Hydrogen gas storage in fluorinated ultramicroporous tunnel crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Keisuke; Katagiri, Toshimasa

2012-07-01

We report hydrogen storage at an ordinary pressure due to a bottle-neck effect of an ultramicroporous crystal. Stored hydrogen was kept at an ordinary pressure below -110 °C. The amounts of stored hydrogen gas linearly correlated with the initial pressures. These phenomena suggested the ultramicroporous tunnels worked as a molecular gas cylinder.We report hydrogen storage at an ordinary pressure due to a bottle-neck effect of an ultramicroporous crystal. Stored hydrogen was kept at an ordinary pressure below -110 °C. The amounts of stored hydrogen gas linearly correlated with the initial pressures. These phenomena suggested the ultramicroporous tunnels worked as a molecular gas cylinder. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. CCDC 246922. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c2nr30940h

School-to-work program participation and the post-high school employment of young adults with disabilities

PubMed Central

Shandra, Carrie L.; Hogan, Dennis P.

2014-01-01

Previous research on the education-to-employment transition for students with disabilities has suggested that participation in school-to-work programs is positively associated with post-high school success. This article utilizes data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) to extend these findings in several ways. First, we assess the efficacy of specific types of school-based and work-based initiatives, including job shadowing, mentoring, cooperative education, school-sponsored enterprise, technical preparation, internships, and career major. Next, we extend the usual focus on the employment outcomes of work status and financial compensation to consider job-specific information on the receipt of fringe benefits. Overall, results from longitudinal multivariate analyses suggest that transition initiatives are effective in facilitating vocational success for this population; however, different aspects of school-to-work programs are beneficial for different aspects of employment. School-based programs are positively associated with stable employment and full-time work while work-based programs most consistently increase the likelihood that youth with disabilities will be employed in jobs that provide fringe benefits. Analyses also indicate that – once individuals with disabilities are stably employed – they can be employed in “good” jobs that provide employee benefits. PMID:25309111

Women Clerical Workers: Sex-Role Socialization, Work Attitudes, and Values.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Hilary M.; Kahn, Sharon E.

1989-01-01

Explored differences in sex-role socialization, personality orientation, and work attitudes and values of two groups of women clerical workers (N=91) who made their initial career choices in different historical time frames (the 1950s and 1970s). Results suggest that women clerical workers with differing sex-role socialization experiences may have…

Putting Disability Studies to Work in Art Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penketh, Claire

2014-01-01

Putting disability studies to work in art education suggests a form of action or industry, a creative opportunity for something to be done, recognising the relationship between theory and practice. Drawing on discourse analysis, this article offers an initial theoretical discussion of some of the ways in which disability is revealed and created…

Making a Broader Case for the Narrow View: Where to Begin?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallach, Geraldine P.; Charlton, Stephen; Christie, Julie

2009-01-01

Purpose: This final article covering the topic of the interplay between decoding, comprehension, and content versus structure knowledge describes a set of language initiatives that are focused toward content area learning. Inspired by the work of their colleagues from diverse fields and their own work, the authors offer suggestions to clinicians…

Suicide and the Polyamine System

PubMed Central

Gross, Jeffrey A.; Turecki, Gustavo

2017-01-01

Suicide is a significant worldwide public health problem. Understanding the neurobiology is important as it can help us to better elucidate underlying etiological factors and provide opportunities for intervention. In recent years, many lines of research have suggested that the polyamine system may be dysregulated in suicidal behaviors. Initial research in animals provided evidence of a dysfunctional polyamine stress response system, while later work using post-mortem human brain tissue has suggested that molecular mechanisms may be at play in the suicide brain. In this review, we will describe the research that suggests the presence of alterations in the polyamine system in mental disorders and behavioral phenotypes, with particular attention to work on suicide. In addition, we will also describe potential avenues for future work. PMID:24040803

Nurses and stress: recognizing causes and seeking solutions.

PubMed

Happell, Brenda; Dwyer, Trudy; Reid-Searl, Kerry; Burke, Karena J; Caperchione, Cristina M; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J

2013-05-01

To identify, from the perspectives of nurses, occupational stressors and ways in which they may be reduced. Nurses commonly experience high levels of occupational stress, with negative consequences for their physical and psychological health, health-care organisations and community. There is minimal research on reducing occupational stress. Six focus groups were conducted with 38 registered nurses using a qualitative exploratory approach. Participants were asked to identify sources of occupational stress and possible workplace initiatives to reduce stress. Sources of occupational stress were: high workloads, unavailability of doctors, unsupportive management, human resource issues, interpersonal issues, patients' relatives, shift work, car parking, handover procedures, no common area for nurses, not progressing at work and patient mental health. Suggestions for reduction included: workload modification, non-ward-based initiatives, changing shift hours, forwarding suggestions for change, music, special events, organisational development, ensuring nurses get breaks, massage therapists, acknowledgement from management and leadership within wards. The findings highlight the need to understand local perspectives and the importance of involving nurses in identifying initiatives to reduce occupational stress. Health-care environments can be enhanced through local understanding of the occupational stressors and productively engaging nurses in developing stress reduction initiatives. Nurse managers must facilitate such processes. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Developing Researcherly Dispositions in an Initial Teacher Education Context: Successes and Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Mary

2014-01-01

Douglas and Ellis (2011, p. 175) suggest that institutionally universities and schools are required to work with different conceptual tool-kits. Seeking to minimise the potential standoff between academic and practitioner knowledge, and, therefore, to enhance the learning of student teachers, means, they suggest, rethinking both the social…

Principals as Middle Managers: School Leadership during the Implementation of Primary Class Size Reduction Policy in Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flessa, Joseph J.

2012-01-01

Previous work on policy implementation has often suggested that schools leave their "thumbprints" on policies received from above. During the implementation of Primary Class Size Reduction (PCS) Initiative in Ontario, Canada, however, school principals spoke with remarkable uniformity about the ways PCS affected their work. This article…

Reconsidering the Framework. Learning in Science Project. Working Paper No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Roger; And Others

The first working paper of the Learning in Science Project, "An Initial Framework," outlined what was then seen as the major aims of the project and suggested how these aims might be achieved by three phases of research: exploratory (to observe teaching/learning in Form 1 to 4 science classrooms and to identify difficulties perceived by…

Impact Ignition of Liquid Propellants

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-30

attributed the initiation to a hydrodynamic phenomenon: the impact of a high- speed microjet formed by the collapsing cavity. and suggested that the jet was...heated by shock compression. Recent work has demonstrated hot-spots formed at absorbing centres after laser irradiation of secondary explosives (Ng...detonator containing a secondary explosive initiated by a laser pulse. CavitY collapse has been studied for many%, years to explain the cavitation

Many Children Left Behind? Textbooks and Test Scores in Kenya. NBER Working Paper No. 13300

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glewwe, Paul; Kremer, Michael; Moulin, Sylvie

2007-01-01

A randomized evaluation suggests that a program which provided official textbooks to randomly selected rural Kenyan primary schools did not increase test scores for the average student. In contrast, the previous literature suggests that textbook provision has a large impact on test scores. Disaggregating the results by students' initial academic…

Initial Investigation into the Psychoacoustic Properties of Small Unmanned Aerial System Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christian, Andrew; Cabell, Randolph

2017-01-01

For the past several years, researchers at NASA Langley have been engaged in a series of projects to study the degree to which existing facilities and capabilities, originally created for work on full-scale aircraft, are extensible to smaller scales --those of the small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS, also UAVs and, colloquially, `drones') that have been showing up in the nation's airspace of late. This paper follows an e ort that has led to an initial human{subject psychoacoustic test regarding the annoyance generated by sUAS noise. This e ort spans three phases: 1. The collection of the sounds through field recordings. 2. The formulation and execution of a psychoacoustic test using those recordings. 3. The initial analysis of the data from that test. The data suggests a lack of parity between the noise of the recorded sUAS and that of a set of road vehicles that were also recorded and included in the test, as measured by a set of contemporary noise metrics. Future work, including the possibility of further human subject testing, is discussed in light of this suggestion.

Measuring Corporate Smarts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delahoussaye, Martin; Ellis, Kristine; Bolch, Matt

2002-01-01

Provides empirical evidence that significant investment in work force development leads to increased shareholder value. Suggests that management should heed the evidence when considering cutting training and development budgets. Profiles 11 companies' stock performance and discusses their training and development initiatives. (JOW)

Stress and death of cnidarian host cells play a role in cnidarian bleaching.

PubMed

Paxton, Camille W; Davy, Simon K; Weis, Virginia M

2013-08-01

Coral bleaching occurs when there is a breakdown of the symbiosis between cnidarian hosts and resident Symbiodinium spp. Multiple mechanisms for the bleaching process have been identified, including apoptosis and autophagy, and most previous work has focused on the Symbiodinium cell as the initiator of the bleaching cascade. In this work we show that it is possible for host cells to initiate apoptosis that can contribute to death of the Symbiodinium cell. First we found that colchicine, which results in apoptosis in other animals, causes cell death in the model anemone Aiptasia sp. but not in cultured Symbiodinium CCMP-830 cells or in cells freshly isolated from host Aiptasia (at least within the time frame of our study). In contrast, when symbiotic Aiptasia were incubated in colchicine, cell death in the resident Symbiodinium cells was observed, suggesting a host effect on symbiont mortality. Using live-cell confocal imaging of macerated symbiotic host cell isolates, we identified a pattern where the initiation of host cell death was followed by mortality of the resident Symbiodinium cells. This same pattern was observed in symbiotic host cells that were subjected to temperature stress. This research suggests that mortality of symbionts during temperature-induced bleaching can be initiated in part by host cell apoptosis.

Insights into the Initiation of Eukaryotic DNA Replication.

PubMed

Bruck, Irina; Perez-Arnaiz, Patricia; Colbert, Max K; Kaplan, Daniel L

2015-01-01

The initiation of DNA replication is a highly regulated event in eukaryotic cells to ensure that the entire genome is copied once and only once during S phase. The primary target of cellular regulation of eukaryotic DNA replication initiation is the assembly and activation of the replication fork helicase, the 11-subunit assembly that unwinds DNA at a replication fork. The replication fork helicase, called CMG for Cdc45-Mcm2-7, and GINS, assembles in S phase from the constituent Cdc45, Mcm2-7, and GINS proteins. The assembly and activation of the CMG replication fork helicase during S phase is governed by 2 S-phase specific kinases, CDK and DDK. CDK stimulates the interaction between Sld2, Sld3, and Dpb11, 3 initiation factors that are each required for the initiation of DNA replication. DDK, on the other hand, phosphorylates the Mcm2, Mcm4, and Mcm6 subunits of the Mcm2-7 complex. Sld3 recruits Cdc45 to Mcm2-7 in a manner that depends on DDK, and recent work suggests that Sld3 binds directly to Mcm2-7 and also to single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, recent work demonstrates that Sld3 and its human homolog Treslin substantially stimulate DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2. These data suggest that the initiation factor Sld3/Treslin coordinates the assembly and activation of the eukaryotic replication fork helicase by recruiting Cdc45 to Mcm2-7, stimulating DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2, and binding directly to single-stranded DNA as the origin is melted.

Comparative assessment of techniques for initial pose estimation using monocular vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sumant; D`Amico, Simone

2016-06-01

This work addresses the comparative assessment of initial pose estimation techniques for monocular navigation to enable formation-flying and on-orbit servicing missions. Monocular navigation relies on finding an initial pose, i.e., a coarse estimate of the attitude and position of the space resident object with respect to the camera, based on a minimum number of features from a three dimensional computer model and a single two dimensional image. The initial pose is estimated without the use of fiducial markers, without any range measurements or any apriori relative motion information. Prior work has been done to compare different pose estimators for terrestrial applications, but there is a lack of functional and performance characterization of such algorithms in the context of missions involving rendezvous operations in the space environment. Use of state-of-the-art pose estimation algorithms designed for terrestrial applications is challenging in space due to factors such as limited on-board processing power, low carrier to noise ratio, and high image contrasts. This paper focuses on performance characterization of three initial pose estimation algorithms in the context of such missions and suggests improvements.

Prosthetic ankle push-off work reduces metabolic rate but not collision work in non-amputee walking.

PubMed

Caputo, Joshua M; Collins, Steven H

2014-12-03

Individuals with unilateral below-knee amputation expend more energy than non-amputees during walking and exhibit reduced push-off work and increased hip work in the affected limb. Simple dynamic models of walking suggest a possible solution, predicting that increasing prosthetic ankle push-off should decrease leading limb collision, thereby reducing overall energy requirements. We conducted a rigorous experimental test of this idea wherein ankle-foot prosthesis push-off work was incrementally varied in isolation from one-half to two-times normal levels while subjects with simulated amputation walked on a treadmill at 1.25 m · s(-1). Increased prosthesis push-off significantly reduced metabolic energy expenditure, with a 14% reduction at maximum prosthesis work. In contrast to model predictions, however, collision losses were unchanged, while hip work during swing initiation was decreased. This suggests that powered ankle push-off reduces walking effort primarily through other mechanisms, such as assisting leg swing, which would be better understood using more complete neuromuscular models.

Prosthetic ankle push-off work reduces metabolic rate but not collision work in non-amputee walking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caputo, Joshua M.; Collins, Steven H.

2014-12-01

Individuals with unilateral below-knee amputation expend more energy than non-amputees during walking and exhibit reduced push-off work and increased hip work in the affected limb. Simple dynamic models of walking suggest a possible solution, predicting that increasing prosthetic ankle push-off should decrease leading limb collision, thereby reducing overall energy requirements. We conducted a rigorous experimental test of this idea wherein ankle-foot prosthesis push-off work was incrementally varied in isolation from one-half to two-times normal levels while subjects with simulated amputation walked on a treadmill at 1.25 m.s-1. Increased prosthesis push-off significantly reduced metabolic energy expenditure, with a 14% reduction at maximum prosthesis work. In contrast to model predictions, however, collision losses were unchanged, while hip work during swing initiation was decreased. This suggests that powered ankle push-off reduces walking effort primarily through other mechanisms, such as assisting leg swing, which would be better understood using more complete neuromuscular models.

Prosthetic ankle push-off work reduces metabolic rate but not collision work in non-amputee walking

PubMed Central

Caputo, Joshua M.; Collins, Steven H.

2014-01-01

Individuals with unilateral below-knee amputation expend more energy than non-amputees during walking and exhibit reduced push-off work and increased hip work in the affected limb. Simple dynamic models of walking suggest a possible solution, predicting that increasing prosthetic ankle push-off should decrease leading limb collision, thereby reducing overall energy requirements. We conducted a rigorous experimental test of this idea wherein ankle-foot prosthesis push-off work was incrementally varied in isolation from one-half to two-times normal levels while subjects with simulated amputation walked on a treadmill at 1.25 m·s−1. Increased prosthesis push-off significantly reduced metabolic energy expenditure, with a 14% reduction at maximum prosthesis work. In contrast to model predictions, however, collision losses were unchanged, while hip work during swing initiation was decreased. This suggests that powered ankle push-off reduces walking effort primarily through other mechanisms, such as assisting leg swing, which would be better understood using more complete neuromuscular models. PMID:25467389

Reentry Program and Social Work Education: Training the Next Generation of Criminal Justice Social Workers.

PubMed

Franke, Nancy D; Treglia, Dan; Cnaan, Ram A

2017-01-01

Social work plays a marginal role in opposing the trend of mass incarceration and high rates of recidivism, and social work education offers limited opportunities for students to specialize in working with people who are currently or were previously incarcerated. How to train students of social work to work against mass-incarceration is still challenging. The authors devised and implemented an in-school social service agency devoted to working with people pre and post release from a prison system. The agency is a field practicum setting where interested students study and practice reentry work. In this article, the authors describe and assess the educational merit of this in-school agency. Findings from surveys of students and alumni suggest that the program attained its educational goals of connecting classroom education to practice experience and training students for careers in the criminal justice system. The authors also discuss pending challenges. The experience of the Goldring Reentry Initiative suggests that by developing their own social work agencies, the authors may be able to heighten their students educational experience and expand their contribution to social work practice broadly.

The Design and Development of Staff Wellbeing Initiatives: Staff Stressors, Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion at Children and Young People's Mental Health in Australia.

PubMed

Coates, Dominiek D; Howe, Deborah

2015-11-01

Mental health work presents problems for staff over and above those encountered in other organisations, including other areas of healthcare. Healthcare workers, in particular mental health workers, have poorer job satisfaction and higher job burnout and turnover compared with established norms for other occupational groups. To make sense of why healthcare workers experience high levels of burnout, a strong body of literature points to the emotionally demanding nature of people-work. The negative effects of mental health work on employee health can be mitigated by the provision of appropriate job resources and wellbeing initiatives. As to develop initiatives that appropriately target staff sources of stress and needs, it is important to engage staff in this process. As such, Children and Young People's Mental Health (CYPMH) and headspace Gosford, in Australia, New South Wales (NSW), developed a survey to identify how staff experience and manage the emotional demands of mental health work, what they identify as key stressors and which initiatives they would like to see implemented. Fifty-five staff (response rate of 73 %) completed the survey, and the results suggest that while staff find the work emotionally demanding, they do not appear to be emotionally exhausted and report administrative rather than client issues as their primary concerns. While a strong body of literature identifies the management of emotions in the workplace as a significant cause of stress, organisational stressors such as working in a bureaucratic environment are also important to understanding staff wellbeing.

Increased work in cardiac trabeculae causes decreased mitochondrial NADH fluorescence followed by slow recovery.

PubMed Central

Brandes, R; Bers, D M

1996-01-01

The oxidative phosphorylation rate in isolated mitochondria is stimulated by increased [ADP], resulting in decreased [NADH]. In intact hearts, however, increased mechanical work has generally not been shown to cause an increase in [ADP]. Therefore, increased [NADH] has been suggested as an alternative for stimulating the phosphorylation rate. Such a rise in [NADH] could result from stimulation of various substrate dehydrogenases by increased intracellular [Ca2+] (e.g., during increased pacing frequency). We have monitored mitochondrial [NADH] in isolated rat ventricular trabeculae, using a novel fluorescence spectroscopy method where a native fluorescence signal was used to correct for motion artifacts. Work was controlled by increased pacing frequency and assessed using time-averaged force. At low-pacing rates (approximately 0.1 Hz), [NADH] immediately decreased during contraction and then slowly recovered (approximately 5 s) before the next contraction. At higher rates, [NADH] initially decreased by an amount related to pacing rate (i.e., work). However, during prolonged stimulation, [NADH] slowly (approximately 60 s) recovered to a new steady-state level below the initial level. We conclude that 1) during increased work, oxidative phosphorylation is not initially stimulated by increased mitochondrial [NADH]; and 2) increased pacing frequency slowly causes stimulation of NADH production. Images FIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 PMID:8842239

Skillful regional prediction of Arctic sea ice on seasonal timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bushuk, Mitchell; Msadek, Rym; Winton, Michael; Vecchi, Gabriel A.; Gudgel, Rich; Rosati, Anthony; Yang, Xiaosong

2017-05-01

Recent Arctic sea ice seasonal prediction efforts and forecast skill assessments have primarily focused on pan-Arctic sea ice extent (SIE). In this work, we move toward stakeholder-relevant spatial scales, investigating the regional forecast skill of Arctic sea ice in a Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) seasonal prediction system. Using a suite of retrospective initialized forecasts spanning 1981-2015 made with a coupled atmosphere-ocean-sea ice-land model, we show that predictions of detrended regional SIE are skillful at lead times up to 11 months. Regional prediction skill is highly region and target month dependent and generically exceeds the skill of an anomaly persistence forecast. We show for the first time that initializing the ocean subsurface in a seasonal prediction system can yield significant regional skill for winter SIE. Similarly, as suggested by previous work, we find that sea ice thickness initial conditions provide a crucial source of skill for regional summer SIE.

Individual differences in the cortisol-awakening response during the first two years of shift work: A longitudinal study in novice police officers.

PubMed

Lammers-van der Holst, Heidi M; Kerkhof, Gerard A

2015-01-01

Cortisol acts as a critical biological intermediary through which chronic stressors like shift work impact upon multiple physiological, neuro-endocrine and hormonal functions. Therefore, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) is suggested as a prime index of shift work tolerance. Repeated assessments of the CAR (calculated as MnInc) in a group of 25 young novice police officers showed that in the interval between about 4 and 14 months after transitioning from regular day work to rotating shift work, mean values began to rise from baseline to significantly higher levels at about 14 months after they commenced shift work. Visual inspection of the individual trends revealed that a subgroup of 10 subjects followed a monotonically rising trend, whereas another 14 subjects, after an initial rise from about 4-14 months, reverted to a smaller, baseline level cortisol response at about 20 months after the start of shift work. If the initial increase in the cortisol response marks the development of a chronic stress response, the subsequent reversal to baseline levels in the subgroup of 14 participants might be indicative of a process of recovery, possibly the development of shift work tolerance.

Idea Notebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Janet; And Others

1986-01-01

Three entries address various outdoor education issues. The first outlines eight steps for promoting professional work. The second suggests ways to adapt 16 games, group initiatives, and ropes course elements to teach environmental concepts. The third explains the use of belay anchors, or cork-screw anchors designed to tether large dogs. (JHZ)

Adolescent Work, Vocational Development, and Education

PubMed Central

Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J.; Mortimer, Jeylan T.

2006-01-01

This review examines contemporary issues in vocational development with emphasis on adolescents’ work experiences in social context. Attention is directed to the changing social and cultural context for vocational development, the influence of work experience on adolescent development and educational achievement, and theoretical approaches that guide contemporary studies of vocational development and career maturity. In light of the utility of current theories, new directions are suggested to enhance understanding of adolescent employment, vocational development, and educational pursuits. Social policy initiatives to promote adolescents’ exercise of agency and their vocational development are considered. PMID:17387375

Parish nursing: a unique resource for community and district nurses.

PubMed

Wordsworth, Helen; Moore, Ros; Woodhouse, Daphne

2016-02-01

This paper examines the effect of parish nursing as a faith community initiative to support the work of district and community nurses and improve health outcomes. It discusses the reasons why faith communities might embark upon health initiatives, and describes the practice of parish nursing and its history and development in the UK. With reference to both quantitative and qualitative outcomes, the relevance of the practice in the UK health scene is assessed. The paper suggests that connecting with the third sector through parish nursing could enhance the work of community and district nurses; this would present additional sources of holistic care and health promotion and can be offered in an optional but complementary manner to the care provided through the NHS.

A 20-Year multi-followup longitudinal study assessing whether antipsychotic medications contribute to work functioning in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Harrow, Martin; Jobe, Thomas H; Faull, Robert N; Yang, Jie

2017-10-01

To assess the long-term effectiveness of antipsychotic medications in facilitating work functioning in patients with schizophrenia we conducted longitudinal multifollowup research on 139 initially psychotic patients. The 70 patients with schizophrenia and 69 initially psychotic mood disordered control patients were followed up 6 times over 20 years. We compared the influence on work functioning of patients with schizophrenia continuously prescribed antipsychotics with patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics, using statistical controls for inter-subject differences. While antipsychotics reduce or eliminate flagrant psychosis for most patients with schizophrenia at acute hospitalizations, four years later and continually until the 20 year followups, patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics had significantly better work functioning. The work performance of the patients who were continuously prescribed antipsychotics was at a low rate and did not improve over time. Multiple other factors also interfere with work functioning. The data suggest that some patients with schizophrenia not prescribed antipsychotics for prolonged periods can function relatively well. Multiple other factors are associated with poor post-hospital work performance. The longitudinal data raise questions about prolonged treatment of schizophrenia with antipsychotic medications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recommendations for Induction Training for Operators, Craftsmen and Ancillary Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Allied Products Industry Training Board, Staines (England).

These recommendations by the Chemical and Allied Products Industry Training Board of Great Britain concerning employee induction or orientation cover such aspects as pay and pensions, working conditions, discipline, safety, medical services. Topics and time allocations are suggested for the initial interview, the first day, and subsequent…

Information Distortion in the Evaluation of a Single Option

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Samuel D.; Carlson, Kurt A.; Meloy, Margaret G.; Russo, J. Edward; Tanner, Robin J.

2007-01-01

Extending previous work on biased predecisional processing, we investigate the distortion of information during the evaluation of a single option. A coherence-based account of the evaluation task suggests that individuals will form an initial assessment of favorability toward the option and then bias their evaluation of subsequent information to…

Data Processing Technology, A Suggested 2-Year Post High School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Central Texas Coll., Killeen.

This guide identifies technicians, states specific job requirements, and describes special problems in defining, initiating, and operating post-high school programs in data processing technology. The following are discussed: (1) the program (employment opportunities, the technician, work performed by data processing personnel, the faculty, student…

Revisiting the Relationship between Exercise Heart Rate and Music Tempo Preference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karageorghis, Costas I.; Jones, Leighton; Priest, David-Lee; Akers, Rose I.; Clarke, Adam; Perry, Jennifer M.; Reddick, Benjamin T.; Bishop, Daniel T.; Lim, Harry B. T.

2011-01-01

In the present study, we investigated a hypothesized quartic relationship (meaning three inflection points) between exercise heart rate (HR) and preferred music tempo. Initial theoretical predictions suggested a positive linear relationship (Iwanaga, 1995a, 1995b); however, recent experimental work has shown that as exercise HR increases, step…

Employee Alcoholism and Assistance Programs: Adapting an Innovation for College and University Faculty.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roman, Paul M.

1980-01-01

Strategies for initiating employee alcoholism and assistance programs in higher education institutions are considered. Barriers to faculty utilization of such programs include visibility of work performance and nature of supervision. Modes for adapting existing program designs to higher education are suggested. (Author/JMF)

Albanian Geography and History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Language Inst., Washington, DC.

This volume supplements lessons 1-120 in the "Albanian Basic Course" developed by the Defense Language Institute. New words and idioms are introduced, and historical, political, cultural, and geographic information about Albania focuses on contemporary life. It is suggested that the work in this text be initiated during the final phase of the…

The BGR Contingency Model for Leading Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Derek R.; Gordon, Raymond; Rose, Dennis Michael

2012-01-01

The continuing failure rates of change initiatives, combined with an increasingly complex business environment, have created significant challenges for the practice of change management. High failure rates suggest that existing change models are not working, or are being incorrectly used. A different mindset to change is required. The BGR…

Display Tactics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetlow, Linda

2009-01-01

Display took a wide variety of forms ranging from students presenting their initial planning and thought processes, to displays of their finished work, and their suggestions for extending the task should they, or others, have time to return to it in the future. A variety of different media were used from traditional posters in many shapes and…

Expression patterns of TEL genes in Poaceae suggest a conserved association with cell differentiation.

PubMed

Paquet, Nicolas; Bernadet, Marie; Morin, Halima; Traas, Jan; Dron, Michel; Charon, Celine

2005-06-01

Poaceae species present a conserved distichous phyllotaxy (leaf position along the stem) and share common properties with respect to leaf initiation. The goal of this work was to determine if these common traits imply common genes. Therefore, homologues of the maize TERMINAL EAR1 gene in Poaceae were studied. This gene encodes an RNA-binding motif (RRM) protein, that is suggested to regulate leaf initiation. Using degenerate primers, one unique tel (terminal ear1-like) gene from seven Poaceae members, covering almost all the phylogenetic tree of the family, was identified by PCR. These genes present a very high degree of similarity, a much conserved exon-intron structure, and the three RRMs and TEL characteristic motifs. The evolution of tel sequences in Poaceae strongly correlates with the known phylogenetic tree of this family. RT-PCR gene expression analyses show conserved tel expression in the shoot apex in all species, suggesting functional orthology between these genes. In addition, in situ hybridization experiments with specific antisense probes show tel transcript accumulation in all differentiating cells of the leaf, from the recruitment of leaf founder cells to leaf margins cells. Tel expression is not restricted to initiating leaves as it is also found in pro-vascular tissues, root meristems, and immature inflorescences. Therefore, these results suggest that TEL is not only associated with leaf initiation but more generally with cell differentiation in Poaceae.

Weaknesses in executive functioning predict the initiating of adolescents' alcohol use.

PubMed

Peeters, Margot; Janssen, Tim; Monshouwer, Karin; Boendermaker, Wouter; Pronk, Thomas; Wiers, Reinout; Vollebergh, Wilma

2015-12-01

Recently, it has been suggested that impairments in executive functioning might be risk factors for the onset of alcohol use rather than a result of heavy alcohol use. In the present study, we examined whether two aspects of executive functioning, working memory and response inhibition, predicted the first alcoholic drink and first binge drinking episode in young adolescents using discrete survival analyses. Adolescents were selected from several Dutch secondary schools including both mainstream and special education (externalizing behavioral problems). Participants were 534 adolescents between 12 and 14 years at baseline. Executive functioning and alcohol use were assessed four times over a period of two years. Working memory uniquely predicted the onset of first drink (p=.01) and first binge drinking episode (p=.04) while response inhibition only uniquely predicted the initiating of the first drink (p=.01). These results suggest that the association of executive functioning and alcohol consumption found in former studies cannot simply be interpreted as an effect of alcohol consumption, as weaknesses in executive functioning, found in alcohol naïve adolescents, predict the initiating of (binge) drinking. Though, prolonged and heavy alcohol use might further weaken already existing deficiencies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Raising household saving: does financial education work?

PubMed

Gale, William G; Harris, Benjamin H; Levine, Ruth

2012-01-01

This article highlights the prevalence and economic outcomes of financial illiteracy among American households, and reviews previous research that examines how improving financial literacy affects household saving. Analysis of the research literature suggests that previous financial literacy efforts have yielded mixed results. Evidence suggests that interventions provided for employees in the workplace have helped increase household saving, but estimates of the magnitude of the impact vary widely. For financial education initiatives targeted to other groups, the evidence is much more ambiguous, suggesting a need for more econometrically rigorous evaluations.

Factors associated with pathways toward concurrent sex work and injection drug use among female sex workers who inject drugs in northern Mexico.

PubMed

Morris, Meghan D; Lemus, Hector; Wagner, Karla D; Martinez, Gustavo; Lozada, Remedios; Gómez, Rangel María Gudelia; Strathdee, Steffanie A

2013-01-01

To identify factors associated with time to initiation of (i) sex work prior to injecting drugs initiation; (ii) injection drug use prior to sex work initiation; and (iii) concurrent sex work and injection drug use (i.e. initiated at the same age) among female sex workers who currently inject drugs (FSW-IDU). Parametric survival analysis of baseline data for time to initiation event. Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez situated on the Mexico-US border. A total of 557 FSW-IDUs aged ≥18 years. Interview-administered surveys assessing context of sex work and injection drug use initiation. Nearly half (n = 258) initiated sex work prior to beginning to inject, a third (n = 163) initiated injection first and a quarter (n = 136) initiated both sex work and injection drug use concurrently. Low education and living in Ciudad Juarez accelerated time to sex work initiation. Being from a southern Mexican state and initiating drug use with inhalants delayed the time to first injection drug use. Having an intimate partner encourage entry into sex work and first injecting drugs to deal with depression accelerated time to initiating sex work and injection concurrently. Early physical abuse accelerated time to initiating sex work and injection, and substantially accelerated time to initiation of both behaviors concurrently. Among female sex workers who currently inject drugs in two Mexican-US border cities, nearly half appear to initiate sex work prior to beginning to inject, nearly one-third initiate injection drug use before beginning sex work and one-quarter initiate both behaviors concurrently. Predictors of these three trajectories differ, and this provides possible modifiable targets for prevention. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Men's health promotion interventions: what have we learned from previous programmes.

PubMed

Robertson, Steve; Witty, Karl; Zwolinsky, Steve; Day, Rhiannon

2013-11-01

Concern persists in health-related literature about men's reduced life expectancy and higher premature death rates; this is often linked to difficulties in engaging with men as a client group. However, some innovative projects and programmes, often led by health visitors or other community based nurses, have developed successful health promotion work with men. This article collates existing tacit knowledge (previous learning) about men's health interventions by integrating interview data from nine practitioners who have established such initiatives with data from 35 men's health project reports to consider 'what works'. Five themes stood out as being significant across the data reviewed: using the right setting (often outside statutory services); ensuring the right approach (drawing on male-specific interests and language); actively listening to what local men say; appropriate training (initial and ongoing) for those involved in such work; and partnership working with local community groups, businesses and statutory service providers. While not a panacea for working with any and all men, these themes form a good basis for successful engagement with men and align well with what a recent review of health visitor interventions suggest works in helping bridge service provision-uptake gaps.

The effect of family policies and public health initiatives on breastfeeding initiation among 18 high-income countries: a qualitative comparative analysis research design.

PubMed

Lubold, Amanda Marie

2017-01-01

The objective of this study is to examine the effects of macro-level factors - welfare state policies and public health initiatives - on breastfeeding initiation among eighteen high-income countries. This study utilizes fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis methods to examine the combinations of conditions leading to both high and low national breastfeeding initiation rates among eighteen high-income countries. The most common pathway leading to high breastfeeding initiation is the combination of conditions including a high percentage of women in parliament, a low national cesarean section rate, and either low family spending, high rates of maternity leave, or high rates of women working part-time. The most common pathway leading to low breastfeeding initiation includes the necessary condition of low national adherence to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. This research suggests that there is a connection between broad level welfare state polices, public health initiatives, and breastfeeding initiation. Compliance with the WHO/UNICEF initiatives depends on welfare regime policies and overall support for women in both productive and reproductive labor.

Self-initiated encoding facilitates object working memory in schizophrenia: implications for the etiology of working memory deficit.

PubMed

Kim, Jejoong; Park, Sohee; Shin, Yong-Wook; Jin Lee, Kyung; Kwon, Jun Soo

2006-02-15

Working memory (WM) deficit is present in a majority of patients with schizophrenia but it is unclear which components of WM are impaired. Past studies suggest that encoding may be compromised. One important determinant of encoding is the deployment of selective attention to the target stimulus. In addition, attention and encoding are modulated by motivational factors. In this study, we investigated the effects of self-initiated encoding (i.e., voluntary attention) on WM. 19 patients with schizophrenia and 19 matched control subjects participated in visual WM and control tasks. Encoding was manipulated by asking subjects to select from two face targets and memorize 1) one of the two identical faces (Non-preference condition), 2) one that is marked (Non-choice condition), and 3) one they prefer (Preference condition). WM accuracy for both location (spatial) and identity (object) was measured. Overall, patients with schizophrenia were less accurate and slower than the control subjects but the deficit was greater for object WM. However, patients were more accurate in object WM when they selected a preferred face as their target during encoding (preference condition) compared with the other two conditions. This effect was not significant for spatial WM. These results suggest that voluntary, self-initiated attention may facilitate object encoding especially if the selection of the target involves affective choice, and that attention may play different roles in encoding 'what' versus 'where' in WM. Since encoding affects all forms of memory, these results may have a more general implication for memory.

Investigating the Development of Work-Oriented Groups in an e-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Chia-Ping; Kuo, Feng-Yang

2012-01-01

In this study, we have investigated developmental patterns of virtual groups in the e-learning environment. Our findings suggest that for virtual groups formed for the purpose of e-learning, dependency and inclusion characterize the initial stage of group development, as such characteristics reinforce cooperative relationships and help to build a…

Retrieving Immortal Questions, Initiating Immortal Conversations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duarte, Eduardo M.

2012-01-01

In his presidential address, which is included in this collection of papers, Kip Kline suggests that the time has arrived to redirect the work of philosophy of education away from the path of critical theory, and thus to depart from what he described as the discourse of "parrhesia." The author takes Kline's critique of critical philosophy of…

The Troubled Reader: Access to Intervention for the School Psychologist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meredith, Kurt; Steele, Jeannie

Intended for school psychologists, the guidelines suggest ways of intervening with troubled readers. An initial chapter notes the size of the problem and asserts that school psychologists have some training to work with troubled readers. Chapter 2 reviews the reading process, addressing such aspects as the interaction of text, reader, and content…

Measurement of Workforce Readiness Competencies: Design of Prototype Measures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neil, Harold F., Jr.; And Others

A general methodology approach is suggested for measurement of workforce readiness competencies in the context of overall work by the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing on the domain-independent measurement of workforce readiness skills. The methodology consists of 14 steps, from the initial selection of a…

Robust Dimensions of Anxiety Sensitivity: Development and Initial Validation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Steven; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Cox, Brian J.; Deacon, Brett; Heimberg, Richard G.; Ledley, Deborah Roth; Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Holaway, Robert M.; Sandin, Bonifacio; Stewart, Sherry H.; Coles, Meredith; Eng, Winnie; Daly, Erin S.; Arrindell, Willem A.; Bouvard, Martine; Cardenas, Samuel Jurado

2007-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) plays an important role in many clinical conditions, particularly anxiety disorders. Research has increasingly focused on how the basic dimensions of anxiety sensitivity are related to various forms of psychopathology. Such work has been hampered because…

Parental Engagement in a Reggio Emilia-Inspired Head Start Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Stephanie C.

2014-01-01

In the United States, progressive education programs have historically failed to take hold among low-income families, even when that population has been their initial focus. Instead, these programs tend to become popular among middle-class or affluent families. Some research suggests that working-class/poor families' expectations of education may…

Teacher Professional Development to Foster Authentic Student Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conn, K.; Iyengar, E.

2004-12-01

This presentation reports on a new teacher workshop design that encourages teachers to initiate and support long-term student-directed research projects in the classroom setting. Teachers were recruited and engaged in an intensive marine ecology learning experience at Shoals Marine Laboratory, Appledore Island, Maine. Part of the weeklong summer workshop was spent in field work, part in laboratory work, and part in learning experimental design and basic statistical analysis of experimental results. Teachers were presented with strategies to adapt their workshop learnings to formulate plans for initiating and managing authentic student research projects in their classrooms. The authors will report on the different considerations and constraints facing the teachers in their home school settings and teachers' progress in implementing their plans. Suggestions for replicating the workshop will be offered.

Influencing organisational change in the NHS: lessons learned from workplace wellness initiatives in practice.

