

Advances in the health care of individuals with cystic fibrosis have resulted in more than half of the population older than the age of 18 living longer, fuller lives. This success brings about the need for new areas of improvement and development including the mastery of transitioning from pediatric to adult health care and attention to psychosocial needs. This article reviews key components of the process of transitioning to adult care and some important psychosocial considerations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of new nuclear de-excitation model of PHITS for prediction of isomer yield and prompt gamma-ray production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Niita, Koji

2014-06-01

A new nuclear de-excitation model, intended for accurate simulation of isomeric transition of excited nuclei, was incorporated into PHITS and applied to various situations to clarify the impact of the model. The case studies show that precise treatment of gamma de-excitation and consideration for isomer production are important for various applications such as detector performance prediction, radiation shielding calculations and the estimation of radioactive inventory including isomers.

Interagency Exchanges at Military Universities: Do Concerns About Finances, Career Progression and Assignments Affect Foreign Service Officers and Specialists’ Willingness to Participate?

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

benefits as well as its drawbacks , the results to this partition of the survey are extremely important to answering the primary research question. Are...Responses include: Too political. In my opinion, the assignment process is far from transparent. The assignment’s process sucks and the pendulum has... pendulum has swung back to “who you know”. Experience and prior work history is not taking into consideration when making assignments. And the process

Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power Systems (MCNSPS) conceptual design and evaluation report. Volume 3, technologies 2: Power conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetch, J. R.

1988-01-01

The major power conversion concepts considered for the Megawatt Class Nuclear Space Power System (MCNSPS) are discussed. These concepts include: (1) Rankine alkali-metal-vapor turbine alternators; (2) in-core thermionic conversion; (3) Brayton gas turbine alternators; and (4) free piston Stirling engine linear alternators. Considerations important to the coupling of these four conversion alternatives to an appropriate nuclear reactor heat source are examined along with the comparative performance characteristics of the combined systems meeting MCNSPS requirements.

Future Propulsion Opportunities for Commuter Airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strack, W. C.

1982-01-01

Commuter airplane propulsion opportunities are summarized. Consideration is given to advanced technology conventional turboprop engines, advanced propellers, and several unconventional alternatives: regenerative turboprops, rotaries, and diesels. Advanced versions of conventional turboprops (including propellers) offer 15-20 percent savings in fuel and 10-15 percent in DOC compared to the new crop of 1500-2000 SHP engines currently in development. Unconventional engines could boost the fuel savings to 30-40 percent. The conclusion is that several important opportunities exist and, therefore, powerplant technology need not plateau.

Additional considerations to the model of musical empathic engagement: Empathy facets, preferences, and openness. Comment on "Music, empathy, and cultural understanding" by E. Clarke et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenberg, David M.

2015-12-01

Recent research has shown that empathy plays an important role in musical experience including perception, preference, and performance [9,11,13,16,17]. Clarke, DeNora, and Vuoskoski's [4] timely review extends this work by establishing a framework for how ;music empathic engagement; can facilitate cultural understanding. In this commentary I raise attention to some additional factors that may be at play in their model.

Neutron cross sections. Volume I. Resonance parameters

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

Mughabghab, S.F.; Garber, D.I.

1973-06-01

In contrast to earlier editions, which presented in compact form a summary of the complete store of the neutron data files, this edition aims to provide those portions of neutron data considered to be of prime importance and best suited for inclusion in ready reference form. This volume contains thermal cross sections, resonance properties, resonance parameters, and bibliography for nuclides from H to /sup 257/Fm. Notation and nomenclature, considerations involved in the recommendations, and a table of energyordered resonances are also included. (RWR)

Radiation reaction in fusion plasmas.

PubMed

Hazeltine, R D; Mahajan, S M

2004-10-01

The effects of a radiation reaction on thermal electrons in a magnetically confined plasma, with parameters typical of planned burning plasma experiments, are studied. A fully relativistic kinetic equation that includes the radiation reaction is derived. The associated rate of phase-space contraction is computed and the relative importance of the radiation reaction in phase space is estimated. A consideration of the moments of the radiation reaction force show that its effects are typically small in reactor-grade confined plasmas, but not necessarily insignificant.

Floating point arithmetic in future supercomputers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, David H.; Barton, John T.; Simon, Horst D.; Fouts, Martin J.

1989-01-01

Considerations in the floating-point design of a supercomputer are discussed. Particular attention is given to word size, hardware support for extended precision, format, and accuracy characteristics. These issues are discussed from the perspective of the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Systems Division at NASA Ames. The features believed to be most important for a future supercomputer floating-point design include: (1) a 64-bit IEEE floating-point format with 11 exponent bits, 52 mantissa bits, and one sign bit and (2) hardware support for reasonably fast double-precision arithmetic.

Heavily loaded joints for assembling aerobrake support trusses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bandel, Hannskarl; Olsson, Nils; Levintov, Boris

1990-01-01

The major emphasis was to develop erectable joints for large aerobrake support trusses. The truss joints must be able to withstand the large forces experienced by the truss during the aero-pass, as well as be easily assembled and disassembled on orbit by astronauts or robots. Other important design considerations include; strength, stiffness, and allowable error in strut length. Six mechanical joint designs, as well as a seventh joint design, where a high strength epoxy is injected to make the connection rigid, are presented.

Einstein's equivalence principle in quantum mechanics revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nauenberg, Michael

2016-11-01

The gravitational equivalence principle in quantum mechanics is of considerable importance, but it is generally not included in physics textbooks. In this note, we present a precise quantum formulation of this principle and comment on its verification in a neutron diffraction experiment. The solution of the time dependent Schrödinger equation for this problem also gives the wave function for the motion of a charged particle in a homogeneous electric field, which is also usually ignored in textbooks on quantum mechanics.

Multiple Applications of Alamar Blue as an Indicator of Metabolic Function and Cellular Health in Cell Viability Bioassays

PubMed Central

Rampersad, Sephra N.

2012-01-01

Accurate prediction of the adverse effects of test compounds on living systems, detection of toxic thresholds, and expansion of experimental data sets to include multiple toxicity end-point analysis are required for any robust screening regime. Alamar Blue is an important redox indicator that is used to evaluate metabolic function and cellular health. The Alamar Blue bioassay has been utilized over the past 50 years to assess cell viability and cytotoxicity in a range of biological and environmental systems and in a number of cell types including bacteria, yeast, fungi, protozoa and cultured mammalian and piscine cells. It offers several advantages over other metabolic indicators and other cytotoxicity assays. However, as with any bioassay, suitability must be determined for each application and cell model. This review seeks to highlight many of the important considerations involved in assay use and design in addition to the potential pitfalls. PMID:23112716

The Report of the 2016-2017 Advocacy Standing Committee.

PubMed

Jordan, Ronald P; Bratberg, Jeffrey; Congdon, Heather B; Cross, L Brian; Hill, Lucas G; Marrs, Joel C; McBane, Sarah; Lang, William G; Ekoma, Jeffrey O

2017-10-01

Based on the growing importance of community engagement and the recognition of its importance by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the committee offers several examples of community engagement activities for consideration and replication by our academy and beyond. These activities, including those of winning institutions of the Lawrence J. Weaver Transformational Community Engagement Award, can be mapped to the core components of community engagement presented in Table 1. The committee, using an implementation readiness framework, provides the reader with insight into the challenges that may impact successful community engagement and encourages our academy to continue its work to support faculty capacity in this area. Toward that end, the committee offers a policy statement that encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy to have an office or designate a faculty member whose focus is specifically on community engagement. The committee also offers a recommendation that the core components be included in the criteria for the Weaver Award.

Association of Severe Atopic Dermatitis with month of birth in Armenian pediatric patients.

PubMed

Sargsyan, Anna; Gupta, Jayanta; Ghosh, Debajyoti

2018-04-26

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing skin disease which affects 15-20% of children worldwide.(1) It is also considered as a major risk factor for developing other atopic diseases including food allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis later in life - a phenomenon known as the "atopic march". Multiple factors, including season of birth and associated perinatal environmental conditions, have been known to play important roles in the manifestation of AD.(2) Moreover, about 20% of patients with AD have moderate-to-severe disease, which is associated with significantly lower quality of life, imposing considerable burden on the nation's health-care resources.(3) Therefore, studying severe AD patients might be very important in managing overall AD-related disease burden. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Selecting a digital camera for telemedicine.

PubMed

Patricoski, Chris; Ferguson, A Stewart

2009-06-01

The digital camera is an essential component of store-and-forward telemedicine (electronic consultation). There are numerous makes and models of digital cameras on the market, and selecting a suitable consumer-grade camera can be complicated. Evaluation of digital cameras includes investigating the features and analyzing image quality. Important features include the camera settings, ease of use, macro capabilities, method of image transfer, and power recharging. Consideration needs to be given to image quality, especially as it relates to color (skin tones) and detail. It is important to know the level of the photographer and the intended application. The goal is to match the characteristics of the camera with the telemedicine program requirements. In the end, selecting a digital camera is a combination of qualitative (subjective) and quantitative (objective) analysis. For the telemedicine program in Alaska in 2008, the camera evaluation and decision process resulted in a specific selection based on the criteria developed for our environment.

Design and analysis issues for economic analysis alongside clinical trials.

PubMed

Marshall, Deborah A; Hux, Margaret

2009-07-01

Clinical trials can offer a valuable and efficient opportunity to collect the health resource use and outcomes data for economic evaluation. However, economic and clinical studies differ fundamentally in the question they seek to answer. The design and analysis of trial-based cost-effectiveness studies require special consideration, which are reviewed in this article. Traditional randomized controlled trials, using an experimental design with a controlled protocol, are designed to measure safety and efficacy for product registration. Cost-effectiveness analysis seeks to measure effectiveness in the context of routine clinical practice, and requires collection of health care resources to allow estimation of cost over an equal timeframe for each treatment alternative. In assessing suitability of a trial for economic data collection, the comparator treatment and other protocol factors need to reflect current clinical practice and the trial follow-up must be sufficiently long to capture important costs and effects. The broadest available population and a measure of effectiveness reflecting important benefits for patients are preferred for economic analyses. Special analytical issues include dealing with missing and censored cost data, assessing uncertainty of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and accounting for the underlying heterogeneity in patient subgroups. Careful consideration also needs to be given to data from multinational studies since practice patterns can differ across countries. Although clinical trials can be an efficient opportunity to collect data for economic evaluation, careful consideration of the suitability of the study design, and appropriate analytical methods must be applied to obtain rigorous results.

Prioritizing Wetlands for Waterbirds in a Boom and Bust System: Waterbird Refugia and Breeding in the Murray-Darling Basin.

PubMed

Bino, Gilad; Kingsford, Richard T; Porter, John

2015-01-01

Dryland rivers have considerable flow variability, producing complex ecosystems, processes, and communities of organisms that vary over space and time. They are also among the more vulnerable of the world's ecosystems. A key strategy for conservation of dryland rivers is identifying and maintaining key sites for biodiversity conservation, particularly protecting the quantity and quality of flow and flooding regimes. Extreme variability considerably challenges freshwater conservation planning. We systematically prioritised wetlands for waterbirds (simultaneously for 52 species), across about 13.5% of the Murray-Darling Basin (1,061,469 km2), using a 30-year record of systematic aerial surveys of waterbird populations. Nine key wetlands in this area, primarily lakes, floodplains, and swamps, consistently contributed to a representation target (80%) of total abundances of all 52 waterbird species. The long temporal span of our data included dramatic availability (i.e., booms) and scarcity (i.e., busts) of water, providing a unique opportunity to test prioritisation at extremes of variation. These extremes represented periods when waterbirds were breeding or concentrating on refugia, varying wetland prioritisation. In dry years, important wetlands for waterbirds were riverine and lacustrine (12 wetlands) but this changed in wet years to lacustrine and palustrine (8 wetlands). Such variation in ecosystem condition substantially changes the relative importance of individual wetlands for waterbirds during boom and bust phases. Incorporating this variability is necessary for effective conservation of Murray-Darling Basin waterbirds, with considerable generality for other similarly variable systems around the world.

Encouraging more women into computer science: Initiating a single-sex intervention program in Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandell, Gerd; Carlsson, Svante; Ekblom, Håkan; Nord, Ann-Charlotte

1997-11-01

The process of starting a new program in computer science and engineering, heavily based on applied mathematics and only open to women, is described in this paper. The program was introduced into an educational system without any tradition in single-sex education. Important observations made during the process included the considerable interest in mathematics and curiosity about computer science found among female students at the secondary school level, and the acceptance of the single-sex program by the staff, administration, and management of the university as well as among male and female students. The process described highlights the importance of preparing the environment for a totally new type of educational program.

Not good enough? Further comments to the wording, meaning, and the conceptualization of Internet Gaming Disorder.

PubMed

Krossbakken, Elfrid; Pallesen, Ståle; Molde, Helge; Mentzoni, Rune Aune; Finserås, Turi Reiten

2017-06-01

In their commentary, Kuss, Griffiths, and Pontes (2016) criticize the use of the term "Internet" in the recently proposed diagnosis for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and its use as one of the included diagnostic criteria. We agree with the exclusion of the term "Internet" in the diagnosis, but have some considerations to the comments regarding the nine criteria for IGD. Specifically, we discuss the meaning, the wording, and the importance of the criteria, as well as the importance of distress or functional impairment in the proposed diagnosis. We also address the possibility of categorizing IGD as a subtype of a general behavioral addiction diagnosis.

The importance of energetic particle precipitation on the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thorne, R. M.

1980-01-01

The present review deals with the importance of three distinct classes of precipitation which directly deposit energy into the middle atmosphere, viz. galactic cosmic radiation, energetic solar protons and relativistic electron precipitation from the earth's radiation belts. Chemical considerations during particle precipitation are discussed, with special emphasis on the relative production rate of odd nitrogen and odd hydrogen species during ionizing particle precipitation. The long residence time of NO in the upper stratosphere, where catalytic interaction with O3 is most effective, requires that this mechanism be included in future modeling of global distribution of O3. Other situations causing O3 depletion are also identified.

No One Likes a Snitch.

PubMed

Redman, Barbara; Caplan, Arthur

2015-08-01

Whistleblowers remain essential as complainants in allegations of research misconduct. Frequently internal to the research team, they are poorly protected from acts of retribution, which may deter the reporting of misconduct. In order to perform their important role, whistleblowers must be treated fairly. Draft regulations for whistleblower protection were published for public comment almost a decade ago but never issued (Dahlberg 2013). In the face of the growing challenge of research fraud, we suggest vigorous steps, to include: organizational responsibility to certify the accuracy of research including audit, required whistleblower action in the face of imminent or grave harm to subjects, strengthened legal protections against retaliation including prompt enactment of Federal whistleblower protections and consideration of criminalizing the most egregious cases of research misconduct.

Occupational ergonomics in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stramler, J.

1992-01-01

Ergonomics is often defined simply as the study of work. Related or synonymous terms include human factors, human engineering, engineering psychology, and others. Occupational ergonomics is a term that has been proposed to describe the study of the working environment, including the physical consequences resulting from having an improperly designed workplace. The routine space working environment presents some problems not found in the typical Earthbound workplace. These include radiation, intravehicular contamination/pollution, temperature extremes, impact with other objects, limited psychosocial relationships, sensory deprivation, and reduced gravity. These are important workplace considerations, and may affect astronauts either directly at work or at some point during their life as a result of their work under these conditions. Some of the major issues associated with each of these hazards are presented.

Do you think you have what it takes to set up a long-term video monitoring unit?

PubMed

Smith, Sheila L

2006-03-01

The single most important factor when setting up a long-term video monitoring unit is research. Research all vendors by traveling to other sites and calling other facilities. Considerations with equipment include the server, acquisition units, review units, cameras, software, and monitors as well as other factors including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance. Research customer support including both field and telephone support. Involve your Clinical Engineering Department in your investigations. Be sure to obtain warranty information. Researching placement of the equipment is essential. Communication with numerous groups is vital. Administration, engineers, clinical engineering, physicians, infection control, environmental services, house supervisors, security, and all involved parties should be involved in the planning.

Consideration of climate change on environmental impact assessment in Spain

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

Enríquez-de-Salamanca, Álvaro, E-mail: aenriquez@draba.org; Martín-Aranda, Rosa M., E-mail: rmartin@ccia.uned.es; Díaz-Sierra, Rubén, E-mail: sierra@dfmf.uned.es

Most of the projects subject to environmental impact assessment (EIA) are closely related to climate change, as they contribute to or are affected by it. The growing certainty about climate change and its impacts makes its consideration an essential part of the EIA process, as well as in strategic environmental assessment (SEA). This paper examines how climate change (CC) has been taken into account in EIA in Spain through the analysis of 1713 environmental records of decision (RODs) of projects submitted for EIA. In 2013 Spain approved one of the most advanced laws in terms of CC consideration in environmentalmore » assessment, although it had not yet accumulated extensive practice on the issue. This contrasts with the situation of countries like Canada or the USA, which have a significant body of experience without specific legal requirements. Only 14% of the RODs analysed included references to CC, and in more than half of the cases it was a mere citation. Thermal power plants, which are subject to specific GHG regulations, show the highest consideration, while transport infrastructures, which are important contributors to CC, show a very low consideration. Almost all the references are related to their contribution to CC, while consideration of the effects of CC is minimal. The increasingly common incorporation of CC into SEA, should not imply its exclusion from EIA, because both processes have different aims and uses. Including the obligation to consider CC in the EIA regulations is highly desirable, but probably not enough without other measures, such as practical guidance, training and motivational programmes for practitioners and evaluators. But even these actions cannot ensure effective and adequate assessments of CC. Probably more resources should be spent on creating greater awareness in all the agents involved in EIA. - Highlights: • We analyse how the climate change is considered in EIA in Spain. • Few projects seriously assess climate change. • Transport infrastructure projects barely consider climate change. • Assessing climate change in SEA should not imply that it is excluded from EIA.« less

GRADE guidelines: 10. Considering resource use and rating the quality of economic evidence.

PubMed

Brunetti, Massimo; Shemilt, Ian; Pregno, Silvia; Vale, Luke; Oxman, Andrew D; Lord, Joanne; Sisk, Jane; Ruiz, Francis; Hill, Suzanne; Guyatt, Gordon H; Jaeschke, Roman; Helfand, Mark; Harbour, Robin; Davoli, Marina; Amato, Laura; Liberati, Alessandro; Schünemann, Holger J

2013-02-01

In this article, we describe how to include considerations about resource utilization when making recommendations according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We focus on challenges with rating the confidence in effect estimates (quality of evidence) and incorporating resource use into evidence profiles and Summary of Findings (SoF) tables. GRADE recommends that important differences in resource use between alternative management strategies should be included along with other important outcomes in the evidence profile and SoF table. Key steps in considering resources in making recommendations with GRADE are the identification of items of resource use that may differ between alternative management strategies and that are potentially important to decision makers, finding evidence for the differences in resource use, making judgments regarding confidence in effect estimates using the same criteria used for health outcomes, and valuing the resource use in terms of costs for the specific setting for which recommendations are being made. With our framework, decision makers will have access to concise summaries of recommendations, including ratings of the quality of economic evidence, and better understand the implications for clinical decision making. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An approach to addressing subpopulation considerations in systematic reviews: the experience of reviewers supporting the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

PubMed

Whitlock, Evelyn P; Eder, Michelle; Thompson, Jamie H; Jonas, Daniel E; Evans, Corinne V; Guirguis-Blake, Janelle M; Lin, Jennifer S

2017-03-02

Guideline developers and other users of systematic reviews need information about whether a medical or preventive intervention is likely to benefit or harm some patients more (or less) than the average in order to make clinical practice recommendations tailored to these populations. However, guidance is lacking on how to include patient subpopulation considerations into the systematic reviews upon which guidelines are often based. In this article, we describe methods developed to consistently consider the evidence for relevant subpopulations in systematic reviews conducted to support primary care clinical preventive service recommendations made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Our approach is grounded in our experience conducting systematic reviews for the USPSTF and informed by a review of existing guidance on subgroup analysis and subpopulation issues. We developed and refined our approach based on feedback from the Subpopulation Workgroup of the USPSTF and pilot testing on reviews being conducted for the USPSTF. This paper provides processes and tools for incorporating evidence-based identification of important sources of potential heterogeneity of intervention effects into all phases of systematic reviews. Key components of our proposed approach include targeted literature searches and key informant interviews to identify the most important subpopulations a priori during topic scoping, a framework for assessing the credibility of subgroup analyses reported in studies, and structured investigation of sources of heterogeneity of intervention effects. Further testing and evaluation are necessary to refine this proposed approach and demonstrate its utility to the producers and users of systematic reviews beyond the context of the USPSTF. Gaps in the evidence on important subpopulations identified by routinely applying this process in systematic reviews will also inform future research needs.

Considerations in the Design of Future Planetary Laser Altimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D. E.; Neumann, G. A.; Mazarico, E.; Zuber, M. T.; Sun, X.

2017-12-01

Planetary laser altimeters have generally been designed to provide high accuracy measurements of the nadir range to an uncooperative surface for deriving the shape of the target body, and sometimes specifically for identifying and characterizing potential landing sites. However, experience has shown that in addition to the range measurement, other valuable observations can be acquired, including surface reflectance and surface roughness, despite not being given high priority in the original altimeter design or even anticipated. After nearly 2 decades of planetary laser altimeter design, the requirements are evolving and additional capabilities are becoming equally important. The target bodies, once the terrestrial planets, are now equally asteroids and moons that in many cases do not permit simple orbital operations due to their small mass, radiation issues, or spacecraft fuel limitations. In addition, for a number of reasons, it has become necessary to perform shape determination from a much greater range, even thousands of kilometers, and thus ranging is becoming as important as nadir altimetry. Reflectance measurements have also proved important for assessing the presence of ice, water or CO2, and laser pulse spreading informed knowledge of surface roughness; all indicating a need for improved instrument capability. Recently, the need to obtain accurate range measurement to laser reflectors on landers or on a planetary surface is presenting new science opportunities but for which current designs are far from optimal. These changes to classic laser altimetry have consequences for many instrument functions and capabilities, including beam divergence, laser power, number of beams and detectors, pixelation, energy measurements, pointing stability, polarization, laser wavelengths, and laser pulse rate dependent range. We will discuss how a new consideration of these trades will help make lidars key instruments to execute innovative science in future planetary missions.

Diverse effects of degree of urbanisation and forest size on species richness and functional diversity of plants, and ground surface-active ants and spiders

PubMed Central

Melliger, Ramona Laila; Rusterholz, Hans-Peter; Baur, Bruno

2018-01-01

Urbanisation is increasing worldwide and is regarded a major driver of environmental change altering local species assemblages in urban green areas. Forests are one of the most frequent habitat types in urban landscapes harbouring many native species and providing important ecosystem services. By using a multi-taxa approach covering a range of trophic ranks, we examined the influence of degree of urbanisation and forest size on the species richness and functional diversity of plants, and ground surface-active ants and spiders. We conducted field surveys in twenty-six forests in the urban region of Basel, Switzerland. We found that a species’ response to urbanisation varied depending on trophic rank, habitat specificity and the diversity indices used. In plants, species richness decreased with degree of urbanisation, whereas that of both arthropod groups was not affected. However, ants and spiders at higher trophic rank showed greater shifts in species composition with increasing degree of urbanisation, and the percentage of forest specialists in both arthropod groups increased with forest size. Local abiotic site characteristics were also crucial for plant species diversity and species composition, while the structural diversity of both leaf litter and vegetation was important for the diversity of ants and spiders. Our results highlight that even small urban forests can harbour a considerable biodiversity including habitat specialists. Nonetheless, urbanisation directly and indirectly caused major shifts in species composition. Therefore, special consideration needs to be given to vulnerable species, including those with special habitat requirements. Locally adapted management practices could be a step forward to enhance habitat quality in a way to maximize diversity of forest species and thus ensure forest ecosystem functioning; albeit large-scale factors also remain important. PMID:29920553

Diverse effects of degree of urbanisation and forest size on species richness and functional diversity of plants, and ground surface-active ants and spiders.

PubMed

Melliger, Ramona Laila; Braschler, Brigitte; Rusterholz, Hans-Peter; Baur, Bruno

2018-01-01

Urbanisation is increasing worldwide and is regarded a major driver of environmental change altering local species assemblages in urban green areas. Forests are one of the most frequent habitat types in urban landscapes harbouring many native species and providing important ecosystem services. By using a multi-taxa approach covering a range of trophic ranks, we examined the influence of degree of urbanisation and forest size on the species richness and functional diversity of plants, and ground surface-active ants and spiders. We conducted field surveys in twenty-six forests in the urban region of Basel, Switzerland. We found that a species' response to urbanisation varied depending on trophic rank, habitat specificity and the diversity indices used. In plants, species richness decreased with degree of urbanisation, whereas that of both arthropod groups was not affected. However, ants and spiders at higher trophic rank showed greater shifts in species composition with increasing degree of urbanisation, and the percentage of forest specialists in both arthropod groups increased with forest size. Local abiotic site characteristics were also crucial for plant species diversity and species composition, while the structural diversity of both leaf litter and vegetation was important for the diversity of ants and spiders. Our results highlight that even small urban forests can harbour a considerable biodiversity including habitat specialists. Nonetheless, urbanisation directly and indirectly caused major shifts in species composition. Therefore, special consideration needs to be given to vulnerable species, including those with special habitat requirements. Locally adapted management practices could be a step forward to enhance habitat quality in a way to maximize diversity of forest species and thus ensure forest ecosystem functioning; albeit large-scale factors also remain important.

Ethical considerations of worksite health promotion: an exploration of stakeholders' views.

PubMed

van Berkel, Jantien; Meershoek, Agnes; Janssens, Rien M J P A; Boot, Cécile R L; Proper, Karin I; van der Beek, Allard J

2014-05-16

Developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion requires dealing with all stakeholders involved, such as employers, employees, occupational physicians, insurance companies, providers, labour unions and research and knowledge institutes. Although worksite health promotion is becoming more common, empirical research on ethical considerations of worksite health promotion is scarce. We explored the views of stakeholders involved in worksite health promotion in focus group discussions and we described the ethical considerations that result from differences between these views. The focus group discussions were organised per stakeholder group. Data were analysed according to the constant comparison method. Our analyses show that although the definition of occupational health is the same for all stakeholders, namely 'being able to perform your job', there seem to be important differences in the views on what constitutes a risk factor to occupational health. According to the employees, risk factors to occupational health are prevailingly job-related. Labour unions agree with them, but other stakeholders, including the employer, particularly see employee-related issues such as lifestyle behaviour as risk factors to occupational health. The difference in definition of occupational health risk factors translates into the same categorisation of worksite health promotion; employee-related activities and work-related activities. The difference in conceptualisation of occupational health risk factors and worksite health promotion resonates in the way stakeholders understand 'responsibility' for lifestyle behaviour. Even though all stakeholders agree on whose responsibility lifestyle behaviour is, namely that of the employee, the meaning of 'responsibility' differs between employees, and employers. For employees, responsibility means autonomy, while for employers and other stakeholders, responsibility equals duty. This difference may in turn contribute to ambivalent relationships between stakeholders. All stakeholders, including employees, should be given a voice in developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion. Moreover, since stakeholders agree on lifestyle being the responsibility of the employee, but disagree on what this responsibility means (duty versus autonomy), it is of utmost importance to examine the discourse of stakeholders. This way, ambivalence in relationships between stakeholders could be prevented.

Planetary Protection, Sample Return Missions and Mars Exploration: History, Status, and Future Needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeVincenzi, Donald L.; Race, Margaret S.; Klein, Harold P.

1998-01-01

As the prospect grows for a Mars sample return mission early in the next millennium, it will be important to ensure that appropriate planetary protection (PP) controls are incorporated into the mission design and implementation from the start. The need for these PP controls is firmly based on scientific considerations and backed by a number of national and international agreements and guidelines aimed at preventing harmful cross contamination of planets and extraterrestrial bodies. The historical precedent for the use of PP measures on both unmanned and manned missions traces from post-Sputnik missions to the present, with periodic modifications as new information was obtained. In consideration of the anticipated attention to PP questions by both the scientific/technical community and the public, this paper presents a comprehensive review of the major issues and problems surrounding PP for a Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, including an analysis of arguments that have been raised for and against the imposition of PP measures. Also discussed are the history and foundations for PP policies and requirements; important research areas needing attention prior to defining detailed PP requirements for a MSR mission; and legal and public awareness issues that must be considered with mission planning.

Methodological Challenges in Studies Examining the Effects of Breakfast on Cognitive Performance and Appetite in Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Adolphus, Katie; Bellissimo, Nick; Lawton, Clare L; Ford, Nikki A; Rains, Tia M; Totosy de Zepetnek, Julia; Dye, Louise

2017-01-01

Breakfast is purported to confer a number of benefits on diet quality, health, appetite regulation, and cognitive performance. However, new evidence has challenged the long-held belief that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of the key methodological challenges and considerations in studies assessing the effect of breakfast on cognitive performance and appetite control, along with recommendations for future research. This review focuses on the myriad challenges involved in studying children and adolescents specifically. Key methodological challenges and considerations include study design and location, sampling and sample section, choice of objective cognitive tests, choice of objective and subjective appetite measures, merits of providing a fixed breakfast compared with ad libitum, assessment and definition of habitual breakfast consumption, transparency of treatment condition, difficulty of isolating the direct effects of breakfast consumption, untangling acute and chronic effects, and influence of confounding variables. These methodological challenges have hampered a clear substantiation of the potential positive effects of breakfast on cognition and appetite control and contributed to the debate questioning the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Methodological Challenges in Studies Examining the Effects of Breakfast on Cognitive Performance and Appetite in Children and Adolescents123

PubMed Central

Bellissimo, Nick; Ford, Nikki A; Rains, Tia M

2017-01-01

Breakfast is purported to confer a number of benefits on diet quality, health, appetite regulation, and cognitive performance. However, new evidence has challenged the long-held belief that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This review aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of the key methodological challenges and considerations in studies assessing the effect of breakfast on cognitive performance and appetite control, along with recommendations for future research. This review focuses on the myriad challenges involved in studying children and adolescents specifically. Key methodological challenges and considerations include study design and location, sampling and sample section, choice of objective cognitive tests, choice of objective and subjective appetite measures, merits of providing a fixed breakfast compared with ad libitum, assessment and definition of habitual breakfast consumption, transparency of treatment condition, difficulty of isolating the direct effects of breakfast consumption, untangling acute and chronic effects, and influence of confounding variables. These methodological challenges have hampered a clear substantiation of the potential positive effects of breakfast on cognition and appetite control and contributed to the debate questioning the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. PMID:28096143

Let's get technical: Enhancing program evaluation through the use and integration of internet and mobile technologies.

PubMed

Materia, Frank T; Miller, Elizabeth A; Runion, Megan C; Chesnut, Ryan P; Irvin, Jamie B; Richardson, Cameron B; Perkins, Daniel F

2016-06-01

Program evaluation has become increasingly important, and information on program performance often drives funding decisions. Technology use and integration can help ease the burdens associated with program evaluation by reducing the resources needed (e.g., time, money, staff) and increasing evaluation efficiency. This paper reviews how program evaluators, across disciplines, can apply internet and mobile technologies to key aspects of program evaluation, which consist of participant registration, participant tracking and retention, process evaluation (e.g., fidelity, assignment completion), and outcome evaluation (e.g., behavior change, knowledge gain). In addition, the paper focuses on the ease of use, relative cost, and fit with populations. An examination on how these tools can be integrated to enhance data collection and program evaluation is discussed. Important limitations of and considerations for technology integration, including the level of technical skill, cost needed to integrate various technologies, data management strategies, and ethical considerations, are highlighted. Lastly, a case study of technology use in an evaluation conducted by the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State is presented and illustrates how technology integration can enhance program evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrition and Metabolic Correlates of Obesity and Inflammation: Clinical Considerations123

PubMed Central

Johnson, Amy R; Makowski, Liza

2015-01-01

Since 1980, the global prevalence of obesity has doubled; in the United States, it has almost tripled. Billions of people are overweight and obese; the WHO reports that >65% of the world’s population die of diseases related to overweight rather than underweight. Obesity is a complex disease that can be studied from “metropolis to metabolite”—that is, beginning at the policy and the population level through epidemiology and intervention studies; to bench work including preclinical models, tissue, and cell culture studies; to biochemical assays; and to metabolomics. Metabolomics is the next research frontier because it provides a real-time snapshot of biochemical building blocks and products of cellular processes. This report comments on practical considerations when conducting metabolomics research. The pros and cons and important study design concerns are addressed to aid in increasing metabolomics research in the United States. The link between metabolism and inflammation is an understudied phenomenon that has great potential to transform our understanding of immunometabolism in obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases; metabolomics promises to be an important tool in understanding the complex relations between factors contributing to such diseases. PMID:25833891

Tackling childhood obesity: the importance of understanding the context.

PubMed

Knai, Cécile; McKee, Martin

2010-12-01

Recommendations to tackle major health problems such as childhood obesity may not be appropriate if they fail to take account of the prevailing socio-political, cultural and economic context. We describe the development and application of a qualitative risk analysis approach to identify non-scientific considerations framing the policy response to obesity in Denmark and Latvia. Interviews conducted with key stakeholders in Denmark and Latvia, undertaken following a review of relevant literature on obesity and national policies. A qualitative risk analysis model was developed to help explain the findings in the light of national context. Non-scientific considerations that appeared to influence the response to obesity include the perceived relative importance of childhood obesity; the nature of stakeholder relations and its impact on decision-making; the place of obesity on the policy agenda; the legitimacy of the state to act for population health and views on alliances between public and private sectors. Better recognition of the exogenous factors affecting policy-making may lead to a more adequate policy response. The development and use of a qualitative risk analysis model enabled a better understanding of the contextual factors and processes influencing the response to childhood obesity in each country.

Differential and exclusive diagnosis of diseases that resemble keloids and hypertrophic scars.

PubMed

Ogawa, Rei; Akaishi, Satoshi; Hyakusoku, Hiko

2009-06-01

Previous articles suggested the presence of various kinds of malignant tumors that resemble keloid or hypertrophic scar, including dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, trichilemmal carcinoma, and keloidal basal cell carcinoma. Thus, we studied our cases that were diagnosed with diseases other than keloid or hypertrophic scar. From April 2003 to March 2007, we examined 378 patients self diagnosed with keloid or hypertrophic scar.We detected 4 other diseases (1.06%) in the group of patients. All tumors were benign: apocrine cystadenoma, adult-onset juvenile xanthogranuloma, mixed tumor, and chronic folliculitis. Our study led us to the conclusion that differential or exclusive diagnosis of diseases similar to keloid and hypertrophic scar is important. We found the following considerations important in the examination of keloid or hypertrophic scar: (1) biopsy should be conducted in anomalous cases because malignant disease may be the original or secondary problem, (2) steroid injection should be performed only after careful consideration because malignancy or infections may be present, (3) careful differential diagnosis is particularly challenging in African-Americans because skin and tumor color are often similar, and (4) the presence of bacterial or fungal infection should be investigated.

Promising non-pharmacological therapies in PD: Targeting late stage disease and the role of computer based cognitive training.

PubMed

Van de Weijer, S C F; Hommel, A L A J; Bloem, B R; Nonnekes, J; De Vries, N M

2018-01-01

Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly being acknowledged as valuable treatment options to overcome or reduce functional problems in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). There is a wide range of such non-pharmacological treatments for which the supportive evidence is emerging. Physiotherapy is one good example in this domain. However, there are also several promising non-pharmacological treatment strategies that have thus far received less research attention. Here, we describe two relatively new, but encouraging approaches. First, we focus on a hitherto largely overseen subgroup of PD, namely those with late-stage disease, a population that is often excluded from clinical studies. Importantly, the aims and therapeutic strategies in late-stage PD differ considerably from those in early-stage PD, and an emphasis on non-pharmacological management is particularly important for this vulnerable subgroup. Second, we focus on computer-based cognitive training, as an example of a relatively new intervention that includes innovative elements such as personalized training, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. We review the latest evidence, practical considerations and future research perspectives, both for non-pharmacological approaches in late-stage PD and for computer-based cognitive training. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Essential methodological considerations when using grounded theory.

PubMed

Achora, Susan; Matua, Gerald Amandu

2016-07-01

To suggest important methodological considerations when using grounded theory. A research method widely used in nursing research is grounded theory, at the centre of which is theory construction. However, researchers still struggle with some of its methodological issues. Although grounded theory is widely used to study and explain issues in nursing practice, many researchers are still failing to adhere to its rigorous standards. Researchers should articulate the focus of their investigations - the substantive area of interest as well as the focal population. This should be followed by a succinct explanation of the strategies used to collect and analyse data, supported by clear coding processes. Finally, the resolution of the core issues, including the core category and related categories, should be explained to advance readers' understanding. Researchers should endeavour to understand the tenets of grounded theory. This enables 'neophytes' in particular to make methodological decisions that will improve their studies' rigour and fit with grounded theory. This paper complements the current dialogue on improving the understanding of grounded theory methodology in nursing research. The paper also suggests important procedural decisions researchers need to make to preserve their studies' scientific merit and fit with grounded theory.

Polymerase Chain Reaction/Rapid Methods Are Gaining a Foothold in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Ragheb, Suzan Mohammed; Jimenez, Luis

Detection of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical raw materials and finished products is a critical factor to guarantee their safety, stability, and potency. Rapid microbiological methods-such as polymerase chain reaction-have been widely applied to clinical and food quality control analysis. However, polymerase chain reaction applications to pharmaceutical quality control have been rather slow and sporadic. Successful implementation of these methods in pharmaceutical companies in developing countries requires important considerations to provide sensitive and robust assays that will comply with good manufacturing practices. In recent years several publications have encouraged the application of molecular techniques in the microbiological assessment of pharmaceuticals. One of these techniques is polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The successful application of PCR in the pharmaceutical industry in developing countries is governed by considerable factors and requirements. These factors include the setting up of a PCR laboratory and the choice of appropriate equipment and reagents. In addition, the presence of well-trained analysts and establishment of quality control and quality assurance programs are important requirements. The pharmaceutical firms should take into account these factors to allow better chances for regulatory acceptance and wide application of this technique. © PDA, Inc. 2014.

A prototype operational earthquake loss model for California based on UCERF3-ETAS – A first look at valuation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Field, Edward; Porter, Keith; Milner, Kevn

2017-01-01

We present a prototype operational loss model based on UCERF3-ETAS, which is the third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast with an Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) component. As such, UCERF3-ETAS represents the first earthquake forecast to relax fault segmentation assumptions and to include multi-fault ruptures, elastic-rebound, and spatiotemporal clustering, all of which seem important for generating realistic and useful aftershock statistics. UCERF3-ETAS is nevertheless an approximation of the system, however, so usefulness will vary and potential value needs to be ascertained in the context of each application. We examine this question with respect to statewide loss estimates, exemplifying how risk can be elevated by orders of magnitude due to triggered events following various scenario earthquakes. Two important considerations are the probability gains, relative to loss likelihoods in the absence of main shocks, and the rapid decay of gains with time. Significant uncertainties and model limitations remain, so we hope this paper will inspire similar analyses with respect to other risk metrics to help ascertain whether operationalization of UCERF3-ETAS would be worth the considerable resources required.

Relative importance of social factors, conspecific density, and forest structure on space use by the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker: A new consideration for habitat restoration

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

Garabedian, James E.; Moorman, Christopher E.; Peterson, M. Nils

Understanding how the interplay between social behaviors and habitat structure influences space use is important for conservation of birds in restored habitat. We integrated fine-grained LiDAR-derived habitat data, spatial distribution of cavity trees, and spatially explicit behavioral observations in a multi-scale model to determine the relative importance of conspecific density, intraspecific interactions, and the distribution of cavities on space use by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) on 2 sites in South Carolina, USA. We evaluated candidate models using information theoretic methods. Top scale-specific models included effects of conspecific density and number of cavity tree starts within 200 m of Red-cockaded Woodpeckermore » foraging locations, and effects of the number of intraspecific interactions within 400 m of Red-cockaded Woodpecker foraging locations. The top multi-scale model for 22 of 34 Red-cockaded Woodpecker groups included covariates for the number of groups within 200 m of foraging locations and LiDARderived habitat with moderate densities of large pines (Pinus spp.) and minimal hardwood overstory. These results indicate distribution of neighboring groups was the most important predictor of space use once a minimal set of structural habitat thresholds was reached, and that placing recruitment clusters as little as 400 m from foraging partitions of neighboring groups may promote establishment of new breeding groups in unoccupied habitat. The presence of neighboring groups likely provides cues to foraging Red-cockaded Woodpeckers that facilitate prospecting prior to juvenile dispersal and, to a lesser extent, indicates high-quality forage resources. Careful consideration of local distribution of neighboring groups in potential habitat may improve managers’ ability to increase Red-cockaded Woodpecker density on restored landscapes and mitigate isolation of Red-cockaded Woodpecker groups, a problem that negatively affects fitness across the species’ range.« less

Source characteristics and design consideration for an iron-free variable-period/polarizing undulator for the UV/VUV range on SPEAR (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatchyn, Roman

1992-01-01

Insertion devices that are tuned by electrical period variation are particularly suited for the design of flexible polarized-light sources [R. Tatchyn, J. Appl. Phys. 65, 4107 (1989); R. Tatchyn and T. Cremer, IEEE Trans. Mag. 26, 3102 (1990)]. Important advantages vis-a-vis mechanical or hybrid variable field designs include: (1) significantly more rapid modulation of both polarization and energy, (2) an inherently larger set of polarization modulation capabilities and (3) polarization/energy modulation at continuously optimized values of K. In this paper we outline some of the general considerations that enter into the design of hysteresis-free variable-period/polarizing undulator structures and present the parameters of a recently-completed prototype design capable of generating intense levels of UV/VUV photon flux on SPEAR running at 3 GeV.

Comparison of the quasi-static method and the dynamic method for simulating fracture processes in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J. X.; Deng, S. C.; Liang, N. G.

2008-02-01

Concrete is heterogeneous and usually described as a three-phase material, where matrix, aggregate and interface are distinguished. To take this heterogeneity into consideration, the Generalized Beam (GB) lattice model is adopted. The GB lattice model is much more computationally efficient than the beam lattice model. Numerical procedures of both quasi-static method and dynamic method are developed to simulate fracture processes in uniaxial tensile tests conducted on a concrete panel. Cases of different loading rates are compared with the quasi-static case. It is found that the inertia effect due to load increasing becomes less important and can be ignored with the loading rate decreasing, but the inertia effect due to unstable crack propagation remains considerable no matter how low the loading rate is. Therefore, an unrealistic result will be obtained if a fracture process including unstable cracking is simulated by the quasi-static procedure.

Biomarker Qualification: Toward a Multiple Stakeholder Framework for Biomarker Development, Regulatory Acceptance, and Utilization.

PubMed

Amur, S; LaVange, L; Zineh, I; Buckman-Garner, S; Woodcock, J

2015-07-01

The discovery, development, and use of biomarkers for a variety of drug development purposes are areas of tremendous interest and need. Biomarkers can become accepted for use through submission of biomarker data during the drug approval process. Another emerging pathway for acceptance of biomarkers is via the biomarker qualification program developed by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER, US Food and Drug Administration). Evidentiary standards are needed to develop and evaluate various types of biomarkers for their intended use and multiple stakeholders, including academia, industry, government, and consortia must work together to help develop this evidence. The article describes various types of biomarkers that can be useful in drug development and evidentiary considerations that are important for qualification. A path forward for coordinating efforts to identify and explore needed biomarkers is proposed for consideration. © 2015 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Health-Related Quality of Life after Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion for Bladder Cancer

PubMed Central

Shih, Cheryl; Porter, Michael P.

2011-01-01

With multiple options for urinary diversion after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer that have comparable cancer control and complication rates, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important consideration. This article reviews the methods for defining HRQOL, the challenges in measuring HRQOL in bladder cancer, and the literature comparing HRQOL after various methods of urinary diversion. Recent contributions include the validation of HRQOL instruments specific to bladder cancer and the publication of several prospective studies measuring HRQOL outcomes after cystectomy and urinary diversion. There is no convincing evidence from existing literature that any particular method of urinary diversion offers superior HRQOL outcomes. Rather, there is growing evidence that good HRQOL can be achieved with patient education and consideration of each patient's clinical and psychosocial situation. Future research should utilize the validated bladder cancer specific HRQOL instruments and perhaps explore the impact of preoperative counseling on postoperative HRQOL. PMID:21826139

Design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sager, Paul H.

1992-01-01

An initial investigation of the design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines for space transfer vehicles has been made. The clustering of both propulsion modules (which include start tanks) and nuclear rocket engines installed directly to a vehicle core tank appears to be feasible. Special provisions to shield opposite run tanks and the opposite side of a core tank - in the case of the boost pump concept - are required; the installation of a circumferential reactor side shield sector appears to provide an effective solution to this problem. While the time response to an engine-out event does not appear to be critical, the gimbal displacement required appears to be important. Since an installation of three engines offers a substantial reduction in gimbal requirements for engine-out and it may be possible to further enhance mission reliability with the greater number of engines, it is recommended that a cluster of four engines be considered.

Soybean-derived biofuels and home heating fuels.

PubMed

Mushrush, George W; Wynne, James H; Willauer, Heather D; Lloyd, Christopher L

2006-01-01

It is environmentally enticing to consider replacing or blending petroleum derived heating fuels with biofuels for many reasons. Major considerations include the soaring worldwide price of petroleum products, especially home heating oil, the toxicity of the petroleum-derived fuels and the environmental damage that leaking petroleum tanks afford. For these reasons, it has been suggested that domestic renewable energy sources be considered as replacements, or at the least, as blending stocks for home heating fuels. If recycled soy restaurant cooking oils could be employed for this purpose, this would represent an environmental advantage. Renewable plant sources of energy tend to be less toxic than their petroleum counterparts. This is an important consideration when tank leakage occurs. Home fuel oil storage tanks practically always contain some bottom water. This water environment has a pH value that factors into heating fuel stability. Therefore, the question is: would the biofuel help or exacerbate fuel stability and furnace maintenance issues?

Design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sager, Paul H.

1992-07-01

An initial investigation of the design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines for space transfer vehicles has been made. The clustering of both propulsion modules (which include start tanks) and nuclear rocket engines installed directly to a vehicle core tank appears to be feasible. Special provisions to shield opposite run tanks and the opposite side of a core tank - in the case of the boost pump concept - are required; the installation of a circumferential reactor side shield sector appears to provide an effective solution to this problem. While the time response to an engine-out event does not appear to be critical, the gimbal displacement required appears to be important. Since an installation of three engines offers a substantial reduction in gimbal requirements for engine-out and it may be possible to further enhance mission reliability with the greater number of engines, it is recommended that a cluster of four engines be considered.

DSA patterning options for logics and memory applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chi-Chun; Franke, Elliott; Mignot, Yann; LeFevre, Scott; Sieg, Stuart; Chi, Cheng; Meli, Luciana; Parnell, Doni; Schmidt, Kristin; Sanchez, Martha; Singh, Lovejeet; Furukawa, Tsuyoshi; Seshadri, Indira; De Silva, Ekmini Anuja; Tsai, Hsinyu; Lai, Kafai; Truong, Hoa; Farrell, Richard; Bruce, Robert; Somervell, Mark; Sanders, Daniel; Felix, Nelson; Arnold, John; Hetzer, David; Ko, Akiteru; Metz, Andrew; Colburn, Matthew; Corliss, Daniel

2017-03-01

The progress of three potential DSA applications, i.e. fin formation, via shrink, and pillars, were reviewed in this paper. For fin application, in addition to pattern quality, other important considerations such as customization and design flexibility were discussed. An electrical viachain study verified the DSA rectification effect on CD distribution by showing a tighter current distribution compared to that derived from the guiding pattern direct transfer without using DSA. Finally, a structural demonstration of pillar formation highlights the importance of pattern transfer in retaining both the CD and local CDU improvement from DSA. The learning from these three case studies can provide perspectives that may not have been considered thoroughly in the past. By including more important elements during DSA process development, the DSA maturity can be further advanced and move DSA closer to HVM adoption.

Development of marine biotechnology as a resource for novel proteases and their role in modern biotechnology.

PubMed

Homaei, Ahmad; Lavajoo, Fatemeh; Sariri, Reyhaneh

2016-07-01

Marine environment consists of the largest sources diversified genetic pool of material with an enormous potential for a wide variety of enzymes including proteases. A protease hydrolyzes the peptide bond and most of proteases possess many industrial applications. Marine proteases differ considerably from those found in internal or external organs of invertebrates and vertebrates. In common with all enzymes, external factors such as temperature, pH and type of media are important for the activity, catalytic efficiency, stability and proper functioning of proteases. In this review valuable characteristics of proteases in marine organisms and their applications are gathered from a wide literature survey. Considering their biochemical significance and their increasing importance in biotechnology, a thorough understanding of marine proteases functioning could be of prime importance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-resolved methods in biophysics. 9. Laser temperature-jump methods for investigating biomolecular dynamics.