PubMed

Blake, Holly; Lloyd, Scott

2008-01-01

This article presents a discussion of the key issues in influencing organisational change in NHS settings, in the development of workplace wellness interventions to improve employee health and wellbeing. To tackle poor public health and associated rising healthcare costs, there must be a focus on the root cause of many preventable diseases - unhealthy lifestyle choices. Workplace wellness initiatives are now an important prevention strategy adopted by socially responsible organisations to target the health and wellbeing of working age adults. Lessons learned from initiatives in secondary care suggest that effective implementation requires change in organisational 'health culture', through a combination of education, behaviour change intervention, needs-based facilities, and services and strategies for developing supportive and health-promoting work environments. Most of all, employers must demonstrate a commitment to health and wellness that is fully integrated with their mission, values and long-term vision, paving the way for sustainable lifestyle changes. Evaluation systems must be in place to measure the impact and outcomes of wellness schemes.

Factors associated with pathways toward concurrent sex work and injection drug use among female sex workers who inject drugs in Northern Mexico

PubMed Central

Morris, Meghan D.; Lemus, Hector; Wagner, Karla D.; Martinez, Gustavo; Lozada, Remedios; Gómez, Rangel María Gudelia; Strathdee, Steffanie A.

2012-01-01

Aims To identify factors associated with time to initiation of (1) sex work prior to injecting drugs, (2) injection drug use, and (3) concurrent sex work and injection drug use (i.e., initiated at the same age) among female sex workers who currently inject drugs (FSW-IDU). Design Parametric survival analysis of baseline data for time to initiation event. Setting Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez situated on the Mexico-U.S. border. Participants 575 FSW-IDUs aged ≥18. Measurements Interview-administered surveys assessing context of sex work and injection drug use initiation. Findings Nearly half (n=256) initiated sex work prior to beginning to inject, a third (n=163) initiated injection first, and a quarter (n=136) initiated both sex work and injection drug use concurrently. Low education and living in Ciudad Juarez accelerated time to sex work initiation. Being from a southern Mexican state and initiating drug use with inhalants delayed the time to first injection drug use. Having an intimate partner encourage entry into sex work and first injecting drugs to deal with depression accelerated time to initiating sex work and injection concurrently. Early physical abuse accelerated time to initiating sex work and injection, and substantially accelerated time to initiation of both behaviors concurrently. Conclusions Among female sex workers who currently inject drugs in two Mexican-US border cities, nearly half appear to initiate sex work prior to beginning to inject, nearly one third initiate injection drug use before beginning sex work, and one quarter initiate both behaviors concurrently. Predictors of these three trajectories differ, and this provides possible modifiable targets for prevention. PMID:22775475

How maya women respond to changing technology : The effect of helping behavior on initiating reproduction.

PubMed

Kramer, K L; McMillan, G P

1998-06-01

In the mid 1970s labor-saving technology was introduced into a Maya subsistence agricultural community that markedly increased the efficiency with which maize could be ground and water collected. This increased efficiency introduces a possible savings in the time that women allocate to work, which can be reapportioned to child care, food production, domestic work, or leisure. An earlier study suggested that this labor-saving technology had a positive effect in decreasing the age at which these Maya women begin their reproductive careers. Although there is a statistical association between the age at which women bear their first child and the introduction of modern technology, this association does not demonstrate that the decline in age at first birth is causally related to the presence of technology. This paper pursues two objectives to evaluate this potential causal relationship in greater detail. First, a theory relating technological change to the initiation of a reproductive career is briefly developed in order to make qualitative predictions about behavioral changes as a response to changing technology. Second, these predictions are then tested against time allocation data recently collected in this same Maya community.We suggest that both of the conditions necessary to initiate reproduction-fecundity and access to mates-fundamentally depend on the amount of help that a girl provides to her family. Further, the help that a girl provides can be affected by technological changes. Analyses show that when modern technology is available, unmarried young women do not change the time allocated to domestic tasks and child care, and allocate more time to low-energy leisure activities. This lack of perceived benefit to working more and a potential concomitant shift towards a positive energy balance may in part explain why Maya women leave home and initiate reproduction at a younger age after labor-saving technology is introduced.

Trenton Biogas LLC

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

Blair, William Brian

During the total period of funding, the project objectives changed. The initial objective of the project was to research the health and efficacy of two commercial derivative products of levulinic acid extracted from food waste and to optimize conversion methods for manufacturing. Unfortunately, and prior to any final conclusions, the scientist performing the studies passed away leaving much of the work incomplete. Analysis of the initial work product suggested that the process for commercializing levulinic acid from the food waste product was cost prohibitive mostly due to the market readiness for the levulinic acid product. The second phase of fundingmore » research period focused on utilizing the food waste (which had already been researched from phase 1) for other sources of energy. The focus and objectives of this phase were more focused on the technology transfer necessary to commercialize anaerobic digestion of food waste in a somewhat urban environment. During this transition, the project name changed from Trenton Fuel Works to Trenton Biogas.« less

Semantic Features for Classifying Referring Search Terms

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

May, Chandler J.; Henry, Michael J.; McGrath, Liam R.

2012-05-11

When an internet user clicks on a result in a search engine, a request is submitted to the destination web server that includes a referrer field containing the search terms given by the user. Using this information, website owners can analyze the search terms leading to their websites to better understand their visitors needs. This work explores some of the features that can be used for classification-based analysis of such referring search terms. We present initial results for the example task of classifying HTTP requests countries of origin. A system that can accurately predict the country of origin from querymore » text may be a valuable complement to IP lookup methods which are susceptible to the obfuscation of dereferrers or proxies. We suggest that the addition of semantic features improves classifier performance in this example application. We begin by looking at related work and presenting our approach. After describing initial experiments and results, we discuss paths forward for this work.« less

Faculty Self-Study in the Elementary School. Working Papers. Revised Edition 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg. Bureau of Planning and Evaluation.

This guide for the study of a school district by its faculty members and administrators, along with parents, begins with suggested procedures for initiating and conducting a self-study. The guide itself contains two major sections: comprehensive study areas and content study areas. Included in the comprehensive areas for study are administration…

What Are the Problems with Teacher Supply?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Patrick; Gorard, Stephen; See, Beng Huat

2006-01-01

This paper is based on our studies of teacher recruitment and retention. Using official statistics from a variety of secondary sources, it builds on our previous work on the changing demand for teachers by exploring issues of teacher supply in the UK. Our findings suggest there is no overall shortage of applicants to initial teacher education and…

Family Influences on Transition to the Adult Job Market.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerman, Robert I.; Ooms, Theodora

A study examined the interplay among the initial family context of noncollege-bound youth, their entry into the full-time adult labor force, and formation of their families. The social psychological literature suggested that parents and other family members played an important role in teaching youth about the value of work, provided them with many…

Biological diversity, ecological integrity, and neotropical migrants: New perspectives for wildlife management

Treesearch

Brian A. Maurer

1993-01-01

New initiatives in wildlife management have come from the realization that birds can be used as indicators of ecosystem health. Conceptually, biological diversity includes processes working at all scales in biological hierarchies that compose the natural world. Recent advances in the understanding of ecological systems suggest they are nonequilibrium systems, and must...

How Learning Techniques Initiate Simulation of Human Mind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girija, C.

2014-01-01

The simulation of human mind often helps in the understanding of abstract concept by representing it in a realistic model and simplistic way so that a learner develops an understanding of the key concepts. Bian (1873) and James (1890) in their work suggested that thoughts and body activity result from interactions among neurons within the brain.…

The modification of attentional bias to emotional information: A review of the techniques, mechanisms, and relevance to emotional disorders.

PubMed

Browning, Michael; Holmes, Emily A; Harmer, Catherine J

2010-03-01

A negative bias in the deployment of attention to emotional stimuli is commonly found in both anxiety and depression. Recent work has highlighted that such biases are causally related to emotional vulnerability, suggesting that interventions that ameliorate them may be therapeutic. Here, we review the evidence that attentional bias can be modified using both pharmacological and psychological interventions. We highlight the behavioral and neuroimaging studies that suggest that these interventions impact upon attention via alteration of distinct neural mechanisms. Specifically, pharmacological interventions appear to influence the initial deployment of attention via an effect on the amygdala-based stimulus appraisal system, whereas psychological interventions influence attention at later time points and may alter activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex. Finally, we suggest a conceptual framework that embraces both pharmacological and psychological approaches and consider the possible implications of this work for future research and treatment development.

NBER working paper series: oil and the dollar. Working Paper No. 554

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

Krugman, P.

1980-01-01

This paper develops a simple theoretical model of the effect of an oil price increase on exchange rates. The model shows that the direction of this effect depends on a comparison of the direct balance of payments burden of the higher oil price with the indirect balance of payments benefits of OPEC spending and investment. In the short run, what matters is whether the US share of world oil imports is more or less than its share of OPEC asset holdings; in the long run, whether its share of oil imports is more or less than its share of OPECmore » imports. Casual empiricism suggests that the initial effect and the long run effect will run in opposite directions; an oil price increase will initially lead to dollar appreciation, but eventually leads to dollar depreciation.« less

From canteen to lunch box: ergonomic demands in distribution of portion-packed hot food.

PubMed

Dahlberg, Raymond; Bildt, Carina; Karlqvist, Lena

2003-01-01

The present case-study, which is rather small in number of subjects but has a broad perspective, is part of a larger investigation designed to initiate development processes in working life in one specific region in Sweden. This study may serve as an example of ergonomic fieldwork with a gender perspective. The overall aim was to examine the physical and psychosocial working conditions among a group of female hot food distributors, and to relate these conditions to other traditionally heavy work within the same working unit, as well as to suggest improvements. The study group consisted of ten female municipal employees in a provincial town. Structured interviews about the psychosocial working conditions, measurements of heart rate, ratings of self-reported perceived exertion and observations of one working day were performed. The overall impression from the study was that the food distributors in several aspects had a very difficult working situation that ought to be improved. The food distributors reported high psychological demands and low decision latitude, time pressure and dissatisfaction with not being able to live up to the pensioners' and the employer's expectations. They also had a high heart rate increase during work, which may be a risk factor for impaired health. Several short-term and long-term solutions were suggested to reduce and redistribute the total workload. The employer has attended to some suggested short-term solutions and the follow-up study showed that the working conditions had been improved. A reduction of cardiovascular load, as well as self-rated physical exertion, was noted and the work was perceived as substantially less stressful.

Mixing Dynamics Induced by Traveling Magnetic Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grugel, Richard N.; Mazuruk, Konstantin

2000-01-01

Microstructural and compositional homogeneity in metals and alloys can only be achieved if the initial melt is homogeneous prior to the onset of solidification processing. Naturally induced convection may initially facilitate this requirement but upon the onset of solidification significant compositional variations generally arise leading to undesired segregation. Application of alternating magnetic fields to promote a uniform bulk liquid concentration during solidification processing has been suggested. To investigate such possibilities an initial study of using traveling magnetic fields (TMF) to promote melt homogenization is reported in this work. Theoretically, the effect of TMF-induced convection on mixing phenomena is studied in the laminar regime of flow. Experimentally, with and without applied fields, both: mixing dynamics by optically monitoring the spreading of an initially localized dye in transparent fluids and, compositional variations in metal alloys have been investigated.

Mixing Dynamics Induced by Traveling Magnetic Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grugel, Richard N.; Mazuruk, Konstantin; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Microstructural and compositional homogeneity in metals and alloys can only be achieved if the initial melt is homogeneous prior to the onset of solidification processing. Naturally induced convection may initially facilitate this requirement but upon the onset of solidification significant compositional variations generally arise leading to undesired segregation. Application of alternating magnetic fields to promote a uniform bulk liquid concentration during solidification processing has been suggested. To investigate such possibilities an initial study of using traveling magnetic fields (TMF) to promote melt homogenization is reported in this work. Theoretically, the effect of TMF-induced convection on mixing phenomena is studied in the laminar regime of flow. Experimentally, with and without applied fields, both 1) mixing dynamics by optically monitoring the spreading of an initially localized dye in transparent fluids and, 2) compositional variations in metal alloys have been investigated.

Gender and Women Development Initiatives in Bangladesh: A Study of Rural Mother Center.

PubMed

Karim, K M Rabiul; Emmelin, Maria; Lindberg, Lene; Wamala, Sarah

2016-01-01

Women-focused development initiatives have become a controversial issue connected with women's health and welfare. Previous studies indicated that development initiatives might increase women's workload, family conflict, and marital violence. This study explored the gendered characteristics of a development initiative Rural Mother Center in Bangladesh. Data incorporated policy document and interviews of social workers working with the mother centers in two northwest subdistricts. The qualitative content analysis of data emerged a general theme of expanding women's responsibility while maintaining male privilege explaining gendered design and practice of the development initiative. The theme was supported by two gendered categories related to the design: (a) essentializing women's participation; (b) maintaining traditional gender, and four categories related to the practice; (c) inadequate gender knowledge and skills; (d) reinforcing traditional gender; (e) using women for improving office performance; and (f) upholding male privilege. The study suggests that though women-focused development initiatives need to be embraced with gender-redistributive policies, the social workers should be trained for attaining gender-transformative motivation and competencies.

Procurement of a more efficient railroad system

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

Detmold, P.J.

An analysis of how new technology penetrates the railroad system and who initiates the changes suggests ways for improving the procedures. The author identifies a six-step process in transport development which includes invention, innovation, information dissemination, and persuasion. He concludes that poor economic justification and the lack of capital explain the low rate of equipment replacement. The nature of the market and the need for standardized specification appear to influence procurement changes, but both suppliers and transport operators must be convinced of the need for change. The Advanced Train Control Systems Project illustrates how the initiation process works.

Lunar optical telescopes: An historical perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Stewart W.

1992-01-01

There is a long history of thought and discussion on the possibilities of astronomical observatories on the Moon. Numerous ideas have been suggested and a variety of concepts have resulted for lunar optical telescopes. This paper reviews some of the ideas and efforts of individuals and working groups including Hershel, Clarke, Malina, Herbig, and Hess; working groups of the 1960s; and recent initiatives of Burke, Burns, and others. The enhanced technologies of the 1980s and 1990s can make past dreams of lunar observatories come to reality in the 21st century.

Lunar optical telescopes: an historical perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Stewart W.

1992-11-01

There is a long history of thought and discussion on the possibilities of astronomical observatories on the Moon. Numerous ideas have been suggested and a variety of concepts have resulted for lunar optical telescopes. This paper reviews some of the ideas and efforts of individuals and working groups including Hershel, Clarke, Malina, Herbig, and Hess; working groups of the 1960s; and recent initiatives of Burke, Burns, and others. The enhanced technologies of the 1980s and 1990s can make past dreams of lunar observatories come to reality in the 21st century.

Forgotten but not gone: an examination of fit between leader consideration and initiating structure needed and received.

PubMed

Lambert, Lisa Schurer; Tepper, Bennett J; Carr, Jon C; Holt, Daniel T; Barelka, Alex J

2012-09-01

We examined the effects of fit between leader consideration and initiating structure needed and received on employees' work-related attitudes (i.e., trust in the supervisor, job satisfaction, and affective commitment to the organization). Consistent with predictions that derive from the person-environment fit research tradition, results from Study 1 suggested that deficient amounts of both leadership behaviors were associated with unfavorable attitudinal outcomes. However, while excess levels of consideration were associated with favorable attitudinal outcomes, excess levels of initiating structure were associated with unfavorable attitudes, and for both forms of leadership, higher levels of absolute fit were associated with more favorable outcomes. Results from Study 2 suggested that attitudes generated by the fit between leadership needed and received influence employees' organizational citizenship behavior as reported by their supervisors. The relationship between consideration needed and received and subordinates' organizational citizenship behavior relating to individuals (OCBI) and organizational citizenship behavior relating to the organization itself (OCBO) was partially mediated by employees' trust in the supervisor, while the relationship between initiating structure needed and received and OCBI was fully mediated by trust in the supervisor, and for OCBO was partially mediated.

Does practicing a skill with the expectation of teaching alter motor preparatory cortical dynamics?

PubMed

Daou, Marcos; Lohse, Keith R; Miller, Matthew W

2018-05-01

Recent evidence suggests practicing a motor skill with the expectation of teaching it enhances learning by increasing information processing during motor preparation. However, the specific motor preparatory processes remain unknown. The present study sought to address this shortcoming by employing EEG to assess participants' motor preparatory processes while they completed a golf putting pretest, and then practiced putting with the expectation of (a) teaching another participant how to putt the next day (teach group, n = 30), or (b) being tested on their putting the next day (test group, n = 30). Participants' EEG during the 3-s prior to and 1-s after initiating putter movement was analyzed. All participants completed posttests 1 day after the practice session. The teach group exhibited better posttest performance (superior learning) relative to the test group, but no group differences in motor preparatory processing (EEG) emerged. However, participants in both groups exhibited linear decreases in both theta power at frontal midline and upper-alpha power over motor areas during putt initiation. These results suggest a decrease in working memory and action monitoring (frontal midline theta), and an increase in motor programming (motor upper-alpha) during putt initiation. Further, participants in both groups exhibited increased frontal midline theta from pretest to practice, but decreases in both upper motor-alpha and upper-alpha coherence between left/right temporal and motor planning regions. These results suggest participants utilized working memory and action monitoring to a greater extent during practice relative to pretest, while refining their motor programming and verbal-analytic/visuospatial involvement in motor programming. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Working memory regulates trait anxiety-related threat processing biases.

PubMed

Booth, Robert W; Mackintosh, Bundy; Sharma, Dinkar

2017-06-01

High trait anxious individuals tend to show biased processing of threat. Correlational evidence suggests that executive control could be used to regulate such threat-processing. On this basis, we hypothesized that trait anxiety-related cognitive biases regarding threat should be exaggerated when executive control is experimentally impaired by loading working memory. In Study 1, 68 undergraduates read ambiguous vignettes under high and low working memory load; later, their interpretations of these vignettes were assessed via a recognition test. Trait anxiety predicted biased interpretation of social threat vignettes under high working memory load, but not under low working memory load. In Study 2, 53 undergraduates completed a dot probe task with fear-conditioned Japanese characters serving as threat stimuli. Trait anxiety predicted attentional bias to the threat stimuli but, again, this only occurred under high working memory load. Interestingly however, actual eye movements toward the threat stimuli were only associated with state anxiety, and this was not moderated by working memory load, suggesting that executive control regulates biased threat-processing downstream of initial input processes such as orienting. These results suggest that cognitive loads can exacerbate trait anxiety-related cognitive biases, and therefore represent a useful tool for assessing cognitive biases in future research. More importantly, since biased threat-processing has been implicated in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety, poor executive control may be a risk factor for anxiety disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Online Initial Teacher Education Students' Perceptions of Using Web Conferences to Support Professional Conversations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyment, Janet E.; Downing, Jill

2018-01-01

This paper draws on the work of Helen Timperley (2015) who suggests there are six clear enablers that support educators to have professional conversations: processes, resources, culture, knowledge, relationships, as well as context. This purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, it describes how weekly web conferences that were offered for online…

Children's Ideas about "Metals." Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 112.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biddulph, Fred; Osborne, Roger

The topic of metals is frequently taught in primary schools. However, when metals are suggested as one of a series of topics for study, students often initially show little enthusiasm for the topic. To determine the ideas that children have about metals the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--interviewed thirty-eight 9- to 10-year-old…

Local status and power in area-based health improvement partnerships.

PubMed

Powell, Katie; Thurston, Miranda; Bloyce, Daniel

2014-11-01

Area-based initiatives have formed an important part of public policy towards more socio-economically deprived areas in many countries. Co-ordinating service provision within and across sectors has been a common feature of these initiatives. Despite sustained policy interest in area-based initiatives, little empirical work has explored relations between area-based initiative providers, and partnership development within this context remains under-theorised. This article addresses both of these gaps by exploring partnerships as a social and developmental process, drawing on concepts from figurational sociology to explain how provider relations develop within an area-based initiative. Qualitative methods were used to explore, prospectively, the development of an area-based initiative targeted at a town in the north west of England. A central finding was that although effective delivery of area-based initiatives is premised on a high level of co-ordination between service providers, the pattern of interdependencies between providers limits the frequency and effectiveness of co-operation. In particular, the interdependency of area-based initiative providers with others in their organisation (what is termed here as 'organisational pull') constrained the ways in which they worked with providers outside of their own organisations. 'Local' status, which could be earned over time, enabled some providers to exert greater control over the way in which provider relations developed during the course of the initiative. These findings demonstrate how historically constituted social networks, within which all providers are embedded, shape partnership development. The theoretical insight developed here suggests a need for more realistic expectations among policymakers about how and to what extent provider partnerships can be managed. © The Author(s) 2014.

Have we left some behind? Trends in socio-economic inequalities in breastfeeding initiation: a population-based epidemiological surveillance study.

PubMed

Nickel, Nathan C; Martens, Patricia J; Chateau, Dan; Brownell, Marni D; Sarkar, Joykrishna; Goh, Chun Yan; Burland, Elaine; Taylor, Carole; Katz, Alan

2014-07-31

Breastfeeding is associated with improved health. Surveillance data show that breastfeeding initiation rates have increased; however, limited work has examined trends in socio-economic inequalities in initiation. The study's research question was whether socio-economic inequalities in breastfeeding initiation have changed over the past 20 years. This population-based study is a project within PATHS Equity for Children. Analyses used hospital discharge data for Manitoba mother-infant dyads with live births, 1988-2011 (n=316,027). Income quintiles were created, each with ~20% of dyads. Three-year, overall and by-quintile breastfeeding initiation rates were estimated for Manitoba and two hospitals. Age-adjusted rates were estimated for Manitoba. Rates were modelled using generalized linear models. Three measures, rate ratios (RRs), rate differences (RDs) and concentration indices, assessed inequality at each time point. We also compared concentration indices with Gini coefficients to assess breastfeeding inequality vis-à-vis income inequality. Trend analyses tested for changes over time. Manitoba and Hospital A initiation rates increased; Hospital B rates did not change. Significant inequalities existed in nearly every period, across all three measures: RRs, RDs and concentration indices. RRs and concentration indices suggested little to no change in inequality from 1988 to 2011. RDs for Manitoba (comparing initiation in the highest to lowest income quintiles) did not change significantly over time. RDs decreased for Hospital A, suggesting decreasing socio-economic inequalities in breastfeeding; RDs increased for Hospital B. Income inequality increased significantly in Manitoba during the study period. Overall breastfeeding initiation rates can improve while inequality persists or worsens.

Understanding the Reaction Chemistry of 2,2':5',2''-Terthiophene Films with Vapor-Deposited Ag, Al, and Ca

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

Sang, Lingzi; Matz, Dallas L.; Pemberton, Jeanne E.

The reaction chemistry of vapor-deposited 2,2':5',2''-terthiophene (α-3T) solid-state thin films with postdeposited Ag, Al, and Ca is investigated in ultrahigh vacuum using Raman spectroscopy. Vapor-deposited Ag forms nanoparticles on these films and induces considerable surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) along with a change in molecular symmetry of adjacent α-3T and formation of Ag–S bonds; no other reaction chemistry is observed. Vapor-deposited Al and Ca undergo chemical reaction with α-3T initiated by metal-to-α-3T electron transfer. For Al, the resulting product is predominantly amorphous carbon through initial radical formation and subsequent decomposition reactions. For Ca, the spectral evidence suggests two pathways: onemore » leading to α-3T polymerization and the other resulting in thiophene ring opening, both initiated by radical formation through Ca-to-α-3T electron transfer. These interfacial reactions reflect the complex chemistry that can occur between low work function metals and thiophene-based oligomers. This reactivity is strongly correlated with metal work function.« less

Understanding the Reaction Chemistry of 2,2':5',2"-Terthiophene Films with Vapor-Deposited Ag, Al, and Ca

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

Sang, Lingzi; Matz, Dallas L.; Pemberton, Jeanne E.

The reaction chemistry of vapor-deposited 2,2':5',2''-terthiophene (α-3T) solid-state thin films with postdeposited Ag, Al, and Ca is investigated in ultrahigh vacuum using Raman spectroscopy. Vapor-deposited Ag forms nanoparticles on these films and induces considerable surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) along with a change in molecular symmetry of adjacent α-3T and formation of Ag–S bonds; no other reaction chemistry is observed. Vapor-deposited Al and Ca undergo chemical reaction with α-3T initiated by metal-to-α-3T electron transfer. For Al, the resulting product is predominantly amorphous carbon through initial radical formation and subsequent decomposition reactions. For Ca, the spectral evidence suggests two pathways: onemore » leading to α-3T polymerization and the other resulting in thiophene ring opening, both initiated by radical formation through Ca-to-α-3T electron transfer. These interfacial reactions reflect the complex chemistry that can occur between low work function metals and thiophene-based oligomers. This reactivity is strongly correlated with metal work function.« less

Self-catalyzed photo-initiated RAFT polymerization for fabrication of fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission feature.

PubMed

Zeng, Guangjian; Liu, Meiying; Jiang, Ruming; Huang, Qiang; Huang, Long; Wan, Qing; Dai, Yanfeng; Wen, Yuanqing; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2018-02-01

In recent years, the fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature have been extensively exploited in various biomedical fields owing to their advantages, such as low toxicity, biodegradation, excellent biocompatibility, good designability and optical properties. Therefore, development of a facile, efficient and well designable strategy should be of great importance for the biomedical applications of these AIE-active FPNs. In this work, a novel method for the fabrication of AIE-active FPNs has been developed through the self-catalyzed photo-initiated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using an AIE dye containing chain transfer agent (CTA), which could initiate the RAFT polymerization under light irradiation. The results suggested that the final AIE-active FPNs (named as TPE-poly(St-PEGMA)) showed great potential for biomedical applications owing to their optical and biological properties. More importantly, the method described in the work is rather simple and effective and can be further extended to prepare many other different AIE-active FPNs owing to the good monomer adoptability of RAFT polymerization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Early Sex Work Initiation and Violence against Female Sex Workers in Mombasa, Kenya.

PubMed

Parcesepe, Angela M; L'Engle, Kelly L; Martin, Sandra L; Green, Sherri; Suchindran, Chirayath; Mwarogo, Peter

2016-12-01

Between 20 and 40 % of female sex workers (FSWs) began sex work before age 18. Little is known concerning whether early initiation of sex work impacts later experiences in adulthood, including violence victimization. This paper examines the relationship between early initiation of sex work and violence victimization during adulthood. The sample included 816 FSWs in Mombasa, Kenya, recruited from HIV prevention drop-in centers who were 18 years or older and moderate-risk drinkers. Early initiation was defined as beginning sex work at 17 or younger. Logistic regression modeled recent violence as a function of early initiation, adjusting for drop-in center, age, education, HIV status, supporting others, and childhood abuse. Twenty percent of the sample reported early initiation of sex work. Although both early initiators and other FSWs reported commonly experiencing recent violence, early initiators were significantly more likely to experience recent physical and sexual violence and verbal abuse from paying partners. Early initiation was not associated with physical or sexual violence from non-paying partners. Many FSWs begin sex work before age 18. Effective interventions focused on preventing this are needed. In addition, interventions are needed to prevent violence against all FSWs, in particular, those who initiated sex work during childhood or adolescence.

Dissolution of minerals with rough surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Assis, Thiago A.; Aarão Reis, Fábio D. A.

2018-05-01

We study dissolution of minerals with initial rough surfaces using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and a scaling approach. We consider a simple cubic lattice structure, a thermally activated rate of detachment of a molecule (site), and rough surface configurations produced by fractional Brownian motion algorithm. First we revisit the problem of dissolution of initial flat surfaces, in which the dissolution rate rF reaches an approximately constant value at short times and is controlled by detachment of step edge sites. For initial rough surfaces, the dissolution rate r at short times is much larger than rF ; after dissolution of some hundreds of molecular layers, r decreases by some orders of magnitude across several time decades. Meanwhile, the surface evolves through configurations of decreasing energy, beginning with dissolution of isolated sites, then formation of terraces with disordered boundaries, their growth, and final smoothing. A crossover time to a smooth configuration is defined when r = 1.5rF ; the surface retreat at the crossover is approximately 3 times the initial roughness and is temperature-independent, while the crossover time is proportional to the initial roughness and is controlled by step-edge site detachment. The initial dissolution process is described by the so-called rough rates, which are measured for fixed ratios between the surface retreat and the initial roughness. The temperature dependence of the rough rates indicates control by kink site detachment; in general, it suggests that rough rates are controlled by the weakest microscopic bonds during the nucleation and formation of the lowest energy configurations of the crystalline surface. Our results are related to recent laboratory studies which show enhanced dissolution in polished calcite surfaces. In the application to calcite dissolution in alkaline environment, the minimal values of recently measured dissolution rate spectra give rF ∼10-9 mol/(m2 s), and the calculated rate laws of our model give rough rates in the range 10-6 -10-5 mol/(m2 s). This estimate is consistent with the range of calcite dissolution rates obtained in a recent work after treatment of literature data, which suggests the universal control of kink site dissolution in short term laboratory works. The weak effects of lattice size on our results also suggest that smoothing of mineral grain surfaces across geological times may be a microscopic explanation for the difference of chemical weathering rate of silicate minerals in laboratory and in the environment.

Kaiser Permanente National Hand Hygiene Program

PubMed Central

Barnes, Sue; Barron, Dana; Becker, Linda; Canola, Teresa; Salemi, Charles

2004-01-01

Objective: Hand hygiene has historically been identified as an important intervention for preventing infection acquired in health care settings. Recently, the advent of waterless, alcohol-based skin degermer and elimination of artificial nails have been recognized as other important interventions for preventing infection. Supplied with this information, the National Infection Control Peer Group convened a KP Hand Hygiene Work Group, which, in August 2001, launched a National Hand Hygiene Program initiative titled “Infection Control: It’s In Our Hands” to increase compliance with hand hygiene throughout the Kaiser Permanente (KP) organization. Design: The infection control initiative was designed to include employee and physician education as well as to implement standard hand hygiene products (eg, alcohol degermers), eliminate use of artificial nails, and monitor outcomes. Results: From 2001 through September 2003, the National KP Hand Hygiene Work Group coordinated implementation of the Hand Hygiene initiative throughout the KP organization. To date, outcome monitoring has shown a 26% increase in compliance with hand hygiene as well as a decrease in the number of bloodstream infections and methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. As of May 2003, use of artificial nails had been reduced by 97% nationwide. Conclusions: Endorsement of this Hand Hygiene Program initiative by KP leadership has led to implementation of the initiative at all medical centers throughout the KP organization. Outcome indicators to date suggest that the initiative has been successful; final outcome monitoring will be completed in December 2003. PMID:26704605

Exclusively visual analysis of classroom group interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Laura; Scherr, Rachel E.; Zickler, Todd; Mazur, Eric

2016-12-01

Large-scale audiovisual data that measure group learning are time consuming to collect and analyze. As an initial step towards scaling qualitative classroom observation, we qualitatively coded classroom video using an established coding scheme with and without its audio cues. We find that interrater reliability is as high when using visual data only—without audio—as when using both visual and audio data to code. Also, interrater reliability is high when comparing use of visual and audio data to visual-only data. We see a small bias to code interactions as group discussion when visual and audio data are used compared with video-only data. This work establishes that meaningful educational observation can be made through visual information alone. Further, it suggests that after initial work to create a coding scheme and validate it in each environment, computer-automated visual coding could drastically increase the breadth of qualitative studies and allow for meaningful educational analysis on a far greater scale.

Is pretenure interdisciplinary research a career risk?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, E. V.; Mackey, K. R. M.; Cusack, D. F.; DeSantis, L. R. G.; Hartzell-Nichols, L.; Lutz, J. A.; Melbourne-Thomas, J.; Meyer, R.; Riveros-Iregui, D. A.; Sorte, C. J. B.; Taylor, J. R.; White, S. A.

2012-08-01

Despite initiatives to promote interdisciplinary research, early-career academics continue to perceive professional risks to working at the interface between traditional disciplines. Unexpectedly, the inherent practical challenges of interdisciplinary scholarship, such as new methodologies and lexicons, are not the chief source of the perceived risk. The perception of risk is pervasive across disciplines, and it persists despite efforts to support career development for individuals with common interests [Mitchell and Weiler, 2011]. Suggestions that interdisciplinary work can go unrewarded in academia [Clark et al., 2011] foster a concern that targeting interdisciplinary questions, such as those presented by climate change, will pose problems for acquiring and succeeding in a tenure-track position. If self-preservation limits the questions posed by early-career academics, a perceived career risk is as damaging as a real one to new transdisciplinary initiatives. Thus, institutions should address the source of this perception whether real or specious.

Electronic decision support for diagnostic imaging in a primary care setting

PubMed Central

Reed, Martin H

2011-01-01

Methods Clinical guideline adherence for diagnostic imaging (DI) and acceptance of electronic decision support in a rural community family practice clinic was assessed over 36 weeks. Physicians wrote 904 DI orders, 58% of which were addressed by the Canadian Association of Radiologists guidelines. Results Of those orders with guidelines, 76% were ordered correctly; 24% were inappropriate or unnecessary resulting in a prompt from clinical decision support. Physicians followed suggestions from decision support to improve their DI order on 25% of the initially inappropriate orders. The use of decision support was not mandatory, and there were significant variations in use rate. Initially, 40% reported decision support disruptive in their work flow, which dropped to 16% as physicians gained experience with the software. Conclusions Physicians supported the concept of clinical decision support but were reluctant to change clinical habits to incorporate decision support into routine work flow. PMID:21486884

Resource Prospector Propulsion Cold Flow Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Hunter; Pederson, Kevin; Dervan, Melanie; Holt, Kimberly; Jernigan, Frankie; Trinh, Huu; Flores, Sam

2014-01-01

For the past year, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center have been working on a government version of a lunar lander design for the Resource Prospector Mission. A propulsion cold flow test system, representing an early flight design of the propulsion system, has been fabricated. The primary objective of the cold flow test is to simulate the Resource Prospector propulsion system operation through water flow testing and obtain data for anchoring analytical models. This effort will also provide an opportunity to develop a propulsion system mockup to examine hardware integration to a flight structure. This paper will report the work progress of the propulsion cold flow test system development and test preparation. At the time this paper is written, the initial waterhammer testing is underway. The initial assessment of the test data suggests that the results are as expected and have a similar trend with the pretest prediction. The test results will be reported in a future conference.

Trait anxiety and impaired control of reflective attention in working memory.

PubMed

Hoshino, Takatoshi; Tanno, Yoshihiko

2016-01-01

The present study investigated whether the control of reflective attention in working memory (WM) is impaired in high trait anxiety individuals. We focused on the consequences of refreshing-a simple reflective process of thinking briefly about a just-activated representation in mind-on the subsequent processing of verbal stimuli. Participants performed a selective refreshing task, in which they initially refreshed or read one word from a three-word set, and then refreshed a non-selected item from the initial phrase or read aloud a new word. High trait anxiety individuals exhibited greater latencies when refreshing a word after experiencing the refreshing of a word from the same list of semantic associates. The same pattern was observed for reading a new word after prior refreshing. These findings suggest that high trait anxiety individuals have difficulty resolving interference from active distractors when directing reflective attention towards contents in WM or processing a visually presented word.

Precursor Evolution and Stress Corrosion Cracking Initiation of Cold-Worked Alloy 690 in Simulated Pressurized Water Reactor Primary Water

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

Zhai, Ziqing; Toloczko, Mychailo; Kruska, Karen

Stress corrosion crack initiation of two thermally-treated, cold-worked (CW) alloy 690 (UNS N06690) materials was investigated in 360oC simulated PWR primary water using constant load tensile (CLT) tests and blunt notch compact tension (BNCT) tests equipped with direct current potential drop (DCPD) for in-situ detection of cracking. SCC initiation was not detected by DCPD for either the 21% or 31%CW CLT specimens loaded at their yield stress after ~9,220 hours, however intergranular (IG) precursor damage and isolated surface cracks were observed on the specimens. The two 31%CW BNCT specimens loaded at moderate stress intensity after several cyclic loading ramps showedmore » DCPD-indicated crack initiation after 10,400 hours of exposure at constant stress intensity, which was resulted from significant growth of IG cracks. The 21%CW BNCT specimens only exhibited isolated small IG surface cracks and showed no apparent DCPD change throughout the test. Post-test cross-section examinations revealed many grain boundary (GB) nano-cavities in the bulk of all the CLT and BNCT specimens particularly for the 31%CW materials. Cavities were also found along GBs extending to the surface suggesting an important role in crack nucleation. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of GB cavities and discusses their effects on crack initiation in CW alloy 690.« less

Another link to improving the working environment in acute care hospitals: registered nurses' spirit at work.

PubMed

Urban, Ann-Marie; Wagner, Joan I

2013-12-01

Hospitals are situated within historical and socio-political contexts; these influence the provision of patient care and the work of registered nurses (RNs). Since the early 1990s, restructuring and the increasing pressure to save money and improve efficiency have plagued acute care hospitals. These changes have affected both the work environment and the work of nurses. After recognizing this impact, healthcare leaders have dedicated many efforts to improving the work environment in hospitals. Admirable in their intent, these initiatives have made little change for RNs and their work environment, and thus, an opportunity exists for other efforts. Research indicates that spirit at work (SAW) not only improves the work environment but also strengthens the nurse's power to improve patient outcomes and contribute to a high-quality workplace. In this paper, we present findings from our research that suggest SAW be considered an important component in improving the work environment in acute care hospitals.

Brain Regional Blood Flow and Working Memory Performance Predict Change in Blood Pressure Over 2 Years.

PubMed

Jennings, J Richard; Heim, Alicia F; Sheu, Lei K; Muldoon, Matthew F; Ryan, Christopher; Gach, H Michael; Schirda, Claudiu; Gianaros, Peter J

2017-12-01

Hypertension is a presumptive risk factor for premature cognitive decline. However, lowering blood pressure (BP) does not uniformly reverse cognitive decline, suggesting that high BP per se may not cause cognitive decline. We hypothesized that essential hypertension has initial effects on the brain that, over time, manifest as cognitive dysfunction in conjunction with both brain vascular abnormalities and systemic BP elevation. Accordingly, we tested whether neuropsychological function and brain blood flow responses to cognitive challenges among prehypertensive individuals would predict subsequent progression of BP. Midlife adults (n=154; mean age, 49; 45% men) with prehypertensive BP underwent neuropsychological testing and assessment of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) response to cognitive challenges. Neuropsychological performance measures were derived for verbal and logical memory (memory), executive function, working memory, mental efficiency, and attention. A pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging sequence compared rCBF responses with control and active phases of cognitive challenges. Brain areas previously associated with BP were grouped into composites for frontoparietal, frontostriatal, and insular-subcortical rCBF areas. Multiple regression models tested whether BP after 2 years was predicted by initial BP, initial neuropsychological scores, and initial rCBF responses to cognitive challenge. The neuropsychological composite of working memory (standardized beta, -0.276; se=0.116; P =0.02) and the frontostriatal rCBF response to cognitive challenge (standardized beta, 0.234; se=0.108; P =0.03) significantly predicted follow-up BP. Initial BP failed to significantly predict subsequent cognitive performance or rCBF. Changes in brain function may precede or co-occur with progression of BP toward hypertensive levels in midlife. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Processes regulating the initiation and postejaculatory resumption of copulatory behavior in male hamsters.