PubMed

Kubelka, Jan

2009-04-01

Many important biochemical processes occur on the time-scales of nanoseconds and microseconds. The introduction of the laser temperature-jump (T-jump) to biophysics more than a decade ago opened these previously inaccessible time regimes up to direct experimental observation. Since then, laser T-jump methodology has evolved into one of the most versatile and generally applicable methods for studying fast biomolecular kinetics. This perspective is a review of the principles and applications of the laser T-jump technique in biophysics. A brief overview of the T-jump relaxation kinetics and the historical development of laser T-jump methodology is presented. The physical principles and practical experimental considerations that are important for the design of the laser T-jump experiments are summarized. These include the Raman conversion for generating heating pulses, considerations of size, duration and uniformity of the temperature jump, as well as potential adverse effects due to photo-acoustic waves, cavitation and thermal lensing, and their elimination. The laser T-jump apparatus developed at the NIH Laboratory of Chemical Physics is described in detail along with a brief survey of other laser T-jump designs in use today. Finally, applications of the laser T-jump in biophysics are reviewed, with an emphasis on the broad range of problems where the laser T-jump methodology has provided important new results and insights into the dynamics of the biomolecular processes.

Picture This... Safety, Dignity, and Voice-Ethical Research with Children: Practical Considerations for the Reflexive Researcher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelan, Shanon K.; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne

2013-01-01

While engaged in a research project involving the use of visual methods with children, the authors discovered that there are many ethical considerations beyond what could have been predicted at the outset. Some of these considerations are important with respect to research with children in general, while others arise more particularly when using…

The relationship between trait self-control, consideration for future consequence and organizational citizenship behavior among Chinese employees.

PubMed

Wang, Yu-Jie; Dou, Kai; Tang, Zhi-Wen

2017-01-01

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is important to the development of an organization. Research into factors that foster OCB and the underlying processes are therefore substantially crucial. The current study aimed to test the association between trait self-control and OCB and the mediating role of consideration for future consequence. Four hundred and ninety-four Chinese employees (275 men, 219 women) took part in the study. Participants completed a battery of self-report measures online that assessed trait self-control, tendencies of consideration of future consequence, and organizational citizenship behavior. Path analysis was conducted and bootstrapping technique (N = 5000), a resampling method that is asymptotically more accurate than the standard intervals using sample variance and assumptions of normality, was used to judge the significance of the mediation. Results of path analysis showed that trait self-control was positively related to OCB. More importantly, the "trait self-control-OCB" link was mediated by consideration of future consequence-future, but not by consideration of future consequence-immediate. Employees with high trait self-control engage in more organizational citizenship behavior and this link can be partly explained by consideration of future consequence-future.

40 CFR 1505.2 - Record of decision in cases requiring environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... alternatives based on relevant factors including economic and technical considerations and agency statutory missions. An agency shall identify and discuss all such factors including any essential considerations of...

On the correlation of plume centerline velocity decay of turbulent acoustically excited jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonglahn, Uwe H.

1987-01-01

Acoustic excitation was shown to alter the velocity decay and spreading characteristics of jet plumes by modifying the large-scale structures in the plume shear layer. The present work consists of reviewing and analyzing available published and unpublished experimental data in order to determine the importance and magnitude of the several variables that contribute to plume modification by acoustic excitation. Included in the study were consideration of the effects of internal and external acoustic excitation, excitation Strouhal number, acoustic excitation level, nozzle size, and flow conditions. The last include jet Mach number and jet temperature. The effects of these factors on the plume centerline velocity decay are then summarized in an overall empirical correlation.

Selecting an Architecture for a Safety-Critical Distributed Computer System with Power, Weight and Cost Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

2014-01-01

This report presents an example of the application of multi-criteria decision analysis to the selection of an architecture for a safety-critical distributed computer system. The design problem includes constraints on minimum system availability and integrity, and the decision is based on the optimal balance of power, weight and cost. The analysis process includes the generation of alternative architectures, evaluation of individual decision criteria, and the selection of an alternative based on overall value. In this example presented here, iterative application of the quantitative evaluation process made it possible to deliberately generate an alternative architecture that is superior to all others regardless of the relative importance of cost.

Embedding clinical interventions into observational studies

PubMed Central

Newman, Anne B.; Avilés-Santa, M. Larissa; Anderson, Garnet; Heiss, Gerardo; Howard, Wm. James; Krucoff, Mitchell; Kuller, Lewis H.; Lewis, Cora E.; Robinson, Jennifer G.; Taylor, Herman; Treviño, Roberto P.; Weintraub, William

2017-01-01

Novel approaches to observational studies and clinical trials could improve the cost-effectiveness and speed of translation of research. Hybrid designs that combine elements of clinical trials with observational registries or cohort studies should be considered as part of a long-term strategy to transform clinical trials and epidemiology, adapting to the opportunities of big data and the challenges of constrained budgets. Important considerations include study aims, timing, breadth and depth of the existing infrastructure that can be leveraged, participant burden, likely participation rate and available sample size in the cohort, required sample size for the trial, and investigator expertise. Community engagement and stakeholder (including study participants) support are essential for these efforts to succeed. PMID:26611435

Human exploration of Mars - The role of a Mars outpost laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, Michael B.

1992-01-01

Consideration is given to a Martian exploration strategy which includes intensive robotic reconnaissance to characterize features of Mars' geology that are important to the solution of major problems of Mars history, including the possible past presence of life. A human reconnaissance phase may follow the robotic reconnaissance phase, guided to the most productive sites by the results of the robotic missions. The strategy also involves an intensive human phase of investigation, with interactive field geology/laboratory investigation at the Mars outpost. The laboratory investigations, as well as the field work, should be highly interactive with a broad scientific community on earth. The most detailed analyses would be performed on samples returned to earth.

Visual observations over oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terry, R. D.

1979-01-01

Important factors in locating, identifying, describing, and photographing ocean features from space are presented. On the basis of crew comments and other findings, the following recommendations can be made for Earth observations on Space Shuttle missions: (1) flyover exercises must include observations and photography of both temperate and tropical/subtropical waters; (2) sunglint must be included during some observations of ocean features; (3) imaging remote sensors should be used together with conventional photographic systems to document visual observations; (4) greater consideration must be given to scheduling earth observation targets likely to be obscured by clouds; and (5) an annotated photographic compilation of ocean features can be used as a training aid before the mission and as a reference book during space flight.

Perioperative considerations and complications in pediatric parathyroidectomy.

PubMed

Hanba, Curtis; Bobian, Michael; Svider, Peter F; Sheyn, Anthony; Siegel, Bianca; Lin, Ho-Sheng; Raza, S Naweed

2016-12-01

To evaluate perioperative considerations and post-operative complications associated with parathyroidectomy in the pediatric population. The Kids' Inpatient Database 21 (KID) was searched for patients who underwent parathyroidectomy in 2009 and 2012. Patient demographics, hospital stay, associated charges, and post-operative adverse sequelae were evaluated in all patients and included patient comorbidity and additional procedure requirement analysis. There were 182 patients extrapolating to 262 parathyroidectomies over the two years analyzed. Although a minority of patients were male (45.4%), these patients had greater rates of complications, length of stay, and hospital charges. Importantly, minorities and younger patients (≤15y) also had more complicated post-operative courses. The lengths of stay for patients experiencing post-operative altered mental status (18.7d), post-operative infection (15.5d), respiratory complications (19d), and cardiac complications (13d) were significantly increased compared to individuals without major complications (3.4d) (p < 0.001). Patients with pre-existing chronic kidney disease, dialysis-dependence, and bone sequelae (most commonly from hungry bone syndrome) also had significantly lengthier stays and greater associated costs. Findings from this analysis can be included in a comprehensive pre-operative informed consent process between physicians and patients discussing perioperative considerations and potential complications of parathyroidectomy. Males, younger children, and patients with preexisting renal conditions experienced lengthier and more complicated hospital stays, suggesting the need for closer monitoring of these cohorts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communication Simulations for Power System Applications

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

Fuller, Jason C.; Ciraci, Selim; Daily, Jeffrey A.

2013-05-29

New smart grid technologies and concepts, such as dynamic pricing, demand response, dynamic state estimation, and wide area monitoring, protection, and control, are expected to require considerable communication resources. As the cost of retrofit can be high, future power grids will require the integration of high-speed, secure connections with legacy communication systems, while still providing adequate system control and security. While considerable work has been performed to create co-simulators for the power domain with load models and market operations, limited work has been performed in integrating communications directly into a power domain solver. The simulation of communication and power systemsmore » will become more important as the two systems become more inter-related. This paper will discuss ongoing work at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to create a flexible, high-speed power and communication system co-simulator for smart grid applications. The framework for the software will be described, including architecture considerations for modular, high performance computing and large-scale scalability (serialization, load balancing, partitioning, cross-platform support, etc.). The current simulator supports the ns-3 (telecommunications) and GridLAB-D (distribution systems) simulators. Ongoing and future work will be described, including planned future expansions for a traditional transmission solver. A test case using the co-simulator, utilizing a transactive demand response system created for the Olympic Peninsula and AEP gridSMART demonstrations, requiring two-way communication between distributed and centralized market devices, will be used to demonstrate the value and intended purpose of the co-simulation environment.« less

42 CFR 137.329 - What environmental considerations must be included in the construction project agreement?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... must be included in the construction project agreement? The construction project agreement must include..., and (d) An assurance that no action will be taken on the construction phase of the project that would... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What environmental considerations must be included...

What is knowledge and when should it be implemented?

PubMed

O'Grady, Laura

2012-10-01

A primary purpose of research is to generate new knowledge. Scientific advances have progressively identified optimal ways to achieve this purpose. Included in this evolution are the notions of evidence-based medicine, decision aids, shared decision making, measurement and evaluation as well as implementation. The importance of including qualitative and quantitative methods in our research is now understood. We have debated the meaning of evidence and how to implement it. However, we have yet to consider how to include in our study findings other types of information such as tacit and experiential knowledge. This key consideration needs to take place before we translate new findings or 'knowledge' into clinical practice. This article critiques assumptions regarding the nature of knowledge and suggests a framework for implementing research findings into practice. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Frequency choice of eRHIC SRF linac

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

Xu, W.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Roser, T.

2016-01-05

eRHIC is a FFAG lattice-based multipass ERL. The eRHIC SRF linac has been decided to change from 422 MHz 5-cell cavity to 647 MHz 5-cell cavity. There are several considerations affecting the frequency choice for a high-current multipass-ERL: the beam structure, bunch length, energy spread, beam-break-up (BBU) threshold, SRF loss considerations. Beyond the physics considerations, cost and complexity or risk is an important consideration for the frequency choice, especially when we are designing a machine to be built in a few years. Although there are some benefits of using a 422 MHz cavity for eRHIC ERL, however, there are somemore » very critical drawbacks, including lack of facilities to fabricate a 422 MHz 5-cell cavity, very few facilities to process such a cavity and no existing facility to test the cavity anywhere. As the cavity size is big and its weight is large, it is difficult to handle it during fabrication, processing and testing, and no one has experience in this area. As the cavity size is large, the cryomodule becomes big as well. All of these considerations drive the risk of building eRHIC ERL with 422 MHz cavities to a very high level. Therefore, a decision was made to change the frequency of main linac to be 647 MHz 5-cell cavities. This note will compare these two linacs: 422MHz 5-cell cavity linac and 647Mz 5-cell cavity SRF linac, from both practical point of view and physics point of view.« less

Estimate of fine root production including the impact of decomposed roots in a Bornean tropical rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katayama, Ayumi; Khoon Koh, Lip; Kume, Tomonori; Makita, Naoki; Matsumoto, Kazuho; Ohashi, Mizue

2016-04-01

Considerable carbon is allocated belowground and used for respiration and production of roots. It is reported that approximately 40 % of GPP is allocated belowground in a Bornean tropical rainforest, which is much higher than those in Neotropical rainforests. This may be caused by high root production in this forest. Ingrowth core is a popular method for estimating fine root production, but recent study by Osawa et al. (2012) showed potential underestimates of this method because of the lack of consideration of the impact of decomposed roots. It is important to estimate fine root production with consideration for the decomposed roots, especially in tropics where decomposition rate is higher than other regions. Therefore, objective of this study is to estimate fine root production with consideration of decomposed roots using ingrowth cores and root litter-bag in the tropical rainforest. The study was conducted in Lambir Hills National Park in Borneo. Ingrowth cores and litter bags for fine roots were buried in March 2013. Eighteen ingrowth cores and 27 litter bags were collected in May, September 2013, March 2014 and March 2015, respectively. Fine root production was comparable to aboveground biomass increment and litterfall amount, and accounted only 10% of GPP in this study site, suggesting most of the carbon allocated to belowground might be used for other purposes. Fine root production was comparable to those in Neotropics. Decomposed roots accounted for 18% of fine root production. This result suggests that no consideration of decomposed fine roots may cause underestimate of fine root production.

The Ethics of Ambiguity: Rethinking the Role and Importance of Uncertainty in Medical Education and Practice.

PubMed

Domen, Ronald E

2016-01-01

Understanding and embracing uncertainty are critical for effective teacher-learner relationships as well as for shared decision-making in the physician-patient relationship. However, ambiguity has not been given serious consideration in either the undergraduate or graduate medical curricula or in the role it plays in patient-centered care. In this article, the author examines the ethics of ambiguity and argues for a pedagogy that includes education in the importance of, and tolerance of, ambiguity that is inherent in medical education and practice. Common threads running through the ethics of ambiguity are the virtue of respect, and the development of a culture of respect is required for the successful understanding and implementation of a pedagogy of ambiguity.

Accounting for the richness of daily activities.

PubMed

White, Mathew P; Dolan, Paul

2009-08-01

Serious consideration is being given to the impact of private behavior and public policies on people's subjective well-being (SWB). A new approach to measuring well-being, the day reconstruction method (DRM), weights the affective component of daily activities by their duration in order to construct temporal aggregates. However, the DRM neglects the potentially important role of thoughts. By adapting this method to include thoughts as well as feelings, we provide perhaps the most comprehensive measure of SWB to date. We show that some activities relatively low in pleasure (e.g., work and time with children) are nonetheless thought of as rewarding and therefore contribute to overall SWB. Such information may be important to policymakers wishing to promote behaviors that are conducive to a broader conception of SWB.

The interaction of ultra-low-frequency pc3-5 waves with charged particles in Earth's magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Qiugang; Rankin, Robert; Zhou, Xuzhi

2017-12-01

One of the most important issues in space physics is to identify the dominant processes that transfer energy from the solar wind to energetic particle populations in Earth's inner magnetosphere. Ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves are an important consideration as they propagate electromagnetic energy over vast distances with little dissipation and interact with charged particles via drift resonance and drift-bounce resonance. ULF waves also take part in magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and thus play an essential role in regulating energy flow throughout the entire system. This review summarizes recent advances in the characterization of ULF Pc3-5 waves in different regions of the magnetosphere, including ion and electron acceleration associated with these waves.

Cancer in Transgender People: Evidence and Methodological Considerations

PubMed Central

Braun, Hayley; Nash, Rebecca; Tangpricha, Vin; Brockman, Janice; Ward, Kevin; Goodman, Michael

2017-01-01

Abstract Transgender people comprise a diverse group of individuals whose gender identity or expression differs from that originally assigned to them at birth. Some, but not all, transgender people elect to undergo medical gender affirmation, which may include therapy with cross-sex hormones and/or surgical change of the genitalia and other sex characteristics. As cross-sex hormones administered for the purposes of gender affirmation may be delivered at high doses and over a period of decades, the carcinogenicity of hormonal therapy in transgender people is an area of considerable concern. In addition, concerns about cancer risk in transgender patients have been linked to sexually transmitted infections, increased exposure to well-known risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use, and the lack of adequate access to screening. Several publications have identified cancer as an important priority in transgender health research and called for large-scale studies. The goals of this article are to summarize the evidence on factors that may differentially affect cancer risk in transgender people, assess the relevant cancer surveillance and epidemiologic data available to date, and offer an overview of possible methodological considerations for future studies investigating cancer incidence and mortality in this population. PMID:28486701

Immunocastration as an alternative to caponization: evaluation of its effect on body and bone development and on meat color and composition.

PubMed

Quaresma, M A G; Antunes, I C; Ribeiro, M F; Prazeres, S; Bessa, R J B; da Costa, P Martins

2017-10-01

Caponization is associated with some morbidity and mortality, which contributes to important economic losses. This practice is executed without any pain relief (neither anesthesia nor analgesia) and can be painful and without consideration of animal welfare. On the other hand, immunocastration accomplished by Improvac and Bovipriva in pigs and cattle represents a noninvasive procedure, and for that reason is regarded as an alternative with improved animal welfare. This study includes 4 experimental groups consisting of capons, slips, roosters, and birds submitted to the Improvac treatment. The administration of Improvac was associated with a considerable reduction in serum testosterone concentration (reduced by 79% compared to average serum testosterone of roosters). Regarding significant differences among experimental groups, birds from the Improvac group were intermediate between capons and slips with respect to abdominal fat pad weight and yield, breast meat water and protein contents, and femur length. Conversely, color parameters such as lightness, redness, and hue angle for Improvac birds were intermediate between roosters and capons. Thus, immunocastration with Improvac could represent an alternative solution to caponization, with considerable improvements in animal welfare. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Research design considerations for confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials: IMMPACT recommendations.

PubMed

Dworkin, Robert H; Turk, Dennis C; Peirce-Sandner, Sarah; Baron, Ralf; Bellamy, Nicholas; Burke, Laurie B; Chappell, Amy; Chartier, Kevin; Cleeland, Charles S; Costello, Ann; Cowan, Penney; Dimitrova, Rozalina; Ellenberg, Susan; Farrar, John T; French, Jacqueline A; Gilron, Ian; Hertz, Sharon; Jadad, Alejandro R; Jay, Gary W; Kalliomäki, Jarkko; Katz, Nathaniel P; Kerns, Robert D; Manning, Donald C; McDermott, Michael P; McGrath, Patrick J; Narayana, Arvind; Porter, Linda; Quessy, Steve; Rappaport, Bob A; Rauschkolb, Christine; Reeve, Bryce B; Rhodes, Thomas; Sampaio, Cristina; Simpson, David M; Stauffer, Joseph W; Stucki, Gerold; Tobias, Jeffrey; White, Richard E; Witter, James

2010-05-01

There has been an increase in the number of chronic pain clinical trials in which the treatments being evaluated did not differ significantly from placebo in the primary efficacy analyses despite previous research suggesting that efficacy could be expected. These findings could reflect a true lack of efficacy or methodological and other aspects of these trials that compromise the demonstration of efficacy. There is substantial variability among chronic pain clinical trials with respect to important research design considerations, and identifying and addressing any methodological weaknesses would enhance the likelihood of demonstrating the analgesic effects of new interventions. An IMMPACT consensus meeting was therefore convened to identify the critical research design considerations for confirmatory chronic pain trials and to make recommendations for their conduct. We present recommendations for the major components of confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials, including participant selection, trial phases and duration, treatment groups and dosing regimens, and types of trials. Increased attention to and research on the methodological aspects of confirmatory chronic pain clinical trials has the potential to enhance their assay sensitivity and ultimately provide more meaningful evaluations of treatments for chronic pain. Copyright 2010 International Association for the Study of Pain. All rights reserved.

Weighing the Social and Ethical Considerations of Maternal-Fetal Surgery.

PubMed

Antiel, Ryan M; Flake, Alan W; Collura, Christopher A; Johnson, Mark P; Rintoul, Natalie E; Lantos, John D; Curlin, Farr A; Tilburt, Jon C; Brown, Stephen D; Feudtner, Chris

2017-12-01

The ethics of maternal-fetal surgery involves weighing the importance of potential benefits, risks, and other consequences involving the pregnant woman, fetus, and other family members. We assessed clinicians' ratings of the importance of 9 considerations relevant to maternal-fetal surgery. This study was a discrete choice experiment contained within a 2015 national mail-based survey of 1200 neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians, with latent class analysis subsequently used to identify groups of physicians with similar ratings. Of 1176 eligible participants, 660 (56%) completed the discrete choice experiment. The highest-ranked consideration was of neonatal benefits, which was followed by consideration of the risk of maternal complications. By using latent class analysis, we identified 4 attitudinal groups with similar patterns of prioritization: "fetocentric" ( n = 232), risk-sensitive ( n = 197), maternal autonomy ( n = 167), and family impact and social support ( n = 64). Neonatologists were more likely to be in the fetocentric group, whereas surgeons were more likely to be in the risk-sensitive group, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians made up the largest percentage of the family impact and social support group. Physicians vary in how they weigh the importance of social and ethical considerations regarding maternal-fetal surgery. Understanding these differences may help prevent or mitigate disagreements or tensions that may arise in the management of these patients. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Prioritizing Wetlands for Waterbirds in a Boom and Bust System: Waterbird Refugia and Breeding in the Murray-Darling Basin

PubMed Central

Bino, Gilad; Kingsford, Richard T.; Porter, John

2015-01-01

Dryland rivers have considerable flow variability, producing complex ecosystems, processes, and communities of organisms that vary over space and time. They are also among the more vulnerable of the world’s ecosystems. A key strategy for conservation of dryland rivers is identifying and maintaining key sites for biodiversity conservation, particularly protecting the quantity and quality of flow and flooding regimes. Extreme variability considerably challenges freshwater conservation planning. We systematically prioritised wetlands for waterbirds (simultaneously for 52 species), across about 13.5% of the Murray-Darling Basin (1,061,469 km2), using a 30-year record of systematic aerial surveys of waterbird populations. Nine key wetlands in this area, primarily lakes, floodplains, and swamps, consistently contributed to a representation target (80%) of total abundances of all 52 waterbird species. The long temporal span of our data included dramatic availability (i.e., booms) and scarcity (i.e., busts) of water, providing a unique opportunity to test prioritisation at extremes of variation. These extremes represented periods when waterbirds were breeding or concentrating on refugia, varying wetland prioritisation. In dry years, important wetlands for waterbirds were riverine and lacustrine (12 wetlands) but this changed in wet years to lacustrine and palustrine (8 wetlands). Such variation in ecosystem condition substantially changes the relative importance of individual wetlands for waterbirds during boom and bust phases. Incorporating this variability is necessary for effective conservation of Murray-Darling Basin waterbirds, with considerable generality for other similarly variable systems around the world. PMID:26161652

Tree-based flood damage modeling of companies: Damage processes and model performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sieg, Tobias; Vogel, Kristin; Merz, Bruno; Kreibich, Heidi

2017-07-01

Reliable flood risk analyses, including the estimation of damage, are an important prerequisite for efficient risk management. However, not much is known about flood damage processes affecting companies. Thus, we conduct a flood damage assessment of companies in Germany with regard to two aspects. First, we identify relevant damage-influencing variables. Second, we assess the prediction performance of the developed damage models with respect to the gain by using an increasing amount of training data and a sector-specific evaluation of the data. Random forests are trained with data from two postevent surveys after flood events occurring in the years 2002 and 2013. For a sector-specific consideration, the data set is split into four subsets corresponding to the manufacturing, commercial, financial, and service sectors. Further, separate models are derived for three different company assets: buildings, equipment, and goods and stock. Calculated variable importance values reveal different variable sets relevant for the damage estimation, indicating significant differences in the damage process for various company sectors and assets. With an increasing number of data used to build the models, prediction errors decrease. Yet the effect is rather small and seems to saturate for a data set size of several hundred observations. In contrast, the prediction improvement achieved by a sector-specific consideration is more distinct, especially for damage to equipment and goods and stock. Consequently, sector-specific data acquisition and a consideration of sector-specific company characteristics in future flood damage assessments is expected to improve the model performance more than a mere increase in data.

Tactical Miniature Crystal Oscillator.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

manufactured by this process are expected to require 30 days to achieve minimum aging rates. (4) FUNDEMENTAL CRYSTAL RETRACE MEASUREMENT. An important crystal...considerable measurement time to detect differences and characterize components. Before investing considerable time in a candidate reactive element, a

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

Polymer-Nanoparticle Composites: From Synthesis to Modern Applications

PubMed Central

Hanemann, Thomas; Szabó, Dorothée Vinga

2010-01-01

The addition of inorganic spherical nanoparticles to polymers allows the modification of the polymers physical properties as well as the implementation of new features in the polymer matrix. This review article covers considerations on special features of inorganic nanoparticles, the most important synthesis methods for ceramic nanoparticles and nanocomposites, nanoparticle surface modification, and composite formation, including drawbacks. Classical nanocomposite properties, as thermomechanical, dielectric, conductive, magnetic, as well as optical properties, will be summarized. Finally, typical existing and potential applications will be shown with the focus on new and innovative applications, like in energy storage systems.

Selected questions of topical interest in human bioclimatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jendritzky, G.

1991-09-01

This paper deals with the different effects of climate, and the likely impact of climatic change, on the human being, his health and well-being. Those effects follow from consideration of the human energy budget and air pollution, including photooxidants and radiation, the latter especially in the UV-range. The development of tools to produce bioclimate maps, i.e. maps expressed in physiologically significant terms, in different scales up to the high resolution necessary for the microscale urban climate, will be discussed. The most important questions in bioclimate research and its application will be considered.

Selected questions of topical interest in human bioclimatology.

PubMed

Jendritzky, G

1991-11-01

This paper deals with the different effects of climate, and the likely impact of climatic change, on the human being, his health and well-being. Those effects follow from consideration of the human energy budget and air pollution, including photooxidants and radiation, the latter especially in the UV-range. The development of tools to produce bioclimate maps, i.e. maps expressed in physiologically significant terms, in different scales up to the high resolution necessary for the microscale urban climate, will be discussed. The most important questions in bioclimate research and its application will be considered.

A guide to the use of distance sampling to estimate abundance of Karner blue butterflies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grundel, Ralph

2015-01-01

This guide is intended to describe the use of distance sampling as a method for evaluating the abundance of Karner blue butterflies at a location. Other methods for evaluating abundance exist, including mark-release-recapture and index counts derived from Pollard-Yates surveys, for example. Although this guide is not intended to be a detailed comparison of the pros and cons of each type of method, there are important preliminary considerations to think about before selecting any method for evaluating the abundance of Karner blue butterflies.

Virally associated arthritis 2008: clinical, epidemiologic, and pathophysiologic considerations

PubMed Central

Vassilopoulos, Dimitrios; Calabrese, Leonard H

2008-01-01

Several viruses have been associated with the development of inflammatory arthritis, including the hepatitis viruses (hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus), HIV, the parvovirus B19, the human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I, and the alphaviruses. Here, we review the epidemiology, the pathophysiological mechanisms, the pertinent clinical and laboratory findings as well as the principles of therapy of the most common virus-associated arthritides. We believe that the knowledge of these key diagnostic and therapeutic features of virus-associated arthritides is important for the rheumatologist of the 21st century. PMID:18828883

The bulk composition of Titan's atmosphere.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trafton, L.

1972-01-01

Consideration of the physical constraints for Titan's atmosphere leads to a model which describes the bulk composition of the atmosphere in terms of observable parameters. Intermediate-resolution photometric scans of both Saturn and Titan, including scans of the Q branch of Titan's methane band, constrain these parameters in such a way that the model indicates the presence of another important atmospheric gas, namely, another bulk constituent or a significant thermal opacity. Further progress in determining the composition and state of Titan's atmosphere requires additional observations to eliminate present ambiguities. For this purpose, particular observational targets are suggested.

Clinical exam of the shoulder.

PubMed

Clarnette, R G; Miniaci, A

1998-04-01

This paper outlines the important features of the clinical assessment of the shoulder in a systematic and thorough manner. We highlight the key symptoms, particularly pain and instability, and describe how they may be associated with the various different pathologies. The physical examination is detailed in order of inspection, palpation, and motion, and then considerable emphasis is given to specific shoulder tests looking for evidence of rotator cuff weakness, impingement, biceps pathology, and instability. A number of specific tests of instability are outlined including an examination technique for posterior instability that has not previously been described.

Clinicians' perceptions of decision making regarding discharge from public hospitals to in-patient rehabilitation following trauma.

PubMed

Kimmel, Lara A; Holland, Anne E; Lannin, Natasha; Edwards, Elton R; Page, Richard S; Bucknill, Andrew; Hau, Raphael; Gabbe, Belinda J

2017-05-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the perceptions of consultant surgeons, allied health clinicians and rehabilitation consultants regarding discharge destination decision making from the acute hospital following trauma. Methods A qualitative study was performed using individual in-depth interviews of clinicians in Victoria (Australia) between April 2013 and September 2014. Thematic analysis was used to derive important themes. Case studies provided quantitative information to enhance the information gained via interviews. Results Thirteen rehabilitation consultants, eight consultant surgeons and 13 allied health clinicians were interviewed. Key themes that emerged included the importance of financial considerations as drivers of decision making and the perceived lack of involvement of medical staff in decisions regarding discharge destination following trauma. Other themes included the lack of consistency of factors thought to be important drivers of discharge and the difficulty in acting on trauma patients' requests in terms of discharge destination. Importantly, as the complexity of the patient increases in terms of acquired brain injury, the options for rehabilitation become scarcer. Conclusions The information gained in the present study highlights the large variation in discharge practises between and within clinical groups. Further consultation with stakeholders involved in the care of trauma patients, as well as government bodies involved in hospital funding, is needed to derive a more consistent approach to discharge destination decision making. What is known about the topic? Little is known about the drivers for referral to, or acceptance at, in-patient rehabilitation following acute hospital care for traumatic injury in Victoria, Australia, including who makes these decisions of behalf of patients and how these decisions are made. What does this paper add? This paper provides information regarding the perceptions of acute hospital consultant surgeons and allied health, as well as rehabilitation clinicians, in terms of discharge destination decision making from the acute hospital following trauma. The use of case studies further highlights differences between, and within, these specialities with regard to this decision making. This research also highlights the importance of financial considerations as drivers of decision making, and the lack of consistency of the factors thought to be important drivers of discharge between these different clinical groupings. What are the implications for practitioners? This research shows that financial factors are significant drivers of discharge destination decision making for trauma patients. The present study highlights opportunities to engage with stakeholders (acute care, rehabilitation, administration, government and patients) to develop more consistent discharge processes that optimise the use of rehabilitation resources for those patients who could benefit from in-patient rehabilitation.

Occupational health and safety aspects of animal handling in dairy production.

PubMed

Lindahl, Cecilia; Lundqvist, Peter; Hagevoort, G Robert; Lunner Kolstrup, Christina; Douphrate, David I; Pinzke, Stefan; Grandin, Temple

2013-01-01

Livestock handling in dairy production is associated with a number of health and safety issues. A large number of fatal and nonfatal injuries still occur when handling livestock. The many animal handling tasks on a dairy farm include moving cattle between different locations, vaccination, administration of medication, hoof care, artificial insemination, ear tagging, milking, and loading onto trucks. There are particular problems with bulls, which continue to cause considerable numbers of injuries and fatalities in dairy production. In order to reduce the number of injuries during animal handling on dairy farms, it is important to understand the key factors in human-animal interactions. These include handler attitudes and behavior, animal behavior, and fear in cows. Care when in close proximity to the animal is the key for safe handling, including knowledge of the flight zone, and use of the right types of tools and suitable restraint equipment. Thus, in order to create safe working conditions during livestock handling, it is important to provide handlers with adequate training and to establish sound safety management procedures on the farm.

Understanding Human-Coyote Encounters in Urban Ecosystems Using Citizen Science Data: What Do Socioeconomics Tell Us?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wine, Stuart; Gagné, Sara A.; Meentemeyer, Ross K.

2015-01-01

The coyote ( Canis latrans) has dramatically expanded its range to include the cities and suburbs of the western US and those of the Eastern Seaboard. Highly adaptable, this newcomer's success causes conflicts with residents, necessitating research to understand the distribution of coyotes in urban landscapes. Citizen science can be a powerful approach toward this aim. However, to date, the few studies that have used publicly reported coyote sighting data have lacked an in-depth consideration of human socioeconomic variables, which we suggest are an important source of overlooked variation in data that describe the simultaneous occurrence of coyotes and humans. We explored the relative importance of socioeconomic variables compared to those describing coyote habitat in predicting human-coyote encounters in highly-urbanized Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA using 707 public reports of coyote sightings, high-resolution land cover, US Census data, and an autologistic multi-model inference approach. Three of the four socioeconomic variables which we hypothesized would have an important influence on encounter probability, namely building density, household income, and occupation, had effects at least as large as or larger than coyote habitat variables. Our results indicate that the consideration of readily available socioeconomic variables in the analysis of citizen science data improves the prediction of species distributions by providing insight into the effects of important factors for which data are often lacking, such as resource availability for coyotes on private property and observer experience. Managers should take advantage of citizen scientists in human-dominated landscapes to monitor coyotes in order to understand their interactions with humans.

Modeling of Wildlife-Associated Zoonoses: Applications and Caveats

PubMed Central

Lewis, Bryan L.; Marathe, Madhav; Eubank, Stephen; Blackburn, Jason K.

2012-01-01

Abstract Wildlife species are identified as an important source of emerging zoonotic disease. Accordingly, public health programs have attempted to expand in scope to include a greater focus on wildlife and its role in zoonotic disease outbreaks. Zoonotic disease transmission dynamics involving wildlife are complex and nonlinear, presenting a number of challenges. First, empirical characterization of wildlife host species and pathogen systems are often lacking, and insight into one system may have little application to another involving the same host species and pathogen. Pathogen transmission characterization is difficult due to the changing nature of population size and density associated with wildlife hosts. Infectious disease itself may influence wildlife population demographics through compensatory responses that may evolve, such as decreased age to reproduction. Furthermore, wildlife reservoir dynamics can be complex, involving various host species and populations that may vary in their contribution to pathogen transmission and persistence over space and time. Mathematical models can provide an important tool to engage these complex systems, and there is an urgent need for increased computational focus on the coupled dynamics that underlie pathogen spillover at the human–wildlife interface. Often, however, scientists conducting empirical studies on emerging zoonotic disease do not have the necessary skill base to choose, develop, and apply models to evaluate these complex systems. How do modeling frameworks differ and what considerations are important when applying modeling tools to the study of zoonotic disease? Using zoonotic disease examples, we provide an overview of several common approaches and general considerations important in the modeling of wildlife-associated zoonoses. PMID:23199265

Climate research priorities for policy-makers, practitioners, and scientists in Georgia, USA.

PubMed

Rudd, Murray A; Moore, Althea F P; Rochberg, Daniel; Bianchi-Fossati, Lisa; Brown, Marilyn A; D'Onofrio, David; Furman, Carrie A; Garcia, Jairo; Jordan, Ben; Kline, Jennifer; Risse, L Mark; Yager, Patricia L; Abbinett, Jessica; Alber, Merryl; Bell, Jesse E; Bhedwar, Cyrus; Cobb, Kim M; Cohen, Juliet; Cox, Matt; Dormer, Myriam; Dunkley, Nyasha; Farley, Heather; Gambill, Jill; Goldstein, Mindy; Harris, Garry; Hopkinson, Melissa; James, Jean-Ann; Kidd, Susan; Knox, Pam; Liu, Yang; Matisoff, Daniel C; Meyer, Michael D; Mitchem, Jamie D; Moore, Katherine; Ono, Aspen J; Philipsborn, Jon; Sendall, Kerrie M; Shafiei, Fatemeh; Shepherd, Marshall; Teebken, Julia; Worley, Ashby N

2018-05-23

Climate change has far-reaching effects on human and ecological systems, requiring collaboration across sectors and disciplines to determine effective responses. To inform regional responses to climate change, decision-makers need credible and relevant information representing a wide swath of knowledge and perspectives. The southeastern U. S. State of Georgia is a valuable focal area for study because it contains multiple ecological zones that vary greatly in land use and economic activities, and it is vulnerable to diverse climate change impacts. We identified 40 important research questions that, if answered, could lay the groundwork for effective, science-based climate action in Georgia. Top research priorities were identified through a broad solicitation of candidate research questions (180 were received). A group of experts across sectors and disciplines gathered for a workshop to categorize, prioritize, and filter the candidate questions, identify missing topics, and rewrite questions. Participants then collectively chose the 40 most important questions. This cross-sectoral effort ensured the inclusion of a diversity of topics and questions (e.g., coastal hazards, agricultural production, ecosystem functioning, urban infrastructure, and human health) likely to be important to Georgia policy-makers, practitioners, and scientists. Several cross-cutting themes emerged, including the need for long-term data collection and consideration of at-risk Georgia citizens and communities. Workshop participants defined effective responses as those that take economic cost, environmental impacts, and social justice into consideration. Our research highlights the importance of collaborators across disciplines and sectors, and discussing challenges and opportunities that will require transdisciplinary solutions.

Fairness overrides reputation: the importance of fairness considerations in altruistic cooperation

PubMed Central

Güney, Şule; Newell, Ben R.

2013-01-01

Behavioral findings in several strategic games indicate that people punish others if they think they are being treated unequally, even at the cost of minimizing their own material payoff. We investigated the primary driving force behind such non-self-regarding behavior, so-called, altruistic cooperation. In all of our studies, a mini ultimatum game was played either one-shot (in Experiment 1a and 1b) or repeatedly (Experiment 2), and rejections of inequitable distribution were taken as a measure of altruistic cooperation. In Experiment 1a, we replicated previous findings indicating that the key mechanism contributing to the emergence of altruistic cooperation is fairness considerations. In Experiment 1b, we delved into the relative importance of two aspects of fairness considerations (i.e., outcome fairness and intentions) and showed that both aspects were effective in determining the level of altruistic cooperation, with the contribution of intentions being more important. In Experiment 2, we investigated the effect of the opportunity for reputation building and future interaction on altruistic cooperation. We found that these factors became influential only when fairness considerations were weakened, particularly, as a result of the removal of the possible intentions behind an offer. PMID:23760110

A Comprehensive List of Items to be Included on a Pediatric Drug Monograph

PubMed Central

Ito, Shinya; Woods, David; Nunn, Anthony J.; Taketomo, Carol; de Hoog, Matthijs; Offringa, Martin

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES Children require special considerations for drug prescribing. Drug information summarized in a formulary containing drug monographs is essential for safe and effective prescribing. Currently, little is known about the information needs of those who prescribe and administer medicines to children. Our primary objective was to identify a list of important and relevant items to be included in a pediatric drug monograph. METHODS Following the establishment of an expert steering committee and an environmental scan of adult and pediatric formulary monograph items, 46 participants from 25 countries were invited to complete a 2-round Delphi survey. Questions regarding source of prescribing information and importance of items were recorded. An international consensus meeting to vote on and finalize the items list with the steering committee followed. RESULTS Pediatric formularies are most commonly the first resource consulted for information on medication used in children by 31 Delphi participants. After the Delphi rounds, 116 items were identified to be included in a comprehensive pediatric drug monograph, including general information, adverse drug reactions, dosages, precautions, drug-drug interactions, formulation, and drug properties. CONCLUSIONS Health care providers identified 116 monograph items as important for prescribing medicines for children by an international consensus-based process. This information will assist in setting standards for the creation of new pediatric drug monographs for international application and for those involved in pediatric formulary development. PMID:28337081

A Comprehensive List of Items to be Included on a Pediatric Drug Monograph.

PubMed

Kelly, Lauren E; Ito, Shinya; Woods, David; Nunn, Anthony J; Taketomo, Carol; de Hoog, Matthijs; Offringa, Martin

2017-01-01

Children require special considerations for drug prescribing. Drug information summarized in a formulary containing drug monographs is essential for safe and effective prescribing. Currently, little is known about the information needs of those who prescribe and administer medicines to children. Our primary objective was to identify a list of important and relevant items to be included in a pediatric drug monograph. Following the establishment of an expert steering committee and an environmental scan of adult and pediatric formulary monograph items, 46 participants from 25 countries were invited to complete a 2-round Delphi survey. Questions regarding source of prescribing information and importance of items were recorded. An international consensus meeting to vote on and finalize the items list with the steering committee followed. Pediatric formularies are most commonly the first resource consulted for information on medication used in children by 31 Delphi participants. After the Delphi rounds, 116 items were identified to be included in a comprehensive pediatric drug monograph, including general information, adverse drug reactions, dosages, precautions, drug-drug interactions, formulation, and drug properties. Health care providers identified 116 monograph items as important for prescribing medicines for children by an international consensus-based process. This information will assist in setting standards for the creation of new pediatric drug monographs for international application and for those involved in pediatric formulary development.

Research: increasing value, reducing waste 2

PubMed Central

Ioannidis, John P A; Greenland, Sander; Hlatky, Mark A; Khoury, Muin J; Macleod, Malcolm R; Moher, David; Schulz, Kenneth F; Tibshirani, Robert

2015-01-01

Correctable weaknesses in the design, conduct, and analysis of biomedical and public health research studies can produce misleading results and waste valuable resources. Small effects can be difficult to distinguish from bias introduced by study design and analyses. An absence of detailed written protocols and poor documentation of research is common. Information obtained might not be useful or important, and statistical precision or power is often too low or used in a misleading way. Insufficient consideration might be given to both previous and continuing studies. Arbitrary choice of analyses and an overemphasis on random extremes might affect the reported findings. Several problems relate to the research workforce, including failure to involve experienced statisticians and methodologists, failure to train clinical researchers and laboratory scientists in research methods and design, and the involvement of stakeholders with conflicts of interest. Inadequate emphasis is placed on recording of research decisions and on reproducibility of research. Finally, reward systems incentivise quantity more than quality, and novelty more than reliability. We propose potential solutions for these problems, including improvements in protocols and documentation, consideration of evidence from studies in progress, standardisation of research efforts, optimisation and training of an experienced and non-conflicted scientific workforce, and reconsideration of scientific reward systems. PMID:24411645

Key elements of high-quality practice organisation in primary health care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Crossland, Lisa; Janamian, Tina; Jackson, Claire L

2014-08-04

To identify elements that are integral to high-quality practice and determine considerations relating to high-quality practice organisation in primary care. A narrative systematic review of published and grey literature. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Emerald Insight, PsycInfo, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service website, Google Scholar) were searched in November 2013 and used to identify articles published in English from 2002 to 2013. Reference lists of included articles were searched for relevant unpublished articles and reports. Data were configured at the study level to allow for the inclusion of findings from a broad range of study types. Ten elements were most often included in the existing organisational assessment tools. A further three elements were identified from an inductive thematic analysis of descriptive articles, and were noted as important considerations in effective quality improvement in primary care settings. Although there are some validated tools available to primary care that identify and build quality, most are single-strategy approaches developed outside health care settings. There are currently no validated organisational improvement tools, designed specifically for primary health care, which combine all elements of practice improvement and whose use does not require extensive external facilitation.

Aerogel Insulation Systems for Space Launch Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E.

2005-01-01

New developments in materials science in the areas of solution gelation processes and nanotechnology have led to the recent commercial production of aerogels. Concurrent with these advancements has been the development of new approaches to cryogenic thermal insulation systems. For example, thermal and physical characterizations of aerogel beads under cryogenic-vacuum conditions have been performed at the Cryogenics Test Laboratory of the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Aerogel-based insulation system demonstrations have also been conducted to improve performance for space launch applications. Subscale cryopumping experiments show the thermal insulating ability of these fully breathable nanoporous materials. For a properly executed thermal insulation system, these breathable aerogel systems are shown to not cryopump beyond the initial cooldown and thermal stabilization phase. New applications are being developed to augment the thermal protection systems of space launch vehicles, including the Space Shuttle External Tank. These applications include a cold-boundary temperature of 90 K with an ambient air environment in which both weather and flight aerodynamics are important considerations. Another application is a nitrogen-purged environment with a cold-boundary temperature of 20 K where both initial cooldown and launch ascent profiles must be considered. Experimental results and considerations for these flight system applications are discussed.

Changing perspectives of stress gastritis prophylaxis.

PubMed

Smythe, M A; Zarowitz, B J

1994-09-01

To present recent advances in stress gastritis prophylaxis in the critically ill and review considerations in selection of a prophylactic agent. Information was obtained from MEDLINE search, reference lists from articles identified in search, and from review articles. Emphasis was placed on controlled trials conducted within the last 5 years. All literature was assessed for methodology, results, and conclusions. Results of prospective, randomized trials, and meta-analyses are summarized. Histamine2-receptor antagonists, antacids, and sucralfate appear equally effective in preventing stress gastritis in the critically ill. A definitive cause-effect relationship between histamine2-receptor antagonists and increased incidence of nosocomial pneumonia has not yet been established. The indications for using a prophylactic agent and consideration in selecting an agent should include an evaluation of the following: risk factors for gastritis including the type of intensive care patient, comparative efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, cost, and ease of administration. The least expensive, safest agent requiring minimal monitoring is sucralfate. Prevention of stress gastritis has never been shown to reduce morbidity or mortality significantly. Controversies still exist regarding the need to provide prophylaxis, the choice of an agent, and the relative importance of previously identified risk factors. Further well-designed studies are needed before consensus can be reached.

The development, past achievements, and future directions of brain PET

PubMed Central

Jones, Terry; Rabiner, Eugenii A

2012-01-01

The early developments of brain positron emission tomography (PET), including the methodological advances that have driven progress, are outlined. The considerable past achievements of brain PET have been summarized in collaboration with contributing experts in specific clinical applications including cerebrovascular disease, movement disorders, dementia, epilepsy, schizophrenia, addiction, depression and anxiety, brain tumors, drug development, and the normal healthy brain. Despite a history of improving methodology and considerable achievements, brain PET research activity is not growing and appears to have diminished. Assessments of the reasons for decline are presented and strategies proposed for reinvigorating brain PET research. Central to this is widening the access to advanced PET procedures through the introduction of lower cost cyclotron and radiochemistry technologies. The support and expertize of the existing major PET centers, and the recruitment of new biologists, bio-mathematicians and chemists to the field would be important for such a revival. New future applications need to be identified, the scope of targets imaged broadened, and the developed expertize exploited in other areas of medical research. Such reinvigoration of the field would enable PET to continue making significant contributions to advance the understanding of the normal and diseased brain and support the development of advanced treatments. PMID:22434067

Point-to-point sub-orbital space tourism: Some initial considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, Derek

2010-06-01

Several public statements have been made about the possible, or even likely, extension of initial sub-orbital space tourism operations to encompass point-to-point travel. It is the purpose of this paper to explore some of the basic considerations for such a plan, in order to understand both its merits and its problems. The paper will discuss a range of perspectives, from basic physics to market segmentation, from ground segment logistics to spacecraft design considerations. It is important that these initial considerations are grasped before more detailed planning and design takes place.

The Athletic Shoe in Football

PubMed Central

Jastifer, James; Kent, Richard; Crandall, Jeff; Sherwood, Chris; Lessley, David; McCullough, Kirk A.; Coughlin, Michael J.; Anderson, Robert B.

2017-01-01

Background: Foot and ankle injuries are common in sports, particularly in cleated athletes. Traditionally, the athletic shoe has not been regarded as a piece of protective equipment but rather as a part of the uniform, with a primary focus on performance and subjective feedback measures of comfort. Changes in turf and shoe design have poorly understood implications on the health and safety of players. Evidence Acquisition: A literature search of the MEDLINE and PubMed databases was conducted. Keywords included athletic shoewear, cleated shoe, football shoes, and shoewear, and search parameters were between the years 2000 and 2016. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 5. Results: The athletic shoe is an important piece of protective sports equipment. There are several important structural considerations of shoe design, including biomechanical compliance, cleat and turf interaction, and shoe sizing/fit, that affect the way an athlete engages with the playing surface and carry important potential implications regarding player safety if not understood and addressed. Conclusion: Athletic footwear should be considered an integral piece of protective equipment rather than simply an extension of the uniform apparel. More research is needed to define optimal shoe sizing, the effect that design has on mechanical load, and how cleat properties, including pattern and structure, interact with the variety of playing surfaces. PMID:28151702

Structure and Management of an Engineering Senior Design Course.