PubMed

Floody, Owen R

2014-06-01

Studies using factor analysis have helped describe the organization of copulatory behavior in male rodents. However, the focus of these studies on a few traditional measures may have limited their results. To test this possibility, 74 sexually-experienced male hamsters were observed as they copulated with stimulus females. The measures collected exceeded the conventional ones in number, variety and independence. The factor analysis of these data revealed a structure with seven factors collectively accounting for 80% of the variance. Most resembled the factors in previous reports, reinforcing the contributions that the processes suggested by these factors make to the organization of male behavior. But several other factors were more novel, possibly reflecting the use of measures that were novel or revised for greater independence. The most interesting of these were two factors focusing on early steps in the progression leading to ejaculation. Importantly, both incorporated measures from each of the three copulatory series that were observed. Past work suggests that independent processes control the times required to initiate copulation and later resume it after an ejaculation. In contrast, these results suggest the existence of two processes, each of which contributes to both the initiation and reinitiation of copulation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict: Schedule Control in a White-Collar Organization.

PubMed

Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis; Tranby, Eric

2011-04-01

Work-family conflicts are common and consequential for employees, their families, and work organizations. Can workplaces be changed to reduce work-family conflict? Previous research has not been able to assess whether workplace policies or initiatives succeed in reducing work-family conflict or increasing work-family fit. Using longitudinal data collected from 608 employees of a white-collar organization before and after a workplace initiative was implemented, we investigate whether the initiative affects work-family conflict and fit, whether schedule control mediates these effects, and whether work demands, including long hours, moderate the initiative's effects on work-family outcomes. Analyses clearly demonstrate that the workplace initiative positively affects the work-family interface, primarily by increasing employees' schedule control. This study points to the importance of schedule control for our understanding of job quality and for management policies and practices.

Team-level flexibility, work-home spillover, and health behavior.

PubMed

Moen, Phyllis; Fan, Wen; Kelly, Erin L

2013-05-01

Drawing on two waves of survey data conducted six months apart in 2006, this study examined the impacts of a team-level flexibility initiative (ROWE--results only work environment) on changes in the work-home spillover and health behavior of employees at the Midwest headquarters of a large U.S. corporation. Using cluster analysis, we identified three distinct baseline spillover constellations: employees with high negative spillover, high positive spillover, and low overall spillover. Within-team spillover measures were highly intercorrelated, suggesting that work teams as well as individuals have identifiable patterns of spillover. Multilevel analyses showed ROWE reduced individual- and team-level negative work-home spillover but not positive work-home spillover or spillover from home-to-work. ROWE also promoted employees' health behaviors: increasing the odds of quitting smoking, decreasing smoking frequency, and promoting perceptions of adequate time for healthy meals. Trends suggest that ROWE also decreased the odds of excessive drinking and improved sleep adequacy and exercise frequency. Some health behavior effects were mediated via reduced individual-level negative work-home spillover (exercise frequency, adequate time for sleep) and reduced team-level negative work-home spillover (smoking frequency, exercise frequency, and adequate time for sleep). While we found no moderating effects of gender, ROWE especially improved the exercise frequency of singles and reduced the smoking frequency of employees with low overall spillover at baseline. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Early sex work initiation and condom use among alcohol-using female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis

PubMed Central

Parcesepe, Angela M; L’Engle, Kelly L; Martin, Sandra L; Green, Sherri; Suchindran, Chirayath; Mwarogo, Peter

2016-01-01

Objectives Early initiation of sex work is prevalent among female sex workers (FSWs) worldwide. The objectives of this study were to investigate if early initiation of sex work was associated with: (1) consistent condom use, (2) condom negotiation self-efficacy or (3) condom use norms among alcohol-using FSWs in Mombasa, Kenya. Methods In-person interviews were conducted with 816 FSWs in Mombasa, Kenya. Sample participants were: recruited from HIV prevention drop-in centres, 18 years or older and moderate risk drinkers. Early initiation was defined as first engaging in sex work at 17 years or younger. Logistic regression modelled outcomes as a function of early initiation, adjusting for drop-in centre, years in sex work, supporting others and HIV status. Results FSWs who initiated sex work early were significantly less likely to report consistent condom use with paying sex partners compared with those who initiated sex work in adulthood. There was no significant difference between groups in consistent condom use with non-paying sex partners. FSWs who initiated sex work early endorsed less condom negotiation self-efficacy with paying sex partners compared with FSWs who did not initiate sex work early. Conclusions Findings highlight a need for early intervention for at-risk youth and adolescent FSWs, particularly in relation to HIV sexual risk behaviours. Evidence-based interventions for adolescent FSWs or adult FSWs who began sex work in adolescence should be developed, implemented and evaluated. PMID:27217378

The JOVE initiative - A NASA/university Joint Venture in space science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Six, F.; Chappell, R.

1990-01-01

The JOVE (NASA/university Joint Venture in space science) initiative is a point program between NASA and institutions of higher education whose aim is to bring about an extensive merger between these two communities. The project is discussed with emphasis on suggested contributions of partnership members, JOVE process timeline, and project schedules and costs. It is suggested that NASA provide a summer resident research associateship (one ten week stipend); scientific on-line data from space missions; an electronic network and work station, providing a link to the data base and to other scientists; matching student support, both undergraduate and graduate; matching summer salary for up to three faculty participants; and travel funds. The universities will be asked to provide research time for faculty participants, matching student support, matching summer salary for faculty participants, an instructional unit in space science, and an outreach program to pre-college students.

Social and Contextual Constraints on Embodied Perception.

PubMed

Schnall, Simone

2017-03-01

A number of papers have challenged research on physiological and psychological influences on perception by claiming to show that such findings can be explained by nonperceptual factors such as demand characteristics. Relatedly, calls for separating perception from judgment have been issued. However, such efforts fail to consider key processes known to shape judgment processes: people's inability to report accurately on their judgments, conversational dynamics of experimental research contexts, and misattribution and discounting processes. Indeed, the fact that initially observed effects of embodied influences disappear is predicted by an extensive amount of literature on judgments studied within social psychology. Thus, findings from such studies suggest that the initially presumed underlying processes are at work-namely, functional considerations that are informative in the context of preparing the body for action. In this article, I provide suggestions on how to conduct research on perception within the social constraints of experimental contexts.

Performance of Sweetpotato for Bioregenerative Life Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.; Henderson, Keith E.; Mortley, Desmond G.; Henninger, Donald L.

2001-01-01

Sweetpotato was successfully grown to harvest maturity in a large-scale atmospherically-closed controlled environment chamber. Yield of edible biomass and capacity for contributing to air revitalization and water recovery were documented. Yield was slightly less than that found in smaller-scale studies, but this is not unusual (Wheeler 1999). Continued work is suggested to improve control of storage root initiation, bulking and vine growth.

Travelling Policies and Global Buzzwords: How International Non-Governmental Organizations and Charities Spread the Word about Early Childhood in the Global South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Helen

2011-01-01

This article is based on a web-search commissioned by an international charity to review the work of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and charities which promote and support early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the global South. The article examines examples of such initiatives. It is suggested that there is…

Veterans' experiences initiating VA-based mental health care.

PubMed

Bovin, Michelle J; Miller, Christopher J; Koenig, Christopher J; Lipschitz, Jessica M; Zamora, Kara A; Wright, Patricia B; Pyne, Jeffrey M; Burgess, James F

2018-05-21

Military veterans who could benefit from mental health services often do not access them. Research has revealed a range of barriers associated with initiating United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care, including those specific to accessing mental health care (e.g., fear of stigmatization). More work is needed to streamline access to VA mental health-care services for veterans. In the current study, we interviewed 80 veterans from 9 clinics across the United States about initiation of VA mental health care to identify barriers to access. Results suggested that five predominant factors influenced veterans' decisions to initiate care: (a) awareness of VA mental health services; (b) fear of negative consequences of seeking care; (c) personal beliefs about mental health treatment; (d) input from family and friends; and (e) motivation for treatment. Veterans also spoke about the pathways they used to access this care. The four most commonly reported pathways included (a) physical health-care appointments; (b) the service connection disability system; (c) non-VA care; and (d) being mandated to care. Taken together, these data lend themselves to a model that describes both modifiers of, and pathways to, VA mental health care. The model suggests that interventions aimed at the identified pathways, in concert with efforts designed to reduce barriers, may increase initiation of VA mental health-care services by veterans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicide case with multiple injuries with sharp objects.

PubMed

Черняк, Валентина В; Девяткин, Александр Е; Мустафина, Галия М; Никифоров, Артём Г

The work of forensic - medical expert examination of the corpse at the place of its discovery and further research in the morgue often there are certain difficulties associated with the solution of a number of issues, including the establishment of a kind of death. Bringing the case demonstrates that, during the initial examination of the corpse to the place of its discovery the presence of multiple injuries on the body of a different nature, as a rule, initially suggest investigators to suspect that the murder occurred. But further questioning around him lately those studying survey data and scene study results allowed the corpse to make objective conclusions.

What–where–when memory and encoding strategies in healthy aging

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Older adults exhibit disproportionate impairments in memory for item-associations. These impairments may stem from an inability to self-initiate deep encoding strategies. The present study investigates this using the “treasure-hunt task”; a what–where–when style episodic memory test that requires individuals to “hide” items around complex scenes. This task separately assesses memory for item, location, and temporal order, as well as bound what–where–when information. The results suggest that older adults are able to ameliorate integration memory deficits by using self-initiated encoding strategies when these are externally located and therefore place reduced demands on working memory and attentional resources. PMID:26884230

Production of single cell protein from cellulose wastes

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

Humphrey, A.E.; Moreira, A.; Armiger, W.

1977-01-01

Experiments made with a thermophilic Actinomyces that utilizes cellulose for growth are summarized. The organism, identified as a Thermoactinomyces sp., is a highly filamentous fungi. Although initial work was done with feedlot wastes, the variability of the data made it necessary to work on a uniform cellulose substrate Avicel. A probable mechanism of cellulose degradation by this fungi is suggested. Preliminary results are encouraging, but high growth rate must be maintained if a high cell yield is to be achieved. Both glucose and oxygen-limited growth were encountered; it is not known if these were coincidental or not. (JSR)

The stability of working memory: do previous tasks influence complex span?

PubMed

Healey, M Karl; Hasher, Lynn; Danilova, Elena

2011-11-01

Schmeichel (2007) reported that performing an initial task before completing a working memory span task can lower span scores and suggested that the effect was due to depleted cognitive resources. We showed that the detrimental effect of prior tasks depends on a match between the stimuli used in the span task and the preceding task. A task requiring participants to ignore words reduced performance on a subsequent word-based verbal span task but not on an arrow-based spatial span task. Ignoring arrows had the opposite pattern of effects: reducing performance on the spatial span task but not on the word-based span task. Finally, we showed that antisaccade, a nonverbal task that taxes domain-general processes implicated in working memory, did not influence subsequent performance of either a verbal or a spatial span task. Together these results suggest that while span is sensitive to prior tasks, that sensitivity does not stem from depleted resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Ergonomic initiatives at Inmetro: measuring occupational health and safety.

PubMed

Drucker, L; Amaral, M; Carvalheira, C

2012-01-01

This work studies biomechanical hazards to which the workforce of Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia Industrial (Inmetro) is exposed. It suggests a model for ergonomic evaluation of work, based on the concepts of resilience engineering which take into consideration the institute's ability to manage risk and deal with its consequences. Methodology includes the stages of identification, inventory, analysis, and risk management. Diagnosis of the workplace uses as parameters the minimal criteria stated in Brazilian legislation. The approach has several prospectives and encompasses the points of view of public management, safety engineering, physical therapy and ergonomics-oriented design. The suggested solution integrates all aspects of the problem: biological, psychological, sociological and organizational. Results obtained from a pilot Project allow to build a significant sample of Inmetro's workforce, identifying problems and validating the methodology employed as a tool to be applied to the whole institution. Finally, this work intends to draw risk maps and support goals and methods based on resiliency engineering to assess environmental and ergonomic risk management.

Correlates of early versus later initiation into sex work in two Mexico-U.S. border cities.

PubMed

Loza, Oralia; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Lozada, Remedios; Staines, Hugo; Ojeda, Victoria D; Martínez, Gustavo A; Amaro, Hortensia; Patterson, Thomas L

2010-01-01

To examine correlates of early initiation into sex work in two Mexico-U.S. border cities. Female sex workers (FSWs) >/=18 years without known HIV infection living in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez who had recent unprotected sex with clients underwent baseline interviews. Correlates of initiation into sex work before age 18 were identified with logistic regression. Of 920 FSWs interviewed in Tijuana (N=474) and Ciudad Juarez (N=446), 9.8% (N=90) were early initiators (<18 years) into sex work. Median age of entry into sex work was 26 years (range: 6-58). After adjusting for age, compared to older initiators, early initiators were more likely to use inhalants (21.1% vs. 9.6%, p=.002), initiate sex work to pay for alcohol (36.7% vs. 18.4%, p < .001), report abuse as a child (42.2% vs. 18.7%, p<.0001), and they were less likely to be migrants (47.8% vs. 62.3%, p=.02). Factors independently associated with early initiation included inhalant use (adjOR=2.39), initiating sex work to pay for alcohol (adjOR=1.88) and history of child abuse (adjOR=2.92). Factors associated with later initiation included less education (adjOR=0.43 per 5-year increase), migration (adjOR=0.47), and initiating sex work for better pay (adjOR=0.44) or to support children (adjOR=0.03). Different pathways for entering sex work are apparent among younger versus older females in the Mexico-U.S. border region. Among girls, interventions are needed to prevent inhalant use and child abuse and to offer coping skills; among older initiators, income-generating strategies, childcare, and services for migrants may help to delay or prevent entry into sex work. Copyright 2010 Society for Adolescent Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Early versus Later Initiation into Sex Work in Two Mexico–U.S. Border Cities

PubMed Central

Loza, Oralia; Strathdee, Steffanie A.; Lozada, Remedios; Staines, Hugo; Ojeda, Victoria D.; Martínez, Gustavo A.; Amaro, Hortensia; Patterson, Thomas L.

2009-01-01

Purpose To examine correlates of early initiation into sex work in two Mexico–U.S. border cities. Methods Female sex workers (FSWs) ≥18 years without known HIV infection living in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez who had recent unprotected sex with clients underwent baseline interviews. Correlates of initiation into sex work before age 18 were identified with logistic regression. Results Of 920 FSWs interviewed in Tijuana (N=474) and Ciudad Juarez (N=446), 9.8% (N=90) were early initiators (<18 years) into sex work. Median age of entry into sex work was 26 years (range: 6–58). After adjusting for age, compared to older initiators, early initiators were more likely to use inhalants (21.1% vs 9.6%, p=0.002), initiate sex work to pay for alcohol (36.7% vs 18.4%, p<.001), report abuse as a child (42.2% vs 18.7%, p<.0001), and they were less likely to be migrants (47.8% vs 62.3%, p=0.02). Factors independently associated with early initiation included inhalant use (adjOR=2.39), initiating sex work to pay for alcohol (adjOR=1.88) and history of child abuse (adjOR=2.92). Factors associated with later initiation included less education (adjOR=0.43 per 5-year increase), migration (adjOR=0.47), and initiating sex work for better pay (adjOR=0.44) or to support children (adjOR=0.03). Conclusions Different pathways for entering sex work are apparent among younger versus older females in the Mexico–U.S. border region. Among girls, interventions are needed to prevent inhalant use and child abuse and to offer coping skills; among older initiators, income-generating strategies, childcare, and services for migrants may help to delay or prevent entry into sex work. PMID:20123256

Is Ego Depletion Real? An Analysis of Arguments.

PubMed

Friese, Malte; Loschelder, David D; Gieseler, Karolin; Frankenbach, Julius; Inzlicht, Michael

2018-03-01

An influential line of research suggests that initial bouts of self-control increase the susceptibility to self-control failure (ego depletion effect). Despite seemingly abundant evidence, some researchers have suggested that evidence for ego depletion was the sole result of publication bias and p-hacking, with the true effect being indistinguishable from zero. Here, we examine (a) whether the evidence brought forward against ego depletion will convince a proponent that ego depletion does not exist and (b) whether arguments that could be brought forward in defense of ego depletion will convince a skeptic that ego depletion does exist. We conclude that despite several hundred published studies, the available evidence is inconclusive. Both additional empirical and theoretical works are needed to make a compelling case for either side of the debate. We discuss necessary steps for future work toward this aim.

Initial Feasibility and Validity of a Prospective Memory Training Program in a Substance Use Treatment Population

PubMed Central

Sweeney, Mary M.; Rass, Olga; Johnson, Patrick S.; Strain, Eric C.; Berry, Meredith S.; Vo, Hoa T.; Fishman, Marc J.; Munro, Cynthia A.; Rebok, George W.; Mintzer, Miriam Z.; Johnson, Matthew W.

2016-01-01

Individuals with substance use disorders have shown deficits in the ability to implement future intentions, called prospective memory. Deficits in prospective memory and working memory, a critical underlying component of prospective memory, likely contribute to substance use treatment failures. Thus, improvement of prospective memory and working memory in substance use patients is an innovative target for intervention. We sought to develop a feasible and valid prospective memory training program that incorporates working memory training and may serve as a useful adjunct to substance use disorder treatment. We administered a single session of the novel prospective memory and working memory training program to participants (n = 22; 13 male; 9 female) enrolled in outpatient substance use disorder treatment and correlated performance to existing measures of prospective memory and working memory. Generally accurate prospective memory performance in a single session suggests feasibility in a substance use treatment population. However, training difficulty should be increased to avoid ceiling effects across repeated sessions. Consistent with existing literature, we observed superior performance on event-based relative to time-based prospective memory tasks. Performance on the prospective memory and working memory training components correlated with validated assessments of prospective memory and working memory, respectively. Correlations between novel memory training program performance and established measures suggest that our training engages appropriate cognitive processes. Further, differential event- and time-based prospective memory task performance suggests internal validity of our training. These data support development of this intervention as an adjunctive therapy for substance use disorders. PMID:27690506

Initial feasibility and validity of a prospective memory training program in a substance use treatment population.

PubMed

Sweeney, Mary M; Rass, Olga; Johnson, Patrick S; Strain, Eric C; Berry, Meredith S; Vo, Hoa T; Fishman, Marc J; Munro, Cynthia A; Rebok, George W; Mintzer, Miriam Z; Johnson, Matthew W

2016-10-01

Individuals with substance use disorders have shown deficits in the ability to implement future intentions, called prospective memory. Deficits in prospective memory and working memory, a critical underlying component of prospective memory, likely contribute to substance use treatment failures. Thus, improvement of prospective memory and working memory in substance use patients is an innovative target for intervention. We sought to develop a feasible and valid prospective memory training program that incorporates working memory training and may serve as a useful adjunct to substance use disorder treatment. We administered a single session of the novel prospective memory and working memory training program to participants (n = 22; 13 men, 9 women) enrolled in outpatient substance use disorder treatment and correlated performance to existing measures of prospective memory and working memory. Generally accurate prospective memory performance in a single session suggests feasibility in a substance use treatment population. However, training difficulty should be increased to avoid ceiling effects across repeated sessions. Consistent with existing literature, we observed superior performance on event-based relative to time-based prospective memory tasks. Performance on the prospective memory and working memory training components correlated with validated assessments of prospective memory and working memory, respectively. Correlations between novel memory training program performance and established measures suggest that our training engages appropriate cognitive processes. Further, differential event- and time-based prospective memory task performance suggests internal validity of our training. These data support the development of this intervention as an adjunctive therapy for substance use disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Young adult cancer survivors and work: a systematic review.

PubMed

Stone, Dawn S; Ganz, Patricia A; Pavlish, Carol; Robbins, Wendie A

2017-12-01

Sixty-three percent of cancer survivors continue to work, or return to work after treatment. Among this population, work ability and challenges encountered in the workplace by young adult cancer survivors have not been well established. The purposes of the study are to describe what is currently known about work-related issues for young adult cancer survivors diagnosed between ages 15 and 39, to identify gaps in the research literature, and to suggest interventions or improvements in work processes and occupational settings. A narrative review of articles using PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo was conducted without date limitations. Search phrases included young adult cancer survivors, long-term cancer survivors, young adults affected by cancer, further combined with key terms employment, work, and occupationally active. Inclusion criteria for publications were young adult cancer survivors initially diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 39, data about work or employment was presented, and articles written in English. Twenty-three publications met the inclusion criteria. Work-related issues included the potential for reduced work productivity from cancer-changed physical and cognitive functional ability that affected income, and resulted in distress. Coping style, support systems, and changing perspectives about work and life in general were also influential on career decisions among young adult cancer survivors. More research is needed to study interventions to better manage health changes in young adult cancer survivors within the context of the workplace. Since financial hardship has been shown to be especially high among young cancer survivors, employment is essential to ensure payment of cancer-associated costs and continued medical care. While young adult cancer survivors may initially grapple with cancer-related physical and psychosocial changes that impact work productivity or influence choice of occupation, employment appears to enhance overall quality of life.

"I'm not sure I'm a nurse": A hermeneutic phenomenological study of nursing home nurses' work identity.

PubMed

Thompson, Juliana; Cook, Glenda; Duschinsky, Robbie

2018-03-01

To explore nursing home nurses' experiences and views of work identity. Nursing home nurses are in a unique position as they work at the interface of health and social care. Little is known about nursing home nurses' perceptions and experiences of working within this context. Evidence suggests that using the concept of work identity can support understanding of how workers make sense of their work. Hermeneutic phenomenological study. The study was carried out in seven nursing homes in North East England. Findings are based upon literary analysis of multiple episodic interviews with 13 nursing home nurses. Participants' responses suggested that nursing "residents" is different to nursing "patients," and nursing home nurses are required to modify their care activities to account for these differences. Participants also proposed that they are isolated and excluded from the rest of the healthcare workforce group. These issues led participants to feel uncertain about work identity. Many participants attempted to strengthen their work identity by aligning their role with what they perceived the "nurse identity" to be. Nurses' work activities and professional group identity influence their work identity. When work activities and professional group identity do not align with role expectations, as can be the case for nursing home nurses, work identity may be compromised. These nurses may attempt to change work practices to strengthen their work identity. Health- and social care providers need to account for work identity factors in the organisation of care, and planning and implementation of integrated health- and social care initiatives. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Organizational and individual determinants of using initiatives conducive to successful work-life balance].

PubMed

Andysz, Aleksandra; Najder, Anna; Merecz-Kot, Dorota

2014-01-01

Appropriate distribution of time and energy between work and personal life poses a challenge to many working people. Unfortunately, many professionally active people experience work-family conflict. In order to minimize it, employees are offered various solutions aimed at reconciling professional and private spheres (work-life balance (WLB) initiatives). The authors attempt to answer what makes employees use WLB initiatives and what influences the decision to reject the available options. The review is based on the articles published after 2000, searched by Google Scholar and Web of Knowledge with use of the key words: work-life balance, work-family conflict, work-life balance initiatives, work-life balance initiatives use, use of WLB solutions. We focused on organizational and individual determinants of WLB initiatives use, such as organizational culture, stereotypes and values prevailing in the work environment that may result in stigmatization of workers - flexibility stigma. We discuss the reasons why supervisors and co-workers stigmatize their colleagues, and what are the consequences of experiencing such stigmatization. Among the individual determinants of WLB initiatives use, we have inter alia focused on the preference for integration vs. separation of the spheres of life. The presented material shows that social factors - cultural norms prevailing in a society, relationships in the workplace and individual factors, such as the level of self-control - are of equal importance for decisions of using WLB initiatives as their existence. Our conclusion is that little attention has been paid to the research on determinants of WLB initiatives use, especially to individual ones.

Team-level flexibility, work–home spillover, and health behavior

PubMed Central

Moen, Phyllis; Fan, Wen; Kelly, Erin L.

2013-01-01

Drawing on two waves of survey data conducted six months apart in 2006, this study examined the impacts of a team-level flexibility initiative (ROWE – Results Only Work Environment) on changes in the work-home spillover and health behavior of employees at the Midwest headquarters of a large US corporation. Using cluster analysis, we identified three distinct baseline spillover constellations: employees with high negative spillover, high positive spillover, and low overall spillover. Within-team spillover measures were highly intercorrelated, suggesting that work teams as well as individuals have identifiable patterns of spillover. Multilevel analyses showed ROWE reduced individual- and team-level negative work-home spillover but not positive work-home spillover or spillover from home-to-work. ROWE also promoted employees’ health behaviors: increasing the odds of quitting smoking, decreasing smoking frequency, and promoting perceptions of adequate time for healthy meals. Trends suggest that ROWE also decreased the odds of excessive drinking and improved sleep adequacy and exercise frequency. Some health behavior effects were mediated via reduced individual-level negative work-home spillover (exercise frequency, adequate time for sleep) and reduced team-level negative work-home spillover (smoking frequency, exercise frequency, and adequate time for sleep). While we found no moderating effects of gender, ROWE especially improved the exercise frequency of singles and reduced the smoking frequency of employees with low overall spillover at baseline. PMID:23517706

The Swedish Hayling task, and its relation to working memory, verbal ability, and speech-recognition-in-noise.

PubMed

Stenbäck, Victoria; Hällgren, Mathias; Lyxell, Björn; Larsby, Birgitta

2015-06-01

Cognitive functions and speech-recognition-in-noise were evaluated with a cognitive test battery, assessing response inhibition using the Hayling task, working memory capacity (WMC) and verbal information processing, and an auditory test of speech recognition. The cognitive tests were performed in silence whereas the speech recognition task was presented in noise. Thirty young normally-hearing individuals participated in the study. The aim of the study was to investigate one executive function, response inhibition, and whether it is related to individual working memory capacity (WMC), and how speech-recognition-in-noise relates to WMC and inhibitory control. The results showed a significant difference between initiation and response inhibition, suggesting that the Hayling task taps cognitive activity responsible for executive control. Our findings also suggest that high verbal ability was associated with better performance in the Hayling task. We also present findings suggesting that individuals who perform well on tasks involving response inhibition, and WMC, also perform well on a speech-in-noise task. Our findings indicate that capacity to resist semantic interference can be used to predict performance on speech-in-noise tasks. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Truly work-like work extraction via a single-shot analysis.

PubMed

Aberg, Johan

2013-01-01

The work content of non-equilibrium systems in relation to a heat bath is often analysed in terms of expectation values of an underlying random work variable. However, when optimizing the expectation value of the extracted work, the resulting extraction process is subject to intrinsic fluctuations, uniquely determined by the Hamiltonian and the initial distribution of the system. These fluctuations can be of the same order as the expected work content per se, in which case the extracted energy is unpredictable, thus intuitively more heat-like than work-like. This raises the question of the 'truly' work-like energy that can be extracted. Here we consider an alternative that corresponds to an essentially fluctuation-free extraction. We show that this quantity can be expressed in terms of a one-shot relative entropy measure introduced in information theory. This suggests that the relations between information theory and statistical mechanics, as illustrated by concepts like Maxwell's demon, Szilard engines and Landauer's principle, extends to the single-shot regime.

Substance Use among Male Sex Workers in Vietnam: Prevalence, Onset, and Interactions with Sexual Risk

PubMed Central

Yu, Gary; Clatts, Michael C.; Goldsamt, Lloyd A.; Giang, Le Minh

2014-01-01

Background HIV research in Vietnam has focused primarily on its large heroin injector population. Data on men who have sex with men [MSM], particularly the large and growing population of men who exchange sex for money or other material rewards, male sex workers [MSWs], is very limited. Methods Data derive from a cross-sectional study of MSW, age 16-35, recruited using community sampling methods in three cities in 2010-2011, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City [HCMC], and Nha Trang City (n=710). Assessments included demographic characteristics, substance use, sexual risk, and use of health services. A series of “event” questions were used to assess the influence of alcohol and drugs on sexual risk. Results Both tobacco and alcohol are initiated at a young age and most participants currently use both substances overall across all three cities. While alcohol and tobacco use precede the initiation of sex work, stimulant and opiate use are initiated following the initiation of sex work. There was substantial overlap between substance use and sexual risk, and this overlap was strongest in sexual events involving male and female elective partners rather than sex work clients. Conclusion Although rates of HIV infection in this group are low, this may be an artifact of the young age of the sample. High rates of drug use, including alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, coupled with high rates of ulcerative STIs such as HPV, suggest the potential for rapid amplification of STI/HIV risk among MSW and their complex sex partnering networks. PMID:25488636

Organisational readiness: exploring the preconditions for success in organisation-wide patient safety improvement programmes.

PubMed

Burnett, Susan; Benn, Jonathan; Pinto, Anna; Parand, Anam; Iskander, Sandra; Vincent, Charles

2010-08-01

Patient safety has been high on the agenda for more than a decade. Despite many national initiatives aimed at improving patient safety, the challenge remains to find coherent and sustainable organisation-wide safety-improvement programmes. In the UK, the Safer Patients' Initiative (SPI) was established to address this challenge. Important in the success of such an endeavour is understanding 'readiness' at the organisational level, identifying the preconditions for success in this type of programme. This article reports on a case study of the four NHS organisations participating in the first phase of SPI, examining the perceptions of organisational readiness and the relationship of these factors with impact by those actively involved in the initiative. A mixed-methods design was used, involving a survey and semistructured interviews with senior executive leads, the principal SPI programme coordinator and the four operational leads in each of the SPI clinical work areas in all four organisations taking part in the first phase of SPI. This preliminary work would suggest that prior to the start of organisation-wide quality- and safety-improvement programmes, organisations would benefit from an assessment of readiness with time spent in the preparation of the organisational infrastructure, processes and culture. Furthermore, a better understanding of the preconditions that mark an organisation as ready for improvement work would allow policymakers to set realistic expectations about the outcomes of safety campaigns.

Transcription Analysis of the Myometrium of Labouring and Non-Labouring Women

PubMed Central

Hutchinson, James L.; Hibbert, Nanette; Freeman, Tom C.; Saunders, Philippa T. K.; Norman, Jane E.

2016-01-01

An incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms that initiate normal human labour at term seriously hampers the development of effective ways to predict, prevent and treat disorders such as preterm labour. Appropriate analysis of large microarray experiments that compare gene expression in non-labouring and labouring gestational tissues is necessary to help bridge these gaps in our knowledge. In this work, gene expression in 48 (22 labouring, 26 non-labouring) lower-segment myometrial samples collected at Caesarean section were analysed using Illumina HT-12 v4.0 BeadChips. Normalised data were compared between labouring and non-labouring groups using traditional statistical methods and a novel network graph approach. We sought technical validation with quantitative real-time PCR, and biological replication through inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis with published microarray data. We have extended the list of genes suggested to be associated with labour: Compared to non-labouring samples, labouring samples showed apparent higher expression at 960 probes (949 genes) and apparent lower expression at 801 probes (789 genes) (absolute fold change ≥1.2, rank product percentage of false positive value (RP-PFP) <0.05). Although half of the women in the labouring group had received pharmaceutical treatment to induce or augment labour, sensitivity analysis suggested that this did not confound our results. In agreement with previous studies, functional analysis suggested that labour was characterised by an increase in the expression of inflammatory genes and network analysis suggested a strong neutrophil signature. Our analysis also suggested that labour is characterised by a decrease in the expression of muscle-specific processes, which has not been explicitly discussed previously. We validated these findings through the first formal meta-analysis of raw data from previous experiments and we hypothesise that this represents a change in the composition of myometrial tissue at labour. Further work will be necessary to reveal whether these results are solely due to leukocyte infiltration into the myometrium as a mechanism initiating labour, or in addition whether they also represent gene changes in the myocytes themselves. We have made all our data available at www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/ (accession number E-MTAB-3136) to facilitate progression of this work. PMID:27176052

Parkinson-causing α-synuclein missense mutations shift native tetramers to monomers as a mechanism for disease initiation

PubMed Central

Dettmer, Ulf; Newman, Andrew J.; Soldner, Frank; Luth, Eric S.; Kim, Nora C.; von Saucken, Victoria E.; Sanderson, John B.; Jaenisch, Rudolf; Bartels, Tim; Selkoe, Dennis

2015-01-01

β-Sheet-rich α-synuclein (αS) aggregates characterize Parkinson's disease (PD). αS was long believed to be a natively unfolded monomer, but recent work suggests it also occurs in α-helix-rich tetramers. Crosslinking traps principally tetrameric αS in intact normal neurons, but not after cell lysis, suggesting a dynamic equilibrium. Here we show that freshly biopsied normal human brain contains abundant αS tetramers. The PD-causing mutation A53T decreases tetramers in mouse brain. Neurons derived from an A53T patient have decreased tetramers. Neurons expressing E46K do also, and adding 1-2 E46K-like mutations into the canonical αS repeat motifs (KTKEGV) further reduces tetramers, decreases αS solubility and induces neurotoxicity and round inclusions. The other three fPD missense mutations likewise decrease tetramer:monomer ratios. The destabilization of physiological tetramers by PD-causing missense mutations and the neurotoxicity and inclusions induced by markedly decreasing tetramers suggest that decreased α-helical tetramers and increased unfolded monomers initiate pathogenesis. Tetramer-stabilizing compounds should prevent this. PMID:26076669

Optical Coherency Matrix Tomography

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-19

multiple DoFs, such a treatment necessitates introducing the notion of ‘classical entanglement ’10,19–25. In quantum mechanics, states associated with...corresponding concept of classical entanglement indi- cates the non-separability of the beam into uncoupled DoFs. After the initial suggestion by Spreeuw19, a...substantial body of work has accumulated in the past five years in which classical entanglement is exploited in solving long-standing problems in

Simple coupling with cosmological implications. The initial singularity and the inflationary universe

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

Saez, D.

1987-03-15

In this work the metric is coupled with a scalar field phi in a simple way. Although this coupling becomes problematic because the energy density of phi appears to be unbounded from below, it is displayed as a very simple coupling leading to a nonsingular cosmological model with an early antigravity regime. A basic study of the inflationary period and various suggestions are presented.

The Requirement for U.S. Army Special Forces to Conduct Interrogation

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

SCHARFF .............93  APPENDIX D.  “SUGGESTIONS FOR JAPANESE INTERPRETERS BASED ON WORK IN THE FIELD” BY SHERWOOD MORAN ...............107  INITIAL...reluctant to risk their men simply to capture Japanese soldiers—soldiers they were convinced would never disclose valuable intelligence.44 Through a...only the most severe coercive measures of interrogation would convince a captured Japanese soldier to divulge information. Moran believed “strong

Magnesium incorporated bentonite clay for defluoridation of drinking water.

PubMed

Thakre, Dilip; Rayalu, Sadhana; Kawade, Raju; Meshram, Siddharth; Subrt, J; Labhsetwar, Nitin

2010-08-15

Low cost bentonite clay was chemically modified using magnesium chloride in order to enhance its fluoride removal capacity. The magnesium incorporated bentonite (MB) was characterized by using XRD and SEM techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study and optimize various operational parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, pH, effect of co-ions and initial fluoride concentration. It was observed that the MB works effectively over wide range of pH and showed a maximum fluoride removal capacity of 2.26 mgg(-1) at an initial fluoride concentration of 5 mg L(-1), which is much better than the unmodified bentonite. The experimental data fitted well into Langmuir adsorption isotherm and follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. Thermodynamic study suggests that fluoride adsorption on MB is reasonably spontaneous and an endothermic process. MB showed significantly high fluoride removal in synthetic water as compared to field water. Desorption study of MB suggest that almost all the loaded fluoride was desorbed ( approximately 97%) using 1M NaOH solution however maximum fluoride removal decreases from 95.47 to 73 (%) after regeneration. From the experimental results, it may be inferred that chemical modification enhances the fluoride removal efficiency of bentonite and it works as an effective adsorbent for defluoridation of water. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A longitudinal examination of generic and occupational specific job demands, and work-related social support associated with burnout among nurses in Sweden.

PubMed

Sundin, L; Hochwälder, J; Lisspers, J

2011-01-01

Burnout is a familiar problem within nursing. This longitudinal study was designed to examine the roles that generic and occupational specific job demands (i.e. "pain and death", "patient and relative needs", "threats and violence", "professional worries"), and various work-related sources of support play in association with burnout in a sample of registered nurses in Sweden. A questionnaire was completed on two different occasions, by the same group of nurses from three hospitals and two primary health care centers. Nurses with initial low and moderate scores on emotional exhaustion (n=585) and depersonalization (n=631) were included in the logistic regression analyses. Initial scores, as well as four categories examining change over time in the predictors (unchanged low, improved, impaired, unchanged high), were associated with burnout approximately one year later. In the multivariate analyses, quantitative job demands and professional worries were associated with emotional exhaustion. Poor co-worker support was associated with depersonalization over time. This study suggests an association between generic as well as occupational specific job demands and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, an association between poor co-worker support and depersonalization was suggested. Implications of these findings and recommended directions for future research are discussed.

Learning together, working together: an evaluation of experiences of a pilot programme for partnership between unions and management in the health service.

PubMed

Young, Pat; Moule, Pam; Evans, David; Simmons, Sue; Crack, Meg; Mayo, Gillian

2012-07-01

This article describes an innovative initiative to support partnership working between trade unions and management in three National Health Service Trusts, by means of shared participation in a series of learning and development days. Although there is existing evidence, within the literature on partnership, of the benefits of partnership working for employees and employers, there is little discussion of processes by which effective partnership is developed. More specifically, there is no current academic literature on the role of education in enabling improved partnership working between trade unions and managers. The findings of the evaluation suggest that the pilot provided a successful learning experience as well as a number of pointers for improving future developments of this nature. The recommendations include embedding of partnership work within existing staff development processes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural validation of the Work Values Scale EVAT using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and confirmatory multidimensional scaling.

PubMed

Arciniega, Luis M; González, Luis; Soares, Vítor; Ciulli, Stefania; Giannini, Marco

2009-11-01

The Work Values Scale EVAT (based on its initials in Spanish: Escala de Valores hacia el Trabajo) was created in 2000 to measure values in the work context. The instrument operationalizes the four higher-order-values of the Schwartz Theory (1992) through sixteen items focused on work scenarios. The questionnaire has been used among large samples of Mexican and Spanish individuals reporting adequate psychometric properties. The instrument has recently been translated into Portuguese and Italian, and subsequently used in a large-scale study with nurses in Portugal and in a sample of various occupations in Italy. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the cross-cultural validity of the Work Values Scale EVAT in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Our results suggest that the original Spanish version of the EVAT scale and the new Portuguese and Italian versions are equivalent.

First law of black hole mechanics as a condition for stationarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, Stephen

2014-11-01

In earlier work, we provided a Hilbert manifold structure for the phase space for the Einstein-Yang-Mills equations, and used this to prove a condition for initial data to be stationary [S. McCormick, Adv. Theor. Math. Phys. 18, 799 (2014)]. Here we use the same phase space to consider the evolution of initial data exterior to some closed 2-surface boundary, and establish a condition for stationarity in this case. It is shown that the differential relationship given in the first law of black hole mechanics is exactly the condition required for the initial data to be stationary; this was first argued nonrigorously by Sudarsky and Wald [Phys. Rev. D 46, 1453 (1992)]. Furthermore, we give evidence to suggest that if this differential relationship holds then the boundary surface is the bifurcation surface of a bifurcate Killing horizon.

Bridging the Policy-Implementation Gap in Federal Health Systems: Lessons from the Nigerian Experience

PubMed Central

Sokpo, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

The Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria - Maternal, Newborn and Child Health initiative supports efforts by the government of Nigeria to bridge primary health care (PHC) policies and services at three levels of government: federal, state and local. The paper suggests that understandings informed by complexity theory and complex adaptive systems have been helpful in shaping policy and programme design across these levels. To illustrate this, three initiatives are explored: Bringing PHC under one roof, enhancing access to funding provided by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, and strengthening the midwives service scheme. These initiatives have demonstrated how concepts and experience developed at subnational level can influence national policy and practice, and how work at subnational levels can add value to nationally conceived and nationally driven plans for PHC. PMID:28299131

Early sex work initiation and condom use among alcohol-using female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Parcesepe, Angela M; L'Engle, Kelly L; Martin, Sandra L; Green, Sherri; Suchindran, Chirayath; Mwarogo, Peter

2016-12-01

Early initiation of sex work is prevalent among female sex workers (FSWs) worldwide. The objectives of this study were to investigate if early initiation of sex work was associated with: (1) consistent condom use, (2) condom negotiation self-efficacy or (3) condom use norms among alcohol-using FSWs in Mombasa, Kenya. In-person interviews were conducted with 816 FSWs in Mombasa, Kenya. Sample participants were: recruited from HIV prevention drop-in centres, 18 years or older and moderate risk drinkers. Early initiation was defined as first engaging in sex work at 17 years or younger. Logistic regression modelled outcomes as a function of early initiation, adjusting for drop-in centre, years in sex work, supporting others and HIV status. FSWs who initiated sex work early were significantly less likely to report consistent condom use with paying sex partners compared with those who initiated sex work in adulthood. There was no significant difference between groups in consistent condom use with non-paying sex partners. FSWs who initiated sex work early endorsed less condom negotiation self-efficacy with paying sex partners compared with FSWs who did not initiate sex work early. Findings highlight a need for early intervention for at-risk youth and adolescent FSWs, particularly in relation to HIV sexual risk behaviours. Evidence-based interventions for adolescent FSWs or adult FSWs who began sex work in adolescence should be developed, implemented and evaluated. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Transforming Social Work Education: The First Decade of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooyman, Nancy R.

2009-01-01

This book, celebrating the Geriatric Social Work Initiative's 10th Anniversary, documents the effect that its educational programs have had on shaping gerontological social work education as a whole. Each chapter highlights various aspects of this John A. Hartford Foundation-funded initiative--its competency-based education, model for curricular…

Audit of workplace walkability in an Irish healthcare setting.

PubMed

Cronin, Judy

2016-12-01

Recent studies suggest that time spent sitting is associated with greater risks of all causes of mortality and cardiovascular disease even for those who live a healthy lifestyle. As part of a healthier worksite initiative, we conducted a worksite walkability audit and staff survey of a large hospital-based administrative campus with a high proportion of health staff working in largely office-based roles. The US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Healthier Worksite Initiative Walkability Audit Tool was used to audit 20 walking segments. The audit further examined the walkability of segments most likely to be used by outpatients and the families of residents visiting and attending the campus. The second phase of this research involved an employee electronic survey to understand staff requirements from a workplace physical activity initiative. Overall, the campus scored a medium risk to walkability on the CDC audit tool. This means that with some key minor alterations the walking route could be made safe and attractive for walking. There was a 20% (n = 151) response rate to the staff survey with 66% of respondents sitting at their desk for most of the day with the majority spending 5-7 h a day sitting at work. Evidence suggests that reducing sedentary time may be important to public health. The worksite is an ideal location for targeting a large number of individuals. Key public health messages that promote daily recommended physical activity targets should also carry additional messages about reducing occupational sitting time. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Results from the Data & Democracy initiative to enhance community-based organization data and research capacity.

PubMed

Carroll-Scott, Amy; Toy, Peggy; Wyn, Roberta; Zane, Jazmin I; Wallace, Steven P

2012-07-01

In an era of community-based participatory research and increased expectations for evidence-based practice, we evaluated an initiative designed to increase community-based organizations' data and research capacity through a 3-day train-the-trainer course on community health assessments. We employed a mixed method pre-post course evaluation design. Various data sources collected from 171 participants captured individual and organizational characteristics and pre-post course self-efficacy on 19 core skills, as well as behavior change 1 year later among a subsample of participants. Before the course, participants reported limited previous experience with data and low self-efficacy in basic research skills. Immediately after the course, participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in data and research self-efficacy. The subsample reported application of community assessment skills to their work and increased use of data 1 year later. Results suggest that an intensive, short-term training program can achieve large immediate gains in data and research self-efficacy in community-based organization staff. In addition, they demonstrate initial evidence of longer-term behavior change related to use of data and research skills to support their community work.

Results From the Data & Democracy Initiative to Enhance Community-Based Organization Data and Research Capacity

PubMed Central

Carroll-Scott, Amy; Toy, Peggy; Wyn, Roberta; Zane, Jazmin I.; Wallace, Steven P.

2012-01-01

Objectives. In an era of community-based participatory research and increased expectations for evidence-based practice, we evaluated an initiative designed to increase community-based organizations’ data and research capacity through a 3-day train-the-trainer course on community health assessments. Methods. We employed a mixed method pre–post course evaluation design. Various data sources collected from 171 participants captured individual and organizational characteristics and pre–post course self-efficacy on 19 core skills, as well as behavior change 1 year later among a subsample of participants. Results. Before the course, participants reported limited previous experience with data and low self-efficacy in basic research skills. Immediately after the course, participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in data and research self-efficacy. The subsample reported application of community assessment skills to their work and increased use of data 1 year later. Conclusions. Results suggest that an intensive, short-term training program can achieve large immediate gains in data and research self-efficacy in community-based organization staff. In addition, they demonstrate initial evidence of longer-term behavior change related to use of data and research skills to support their community work. PMID:22594748

High Job Demands, Still Engaged and Not Burned Out? The Role of Job Crafting.

PubMed

Hakanen, Jari J; Seppälä, Piia; Peeters, Maria C W

2017-08-01

Traditionally, employee well-being has been considered as resulting from decent working conditions arranged by the organization. Much less is known about whether employees themselves can make self-initiated changes to their work, i.e., craft their jobs, in order to stay well, even in highly demanding work situations. The aim of this study was to use the job demands-resources (JD-R model) to investigate whether job crafting buffers the negative impacts of four types of job demands (workload, emotional dissonance, work contents, and physical demands) on burnout and work engagement. A questionnaire study was designed to examine the buffering role of job crafting among 470 Finnish dentists. All in all, 11 out of 16 possible interaction effects of job demands and job crafting on employee well-being were significant. Job crafting particularly buffered the negative effects of job demands on burnout (7/8 significant interactions) and to a somewhat lesser extent also on work engagement (4/8 significant interactions). Applying job crafting techniques appeared to be particularly effective in mitigating the negative effects of quantitative workload (4/4 significant interactions). By demonstrating that job crafting can also buffer the negative impacts of high job demands on employee well-being, this study contributed to the JD-R model as it suggests that job crafting may even be possible under high work demands, and not only in resourceful jobs, as most previous studies have indicated. In addition to the top-down initiatives for improving employee well-being, bottom-up approaches such as job crafting may also be efficient in preventing burnout and enhancing work engagement.

Different contexts, different effects? Work time and mental health in the United States and Germany.

PubMed

Kleiner, Sibyl; Schunck, Reinhard; Schömann, Klaus

2015-03-01

This paper takes a comparative approach to the topic of work time and health, asking whether weekly work hours matter for mental health. We hypothesize that these relationships differ within the United States and Germany, given the more regulated work time environments within Germany and the greater incentives to work long hours in the United States. We further hypothesize that German women will experience greatest penalties to long hours. We use data from the German Socioeconomic Panel and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine hours effects on mental health score at midlife. The results support our initial hypothesis. In Germany, longer work time is associated with worse mental health, while in the United States, as seen in previous research, the associations are more complex. Our results do not show greater mental health penalties for German women and suggest instead a selection effect into work hours operating by gender. © American Sociological Association 2015.

Please respond ASAP: workplace telepressure and employee recovery.

PubMed

Barber, Larissa K; Santuzzi, Alecia M

2015-04-01

Organizations rely heavily on asynchronous message-based technologies (e.g., e-mail) for the purposes of work-related communications. These technologies are primary means of knowledge transfer and building social networks. As a by-product, workers might feel varying levels of preoccupations with and urges for responding quickly to messages from clients, coworkers, or supervisors--an experience we label as workplace telepressure. This experience can lead to fast response times and thus faster decisions and other outcomes initially. However, research from the stress and recovery literature suggests that the defining features of workplace telepressure interfere with needed work recovery time and stress-related outcomes. The present set of studies defined and validated a new scale to measure telepressure. Study 1 tested an initial pool of items and found some support for a single-factor structure after problematic items were removed. As expected, public self-consciousness, techno-overload, and response expectations were moderately associated with telepressure in Study 1. Study 2 demonstrated that workplace telepressure was distinct from other personal (job involvement, affective commitment) and work environment (general and ICT work demands) factors and also predicted burnout (physical and cognitive), absenteeism, sleep quality, and e-mail responding beyond those factors. Implications for future research and workplace practices are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimal performance of heat engines with a finite source or sink and inequalities between means.

PubMed

Johal, Ramandeep S

2016-07-01

Given a system with a finite heat capacity and a heat reservoir, and two values of initial temperatures, T_{+} and T_{-}(

Stabilisation times after transitions to standing from different working postures.

PubMed

DiDomenico, Angela; McGorry, Raymond W; Banks, Jacob J

2016-10-01

Transitioning to standing after maintaining working postures may result in imbalance and could elicit a fall. The objective of this study was to quantify the magnitude of imbalance using a stabilisation time metric. Forty-five male participants completed three replications of conditions created by one of four working postures (bent at waist, squat, forward kneel, reclined kneel) and three durations within posture. Participants transitioned to quiet standing at a self-selected pace. Stabilisation time, based on changes in centre of pressure velocity, was used to indicate the initiation of steady state while standing. Stabilisation time was significantly affected by static postures but not duration within posture. The largest stabilisation times resulted from transitions initiated from a bent at waist posture. The smallest were associated with the kneeling postures, which were not significantly different from each other. Findings may lead to recommendations for redesign of tasks, particularly in high-risk environments such as construction. Statement of Relevance: Task performance on the jobsite often requires individuals to maintain non-erect postures. This study suggests that working posture affects stabilisation during transition to a standing position. Bending at the waist and squatting resulted in longer stabilisation times, whereas both kneeling postures evaluated resulted in greater imbalance but for a shorter duration.

Precursors to rape: pressuring behaviors and rape proclivity.

PubMed

Strain, Megan L; Hockett, Jericho M; Saucier, Donald A

2015-01-01

We developed measures assessing personal and normative attitudes toward two types of behaviors that are symptomatic of rape culture. We conceptualize sexual violence as existing on a continuum and argue that two types of behaviors may be potential antecedents to (and consequences of) sexual violence: attempts to pressure, which mimic the power dynamics of rape in a less aggressive fashion, and benevolent dating behaviors, which are accepted dating scripts in which men initiate action. We examined individuals' acceptance of these behaviors in relation to their attitudes toward rape victims and among men to rape proclivity. This initial work suggests that these constructs and measures may be useful to investigate in future research.

Individual Differences in Recovery Time From Attentional Capture

PubMed Central

Fukuda, Keisuke; Vogel, Edward K.

2015-01-01

Working memory capacity reflects a core ability of the individual that affects performance on many cognitive tasks. Recent work has suggested that an important covariate of memory capacity is attentional control, and specifically that low-capacity individuals are more susceptible to attentional capture by distractors than high-capacity individuals are, with the latter being able to resist capture. Here, we tested an alternative account according to which all individuals are equally susceptible to attentional capture, but high-capacity individuals recover more quickly than low-capacity individuals. Using psychophysical and electrophysiological methods, we measured recovery time from attentional capture. In two experiments, we found that high- and low-capacity individuals showed equivalent attentional capture effects in the initial moments following capture, but that low-capacity individuals took much longer to recover than high-capacity individuals did. These results suggest that the poor attentional control associated with low capacity is due to slow disengagement from distractors. PMID:21310945

No differences in performance on test of working memory and executive functioning between healthy elderly postmenopausal women using or not using hormone therapy.

PubMed

Grigorova, M; Sherwin, B B

2006-06-01

On average, ovarian function ceases at the age of 52 years so that estrogen (E) levels are chronically low following the menopause. Numerous studies have found that hormone therapy (HT) helps to protect verbal memory, a hippocampal function. Estrogen receptors are also found in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), suggesting that estrogen may modulate executive and working memory functions, both mediated by the PFC. The possible role of progesterone (P) on executive functions and working memory is unknown. To examine the relationship between neuropsychological performance, age of initiation of HT, and duration of HT use. In this cross-sectional study, the neuropsychological performance of 37 postmenopausal women (mean age, 65 years) who used either estrogen-only or sequential E + P (E-alone group)(n = 22) or E + P continuously (n = 15) was compared to that of 28 healthy postmenopausal women matched for age and education who had never used HT. It was hypothesized that the E-only users would perform better then the E + P and the never-users on neuropsychological tests of verbal memory, executive function and working memory. Results showed only minor between-group differences on working memory scores such that the E + P users were slowest to generate a response on the N-Back test of working memory. No group differences on tests of executive functions were found. There was no relationship between neuropsychological performance, age of initiation of HT, or duration of HT use.

The differential effects of full-time and part-time work status on breastfeeding.

PubMed

Mandal, Bidisha; Roe, Brian Eric; Fein, Sara Beck

2010-09-01

Return to work is associated with diminished breastfeeding. Although more mothers breastfeed after returning to work compared to a decade ago, research has not documented the variations in breastfeeding initiation and duration based on full-time and part-time (less than 35h/week) work status. In this study, we clarify these differences. Longitudinal data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II, collected between 2005 and 2007, for over 1400 mothers are used. In analyzing initiation, mother's work status was categorized by the expected number of hours she planned to work postpartum. In the duration model, work status was categorized based on the actual number of hours worked upon mother's return to employment after controlling for baby's age when she returned to work. Covariates in logistic and censored regressions included demographics, maternity leave, parity, past breastfeeding experience, hospital experience, and social support. Compared with expecting not to work, expecting to work <35h/week was not associated with breastfeeding initiation while expecting to work full-time decreased breastfeeding initiation. Compared with breastfeeding mothers who did not work, returning to work within 12 weeks regardless of work status and returning to work after 12 weeks while working more than 34h/week were associated with significantly shorter breastfeeding duration. Part-time work and increased amount of leave taken promote breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Effect of advective flow in fractures and matrix diffusion on natural gas production

DOE PAGES

Karra, Satish; Makedonska, Nataliia; Viswanathan, Hari S.; ...

2015-10-12

Although hydraulic fracturing has been used for natural gas production for the past couple of decades, there are significant uncertainties about the underlying mechanisms behind the production curves that are seen in the field. A discrete fracture network based reservoir-scale work flow is used to identify the relative effect of flow of gas in fractures and matrix diffusion on the production curve. With realistic three dimensional representations of fracture network geometry and aperture variability, simulated production decline curves qualitatively resemble observed production decline curves. The high initial peak of the production curve is controlled by advective fracture flow of freemore » gas within the network and is sensitive to the fracture aperture variability. Matrix diffusion does not significantly affect the production decline curve in the first few years, but contributes to production after approximately 10 years. These results suggest that the initial flushing of gas-filled background fractures combined with highly heterogeneous flow paths to the production well are sufficient to explain observed initial production decline. Lastly, these results also suggest that matrix diffusion may support reduced production over longer time frames.« less

Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict: Schedule Control in a White-Collar Organization

PubMed Central

Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis; Tranby, Eric

2011-01-01

Work-family conflicts are common and consequential for employees, their families, and work organizations. Can workplaces be changed to reduce work-family conflict? Previous research has not been able to assess whether workplace policies or initiatives succeed in reducing work-family conflict or increasing work-family fit. Using longitudinal data collected from 608 employees of a white-collar organization before and after a workplace initiative was implemented, we investigate whether the initiative affects work-family conflict and fit, whether schedule control mediates these effects, and whether work demands, including long hours, moderate the initiative’s effects on work-family outcomes. Analyses clearly demonstrate that the workplace initiative positively affects the work-family interface, primarily by increasing employees’ schedule control. This study points to the importance of schedule control for our understanding of job quality and for management policies and practices. PMID:21580799

Videoconferencing for site initiations in clinical studies: Mixed methods evaluation of usability, acceptability, and impact on recruitment.

PubMed

Randell, Rebecca; Backhouse, Michael R; Nelson, E Andrea

2016-12-01

A critical issue for multicentre clinical studies is conducting site initiations, ensuring sites are trained in study procedures and comply with relevant governance requirements before they begin recruiting patients. How technology can support site initiations has not previously been explored. This study sought to evaluate use of off-the-shelf web-based videoconferencing to deliver site initiations for a large national multicentre study. Participants in the initiations, including podiatrists, diabetologists, trial coordinators, and research nurses, completed an online questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) (N = 15). This was followed by semi-structured interviews, with a consultant diabetologist, a trial coordinator, and three research nurses, exploring perceived benefits and limitations of videoconferencing. The mean SUS score for the videoconferencing platform was 87.2 (SD = 13.7), suggesting a good level of usability. Interview participants perceived initiations delivered by videoconferencing as being more interactive and easier to follow than those delivered by teleconference. In comparison to face-to-face initiations, videoconferencing takes less time, easily fitting in with the work of staff at the local sites. Perceptions of impact on communication varied according to the hardware used. Off-the-shelf videoconferencing is a viable alternative to face-to-face site initiations and confers advantages over teleconferencing.

Investigation of heat transfer in zirconium potassium perchlorate at low temperature: A study of the failure mechanism of the NASA standard initiator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varghese, Philip L.

1989-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the reasons for the failure of pyrotechnic initiators at very low temperatures (10 to 100 K). A two-dimensional model of the NASA standard initiator was constructed to model heat transfer from the electrically heated stainless steel bridgewire to the zirconium potassium perchlorate explosive charge and the alumina charge cup. Temperature dependent properties were used in the model to simulate initiator performance over a wide range of initial temperatures (10 to 500 K). A search of the thermophysical property data base showed that pure alumina has a very high thermal conductivity at low temperatures. It had been assumed to act as a thermal insulator in all previous analyses. Rapid heat transfer from the bridgewire to the alumina at low initial temperatures was shown to cause failure of the initiators if the wire did not also make good contact with the zirconium potassium perchlorate charge. The mode is able to reproduce the results of the tests that had been conducted to investigate the cause for failure. It also provides an explanation for previously puzzling results and suggests simple design changes that will increase reliability at very low initial temperatures.

AtaT blocks translation initiation by N-acetylation of the initiator tRNAfMet.

PubMed

Jurėnas, Dukas; Chatterjee, Sneha; Konijnenberg, Albert; Sobott, Frank; Droogmans, Louis; Garcia-Pino, Abel; Van Melderen, Laurence

2017-06-01

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) loci are prevalent in bacterial genomes. They are suggested to play a central role in dormancy and persister states. Under normal growth conditions, TA toxins are neutralized by their cognate antitoxins, and under stress conditions, toxins are freed and inhibit essential cellular processes using a variety of mechanisms. Here we characterize ataR-ataT, a novel TA system, from enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. We show that the toxin AtaT is a GNAT family enzyme that transfers an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A to the amine group of the methionyl aminoacyl moiety of initiator tRNA. AtaT specifically modifies Met-tRNA fMet , but no other aminoacyl-tRNAs, including the elongator Met-tRNA Met . We demonstrate that once acetylated, AcMet-tRNA fMet fails to interact with initiation factor-2 (IF2), resulting in disruption of the translation initiation complex. This work reveals a new mechanism of translation inhibition and confirms Met-tRNA fMet as a prime target to efficiently block cell growth.

Fatty acid amide hydrolase (-/-) mice exhibit an increased sensitivity to the disruptive effects of anandamide or oleamide in a working memory water maze task.

PubMed

Varvel, Stephen A; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Engram, April E; Lichtman, Aron H

2006-04-01

Although recent evidence suggests that fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) may represent a potential therapeutic target, few published studies have investigated FAAH or its fatty acid amide substrates (FAAs) in animal models of learning and memory. Therefore, our primary goal was to determine whether FAAH (-/-) mice, which possess elevated levels of anandamide and other FAAs, would display altered performance in four Morris water maze tasks: acquisition of a hidden fixed platform, reversal learning, working memory, and probe trials. FAAH (-/-) mice failed to exhibit deficits in any task; in fact, they initially acquired the working memory task more rapidly than FAAH (+/+) mice. The second goal of this study was to investigate whether the FAAH inhibitor OL-135 (1-oxo-1[5-(2-pyridyl)-2-yl]-7-phenylheptane), anandamide, other FAAs, and methanandamide would affect working memory in both genotypes. FAAH (-/-), but not (+/+), mice displayed working memory impairments following exogenous administration of anandamide (ED(50) = 6 mg/kg) or oleamide (50 mg/kg). However, the central cannabinoid receptor (CB(1)) receptor antagonist SR141716 [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide HCl] only blocked the disruptive effects of anandamide. Methanandamide, which is not metabolized by FAAH, disrupted working memory performance in both genotypes (ED(50) = 10 mg/kg), suggesting that CB(1) receptor signaling is unaltered by FAAH deletion. In contrast, OL-135 and other FAAs failed to affect working memory in either genotype. These results suggest that FAAH deletion does not impair spatial learning but may enhance acquisition under certain conditions. More generally, FAAH may represent a novel therapeutic target that circumvents the undesirable cognitive side effects commonly associated with direct-acting cannabinoid agonists.

Recent work on gaseous detonations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nettleton, M. A.

The paper reviews recent progress in the field of gaseous detonations, with sections on shock diffraction and reflection, the transition to detonation, hybrid, spherically-imploding, and galloping and stuttering fronts, their structure, their transmission and quenching by additives, the critical energy for initiation and detonation of more unusual fuels. The final section points out areas where our understanding is still far from being complete and contains some suggestions of ways in which progress might be made.

Factors associated with the recruitment and retention of social workers in Wales: employer and employee perspectives.

PubMed

Evans, Sherrill; Huxley, Peter

2009-05-01

Despite acute staffing shortages in social work, workforce planning within the UK social care sector is compromised by poor workforce intelligence. This study aimed to inform the evidence base providing new data on recruitment and retention in Wales, examining what personal and organizational characteristics are associated with intentions to leave, and what initiatives or incentives might mediate that effect. A multi-method design facilitated comparisons between two data sources--a census of all 22 Welsh local authority employers about recruitment and retention practices and a survey of all social workers and senior practitioners employed in social services (n = 998; response rate 45.9%) about demography, workforce characteristics, working patterns, morale and plans and reasons for leaving one's job. Vacancy (mean 14.4%) and turnover (mean 15%) rates were statistically significantly higher in children's services than in adult services; vacancy rates were also higher in authorities that offered higher starting salaries. The provision of certain types of traineeship might also be associated with higher vacancy rates but these results should be treated with some caution. There was little evidence that recruitment and retention initiatives were associated with lower vacancy or turnover rates, despite employers' perceptions about their effectiveness. Social workers derived a lot of satisfaction from their work, but more than a quarter wanted to leave their job within 6 months, and almost as many were actively seeking alternative employment. Intention to leave was explained by job and employer satisfaction, and negative feelings about pay. Senior practitioners and staff members with longer lengths of service were less likely to want to leave, even if they were dissatisfied with their job or employer. Job and employer dissatisfaction was associated with retention initiatives related to facilities, good caseload management and home-working, suggesting that dissatisfied staff might remain in employment for longer if these initiatives were in place.

241Am Ingrowth and Its Effect on Internal Dose

DOE PAGES

Konzen, Kevin

2016-07-01

Generally, plutonium has been manufactured to support commercial and military applications involving heat sources, weapons and reactor fuel. This work focuses on three typical plutonium mixtures, while observing the potential of 241Am ingrowth and its effect on internal dose. The term “ingrowth” is used to describe 241Am production due solely from the decay of 241Pu as part of a plutonium mixture, where it is initially absent or present in a smaller quantity. Dose calculation models do not account for 241Am ingrowth unless the 241Pu quantity is specified. This work suggested that 241Am ingrowth be considered in bioassay analysis when theremore » is a potential of a 10% increase to the individual’s committed effective dose. It was determined that plutonium fuel mixtures, initially absent of 241Am, would likely exceed 10% for typical reactor grade fuel aged less than 30 years; however, heat source grade and aged weapons grade fuel would normally fall below this threshold. In conclusion, although this work addresses typical plutonium mixtures following separation, it may be extended to irradiated commercial uranium fuel and is expected to be a concern in the recycling of spent fuel.« less

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

Konzen, Kevin

Generally, plutonium has been manufactured to support commercial and military applications involving heat sources, weapons and reactor fuel. This work focuses on three typical plutonium mixtures, while observing the potential of 241Am ingrowth and its effect on internal dose. The term “ingrowth” is used to describe 241Am production due solely from the decay of 241Pu as part of a plutonium mixture, where it is initially absent or present in a smaller quantity. Dose calculation models do not account for 241Am ingrowth unless the 241Pu quantity is specified. This work suggested that 241Am ingrowth be considered in bioassay analysis when theremore » is a potential of a 10% increase to the individual’s committed effective dose. It was determined that plutonium fuel mixtures, initially absent of 241Am, would likely exceed 10% for typical reactor grade fuel aged less than 30 years; however, heat source grade and aged weapons grade fuel would normally fall below this threshold. In conclusion, although this work addresses typical plutonium mixtures following separation, it may be extended to irradiated commercial uranium fuel and is expected to be a concern in the recycling of spent fuel.« less

Normal aging affects movement execution but not visual motion working memory and decision-making delay during cue-dependent memory-based smooth-pursuit.

PubMed

Fukushima, Kikuro; Barnes, Graham R; Ito, Norie; Olley, Peter M; Warabi, Tateo

2014-07-01

Aging affects virtually all functions including sensory/motor and cognitive activities. While retinal image motion is the primary input for smooth-pursuit, its efficiency/accuracy depends on cognitive processes. Elderly subjects exhibit gain decrease during initial and steady-state pursuit, but reports on latencies are conflicting. Using a cue-dependent memory-based smooth-pursuit task, we identified important extra-retinal mechanisms for initial pursuit in young adults including cue information priming and extra-retinal drive components (Ito et al. in Exp Brain Res 229:23-35, 2013). We examined aging effects on parameters for smooth-pursuit using the same tasks. Elderly subjects were tested during three task conditions as previously described: memory-based pursuit, simple ramp-pursuit just to follow motion of a single spot, and popping-out of the correct spot during memory-based pursuit to enhance retinal image motion. Simple ramp-pursuit was used as a task that did not require visual motion working memory. To clarify aging effects, we then compared the results with the previous young subject data. During memory-based pursuit, elderly subjects exhibited normal working memory of cue information. Most movement-parameters including pursuit latencies differed significantly between memory-based pursuit and simple ramp-pursuit and also between young and elderly subjects. Popping-out of the correct spot motion was ineffective for enhancing initial pursuit in elderly subjects. However, the latency difference between memory-based pursuit and simple ramp-pursuit in individual subjects, which includes decision-making delay in the memory task, was similar between the two groups. Our results suggest that smooth-pursuit latencies depend on task conditions and that, although the extra-retinal mechanisms were functional for initial pursuit in elderly subjects, they were less effective.

Development and Preliminary Validation of a New Measure of Values in Scientific Work.

PubMed

English, Tammy; Antes, Alison L; Baldwin, Kari A; DuBois, James M

2018-04-01

In this paper we describe the development and initial psychometric evaluation of a new measure, the values in scientific work (VSW). This scale assesses the level of importance that investigators attach to different VSW. It taps a broad range of intrinsic, extrinsic, and social values that motivate the work of scientists, including values specific to scientific work (e.g., truth and integrity) and more classic work values (e.g., security and prestige) in the context of science. Notably, the values represented in this scale are relevant to scientists regardless of their career stage and research focus. We administered the VSW and a measure of global values to 203 NIH-funded investigators. Exploratory factor analyses suggest the delineation of eight VSW, including autonomy, research ethics, social impact, income, collaboration, innovation and growth, conserving relationships, and job security. These VSW showed predictable and distinct associations with global values. Implications of these findings for work on research integrity and scientific misconduct are discussed.

Topological defect clustering and plastic deformation mechanisms in functionalized graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunes, Ricardo; Araujo, Joice; Chacham, Helio

2011-03-01

We present ab initio results suggesting that strain plays a central role in the clustering of topological defects in strained and functionalized graphene models. We apply strain onto the topological-defect graphene networks from our previous work, and obtain topological-defect clustering patterns which are in excellent agreement with recent observations in samples of reduced graphene oxide. In our models, the graphene layer, containing an initial concentration of isolated topological defects, is covered by hydrogen or hydroxyl groups. Our results also suggest a rich variety of plastic deformation mechanism in functionalized graphene systems. We acknowledge support from the Brazilian agencies: CNPq, Fapemig, and INCT-Materiais de Carbono.

Improving Initial Assessment in Work-Based Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Muriel

This document, which is designed to assist managers, trainers, or assessors in work-based provision across the United Kingdom, shares the experiences of five work-based learning providers that sought to improve their initial assessment processes. Section 1 explains the purpose of initial assessment and presents guidelines for evaluating intake…

Duration of oral contraceptive use predicts women's initial and subsequent subjective responses to sexual stimuli.

PubMed

Renfro, Kaytlin J; Rupp, Heather; Wallen, Kim

2015-09-01

Recent work suggests that a woman's hormonal state when first exposed to visual sexual stimuli (VSS) modulates her initial and subsequent responses to VSS. The present study investigated whether women's initial hormonal state was related to their subjective ratings of VSS, and whether this relationship differed with VSS content. We reanalyzed previously collected data from 14 naturally cycling (NC) women and 14 women taking oral contraceptives (OCs), who subjectively rated VSS at three hormonal time-points. NC women's ratings of 216 unique sexual images were collected during the menstrual, periovulatory, and luteal phases of their menstrual cycles, and OC women's ratings were collected at comparable time-points across their pill-cycles. NC women's initial hormonal state was not related to their ratings of VSS. OC women's initial hormonal state predicted their ratings of VSS with minimal contextual information and of images depicting female-to-male oral sex. Specifically, women who entered the study in the third week of their pill-cycle (OC-3 women) rated such images as less attractive at all testing sessions than did all other women. OC-3 women were also the only women to rate decontextualized VSS as unattractive at all testing sessions. These results corroborate previous studies in which women's initial hormonal state was found to predict subsequent interest in sexual stimuli. Future work, with larger samples, should more directly investigate whether OC-3 women's negative assessment of specific types of VSS reflects a reaction to the laboratory environment or a broader mechanism, wherein OC women's sexual interests decrease late in their pill-cycle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Patients' Cognitive Therapy Skills: Initial Evaluation of the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale.

PubMed

Strunk, Daniel R; Hollars, Shannon N; Adler, Abby D; Goldstein, Lizabeth A; Braun, Justin D

2014-10-01

In Cognitive Therapy (CT), therapists work to help patients develop skills to cope with negative affect. Most current methods of assessing patients' skills are cumbersome and impractical for clinical use. To address this issue, we developed and conducted an initial psychometric evaluation of self and therapist reported versions of a new measure of CT skills: the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale (CCTS). We evaluated the CCTS at intake and post-treatment in a sample of 67 patients participating in CT. The CCTS correlated with a preexisting measure of CT skills (the Ways of Responding Questionnaire) and was also related to concurrent depressive symptoms. Across CT, self-reported improvements in CT competencies were associated with greater changes in depressive symptoms. These findings offer initial evidence for the validity of the CCTS. We discuss the CCTS in comparison with other measures of CT skills and suggest future research directions.

Assessing Patients’ Cognitive Therapy Skills: Initial Evaluation of the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale

PubMed Central

Strunk, Daniel R.; Hollars, Shannon N.; Adler, Abby D.; Goldstein, Lizabeth A.; Braun, Justin D.

2014-01-01

In Cognitive Therapy (CT), therapists work to help patients develop skills to cope with negative affect. Most current methods of assessing patients’ skills are cumbersome and impractical for clinical use. To address this issue, we developed and conducted an initial psychometric evaluation of self and therapist reported versions of a new measure of CT skills: the Competencies of Cognitive Therapy Scale (CCTS). We evaluated the CCTS at intake and post-treatment in a sample of 67 patients participating in CT. The CCTS correlated with a preexisting measure of CT skills (the Ways of Responding Questionnaire) and was also related to concurrent depressive symptoms. Across CT, self-reported improvements in CT competencies were associated with greater changes in depressive symptoms. These findings offer initial evidence for the validity of the CCTS. We discuss the CCTS in comparison with other measures of CT skills and suggest future research directions. PMID:25408560

Dog Breed Differences in Visual Communication with Humans.

PubMed

Konno, Akitsugu; Romero, Teresa; Inoue-Murayama, Miho; Saito, Atsuko; Hasegawa, Toshikazu

2016-01-01

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have developed a close relationship with humans through the process of domestication. In human-dog interactions, eye contact is a key element of relationship initiation and maintenance. Previous studies have suggested that canine ability to produce human-directed communicative signals is influenced by domestication history, from wolves to dogs, as well as by recent breed selection for particular working purposes. To test the genetic basis for such abilities in purebred dogs, we examined gazing behavior towards humans using two types of behavioral experiments: the 'visual contact task' and the 'unsolvable task'. A total of 125 dogs participated in the study. Based on the genetic relatedness among breeds subjects were classified into five breed groups: Ancient, Herding, Hunting, Retriever-Mastiff and Working). We found that it took longer time for Ancient breeds to make an eye-contact with humans, and that they gazed at humans for shorter periods of time than any other breed group in the unsolvable situation. Our findings suggest that spontaneous gaze behavior towards humans is associated with genetic similarity to wolves rather than with recent selective pressure to create particular working breeds.

On the space and time evolution of regular or irregular human heart or brain signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuncay, Ç.

2009-01-01

A coupled map is suggested to investigate various spatial or temporal designs in biology: several cells (or tissues) in an organ are considered as connected to each other in terms of some molecular diffusions or electrical potential differences and so on. The biological systems (groups of cells) start from various initial conditions for spatial designs (or initial signals for temporal designs) and they evolve in time in terms of the mentioned interactions (connections) besides some individual feedings. The basic aim of the present contribution is to mimic various empirical data for the heart (in normal, quasi-stable, unstable and post operative physiological conditions) or brain (regular or irregular; for epilepsy) signals. The mentioned empirical data are borrowed from various works in the literature which are cited. The suggested model (to be used besides or instead of the artificial network models) involves simple mathematics and the related software is easy. The results may be considered as in good agreement with the mentioned real signals.

Setting up recovery clinics and promoting service user involvement.

PubMed

John, Thomas

2017-06-22

Service user involvement in mental health has gained considerable momentum. Evidence from the literature suggests that it remains largely theoretical rather than being put into practice. The current nature of acute inpatient mental health units creates various challenges for nurses to put this concept into practice. Recovery clinics were introduced to bridge this gap and to promote service user involvement practice within the current care delivery model at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. It has shaped new ways of working for nurses with a person-centred approach as its philosophy. Service users and nurses were involved in implementing a needs-led and bottom-up initiative using Kotter's change model. Initial results suggest that it has been successful in meeting its objectives evidenced through increased meaningful interactions and involvement in care by service users and carers. The clinics have gained wide recognition and have highlighted a need for further research into care delivery models to promote service user involvement in these units.

Biological Mechanisms Underlying the Relationship between Stress and Smoking: State of the Science and Directions for Future Work

PubMed Central

Richards, Jessica; Stipelman, Brooke A.; Bornovalova, Marina A.; Daughters, Stacey; Sinha, Rajita; Lejuez, C.W.

2011-01-01

Theories of addiction implicate stress as a crucial mechanism underlying initiation, maintenance, and relapse to cigarette smoking. Examinations of the biological stress systems, including functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), have provided additional insights into the relationship between stress and smoking. To date, convergent data suggests that chronic cigarette smoking is associated with alterations in HPA and ANS functioning; however, less is known about the role of HPA and ANS functioning in smoking initiation and relapse following cessation. In order to organize existing findings and stimulate future research, the current paper summarizes the available literature on the roles of HPA axis and ANS functioning in the relationship between stress and cigarette smoking, highlights limitations within the existing literature, and suggests directions for future research to address unanswered questions in the extant literature on the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between stress and smoking. PMID:21741435

Diagenetic palaeotemperatures from aqueous fluid inclusions: re- equilibration of inclusions in carbonate cements by burial heating.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burruss, R.C.