PubMed

Tanaka, Martin L; Fischer, Kenneth J

2016-07-01

The design of products and processes is an important area in engineering. Students in engineering schools learn fundamental principles in their courses but often lack an opportunity to apply these methods to real-world problems until their senior year. This article describes important elements that should be incorporated into a senior capstone design course. It includes a description of the general principles used in engineering design and a discussion of why students often have difficulty with application and revert to trial and error methods. The structure of a properly designed capstone course is dissected and its individual components are evaluated. Major components include assessing resources, identifying projects, establishing teams, understanding requirements, developing conceptual designs, creating detailed designs, building prototypes, testing performance, and final presentations. In addition to the course design, team management and effective mentoring are critical to success. This article includes suggested guidelines and tips for effective design team leadership, attention to detail, investment of time, and managing project scope. Furthermore, the importance of understanding business culture, displaying professionalism, and considerations of different types of senior projects is discussed. Through a well-designed course and proper mentoring, students will learn to apply their engineering skills and gain basic business knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level positions in industry.

Relative Importance Assigned to Health Care Rationing Principles at the Bedside: Evidence From a Portuguese and Bulgarian Survey.

PubMed

Pinho, Micaela Moreira; Pinto Borges, Ana

Activity was undertaken to develop a Prioritization Scoring Index for Portugal and Bulgaria that weights the importance given to ethical rationing principles that should guide decisions at the bedside. Data from two random samples of 355 Portuguese and 298 Bulgarian members of the public were collected from an online questionnaire. Questions asked about the level of importance given to specific issues related to patient's prioritization criteria. Responses were analyzed quantitatively with the SPSS. In the process of selecting the patient to treat, Portuguese and Bulgarian respondents seem unanimous in giving greater importance to (i) the treatment outcomes, (ii) the severity of illness, (iii) children, and (iv) patients' fragility. In general, Portuguese and Bulgarian respondents allocate more than 50% of the prioritization weight to equity considerations, approximately 35% to efficiency considerations, and 5% to lottery selection. Even so, Bulgarian respondents rate highly the equity and less the efficiency consideration than Portuguese respondents. Although the pursuit of efficiency seems to be valued by respondents, their major concern seems to be with the reduction of inequalities in health.

General principles of antimicrobial therapy.

PubMed

Leekha, Surbhi; Terrell, Christine L; Edson, Randall S

2011-02-01

Antimicrobial agents are some of the most widely, and often injudiciously, used therapeutic drugs worldwide. Important considerations when prescribing antimicrobial therapy include obtaining an accurate diagnosis of infection; understanding the difference between empiric and definitive therapy; identifying opportunities to switch to narrow-spectrum, cost-effective oral agents for the shortest duration necessary; understanding drug characteristics that are peculiar to antimicrobial agents (such as pharmacodynamics and efficacy at the site of infection); accounting for host characteristics that influence antimicrobial activity; and in turn, recognizing the adverse effects of antimicrobial agents on the host. It is also important to understand the importance of antimicrobial stewardship, to know when to consult infectious disease specialists for guidance, and to be able to identify situations when antimicrobial therapy is not needed. By following these general principles, all practicing physicians should be able to use antimicrobial agents in a responsible manner that benefits both the individual patient and the community.

[Ethical considerations in genomic cohort study].

PubMed

Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Ock-Joo

2007-03-01

During the last decade, genomic cohort study has been developed in many countries by linking health data and genetic data in stored samples. Genomic cohort study is expected to find key genetic components that contribute to common diseases, thereby promising great advance in genome medicine. While many countries endeavor to build biobank systems, biobank-based genome research has raised important ethical concerns including genetic privacy, confidentiality, discrimination, and informed consent. Informed consent for biobank poses an important question: whether true informed consent is possible in population-based genomic cohort research where the nature of future studies is unforeseeable when consent is obtained. Due to the sensitive character of genetic information, protecting privacy and keeping confidentiality become important topics. To minimize ethical problems and achieve scientific goals to its maximum degree, each country strives to build population-based genomic cohort research project, by organizing public consultation, trying public and expert consensus in research, and providing safeguards to protect privacy and confidentiality.

General Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy

PubMed Central

Leekha, Surbhi; Terrell, Christine L.; Edson, Randall S.

2011-01-01

Antimicrobial agents are some of the most widely, and often injudiciously, used therapeutic drugs worldwide. Important considerations when prescribing antimicrobial therapy include obtaining an accurate diagnosis of infection; understanding the difference between empiric and definitive therapy; identifying opportunities to switch to narrow-spectrum, cost-effective oral agents for the shortest duration necessary; understanding drug characteristics that are peculiar to antimicrobial agents (such as pharmacodynamics and efficacy at the site of infection); accounting for host characteristics that influence antimicrobial activity; and in turn, recognizing the adverse effects of antimicrobial agents on the host. It is also important to understand the importance of antimicrobial stewardship, to know when to consult infectious disease specialists for guidance, and to be able to identify situations when antimicrobial therapy is not needed. By following these general principles, all practicing physicians should be able to use antimicrobial agents in a responsible manner that benefits both the individual patient and the community. PMID:21282489

Including safety-net providers in integrated delivery systems: issues and options for policymakers.

PubMed

Witgert, Katherine; Hess, Catherine

2012-08-01

Health care reform legislation has spurred efforts to develop integrated health care delivery systems that seek to coordinate the continuum of health services. These systems may be of particular benefit to patients who face barriers to accessing care or have multiple health conditions. But it remains to be seen how safety-net providers, including community health centers and public hospitals--which have long experience in caring for these vulnerable populations--will be included in integrated delivery systems. This issue brief explores key considerations for incorporating safety-net providers into integrated delivery systems and discusses the roles of state and federal agencies in sup­porting and testing models of integrated care delivery. The authors conclude that the most important principles in creating integrated delivery systems for vulnerable populations are: (1) an emphasis on primary care; (2) coordination of all care, including behavioral, social, and public health services; and (3) accountability for population health outcomes.

Design and Management of an IMC Micro Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunson, Stanley N.

1988-01-01

Outlines design and management factors to be considered when developing a microcomputer lab for an instructional media center (IMC). Highlights include environmental considerations, including spatial arrangements, furniture, power requirements, temperature control, and lighting; software and hardware acquisition; and administrative considerations,…

Trends in Streamflow Characteristics in Hawaii, 1913-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oki, Delwyn S.

2004-01-01

The surface-water resources of Hawaii have significant cultural, aesthetic, ecologic, and economic importance. In Hawaii, surface-water resources are developed for both offstream uses (for example, drinking water, agriculture, and industrial uses) and instream uses (for example, maintenance of habitat and ecosystems, recreational activities, aesthetic values, maintenance of water quality, conveyance of irrigation and domestic water supplies, and protection of traditional and customary Hawaiian rights). Possible long-term trends in streamflow characteristics have important implications for water users, water suppliers, resource managers, and citizens in the State. Proper management of Hawaii's streams requires an understanding of long-term trends in streamflow characteristics and their potential implications. Effects of long-term downward trends in low flows in streams include potential loss of habitat for native stream fauna and reduced water availability for offstream and instream water uses. Effects of long-term upward trends in high flows in streams include construction of bridges and water-conveyance structures that are potentially unsafe if they are not designed with proper consideration of trends in high flows.

The Report of the 2016-2017 Advocacy Standing Committee

PubMed Central

Jordan, Ronald P.; Bratberg, Jeffrey; Congdon, Heather B.; Cross, L. Brian; Hill, Lucas G.; Marrs, Joel C.; McBane, Sarah; Lang, William G.; Ekoma, Jeffrey O.

2017-01-01

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Based on the growing importance of community engagement and the recognition of its importance by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the committee offers several examples of community engagement activities for consideration and replication by our academy and beyond. These activities, including those of winning institutions of the Lawrence J. Weaver Transformational Community Engagement Award, can be mapped to the core components of community engagement presented in Table 1. The committee, using an implementation readiness framework, provides the reader with insight into the challenges that may impact successful community engagement and encourages our academy to continue its work to support faculty capacity in this area. Toward that end, the committee offers a policy statement that encourages schools and colleges of pharmacy to have an office or designate a faculty member whose focus is specifically on community engagement. The committee also offers a recommendation that the core components be included in the criteria for the Weaver Award. PMID:29200458

The transesophageal echocardiography simulator based on computed tomography images.

PubMed

Piórkowski, Adam; Kempny, Aleksander

2013-02-01

Simulators are a new tool in education in many fields, including medicine, where they greatly improve familiarity with medical procedures, reduce costs, and, importantly, cause no harm to patients. This is so in the case of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), in which the use of a simulator facilitates spatial orientation and helps in case studies. The aim of the project described in this paper is to simulate an examination by TEE. This research makes use of available computed tomography data to simulate the corresponding echocardiographic view. This paper describes the essential characteristics that distinguish these two modalities and the key principles of the wave phenomena that should be considered in the simulation process, taking into account the conditions specific to the echocardiography. The construction of the CT2TEE (Web-based TEE simulator) is also presented. The considerations include ray-tracing and ray-casting techniques in the context of ultrasound beam and artifact simulation. An important aspect of the interaction with the user is raised.

Modeling our understanding of the His-Purkinje system.

PubMed

Vigmond, Edward J; Stuyvers, Bruno D

2016-01-01

The His-Purkinje System (HPS) is responsible for the rapid electric conduction in the ventricles. It relays electrical impulses from the atrioventricular node to the muscle cells and, thus, coordinates the contraction of ventricles in order to ensure proper cardiac pump function. The HPS has been implicated in the genesis of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation as a source of ectopic beats, as well as forming distinct portions of reentry circuitry. Despite its importance, it remains much less well characterized, structurally and functionally, than the myocardium. Notably, important differences exist with regard to cell structure and electrophysiology, including ion channels, intracellular calcium handling, and gap junctions. Very few computational models address the HPS, and the majority of organ level modeling studies omit it. This review will provide an overview of our current knowledge of structure and function (including electrophysiology) of the HPS. We will review the most recent advances in modeling of the system from the single cell to the organ level, with considerations for relevant interspecies distinctions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid molecular assays for detection of tuberculosis.

PubMed

Eddabra, Rkia; Ait Benhassou, Hassan

2018-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that remains an important public health problem at the global level. It is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality, due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant Mycobacterium strains and HIV co-infection. Over the past decade, important progress has been made for better control of the disease. While microscopy and culture continue to be indispensible for laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis, the range of several molecular diagnostic tests, including the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), have expanded tremendously. They are becoming more accessible not only for detection and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in clinical specimens, but now extend to diagnosing multi-drug resistant strains. Molecular diagnostic tests provide timely results useful for high-quality patient care, low contamination risk, and ease of performance and speed. This review focuses on the current diagnostic tests in use, including emerging technologies used for detection of tuberculosis in clinical specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of these tests have also been taken into consideration.

Dietary sodium in chronic kidney disease: a comprehensive approach.

PubMed

Wright, Julie A; Cavanaugh, Kerri L

2010-01-01

Despite existing guidelines, dietary sodium intake among people worldwide often exceeds recommended limits. Research evidence is growing in both animal and human studies showing indirect and direct adverse consequences of high dietary sodium on the kidney. In patients with kidney disease, dietary sodium may have important effects on proteinuria, efficacy of antiproteinuric pharmacologic therapy, hypertension control, maintaining an optimal volume status, and immunosuppressant therapy. Dietary sodium intake is an important consideration in patients with all stages of chronic kidney disease, including those receiving dialysis therapy or those who have received a kidney transplant. We review in detail the dietary sodium recommendations suggested by various organizations for patients with kidney disease. Potential barriers to successfully translating current sodium intake guidelines into practice include poor knowledge about the sodium content of food among both patients and providers, complex labeling information, patient preferences related to taste, and limited support for modifications in public policy. Finally, we offer existing and potential solutions that may assist providers in educating and empowering patients to effectively manage their dietary sodium intake.

Probe interface design consideration. [for interplanetary spacecraft missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casani, E. K.

1974-01-01

Interface design between a probe and a spacecraft requires not only technical considerations but also management planning and mission analysis interactions. Two further aspects of importance are the flyby versus the probe trade-off, and the relay link design and data handling optimization.

Advanced imaging of the macrostructure and microstructure of bone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Genant, H. K.; Gordon, C.; Jiang, Y.; Link, T. M.; Hans, D.; Majumdar, S.; Lang, T. F.

2000-01-01

Noninvasive and/or nondestructive techniques are capable of providing more macro- or microstructural information about bone than standard bone densitometry. Although the latter provides important information about osteoporotic fracture risk, numerous studies indicate that bone strength is only partially explained by bone mineral density. Quantitative assessment of macro- and microstructural features may improve our ability to estimate bone strength. The methods available for quantitatively assessing macrostructure include (besides conventional radiographs) quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and volumetric quantitative computed tomography (vQCT). Methods for assessing microstructure of trabecular bone noninvasively and/or nondestructively include high-resolution computed tomography (hrCT), micro-computed tomography (muCT), high-resolution magnetic resonance (hrMR), and micromagnetic resonance (muMR). vQCT, hrCT and hrMR are generally applicable in vivo; muCT and muMR are principally applicable in vitro. Although considerable progress has been made in the noninvasive and/or nondestructive imaging of the macro- and microstructure of bone, considerable challenges and dilemmas remain. From a technical perspective, the balance between spatial resolution versus sampling size, or between signal-to-noise versus radiation dose or acquisition time, needs further consideration, as do the trade-offs between the complexity and expense of equipment and the availability and accessibility of the methods. The relative merits of in vitro imaging and its ultrahigh resolution but invasiveness versus those of in vivo imaging and its modest resolution but noninvasiveness also deserve careful attention. From a clinical perspective, the challenges for bone imaging include balancing the relative advantages of simple bone densitometry against the more complex architectural features of bone or, similarly, the deeper research requirements against the broader clinical needs. The considerable potential biological differences between the peripheral appendicular skeleton and the central axial skeleton have to be addressed further. Finally, the relative merits of these sophisticated imaging techniques have to be weighed with respect to their applications as diagnostic procedures requiring high accuracy or reliability on one hand and their monitoring applications requiring high precision or reproducibility on the other. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Basics of compounding sterile preparations: nomenclature and considerations.

PubMed

Allen, Loyd V

2014-01-01

This article focuses on sterile dosage forms and serves as a review for those trained in compounding sterile preparations, as well as to educate those that have not received any formal training on the topics of nomenclature and composition. The use of proper terminology is important for proper/accurate communications among healthcare practitioners. Proper terminology also has potential legal/liability implications. In addition to terminology considerations, it is important to be aware of the different routes of administration of sterile formulations and their different compositions and uses.

Turn over folders: a proven tool in succession management planning.

PubMed

Engells, Thomas E

2011-01-01

The dual challenges of succession management and succession management planning are considerable. A tool, the Turn over Folder, was introduced and described in detail as a useful first step in succession management planning. The adoption of that tool will not in itself produce a succession management plan, but it will orientate the organization and its members to the reality of succession management in all important leadership and critical positions. Succession management is an important consideration in all progressive organizations and well worth the effort.

Understanding the Lomb–Scargle Periodogram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanderPlas, Jacob T.

2018-05-01

The Lomb–Scargle periodogram is a well-known algorithm for detecting and characterizing periodic signals in unevenly sampled data. This paper presents a conceptual introduction to the Lomb–Scargle periodogram and important practical considerations for its use. Rather than a rigorous mathematical treatment, the goal of this paper is to build intuition about what assumptions are implicit in the use of the Lomb–Scargle periodogram and related estimators of periodicity, so as to motivate important practical considerations required in its proper application and interpretation.

Conjunctival malignant melanoma: A rare variant and review of important diagnostic and therapeutic considerations

PubMed Central

Albreiki, Danah H.; Gilberg, Steven M.; Farmer, James P.

2012-01-01

Malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva is a relatively infrequent neoplasm that can be associated with significant morbidity and cause diagnostic difficulty to both the ophthalmologist and pathologist. We herein describe the first reported case in North American and European databases of a rare variant-signet ring cell melanoma – arising in the background of primary acquired melanosis (PAM) and use this case as a review of important diagnostic and therapeutic considerations when faced with this condition. PMID:23960986

A guide to the contained use of plant virus infectious clones.

PubMed

Brewer, Helen C; Hird, Diane L; Bailey, Andy M; Seal, Susan E; Foster, Gary D

2018-04-01

Plant virus infectious clones are important tools with wide-ranging applications in different areas of biology and medicine. Their uses in plant pathology include the study of plant-virus interactions, and screening of germplasm as part of prebreeding programmes for virus resistance. They can also be modified to induce transient plant gene silencing (Virus Induced Gene Silencing - VIGS) and as expression vectors for plant or exogenous proteins, with applications in both plant pathology and more generally for the study of plant gene function. Plant viruses are also increasingly being investigated as expression vectors for in planta production of pharmaceutical products, known as molecular farming. However, plant virus infectious clones may pose a risk to the environment due to their ability to reconstitute fully functional, transmissible viruses. These risks arise from both their inherent pathogenicity and the effect of any introduced genetic modifications. Effective containment measures are therefore required. There has been no single comprehensive review of the biosafety considerations for the contained use of genetically modified plant viruses, despite their increasing importance across many biological fields. This review therefore explores the biosafety considerations for working with genetically modified plant viruses in contained environments, with focus on plant growth facilities. It includes regulatory frameworks, risk assessment, assignment of biosafety levels, facility features and working practices. The review is based on international guidance together with information provided by plant virus researchers. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Update on rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction

PubMed Central

Nyland, John; Brand, Emily; Fisher, Brent

2010-01-01

As anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has evolved to less invasive, more anatomical approaches, rehabilitation of the injured athlete has likewise become more progressive and innovative, with a sound understanding of graft and fixation strength and biologic healing-remodeling constraints. This review discusses these innovations including specific considerations before surgery, when planning rehabilitation timetables, and the importance of reestablishing nonimpaired active and passive knee range of motion and biarticular musculotendinous extensibility in positions of function. Concepts of self-efficacy or confidence and reestablishing the “athlete role” are also addressed. Since ACL injury and reinjury are largely related to the influence of structure-form-function on dynamic knee joint stability, the interrelationships between sensorimotor, neuromuscular, and conventional resistance training are also discussed. Although pivot shift “giving way” relates to function loss following ACL injury, anterior translational laxity often does not. Although there is growing evidence that progressive eccentric training may benefit the patient following ACL reconstruction, there is less evidence supporting the use of functional ACL knee braces. Of considerable importance is selecting and achieving a criteria-based progression to sports-specific training, reestablishing osseous homeostasis and improved bone density, blending open and closed kinetic chain exercises at the appropriate time period, and appreciating the influence of the trunk, upper extremities, and sports equipment use on knee loads. We believe that knee dysfunction and functional recovery should be considered from a local, regional, and global perspective. These concepts are consolidated into our approach to prepare patients for return to play including field testing and maintenance training. PMID:24198553

Radio frequency coil technology for small-animal MRI.

PubMed

Doty, F David; Entzminger, George; Kulkarni, Jatin; Pamarthy, Kranti; Staab, John P

2007-05-01

A review of the theory, technology, and use of radio frequency (RF) coils for small-animal MRI is presented. It includes a brief overview of MR signal-to-noise (S/N) analysis and discussions of the various coils commonly used in small-animal MR: surface coils, linear volume coils, birdcages, and their derivatives. The scope is limited to mid-range coils, i.e. coils where the product (fd) of the frequency f and the coil diameter d is in the range 2-30 MHz-m. Common applications include mouse brain and body coils from 125 to 750 MHz, rat body coils up to 500 MHz, and small surface coils at all fields. In this regime, all the sources of loss (coil, capacitor, sample, shield, and transmission lines) are important. All such losses may be accurately captured in some modern full-wave 3D electromagnetics software, and new simulation results are presented for a selection of surface coils using Microwave Studio 2006 by Computer Simulation Technology, showing the dramatic importance of the "lift-off effect". Standard linear circuit simulators have been shown to be useful in optimization of complex coil tuning and matching circuits. There appears to be considerable potential for trading S/N for speed using phased arrays, especially for a larger field of view. Circuit simulators are shown to be useful for optimal mismatching of ultra-low-noise preamps based on the enhancement-mode pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor for optimal coil decoupling in phased arrays. Cryogenically cooled RF coils are shown to offer considerable opportunity for future gains in S/N in smaller samples.

Quality versus quantity: The complexities of quality of life determinations for neonatal nurses.

PubMed

Green, Janet; Darbyshire, Philip; Adams, Anne; Jackson, Debra

2017-11-01

The ability to save the life of an extremely premature baby has increased substantially over the last decade. This survival, however, can be associated with unfavourable outcomes for both baby and family. Questions are now being asked about quality of life for survivors of extreme prematurity. Quality of life is rightly deemed to be an important consideration in high technology neonatal care; yet, it is notoriously difficult to determine or predict. How does one define and operationalise what is considered to be in the best interest of a surviving extremely premature baby, especially when the full extent of the outcomes might not be known for several years? The research investigates the caregiving dilemmas often faced by neonatal nurses when caring for extremely premature babies. This article explores the issues arising for neonatal nurses when they considered the philosophical and ethical questions about quality of life in babies ≤24 weeks gestation. Data were collected via a questionnaire to Australian neonatal nurses and semi-structured interviews with 24 neonatal nurses in New South Wales, Australia. Ethical considerations: Ethical processes and procedures have been adhered to by the researchers. A qualitative approach was used to analyse the data. The theme 'difficult choices' was generated which comprised three sub-themes: 'damaged through survival', 'the importance of the brain' and 'families are important'. The results show that neonatal nurses believed that quality of life was an important consideration; yet they experienced significant inner conflict and uncertainty when asked to define or suggest specific elements of quality of life, or to suggest how it might be determined. It was even more difficult for the nurses to say when an extremely premature baby's life possessed quality. Their previous clinical and personal experiences led the nurses to believe that the quality of the family's life was important, and possibly more so than the quality of life of the surviving baby. This finding contrasts markedly with much of the existing literature in this field. Quality of life for extremely premature babies was an important consideration for neonatal nurses; however, they experienced difficulty deciding how to operationalise such considerations in their everyday clinical practice.

A method of determining where to target surveillance efforts in heterogeneous epidemiological systems

PubMed Central

van den Bosch, Frank; Gottwald, Timothy R.; Alonso Chavez, Vasthi

2017-01-01

The spread of pathogens into new environments poses a considerable threat to human, animal, and plant health, and by extension, human and animal wellbeing, ecosystem function, and agricultural productivity, worldwide. Early detection through effective surveillance is a key strategy to reduce the risk of their establishment. Whilst it is well established that statistical and economic considerations are of vital importance when planning surveillance efforts, it is also important to consider epidemiological characteristics of the pathogen in question—including heterogeneities within the epidemiological system itself. One of the most pronounced realisations of this heterogeneity is seen in the case of vector-borne pathogens, which spread between ‘hosts’ and ‘vectors’—with each group possessing distinct epidemiological characteristics. As a result, an important question when planning surveillance for emerging vector-borne pathogens is where to place sampling resources in order to detect the pathogen as early as possible. We answer this question by developing a statistical function which describes the probability distributions of the prevalences of infection at first detection in both hosts and vectors. We also show how this method can be adapted in order to maximise the probability of early detection of an emerging pathogen within imposed sample size and/or cost constraints, and demonstrate its application using two simple models of vector-borne citrus pathogens. Under the assumption of a linear cost function, we find that sampling costs are generally minimised when either hosts or vectors, but not both, are sampled. PMID:28846676

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

PubMed

Golaszewski, T

2001-01-01

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

Methods for comparing drug policies--the utility of composite drug harm indexes.

PubMed

Ritter, Alison

2009-11-01

One of the challenges for drug policy research is being able to compare policy options and outcomes. The development of indexes, such as the UK Drug Harm Index or the UNODC Illicit Drug Index is a way to systematically enable such comparisons. An Index is a single common metric that represents the diverse outcomes or consequences of drug use. An Index may be used for performance monitoring within one country/region over time; to establish societal benefit of drug policies as expressed in social costs saved; to compare countries or regions; or for comparative policy analysis. Clarity of purpose is important in how an Index is used. The consequences or outcomes that can be combined into a single Index include health consequences, crime consequences, public amenity, pain and suffering, labour market outcomes, and drug manufacture and trafficking activity. The choice of outcomes for inclusion is driven by the purpose but also often by practical considerations, such as data availability. The weighting of the consequences is an important consideration in translating the outcomes into a common metric. A monetary unit has a number of advantages: it is a unit that can be measured across diverse impacts; it gives implicit "weighting" of harms; and it is intuitive for policy makers and community. On the other hand, it represents an economic perspective. No one Index will be regarded as suitable and appropriate by every stakeholder and ongoing research effort on Indexes is an important foundational research activity to advance illicit drug policy.

The Impact of Genomics on Public Health Practice: The Case for Change

PubMed Central

Zimmern, R.L.; Khoury, M.J.

2017-01-01

Public health practice will not be able in the 21st century to ignore the impact of genomics, cell and molecular biology. It will need to take into consideration issues that include, among others: the complementary nature of social and biological models of disease, genetic exceptionalism, the readiness of public and patient to respond to genomic information, the relationship between individuals and populations, and concepts of population stratification. Health systems will need to adapt their practice and organisation to include new sequencing technologies, bioinformatic expertise and proper evaluation of genetic and molecular tests. Links with the commercial sector will increase in importance. The impact on developing countries cannot be ignored and will require special attention. PMID:22488453

On the correlation of plume centerline velocity decay of turbulent acoustically excited jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Glahn, Uwe H.

1987-01-01

Acoustic excitation has been shown to alter the velocity decay and spreading characteristics of jet plumes by modifying the large-scale structures in the plume shear layer. The present work consists of reviewing and analyzing available published and unpublished experimental data in order to determine the importance and magnitude of the several variables that contribute to plume modification by acoustic excitation. Included in the study were consideration of the effects of internal or external acoustic excitation, excitation Strouhal number, acoustic excitation level, nozzle size and flow conditions. The last include jet Mach number and jet temperature. The effects of these factors on the plume centerline velocity decay are then summarized in an overall empirical correlation.

Clinical Pharmacology in Sleep Medicine

PubMed Central

Proctor, Ashley; Bianchi, Matt T.

2012-01-01

The basic treatment goals of pharmacological therapies in sleep medicine are to improve waking function by either improving sleep or by increasing energy during wakefulness. Stimulants to improve waking function include amphetamine derivatives, modafinil, and caffeine. Sleep aids encompass several classes, from benzodiazepine hypnotics to over-the-counter antihistamines. Other medications used in sleep medicine include those initially used in other disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and psychiatric disorders. As these medications are prescribed or encountered by providers in diverse fields of medicine, it is important to recognize the distribution of adverse effects, drug interaction profiles, metabolism, and cytochrome substrate activity. In this paper, we review the pharmacological armamentarium in the field of sleep medicine to provide a framework for risk-benefit considerations in clinical practice. PMID:23213564

Pharmacogenetics of novel oral anticoagulants: a review of identified gene variants & future perspectives.

PubMed

Ašić, Adna; Marjanović, Damir; Mirat, Jure; Primorac, Dragan

2018-05-16

Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are becoming a therapy of choice in everyday clinical practice after almost 50 years during which warfarin and related coumarin derivatives were used as the main anticoagulants. Advantages of NOACs over standard anticoagulants include their predictable pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, stable plasma concentrations and less drug-drug and food-drug interactions. However, pharmacogenetics has its place in administration of NOACs, as considerable interindividual variations have been detected. In this review, previous findings in pharmacogenetics of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban are summarized, along with recommendations for studying genes encoding metabolically important enzymes for four selected NOACs. Future directions include identification of clinically relevant SNPs, and change in optimum dosage for patients who are carriers of significant variants.

Ecologic Momentary Assessment: Perspectives on Applications and Opportunities in Research and Practice Regarding Nutrition Behaviors.

PubMed

Hand, Rosa K; Perzynski, Adam T

2016-09-01

Retrospective self-reported data have limitations, making it important to evaluate alternative forms of measurement for nutrition behaviors. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) attempts to overcome the challenges of recalled data with real-time data collection in a subject's natural environment, often leveraging technology. This perspective piece 1) introduces the concepts and terminology of EMA, 2) provides an overview of the methodological and analytical considerations, 3) gives examples of past research using EMA, and 4) suggests new opportunities (including combining assessment and intervention) and limitations (including the need for technology) for the application of EMA to research and practice regarding nutrition behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Embedding clinical interventions into observational studies.

PubMed

Newman, Anne B; Avilés-Santa, M Larissa; Anderson, Garnet; Heiss, Gerardo; Howard, Wm James; Krucoff, Mitchell; Kuller, Lewis H; Lewis, Cora E; Robinson, Jennifer G; Taylor, Herman; Treviño, Roberto P; Weintraub, William

2016-01-01

Novel approaches to observational studies and clinical trials could improve the cost-effectiveness and speed of translation of research. Hybrid designs that combine elements of clinical trials with observational registries or cohort studies should be considered as part of a long-term strategy to transform clinical trials and epidemiology, adapting to the opportunities of big data and the challenges of constrained budgets. Important considerations include study aims, timing, breadth and depth of the existing infrastructure that can be leveraged, participant burden, likely participation rate and available sample size in the cohort, required sample size for the trial, and investigator expertise. Community engagement and stakeholder (including study participants) support are essential for these efforts to succeed. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Behavioral addictions in addiction medicine: from mechanisms to practical considerations.

PubMed

Banz, Barbara C; Yip, Sarah W; Yau, Yvonne H C; Potenza, Marc N

2016-01-01

Recent progress has been made in our understanding of nonsubstance or "behavioral" addictions, although these conditions and their most appropriate classification remain debated and the knowledge basis for understanding the pathophysiology of and treatments for these conditions includes important gaps. Recent developments include the classification of gambling disorder as a "Substance-Related and Addictive Disorder" in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and proposed diagnostic criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder in Section 3 of DSM-5. This chapter reviews current neuroscientific understandings of behavioral addictions and the potential of neurobiological data to assist in the development of improved policy, prevention, and treatment efforts. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening tests: a review with examples

PubMed Central

Niebo, Ron; Utell, Mark J.

2014-01-01

Screening tests are widely used in medicine to assess the likelihood that members of a defined population have a particular disease. This article presents an overview of such tests including the definitions of key technical (sensitivity and specificity) and population characteristics necessary to assess the benefits and limitations of such tests. Several examples are used to illustrate calculations, including the characteristics of low dose computed tomography as a lung cancer screen, choice of an optimal PSA cutoff and selection of the population to undergo mammography. The importance of careful consideration of the consequences of both false positives and negatives is highlighted. Receiver operating characteristic curves are explained as is the need to carefully select the population group to be tested. PMID:25264934

Review of the Latest Percutaneous Devices in Critical Limb Ischemia.

PubMed

Haghighat, Leila; Altin, Sophia Elissa; Attaran, Robert R; Mena-Hurtado, Carlos; Regan, Christopher J

2018-04-14

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a terminal stage of peripheral arterial disease that, in the absence of intervention, may lead to lower extremity amputation or death. Endovascular interventions have become a first-line approach to the management of CLI and have advanced considerably within the past decade. This review summarizes the types of percutaneous devices and the techniques that are available for the management of CLI and the data supporting their use. These include devices that establish and maintain vessel patency, including percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, drug-coated balloons, bare metal stents, drug-eluting stents, bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, and atherectomy; devices that provide protection from embolization; and, cell-based therapies. Additionally, ongoing trials with important implications for the field are discussed.

Optimizing identification and management of COPD patients – reviewing the role of the community pharmacist

PubMed Central

van Boven, Job F. M.; Maguire, Terence; Goyal, Pankaj; Altman, Pablo

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper was to propose key steps for community pharmacist integration into a patient care pathway for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. A literature search was conducted to identify publications focusing on the role of the community pharmacist in identification and management of COPD. The literature search highlighted evidence supporting an important role for pharmacists at each of the four key steps in the patient care pathway for COPD management. Step 1 (primary prevention): pharmacists are ideally placed to provide information on disease awareness and risk prevention campaigns, and to encourage lifestyle interventions, including smoking cessation. Step 2 (early detection/case finding): pharmacists are often the first point of contact between the patient and the healthcare system and can therefore play an important role in the early identification of patients with COPD. Step 3 (management and ongoing support): pharmacists can assist patients by providing advice and education on dosage, inhaler technique, treatment expectations and the importance of adherence, and by supporting self‐management, including recognition and treatment of COPD exacerbations. Step 4 (review and follow‐up): pharmacists can play an important role in monitoring adherence and ongoing inhaler technique in patients with COPD. In summary, pharmacists are ideally positioned to play a vital role in all key stages of an integrated COPD patient care pathway from early disease detection to the support of management plans, including advice and counselling regarding medications, inhaler technique and treatment adherence. Areas requiring additional consideration include pharmacist training, increasing awareness of the pharmacist role, administration and reimbursement, and increasing physician–pharmacist collaboration. PMID:27510273

Seagrass Parameter Affect the Fish Assemblages in Karimunjawa Archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Susilo, Endang; Nugroho Sugianto, Denny; Munasik; Nirwani; Adhi Suryono, Chrisna

2018-02-01

Seagrass beds promote high species diversity, abundance and biomass, and become important habitats for some economically important fishes. Plants of seagrasses result in structurally highly complex habitats and offering feeding grounds, shelter from predation as well as nursery areas for diverse fish assemblages. However, research on fish communities in Southeast Asian seagrass bed is rarely conducted. In the present study fish assemblages in seagrass beds with different parameters (cover, diversity and similarity indices, domination) was investigated in the Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia. The purpose of this study were to assess whether fish assemblages differ concerning on the abundance and the species number. This study was conducted on the seagrass bed on Karimunjawa Islands in Java Sea, particularly in the water of Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil Island. Line-quadrant transect was used to assess seagrass data, while the occurrence and individual number of fish harboured in the selected seagrass bed was counted by using underwater visual census in the stationary point count transects. Seagrass cover in Menjangan Kecil Island (41%) with various canopy included both upper and lower canopy was considerable higher than those in Menjangan Besar Island (5%). Fish diversity, species composition and abundance are considerably different between the two study sites. This study revealed that seagrass density or cover and canopy structure affected the fish abundance and species number harboured.

Recommendations for ethical approaches to genotype-driven research recruitment

PubMed Central

Beskow, Laura M.; Fullerton, Stephanie M.; Namey, Emily E.; Nelson, Daniel K.; Davis, Arlene M.; Wilfond, Benjamin S.

2013-01-01

Recruiting research participants based on genetic information generated about them in a prior study is a potentially powerful way to study the functional significance of human genetic variation. However, it also presents significant ethical challenges that, to date, have received only minimal consideration. We convened a multi-disciplinary workshop to discuss key issues relevant to the conduct and oversight of genotype-driven recruitment and to translate those considerations into practical policy recommendations. Workshop participants were invited from around the U.S., and included genomic researchers and study coordinators, research participants, clinicians, bioethics scholars, experts in human research protections, and government representatives. Discussion was directed by experienced facilitators and informed by empirical data collected in a national survey of IRB chairs and in-depth interviews with research participants in studies where genotype-driven recontact occurred. A high degree of consensus was attained on the resulting 7 recommendations, which cover informed consent disclosures and choices, the process for how and by whom participants are recontacted, the disclosure of individual genetic research results, and the importance of tailoring approaches based on specific contextual factors. These recommendations are intended to represent a balanced approach—protecting research participants, yet avoiding overly restrictive policies that hinder advancement on important scientific questions. PMID:22622788

Patient Comprehension and Attitudes toward Maintenance Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Gerber, David E.; Hamann, Heidi A.; Rasco, Drew W.; Woodruff, Sharon; Craddock Lee, Simon J.

2012-01-01

Objective Maintenance chemotherapy is a recently approved approach to the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We sought to gain insight into patients’ perceptions of maintenance chemotherapy using qualitative methods. Methods We conducted thematic content analysis of focus groups at a freestanding cancer center and at an associated safety-net county hospital. Patients with advanced NSCLC who had started but not yet completed first-line platinum doublet chemotherapy were provided visual and written explanations of maintenance chemotherapy before being guided in group discussion. Results Key themes to emerge for consideration of maintenance chemotherapy included (1) survival benefits, disease control, and “buying time”; (2) the importance of “doing something”; (3) quality of life concerns; (4) the role of provider opinion/preference; and (5) the importance of logistics. Conclusions Patients undergoing first-line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC were able to understand the concept of maintenance chemotherapy, distinguish it from traditional treatment paradigms, identify pros and cons of this approach, and convey reasons for considering it. Practice Implications Advances in oncology care that alter therapy modalities and delivery may significantly impact patient perceptions and treatment experiences. Clinical team members may wish to elicit treatment preferences of first-line patients through clinical discussions that anticipate these considerations. PMID:22632736

Virtual Acoustics: Evaluation of Psychoacoustic Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Current virtual acoustic displays for teleconferencing and virtual reality are usually limited to very simple or non-existent renderings of reverberation, a fundamental part of the acoustic environmental context that is encountered in day-to-day hearing. Several research efforts have produced results that suggest that environmental cues dramatically improve perceptual performance within virtual acoustic displays, and that is possible to manipulate signal processing parameters to effectively reproduce important aspects of virtual acoustic perception in real-time. However, the computational resources for rendering reverberation remain formidable. Our efforts at NASA Ames have been focused using a several perceptual threshold metrics, to determine how various "trade-offs" might be made in real-time acoustic rendering. This includes both original work and confirmation of existing data that was obtained in real rather than virtual environments. The talk will consider the importance of using individualized versus generalized pinnae cues (the "Head-Related Transfer Function"); the use of head movement cues; threshold data for early reflections and late reverberation; and consideration of the necessary accuracy for measuring and rendering octave-band absorption characteristics of various wall surfaces. In addition, a consideration of the analysis-synthesis of the reverberation within "everyday spaces" (offices, conference rooms) will be contrasted to the commonly used paradigm of concert hall spaces.

Impact of Recent Hardware and Software Trends on High Performance Transaction Processing and Analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, C.

In this paper, I survey briefly some of the recent and emerging trends in hardware and software features which impact high performance transaction processing and data analytics applications. These features include multicore processor chips, ultra large main memories, flash storage, storage class memories, database appliances, field programmable gate arrays, transactional memory, key-value stores, and cloud computing. While some applications, e.g., Web 2.0 ones, were initially built without traditional transaction processing functionality in mind, slowly system architects and designers are beginning to address such previously ignored issues. The availability, analytics and response time requirements of these applications were initially given more importance than ACID transaction semantics and resource consumption characteristics. A project at IBM Almaden is studying the implications of phase change memory on transaction processing, in the context of a key-value store. Bitemporal data management has also become an important requirement, especially for financial applications. Power consumption and heat dissipation properties are also major considerations in the emergence of modern software and hardware architectural features. Considerations relating to ease of configuration, installation, maintenance and monitoring, and improvement of total cost of ownership have resulted in database appliances becoming very popular. The MapReduce paradigm is now quite popular for large scale data analysis, in spite of the major inefficiencies associated with it.

NPY family genes respond negatively to alternative feedstuffs in channel catfish diets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Of considerable importance in fish nutrition is the development of aquafeeds using alternative dietary ingredients which will allow aquaculture to grow globally, without putting excessive pressure on natural fisheries or adding considerable cost to production, while also addressing and maintaining t...

Early Retirement from Colleges and Universities: Considerations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Larry E.

1980-01-01

Important considerations for institutions wanting to establish supplementary early retirement benefits to encourage the practice are outlined. Regulations concerning pension plans, tax-sheltered annuities, and deferred compensation are reviewed. Individually negotiated early retirement supplements are not recommended. (MSE)

Optimization of agricultural field workability predictions for improved risk management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Risks introduced by weather variability are key considerations in agricultural production. The sensitivity of agriculture to weather variability is of special concern in the face of climate change. In particular, the availability of workable days is an important consideration in agricultural practic...

Pharmacoeconomic evaluations of pharmacogenetic and genomic screening programmes: a systematic review on content and adherence to guidelines.

PubMed

Vegter, Stefan; Boersma, Cornelis; Rozenbaum, Mark; Wilffert, Bob; Navis, Gerjan; Postma, Maarten J

2008-01-01

The fields of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics have become important practical tools to progress goals in medical and pharmaceutical research and development. As more screening tests are being developed, with some already used in clinical practice, consideration of cost-effectiveness implications is important. A systematic review was performed on the content of and adherence to pharmacoeconomic guidelines of recent pharmacoeconomic analyses performed in the field of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics. Economic analyses of screening strategies for genetic variations, which were evidence-based and assumed to be associated with drug efficacy or safety, were included in the review. The 20 papers included cover a variety of healthcare issues, including screening tests on several cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme genes, thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TMPT) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion deletion (ACE I/D) polymorphisms. Most economic analyses reported that genetic screening was cost effective and often even clearly dominated existing non-screening strategies. However, we found a lack of standardization regarding aspects such as the perspective of the analysis, factors included in the sensitivity analysis and the applied discount rates. In particular, an important limitation of several studies related to the failure to provide a sufficient evidence-based rationale for an association between genotype and phenotype. Future economic analyses should be conducted utilizing correct methods, with adherence to guidelines and including extensive sensitivity analyses. Most importantly, genetic screening strategies should be based on good evidence-based rationales. For these goals, we provide a list of recommendations for good pharmacoeconomic practice deemed useful in the fields of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, regardless of country and origin of the economic analysis.

Evidence-Based Design of Fixed-Dose Combinations: Principles and Application to Pediatric Anti-Tuberculosis Therapy.

PubMed

Svensson, Elin M; Yngman, Gunnar; Denti, Paolo; McIlleron, Helen; Kjellsson, Maria C; Karlsson, Mats O

2018-05-01

Fixed-dose combination formulations where several drugs are included in one tablet are important for the implementation of many long-term multidrug therapies. The selection of optimal dose ratios and tablet content of a fixed-dose combination and the design of individualized dosing regimens is a complex task, requiring multiple simultaneous considerations. In this work, a methodology for the rational design of a fixed-dose combination was developed and applied to the case of a three-drug pediatric anti-tuberculosis formulation individualized on body weight. The optimization methodology synthesizes information about the intended use population, the pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs, therapeutic targets, and practical constraints. A utility function is included to penalize deviations from the targets; a sequential estimation procedure was developed for stable estimation of break-points for individualized dosing. The suggested optimized pediatric anti-tuberculosis fixed-dose combination was compared with the recently launched World Health Organization-endorsed formulation. The optimized fixed-dose combination included 15, 36, and 16% higher amounts of rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide, respectively. The optimized fixed-dose combination is expected to result in overall less deviation from the therapeutic targets based on adult exposure and substantially fewer children with underexposure (below half the target). The development of this design tool can aid the implementation of evidence-based formulations, integrating available knowledge and practical considerations, to optimize drug exposures and thereby treatment outcomes.

Designing an HIV counseling and testing program for bathhouses: the Seattle experience with strategies to improve acceptability.

PubMed

Spielberg, Freya; Branson, Bernard M; Goldbaum, Gary M; Kurth, Ann; Wood, Robert W

2003-01-01

Bathhouses are important venues for providing HIV counseling and testing to high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM), yet relatively few bathhouses routinely provide this service, and few data are available to guide program design. We examine numerous logistic considerations that had been identified in the HIV Alternative Testing Strategies study and that influenced the initiation, effectiveness, and maintenance of HIV testing programs in bathhouses for MSM. Key programmatic considerations in the design of a bathhouse HIV counseling and testing program included building alliances with community agencies, hiring and training staff, developing techniques for offering testing, and providing options for counseling, testing, and disclosure of results. The design included ways to provide client support and follow-up for partner notification and treatment counseling and to maintain relationships with bathhouse management for support of prevention activities. Early detection of HIV infection and HIV prevention can be achieved for some high-risk MSM through an accessible and acceptable HIV counseling and testing program in bathhouses. Keys to success include establishing community prevention collaborations between bathhouse personnel and testing agencies, ensuring that testing staff are supported in their work, and offering anonymous rapid HIV testing. Use of FDA approved, new rapid tests that do not require venipuncture, centrifugation, or laboratory oversight will further decrease barriers to testing and facilitate implementation of bathhouse testing programs in other communities.

Methodological considerations in the design and implementation of clinical trials.

PubMed

Cirrincione, Constance T; Lavoie Smith, Ellen M; Pang, Herbert

2014-02-01

To review study design issues related to clinical trials led by oncology nurses, with special attention to those conducted within the cooperative group setting; to emphasize the importance of the statistician's role in the process of clinical trials. Studies available at clinicaltrials.gov using experimental designs that have been published in peer-reviewed journals; cooperative group trials are highlighted. The clinical trial is a primary means to test intervention efficacy. A properly designed and powered study with clear and measurable objectives is as important as the intervention itself. Collaboration among the study team, including the statistician, is central in developing and conducting appropriately designed studies. For optimal results, collaboration is an ongoing process that should begin early on. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A near miss: the importance of context in a public health informatics project in a New Zealand case study.

PubMed

Wells, Stewart; Bullen, Chris

2008-01-01

This article describes the near failure of an information technology (IT) system designed to support a government-funded, primary care-based hepatitis B screening program in New Zealand. Qualitative methods were used to collect data and construct an explanatory model. Multiple incorrect assumptions were made about participants, primary care workflows and IT capacity, software vendor user knowledge, and the health IT infrastructure. Political factors delayed system development and it was implemented untested, almost failing. An intensive rescue strategy included system modifications, relaxation of data validity rules, close engagement with software vendors, and provision of intensive on-site user support. This case study demonstrates that consideration of the social, political, technological, and health care contexts is important for successful implementation of public health informatics projects.

Presenting practice financial information.

PubMed

Webster, Lee Ann H

2007-01-01

Medical practice leadership teams, often consisting primarily of physicians with limited financial backgrounds, must make important business decisions and continuously monitor practice operations. In order to competently perform this duty, they need financial reports that are relevant and easy to understand. This article explores financial reporting and decision-making in a physician practice. It discusses reports and tools, such as ratios, graphs, and comparisons, that practices typically include in their reports. Because profitability and cash flow are often the most important financial considerations for physician practices, reports should generally focus on the impact of various activities and potential decisions upon these concerns. This article also provides communication tips for both those presenting practice financial information and those making the decisions. By communicating effectively, these leaders can best use financial information to improve decision-making and maximize financial performance.

Gathering and using information on a global scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, C. W.

1977-01-01

The importance of information gathered, integrated and analyzed over broad regions of the world is discussed. Means of acquiring information on critical areas are outlined, and the particular role that remote sensing can play is described in each case. The possible implementation of a global information system and some of the current difficulties in initiation of such a system on an operational basis are explored. In this way, issues will be surfaced for consideration. Topics include: the importance of innovative leadership, and some actions that the government might take, both in Congress and in the Executive Branch; the relationship of U.S. government activities to international interests and to industry; and the need to stimulate more private sector initiative and to transfer responsibilities from government to commercial interests.

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

PubMed Central

Binder, Elisabeth B.; Nemeroff, Charles B.

2011-01-01

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

Lord John, 2nd Baron Wrottesley and the Wrottesley Hall Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armitage, J.

2006-12-01

Lord John Wrottesley (1798-1867) was a man of considerable importance in the field of 19th century science, particularly during the first three decades of the Victorian era. He held a number of important offices during this time, including being President of the Royal Astronomical Society (1841 to 1843), of which he was a founder member in 1820; President of the Royal Society 1854 to 1857; and President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science for 1860. He was always to seek a good understanding between scientists and government, and also to promote the general public understanding of science. Although today the name of Lord John Wrottesley is largely forgotten, he created a legacy that remains with us to the present day.

Equity-Oriented Monitoring in the Context of Universal Health Coverage

PubMed Central

Hosseinpoor, Ahmad Reza; Bergen, Nicole; Koller, Theadora; Prasad, Amit; Schlotheuber, Anne; Valentine, Nicole; Lynch, John; Vega, Jeanette

2014-01-01

Monitoring inequalities in health is fundamental to the equitable and progressive realization of universal health coverage (UHC). A successful approach to global inequality monitoring must be intuitive enough for widespread adoption, yet maintain technical credibility. This article discusses methodological considerations for equity-oriented monitoring of UHC, and proposes recommendations for monitoring and target setting. Inequality is multidimensional, such that the extent of inequality may vary considerably across different dimensions such as economic status, education, sex, and urban/rural residence. Hence, global monitoring should include complementary dimensions of inequality (such as economic status and urban/rural residence) as well as sex. For a given dimension of inequality, subgroups for monitoring must be formulated taking into consideration applicability of the criteria across countries and subgroup heterogeneity. For economic-related inequality, we recommend forming subgroups as quintiles, and for urban/rural inequality we recommend a binary categorization. Inequality spans populations, thus appropriate approaches to monitoring should be based on comparisons between two subgroups (gap approach) or across multiple subgroups (whole spectrum approach). When measuring inequality absolute and relative measures should be reported together, along with disaggregated data; inequality should be reported alongside the national average. We recommend targets based on proportional reductions in absolute inequality across populations. Building capacity for health inequality monitoring is timely, relevant, and important. The development of high-quality health information systems, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting practices that are linked to review and evaluation cycles across health systems, will enable effective global and national health inequality monitoring. These actions will support equity-oriented progressive realization of UHC. PMID:25243463

Neonatal and Pediatric Organ Donation: Ethical Perspectives and Implications for Policy.