1987-01-01

Calculations based on the observed behaviour of inclusions in fluorite under external confining P allows prediction of the T and depths of burial necessary to initiate re-equilibration of aqueous inclusions in the common size range 40-4 mu m. Heating of 20-60oC over the initial trapping T may cause errors of 10-20oC in the homogenization T. This suggests that re-equilibration may cause aqueous inclusions in carbonates to yield a poor record of their low-T history, but a useful record of the maximum T experienced by the host rock. Previous work suggests that inclusions containing petroleum fluids will be less susceptible to re-equilibration.This and the following six abstracts represent papers presented at a joint meeting of the Applied Mineralogy Group of the Mineralogical Society and the Petroleum Group of the Geological Society held in Newcastle upon Tyne in April 1986.-R.A.H.

A Phenomenological Study of the Work Environment in Long-Term Care Facilities for the Older Adults.

PubMed

Choi, Sandy Pin Pin; Yeung, Cheryl Chi Yan; Lee, Joseph Kok Long

2018-05-01

Attempts to meet the increasing demand for long-term care (LTC) services have been hindered by acute staff shortages and high turnover. Distinct from previous studies, a descriptive phenomenological approach with van Kaam's controlled explication method was adopted in this study, to delineate how attributes of the LTC work environment shape the workforce crisis. Individual interviews were conducted with 40 LTC workers from 10 facilities in Hong Kong. The results suggest that the work environment in LTC facilities is not only characterized by organization- and job-related attributes that influence staff outcomes but also is a socially constructed concept with derogatory connotations that can influence staff recruitment and retention. Concerted efforts from facility administrators and policy makers are needed to improve the quality of the work environment. Future initiatives should focus on developing a vision and strategic plan to facilitate the rise of the LTC sector as a profession.

Profiles of four women. Health and human rights activists.

PubMed

Reiner, L; Sollom, R

1997-01-01

This article briefly profiles four women physicians working for health and human rights around the world. Dr. Ruchama Marton, an Israeli psychiatrist and activist for peace in the Middle East, is a founder of Physicians for Human Rights/Israel. Dr. Jane Green Schaller is a US pediatrician whose 1985 trip to South Africa initiated her human rights involvement, which includes the founding of Physicians for Human Rights. Dr. Judith van Heerden, a primary care physician in South Africa, has worked for reform of prison health care, to establish hospice care, and, most recently, for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) education for medical students. Dr. Ma Thida, the only physician not interviewed for this article, is currently held in a Burmese prison because of her work on behalf of the National League for Democracy. The profiles suggest the breadth of human rights work worldwide and are a testament to what physicians can do.

General self-efficacy and the effect of hospital workplace violence on doctors' stress and job satisfaction in China.

PubMed

Yao, Yongcheng; Wang, Wei; Wang, Faxuan; Yao, Wu

2014-06-01

This study aims at exploring associations of general self-efficacy (GSE), workplace violence and doctors' work-related attitudes. In this study a cross-sectional survey design was applied. Questionnaires were administrated to 758 doctors working in 9 hospitals of Zhengzhou, Henan province, China, between June and October 2010. General information on age, gender, and years of working was collected, and the doctors' experience and witnessing workplace violence, job satisfaction, job initiative, occupational stress as well as GSE were measured. General linear regression analysis was performed in association analyses. Both experiencing and witnessing workplace violence were significantly positively correlated with the level of occupational stress but significantly negatively correlated with job satisfaction, job initiative, and GSE. General self-efficacy significantly modified relationships between both experiencing and witnessing workplace violence with occupational stress (β = 0.49 for experiencing violence; β = 0.43 for witnessing violence; p < 0.001) and with job satisfaction (β = -0.35 and -0.34, respectively; p < 0.05). However, it did not modify the relationships between both experiencing and witnessing workplace violence with job initiative (p > 0.05). The levels of occupational stress declined significantly with the increase of GSE, while job satisfaction increased significantly along with its increase. The effects of GSE on occupational stress and job satisfaction weakened as the frequency of violence increased. The findings suggest that GSE can modify effects of workplace violence on health care workers' stress and job satisfaction. Enhancing GSE in combination with stress reduction may lead to facilitating health care workers' recovery from workplace violence, and thereby improving their work-related attitudes.

Broadening participation in community problem solving: a multidisciplinary model to support collaborative practice and research.

PubMed

Lasker, Roz D; Weiss, Elisa S

2003-03-01

Over the last 40 years, thousands of communities-in the United States and internationally-have been working to broaden the involvement of people and organizations in addressing community-level problems related to health and other areas. Yet, in spite of this experience, many communities are having substantial difficulty achieving their collaborative objective, and many funders of community partnerships and participation initiatives are looking for ways to get more out of their investment. One of the reasons we are in this predicament is that the practitioners and researchers who are interested in community collaboration come from a variety of contexts, initiatives, and academic disciplines, and few of them have integrated their work with experiences or literatures beyond their own domain. In this article, we seek to overcome some of this fragmentation of effort by presenting a multidisciplinary model that lays out the pathways by which broadly participatory processes lead to more effective community problem solving and to improvements in community health. The model, which builds on a broad array of practical experience as well as conceptual and empirical work in multiple fields, is an outgrowth of a joint-learning work group that was organized to support nine communities in the Turning Point initiative. Following a detailed explication of the model, the article focuses on the implications of the model for research, practice, and policy. It describes how the model can help researchers answer the fundamental effectiveness and "how-to" questions related to community collaboration. In addition, the article explores differences between the model and current practice, suggesting strategies that can help the participants in, and funders of, community collaborations strengthen their efforts.

Introduction to Group Relations and Organizational Diagnosis.

DTIC Science & Technology

The perspective of Group Relations and Organizational Diagnosis did not emerge from a vacuum. It is rooted in a clinical perspective on the study of... diagnosis became a specialty in its own right. Earlier treatments of organizational diagnosis , like the initial studies of organizational behavior...to the potential advances suggested by an intergroup perspective. The earlier works also varied in the degree to which they contributed to the entry, data collection, or feedback phases of organizational diagnosis .

The clinical significance of Cyniclomyces guttulatus in dogs with chronic diarrhoea, a survey and a prospective treatment study.

PubMed

Mandigers, Paul J J; Duijvestijn, Mirjam B H M; Ankringa, Nynke; Maes, Sofie; van Essen, Elise; Schoormans, Anky H W; German, Alexander J; Houwers, Dirk J

2014-08-06

This study surveyed the prevalence of massive numbers of Cyniclomyces guttulatus in faecal samples from healthy dogs (18%) and dogs with chronic diarrhoea (14%) suggesting that this yeast has no clinical significance. Subsequently, a total of 57 referred dogs with chronic diarrhoea were selected because they excreted massive numbers of C. guttulatus and their initial diagnostic work-up yielded no other direct clues explaining their diarrhoea. Treatment with nystatin did not result in any clinical response in 36 out of these 57 dogs (63%), although they no longer shed the yeast. However, a response was noted in the remaining 21 (37%) dogs: 13 were 'responders', in that their diarrhoea subsided for more than two weeks and the faeces were cleared of the yeast. However, three of these dogs relapsed repeatedly, with signs of diarrhoea and massive shedding of the yeast. The other eight dogs were 'incomplete responders', whereby faecal quality initially normalised, but diarrhoea relapsed within two weeks, whilst still not shedding the yeast. In these cases, further diagnostic work up revealed other co-causes of diarrhoea. It was concluded that there was no direct evidence that C. guttulatus is a primary pathogen. However, the results of the prospective treatment study suggest that a possible role in a minority of cases, perhaps as an opportunist, cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New insights into the interplay between the translation machinery and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay factors.

PubMed

Raimondeau, Etienne; Bufton, Joshua C; Schaffitzel, Christiane

2018-06-19

Faulty mRNAs with a premature stop codon (PTC) are recognized and degraded by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Recognition of a nonsense mRNA depends on translation and on the presence of NMD-enhancing or the absence of NMD-inhibiting factors in the 3'-untranslated region. Our review summarizes our current understanding of the molecular function of the conserved NMD factors UPF3B and UPF1, and of the anti-NMD factor Poly(A)-binding protein, and their interactions with ribosomes translating PTC-containing mRNAs. Our recent discovery that UPF3B interferes with human translation termination and enhances ribosome dissociation in vitro , whereas UPF1 is inactive in these assays, suggests a re-interpretation of previous experiments and modification of prevalent NMD models. Moreover, we discuss recent work suggesting new functions of the key NMD factor UPF1 in ribosome recycling, inhibition of translation re-initiation and nascent chain ubiquitylation. These new findings suggest that the interplay of UPF proteins with the translation machinery is more intricate than previously appreciated, and that this interplay quality-controls the efficiency of termination, ribosome recycling and translation re-initiation. © 2018 The Author(s).

LDRD final report :

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

Brost, Randolph C.; McLendon, William Clarence,

2013-01-01

Modeling geospatial information with semantic graphs enables search for sites of interest based on relationships between features, without requiring strong a priori models of feature shape or other intrinsic properties. Geospatial semantic graphs can be constructed from raw sensor data with suitable preprocessing to obtain a discretized representation. This report describes initial work toward extending geospatial semantic graphs to include temporal information, and initial results applying semantic graph techniques to SAR image data. We describe an efficient graph structure that includes geospatial and temporal information, which is designed to support simultaneous spatial and temporal search queries. We also report amore » preliminary implementation of feature recognition, semantic graph modeling, and graph search based on input SAR data. The report concludes with lessons learned and suggestions for future improvements.« less

Bianchi type string cosmological models in f(R,T) gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, P. K.; Mishra, B.; Sahoo, Parbati; Pacif, S. K. J.

2016-09-01

In this work we have studied Bianchi-III and - VI 0 cosmological models with string fluid source in f( R, T) gravity (T. Harko et al., Phys. Rev. D 84, 024020 (2011)), where R is the Ricci scalar and T the trace of the stress energy-momentum tensor in the context of late time accelerating expansion of the universe as suggested by the present observations. The exact solutions of the field equations are obtained by using a time-varying deceleration parameter. The universe is anisotropic and free from initial singularity. Our model initially shows acceleration for a certain period of time and then decelerates consequently. Several dynamical and physical behaviors of the model are also discussed in detail.

Application of ground-penetrating radar at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

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

Stefano, J.E.

1992-05-01

Argonne National Laboratory initiated a site investigation program at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, to characterize environmental contamination. The performance and usefulness of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was evaluated under antarctic conditions during the initial site investigation in January 1991. Preliminary surveys were successful in defining the contact between reworked pyroclastic material and in the prefill, undisturbed pyroclastics and basalts at some sites. Interference from radio traffic at McMurdo Station was not observed, but interference was a problem in work with unshielded antennas near buildings. In general, the results of this field test suggest that high-quality, high-resolution, continuous subsurface profiles can be producedmore » with GPR over most of McMurdo Station.« less

Application of ground-penetrating radar at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

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

Stefano, J.E.

1992-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory initiated a site investigation program at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, to characterize environmental contamination. The performance and usefulness of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was evaluated under antarctic conditions during the initial site investigation in January 1991. Preliminary surveys were successful in defining the contact between reworked pyroclastic material and in the prefill, undisturbed pyroclastics and basalts at some sites. Interference from radio traffic at McMurdo Station was not observed, but interference was a problem in work with unshielded antennas near buildings. In general, the results of this field test suggest that high-quality, high-resolution, continuous subsurface profiles can be producedmore » with GPR over most of McMurdo Station.« less

Efficacy of temporary work modifications on disability related to musculoskeletal pain or depressive symptoms—study protocol for a controlled trial

PubMed Central

Haukka, Eija; Martimo, Kari-Pekka; Kivekäs, Teija; Horppu, Ritva; Lallukka, Tea; Solovieva, Svetlana; Shiri, Rahman; Pehkonen, Irmeli; Takala, Esa-Pekka; MacEachen, Ellen; Viikari-Juntura, Eira

2015-01-01

Introduction Previous research suggests that work with a suitable workload may promote health and work retention in people with disability. This study will examine whether temporary work modifications at the early stage of work disability are effective in enhancing return to work (RTW) or staying at work among workers with musculoskeletal or depressive symptoms. Methods and analysis A single-centre controlled trial with modified stepped wedge design will be carried out in eight enterprises and their occupational health services (OHSs) in nine cities in Finland. Patients seeking medical advice due to musculoskeletal pain (≥4 on a scale from 0–10) or depressive symptoms (≥1 positive response to 2 screening questions) and fulfilling other inclusion criteria are eligible. The study involves an educational intervention among occupational physicians to enhance the initiation of work modifications. Primary outcomes are sustained RTW (≥4 weeks at work without a new sickness absence (SA)) and the total number of SA days during a 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes are intensity of musculoskeletal pain (scale 0–10), pain interference with work or sleep (scale 0–10) and severity of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9), inquired via online questionnaires at baseline and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after recruitment. Information on SA days will be collected from the medical records of the OHSs over 12 months, before and after recruitment. The findings will give new information about the possibilities of training physicians to initiate work modifications and their effects on RTW in employees with work disability due to musculoskeletal pain or depressive symptoms. Ethics and dissemination The Coordinating Ethics Committee of Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa has granted approval for this study. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number ISRCTN74743666. PMID:25986643

Meanings of immediate: the practical use of the Patient's Charter in the accident and emergency department.

PubMed

Sbaih, Lynn C

2002-05-01

The publication of the Patient's Charter in Britain enabled patients to have access to a series of documented standards relating to health care provision in a variety of situations. However since its introduction much discussion has taken place as to its application in clinical practice. An initial interest in the accomplishment of routine accident and emergency (A& E) nursing work led to the identification of issues associated with the use of the Patient's Charter standards; particularly those associated with immediate assessment in the A & E department. Data were collected from 60 nurses in five A& E departments and analysed using a multidisciplinary multistage approach. Findings suggest that nurses are expected to juggle the daily tensions produced by the Charter standards, associated with initial assessment, alongside the accomplishment of other aspects of the work dedicated to the safe movement of patients through the system. Tensions are rooted in two particular issues. Firstly, the meanings of immediate assessment continue to remain open to interpretation and therefore difficult to capture and manage. Secondly, the Patient's Charter standards, associated with immediate assessment, deal with one aspect of the work only and yet the accomplishment of A & E work is dependent upon maintaining a perception of order and shape throughout the whole department. Ultimately both issues have an impact on nurses' recognition and management of what they know to be the normal appearances and shape of routine work.

Biomechanics of Step Initiation After Balance Recovery With Implications for Humanoid Robot Locomotion.

PubMed

Miller Buffinton, Christine; Buffinton, Elise M; Bieryla, Kathleen A; Pratt, Jerry E

2016-03-01

Balance-recovery stepping is often necessary for both a human and humanoid robot to avoid a fall by taking a single step or multiple steps after an external perturbation. The determination of where to step to come to a complete stop has been studied, but little is known about the strategy for initiation of forward motion from the static position following such a step. The goal of this study was to examine the human strategy for stepping by moving the back foot forward from a static, double-support position, comparing parameters from normal step length (SL) to those from increasing SLs to the point of step failure, to provide inspiration for a humanoid control strategy. Healthy young adults instrumented with joint reflective markers executed a prescribed-length step from rest while marker positions and ground reaction forces (GRFs) were measured. The participants were scaled to the Gait2354 model in opensim software to calculate body kinematic and joint kinetic parameters, with further post-processing in matlab. With increasing SL, participants reduced both static and push-off back-foot GRF. Body center of mass (CoM) lowered and moved forward, with additional lowering at the longer steps, and followed a path centered within the initial base of support (BoS). Step execution was successful if participants gained enough forward momentum at toe-off to move the instantaneous capture point (ICP) to within the BoS defined by the final position of both feet on the front force plate. All lower extremity joint torques increased with SL except ankle joint. Front knee work increased dramatically with SL, accompanied by decrease in back-ankle work. As SL increased, the human strategy changed, with participants shifting their CoM forward and downward before toe-off, thus gaining forward momentum, while using less propulsive work from the back ankle and engaging the front knee to straighten the body. The results have significance for human motion, suggesting the upper limit of the SL that can be completed with back-ankle push-off before additional knee flexion and torque is needed. For biped control, the results support stability based on capture-point dynamics and suggest strategy for center-of-mass trajectory and distribution of ground force reactions that can be compared with robot controllers for initiation of gait after recovery steps.

Failure to obtain value enhancement by within-trial contrast in simultaneous and successive discriminations.

PubMed

Arantes, Joana; Grace, Randolph C

2008-02-01

The present research tested the generality of the "work ethic" effect described by Clement, Feltus, Kaiser, and Zentall (2000). In Experiment 1, we trained 10 pigeons on a pair of either simultaneous or successive discriminations. One discrimination followed a high-effort requirement (20 pecks to the center key) and the other followed a low-effort requirement (1 peck). Contrary to Clement et al.'s results, we found that preferences between the S+ and S- stimuli in transfer tests depended on the event that initiated the trial: Pigeons preferred the stimulus from the baseline discrimination whose initiating event was most dissimilar from that preceding the test trial. Preferences were similar but less extreme in the successive condition. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether test preferences depended on the amount of training. A total of 12 pigeons were trained on a pair of simultaneous discriminations, except that test sessions were scheduled after every three baseline sessions. Preferences increased across test sessions but were similar to those in Experiment 1. Together with Vasconcelos, Urcuioli, and Lionello-DeNolf (2007a), our study represents a second failure to replicate Clement et al.'s work ethic effect. The finding that preference depends on the event that initiates the test trial suggests that choice probes may not provide unambiguous assessments of stimulus value.

A meta-analysis suggesting that the relationship between biodiversity and risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission is idiosyncratic.

PubMed

Salkeld, Daniel J; Padgett, Kerry A; Jones, James Holland

2013-05-01

Zoonotic pathogens are significant burdens on global public health. Because they are transmitted to humans from non-human animals, the transmission dynamics of zoonoses are necessarily influenced by the ecology of their animal hosts and vectors. The 'dilution effect' proposes that increased species diversity reduces disease risk, suggesting that conservation and public health initiatives can work synergistically to improve human health and wildlife biodiversity. However, the meta-analysis that we present here indicates a weak and highly heterogeneous relationship between host biodiversity and disease. Our results suggest that disease risk is more likely a local phenomenon that relies on the specific composition of reservoir hosts and vectors, and their ecology, rather than patterns of species biodiversity. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Sex Differences in Working Memory after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Functional MR Imaging Study.

PubMed

Hsu, Hui-Ling; Chen, David Yen-Ting; Tseng, Ying-Chi; Kuo, Ying-Sheng; Huang, Yen-Lin; Chiu, Wen-Ta; Yan, Feng-Xian; Wang, Wei-Shuan; Chen, Chi-Jen

2015-09-01

To evaluate sex differences in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) with working memory functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Research ethics committee approval and patient written informed consent were obtained. Working memory brain activation patterns were assessed with functional MR imaging in 30 patients (15 consecutive men and 15 consecutive women) with MTBI and 30 control subjects (15 consecutive men and 15 consecutive women). Two imaging studies were performed in patients: the initial study, which was performed within 1 month after the injury, and a follow-up study, which was performed 6 weeks after the first study. For each participant, digit span and continuous performance testing were performed before functional MR imaging. Clinical data were analyzed by using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed rank, and Fisher exact tests. Within- and between-group differences of functional MR imaging data were analyzed with one- and two-sample t tests, respectively. Among female participants, the total digit span score was lower in the MTBI group than in the control group (P = .044). In initial working memory functional MR imaging studies, hyperactivation was found in the male MTBI group and hypoactivation was found in the female MTBI group compared with control male and female groups, respectively. At the 6-week follow-up study, the female MTBI group showed persistent hypoactivation, whereas the male MTBI group showed a regression of hyperactivation at visual comparison of activation maps. The male MTBI group was also found to have a higher initial ß value than the male control group (P = .040), and there was no significant difference between the male MTBI group and the male control group (P = .221) at follow-up evaluation, which was comparable to findings on activation maps. In the female MTBI group, average ß values at both initial and follow-up studies were lower compared with those in the female control group but were not statistically significant (P = .663 and P = .191, respectively). Female patients with MTBI had lower digit span scores than did female control subjects, and functional MR imaging depicted sex differences in working memory functional activation; hypoactivation with nonrecovery of activation change at follow-up studies may suggest a worse working memory outcome in female patients with MTBI.

Self-Initiated Art Work and School Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haanstra, Folkert

2010-01-01

This article deals with the forms and contents of self-initiated art works: the kind of learning that takes place in the production of self-initiated art works as well as the relationships with school art. We interviewed 52 Dutch students (aged between 10 and 14) from different schools of primary and secondary education, and their art teachers.…

"How can I not?": men's pathways to involvement in anti-violence against women work.

PubMed

Casey, Erin; Smith, Tyler

2010-08-01

Despite growing male participation in ending violence against women, little is known about the factors that precipitate men's engagement as antiviolence "allies." This study presents findings from a qualitative analysis of interviews with 27 men who recently initiated involvement in an organization or event dedicated to ending sexual or domestic violence. Findings suggest that men's engagement is a process that occurs over time, that happens largely through existing social networks, and that is influenced by exposure to sensitizing experiences, tangible involvement opportunities and specific types of meaning making related to violence. Implications for models of ally development and for efforts to engage men in antiviolence work are discussed.

Efficiency bounds for nonequilibrium heat engines

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

Mehta, Pankaj; Polkovnikov, Anatoli, E-mail: asp@bu.edu

2013-05-15

We analyze the efficiency of thermal engines (either quantum or classical) working with a single heat reservoir like an atmosphere. The engine first gets an energy intake, which can be done in an arbitrary nonequilibrium way e.g. combustion of fuel. Then the engine performs the work and returns to the initial state. We distinguish two general classes of engines where the working body first equilibrates within itself and then performs the work (ergodic engine) or when it performs the work before equilibrating (non-ergodic engine). We show that in both cases the second law of thermodynamics limits their efficiency. For ergodicmore » engines we find a rigorous upper bound for the efficiency, which is strictly smaller than the equivalent Carnot efficiency. I.e. the Carnot efficiency can be never achieved in single reservoir heat engines. For non-ergodic engines the efficiency can be higher and can exceed the equilibrium Carnot bound. By extending the fundamental thermodynamic relation to nonequilibrium processes, we find a rigorous thermodynamic bound for the efficiency of both ergodic and non-ergodic engines and show that it is given by the relative entropy of the nonequilibrium and initial equilibrium distributions. These results suggest a new general strategy for designing more efficient engines. We illustrate our ideas by using simple examples. -- Highlights: ► Derived efficiency bounds for heat engines working with a single reservoir. ► Analyzed both ergodic and non-ergodic engines. ► Showed that non-ergodic engines can be more efficient. ► Extended fundamental thermodynamic relation to arbitrary nonequilibrium processes.« less

Working Memory, Motivation, and Teacher-Initiated Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, David W.; Shell, Duane F.

2006-03-01

Working memory is where we "think" as we learn. A notion that emerges as a synthesis from several threads in the research literatures of cognition, motivation, and connectionism is that motivation in learning is the process whereby working memory resource allocation is instigated and sustained. This paper reviews much literature on motivation and working memory, and concludes that the apparent novelty of the proposal offered to describe motivation in terms of working memory results from the apparent lack of cross-channel exchange among these research traditions. The relation between working memory and motivation is explored in the context of the interactive compensatory model of learning (ICML) in which learning is considered to result from the interaction of ability, motivation, and prior learning. The ICML is recast in light of the revised definition of motivation offered here. This paper goes on to suggest ways in which a range of teaching and learning issues and activities may be reconceptualized in the context of a model emphasizing a learner's working memory that makes use of chunks of previously acquired knowledge.

Returning to work while breastfeeding.

PubMed

Biagioli, Frances

2003-12-01

Mothers who work outside the home initiate breastfeeding at the same rate as mothers who stay at home. However, the breastfeeding continuance rate declines sharply in mothers who return to work. While the work environment may be less than ideal for the breastfeeding mother, obstacles can be overcome. Available breast pump types include manual pumps, battery-powered pumps, electric diaphragm pumps, electric piston pumps, and hospital-grade electric piston pumps. Electric piston pumps may be the most suitable type for mothers who work outside the home for more than 20 hours per week; however, when a mother is highly motivated, any pump type can be successful in any situation. Conservative estimates suggest that breast milk can be stored at room temperature for eight hours, refrigerated for up to eight days, and frozen for many months. A breastfeeding plan can help the working mother anticipate logistic problems and devise a practical pumping schedule. A mother's milk production usually is well established by the time her infant is four weeks old; it is best to delay a return to work until at least that time, and longer if possible.

[THE EMPIRICAL DISTINCTIVENESS OF WORK ENGAGEMENT AND WORKAHOLISM AMONG HOSPITAL NURSES IN JAPAN : THE EFFECT ON SLEEP QUALITY AND JOB PERFORMANCE].

PubMed

Kubota, Kazumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Kawakami, Norito; Takahashi, Masaya; Nakata, Akinori; Schaufeli, Wilmar B

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the distinctiveness of work engagement and workaholism by examining their relationships with sleep quality and job performance. A total of 447 nurses from 3 hospitals in Japan were surveyed using a self-administrated questionnaire including Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Dutch Workaholism Scale (DUWAS), questions on sleep quality (7 items) regarding (1) difficulty initiating sleep, (2) difficulty maintaining sleep, (3) early morning awakening, (4) dozing off or napping in daytime, (5) excessive daytime sleepiness at work, (6) difficulty awakening in the morning, and (7) tiredness awakening in the morning, and the World Health Organization Health Work Performance Questionnaire. The Structural Equation Modeling showed that, work engagement was positively related to sleep quality and job performance whereas workaholism negatively to sleep quality and job performance. The findings suggest that work engagement and workaholism are conceptually distinctive and that the former is positively and the latter is negatively related to well-being (i.e., good sleep quality and job performance).

Uncertainty Estimation in Tsunami Initial Condition From Rapid Bayesian Finite Fault Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benavente, R. F.; Dettmer, J.; Cummins, P. R.; Urrutia, A.; Cienfuegos, R.

2017-12-01

It is well known that kinematic rupture models for a given earthquake can present discrepancies even when similar datasets are employed in the inversion process. While quantifying this variability can be critical when making early estimates of the earthquake and triggered tsunami impact, "most likely models" are normally used for this purpose. In this work, we quantify the uncertainty of the tsunami initial condition for the great Illapel earthquake (Mw = 8.3, 2015, Chile). We focus on utilizing data and inversion methods that are suitable to rapid source characterization yet provide meaningful and robust results. Rupture models from teleseismic body and surface waves as well as W-phase are derived and accompanied by Bayesian uncertainty estimates from linearized inversion under positivity constraints. We show that robust and consistent features about the rupture kinematics appear when working within this probabilistic framework. Moreover, by using static dislocation theory, we translate the probabilistic slip distributions into seafloor deformation which we interpret as a tsunami initial condition. After considering uncertainty, our probabilistic seafloor deformation models obtained from different data types appear consistent with each other providing meaningful results. We also show that selecting just a single "representative" solution from the ensemble of initial conditions for tsunami propagation may lead to overestimating information content in the data. Our results suggest that rapid, probabilistic rupture models can play a significant role during emergency response by providing robust information about the extent of the disaster.

I don't think general practice should be the front line: Experiences of general practitioners working with refugees in South Australia

PubMed Central

Johnson, David R; Ziersch, Anna M; Burgess, Teresa

2008-01-01

Introduction Many refugees arrive in Australia with complex health needs. In South Australia (SA), providing initial health care to refugees is the responsibility of General Practitioners (GPs) in private practice. Their capacity to perform this work effectively for current newly arrived refugees is uncertain. The aim of this study was to document the challenges faced by GPs in private practice in SA when providing initial care to refugees and to discuss the implications of this for policy relating to optimising health care services for refugees. Methods Semi-structured interviews with twelve GPs in private practice and three Medical Directors of Divisions of General Practice. Using a template analysis approach the interviews were coded and analysed thematically. Results Multiple challenges providing care to refugees were found including those related to: (1) refugee health issues; (2) the GP-refugee interaction; and (3) the structure of general practice. The Divisions also reported challenges assisting GPs to provide effective care related to a lack of funding and awareness of which GPs required support. Although respondents suggested a number of ways that GPs could be assisted to provide better initial care to refugees, strong support was voiced for the initial care of refugees to be provided via a specialist refugee health service. Conclusion GPs in this study were under-resourced, at both an individual GP level as well as a structural level, to provide effective initial care for refugees. In SA, there are likely to be a number of challenges attempting to increase the capacity of GPs in private practice to provide initial care. An alternative model is for refugees with multiple and complex health care needs as well as those with significant resettlement challenges to receive initial health care via the existing specialist refugee health service in Adelaide. PMID:18687150

How to build up the actionable knowledge base: the role of ‘best fit’ framework synthesis for studies of improvement in healthcare

PubMed Central

Booth, Andrew; Carroll, Christopher

2015-01-01

Increasing recognition of the role and value of theory in improvement work in healthcare offers the prospect of capitalising upon, and consolidating, actionable lessons from synthesis of improvement projects and initiatives. We propose that informed use of theory can (i) provide a mechanism by which to collect and organise data from a body of improvement work, (ii) offer a framework for analysis and identification of lessons learnt and (iii) facilitate an evaluation of the feasibility, effectiveness and acceptability of improvement programmes. Improvement practitioners can benefit from using an underpinning external structure as a lens by which to examine the specific achievements of their own projects alongside comparable initiatives led by others. We demonstrate the utility of a method known as ‘best fit framework synthesis’ (BFFS) in offering a ubiquitous and versatile means by which to collect, analyse and evaluate improvement work in healthcare. First reported in 2011, BFFS represents a pragmatic, flexible approach to integrating theory with findings from practice. A deductive phase, where a review team seeks to accommodate a substantial part of the data, is followed by an inductive phase, in which the team explores data not accommodated by the framework. We explore the potential for BFFS within improvement work by drawing upon the evidence synthesis methodology literature and practical examples of improvement work reported in BMJ Quality and Safety (2011–2015). We suggest four variants of BFFS that may have particular value in synthesising a body of improvement work. We conclude that BFFS, alongside other approaches that seek to optimise the contribution of theory to improvement work, represents one important enabling mechanism by which to establish the rigour and scientific credentials of the emerging discipline of ‘improvement science’. PMID:26306609

Changing Work and Work-Family Conflict: Evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Network*

PubMed Central

Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis; Oakes, J. Michael; Fan, Wen; Okechukwu, Cassandra; Davis, Kelly D.; Hammer, Leslie; Kossek, Ellen; King, Rosalind Berkowitz; Hanson, Ginger; Mierzwa, Frank; Casper, Lynne

2013-01-01

Schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life are work resources that may help employees manage the work-family interface. However, existing data and designs have made it difficult to conclusively identify the effects of these work resources. This analysis utilizes a group-randomized trial in which some units in an information technology workplace were randomly assigned to participate in an initiative, called STAR, that targeted work practices, interactions, and expectations by (a) training supervisors on the value of demonstrating support for employees’ personal lives and (b) prompting employees to reconsider when and where they work. We find statistically significant, though modest, improvements in employees’ work-family conflict and family time adequacy and larger changes in schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life. We find no evidence that this intervention increased work hours or perceived job demands, as might have happened with increased permeability of work across time and space. Subgroup analyses suggest the intervention brings greater benefits to employees more vulnerable to work-family conflict. This study advances our understanding of the impact of social structures on individual lives by investigating deliberate organizational changes and their effects on work resources and the work-family interface with a rigorous design. PMID:25349460

Changing Work and Work-Family Conflict: Evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Network*

PubMed

Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis; Oakes, J Michael; Fan, Wen; Okechukwu, Cassandra; Davis, Kelly D; Hammer, Leslie; Kossek, Ellen; King, Rosalind Berkowitz; Hanson, Ginger; Mierzwa, Frank; Casper, Lynne

2014-06-01

Schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life are work resources that may help employees manage the work-family interface. However, existing data and designs have made it difficult to conclusively identify the effects of these work resources. This analysis utilizes a group-randomized trial in which some units in an information technology workplace were randomly assigned to participate in an initiative, called STAR, that targeted work practices, interactions, and expectations by (a) training supervisors on the value of demonstrating support for employees' personal lives and (b) prompting employees to reconsider when and where they work. We find statistically significant, though modest, improvements in employees' work-family conflict and family time adequacy and larger changes in schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life. We find no evidence that this intervention increased work hours or perceived job demands, as might have happened with increased permeability of work across time and space. Subgroup analyses suggest the intervention brings greater benefits to employees more vulnerable to work-family conflict. This study advances our understanding of the impact of social structures on individual lives by investigating deliberate organizational changes and their effects on work resources and the work-family interface with a rigorous design.

Phonological Planning during Sentence Production: Beyond the Verb.

PubMed

Schnur, Tatiana T

2011-01-01

The current study addresses the extent of phonological planning during spontaneous sentence production. Previous work shows that at articulation, phonological encoding occurs for entire phrases, but encoding beyond the initial phrase may be due to the syntactic relevance of the verb in planning the utterance. I conducted three experiments to investigate whether phonological planning crosses multiple grammatical phrase boundaries (as defined by the number of lexical heads of phrase) within a single phonological phrase. Using the picture-word interference paradigm, I found in two separate experiments a significant phonological facilitation effect to both the verb and noun of sentences like "He opens the gate." I also altered the frequency of the direct object and found longer utterance initiation times for sentences ending with a low-frequency vs. high-frequency object offering further support that the direct object was phonologically encoded at the time of utterance initiation. That phonological information for post-verbal elements was activated suggests that the grammatical importance of the verb does not restrict the extent of phonological planning. These results suggest that the phonological phrase is unit of planning, where all elements within a phonological phrase are encoded before articulation. Thus, consistent with other action sequencing behavior, there is significant phonological planning ahead in sentence production.

A Generalist Looks Back

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salpeter, Edwin E.

I fled with my parents from Hitler's Austria to Australia and studied physics at Sydney University. I obtained my Ph.D. in quantum electrodynamics with Rudolf Peierls at Birmingham University and came to Cornell to work with Hans Bethe. I have stayed at Cornell ever since, and I have essentially had only a single job in my whole life, but have switched fields quite often. I worked in nuclear astrophysics and in late-stellar evolution, estimated the Initial Mass Function for star formation and the metal enrichment of the interstellar medium. I suggested black hole accretion as the energy source for quasars, worked on molecule formation on dust grain surfaces, and was involved in 21-cm studies of gas clouds and disk galaxies. I collaborated with my wife on the neurobiology of the neuromuscular junction and with one of my daughters on the epidemiology of tuberculosis.

Racial bias in sport medical staff's perceptions of others' pain.

PubMed

Druckman, James N; Trawalter, Sophie; Montes, Ivonne; Fredendall, Alexandria; Kanter, Noah; Rubenstein, Allison Paige

2017-11-27

Unequal treatment based on race is well documented in higher education and healthcare settings. In the present work, we examine racial bias at the intersection of these domains: racial bias in pain-related perceptions among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 sport medical staff. Using experimental vignettes about a student-athlete who injured his/her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), we find, like prior work, that respondents perceived Black (vs. White) targets as having higher initial pain tolerance. Moreover, this bias was mediated by perceptions of social class. We extend prior work by showing racial bias was not evident on other outcome measures, including perception of recovery process pain, likelihood of over-reporting pain, and over-use of drugs to combat pain. This suggests stricter boundary conditions on bias in pain perceptions than had been previously recognized.

Evaluation of the multifunctional worker role: a stakeholder analysis.

PubMed

Jones, K R; Redman, R W; VandenBosch, T M; Holdwick, C; Wolgin, F

1999-01-01

Health care organizations are rethinking how care is delivered because of incentives generated by managed care and a competitive marketplace. An evaluation of a work redesign project that involved the creation of redesigned unlicensed caregiver roles is described. The effect of model implementation on patients, multiple categories of caregivers, and physicians was measured using several different approaches to data collection. In this evaluation, caregivers perceived the institutional culture to be both market-driven and hierarchical. The work redesign, along with significant changes in unit configuration and leadership over the same period, significantly reduced job security and satisfaction with supervision. Quality indicators suggested short-term declines in quality during model implementation with higher levels of quality after implementation issues were resolved. Objective measurement of the outcomes of work redesign initiatives is imperative to assure appropriate adjustments and responses to caregiver concerns.

Drug Use and Sex Work Among At-risk Women: A Qualitative Study of Initial Factors.

PubMed

Roshanfekr, Payam; Noori, Roya; Dejman, Masoumeh; Fathi Geshnigani, Zahra; Rafiey, Hassan

2015-06-01

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in performing research on drug use and sex work among at-risk women. Although there is a well-documented literature of the initial reasons associated with drug use and sex work among women, there is, however, a paucity of information in this area in Iran. This study aimed to explore the initial reasons associated with drug use and sex work in a group of female treatment seekers, who presented health-related risk behaviors, in Tehran, Iran. This qualitative study enrolled a total of 65 at-risk women, from five women-specific drug clinics, who participated in the study in 2011. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Focus group interviews were conducted with 10 key informants. All interviews were audio-taped and thematically written. The recorded data were analyzed using ATLASti qualitative research software version 10. The median age of the sample was 34 years. In addition, 44.6% of subjects were opiate users, and 55.4% were users of opiates and methamphetamine. Sex work was the main source of income for almost half of the sample. The most frequently reported reasons, associated with initial drug use, were extrinsic motivations, including the drug-using family, friends or social networks. Intrinsic motivations, including curiosity and individual willingness to use drugs, were other initial reasons. The most frequently reported reasons, associated with initial sex work, included the need to purchase drugs and financial problems. The study findings demonstrated a number of reasons associated with initial drug use and sex work. The role of sex work in providing drugs necessitates education and prevention. Special treatment programs should be implemented to prevent sex work among at-risk women in Iran.

Angular default mode network connectivity across working memory load.

PubMed

Vatansever, D; Manktelow, A E; Sahakian, B J; Menon, D K; Stamatakis, E A

2017-01-01

Initially identified during no-task, baseline conditions, it has now been suggested that the default mode network (DMN) engages during a variety of working memory paradigms through its flexible interactions with other large-scale brain networks. Nevertheless, its contribution to whole-brain connectivity dynamics across increasing working memory load has not been explicitly assessed. The aim of our study was to determine which DMN hubs relate to working memory task performance during an fMRI-based n-back paradigm with parametric increases in difficulty. Using a voxel-wise metric, termed the intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC), we found that the bilateral angular gyri (core DMN hubs) displayed the greatest change in global connectivity across three levels of n-back task load. Subsequent seed-based functional connectivity analysis revealed that the angular DMN regions robustly interact with other large-scale brain networks, suggesting a potential involvement in the global integration of information. Further support for this hypothesis comes from the significant correlations we found between angular gyri connectivity and reaction times to correct responses. The implication from our study is that the DMN is actively involved during the n-back task and thus plays an important role related to working memory, with its core angular regions contributing to the changes in global brain connectivity in response to increasing environmental demands. Hum Brain Mapp 38:41-52, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The cholinergic and purinergic components of detrusor contractility in a whole rabbit bladder model.

PubMed

Chancellor, M B; Kaplan, S A; Blaivas, J G

1992-09-01

Whole rabbit bladders were suspended in a bath chamber and stimulated with ATP, bethanechol, electrical field stimulation, and bethanechol + ATP. Detrusor pressure and fluid expelled by the bladder were recorded, synchronized, and digitized. Detrusor work and power were calculated with a computer program. Maximum work was 61.4 +/- 28.7, 83.3 +/- 17.0, 85.0 +/- 15.0, 90.8 +/- 13.1 cm. H2O, ml. for ATP, bethanechol, electrical and bethanechol + ATP, respectively. Maximum power generated by ATP was 4.8 +/- 3.0 cm. H2O, ml./sec and was approximately 66% of that generated by bethanechol, and 50% of that generated by electrical stimulation, and bethanechol + ATP. ATP cannot empty the bladder with moderate outlet resistance while bethanechol and electrical stimulation can. Our results suggest that ATP is able to generate detrusor power and achieve work in bladder emptying. However, ATP generated power and work is considerably less than that of electrical stimulation or bethanechol alone. ATP mediated contraction is not inhibited by atropine or tetrodotoxin but is inhibited by P2 purinoceptor desensitization, suggesting a functional role of purine receptors on detrusor smooth muscle. Since ATP generated pressure is more rapid than with bethanechol alone, we support the hypothesis that ATP may be important in the initiation of micturition.

Students' Views About Secondary School Science Lessons: The Role of Practical Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toplis, Rob

2012-06-01

This paper reports an interpretive study that sought students' views about the role that practical work plays in their school science lessons. Twenty-nine students aged between 13 and 16 years were selected from three secondary schools in England. Data were collected from initial lesson observations and in-depth interviews in order to explore students' views about practical work. The findings suggest that students have three main reasons why practical work is important in their school science lessons: for interest and activity, including social and personal features such as participation and autonomy; as an alternative to other forms of science teaching involving a pedagogy of transmission, and as a way of learning, including memorizing and recall. The findings are discussed in the context of a critical view of previous work on the role of practical work, work on attitudes to science and on the student voice. The paper concludes that practical work is seen to provide opportunities for students to engage with and influence their own learning but that learning with practical work remains a complex issue that needs further research and evaluation about its use, effectiveness and of the role of scientific inquiry as a component of practical activity.

Gossip: does it play a role in the socialization of nurses?

PubMed

Laing, M

1993-01-01

Despite its generally negative reputation, gossip continues to be a significant genre of communication in every society. The initial purpose of this paper is to scrutinize gossip from historical, analytical and feminist perspectives. An extensive review of the literature suggests gossip serves three primary functions: information, influence or social control and entertainment. The second purpose is to explore how the functions of gossip may contribute to the socialization of nurses to their professional role and to their work culture.

UV-Induced Triggering of a Biomechanical Initiation Switch Within Collagen Promotes Development of a Melanoma-Permissive Microenvironment in the Skin

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

addition, our new data suggest that pre-treating mice with anti-HU177 antibody inhibited UVB -induced accumulation of mast cells in the skin. Moreover, pre...work is provided below. Our previous studies have indicated that UVA and UVB irradiation can dose dependently trigger conformational changes in both...vitro following UV-irradiation was unlikely do to thermal denaturation. Interestingly, macrophage adhesion to UVB irradiated collagen type-IV but not

Dopamine reward prediction-error signalling: a two-component response

PubMed Central

Schultz, Wolfram

2017-01-01

Environmental stimuli and objects, including rewards, are often processed sequentially in the brain. Recent work suggests that the phasic dopamine reward prediction-error response follows a similar sequential pattern. An initial brief, unselective and highly sensitive increase in activity unspecifically detects a wide range of environmental stimuli, then quickly evolves into the main response component, which reflects subjective reward value and utility. This temporal evolution allows the dopamine reward prediction-error signal to optimally combine speed and accuracy. PMID:26865020

The first does the work, but the third time's the charm: the effects of massed repetition on episodic encoding of multimodal face-name associations.

PubMed

Mangels, Jennifer A; Manzi, Alberto; Summerfield, Christopher

2010-03-01

In social interactions, it is often necessary to rapidly encode the association between visually presented faces and auditorily presented names. The present study used event-related potentials to examine the neural correlates of associative encoding for multimodal face-name pairs. We assessed study-phase processes leading to high-confidence recognition of correct pairs (and consistent rejection of recombined foils) as compared to lower-confidence recognition of correct pairs (with inconsistent rejection of recombined foils) and recognition failures (misses). Both high- and low-confidence retrieval of face-name pairs were associated with study-phase activity suggestive of item-specific processing of the face (posterior inferior temporal negativity) and name (fronto-central negativity). However, only those pairs later retrieved with high confidence recruited a sustained centro-parietal positivity that an ancillary localizer task suggested may index an association-unique process. Additionally, we examined how these processes were influenced by massed repetition, a mnemonic strategy commonly employed in everyday situations to improve face-name memory. Differences in subsequent memory effects across repetitions suggested that associative encoding was strongest at the initial presentation, and thus, that the initial presentation has the greatest impact on memory formation. Yet, exploratory analyses suggested that the third presentation may have benefited later memory by providing an opportunity for extended processing of the name. Thus, although encoding of the initial presentation was critical for establishing a strong association, the extent to which processing was sustained across subsequent immediate (massed) presentations may provide additional encoding support that serves to differentiate face-name pairs from similar (recombined) pairs by providing additional encoding opportunities for the less dominant stimulus dimension (i.e., name).

Innovative problem solving by wild spotted hyenas

PubMed Central

Benson-Amram, Sarah; Holekamp, Kay E.

2012-01-01

Innovative animals are those able to solve novel problems or invent novel solutions to existing problems. Despite the important ecological and evolutionary consequences of innovation, we still know very little about the traits that vary among individuals within a species to make them more or less innovative. Here we examine innovative problem solving by spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in their natural habitat, and demonstrate for the first time in a non-human animal that those individuals exhibiting a greater diversity of initial exploratory behaviours are more successful problem solvers. Additionally, as in earlier work, we found that neophobia was a critical inhibitor of problem-solving success. Interestingly, although juveniles and adults were equally successful in solving the problem, juveniles were significantly more diverse in their initial exploratory behaviours, more persistent and less neophobic than were adults. We found no significant effects of social rank or sex on success, the diversity of initial exploratory behaviours, behavioural persistence or neophobia. Our results suggest that the diversity of initial exploratory behaviours, akin to some measures of human creativity, is an important, but largely overlooked, determinant of problem-solving success in non-human animals. PMID:22874748

Timing of first sex before marriage and its correlates: evidence from India.

PubMed

Santhya, K G; Acharya, Rajib; Jejeebhoy, Shireen J; Ram, Usha

2011-03-01

While several studies have documented the extent of pre-marital sexual experience among young people in India, little work has been done to explore the factors that are correlated with the timing of pre-marital sexual initiation. This paper examines age at initiation of pre-marital sex, circumstances in which first sex was experienced, nature of first sexual experience and correlates of age at initiation of pre-marital sex. Life table estimates suggest that pre-marital sexual initiation occurred in adolescence for 1 in 20 young women and 1 in 10 young men. For the majority of these young people, their first sex was with an opposite-sex romantic partner. First sex, moreover, was unprotected for the majority and forced for sizeable proportion of young women. A number of individual, family-, peer- and community-level factors were correlated with age at first pre-marital sex. Moreover, considerable gender differences were apparent in the correlates of age at first pre-marital sex, with peer- and parent-level factors found more often to be significant for young women than men.

STUDIES OF THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF URETHANE IN INITIATING PULMONARY ADENOMAS IN MICE

PubMed Central

Rogers, Stanfield

1957-01-01

The process of carcinogenesis following exposure of mice to urethane is demonstrated in the present work to be intimately related to nucleic acid synthesis. Injection of animals with a DNA hydrolysate immediately prior to a single exposure of the animals to urethane markedly reduced the number of pulmonary adenomas initiated. Aminopterin, known to interfere in nucleic acid synthesis (46), potentiated the carcinogenic action of urethane and this potentiation was blocked by injection of a DNA hydrolysate. Of the components and precursors of nucleic acids the pyrimidine series seemed especially concerned. Alterations in the utilization of oxaloacetate, ureidosuccinic acid, dihydro-orotic acid, orotic acid, cytidylic acid, and thymine appeared to be critical steps in the oncogenic process, following upon the primary disorder of cellular metabolism initiated by the carcinogen. All these substances except oxaloacetate profoundly reduced the number of tumors initiated by urethane. Oxaloacetate potentiated the carcinogenic effect. When these results are viewed together and in relation to known facts concerning nucleic acid synthesis they provide evidence suggesting that the point of action of the carcinogen is in the pathway of nucleic acid synthesis below orotic acid and perhaps at the level of ureidosuccinic acid. The potentiating influence of adenine, 4-amino-5-imidazole carboxamide, and aminopterin, the lack of effect of uracil, and the inhibitory influence of thymine together suggest that DNA rather than RNA is the nucleic acid critical to the oncogenic response of mice to urethane. PMID:13416469

Probabilistic Reversal Learning in Schizophrenia: Stability of Deficits and Potential Causal Mechanisms.

PubMed

Reddy, Lena Felice; Waltz, James A; Green, Michael F; Wynn, Jonathan K; Horan, William P

2016-07-01

Although individuals with schizophrenia show impaired feedback-driven learning on probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) tasks, the specific factors that contribute to these deficits remain unknown. Recent work has suggested several potential causes including neurocognitive impairments, clinical symptoms, and specific types of feedback-related errors. To examine this issue, we administered a PRL task to 126 stable schizophrenia outpatients and 72 matched controls, and patients were retested 4 weeks later. The task involved an initial probabilistic discrimination learning phase and subsequent reversal phases in which subjects had to adjust their responses to sudden shifts in the reinforcement contingencies. Patients showed poorer performance than controls for both the initial discrimination and reversal learning phases of the task, and performance overall showed good test-retest reliability among patients. A subgroup analysis of patients (n = 64) and controls (n = 49) with good initial discrimination learning revealed no between-group differences in reversal learning, indicating that the patients who were able to achieve all of the initial probabilistic discriminations were not impaired in reversal learning. Regarding potential contributors to impaired discrimination learning, several factors were associated with poor PRL, including higher levels of neurocognitive impairment, poor learning from both positive and negative feedback, and higher levels of indiscriminate response shifting. The results suggest that poor PRL performance in schizophrenia can be the product of multiple mechanisms. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Contextualizing neuro-collaborations: reflections on a transdisciplinary fMRI lie detection experiment

PubMed Central

Littlefield, Melissa M.; Fitzgerald, Des; Knudsen, Kasper; Tonks, James; Dietz, Martin J.

2014-01-01

Recent neuroscience initiatives (including the E.U.’s Human Brain Project and the U.S.’s BRAIN Initiative) have reinvigorated discussions about the possibilities for transdisciplinary collaboration between the neurosciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. As STS scholars have argued for decades, however, such inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations are potentially fraught with tensions between researchers. This essay build on such claims by arguing that the tensions of transdisciplinary research also exist within researchers’ own experiences of working between disciplines - a phenomenon that we call “disciplinary double consciousness” (DDC). Building on previous work that has characterized similar spaces (and especially on the Critical Neuroscience literature), we argue that “neuro-collaborations” inevitably engage researchers in DDC - a phenomenon that allows us to explore the useful dissonance that researchers can experience when working between a “home” discipline and a secondary discipline. Our case study is a five-year research project in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) lie detection involving a transdisciplinary research team made up of social scientists, a neuroscientist, and a humanist. In addition to theorizing neuro-collaborations from the inside-out, this essay presents practical suggestions for developing transdisciplinary infrastructures that could support future neuro-collaborations. PMID:24744713

An interprofessional training course in crises and human factors for perioperative teams.

PubMed

Stephens, Tim; Hunningher, Annie; Mills, Helen; Freeth, Della

2016-09-01

Improving patient safety and the culture of care are health service priorities that coexist with financial pressures on organisations. Research suggests team training and better team processes can improve team culture, safety, performance, and clinical outcomes, yet opportunities for interprofessional learning remain scarce. Perioperative practitioners work in a high pressure, high-risk environment without the benefits of stable team membership: this limits opportunities and momentum for team-initiated collaborative improvements. This article describes an interprofessional course focused on crises and human factors which comprised a 1-day event and a multifaceted sustainment programme for perioperative practitioners, grouped by surgical specialty. Participants reported increased understanding and confidence to enact processes and behaviours that support patient safety, including: team behaviours (communication, coordination, cooperation and back-up, leadership, situational awareness); recognising different perspectives and expectations within the team; briefing and debriefing; after action review; and using specialty-specific incident reports to generate specialty-specific interprofessional improvement plans. Participants valued working with specialty colleagues away from normal work pressures. In the high-pressure arena of front-line healthcare delivery, improving patient safety and theatre efficiency can often be erroneously considered conflicting agendas. Interprofessional collaboration amongst staff participating in this initiative enabled general and specialty-specific interprofessional learning that transcended this conflict.

Role of alpha2C-adrenoceptor subtype in spatial working memory as revealed by mice with targeted disruption of the alpha2C-adrenoceptor gene.

PubMed

Tanila, H; Mustonen, K; Sallinen, J; Scheinin, M; Riekkinen, P

1999-02-01

The role of the alpha2C-adrenoceptor subtype in mediating the beneficial effect of alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists on spatial working memory was studied in adult mice with targeted inactivation of the alpha2C-receptor gene (KO) and their wild-type controls (WT). A delayed alternation task was run in a T-maze with mixed delays varying from 20 s to 120 s. Dexmedetomidine, a specific but subtype nonselective alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist, dose-dependently decreased the total number of errors. The effect was strongest at the dose of 5 microg/kg (s.c.), and was observed similarly in KO and WT mice. KO mice performed inferior to WT mice due to a higher number of perseverative errors. Dexmedetomidine slowed initiation of the motor response in the start phase at lower doses in WT mice than in KO mice but no such difference was observed in the return phase of the task, suggesting involvement of alpha2C-adrenoceptors in the cognitive aspect of response preparation or in response sequence initiation. According to these findings, enhancement of spatial working memory is best achieved with alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists which have neither agonistic nor antagonistic effects at the alpha2C-adrenoceptor subtype.

A Study of THT Cold Cores Population in the Star-Forming Region in Serpens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorellino, Eleonora

2017-11-01

The purpose of this work is to produce the Core Mass Function (CMF) of the Serpens star-forming region and confront it with the Initial Mass Function (IMF), the statistical distribution of initial star mass. As Testi & Sergent (1998) discovered, the power-law index of the slope of the CMF is very close to the one of the Salpeter's IMF (Salpeter, 1955): dN/dM / M2.35. This strongly suggests that the stellar IMF results from the fragmentation process in turbulent cloud cores rather than from stellar accretion mechanisms and gives a huge contribute to undestanding the star formation. For this work, we started from the data delivered by the European satellite Herschel and produced the maps of the Serpens with Unimap code (Piazzo et al, 2015). Hence we obtained a core catalogue with two different softwares getsources (Men'shchikov et al, 2012) and CuTEx (Molinari et al, 2011) and we eliminated from it any source that is not a core. A full discussion of the cores physical propreties as well as the whole region is under preparation.

Engaging Organized Labor in School-to-Work Systems. Resource Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National School-to-Work Opportunities Office, Washington, DC.

This bulletin focuses on the requirement of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 that school-to-work initiatives engage representatives of organized labor in the development, implementation, and governance of a school-to-work system. The first section outlines what organized labor brings to the school-to-work initiative. The next section…

40 CFR Table 38 to Subpart Uuu of... - Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63 Protection of... Units Pt. 63, Subpt. UUU, Table 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63—Initial Compliance With Work...

40 CFR Table 38 to Subpart Uuu of... - Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63 Protection of... Units Pt. 63, Subpt. UUU, Table 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63—Initial Compliance With Work...

Surface grafted glycopolymer brushes to enhance selective adhesion of HepG2 cells.

PubMed

Chernyy, Sergey; Jensen, Bettina E B; Shimizu, Kyoko; Ceccato, Marcel; Pedersen, Steen Uttrup; Zelikin, Alexander N; Daasbjerg, Kim; Iruthayaraj, Joseph

2013-08-15

This work demonstrates the application of carbohydrate based methacrylate polymer brush, poly(2-lactobionamidoethyl methacrylate), for the purpose of cell adhesion studies. The first part of the work illustrates the effects of the structure of the aminosilane based ATRP initiator layer on the polymerization kinetics of 2-lactobionamidoethyl methacrylate) (LAMA) monomer on thermally oxidized silicon wafer. Both monolayer and multilayered aminosilane precursor layers have been prepared followed by reaction with 2-bromoisobutyrylbromide to form the ATRP initiator layer. It is inferred from the kinetic studies that the rate of termination is low on a multilayered initiator layer compared to a disordered monolayer structure. However both initiator types results in similar graft densities. Furthermore, it is shown that thick comb-like poly(LAMA) brushes can be constructed by initiating a second ATRP process on a previously formed poly(LAMA) brushes. The morphology of human hepatocellular carcinoma cancer cells (HepG2) on the comb-like poly(LAMA) brush layer has been studied. The fluorescent images of the HepG2 cells on the glycopolymer brush surface display distinct protrusions that extend outside of the cell periphery. On the other hand the cells on bare glass substrate display spheroid morphology. Further analysis using ToF-SIMS imaging shows that the HepG2 cells on glycopolymer surfaces is enriched with protein fragment along the cell periphery which is absent in the case of cells on bare glass substrate. It is suggested that the interaction of the galactose units of the polymer brush with the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) of HepG2 cells has resulted in the protein enrichment along the cell periphery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International confederation for cleft lip and palate and related craniofacial anomalies task force report: beyond eurocleft.

PubMed

Semb, Gunvor

2014-11-01

The assigned objective for the Task Force Beyond Eurocleft was "to make recommendations for initiations of local and/or participation in multi-national cleft outcome studies and consist of individuals from the European experience with cleft outcome studies (Scandcleft, Eurocleft) and those who have initiated, or intend to initiate, similar studies in other geographical areas." By May 2013 the Task Force (TF) consisted of 183 members from 59 countries. It was agreed that this initiative should be truly global and include all cleft specialties as well as representatives from cleft support groups in recognition of the huge commitment for improving cleft care worldwide. The vision for this group is to build a dynamic, well-functioning TF that will work globally and be multidisciplinary with inclusive and respectful behavior to improve care for all individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate. As there is a large diversity in needs and interest in the group a range of parallel approaches would be required depending on the experience, resources, and challenges of regions, teams, and individuals. Important ideas for future work were: (1) Work on a global survey of access, existing outcome studies, current collaborations, and lessons learned. (2) Work towards the creation of a lasting, living resource for newcomers to intercenter collaboration that is kept fresh with new reports, copies of relevant publications, model grant applications, and a list of volunteers with the right experience to provide support and guidance for new initiatives. (3) Develop simple online training modules to provide information about the benefits and principles of multidisciplinary care, collaborative data collection and auditing short and longer-term outcomes. (4) Establish subgroups that will work within all regions of the world with regional and national leaders identified. An evaluation of current standards of care should be undertaken and country/region specific remedies to optimize treatment outcome suggested. (5) Reach agreement on minimum standards of care, minimum record collection, and reach consensus on simple outcome measures in all disciplines. This should include all cleft types and all ages. These standards could be used to encourage governments to fund multidisciplinary care. (6) Teams will be encouraged to start and continue recordkeeping using simple and agreed protocols, according to agreed standards of minimum records and later share their data with other teams and then, embark on outcome studies. (7) Teams already active in research should: Create a register for cleft professionals and teams to reach agreement of contemporary and comprehensive multidisciplinary outcome measures, explore the possibilities using modern technology and plan large multi-national studies. A patient/parent centered data collection should always be included. These studies need funding. One task could also be exploring whether health care at a distance could be initiated using new technology.

A Family of Vortices to Study Axisymmetric Vortex Breakdown and Reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Larry A.

2007-01-01

A new analytic model describing a family of vortices has been developed to study some of the axisymmetric vortex breakdown and reconnection fluid dynamic processes underlying body-vortex interactions that are frequently manifested in rotorcraft and propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft wakes. The family of vortices incorporates a wide range of prescribed initial vorticity distributions -- including single or dual-core vorticity distributions. The result is analytical solutions for the vorticity and velocities for each member of the family of vortices. This model is of sufficient generality to further illustrate the dependence of vortex reconnection and breakdown on initial vorticity distribution as was suggested by earlier analytical work. This family of vortices, though laminar in nature, is anticipated to provide valuable insight into the vortical evolution of large-scale rotor and propeller wakes.

Health promotion, occupational therapy and multiculturalism: lessons from research.

PubMed

Dyck, I

1993-08-01

Principles of occupational therapy practice make the profession an important potential partner in health promotion initiatives for immigrant groups. Health promotion embodies the principles of self-definition of health needs by target groups, and working with a community in initiating and supporting programmes. This paper discusses the implications of an exploratory study of the daily activities of immigrant Indo-Canadian mothers for translating health promotion principles into practice. The research process and an analysis of interviews conducted with the women suggest factors to consider in using a health promotion framework with immigrants who have experienced social and economic dislocation through the immigration process. Discussion of household structure, divisions of labour, childcare strategies, and parenting concerns raises issues requiring particular attention in sharing occupational therapy skills and knowledge with ethnocultural communities.

Dog Breed Differences in Visual Communication with Humans

PubMed Central

Konno, Akitsugu; Romero, Teresa; Inoue-Murayama, Miho; Saito, Atsuko; Hasegawa, Toshikazu

2016-01-01

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) have developed a close relationship with humans through the process of domestication. In human-dog interactions, eye contact is a key element of relationship initiation and maintenance. Previous studies have suggested that canine ability to produce human-directed communicative signals is influenced by domestication history, from wolves to dogs, as well as by recent breed selection for particular working purposes. To test the genetic basis for such abilities in purebred dogs, we examined gazing behavior towards humans using two types of behavioral experiments: the ‘visual contact task’ and the ‘unsolvable task’. A total of 125 dogs participated in the study. Based on the genetic relatedness among breeds subjects were classified into five breed groups: Ancient, Herding, Hunting, Retriever-Mastiff and Working). We found that it took longer time for Ancient breeds to make an eye-contact with humans, and that they gazed at humans for shorter periods of time than any other breed group in the unsolvable situation. Our findings suggest that spontaneous gaze behavior towards humans is associated with genetic similarity to wolves rather than with recent selective pressure to create particular working breeds. PMID:27736990

Police-related experiences and HIV risk among female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Erausquin, Jennifer Toller; Reed, Elizabeth; Blankenship, Kim M

2011-12-01

Research suggests experiences with police are related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sexual risk among women working as sex workers. However, little is known about the links between specific police-related behaviors and HIV vulnerability. We examine whether 5 police-related experiences are associated with measures of HIV risk and violence among a sample of female sex workers (FSWs) in Andhra Pradesh, India, and consider the implications for HIV prevention. FSWs at least 18 years of age (n = 835) were recruited through respondent-driven sampling for a cross-sectional survey conducted as part of Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative. Using logistic regression models adjusted for age, age at start of sex work, and sex work venue, we assessed police-related experiences reported by FSWs in relation to HIV risk behaviors and violence. Results showed having sex with police to avoid trouble, giving gifts to police to avoid trouble, having police take condoms away, experiencing a workplace raid, and being arrested were associated with sexually transmitted infection symptoms, inconsistent condom use, acceptance of more money for sex without a condom, and experience of client violence. These findings suggest a need for interventions targeting police-FSW interactions to reduce HIV vulnerability among FSWs.

A Scoping Review of Social Media Use in Social Work Practice.

PubMed

Chan, Chitat

2016-01-01

The trend of using social media in social work is increasing, but research which systematically reviews and evaluates their uses in actual practice is limited. This article reviews the social work literature to identify the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media in social work practice, and identifies current gaps in the literature to provide recommendations for future social work research. Articles in 64 social work journals published between 2000 and 2014 were screened and analyzed. The included articles (n = 20) were analyzed with particular reference to their level of evidence and ways of social media use. The methodological quality of the studies in this review was low, and this was consistent with the findings of recent systematic reviews of social media use in medical healthcare. The findings initially suggested that social media can potentially contribute to various social work processes, including: service user engagement, need assessment, intervention, and program evaluation. Limitations include lack of quality control, reliability, confidentiality, and privacy. In social work, the dominant research concern in social media is more about professional ethics than their application in intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Demographic, psychometric, and case progression information as predictors of return-to-work in teachers undergoing occupational rehabilitation.

PubMed

Young, A E; Russell, J

1995-12-01

Occupational stress is a significant problem and is of particular concern for educational organizations. It was the aim of the current project to identify variables that could predict return-to-work outcomes in a group of teachers who had taken leave for a work-related stress condition. Demographic, psychometric, and case progression data were collected for 119 teachers who had taken Workers' Compensation Leave and were participating in a rehabilitation program. The participants' return to work outcomes were followed-up at least 12 months after they initially left their workplace. Hierarchical discriminant function analysis indicated that 84.62% of the cases could be correctly classified as either "returning to work" or "not returning to work due to illness." The main predictor variables were: if the individual had attempted to return to work within 505 days of injury, the individual's health behaviors, the sex of the individual, and the type of school in which he or she was employed (primary or secondary). It is suggested that the derived model could be further developed and used to predict return to work from stress-related illnesses.

The stigma of having psychological problems: relations with engagement, working alliance, and depression in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Kendra, Matthew S; Mohr, Jonathan J; Pollard, Jeffrey W

2014-12-01

The stigma of having psychological problems is a barrier to seeking mental health treatment, but little research has examined whether this stigma influences the experiences of those in treatment. In a sample of 42 psychotherapy clients, we explored links over the first few sessions between 2 facets of stigma (self-stigma and perceived public stigma) and 3 variables germane to the therapeutic process (depression, working alliance, and engagement). Initial self-stigma (SS) level was positively associated with initial depression, negatively associated with initial working alliance, and unrelated to initial engagement. Initial perceived public stigma (PPS) level was unrelated to initial levels in the 3 outcome variables. Initial SS and PPS levels were both generally unrelated to linear changes in the outcomes over the initial phase of counseling. Relations between stigma and outcome variables often differed within- and between-persons. For example, the association between PPS and engagement was negative at the between-person level but positive at the within-person level. Finally, on average, PPS decreased over the first few sessions but SS remained constant. Such findings may help therapists better understand the role of stigma in their clinical work, and stimulate research examining how to address stigmatization in psychotherapy.

Initial evaluation of psychometric properties of a structured work task application for the Assessment of Work Performance in a constructed environment.

PubMed

Karlsson, Elin A; Liedberg, Gunilla M; Sandqvist, Jan L

2017-06-22

The Swedish Social Insurance Administration has developed a new assessment tool for sickness insurance. This study is a part of the initial evaluation of the application, called the Assessment of Work Performance, Structured Activities, and focuses on evaluation of the psychometric properties of social validity, content validity, and utility. This was a qualitative study using semi-structured telephone interviews with occupational therapists. A convenience sample was used and participants who fulfilled inclusion criteria (n = 15) were interviewed. Data were analyzed using content analysis with a directed approach. The results indicate that the application provides valuable information and that it is socially valid. Assessors found work tasks suitable for a diverse group of clients and reported that clients accepted the assessments. Improvements were suggested, for example, expanding the application with more work tasks. The instrument has benefits; however, further development is desired. The use of a constructed environment in assessments may be a necessary option to supplement a real environment. But depending on organizational factors such as time and other resources, the participants had different opportunities to do so. Further evaluations regarding ecological validity are essential to ensure that assessments are fair and realistic when using constructed environments. Implications for rehabilitation This study indicates that assessment in a constructed environment can provide a secure and protected context for clients being assessed. Psychometric evaluations are a never-ending process and this assessment instrument needs further development. However, this initial evaluation provides guidance in development of the instrument but also what studies to give priority to. It is important to evaluate social validity in order to ensure that clients and assessors perceive assessment methods fair and meaningful. In this study, participants found the work tasks appropriate and usable when assessing their clients but client's perspective must also be included in following studies. This assessment instrument is the only activity-based assessment instrument within the Swedish Social Security Insurance. Psychometric evaluations are important since it affects so many individuals in Sweden.

Information Rx: Prescribing Good Consumerism and Responsible Citizenship

PubMed Central

de Bont, Antoinette

2007-01-01

Recent medical informatics and sociological literature has painted the image of a new type of patient—one that is reflexive and informed, with highly specified information needs and perceptions, as well as highly developed skills and tactics for acquiring information. Patients have been re-named “reflexive consumers.” At the same time, literature about the questionable reliability of web-based information has suggested the need to create both user tools that have pre-selected information and special guidelines for individuals to use to check the individual characteristics of the information they encounter. In this article, we examine suggestions that individuals must be assisted in developing skills for “reflexive consumerism” and what these particular skills should be. Using two types of data (discursive data from websites and promotional items, and supplementary data from interviews and ethnographic observations carried out with those working to sustain these initiatives), we examine how users are directly addressed and discussed. We argue that these initiatives prescribe skills and practices that extend beyond finding and assessing information on the internet and demonstrate that they include ideals of consumerism and citizenship. PMID:17972056

Information Rx: prescribing good consumerism and responsible citizenship.

PubMed

Adams, Samantha; de Bont, Antoinette

2007-12-01

Recent medical informatics and sociological literature has painted the image of a new type of patient--one that is reflexive and informed, with highly specified information needs and perceptions, as well as highly developed skills and tactics for acquiring information. Patients have been re-named "reflexive consumers." At the same time, literature about the questionable reliability of web-based information has suggested the need to create both user tools that have pre-selected information and special guidelines for individuals to use to check the individual characteristics of the information they encounter. In this article, we examine suggestions that individuals must be assisted in developing skills for "reflexive consumerism" and what these particular skills should be. Using two types of data (discursive data from websites and promotional items, and supplementary data from interviews and ethnographic observations carried out with those working to sustain these initiatives), we examine how users are directly addressed and discussed. We argue that these initiatives prescribe skills and practices that extend beyond finding and assessing information on the internet and demonstrate that they include ideals of consumerism and citizenship.

The first interview: Anxieties and research on initiating psychoanalysis.

PubMed

Reith, Bernard

2015-06-01

A qualitative clinical study of preliminary interviews by the Working Party on Initiating Psychoanalysis (WPIP) of the European Psychoanalytic Federation suggests that the unconscious dynamics in first interviews are extraordinarily powerful and that they give rise to deep unconscious anxieties in both patient and analyst, with the corresponding defences against them. Furthermore, the group dynamics observed in the clinical workshops and in the research team doing the study suggest that both the anxieties and the defences are conveyed to these groups in the form of unelaborated 'session residues' provoking renewed anxieties and defences in them. These findings contribute to our understanding of what goes on in first interviews, but also raise interesting questions about the psychoanalytic research process in psychoanalysis and how confrontation with the unknown is dealt with in that context. Rather than as a means to avoid anxiety, method in clinical research can be seen as a way to help the research group to contain its reactions and to tolerate them until the group finds its way to further elaboration. These points are illustrated with a clinical case drawn from the study. Copyright © 2014 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

Perceived stress, disturbed sleep, and cognitive impairments in patients with work-related stress complaints: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Eskildsen, Anita; Fentz, Hanne Nørr; Andersen, Lars Peter; Pedersen, Anders Degn; Kristensen, Simon Bang; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2017-07-01

Patients on sick leave due to work-related stress often present with cognitive impairments as well as sleep disturbances. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the role of perceived stress and sleep disturbances in the longitudinal development in cognitive impairments in a group of patients with prolonged work-related stress (N = 60) during a period of 12 months following initial professional care-seeking. Objective cognitive impairments (neuropsychological tests) were measured on two occasions - at initial professional care-seeking and at 12-month follow-up. Questionnaires on perceived stress, sleep disturbances, and cognitive complaints were completed seven times during the 12 months which facilitated multilevel analysis with segregation of within-person (change) and between-person (baseline level) components of the time-varying predictors (perceived stress and sleep disturbances). Change in perceived stress was associated with concurrent and subsequent change in self-reported cognitive complaints over the period of 12 months and to a lesser extent the change in performance on neuropsychological tests of processing speed from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Change in sleep disturbances was also associated with concurrent and subsequent change in self-reported cognitive complaints over the 12 months but not with change on neuropsychological test performance. Although the mechanism behind the improvement in cognitive impairments in patients with work-related stress should be further explored in future studies, the results could suggest that improvement in cognitive impairments is partly mediated by decreasing levels of perceived stress and, to a lesser extent, decreasing levels of sleep disturbances. Lay summary This study examines the role of perceived stress and sleep disturbances in respect to the development of cognitive impairments (e.g. memory and concentration) in a group of patients with work-related stress. We found that change in cognitive impairments seems to be partly explained by change in perceived stress and, to a lesser extent, sleep disturbances over time. This could suggest that cognitive impairments can be reduced by stress management interventions which aim to reduce perceived stress and sleep disturbances but future studies are needed to confirm this interpretation.

Does Severity of Depression Predict Magnitude of Productivity Loss?

PubMed Central

Beck, Arne; Crain, A. Lauren; Solberg, Leif I.; Unützer, Jürgen; Glasgow, Russell E.; Maciosek, Michael V.; Whitebird, Robin

2014-01-01

PURPOSE Depression is associated with lowered work functioning, including absence, productivity impairment, and decreased job retention. However, few studies have examined depression symptoms across a continuum of severity in relationship to the magnitude of work impairment in a large and heterogeneous patient population. This study assessed the relationship between depression symptom severity and productivity loss among patients initiated on antidepressants. METHODS Data were obtained from patients participating in the DIAMOND Initiative (Depression Improvement Across Minnesota: Offering a New Direction), a statewide quality improvement collaborative to provide enhanced depression care. Patients newly started on antidepressants were surveyed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a measure of depression symptom severity, the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire (WPAI) a measure of productivity loss, and items on health status and demographics. RESULTS We analyzed data from the 771 patients who reported current employment. General linear models adjusting for demographics and health status showed a significant linear, monotonic relationship between depression symptom severity and productivity loss (p<.0001). Even minor levels of depression symptoms were associated with decrements in work function. Greater productivity loss also was associated with full-time vs. part-time employment status (p<.001), fair or poor health (p=.05), and “not coupled” marital status (p=.07). CONCLUSIONS This study illustrated the relationship between the severity of depression symptoms and work function, suggesting that even minor levels of depression are associated with productivity loss. Employers may find it beneficial to invest in effective treatments for employees across the continuum of depression severity. PMID:25295792

High rate science data handling on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handley, Thomas H., Jr.; Masline, Richard C.

1990-01-01

A study by NASA's User Information System Working Group for Space Station Freedom (SSF) has determined that the proposed onboard Data Management System, as initially configured, will be incapable of handling the data-generation rates typical of numerous scientific sensor payloads; many of these generate data at rates in excess of 10 Mbps, and there are at least four cases of rates in excess of 300 Mbps. The SSF Working Group has accordingly suggested an alternative conceptual architecture based on technology expected to achieve space-qualified status by 1995. The architecture encompasses recorders with rapid data-ingest capabilities and massive storage capabilities, optical delay lines allowing the recording of only the phenomena of interest, and data flow-compressing image processors.

“How Can I Not?”: Men's Pathways to Involvement in Anti-Violence Against Women Work

PubMed Central

Casey, Erin; Smith, Tyler

2015-01-01

Despite growing male participation in ending violence against women, little is known about the factors that precipitate men's engagement as antiviolence “allies.” This study presents findings from a qualitative analysis of interviews with 27 men who recently initiated involvement in an organization or event dedicated to ending sexual or domestic violence. Findings suggest that men's engagement is a process that occurs over time, that happens largely through existing social networks, and that is influenced by exposure to sensitizing experiences, tangible involvement opportunities and specific types of meaning making related to violence. Implications for models of ally development and for efforts to engage men in antiviolence work are discussed. PMID:20679189

Stable and solubilized active Au atom clusters for selective epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene with molecular oxygen

DOE PAGES

Qian, Linping; Wang, Zhen; Beletskiy, Evgeny V.; ...

2017-03-28

Here, the ability of Au catalysts to effect the challenging task of utilizing molecular oxygen for the selective epoxidation of cyclooctene is fascinating. Although supported nanometre-size Au particles are poorly active, here we show that solubilized atomic Au clusters, present in ng ml –1 concentrations and stabilized by ligands derived from the oxidized hydrocarbon products, are active. They can be formed from various Au sources. They generate initiators and propagators to trigger the onset of the auto-oxidation reaction with an apparent turnover frequency of 440 s –1, and continue to generate additional initiators throughout the auto-oxidation cycle without direct participationmore » in the cycle. Spectroscopic characterization suggests that 7–8 atom clusters are effective catalytically. Extension of work based on these understandings leads to the demonstration that these Au clusters are also effective in selective oxidation of cyclohexene, and that solubilized Pt clusters are also capable of generating initiators for cyclooctene epoxidation.« less

Stable and solubilized active Au atom clusters for selective epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene with molecular oxygen

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

Qian, Linping; Wang, Zhen; Beletskiy, Evgeny V.