PubMed

Sarnaik, Ajit A

2015-01-01

The lifesaving processes of organ donation and transplantation in neonatology and pediatrics carry important ethical considerations. The medical community must balance the principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice to ensure the best interest of the potential donor and to provide equitable benefit to society. Accordingly, the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) has established procedures for the ethical allocation of organs depending on several donor-specific and recipient-specific factors. To maximize the availability of transplantable organs and opportunities for dying patients and families to donate, the US government has mandated that hospitals refer potential donors in a timely manner. Expedient investigation and diagnosis of brain death where applicable are also crucial, especially in neonates. Empowering trained individuals from organ procurement organizations to discuss organ donation with families has also increased rates of consent. Other efforts to increase organ supply include recovery from donors who die by circulatory criteria (DCDD) in addition to donation after brain death (DBD), and from neonates born with immediately lethal conditions such as anencephaly. Ethical considerations in DCDD compared to DBD include a potential conflict of interest between the dying patient and others who may benefit from the organs, and the precision of the declaration of death of the donor. Most clinicians and ethicists believe in the appropriateness of the Dead Donor Rule, which states that vital organs should only be recovered from people who have died. The medical community can maximize the interests of organ donors and recipients by observing the Dead Donor Rule and acknowledging the ethical considerations in organ donation.

Neonatal and Pediatric Organ Donation: Ethical Perspectives and Implications for Policy

PubMed Central

Sarnaik, Ajit A.

2015-01-01

The lifesaving processes of organ donation and transplantation in neonatology and pediatrics carry important ethical considerations. The medical community must balance the principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice to ensure the best interest of the potential donor and to provide equitable benefit to society. Accordingly, the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) has established procedures for the ethical allocation of organs depending on several donor-specific and recipient-specific factors. To maximize the availability of transplantable organs and opportunities for dying patients and families to donate, the US government has mandated that hospitals refer potential donors in a timely manner. Expedient investigation and diagnosis of brain death where applicable are also crucial, especially in neonates. Empowering trained individuals from organ procurement organizations to discuss organ donation with families has also increased rates of consent. Other efforts to increase organ supply include recovery from donors who die by circulatory criteria (DCDD) in addition to donation after brain death (DBD), and from neonates born with immediately lethal conditions such as anencephaly. Ethical considerations in DCDD compared to DBD include a potential conflict of interest between the dying patient and others who may benefit from the organs, and the precision of the declaration of death of the donor. Most clinicians and ethicists believe in the appropriateness of the Dead Donor Rule, which states that vital organs should only be recovered from people who have died. The medical community can maximize the interests of organ donors and recipients by observing the Dead Donor Rule and acknowledging the ethical considerations in organ donation. PMID:26636051

[Equity-oriented monitoring in the context of universal health coverage].

PubMed

Hosseinpoor, Ahmad Reza; Bergen, Nicole; Koller, Theadora; Prasad, Amit; Schlotheuber, Anne; Valentine, Nicole; Lynch, John; Vega, Jeanette

2015-07-01

Monitoring inequalities in health is fundamental to the equitable and progressive realization of universal health coverage (UHC). A successful approach to global inequality monitoring must be intuitive enough for widespread adoption, yet maintain technical credibility. This article discusses methodological considerations for equity-oriented monitoring of UHC, and proposes recommendations for monitoring and target setting. Inequality is multidimensional, such that the extent of inequality may vary considerably across different dimensions such as economic status, education, sex, and urban/rural residence. Hence, global monitoring should include complementary dimensions of inequality (such as economic status and urban/rural residence) as well as sex. For a given dimension of inequality, subgroups for monitoring must be formulated taking into consideration applicability of the criteria across countries and subgroup heterogeneity. For economic-related inequality, we recommend forming subgroups as quintiles, and for urban/rural inequality we recommend a binary categorization. Inequality spans populations, thus appropriate approaches to monitoring should be based on comparisons between two subgroups (gap approach) or across multiple subgroups (whole spectrum approach). When measuring inequality absolute and relative measures should be reported together, along with disaggregated data; inequality should be reported alongside the national average. We recommend targets based on proportional reductions in absolute inequality across populations. Building capacity for health inequality monitoring is timely, relevant, and important. The development of high-quality health information systems, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting practices that are linked to review and evaluation cycles across health systems, will enable effective global and national health inequality monitoring. These actions will support equity-oriented progressive realization of UHC.

Ethical Considerations Regarding the Use of Smart Home Technologies for Older Adults: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Chung, Jane; Demiris, George; Thompson, Hilaire J

2016-01-01

With the wide adoption and use of smart home applications, there is a need for examining ethical issues regarding smart home use at the intersection of aging, technology, and home environment. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of ethical considerations and the evidence on these ethical issues based on an integrative literature review with regard to the utilization of smart home technologies by older adults and their family members. REVIEW DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted an integrative literature review of the scientific literature from indexed databases (e. g., MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO). The framework guiding this review is derived from previous work on ethical considerations related to telehealth use for older adults and smart homes for palliative care. Key ethical issues of the framework include privacy, informed consent, autonomy, obtrusiveness, equal access, reduction in human touch, and usability. Six hundred and thirty-five candidate articles were identified between the years 1990 and 2014. Sixteen articles were included in the review. Privacy and obtrusiveness issues appear to be the most important factors that can affect smart home technology adoption. In addition, this article recommends that stigmatization and reliability and maintenance of the system are additional factors to consider. When smart home technology is used appropriately, it has the potential to improve quality of life and maintain safety among older adults, ultimately supporting the desire of older adults for aging in place. The ability to respond to potential ethical concerns will be critical to the future development and application of smart home technologies that aim to enhance safety and independence.

Design Considerations for Creating a Chemical Information Workstation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mess, John A.

1995-01-01

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

Fun Food Experiences for Preschool Children with Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosiman, Joyce; And Others

The manual includes lesson plans and suggestions for introducting handicapped children to good nutrition through enjoyable activities. Special considerations for specific types of handicaps are briefly noted (including safety considerations for children with physical disabilities). Each lesson is organized according to purpose, teacher objectives,…

Guidelines for appropriate care: the importance of empirical normative analysis.

PubMed

Berg, M; Meulen, R T; van den Burg, M

2001-01-01

The Royal Dutch Medical Association recently completed a research project aimed at investigating how guidelines for 'appropriate medical care' should be construed. The project took as a starting point that explicit attention should be given to ethical and political considerations in addition to data about costs and effectiveness. In the project, two research groups set out to design guidelines and cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) for two circumscribed medical areas (angina pectoris and major depression). Our third group was responsible for the normative analysis. We undertook an explorative, qualitative pilot study of the normative considerations that played a role in constructing the guidelines and CEAs, and simultaneously interviewed specialists about the normative considerations that guided their diagnostic and treatment decisions. Explicating normative considerations, we argue, is important democratically: the issues at stake should not be left to decision analysts and guideline developers to decide. Moreover, it is a necessary condition for a successful implementation of such tools: those who draw upon these tools will only accept them when they can recognize themselves in the considerations implied. Empirical normative analysis, we argue, is a crucial tool in developing guidelines for appropriate medical care.

Evidence on public policy: methodological issues, political issues and examples.

PubMed

Attanasio, Orazio P

2014-03-01

In this paper I discuss how evidence on public policy is generated and in particular the issue of evaluation of public policies. In economics, the issue of attribution and the identification of causal links has recently received considerable attention. Important methodological issues have been tackled and new techniques have been proposed and used. Randomized Control Trials have become some sort of gold standard. However, they are not exempt from problems and have important limitations: in some case they cannot be constructed and, more generally, problems of external validity and transferability of results can be important. The paper then moves on to discuss the political economy of policy evaluations for policy evaluations to have an impact for the conduct of actual policy, it is important that the demand for evaluation comes directly from the policy making process and is generated endogenously within it. In this sense it is important that the institutional design of policy making is such that policy making institutions are incentivized to use rigorous evaluation in the process of designing policies and allocating resources to alternative options. Economists are currently involved in the design and evaluation of many policies, including policies about health, nutrition and education. The role they can play in these fields is not completely obvious. The paper argues that their main contribution is in the modelling of how individual reacts to incentives (including those provided by public policies).

Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis: important considerations in the work-up of this fibrotic lung disease.

PubMed

Glazer, Craig S

2015-03-01

Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis is increasingly recognized as an important mimic of other fibrotic lung diseases. This review will summarize recent data regarding the importance and difficulty of determining causative exposures both for accurate diagnosis and prognosis, and describe the expanded pathologic spectrum of the disease, the effects of fibrosis on prognosis and challenges in the diagnostic evaluation. Several recent publications show the potential pathologic patterns induced by chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis are broader than the classic triad of bronchiolitis, interstitial infiltrates and granulomas. Other pathologic patterns include nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, usual interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, bronchiolitis and airway centric fibrosis. Detecting a causative antigen in fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis is challenging but critically important both for accurate diagnosis and improved prognosis. The prognosis in hypersensitivity pneumonitis worsens in the presence of fibrosis, but it remains significantly better than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is increasingly recognized as an important cause of fibrotic interstitial lung disease. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis demonstrates a remarkable tendency to mimic other idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. A detailed exposure history remains a cornerstone of diagnosis and management.

[Are risk factors in prenatal and perinatal period important for develompent of schizophrenia?

PubMed

Ambroz, P; Janoutová, J; Machaczka, O; Kovaľová, M; Pohlídalová, A; Vařechová, K; Košta, O; Tomášková, H; Šerý, O; Hosák, L; Janout, V

Schizophrenia is an important psychical disease of multifactorial origin and not yet clear etiology. In prenatal and perinatal period some potential risk factors for schizophrenia are taken into consideration. Case-control study of 815 subjects, 407 cases and 408 controls was performed in 2013 to 2015. In this study environmental and genetic risk factors were evaluated including potential risk factors of prenatal and perinatal period. Statistically important difference was found in child-birth done by cesarean section (p = 0.009) and in patients with schizophrenia were 15.7% complications in the course of childbirth (p < 0.001). Hypoxia, passed umbilical cord were the most frequent complications. In prenatal period premature childbirth, injury and psychical complications were the most frequent. On the other hand difference in weight and length of newborns, breast feeding and infection during pregnancy were found not statistically important. In this study statistically important diference were found in way of carrying childbirth and in some complications during pregnancy and delivery. Influence of infection during pregnancy and influence of weight and length of newborn were not demonstrated.

Endodontic and Clinical Considerations in the Management of Variable Anatomy in Mandibular Premolars: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Hammo, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Mandibular premolars are known to have numerous anatomic variations of their roots and root canals, which are a challenge to treat endodontically. The paper reviews literature to detail the various clinically relevant anatomic considerations with detailed techniques and methods to successfully manage these anomalies. An emphasis and detailed description of every step of treatment including preoperative diagnosis, intraoperative identification and management, and surgical endodontic considerations for the successful management of these complex cases have been included. PMID:24895584

Problems Facing Rural Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, C. E.; And Others

Problems facing rural Scottish schools range from short term consideration of daily operation to long term consideration of organizational alternatives. Addressed specifically, such problems include consideration of: (1) liaison between a secondary school and its feeder primary schools; (2) preservice teacher training for work in small, isolated…

Some Considerations on the Dynamics of Nanometric Suspensions in Fluid Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lungu, Mihai; Neculae, Adrian; Bunoiu, Madalin

2009-05-01

Nano-sized particles received considerable interest in the last decade. The manipulation of nanoparticles is becoming an important issue as they are more and more produced as a result of material synthesis and combustion emission. The nanometric particles represent a very important threat for human health because they can readily enter the human body through inhalation and their toxicity is relatively high due to the large specific surface area. The separation of the nano-sized particles into distinct bands, spatially separated one of each other had also brought recently considerable attention in many scientific areas; the usages of nanoparticles are very promising for the new technologies. The behavior of a suspension of sub-micronic particles under the action of dielectrophoretic force is numerically investigated and a theoretical model is proposed.

Adaptation workbook: Chapter 3

Treesearch

Maria Janowiak; Patricia Butler; Chris Swanston; Linda Parker; Matt St. Pierre; Leslie Brandt

2012-01-01

Climate change imposes many challenges on the long-term management of ecosystems and is becoming an increasingly important consideration in land management planning and decisionmaking at a variety of spatial scales. The process outlined in this chapter helps managers incorporate climate change considerations into management planning and activities, while complementing...

Educational Neuroethics: A Contribution from Empirical Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zocchi, Meghan; Pollack, Courtney

2013-01-01

In recent years, educational neuroscience has begun to move into the limelight, suggesting an increased importance on the ethical considerations of educational neuroscience work, or "educational neuroethics." In a departure from previous work on educational neuroethics, this article focuses on the ethical considerations that are applicable to…

The Landscape of Graduate Admissions: Surveying Physics Programs about Doctoral Admissions Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potvin, Geoff

2014-03-01

Sustaining or improving the best graduate programs as well as increasing the diversity of the physics community requires us to better understand the critical gatekeeping role played by graduate admissions. Admissions processes determine not only who is allowed to begin graduate study but can also influence who chooses to even consider applying. Recently, in concert with some of the activities of the APS Bridge Program, a survey was conducted of directors of graduate admissions and associated faculty in doctoral-granting departments about their admissions practices. Receiving responses from over 75% of departments that award PhDs in physics, respondents were probed about their admissions decisions with special attention on the criteria used in admissions and their relative importance, and how student representation considerations are dealt with in the admissions process (if at all). Results indicate a number of important issues for future students, faculty, and administrators to consider including the importance placed on GRE scores. Results also indicate a sizable number of departments express a latent demand for greater numbers of students from traditionally-underrepresented backgrounds (including women) but simultaneously report a dearth of such students who even apply to their doctoral programs. Implications of these and other findings will be discussed.

Assessing experiential education factors contributing to a PGY1 residency match: Pharmacy residency program director and comparative student survey.

PubMed

Prisco, Jennifer L; Hritcko, Philip M; Feret, Brett; Yorra, Mark L; Todd, Noreen E; Kim Tanzer; Basile, Cathy; Bonaceto, Kara; Morelli, Rita; Carace, Nicole; Szumita, Andrew

2018-02-01

To compare and contrast experiential education perceptions of pharmacy residency program directors (RPDs) and doctor of pharmacy students in their last year of the curriculum for residency application considerations. The New England Regional Departments of Experiential Education (NERDEE) consortium developed a 17-question survey to assess residency factors, including those related to experiential education. The survey was dispersed to advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) students from six colleges/schools of pharmacy and RPDs nationwide. Students have different values on experiential preferences compared to RPDs. Sample findings include internal medicine and specialty clinical elective experiences prior to American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear were extremely important to important for students, while RPDs viewed these experiences as somewhat important at best (p < 0.02). The majority of RPDs (67%) have no APPE schedule preference, while most students (77%) feel that certain APPE schedules may influence acceptance into residency. Based on findings, information outlined can be used to dispel and/or validate common beliefs held by students regarding experiential factors that help or hinder a successful postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency match. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of behavioural interventions for transport behaviour change: systematic review, meta-analysis and intervention coding.

PubMed

Arnott, Bronia; Rehackova, Lucia; Errington, Linda; Sniehotta, Falko F; Roberts, Jennifer; Araujo-Soares, Vera

2014-11-28

Reducing reliance on motorised transport and increasing use of more physically active modes of travel may offer an opportunity to address physical inactivity. This review evaluates the evidence for the effects of behavioural interventions to reduce car use for journeys made by adults and codes intervention development and content. The review follows the procedure stated in the registration protocol published in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42011001797). Controlled studies evaluating behavioural interventions to reduce car use compared with no interventions or alternative interventions on outcome measures of transport behaviours taken in adult participants are included in this review. Searches were conducted on all records in Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, Ovid PsycInfo, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, Transportation Research Information Service (TRIS), Transportation Research International Documentation (TRID), and Web of Science databases. Peer reviewed publications in English language meeting the inclusion criteria are eligible. Methodological quality is assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Interventions are categorised in terms of behavioural frameworks, theories and techniques. 15 full text articles are included, representing 13 unique studies, with 4895 participants and 27 intervention arms. Risk of bias across the review is appraised as considerable due to the unclear methodological quality of individual studies. Heterogeneity of included studies is considerable. Meta-analyses reveal no significant effect on reduction of frequency of car use or on increasing the proportion of journeys by alternative, more active modes of transport. There is insufficient data relating to alternative outcomes such as distance and duration which may have important health implications. Interventions were top-down but could not be described as theory-based. Intervention efficacy was associated with the use of a combination of information provision and behavioural regulation techniques. There was a lack of consideration of opportunity for change and behaviour in context. There is no evidence for the efficacy of existing behavioural interventions to reduce car trips included in this review. The evidence for efficacy of behavioural interventions to decrease distance and duration of car journeys is limited and inconclusive. Overall the evidence is highly heterogeneous and is at considerable risk of bias. Future research should investigate alternative behavioural interventions in high quality, controlled studies informed by existing evidence, theory, and viewers of potential users. Future intervention studies should increase scientific rigour, include objective outcome measures, and incorporate thorough evaluations as standard.

Local, national, and service component cost variations in the management of low back pain: Considerations for the clinician.

PubMed

Babu, Ashwin N; McCormick, Zachary; Kennedy, David J; Press, Joel

2016-11-21

In the past two decades, the cost associated with managing low back pain has increased significantly. Improved consciousness of how clinicians utilize resources when managing low back pain is necessary in the current economic climate. The goal of this review is to examine the component costs associated with managing low back pain and provide practical solutions for reducing healthcare costs. This is accomplished by utilizing examples from a major metropolitan area with several major academic institutions and private health care centers. It is clear that there is considerable local and national variation in the component costs of managing low back pain, including physician visits, imaging studies, medications, and therapy services. By being well informed about these variations in one's environment, clinicians and patients alike can make strides towards reducing the financial impact of low back pain. Investigation of the cost discrepancies for services within one's community of practice is important. Improved public access to both cost and outcomes data is needed.

Display Considerations For Intravascular Ultrasonic Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gessert, James M.; Krinke, Charlie; Mallery, John A.; Zalesky, Paul J.

1989-08-01

A display has been developed for intravascular ultrasonic imaging. Design of this display has a primary goal of providing guidance information for therapeutic interventions such as balloons, lasers, and atherectomy devices. Design considerations include catheter configuration, anatomy, acoustic properties of normal and diseased tissue, catheterization laboratory and operating room environment, acoustic and electrical safety, acoustic data sampling issues, and logistical support such as image measurement, storage and retrieval. Intravascular imaging is in an early stage of development so design flexibility and expandability are very important. The display which has been developed is capable of acquisition and display of grey scale images at rates varying from static B-scans to 30 frames per second. It stores images in a 640 X 480 X 8 bit format and is capable of black and white as well as color display in multiplevideo formats. The design is based on the industry standard PC-AT architecture and consists of two AT style circuit cards, one for high speed sampling and the other for scan conversion, graphics and video generation.

Regulatory considerations in the design of comparative observational studies using propensity scores.

PubMed

Yue, Lilly Q

2012-01-01

In the evaluation of medical products, including drugs, biological products, and medical devices, comparative observational studies could play an important role when properly conducted randomized, well-controlled clinical trials are infeasible due to ethical or practical reasons. However, various biases could be introduced at every stage and into every aspect of the observational study, and consequently the interpretation of the resulting statistical inference would be of concern. While there do exist statistical techniques for addressing some of the challenging issues, often based on propensity score methodology, these statistical tools probably have not been as widely employed in prospectively designing observational studies as they should be. There are also times when they are implemented in an unscientific manner, such as performing propensity score model selection for a dataset involving outcome data in the same dataset, so that the integrity of observational study design and the interpretability of outcome analysis results could be compromised. In this paper, regulatory considerations on prospective study design using propensity scores are shared and illustrated with hypothetical examples.

Ethical considerations of teaching spirituality in the academy.

PubMed

Becker, Annette L

2009-11-01

Despite evidence in college students indicating a hunger for spiritual insight and spirituality's application in health care, there continues to be guardedness within the academy towards inclusion of curricula that address spirituality. The purpose of this article is to examine the ethical considerations of teaching spirituality in the academy by describing current trends, issues relevant to nursing education and practice, legitimate concerns of the academy, and the importance of an ethical instructional response when teaching about spirituality. Data supporting the interest and desire by students to explore meaning and purpose in the context of spirituality will be presented. Challenges and barriers inherent in teaching this topic will be described, including the affective response, the lack of a universally accepted definition of spirituality, and spirituality's relationship to religion. Pedagogical strategies consistent with an ethical instructional response will be discussed as the key to eliciting trust within the academy. A model of teaching spirituality and health will be offered to illustrate these possibilities.

Forensic Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerling, Thure E.; Barnette, Janet E.; Bowen, Gabriel J.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Ehleringer, James R.; Remien, Christopher H.; Shea, Patrick; Tipple, Brett J.; West, Jason B.

2016-06-01

Stable isotopes are being used for forensic science studies, with applications to both natural and manufactured products. In this review we discuss how scientific evidence can be used in the legal context and where the scientific progress of hypothesis revisions can be in tension with the legal expectations of widely used methods for measurements. Although this review is written in the context of US law, many of the considerations of scientific reproducibility and acceptance of relevant scientific data span other legal systems that might apply different legal principles and therefore reach different conclusions. Stable isotopes are used in legal situations for comparing samples for authenticity or evidentiary considerations, in understanding trade patterns of illegal materials, and in understanding the origins of unknown decedents. Isotope evidence is particularly useful when considered in the broad framework of physiochemical processes and in recognizing regional to global patterns found in many materials, including foods and food products, drugs, and humans. Stable isotopes considered in the larger spatial context add an important dimension to forensic science.

Considerations for management of migraine symptoms in the primary care setting.

PubMed

Silberstein, Stephen D

2016-06-01

Migraine is a common disabling brain disorder that affects one in seven US citizens annually. The burden of migraine is substantial, both in economic terms and for individual patients and their close family members. Initial medical consultations for migraine are usually with a primary care physician (PCP), and it is predominantly managed in a primary care setting; therefore, PCPs need a thorough understanding of migraine and the treatment options. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, symptoms, burden, and diagnosis of migraine with a focus on adults. Important aspects of migraine management, such as medication overuse and chronic migraine, are highlighted and insight is provided into factors for consideration when prescribing acute/abortive treatment for migraine to ensure that individual patients receive optimal pharmaceutical management. The effects of associated symptoms, e.g. nausea/vomiting, on treatment efficacy are pertinent in migraine; however, many therapy options, including alternative delivery systems, are available, thus facilitating the selection of optimal treatment for an individual patient.

Preanalytical considerations in detection of colorectal cancer in blood serum using Raman molecular imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treado, Patrick J.; Stewart, Shona D.; Smith, Aaron; Kirschner, Heather; Post, Christopher; Overholt, Bergein F.

2016-03-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and women in the United States. Raman Molecular Imaging (RMI) is an effective technique to evaluate human tissue, cells and bodily fluids, including blood serum for disease diagnosis. ChemImage Corporation, in collaboration with clinicians, has been engaged in development of an in vitro diagnostic Raman assay focused on CRC detection. The Raman Assay for Colorectal Cancer (RACC) exploits the high specificity of Raman imaging to distinguish diseased from normal dried blood serum droplets without additional reagents. Pilot Study results from testing of hundreds of biobank patient samples have demonstrated that RACC detects CRC with high sensitivity and specificity. However, expanded clinical trials, which are ongoing, are revealing a host of important preanalytical considerations associated with sample collection, sample storage and stability, sample shipping, sample preparation and sample interferents, which impact detection performance. Results from recent clinical studies will be presented.

The attitudes of nursing students to euthanasia.

PubMed

Naseh, Ladan; Heidari, Mohammad

2017-01-01

One of the most common morally controversial issues in endof-life care is euthanasia. Examining the attitudes of nursing students to this issue is important because they may encounter situations related to euthanasia during their clinical courses. The aim of our study was to examine nursing students' attitudes to euthanasia in Shahrekord city in western Iran. This was done using the Euthanasia Attitude Scale. The scale is divided into four categories, ie ethical considerations, practical considerations, treasuring life and naturalistic beliefs. Of 132 nursing students, 120 participated in the study (response rate 93.1%). According to the study's findings, 52.5%, 2.5% and 45% of the students reported a negative, neutral and positive attitude to euthanasia, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the nursing students' attitudes to euthanasia and some demographic characteristics, including sex, age and religious beliefs. Iranian Muslim nursing students participating in the study had a negative attitude to euthanasia. Further studies are recommended among nursing students from different cultures and of different religious faiths.