Here, the ability of Au catalysts to effect the challenging task of utilizing molecular oxygen for the selective epoxidation of cyclooctene is fascinating. Although supported nanometre-size Au particles are poorly active, here we show that solubilized atomic Au clusters, present in ng ml –1 concentrations and stabilized by ligands derived from the oxidized hydrocarbon products, are active. They can be formed from various Au sources. They generate initiators and propagators to trigger the onset of the auto-oxidation reaction with an apparent turnover frequency of 440 s –1, and continue to generate additional initiators throughout the auto-oxidation cycle without direct participationmore » in the cycle. Spectroscopic characterization suggests that 7–8 atom clusters are effective catalytically. Extension of work based on these understandings leads to the demonstration that these Au clusters are also effective in selective oxidation of cyclohexene, and that solubilized Pt clusters are also capable of generating initiators for cyclooctene epoxidation.« less

The Name-Letter-Effect in Groups: Sharing Initials with Group Members Increases the Quality of Group Work

PubMed Central

Polman, Evan; Pollmann, Monique M. H.; Poehlman, T. Andrew

2013-01-01

Although the name-letter-effect has been demonstrated reliably in choice contexts, recent research has called into question the existence of the name-letter-effect–the tendency among people to make choices that bear remarkable similarity with the letters in their own name. In this paper, we propose a connection between the name-letter-effect and interpersonal, group-level behavior that has not been previously captured in the literature. Specifically, we suggest that sharing initials with other group members promotes positive feelings toward those group members that in turn affect group outcomes. Using both field and laboratory studies, we found that sharing initials with group members cause groups to perform better by demonstrating greater performance, collective efficacy, adaptive conflict, and accuracy (on a hidden-profile task). Although many studies have investigated the effects of member similarity on various outcomes, our research demonstrates how minimal a degree of similarity among members is sufficient to influence quality of group outcomes. PMID:24236087

The Divergent Paths of Behavior Analysis and Psychology: Vive la Différence!

PubMed

Thyer, Bruce A

2015-05-01

Twenty years ago I suggested that behavior analysts could effect a quiet and covert takeover of the American Psychological Association (APA). I gave as precedents the operation of similar initiatives in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Darwinian-inspired X-Club, and the psychoanalytically-oriented Secret Ring. Though a conscientious program of working within established APA bylaws and rules, behavior analysts could ensure that behavior analysts were nominated for every significant elective position within the APA, and move to get their colleagues placed in appointive positions, such as journal editorships, review boards, and major committees. This would be one approach to remake psychology along behavioral lines, which was an early ambition of B. F. Skinner. The community of behavior analysts ignored my suggestion, and instead pursued the path of creating an independent discipline of practitioners, one with its own degree-granting programs, conventions, journals, and legal regulation. This effort has been immensely successful, although much critical work remains to be done. In retrospect, I was wrong to suggest changing psychology from within, and I have been delighted to witness the emergence of our new and independent field.

The cost of parallel consolidation into visual working memory.

PubMed

Rideaux, Reuben; Edwards, Mark

2016-01-01

A growing body of evidence indicates that information can be consolidated into visual working memory in parallel. Initially, it was suggested that color information could be consolidated in parallel while orientation was strictly limited to serial consolidation (Liu & Becker, 2013). However, we recently found evidence suggesting that both orientation and motion direction items can be consolidated in parallel, with different levels of accuracy (Rideaux, Apthorp, & Edwards, 2015). Here we examine whether there is a cost associated with parallel consolidation of orientation and direction information by comparing performance, in terms of precision and guess rate, on a target recall task where items are presented either sequentially or simultaneously. The results compellingly indicate that motion direction can be consolidated in parallel, but the evidence for orientation is less conclusive. Further, we find that there is a twofold cost associated with parallel consolidation of direction: Both the probability of failing to consolidate one (or both) item/s increases and the precision at which representations are encoded is reduced. Additionally, we find evidence indicating that the increased consolidation failure may be due to interference between items presented simultaneously, and is moderated by item similarity. These findings suggest that a biased competition model may explain differences in parallel consolidation between features.

Creating healthy work environments: a strategic perspective.

PubMed

Adamson, Bonnie J

2010-01-01

Although I find Graham Lowe and Ben Chan's logic model and work environment metrics thought provoking, a healthy work environment framework must be more comprehensive and consider the addition of recommended diagnostic tools, vehicles to deliver the necessary change and a sustainability strategy that allows for the tweaking and refinement of ideas. Basic structure is required to frame and initiate an effective process, while allowing creativity and enhancements to be made by organizations as they learn. I support the construction of a suggested Canadian health sector framework for measuring the health of an organization, but I feel that organizations need to have some freedom in that design and the ability to incorporate their own indicators within the established proven drivers. Reflecting on my organization's experience with large-scale transformation efforts, I find that emotional intelligence along with formal leadership development and front-line engagement in Lean process improvement activities are essential for creating healthy work environments that produce the balanced set of outcomes listed in my hospital's Balanced Scorecard.

Concept-Based Curricula: A National Study of Critical Concepts.

PubMed

Brussow, Jennifer A; Roberts, Karin; Scaruto, Matthew; Sommer, Sheryl; Mills, Christine

2018-02-22

As nursing education struggles to address a rapidly changing health care system, overcrowded curricula, and an increased focus on clinical reasoning skills, many programs have adopted or transitioned to concept-based curricula (CBCs), which are structured around key concepts and exemplars. Despite CBC's promised benefits, the process of developing a CBC framework may pose a challenge to programs. To address this barrier, a national study was conducted to develop a representative list of concepts and exemplars. This initiative expands on prior work by suggesting a leveled approach to positioning exemplars within a curricular sequence.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

The influence of aging on attentional refreshing and articulatory rehearsal during working memory on later episodic memory performance.

PubMed

Loaiza, Vanessa M; McCabe, David P

2013-01-01

We investigated age-related changes in two proposed mechanisms of maintenance in working memory, articulatory rehearsal, and attentional refreshing, by examining the consequences of manipulating the opportunity for each on delayed recall. Both experiments utilized modified operation span tasks to vary the opportunity for articulatory rehearsal (Experiment 1) and attentional refreshing opportunities (Experiment 2). In both experiments, episodic memory was tested for items that had been initially studied during the respective operation span task. Older adults' episodic memory benefited less from opportunities for refreshing than younger adults. In contrast, articulatory rehearsal opportunities did not influence episodic memory for either age group. The results suggest that attentional refreshing, and not articulatory rehearsal, is important during working memory in order to bind more accessible traces at later tests, which appears to be more deficient in older adults than younger adults.

Retirement and drinking outcomes: lingering effects of workplace stress?

PubMed

Richman, Judith A; Zlatoper, Kenneth W; Zackula Ehmke, Jennifer L; Rospenda, Kathleen M

2006-05-01

This study assesses the degree to which sexual harassment (SH), generalized workplace abuse (GWA), and psychological workload (PWL) impact drinking behaviors in retirement. A mail survey was completed at four points in time by a cohort of 1654 employees initially drawn from a university workplace. Questionnaires assessed experiences of SH, GWA, PWL and drinking behaviors. Hypotheses were tested involving (1) the extent to which SH, GWA, and PWL experienced while working were associated with frequency and quantity of drinking in retirement, (2) the extent to which drinking levels of retirees differed from those of current employees experiencing similar stress levels, and (3) the extent to which gender moderated these relationships. Retirees reporting earlier stressful work environments report higher levels of alcohol consumption during retirement compared to those retirees reporting less stressful earlier work environments. Gender moderated these relationships. The findings of this study suggest that there may be a residual effect of workplace stress during retirement.

Accidents at work and costs analysis: a field study in a large Italian company.

PubMed

Battaglia, Massimo; Frey, Marco; Passetti, Emilio

2014-01-01

Accidents at work are still a heavy burden in social and economic terms, and action to improve health and safety standards at work offers great potential gains not only to employers, but also to individuals and society as a whole. However, companies often are not interested to measure the costs of accidents even if cost information may facilitate preventive occupational health and safety management initiatives. The field study, carried out in a large Italian company, illustrates technical and organisational aspects associated with the implementation of an accident costs analysis tool. The results indicate that the implementation (and the use) of the tool requires a considerable commitment by the company, that accident costs analysis should serve to reinforce the importance of health and safety prevention and that the economic dimension of accidents is substantial. The study also suggests practical ways to facilitate the implementation and the moral acceptance of the accounting technology.

Accidents at Work and Costs Analysis: A Field Study in a Large Italian Company

PubMed Central

BATTAGLIA, Massimo; FREY, Marco; PASSETTI, Emilio

2014-01-01

Accidents at work are still a heavy burden in social and economic terms, and action to improve health and safety standards at work offers great potential gains not only to employers, but also to individuals and society as a whole. However, companies often are not interested to measure the costs of accidents even if cost information may facilitate preventive occupational health and safety management initiatives. The field study, carried out in a large Italian company, illustrates technical and organisational aspects associated with the implementation of an accident costs analysis tool. The results indicate that the implementation (and the use) of the tool requires a considerable commitment by the company, that accident costs analysis should serve to reinforce the importance of health and safety prevention and that the economic dimension of accidents is substantial. The study also suggests practical ways to facilitate the implementation and the moral acceptance of the accounting technology. PMID:24869894

Reducing seclusion and restraint: meeting the organizational challenge.

PubMed

Visalli, H; McNasser, G

2000-07-01

The Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center has experienced a major reduction in the use of seclusion and restraint in the past five years. It has used the traditional quality improvement (QI) tools like the Plan Do Check Act, Flowcharts, Fishbone diagrams, and Parieto Charts as suggested in the QI literature. The original work to reduce seclusion and restraint are described in two previous articles by Visalli and McNasser. This article describes the additional work since that time. The seclusion/restraint rate in adult service per 1,000 patient days is 0.13 for restraint and 0.15 for seclusion for calendar year 1998. Children and youth service also has comparatively minimal use of seclusion and restraint. The success of this program is attributed to the organizational leadership and the interdisciplinary approach taken to provide individualized treatment. Many of the initiatives stem from a working relationship with patients on how to improve customer service.

Correctional officers' perceptions of a solution-focused training program: potential implications for working with offenders.

PubMed

Pan, Peter Jen Der; Deng, Liang-Yu F; Chang, Shona Shih Hua; Jiang, Karen Jye-Ru

2011-09-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore correctional officers' perceptions and experiences during a solution-focused training program and to initiate development of a modified pattern for correctional officers to use in jails. The study uses grounded theory procedures combined with a follow-up survey. The findings identified six emergent themes: obstacles to doing counseling work in prisons, offenders' amenability to change, correctional officers' self-image, advantages of a solution-focused approach (SFA), potential advantages of applying SFA to offenders, and the need for the consolidation of learning and transformation. Participants perceived the use of solution-focused techniques as appropriate, important, functional, and of only moderate difficulty in interacting with offenders. Finally, a modified pattern was developed for officers to use when working with offenders in jails. Suggestions and recommendations are made for correctional interventions and future studies.

Effects of biases in domain wall network evolution. II. Quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correia, J. R. C. C. C.; Leite, I. S. C. R.; Martins, C. J. A. P.

2018-04-01

Domain walls form at phase transitions which break discrete symmetries. In a cosmological context, they often overclose the Universe (contrary to observational evidence), although one may prevent this by introducing biases or forcing anisotropic evolution of the walls. In a previous work [Correia et al., Phys. Rev. D 90, 023521 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevD.90.023521], we numerically studied the evolution of various types of biased domain wall networks in the early Universe, confirming that anisotropic networks ultimately reach scaling while those with a biased potential or biased initial conditions decay. We also found that the analytic decay law obtained by Hindmarsh was in good agreement with simulations of biased potentials, but not of biased initial conditions, and suggested that the difference was related to the Gaussian approximation underlying the analytic law. Here, we extend our previous work in several ways. For the cases of biased potential and biased initial conditions, we study in detail the field distributions in the simulations, confirming that the validity (or not) of the Gaussian approximation is the key difference between the two cases. For anisotropic walls, we carry out a more extensive set of numerical simulations and compare them to the canonical velocity-dependent one-scale model for domain walls, finding that the model accurately predicts the linear scaling regime after isotropization. Overall, our analysis provides a quantitative description of the cosmological evolution of these networks.

Cleavage fracture in high strength low alloy weld metal

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

Bose, W.W.; Bowen, P.; Strangwood, M.

1996-12-31

The present investigation gives an evaluation of the effect of microstructure on the cleavage fracture process of High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) multipass weld metals. With additions of alloying elements, such as Ti, Ni, Mo and Cr, the microstructure of C-Mn weld metal changes from the classical composition, i.e., allotriomorphic ferrite with acicular ferrite and Widmanstaetten ferrite, to bainite and low carbon martensite. Although the physical metallurgy of some HSLA weld metals has been studied before, more work is necessary to correlate the effect of the microstructure on the fracture behavior of such weld metals. In this work detailed microstructuralmore » analysis was carried out using optical and electron (SEM and TEM) microscopy. Single edge notched (SEN) bend testpieces were used to assess the cleavage fracture stress, {sigma}{sub F}. Inclusions beneath the notch surface were identified as the crack initiators of unstable cleavage fracture. From the size of such inclusions and the value of tensile stress predicted at the initiation site, the effective surface energy for cleavage was calculated using a modified Griffth energy balance for a penny shape crack. The results suggest that even though inclusions initiate cleavage fracture, the local microstructure may play an important role in the fracture process of these weld metals. The implications of these observations for a quantitative theory of the cleavage fracture of ferritic steels is discussed.« less

Alcohol and Drug Use and the Developing Brain

PubMed Central

Gray, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

Adolescence is an important neurodevelopmental period marked by rapidly escalating rates of alcohol and drug use. Over the past decade, research has attempted to disentangle pre- and post-substance use effects on brain development by using sophisticated longitudinal designs. This review focuses on recent, prospective studies and addresses the following important questions: (1) what neuropsychological and neural features predate adolescent substance use, making youth more vulnerable to engage in heavy alcohol or drug use, and (2) how does heavy alcohol and drug use affect normal neural development and cognitive functioning? Findings suggest that pre-existing neural features that relate to increased substance use during adolescence include poorer neuropsychological functioning on tests of inhibition and working memory, smaller gray and white matter volume, changes in white matter integrity, and altered brain activation during inhibition, working memory, reward, and resting state. After substance use is initiated, alcohol and marijuana use are associated with poorer cognitive functioning on tests of verbal memory, visuospatial functioning, psychomotor speed, working memory, attention, cognitive control, and overall IQ. Heavy alcohol use during adolescence is related to accelerated decreases in gray matter and attenuated increases in white matter volume, as well as increased brain activation during tasks of inhibition and working memory, relative to controls. Larger longitudinal studies with more diverse samples are needed to better understand the interactive effects of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances, as well as the role of sex, co-occurring psychopathology, genetics, sleep, and age of initiation on substance use. PMID:26984684

Unforgettable Ultimatums? Expectation Violations Promote Enhanced Social Memory Following Economic Bargaining

PubMed Central

Chang, Luke J.; Sanfey, Alan G.

2009-01-01

Recent work in the field of neuroeconomics has examined how people make decisions in interactive settings. However, less is currently known about how these social decisions influence subsequent memory for these interactions. We investigated this question by using functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan participants as they viewed photographs of people they had either recently played an Ultimatum Game with in the role of Responder, or that they had never seen before. Based on previous work that has investigated “cheater detection”, we were interested in whether participants demonstrated a relative enhanced memory for partners that made either fair or unfair proposals. We found no evidence, either behaviorally or neurally, supporting enhanced memory based on the amount of money offered by the Proposer. However, we did find that participants’ initial expectations about the offers they would experience in the game influenced their memory. Participants demonstrated relatively enhanced subjective memory for partners that made proposals that were contradictory to their initial expectations. In addition, we observed two distinct brain systems that were associated with partners that either offered more or less than the participants’ expectations. Viewing pictures of partners that exceeded initial expectations was associated with the bilateral anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex/premotor area, striatum, and bilateral posterior hippocampi, while viewing partners that offered less than initial expectations was associated with bilateral temporal-parietal junction, right STS, bilateral posterior insula, and precuneus. These results suggest that memory for social interaction may not be guided by a specific cheater detection system, but rather a more general expectation violation system. PMID:19876405

Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma in adults: guidelines of the Italian Society of Hematology, the Italian Society of Experimental Hematology, and the Italian Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation on initial work-up, management, and follow-up.

PubMed

Brusamolino, Ercole; Bacigalupo, Andrea; Barosi, Giovanni; Biti, Giampaolo; Gobbi, Paolo G; Levis, Alessandro; Marchetti, Monia; Santoro, Armando; Zinzani, Pier Luigi; Tura, Sante

2009-04-01

The Italian Society of Hematology (SIE), the Italian Society of Experimental Haematology (SIES) and the Italian Group for Bone Marrow Transplantation (GITMO) commissioned a project to develop practice guidelines for the initial work-up, therapy and follow-up of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. Key questions to the clinical evaluation and treatment of this disease were formulated by an Advisory Committee, discussed and approved by an Expert Panel (EP) composed of senior hematologists and one radiotherapist. After a comprehensive and systematic literature review, the EP recommendations were graded according to their supporting evidence. An explicit approach to consensus methodologies was used for evidence interpretation and for producing recommendations in the absence of a strong evidence. The EP decided that the target domain of the guidelines should include only classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, as defined by the WHO classification, and exclude lymphocyte predominant histology. Distinct recommendations were produced for initial work-up, first-line therapy of early and advanced stage disease, monitoring procedures and salvage therapy, including hemopoietic stem cell transplant. Separate recommendations were formulated for elderly patients. Pre-treatment volumetric CT scan of the neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis is mandatory, while FDG-PET is recommended. As to the therapy of early stage disease, a combined modality approach is still recommended with ABVD followed by involved-field radiotherapy; the number of courses of ABVD will depend on the patient risk category (favorable or unfavorable). Full-term chemotherapy with ABVD is recommended in advanced stage disease; adjuvant radiotherapy in patients without initial bulk who achieved a complete remission is not recommended. In the elderly, chemotherapy regimens more intensive than ABVD are not recommended. Early evaluation of response with FDG-PET scan is suggested. Relapsed or refractory patients should receive high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hemopoietic stem cells transplant. Allogeneic transplant is recommended in patients relapsing after autologous transplant. All fertile patients should be informed of the possible effects of therapy on gonadal function and fertility preservation measures should be taken before the initiation of therapy.

Building chronic disease management capacity in General Practice: The South Australian GP Plus Practice Nurse Initiative.

PubMed

Fuller, Jeffrey; Koehne, Kristy; Verrall, Claire C; Szabo, Natalie; Bollen, Chris; Parker, Sharon

2015-01-01

This paper draws on the implementation experience of the South Australian GP Plus Practice Nurse Initiative in order to establish what is needed to support the development of the chronic disease management role of practice nurses. The Initiative was delivered between 2007 and 2010 to recruit, train and place 157 nurses across 147 General Practices in Adelaide. The purpose was to improve chronic disease management in General Practice, by equipping nurses to work as practice nurses who would coordinate care and establish chronic disease management systems. Secondary analysis of qualitative data contained in the Initiative evaluation report, specifically drawing on quarterly project records and four focus groups conducted with practice nurses, practice nurse coordinators and practice nurse mentors. As evidenced by the need to increase the amount of support provided during the implementation of the Initiative, nurses new to General Practice faced challenges in their new role. Nurses described a big learning curve as they dealt with role transition to a new work environment and learning a range of new skills while developing chronic disease management systems. Informants valued the skills development and support offered by the Initiative, however the ongoing difficulties in implementing the role suggested that change is also needed at the level of the Practice. While just over a half of the placement positions were retained, practice nurses expressed concern with having to negotiate the conditions of their employment. In order to advance the role of practice nurses as managers of chronic disease support is needed at two levels. At one level support is needed to assist practice nurses to build their own skills. At the level of the Practice, and in the wider health workforce system, support is also needed to ensure that Practices are organisationally ready to include the practice nurse within the practice team.

Lydia Finney appointed WIST program initiator - Argonne Today

Science.gov Websites

Home Mission People Work/Life Connections Focal Point Inside Argonne Argonne Public Website Argonne Today Argonne Today Mission People Work/Life Connections Focal Point Lydia Finney appointed WIST program initiator Home People Lydia Finney appointed WIST program initiator Lydia Finney appointed WIST

Fill in the blank: culture jamming and the advertising of agency.

PubMed

Lambert-Beatty, Carrie

2010-01-01

This article is a review on billboard liberation and some other proj-ects that develop the idea of talking back or over advertising in a playful and youthful way. In one of them, Ji Lee's Bubble Project, an artist places blank thought-bubble stickers on street advertisements and waits to see what people write on them, completing the work of art and transgression. In other initiative, blank pages with the word God were placed around the city in place of advertising, inviting people to complete the prayer/complaint and to participate in a Suggestion Box, a project that collected "suggestions" from people out in the street. A review of playful and youthful ways to "rebel" against the impositions of powers like media and advertising.

Binding in visual working memory: the role of the episodic buffer.

PubMed

Baddeley, Alan D; Allen, Richard J; Hitch, Graham J

2011-05-01

The episodic buffer component of working memory is assumed to play a central role in the binding of features into objects, a process that was initially assumed to depend upon executive resources. Here, we review a program of work in which we specifically tested this assumption by studying the effects of a range of attentionally demanding concurrent tasks on the capacity to encode and retain both individual features and bound objects. We found no differential effect of concurrent load, even when the process of binding was made more demanding by separating the shape and color features spatially, temporally or across visual and auditory modalities. Bound features were however more readily disrupted by subsequent stimuli, a process we studied using a suffix paradigm. This suggested a need to assume a feature-based attentional filter followed by an object based storage process. Our results are interpreted within a modified version of the multicomponent working memory model. We also discuss work examining the role of the hippocampus in visual feature binding. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Association between Sequences of Sexual Initiation and the Likelihood of Teenage Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Reese, Bianka M.; Haydon, Abigail A.; Herring, Amy H.; Halpern, Carolyn T.

2012-01-01

Purpose Few studies have examined the health and developmental consequences, including unintended pregnancy, of different sexual behavior initiation sequences. Some work suggests that engaging in oral-genital sex first may slow the transition to coital activity and lead to more consistent contraception among adolescents. Methods Using logistic regression analysis, we investigated the association between sequences of sexual initiation (i.e., initiating oral-genital or vaginal sex first based on reported ages of first experience) and the likelihood of subsequent teenage pregnancy among 6,069 females who reported vaginal sex before age 20 and participated in Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Results Among females initiating vaginal sex first, 31.4% reported a teen pregnancy. Among females initiating two behaviors at the same age, 20.5% reported a teen pregnancy. Among females initiating oral-genital sex first, 7.9% reported a teen pregnancy. In multivariate models, initiating oral-genital sex first, with a delay of at least one year to vaginal sex, and initiating two behaviors within the same year were each associated with a lower likelihood of adolescent pregnancy, relative to teens who initiated vaginal sex first (OR=0.23, 95% CI (0.15, 0.37) and OR=0.78, 95% CI (0.60, 0.92), respectively). Conclusions How adolescents begin their sexual lives may be differentially related to positive and negative health outcomes. To develop effective pregnancy prevention efforts for teens and ensure programs are relevant to youths’ needs, it is important to consider multiple facets of sexual initiation and their implications for adolescent sexual health and fertility. PMID:23332489

Statistics of work performed on a forced quantum oscillator.

PubMed

Talkner, Peter; Burada, P Sekhar; Hänggi, Peter

2008-07-01

Various aspects of the statistics of work performed by an external classical force on a quantum mechanical system are elucidated for a driven harmonic oscillator. In this special case two parameters are introduced that are sufficient to completely characterize the force protocol. Explicit results for the characteristic function of work and the corresponding probability distribution are provided and discussed for three different types of initial states of the oscillator: microcanonical, canonical, and coherent states. Depending on the choice of the initial state the probability distributions of the performed work may greatly differ. This result in particular also holds true for identical force protocols. General fluctuation and work theorems holding for microcanonical and canonical initial states are confirmed.

Fermilab Today

Science.gov Websites

registration due today Women's Initiative: "Guiltless: Work/Life Balance" - Aug. 13 Nominations for ; -Leah Hesla In Brief Women's Initiative presents 'Guiltless: Work-Life Balance' - Thursday in One West Cowperthwaite-O'Hagan present "Guiltless: Work-Life Balance" on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 3 p.m. in One

Reliability and relationship of the fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire with the shoulder pain and disability index and numeric pain rating scale in patients with shoulder pain.

PubMed

Riley, Sean P; Tafuto, Vincent; Cote, Mark; Brismée, Jean-Michel; Wright, Alexis; Cook, Chad

2018-03-20

The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) the test-retest reliability of Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) Work (FABQW) subscale, FABQ Physical Activity (FABQPA) subscale, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) Pain subscale, SPADI Disability subscale, and Numeric Pain Rating scale (NPRS); and 2) the relationship between the FABQPA, FABQW, SPADI pain, SPADI disability, and NPRS after 4 weeks of pragmatically applied physical therapy (PT) in patients with shoulder pain. Prospective, single-group observational design. Data were collected at initial evaluation, the first follow-up visit prior to the initiation of treatment, and after 4 weeks of treatment. Statistically significant Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC 2,1 ) values were reported for the FABQPA, FABQW, SPADI Pain, SPADI Disability, and NPRS. A statistically significant moderate relationship between the FABQPA subscale, SPADI subscale, and NPRS could not be established prior to and after 4 weeks of pragmatically applied PT. Statistically significant differences were observed between the initial evaluation and four-week follow-up for the FABQPA, SPADI Pain, SPADI Disability, and NPRS (p < 0.01). Since a meaningful relationship between the FABQ, SPADI, and NPRS did not exist, it suggests that the FABQPA may be measuring a metric other than pain. This study suggests that the FABQW may not be sensitive to change over time.

Suppression of the Escherichia coli dnaA46 mutation by changes in the activities of the pyruvate-acetate node links DNA replication regulation to central carbon metabolism.

PubMed

Tymecka-Mulik, Joanna; Boss, Lidia; Maciąg-Dorszyńska, Monika; Matias Rodrigues, João F; Gaffke, Lidia; Wosinski, Anna; Cech, Grzegorz M; Szalewska-Pałasz, Agnieszka; Węgrzyn, Grzegorz; Glinkowska, Monika

2017-01-01

To ensure faithful transmission of genetic material to progeny cells, DNA replication is tightly regulated, mainly at the initiation step. Escherichia coli cells regulate the frequency of initiation according to growth conditions. Results of the classical, as well as the latest studies, suggest that the DNA replication in E. coli starts at a predefined, constant cell volume per chromosome but the mechanisms coordinating DNA replication with cell growth are still not fully understood. Results of recent investigations have revealed a role of metabolic pathway proteins in the control of cell division and a direct link between metabolism and DNA replication has also been suggested both in Bacillus subtilis and E. coli cells. In this work we show that defects in the acetate overflow pathway suppress the temperature-sensitivity of a defective replication initiator-DnaA under acetogenic growth conditions. Transcriptomic and metabolic analyses imply that this suppression is correlated with pyruvate accumulation, resulting from alterations in the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. Consequently, deletion of genes encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase subunits likewise resulted in suppression of the thermal-sensitive growth of the dnaA46 strain. We propose that the suppressor effect may be directly related to the PDH complex activity, providing a link between an enzyme of the central carbon metabolism and DNA replication.

Oxidative Stress Induces Disruption of the Axon Initial Segment

PubMed Central

Clark, Kareem C.; Sword, Brooke A.; Dupree, Jeffrey L.

2017-01-01

The axon initial segment (AIS), the domain responsible for action potential initiation and maintenance of neuronal polarity, is targeted for disruption in a variety of central nervous system pathological insults. Previous work in our laboratory implicates oxidative stress as a potential mediator of structural AIS alterations in two separate mouse models of central nervous system inflammation, as these effects were attenuated following reactive oxygen species scavenging and NADPH oxidase-2 ablation. While these studies suggest a role for oxidative stress in modulation of the AIS, the direct effects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) on the stability of this domain remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that oxidative stress, as induced through treatment with 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a spontaneous ROS/RNS generator, drives a reversible loss of AIS protein clustering in primary cortical neurons in vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of both voltage-dependent and intracellular calcium (Ca2+) channels suggests that this mechanism of AIS disruption involves Ca2+ entry specifically through L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and its release from IP3-gated intracellular stores. Furthermore, ROS/RNS-induced AIS disruption is dependent upon activation of calpain, a Ca2+-activated protease previously shown to drive AIS modulation. Overall, we demonstrate for the first time that oxidative stress, as induced through exogenously applied ROS/RNS, is capable of driving structural alterations in the AIS complex. PMID:29228786

Diverged composition and regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei origin recognition complex that mediates DNA replication initiation

PubMed Central

Marques, Catarina A.; Tiengwe, Calvin; Lemgruber, Leandro; Damasceno, Jeziel D.; Scott, Alan; Paape, Daniel; Marcello, Lucio; McCulloch, Richard

2016-01-01

Abstract Initiation of DNA replication depends upon recognition of genomic sites, termed origins, by AAA+ ATPases. In prokaryotes a single factor binds each origin, whereas in eukaryotes this role is played by a six-protein origin recognition complex (ORC). Why eukaryotes evolved a multisubunit initiator, and the roles of each component, remains unclear. In Trypanosoma brucei, an ancient unicellular eukaryote, only one ORC-related initiator, TbORC1/CDC6, has been identified by sequence homology. Here we show that three TbORC1/CDC6-interacting factors also act in T. brucei nuclear DNA replication and demonstrate that TbORC1/CDC6 interacts in a high molecular complex in which a diverged Orc4 homologue and one replicative helicase subunit can also be found. Analysing the subcellular localization of four TbORC1/CDC6-interacting factors during the cell cycle reveals that one factor, TbORC1B, is not a static constituent of ORC but displays S-phase restricted nuclear localization and expression, suggesting it positively regulates replication. This work shows that ORC architecture and regulation are diverged features of DNA replication initiation in T. brucei, providing new insight into this key stage of eukaryotic genome copying. PMID:26951375

Redistribution of Mechanical Work at the Knee and Ankle Joints During Fast Running in Minimalist Shoes.

PubMed

Fuller, Joel T; Buckley, Jonathan D; Tsiros, Margarita D; Brown, Nicholas A T; Thewlis, Dominic

2016-10-01

Minimalist shoes have been suggested as a way to alter running biomechanics to improve running performance and reduce injuries. However, to date, researchers have only considered the effect of minimalist shoes at slow running speeds. To determine if runners change foot-strike pattern and alter the distribution of mechanical work at the knee and ankle joints when running at a fast speed in minimalist shoes compared with conventional running shoes. Crossover study. Research laboratory. Twenty-six trained runners (age = 30.0 ± 7.9 years [age range, 18-40 years], height = 1.79 ± 0.06 m, mass = 75.3 ± 8.2 kg, weekly training distance = 27 ± 15 km) who ran with a habitual rearfoot foot-strike pattern and had no experience running in minimalist shoes. Participants completed overground running trials at 18 km/h in minimalist and conventional shoes. Sagittal-plane kinematics and joint work at the knee and ankle joints were computed using 3-dimensional kinematic and ground reaction force data. Foot-strike pattern was classified as rearfoot, midfoot, or forefoot strike based on strike index and ankle angle at initial contact. We observed no difference in foot-strike classification between shoes (χ 2 1 = 2.29, P = .13). Ankle angle at initial contact was less (2.46° versus 7.43°; t 25 = 3.34, P = .003) and strike index was greater (35.97% versus 29.04%; t 25 = 2.38, P = .03) when running in minimalist shoes compared with conventional shoes. We observed greater negative (52.87 J versus 42.46 J; t 24 = 2.29, P = .03) and positive work (68.91 J versus 59.08 J; t 24 = 2.65, P = .01) at the ankle but less negative (59.01 J versus 67.02 J; t 24 = 2.25, P = .03) and positive work (40.37 J versus 47.09 J; t 24 = 2.11, P = .046) at the knee with minimalist shoes compared with conventional shoes. Running in minimalist shoes at a fast speed caused a redistribution of work from the knee to the ankle joint. This finding suggests that runners changing from conventional to minimalist shoes for short-distance races could be at an increased risk of ankle and calf injuries but a reduced risk of knee injuries.

Physical activity and body functionality: implications for obesity prevention and treatment.

PubMed

Tremblay, Angelo; Therrien, Fanny

2006-02-01

Physical activity promotes metabolic adaptations that improve body functionality and contribute to the prevention of some diseases. With respect to energy and fat balance, physical activity facilitates the equilibrium between energy intake and expenditure as well as between fat intake and fat oxidation. When combined with a healthy diet that favors satiety with a reduced energy intake, exercise can induce a substantial mass loss in obese individuals. However, even the impact of an exemplary lifestyle does not seem to have the potential to decrease body mass in obese individuals down to the mass range of lean people. Up to now, we have not been able to induce mass changes exceeding 12%-15% initial body mass in obese male subjects under tolerable exercise and dietary habits, and this moderate success was accompanied by modifications in appetite and energy expenditure susceptible to compromise subsequent mass stability. As described in this paper, many environmental factors can influence energy balance and the ability to lose body fat in response to a healthy diet and (or) physical activity program. Particular attention is given to preliminary data obtained in our laboratory that suggest that knowledge-based work does not favor the same potential mass reducing effects as physical work. In fact, the acute effects of knowledge-based work suggest that this work modality may be rather susceptible to promote a more pronounced positive energy balance compared with what we may expect from a sedentary relaxing activity. This is problematic for obesity prevention in the future since knowledge-based work now represents the main working modality in a context of modernity.

Learning from Experience: A Cross-Case Comparison of School-to-Work Transition Reform Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Anne M.; And Others

A cross-case study approach was used to determine how school-to-work reform affects clients and participants and to identify elements critical to the success of school-to-work systems. Fourteen school-to-work reform initiatives in communities across the United States were examined by using a research protocol that included individual interviews,…

Effects of mid-foot contact area ratio on lower body kinetics/kinematics in sagittal plane during stair descent in women.

PubMed

Lee, Jinkyu; Hong, Yoon No Gregory; Shin, Choongsoo S

2016-07-01

The mid-foot contact area relative to the total foot contact area can facilitate foot arch structure evaluation. A stair descent motion consistently provides initial fore-foot contact and utilizes the foot arch more actively for energy absorption. The purpose of this study was to compare ankle and knee joint angle, moment, and work in sagittal plane during stair descending between low and high Mid-Foot-Contact-Area (MFCA) ratio group. The twenty-two female subjects were tested and classified into two groups (high MFCA and low MFCA) using their static MFCA ratios. The ground reaction force (GRF) and kinematics of ankle and knee joints were measured while stair descending. During the period between initial contact and the first peak in vertical GRF (early absorption phase), ankle negative work for the low MFCA ratio group was 33% higher than that for the high MFCA ratio group (p<0.05). However, ankle negative work was not significantly different between the two groups during the period between initial contact and peak dorsiflexion angle (early absorption phase+late absorption phase). The peak ankle dorsiflexion angle was smaller in the low MFCA ratio group (p<0.05). Our results suggest that strategy of energy absorption at the ankle and foot differs depending upon foot arch types classified by MFCA. The low MFCA ratio group seemed to absorb more impact energy using strain in the planar fascia during early absorption phase, whereas the high MFCA ratio group absorbed more impact energy using increased dorsiflexion during late absorption phase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How do you approach seizures in the high altitude traveler?

PubMed

Maa, Edward H

2011-01-01

Counseling patients who suffer first-time or break- through seizures can be difficult, particularly when controllable external factors may be contributing to the lowering of their seizure threshold. High altitude as a potential trigger for seizures is a common question in our epilepsy clinics in Colorado, and this article reviews the existing anecdotal literature, presents our local experience with high altitude seizures (HAS), offers possible mechanisms to explain how high altitude may trigger seizures, and suggests an initial work-up and prophylactic strategies for future high altitude exposures.

Guidelines for Creating and Using Abbreviations and Acronyms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Diane F.

1995-01-01

The unchecked use of acronyms and initialisms in technical writing presents a huge obstacle to clarity and readability. Although technical communicators are certainly more aware of this problem than are the engineers, scientists, and managers with whom they work, they need concrete guidelines and at least a small degree of self-righteousness on this subject to help them cope with the onslaught. That acronyms frustrate communication is well founded in linguistic theory, not to mention common sense. Suggestions for mitigating their destructiveness include issues of audience, term selectivity, frequency and occasion of use, and aesthetics.

Comparative Pharmacodynamics and Plasma Concentrations of D-Threo-Methylphenidate Hydrochloride after Single Doses of D-Threo-Methylphenidate Hydrochloride and D,l-Threo-Methylphenidate Hydrochloride in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Laboratory School Study in Children with Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Declan; Wigal, Sharon; Swanson, James; Hirsch, Sharon; Ottolini, Yvonne; Dariani, Maghsoud; Roffman, Mark; Zeldis, Jerome; Cooper, Thomas

2004-01-01

Objective: Methylphenidate has four optical isomers due to two asymmetries (erythro-threo and dextro-levo). The initial commercial formulation eliminated the erythro isomer, but the dextro-levo asymmetry was racemic, with equal amounts of d and l-threo isomers (d,l-MPH). Previous work has suggested that the d-threo isomer methylphenidate (d-MPH)…

Joint-ventures as strategic choice--a literature review.

PubMed

Lyons, M P

1991-08-01

The concept of 'strategic options' has become firmly established in recent years--this regards choices such as 'organic growth', acquisition, merger, and so on. This paper explores one such route forward, the option of joint-ventures. The examination is undertaken within a framework that considers market structures and the pressures for change. Initial sections introduce a form of analysis based upon the work of Michael Porter. This is used to suggest how and why joint-ventures and other alliances are attractive. Later discussion considers some of the practical considerations when setting-up a joint-venture.

A model parent group for enhancing aggressive children's social competence in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, Ming-Hui

2009-07-01

This paper presents a semi-structured psychoeducational model of group work for parents of aggressive children based on concepts of co-parenting and bidirectionality. The group was developed for enhancing five Taiwanese aggressive children's social competence by promoting positive interactions within family. Topics covered in the group included identifying parenting styles, forming parental alliances, fostering parent-child mutual initiations/mutual compliances, establishing parent-child co-regulation, and responding to aggressive children's negative emotions. Pre- and post-group comparisons suggested the effectiveness of the group model.