Older Asian Indians resettled in America: narratives about households, culture and generation.

PubMed

Kalavar, Jyotsna M; Van Willigen, John

2005-09-01

Immigration in late life can be a complex experience. Older adults who have spent a considerable part of their life in one cultural milieu face several challenges in adapting to a new societal framework. Demographically speaking, the numbers of immigrants of Asian Indian origin continue to rise phenomenally in the United States. In this project, the experience of Asian Indian elderly immigrants to the United States was recorded through home visits and personal interviews. Parents of adult immigrants often choose to immigrate late in life primarily for purposes of family reunification. Providing assistance with raising grandchildren was also an important consideration. This article explores various aspects that surfaced from the analysis of interviews; these include personal investment in adult children, language/cultural barriers, use of formal services, acculturative experience, aging in India, intergenerational relationships, and expectations for the future. The findings highlight the need for gerontological research that is culturally attuned to the needs of these elders so service delivery may be optimally provided.

Pricing of new vaccines

PubMed Central

McGlone, Sarah M

2010-01-01

New vaccine pricing is a complicated process that could have substantial long-standing scientific, medical and public health ramifications. Pricing can have a considerable impact on new vaccine adoption and, thereby, either culminate or thwart years of research and development and public health efforts. Typically, pricing strategy consists of the following eleven components: (1) Conduct a target population analysis; (2) Map potential competitors and alternatives; (3) Construct a vaccine target product profile (TPP) and compare it to projected or actual TPPs of competing vaccines; (4) Quantify the incremental value of the new vaccine's characteristics; (5) Determine vaccine positioning in the marketplace; (6) Estimate the vaccine price-demand curve; (7) Calculate vaccine costs (including those of manufacturing, distribution, and research and development); (8) Account for various legal, regulatory, third party payer and competitor factors; (9) Consider the overall product portfolio; (10) Set pricing objectives; (11) Select pricing and pricing structure. While the biomedical literature contains some studies that have addressed these components, there is still considerable room for more extensive evaluation of this important area. PMID:20861678

Pricing of new vaccines.

PubMed

Lee, Bruce Y; McGlone, Sarah M

2010-08-01

New vaccine pricing is a complicated process that could have substantial long-standing scientific, medical, and public health ramifications. Pricing can have a considerable impact on new vaccine adoption and, thereby, either culminate or thwart years of research and development and public health efforts. Typically, pricing strategy consists of the following ten components: 1. Conduct a target population analysis; 2. Map potential competitors and alternatives; 3. Construct a vaccine target product profile (TPP) and compare it to projected or actual TPPs of competing vaccines; 4. Quantify the incremental value of the new vaccine's characteristics; 5. Determine vaccine positioning in the marketplace; 6. Estimate the vaccine price-demand curve; 7. Calculate vaccine costs (including those of manufacturing, distribution, and research and development); 8. Account for various legal, regulatory, third party payer, and competitor factors; 9. Consider the overall product portfolio; 10. Set pricing objectives; 11. Select pricing and pricing structure. While the biomedical literature contains some studies that have addressed these components, there is still considerable room for more extensive evaluation of this important area.

Trypanosoma cruzi: analysis of two different strains after piplartine treatment.

PubMed

Vieira, Gabriela Alves Licursi; Silva, Marco Túlio Alves da; Regasini, Luis Octávio; Cotinguiba, Fernando; Laure, Helen Julie; Rosa, José César; Furlan, Maysa; Cicarelli, Regina Maria Barretto

2018-06-04

The hemoflagellate protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly transmitted by triatomine insects through blood transfusion or from mother-to-child, causes Chagas' disease. This is a serious parasitic disease that occurs in Latin America, with considerable social and economic impact. Nifurtimox and benznidazole, drugs indicated for treating infected persons, are effective in the acute phase, but poorly effective during the chronic phase. Therefore, it is extremely urgent to find innovative chemotherapeutic agents and/or effective vaccines. Since piplartine has several biological activities, including trypanocidal activity, the present study aimed to evaluate it on two T. cruzi strains proteome. Considerable changes in the expression of some important enzymes involved in parasite protection against oxidative stress, such as tryparedoxin peroxidase (TXNPx) and methionine sulfoxide reductase (MSR) was observed in both strains. These findings suggest that blocking the expression of the two enzymes could be potential targets for therapeutic studies. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Why Targeted Therapies are Necessary for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

PubMed Central

Durcan, Laura; Petri, Michelle

2016-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) continues to have important morbidity and accelerated mortality despite therapeutic advances. Targeted therapies offer the possibility of improved efficacy with fewer side-effects. Current management strategies rely heavily on non-specific immunosuppressive agents. Prednisone, in particular, is responsible for a considerable burden of later organ damage. There are a multitude of diverse mechanisms of disease activity, immunogenic abnormalities and clinical manifestations to take into consideration in SLE. Many targeted agents with robust mechanistic pre-clinical data and promising early phase studies have ultimately been disappointing in phase III randomized controlled studies. Recent efforts have focused on B cell therapies, in particular given the success of belimumab in clinical trials, with limited success. We remain optimistic regarding other specific therapies being evaluated including interferon alpha blockade. It is likely that in SLE, given the heterogeneity of the population involved, precision medicine is needed, rather than expecting that any single biologic will be universally effective. PMID:27497251

A hybrid credibility-based fuzzy multiple objective optimisation to differential pricing and inventory policies with arbitrage consideration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemy Yaghin, R.; Fatemi Ghomi, S. M. T.; Torabi, S. A.

2015-10-01

In most markets, price differentiation mechanisms enable manufacturers to offer different prices for their products or services in different customer segments; however, the perfect price discrimination is usually impossible for manufacturers. The importance of accounting for uncertainty in such environments spurs an interest to develop appropriate decision-making tools to deal with uncertain and ill-defined parameters in joint pricing and lot-sizing problems. This paper proposes a hybrid bi-objective credibility-based fuzzy optimisation model including both quantitative and qualitative objectives to cope with these issues. Taking marketing and lot-sizing decisions into account simultaneously, the model aims to maximise the total profit of manufacturer and to improve service aspects of retailing simultaneously to set different prices with arbitrage consideration. After applying appropriate strategies to defuzzify the original model, the resulting non-linear multi-objective crisp model is then solved by a fuzzy goal programming method. An efficient stochastic search procedure using particle swarm optimisation is also proposed to solve the non-linear crisp model.

Phase change materials handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, D. V.; Hoover, M. J.; Oneill, M. J.

1971-01-01

This handbook is intended to provide theory and data needed by the thermal design engineer to bridge the gap between research achievements and actual flight systems, within the limits of the current state of the art of phase change materials (PCM) technology. The relationship between PCM and more conventional thermal control techniques is described and numerous space and terrestrial applications of PCM are discussed. Material properties of the most promising PCMs are provided; the purposes and use of metallic filler materials in PCM composites are presented; and material compatibility considerations relevant to PCM design are included. The engineering considerations of PCM design are described, especially those pertaining to the thermodynamic and heat transfer phenomena peculiar to PCM design. Methods of obtaining data not currently available are presented. The special problems encountered in the space environment are described. Computational tools useful to the designer are discussed. In summary, each aspect of the PCM problem important to the design engineer is covered to the extent allowed by the scope of this effort and the state of the art.

Understanding Suicide Risk within the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Framework: Insights, Challenges, and Future Research Considerations

PubMed Central

Glenn, Catherine R.; Cha, Christine B.; Kleiman, Evan M.; Nock, Matthew K.

2016-01-01

Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Prior research has focused primarily on sociodemographic and psychiatric risk factors with little improvement in the prediction or prevention of suicidal behavior over time. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) may be an especially useful framework for advancing research in this area. This paper provides a brief and broad overview of research on suicidal behavior relating to each of the RDoC domains—highlighting the RDoC construct(s) where research has focused, construct(s) where research is lacking, and suggestions for future research directions. We also discuss major challenges for suicide research within the RDoC framework, including the intersection of RDoC domains, interaction of domains with the environment, incorporation of developmental stage, integration of distal and proximal processes, and inclusion of suicide-specific constructs. We conclude by underscoring important considerations for future research aimed at using the RDoC framework to study suicidal behavior and other forms of psychopathology. PMID:28670505

Using History to Analyze the Learning by Observing and Pitching In Practices of Contemporary Mesoamerican Societies.

PubMed

Flores, Rubén; Urrieta, Luis; Chamoux, Marie-Noëlle; Fernández, David Lorente; López, Angélica

2015-01-01

The analysis of Indigenous learning practices in Mexico and the United States typically relies on ethnography, oral history, and participant observation as the methodology for understanding the socialization processes of Mesoamerican societies. In this chapter, we consider the importance of using historical analysis as an added methodology for understanding the Indigenous learning practices by considering three case studies of Indigenous communities in Mexico, where a consideration of historical patterns have proven fruitful for understanding the contemporary Learning by Observing and Pitching In (LOPI) practices. These communities include the Nahua people of the state of Puebla, the P'urhépecha communities of the state of Michoacán, and the Nahua people of the Texcoco area to the southeast of Mexico City. We conclude that a consideration of the cultural patterns that have developed in Mesoamerican societies across time would benefit contemporary researchers as one component of their LOPI research. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contributions of sex, testosterone, and androgen receptor CAG repeat number to virtual Morris water maze performance.

PubMed

Nowak, Nicole T; Diamond, Michael P; Land, Susan J; Moffat, Scott D

2014-03-01

The possibility that androgens contribute to the male advantage typically found on measures of spatial cognition has been investigated using a variety of approaches. To date, evidence to support the notion that androgens affect spatial cognition in healthy young adults is somewhat equivocal. The present study sought to clarify the association between testosterone (T) and spatial performance by extending measurements of androgenicity to include both measures of circulating T as well as an androgen receptor-specific genetic marker. The aims of this study were to assess the contributions of sex, T, and androgen receptor CAG repeat number (CAGr) on virtual Morris water task (vMWT) performance in a group of healthy young men and women. The hypothesis that men would outperform women on vMWT outcomes was supported. Results indicate that CAGr may interact with T to impact navigation performance and suggest that consideration of androgen receptor sensitivity is an important consideration in evaluating hormone-behavior relationships. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chronic subdural electrodes in the management of epilepsy.

PubMed

Nair, Dileep R; Burgess, Richard; McIntyre, Cameron C; Lüders, Hans

2008-01-01

Subdural electrodes play a very important role in the evaluation of a percentage of patients being considered for epilepsy surgery. Electrical activity at very low and very high frequencies, beyond the practical range of scalp EEG, can be recorded subdurally and may contain considerable information not available non-invasively. The recording and stimulating procedures for using chronically implanted subdural electrodes to localize the epileptogenic zone and map eloquent functions of the human cortex are well established, and complication rates are low. Complications include infections, CSF leak, and focal neurologic deficits, all of which tend to be increased with a higher number of electrodes and longer duration of recordings. Careful consideration of the risks and benefits should be coupled with a firm hypothesis about the epileptogenic zone derived from the non-invasive components of the epilepsy workup to guide the decision about whether and where to implant subdural electrodes. When they are employed to answer a specific question in an individual patient, subdural electrodes can optimize the clinical outcome of a candidate for epilepsy surgery.

Scabies: Advances in Noninvasive Diagnosis.

PubMed

Micali, Giuseppe; Lacarrubba, Francesco; Verzì, Anna Elisa; Chosidow, Olivier; Schwartz, Robert A

2016-06-01

Scabies is a common, highly contagious skin parasitosis caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. Early identification and prompt treatment of infested subjects is essential, as missed diagnosis may result in outbreaks, considerable morbidity, and significantly increased economic burden. The standard diagnostic technique consists of mites' identification by microscopic examination of scales obtained by skin scraping. This is a time-consuming and risk-associated procedure that is also not suitable to a busy practice. In recent years, some advanced and noninvasive techniques such as videodermatoscopy, dermatoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, and optical coherence tomography have demonstrated improved efficacy in the diagnosis of scabies. Their advantages include rapid, noninvasive mass screening and post-therapeutic follow-up, with no physical risk. A greater knowledge of these techniques among general practitioners and other specialists involved in the intake care of overcrowded populations vulnerable to scabies infestations is now viewed as urgent and important in the management of outbreaks, as well as in consideration of the recent growing inflow of migrants in Europe from North Africa.

Scabies: Advances in Noninvasive Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Lacarrubba, Francesco; Verzì, Anna Elisa; Chosidow, Olivier; Schwartz, Robert A.

2016-01-01

Scabies is a common, highly contagious skin parasitosis caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. Early identification and prompt treatment of infested subjects is essential, as missed diagnosis may result in outbreaks, considerable morbidity, and significantly increased economic burden. The standard diagnostic technique consists of mites’ identification by microscopic examination of scales obtained by skin scraping. This is a time-consuming and risk-associated procedure that is also not suitable to a busy practice. In recent years, some advanced and noninvasive techniques such as videodermatoscopy, dermatoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, and optical coherence tomography have demonstrated improved efficacy in the diagnosis of scabies. Their advantages include rapid, noninvasive mass screening and post-therapeutic follow-up, with no physical risk. A greater knowledge of these techniques among general practitioners and other specialists involved in the intake care of overcrowded populations vulnerable to scabies infestations is now viewed as urgent and important in the management of outbreaks, as well as in consideration of the recent growing inflow of migrants in Europe from North Africa. PMID:27311065

Clinical roundtable monograph: effective management of quality of life in metastatic breast cancer.

PubMed

Christopher, Twelves; Gradishar, William J; O'Shaughnessy, Joyce A; Bramsen, Betsy; Lurie, Robert H

2014-02-01

Quality of life is accepted as an important consideration in the management of patients with metastatic breast cancer, which remains incurable. Recent clinical trials of newer agents, such as eribulin and trastuzumab emtansine, have incorporated quality of life analyses. Quality of life is impacted by multiple patient-related, disease-related, and treatment-related factors. Therapies most beneficial for maintaining or improving quality of life include those that can effectively reduce tumor burden and tumor-related symptoms, but have toxicity profiles that are well tolerated and easily managed. Overall outcomes of patients with metastatic breast cancer improve when therapy is focused not only on the disease itself, but also on the goals of minimizing diseaserelated and treatment-related symptoms. A paradigm shift now reflected in major guidelines is the incorporation of palliative care strategies earlier in the course of metastatic disease management. The selection and sequence of treatments should be made in cooperation with the patient and after consideration of her particular priorities.

Seeding materials: Health and safety considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. D.

1985-01-01

The choice of a proper seeding material for laser velocimeters must include health and safety considerations. Failure to do so can lead to catastrophic results. All materials are toxic, and laser velocimeter seeding materials are no exception. Toxicity may be considered an inherent property of a given material. The manifestation of that property or the physiological response to the material is dependent on dose and exposure conditions. An approximate physiological classification of toxicity is given in tablular form. Toxicity in some situations is not necessarily the most restrictive factor in selection of materials. It is also very important to consider how the material is used so that actual exposure to the material in a damaging form can result. For example, nickel and cadmium are both extremely toxic as systemic poisons and in the case of nickel as a carcinogen. Seeding materials are dispersed in air under conditions that favor personnel exposure. Dispersal equipment is frequently if not normally manned, and personnel are often required to make frequent adjustments to assure proper operations.

An Examination of the Indiana State University Aerospace Administration Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwab, Gregory L.

2005-01-01

Declining enrollments in the Indiana State University (ISU) aerospace administration program prompted this case study. which evaluates the program in comparison with parallel programs at other universities, industry standards, and an independent audit. Survey instruments were administered to graduates, faculty, and employers for their views on competencies of an excellent aerospace administration program Results show the deficiency of the ISU program. Graduates, faculty, and employers rated all competencies-from moderate to considerable importance-similarly for an excellent program. Recommendations for program improvement were made, and suggestions for further research include studies to evaluate the effectiveness of a revised aerospace administration program.

Antimicrobial Peptides and Wound Healing: Biological and Therapeutic Considerations

PubMed Central

Mangoni, Maria Luisa; McDermott, Alison M.; Zasloff, Michael

2016-01-01

Repair of tissue wounds is a fundamental process to re-establish tissue integrity and regular function. Importantly, infection is a major factor that hinders wound healing. Multicellular organisms have evolved an arsenal of host-defence molecules, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), aimed at controlling microbial proliferation and at modulating the host's immune response to a variety of biological or physical insults. In this brief review we provide the evidence for a role of AMPs as endogenous mediators of wound healing and their promising therapeutic potential for treatment of non-life threatening skin and other epithelial injuries. PMID:26738772

Quest for quality care and patient safety: the case of Singapore

PubMed Central

Lim, M

2004-01-01



 Quality of care in Singapore has seen a paradigm shift from a traditional focus on structural approaches to a broader multidimensional concept which includes the monitoring of clinical indicators and medical errors. Strong political commitment and institutional capacities have been important factors for making the transition. What is still lacking, however, is a culture of rigorous programme evaluation, public involvement, and patient empowerment. Despite these imperfections, Singapore has made considerable strides and its experience may hold lessons for other small developing countries in the common quest for quality care and patient safety. PMID:14757804

The Basic Principles of FDG-PET/CT Imaging.

PubMed

Basu, Sandip; Hess, Søren; Nielsen Braad, Poul-Erik; Olsen, Birgitte Brinkmann; Inglev, Signe; Høilund-Carlsen, Poul Flemming

2014-10-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) forms the basis of molecular imaging. FDG-PET imaging is a multidisciplinary undertaking that requires close interdisciplinary collaboration in a broad team comprising physicians, technologists, secretaries, radio-chemists, hospital physicists, molecular biologists, engineers, and cyclotron technicians. The aim of this review is to provide a brief overview of important basic issues and considerations pivotal to successful patient examinations, including basic physics, instrumentation, radiochemistry, molecular and cell biology, patient preparation, normal distribution of tracer, and potential interpretive pitfalls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Hard Thin Film Coating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Dashen

1998-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is interested in developing hard thin film coating for bearings. The wearing of the bearing is an important problem for space flight engine. Hard thin film coating can drastically improve the surface of the bearing and improve the wear-endurance of the bearing. However, many fundamental problems in surface physics, plasma deposition, etc, need further research. The approach is using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Chemical Vapor Deposition (ECRCVD) to deposit hard thin film on stainless steel bearing. The thin films in consideration include SiC, SiN and other materials. An ECRCVD deposition system is being assembled at MSFC.

Analysis of Hard Thin Film Coating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Dashen

1998-01-01

MSFC is interested in developing hard thin film coating for bearings. The wearing of the bearing is an important problem for space flight engine. Hard thin film coating can drastically improve the surface of the bearing and improve the wear-endurance of the bearing. However, many fundamental problems in surface physics, plasma deposition, etc, need further research. The approach is using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD) to deposit hard thin film an stainless steel bearing. The thin films in consideration include SiC, SiN and other materials. An ECRCVD deposition system is being assembled at MSFC.

Did God create our universe? Theological reflections on the Big Bang, inflation, and quantum cosmologies.

PubMed

Russell, R J

2001-12-01

The sciences and the humanities, including theology, form an epistemic hierarchy that ensures both constraint and irreducibility. At the same time, theological methodology is analogous to scientific methodology, though with several important differences. This model of interaction between science and theology can be seen illustrated in a consideration of the relation between contemporary cosmology (Big Bang cosmology, cosmic inflation, and quantum cosmology) and Christian systematic and natural theology. In light of developments in cosmology, the question of origins has become theologically less interesting than that of the cosmic evolution of a contingent universe.

SIB health psychology in Brazil: The challenges for working in public health settings.

PubMed

Spink, Mary-Jane P; Brigagão, Jacqueline M; Menegon, Vera M; Vicentin, Maria-Cristina G

2016-03-01

Considering the diversity of theoretical approaches and settings for psychological practice, this editorial provides a background for the articles that have been included in this special issue concerning health psychology in the context of the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Unico de Saude). We addressed issues concerning the national curricular outline for undergraduate training in psychology and historical data on the social movements that led to the creation of the Sistema Unico de Saude and the Psychiatric Reform which created an important area for psychological work absorbing a considerable number of psychologists. © The Author(s) 2016.

Guiding dengue vaccine development using knowledge gained from the success of the yellow fever vaccine

PubMed Central

Liang, Huabin; Lee, Min; Jin, Xia

2016-01-01

Flaviviruses comprise approximately 70 closely related RNA viruses. These include several mosquito-borne pathogens, such as yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue virus (DENV), and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which can cause significant human diseases and thus are of great medical importance. Vaccines against both YFV and JEV have been used successfully in humans for decades; however, the development of a DENV vaccine has encountered considerable obstacles. Here, we review the protective immune responses elicited by the vaccine against YFV to provide some insights into the development of a protective DENV vaccine. PMID:26435066

Predicting Cavitation on Marine and Hydrokinetic Turbine Blades with AeroDyn V15.04

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

Murray, Robynne

Cavitation is an important consideration in the design of marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) turbines. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's AeroDyn performance code was originally developed for horizontal-axis wind turbines and did not have the capability to predict cavitation inception. Therefore, AeroDyn has been updated to include the ability to predict cavitation on MHK turbines based on user-specified vapor pressure and submerged depth. This report outlines a verification of the AeroDyn V15.04 performance code for MHK turbines through a comparison to publicly available performance data.

Just and Realistic Expectations for Persons with Disabilities Practicing Nursing.

PubMed

Davidson, Patricia M; Rushton, Cynda Hylton; Dotzenrod, Jennifer; Godack, Christina A; Baker, Deborah; Nolan, Marie N

2016-10-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires schools to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. The profession of nursing is striving for diversity and inclusion, but barriers still exist to realizing accommodations for people with disabilities. Promoting disclosure, a supportive and enabling environment, resilience, and realistic expectations are important considerations if we are to include among our ranks health professionals who can understand, based on similar life experiences of disability, a fuller range of perspectives of the patients we care for. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Health sciences library building projects, 1996-1997 survey.

PubMed Central

Bowden, V M

1998-01-01

Nine building projects are briefly described, including four new libraries, two renovations, and three combined renovations and additions. The libraries range in size from 657 square feet to 136,832 square feet, with seating varying from 14 to 635. Three hospital libraries and four academic health sciences libraries are described in more detail. In each case an important consideration was the provision for computer access. Two of the libraries expanded their space for historical collections. Three of the libraries added mobile shelving as a way of storing print materials while providing space for other activities. Images PMID:9549012

MR imaging of the elbow in the injured athlete.

PubMed

Wenzke, Daniel R

2013-03-01

This article summarizes key MR imaging findings in common athletic elbow injuries including little leaguer's elbow, Panner disease, osteochondritis dissecans, olecranon stress fracture, occult fracture, degenerative osteophyte formation, flexor-pronator strain, ulnar collateral ligament tear, lateral ulnar collateral ligament and radial collateral ligament tear, lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis, biceps tear, bicipitoradial bursitis, triceps tear, olecranon bursitis, ulnar neuropathy, posterior interosseous nerve syndrome, and radial tunnel syndrome. The article also summarizes important technical considerations in elbow MR imaging that enhance image quality and contribute to the radiologist's success. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ECG CHANGES AFTER X-RAY IRRADIATION OF THE HEART REGION (in German)

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

Gral, T.; Gral, J.

1963-03-01

The problem of radioinduced damage of the myocardium after irradiation of the heart region for mammary carcinoma or intrathoracic tumors is discussed. Analysis of patient material, including 34 cases with mammary carcinomas on the left side and 14 cases with intrathoracic tumors, showed considerable ECG-changes (ECG = electrocardiogram) in 18 and in 6 cases, respectively. Because of these results, it is assumed that damage of the myocardium caused by irradiation is possible during tangential irradiation of mammary carcinomas on the left side. This could be of importance in the future wellbeing of the patients. (auth)

Aircraft accidents : method of analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1931-01-01

The revised report includes the chart for the analysis of aircraft accidents, combining consideration of the immediate causes, underlying causes, and results of accidents, as prepared by the special committee, with a number of the definitions clarified. A brief statement of the organization and work of the special committee and of the Committee on Aircraft Accidents; and statistical tables giving a comparison of the types of accidents and causes of accidents in the military services on the one hand and in civil aviation on the other, together with explanations of some of the important differences noted in these tables.