40 CFR 63.7530 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and work practice standards? 63.7530 Section 63... Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters Testing, Fuel Analyses, and Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7530 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and work...

40 CFR 63.7530 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and work practice standards? 63.7530 Section 63... Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters Testing, Fuel Analyses, and Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7530 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations, fuel specifications and work...

Multidimensional free energy surface of unfolding of HP-36: Microscopic origin of ruggedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Rikhia; Roy, Susmita; Bagchi, Biman

2014-10-01

The protein folding funnel paradigm suggests that folding and unfolding proceed as directed diffusion in a multidimensional free energy surface where a multitude of pathways can be traversed during the protein's sojourn from initial to final state. However, finding even a single pathway, with the detail chronicling of intermediates, is an arduous task. In this work we explore the free energy surface of unfolding pathway through umbrella sampling, for a small globular α-helical protein chicken-villin headpiece (HP-36) when the melting of secondary structures is induced by adding DMSO in aqueous solution. We find that the unfolding proceeds through the initial separation or melting of aggregated hydrophobic core that comprises of three phenylalanine residues (Phe7, Phe11, and Phe18). This separation is accompanied by simultaneous melting of the second helix. Unfolding is found to be a multistage process involving crossing of three consecutive minima and two barriers at the initial stage. At a molecular level, Phe18 is observed to reorient itself towards other hydrophobic grooves to stabilize the intermediate states. We identify the configuration of the intermediates and correlate the intermediates with those obtained in our previous works. We also give an estimate of the barriers for different transition states and observe the softening of the barriers with increasing DMSO concentration. We show that higher concentration of DMSO tunes the unfolding pathway by destabilizing the third minimum and stabilizing the second one, indicating the development of a solvent modified, less rugged pathway. The prime outcome of this work is the demonstration that mixed solvents can profoundly transform the nature of the energy landscape and induce unfolding via a modified route. A successful application of Kramer's rate equation correlating the free energy simulation results shows faster rate of unfolding with increasing DMSO concentration. This work perhaps presents the first systematic theoretical study of the effect of a chemical denaturant on the microscopic free energy surface and rates of unfolding of HP-36.

Scalar collapse in AdS with an OpenCL open source code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebling, Steven L.; Khanna, Gaurav

2017-10-01

We study the spherically symmetric collapse of a scalar field in anti-de Sitter spacetime using a newly constructed, open-source code which parallelizes over heterogeneous architectures using the open standard OpenCL. An open question for this scenario concerns how to tell, a priori, whether some form of initial data will be stable or will instead develop under the turbulent instability into a black hole in the limit of vanishing amplitude. Previous work suggested the existence of islands of stability around quasi-periodic solutions, and we use this new code to examine the stability properties of approximately quasi-periodic solutions which balance energy transfer to higher modes with energy transfer to lower modes. The evolutions provide some evidence, though not conclusively, for stability of initial data sufficiently close to quasiperiodic solutions.

Identification of corrosion and damage mechanisms by using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis: contribution to failure analysis case histories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantazopoulos, G.; Vazdirvanidis, A.

2014-03-01

Emphasis is placed on the evaluation of corrosion failures of copper and machineable brass alloys during service. Typical corrosion failures of the presented case histories mainly focussed on stress corrosion cracking and dezincification that acted as the major degradation mechanisms in components used in piping and water supply systems. SEM assessment, coupled with EDS spectroscopy, revealed the main cracking modes together with the root-source(s) that are responsible for the damage initiation and evolution. In addition, fracture surface observations contributed to the identification of the incurred fracture mechanisms and potential environmental issues that stimulated crack initiation and propagation. Very frequently, the detection of chlorides among the corrosion products served as a suggestive evidence of the influence of working environment on passive layer destabilisation and metal dissolution.

The role of mesocosm studies in ecological risk analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boyle, Terence P.; Fairchild, James F.

1997-01-01

Mesocosms have been primarily used as research tools for the evaluation of the fate and effects of xenobiotic chemicals at the population, community, and ecosystem levels of biological organization. This paper provides suggestions for future applications of mesocosm research. Attention should be given to the configuration of mesocosm parameters to explicitly study regional questions of ecological interest. The initial physical, chemical, and biological conditions within mesocosms should be considered as factors shaping the final results of experiments. Certain fundamental questions such as the ecological inertia and resilience of systems with different initial ecological properties should be addressed. Researchers should develop closer working relationships with mathematical modelers in linking computer models to the outcomes of mesocosm studies. Mesocosm tests, linked with models, could enable managers and regulators to forecast the regional consequences of chemicals released into the environment.

The Process of Designing for Learning: Understanding University Teachers' Design Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Sue; Agostinho, Shirley; Lockyer, Lori

2017-01-01

Interest in how to support the design work of university teachers has led to research and development initiatives that include technology-based design-support tools, online repositories, and technical specifications. Despite these initiatives, remarkably little is known about the design work that university teachers actually do. This paper…

Married Thai Working Mothers: Coping with Initial Part-Time Doctoral Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thinnam, Thanit

2011-01-01

Advanced educational attainment can "grow" a career. But acquiring a doctoral qualification adds study to existing work and family responsibilities, especially for women. This phenomenological research explores the experiences of eight Thai working mothers enrolled in the initial stage of part-time doctoral programs in Thailand. A…

Energy in the Environment - Initiatives 2004-08

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

Paul Jehn

Under the Energy and Environment Initiative, the GWPC/GWPRF will expand the oil and gas electronic commerce initiatives used to enhance the Risk Based Data Management System (RBDMS) and the Cost Effective Regulatory Approach (CERA). The GWPC/GWPRF has identified the following priorities for work efforts during the time period that will act as the base from which selections for each work period will be proposed. Work tasks will be presented for each reporting period by the GWPC from areas selected from the general list of priorities.

Constraining storm-scale forecasts of deep convective initiation with surface weather observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madaus, Luke

Successfully forecasting when and where individual convective storms will form remains an elusive goal for short-term numerical weather prediction. In this dissertation, the convective initiation (CI) challenge is considered as a problem of insufficiently resolved initial conditions and dense surface weather observations are explored as a possible solution. To better quantify convective-scale surface variability in numerical simulations of discrete convective initiation, idealized ensemble simulations of a variety of environments where CI occurs in response to boundary-layer processes are examined. Coherent features 1-2 hours prior to CI are found in all surface fields examined. While some features were broadly expected, such as positive temperature anomalies and convergent winds, negative temperature anomalies due to cloud shadowing are the largest surface anomaly seen prior to CI. Based on these simulations, several hypotheses about the required characteristics of a surface observing network to constrain CI forecasts are developed. Principally, these suggest that observation spacings of less than 4---5 km would be required, based on correlation length scales. Furthermore, it is anticipated that 2-m temperature and 10-m wind observations would likely be more relevant for effectively constraining variability than surface pressure or 2-m moisture observations based on the magnitudes of observed anomalies relative to observation error. These hypotheses are tested with a series of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) using a single CI-capable environment. The OSSE results largely confirm the hypotheses, and with 4-km and particularly 1-km surface observation spacing, skillful forecasts of CI are possible, but only within two hours of CI time. Several facets of convective-scale assimilation, including the need for properly-calibrated localization and problems from non-Gaussian ensemble estimates of the cloud field are discussed. Finally, the characteristics of one candidate dense surface observing network are examined: smartphone pressure observations. Available smartphone pressure observations (and 1-hr pressure tendency observations) are tested by assimilating them into convective-allowing ensemble forecasts for a three-day active convective period in the eastern United States. Although smartphone observations contain noise and internal disagreement, they are effective at reducing short-term forecast errors in surface pressure, wind and precipitation. The results suggest that smartphone pressure observations could become a viable mesoscale observation platform, but more work is needed to enhance their density and reduce error. This work concludes by reviewing and suggesting other novel candidate observation platforms with a potential to improve convective-scale forecasts of CI.

An investigation of client mood in the initial and final sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychodynamic-interpersonal therapy.

PubMed

Mcclintock, Andrew S; Stiles, William B; Himawan, Lina; Anderson, Timothy; Barkham, Michael; Hardy, Gillian E

2016-01-01

Our aim was to examine client mood in the initial and final sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic-interpersonal therapy (PIT) and to determine how client mood is related to therapy outcomes. Hierarchical linear modeling was applied to data from a clinical trial comparing CBT with PIT. In this trial, client mood was assessed before and after sessions with the Session Evaluation Questionnaire-Positivity Subscale (SEQ-P). In the initial sessions, CBT clients had higher pre-session and post-session SEQ-P ratings and greater pre-to-post session mood change than did clients in PIT. In the final sessions, these pre, post, and change scores were generally equivalent across CBT and PIT. CBT outcome was predicted by pre- and post-session SEQ-P ratings from both the initial sessions and the final sessions of CBT. However, PIT outcome was predicted by pre- and post-session SEQ-P ratings from the final sessions only. Pre-to-post session mood change was unrelated to outcome in both treatments. These results suggest different change processes are at work in CBT and PIT.

A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

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

Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip, E-mail: umagarg@uwm.edu, E-mail: chang65@uwm.edu

Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneousmore » wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.« less

NASA safety program activities in support of the Space Exploration Initiatives Nuclear Propulsion program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, J. C., Jr.

1993-01-01

The activities of the joint NASA/DOE/DOD Nuclear Propulsion Program Technical Panels have been used as the basis for the current development of safety policies and requirements for the Space Exploration Initiatives (SEI) Nuclear Propulsion Technology development program. The Safety Division of the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Quality has initiated efforts to develop policies for the safe use of nuclear propulsion in space through involvement in the joint agency Nuclear Safety Policy Working Group (NSPWG), encouraged expansion of the initial policy development into proposed programmatic requirements, and suggested further expansion into the overall risk assessment and risk management process for the NASA Exploration Program. Similar efforts are underway within the Department of Energy to ensure the safe development and testing of nuclear propulsion systems on Earth. This paper describes the NASA safety policy related to requirements for the design of systems that may operate where Earth re-entry is a possibility. The expected plan of action is to support and oversee activities related to the technology development of nuclear propulsion in space, and support the overall safety and risk management program being developed for the NASA Exploration Program.

A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip

2017-02-01

Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman-Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon-oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

Stress Proteins and Initiation of Immune Response: Chaperokine activity of Hsp72

PubMed Central

Asea, Alexzander

2006-01-01

From its original description as solely an intracellular molecular chaperone, heat shock proteins have now been shown to function as initiators of the host's immune response. Although the exact mechanism by which intracellular heat shock proteins leave cells is still incompletely understood, recent work from several labs suggest that heat shock proteins are released by both passive (necrotic) and active (physiological) mechanisms. Binding to specific surface receptors is a prerequisite for the initiation of an immune response. To date, several cell surface proteins have been described as the receptor for seventy kilo-Dalton heat shock protein (Hsp70) including Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 with their cofactor CD14, the scavenger receptor CD36, the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein CD91, the C-type lectin receptor LOX-1, and another member of the scavenger super-family SR-A plus the co-stimulatory molecule, CD40. Binding of Hsp70 to these surface receptors specifically activates intracellular signaling cascades, which in turn exert immunoregulatory effector functions; a process known as the chaperokine activity of Hsp70. This review will highlight recent advances in understanding the mechanism by which Hsp70 initiates the host's immune response. PMID:16385842

Stress proteins and initiation of immune response: chaperokine activity of hsp72.

PubMed

Asea, Alexzander

2005-01-01

From its original description as solely an intracellular molecular chaperone, heat shock proteins have now been shown to function as initiators of the host's immune response. Although the exact mechanism by which intracellular heat shock proteins leave cells is still incompletely understood, recent work from several labs suggest that heat shock proteins are released by both passive (necrotic) and active (physiological) mechanisms. Binding to specific surface receptors is a prerequisite for the initiation of an immune response. To date, several cell surface proteins have been described as the receptor for seventy kilo-Dalton heat shock protein (Hsp70) including Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 with their cofactor CD14, the scavenger receptor CD36, the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein CD91, the C-type lectin receptor LOX-1, and another member of the scavenger super-family SR-A plus the co-stimulatory molecule, CD40. Binding of Hsp70 to these surface receptors specifically activates intracellular signaling cascades, which in turn exert immunoregulatory effector functions; a process known as the chaperokine activity of Hsp70. This review will highlight recent advances in understanding the mechanism by which Hsp70 initiates the host's immune response.

Treatment of cyanide containing wastewater using cavitation based approach.

PubMed

Jawale, Rajashree H; Gogate, Parag R; Pandit, Aniruddha B

2014-07-01

Industrial wastewater streams containing high concentrations of biorefractory materials like cyanides should ideally be treated at source. In the present work, degradation of potassium ferrocyanide (K4Fe(CN)6) as a model pollutant has been investigated using cavitational reactors with possible intensification studies using different approaches. Effect of different operating parameters such as initial concentration, temperature and pH on the extent of degradation using acoustic cavitation has been investigated. For the case of hydrodynamic cavitation, flow characteristics of cavitating device (venturi) have been established initially followed by the effect of inlet pressure and pH on the extent of degradation. Under the optimized set of operating parameters, the addition of hydrogen peroxide (ratio of K4Fe(CN)6:H2O2 varied from 1:1 to 1:30 mol basis) as process intensifying approach has been investigated. The present work has conclusively established that under the set of optimized operating parameters, cavitation can be effectively used for degradation of potassium ferrocyanide. The comparative study of hydrodynamic cavitation and acoustic cavitation suggested that hydrodynamic cavitation is more energy efficient and gives higher degradation as compared to acoustic cavitation for equivalent power/energy dissipation. The present work is the first one to report comparison of cavitation based treatment schemes for degradation of cyanide containing wastewaters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boundary workers and the management of frustration: a case study of two Healthy City partnerships.

PubMed

Stern, Ruth; Green, Judith

2005-09-01

Partnerships between local governments, health districts and non-governmental and community-based organiza-tions are an increasingly important part of health promotion practice, as well as other policy and programme areas. Two inherent tensions in partnership working have been widely described. First, partnerships are generally set up as 'top down' initiatives, which advocate a 'bottom up' approach, with the inevitable power imbalances that this implies. Secondly, the gains made by partnerships tend to be limited compared with the claims made for them. Despite these tensions, individuals and organizations continue to devote considerable effort to making partnerships 'work'. This paper describes a study, which explored the implications of these apparent contradictions of power imbalance and potential disillusionment within partnerships. The study explored partnership working between community and statutory organizations within two very different Healthy Cities initiatives, one in the UK and the other in South Africa. This paper focuses on why the partners contributed continued effort and energy into maintaining the partnerships, despite their awareness of the constraints. Findings suggest that partners dealt with the tensions first by assuming a discrete identity as an 'entity of boundary people' that operates at the interface between the statutory sector authorities and the communities in question; and secondly, by reducing their activities to specific 'boundary' issues that do not threaten the main agenda of the authorities.

Canadian oncology nurse work environments: part II.

PubMed

Bakker, Debra; Conlon, Michael; Fitch, Margaret; Green, Esther; Butler, Lorna; Olson, Karin; Cummings, Greta

2012-03-01

In the aftermath of healthcare restructuring, it is important to pay attention to nurses' perceptions of workplace and professional practice factors that attract nurses and influence their retention. Continuing constraints on cancer care systems make the issue of health human resources an ongoing priority. This paper presents the findings of a follow-up study of a cohort of Canadian oncology nurses that aimed to compare nurses' perceptions of their work environment, job satisfaction and retention over a two-year period. Participants of the follow-up survey represented 65% (397/615) of the initial cohort. Many similar perceptions about the work environment were found over two years; however, at follow-up a larger proportion of nurses reported an absence of enough RNs to provide quality care and a lack of support for innovative ideas. With respect to career status, only 6% (25/397) of the follow-up sample had left oncology nursing. However, the proportion of nurses declaring an intention to leave their current job increased from 6.4% (39/615) on the initial survey to 26% (102/397) on the follow-up survey. Findings suggest that decision-makers need to use both the growing body of workplace knowledge and the input from staff nurses to implement changes that positively influence nurse recruitment and retention. Future research should focus on the implementation and evaluation of strategies that address workplace issues such as nurse staffing adequacy, leadership and organizational commitment.

Applied Mycology Can Contribute to Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Building upon China's Matsutake Management Initiatives.

PubMed

Brown, Madeline; McLellan, Timothy; Li, Huili; Karunarathna, Samantha C

2018-02-01

Matsutake mushrooms are an important part of rural livelihoods and forest ecosystems across large parts of China, as well as elsewhere in East Asia, Northern Europe and North America. Mushroom harvesters have developed sophisticated understandings of matsutake ecology and production, and are applying this knowledge in various innovative management strategies. At the same time, Chinese government agencies and scientists are promoting matsutake-based livelihoods to support development and conservation goals. We collaborated with matsutake harvesters in one Yunnan community to carry out a systematic experiment on a popular shiro-level management technique: covering matsutake shiros with either plastic or leaf litter. Our experimental results suggest that although leaf litter coverings are superior to plastic coverings, shiros that are left uncovered may produce the highest yields. Complementing our experimental work is a multi-sited household survey of existing matsutake management practices across Yunnan, which shows that a high proportion of harvesters are already engaged in a broad range of potentially beneficial management strategies. Though both findings highlight limitations of previous initiatives led by government and research actors in China, this existing body of work is an important foundation and opportunity for developing applied mycology in the region. In and beyond China, working with communities to develop site-specific management strategies through rigorous and participatory scientific inquiry can provide salient benefits for both scientists and resource users.

Applied Mycology Can Contribute to Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Building upon China's Matsutake Management Initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Madeline; McLellan, Timothy; Li, Huili; Karunarathna, Samantha C.

2018-02-01

Matsutake mushrooms are an important part of rural livelihoods and forest ecosystems across large parts of China, as well as elsewhere in East Asia, Northern Europe and North America. Mushroom harvesters have developed sophisticated understandings of matsutake ecology and production, and are applying this knowledge in various innovative management strategies. At the same time, Chinese government agencies and scientists are promoting matsutake-based livelihoods to support development and conservation goals. We collaborated with matsutake harvesters in one Yunnan community to carry out a systematic experiment on a popular shiro-level management technique: covering matsutake shiros with either plastic or leaf litter. Our experimental results suggest that although leaf litter coverings are superior to plastic coverings, shiros that are left uncovered may produce the highest yields. Complementing our experimental work is a multi-sited household survey of existing matsutake management practices across Yunnan, which shows that a high proportion of harvesters are already engaged in a broad range of potentially beneficial management strategies. Though both findings highlight limitations of previous initiatives led by government and research actors in China, this existing body of work is an important foundation and opportunity for developing applied mycology in the region. In and beyond China, working with communities to develop site-specific management strategies through rigorous and participatory scientific inquiry can provide salient benefits for both scientists and resource users.

What Can a Hypnotic Induction Do?

PubMed

Woody, Erik; Sadler, Pamela

2016-10-01

In contrast to how recent definitions of hypnosis describe the induction, a work-sample perspective is advocated that characterizes the induction as an initial, stage-setting phase encompassing everything in a hypnotic session up to the first hypnotic suggestion of particular relevance to the therapeutic or research goals at hand. Four major ways are then discussed in which the induction could affect subsequent hypnotic responses: It may provide information about how subsequent behaviors are to be enacted; it may provide cues about the nature of the interpersonal interaction to be expected in hypnosis; it may provide meta-suggestions, defined as suggestive statements intended to enhance responses to subsequent hypnotic suggestions; and it may provide a clear transition to help allow new behaviors and experiences to emerge. Several ideas for future research are advanced, such as mapping hypnosis style onto the interpersonal circumplex, evaluating whether attentional-state changes measured at the end of the induction actually mediate subsequent hypnotic responsiveness, and systematically examining the impact of ritual-like aspects of inductions.

The Working Women Count Honor Roll Report. What Works! A Selection of Programs and Policies That Make Work Better.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spalter-Roth, Roberta M.

This report describes the programs of 440 organizations that constitute the "First Honor Roll Class" by virtue of having initiated innovative and effective programs and policies to improve the lives of working women. The models described in the report represent a cross-section of the Honor Roll. These programs and initiatives are divided into four…

Skeletal muscle fatigue precedes the slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics during exercise in humans.

PubMed

Cannon, Daniel T; White, Ailish C; Andriano, Melina F; Kolkhorst, Fred W; Rossiter, Harry B

2011-02-01

The mechanisms determining exercise intolerance are poorly understood. A reduction in work efficiency in the form of an additional energy cost and oxygen requirement occurs during high-intensity exercise and contributes to exercise limitation. Muscle fatigue and subsequent recruitment of poorly efficient muscle fibres has been proposed to mediate this decline. These data demonstrate in humans, that muscle fatigue, generated in the initial minutes of exercise, is correlated with the increasing energy demands of high-intensity exercise. Surprisingly, however, while muscle fatigue reached a plateau, oxygen uptake continued to increase throughout 8 min of exercise. This suggests that additional recruitment of inefficient muscle fibres may not be the sole mechanism contributing to the decline in work efficiency during high-intensity exercise.

Roles and challenges of the health information management educator: a national HIM faculty survey.

PubMed

Houser, Shannon H; Tesch, Linde; Hart-Hester, Susan; Dixon-Lee, Claire

2009-01-01

Health information technology initiatives created the framework for a national health information infrastructure that concomitantly fostered a need to build intellectual capacity within our current and future health information management (HIM) work force. Results from the 2008 HIM Educator Survey are discussed. Developed for voluntary electronic participation, the survey comprised a series of questions about educators' professional interests and responsibilities. Summary data from the 402 respondents are provided and highlight areas such as academic rank, teaching status, salary range, levels of interest in various issues, and use of virtual learning tools. Data from this survey provide insights into the concerns and challenges many HIM educators face in today's training institutions and suggest implications for future directions in work force training and professional development within the HIM field.

Getting There from Here: Research on the Effects of Work-Family Initiatives on Work-Family Conflict and Business Outcomes.

PubMed

Kelly, Erin L; Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Hammer, Leslie B; Durham, Mary; Bray, Jeremy; Chermack, Kelly; Murphy, Lauren A; Kaskubar, Dan

2008-08-01

Many employing organizations have adopted work-family policies, programs, and benefits. Yet managers in employing organizations simply do not know what organizational initiatives actually reduce work-family conflict and how these changes are likely to impact employees and the organization. We examine scholarship that addresses two broad questions: first, do work-family initiatives reduce employees' work-family conflict and/or improve work-family enrichment? Second, does reduced work-family conflict improve employees' work outcomes and, especially, business outcomes at the organizational level? We review over 150 peer-reviewed studies from a number of disciplines in order to summarize this rich literature and identify promising avenues for research and conceptualization. We propose a research agenda based on four primary conclusions: the need for more multi-level research, the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach, the benefits of longitudinal studies that employ quasi-experimental or experimental designs and the challenges of translating research into practice in effective ways.

The Association between Quality Improvement Initiatives in Dementia Care and Supportive Psychosocial Work Environments in Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Miharu; Tei-Tominaga, Maki

2018-05-08

Background : Quality improvement initiatives can help nursing homes strengthen psychosocial work environments. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between supportive psychosocial work environment, and professional and organizational characteristics regarding quality improvement initiatives in dementia care. Methods : A paper questionnaire survey was administered to a convenience sample of 365 professional caregivers in 12 special nursing homes in Japan. Psychosocial work environment was assessed using the Social Capital and Ethical Climate at the Workplace Scale to calculate a score of social capital in the workplace, ethical leadership, and exclusive workplace climate. Variables for quality improvement initiatives included type of home (unit-type or traditional), presence of additional benefit for dementia care, and professionalism in dementia care among caregivers evaluated using the Japanese version of the Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff Scale. Results : Elevated professionalism and unit-type home were significantly associated with high social capital, strong ethical leadership, and low exclusive workplace climate. The presence of dementia care benefit was not associated with any subscale of psychosocial work environment. Conclusions : Quality improvement initiatives to foster supportive psychosocial work environment should enhance professionalism in dementia care with unit-based team building of professional caregivers in special nursing homes.

Perceptions of work environment priorities: Are there any differences by company size? An ecological study.

PubMed

Nordlöf, Hasse; Wijk, Katarina; Westergren, Karl-Erik

2015-01-01

Earlier studies suggest that the quality of handling occupational health and safety (OHS) activities differs between companies of different sizes. Company size is a proxy variable for other variables affecting OHS performance. The objective of this study was to investigate if there is an association between company size and perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Data from 106 small- and medium-sized Swedish manufacturing companies was collected. One manager and one safety delegate at each company rated different aspects of their companies' work environment prioritizations with a 43-item questionnaire. Ratings were aggregated to a summary statistic for each company before analysis. No significant differences in perceptions of priority were found to be associated with company sizes. This is in contrast to earlier studies of objective differences. The respondents in small companies, however, showed significantly greater consensus in their ratings. Company size does not appear to be associated with perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Company size is an important proxy variable to study in order to understand what factors enable and obstruct safe and healthy workplaces. The work presented here should be viewed as an initial exploration to serve as direction for future academic work.

Human Resource Executives' Perceptions and Measurement of the Strategic Impact of Work/Life Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Michael Lane; Heames, Joyce Thompson; McMillan, Heather S.

2011-01-01

Given the stresses associated with today's demanding workplaces, work/life (w/l) initiatives continue to grow in importance as an organizational development (OD) intervention. In a period of increasing accountability, it is important for scholars and practitioners to demonstrate how OD interventions, like w/l initiatives, can be used as a…

Early and late selection processes have separable influences on the neural substrates of attention.

PubMed

Drisdelle, Brandi Lee; Jolicoeur, Pierre

2018-05-01

To improve our understanding of the mechanisms of target selection, we examined how the spatial separation of salient items and their similarity to a pre-defined target interact using lateralised electrophysiological correlates of visual spatial attention (N2pc component) and visual short-term memory (VSTM; SPCN component). Using these features of target selection, we sought to expand on previous work proposing a model of early and late selection, where the N2pc is suggested to reflect the selection probability of visual stimuli (Aubin and Jolicoeur, 2016). The authors suggested that early-selection processes could be enhanced when items are adjacent. In the present work, the stimuli were short oriented lines, all of which were grey except for two that were blue and hence salient. A decrease in N2pc amplitude with decreasing spatial separation between salient items was observed. The N2pc increased in amplitude with increasing similarity of salient distractors to the target template, but only in target-absent trials. There was no interaction between these two factors, suggesting that separable attentional mechanisms influenced the N2pc. The findings suggest that selection is initially based on easily-distinguished attributes (i.e., both blue items) followed by a later identification-based process (if necessary), which depends on feature similarity to a target template. For the SPCN component, the results were in line with previous work: for target-present trials, an increase in similarity of salient distractors was associated with an increase in SPCN amplitude, suggesting more information was maintained in VSTM. In sum, results suggest there is a need for further inspection of salient distractors when they are similar to the target, increasing the need for focal attention, demonstrated by an increase in N2pc amplitude, followed by a higher probability of transfer to VSTM, demonstrated by an increase in SPCN amplitude. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Severity of depression and magnitude of productivity loss.

PubMed

Beck, Arne; Crain, A Lauren; Solberg, Leif I; Unützer, Jürgen; Glasgow, Russell E; Maciosek, Michael V; Whitebird, Robin

2011-01-01

Depression is associated with lowered work functioning, including absences, impaired productivity, and decreased job retention. Few studies have examined depression symptoms across a continuum of severity in relationship to the magnitude of work impairment in a large and heterogeneous patient population, however. We assessed the relationship between depression symptom severity and productivity loss among patients initiating treatment for depression. Data were obtained from patients participating in the DIAMOND (Depression Improvement Across Minnesota: Offering a New Direction) initiative, a statewide quality improvement collaborative to provide enhanced depression care. Patients newly started on antidepressants were surveyed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item screen (PHQ-9), a measure of depression symptom severity; the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, a measure of loss in productivity; and items on health status and demographics. We analyzed data from the 771 patients who reported being currently employed. General linear models adjusting for demographics and health status showed a significant linear, monotonic relationship between depression symptom severity and productivity loss: with every 1-point increase in PHQ-9 score, patients experienced an additional mean productivity loss of 1.65% (P <.001). Even minor levels of depression symptoms were associated with decrements in work function. Full-time vs part-time employment status and self-reported fair or poor health vs excellent, very good, or good health were also associated with a loss of productivity (P <.001 and P=.045, respectively). This study shows a relationship between the severity of depression symptoms and work function, and suggests that even minor levels of depression are associated with a loss of productivity. Employers may find it beneficial to invest in effective treatments for depressed employees across the continuum of depression severity.

Application of the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel to Understand Physicians' Behaviors and Behavior Change in Using Temporary Work Modifications for Return to Work: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Horppu, Ritva; Martimo, K P; MacEachen, E; Lallukka, T; Viikari-Juntura, E

2018-03-01

Purpose Applying the theoretical domains framework (TDF) and the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to understand physicians' behaviors and behavior change in using temporary work modifications (TWMs) for return to work (RTW). Methods Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 15 occupational physicians (OPs). Responses were coded using the TDF and the BCW. Results Key behaviors related to applying TWMs were initiating the process with the employee, making recommendations to the workplace, and following up the process. OP behaviors were influenced by several factors related to personal capability and motivation, and opportunities provided by the physical and social environment. Capability comprised relevant knowledge and skills related to applying TWMs, remembering to initiate TWMS and monitor the process, and being accustomed to reflective practice. Opportunity comprised physical resources (e.g., time, predefined procedures, and availability of modified work at companies), and social pressure from stakeholders. Motivation comprised conceptions of a proper OP role, confidence to carry out TWMs, personal RTW-related goals, beliefs about the outcomes of one's actions, feedback received from earlier cases, and feelings related to applying TWMs. OPs' perceived means to target these identified factors were linked to the following BCW intervention functions: education, training, persuasion, environmental restructuring, and enablement. The results suggest that at least these functions should be considered when designing future interventions. Conclusions Our study illustrates how theoretical frameworks TDF and BCW can be utilized in a RTW context to understand which determinants of physicians' behavior need to be targeted, and how, to promote desired behaviors.

Similarities and Differences Between Working Memory and Long-Term Memory: Evidence From the Levels-of-Processing Span Task

PubMed Central

Rose, Nathan S.; Myerson, Joel; Roediger, Henry L.; Hale, Sandra

2010-01-01

Two experiments compared the effects of depth of processing on working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) using a levels-of-processing (LOP) span task, a newly developed WM span procedure that involves processing to-be-remembered words based on their visual, phonological, or semantic characteristics. Depth of processing had minimal effect on WM tests, yet subsequent memory for the same items on delayed tests showed the typical benefits of semantic processing. Although the difference in LOP effects demonstrates a dissociation between WM and LTM, we also found that the retrieval practice provided by recalling words on the WM task benefited long-term retention, especially for words initially recalled from supraspan lists. The latter result is consistent with the hypothesis that WM span tasks involve retrieval from secondary memory, but the LOP dissociation suggests the processes engaged by WM and LTM tests may differ. Therefore, similarities and differences between WM and LTM depend on the extent to which retrieval from secondary memory is involved and whether there is a match (or mismatch) between initial processing and subsequent retrieval, consistent with transfer-appropriate-processing theory. PMID:20192543

Stem cells in clinical trials for treatment of retinal degeneration.

PubMed

Klassen, Henry

2016-01-01

After decades of basic science research involving the testing of regenerative strategies in animal models of retinal degenerative diseases, a number of clinical trials are now underway, with additional trials set to begin shortly. These efforts will evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of cell-based products in the eyes of patients with a number of retinal conditions, notably including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt's disease. This review considers the scientific work and early trials with fetal cells and tissues that set the stage for the current clinical investigatory work, as well the trials themselves, specifically those either now completed, underway or close to initiation. The cells of interest include retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from embryonic stem or induced pluripotent stem cells, undifferentiated neural or retinal progenitors or cells from the vascular/bone marrow compartment or umbilical cord tissue. Degenerative diseases of the retina represent a popular target for emerging cell-based therapeutics and initial data from early stage clinical trials suggest that short-term safety objectives can be met in at least some cases. The question of efficacy will require additional time and testing to be adequately resolved.

Stimulus Threat and Exposure Context Modulate the Effect of Mere Exposure on Approach Behaviors.

PubMed

Young, Steven G; Jones, Isaiah F; Claypool, Heather M

2016-01-01

Mere-exposure (ME) research has found that initially neutral objects made familiar are preferred relative to novel objects. Recent work extends these preference judgments into the behavioral domain by illustrating that mere exposure prompts approach-oriented behavior toward familiar stimuli. However, no investigations have examined the effect of mere exposure on approach-oriented behavior toward threatening stimuli. The current work examines this issue and also explores how exposure context interacts with stimulus threat to influence behavioral tendencies. In two experiments participants were presented with both mere-exposed and novel stimuli and approach speed was assessed. In the first experiment, when stimulus threat was presented in a homogeneous format (i.e., participants viewed exclusively neutral or threatening stimuli), ME potentiated approach behaviors for both neutral and threatening stimuli. However, in the second experiment, in which stimulus threat was presented in a heterogeneous fashion (i.e., participants viewed both neutral and threatening stimuli), mere exposure facilitated approach only for initially neutral stimuli. These results suggest that ME effects on approach behaviors are highly context sensitive and depend on both stimulus valence and exposure context. Further implications of these findings for the ME literature are discussed.

Stimulus Threat and Exposure Context Modulate the Effect of Mere Exposure on Approach Behaviors

PubMed Central

Young, Steven G.; Jones, Isaiah F.; Claypool, Heather M.

2016-01-01

Mere-exposure (ME) research has found that initially neutral objects made familiar are preferred relative to novel objects. Recent work extends these preference judgments into the behavioral domain by illustrating that mere exposure prompts approach-oriented behavior toward familiar stimuli. However, no investigations have examined the effect of mere exposure on approach-oriented behavior toward threatening stimuli. The current work examines this issue and also explores how exposure context interacts with stimulus threat to influence behavioral tendencies. In two experiments participants were presented with both mere-exposed and novel stimuli and approach speed was assessed. In the first experiment, when stimulus threat was presented in a homogeneous format (i.e., participants viewed exclusively neutral or threatening stimuli), ME potentiated approach behaviors for both neutral and threatening stimuli. However, in the second experiment, in which stimulus threat was presented in a heterogeneous fashion (i.e., participants viewed both neutral and threatening stimuli), mere exposure facilitated approach only for initially neutral stimuli. These results suggest that ME effects on approach behaviors are highly context sensitive and depend on both stimulus valence and exposure context. Further implications of these findings for the ME literature are discussed. PMID:27965614

Secondary Crater-Initiated Debris Flow on the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin-Wells, K. S.; Campbell, D. B.; Campbell, B. A.; Carter, L. M.; Fox, Q.

2016-01-01

In recent work, radar circular polarization echo properties have been used to identify "secondary" craters without distinctive secondary morphologies. Because of the potential for this method to improve our knowledge of secondary crater population-in particular the effect of secondary populations on crater- derived ages based on small craters-it is important to understand the origin of radar polarization signatures associated with secondary impacts. In this paper, we utilize Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera photographs to examine the geomorphology of secondary craters with radar circular polarization ratio enhancements. Our investigation reveals evidence of dry debris flow with an impact melt component at such secondary craters. We hypothesize that these debris flows were initiated by the secondary impacts themselves, and that they have entrained blocky material ejected from the secondaries. By transporting this blocky material downrange, we propose that these debris flows (rather than solely ballistic emplacement) are responsible for the tail-like geometries of enhanced radar circular polarization ratio associated with the secondary craters investigated in this work. Evidence of debris flow was observed at both clustered and isolated secondary craters, suggesting that such flow may be a widespread occurrence, with important implications for the mixing of primary and local material in crater rays.

How to build up the actionable knowledge base: the role of 'best fit' framework synthesis for studies of improvement in healthcare.

PubMed

Booth, Andrew; Carroll, Christopher

2015-11-01

Increasing recognition of the role and value of theory in improvement work in healthcare offers the prospect of capitalising upon, and consolidating, actionable lessons from synthesis of improvement projects and initiatives. We propose that informed use of theory can (i) provide a mechanism by which to collect and organise data from a body of improvement work, (ii) offer a framework for analysis and identification of lessons learnt and (iii) facilitate an evaluation of the feasibility, effectiveness and acceptability of improvement programmes. Improvement practitioners can benefit from using an underpinning external structure as a lens by which to examine the specific achievements of their own projects alongside comparable initiatives led by others. We demonstrate the utility of a method known as 'best fit framework synthesis' (BFFS) in offering a ubiquitous and versatile means by which to collect, analyse and evaluate improvement work in healthcare. First reported in 2011, BFFS represents a pragmatic, flexible approach to integrating theory with findings from practice. A deductive phase, where a review team seeks to accommodate a substantial part of the data, is followed by an inductive phase, in which the team explores data not accommodated by the framework. We explore the potential for BFFS within improvement work by drawing upon the evidence synthesis methodology literature and practical examples of improvement work reported in BMJ Quality and Safety (2011-2015). We suggest four variants of BFFS that may have particular value in synthesising a body of improvement work. We conclude that BFFS, alongside other approaches that seek to optimise the contribution of theory to improvement work, represents one important enabling mechanism by which to establish the rigour and scientific credentials of the emerging discipline of 'improvement science'. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

On the contribution of motor planning to the retroactive cuing benefit in working memory: Evidence by mu and beta oscillatory activity in the EEG.

PubMed

Schneider, Daniel; Barth, Anna; Wascher, Edmund

2017-11-15

Attention can be allocated toward mental representations in working memory also after the initial encoding of information has been completed. It was shown that focusing on only one item within working memory transfers this representation into a protected state, reducing its susceptibility to interference by incoming signals. The present study investigated the nature of this retroactive cue (retro-cue) benefit by means of oscillatory activity in the EEG. In a working memory task with a retro-cue indicating one, two or three memory representations as relevant and a block-wise distractor display presented after the retro-cue, participants had to remember the orientation of a colored bar. On behavioral level, we found that the interfering effect of the distractor display on memory performance could be prevented when a retro-cue reduced the number of attended representations in working memory. However, only the one-item retro-cue led to an overall increase in task performance compared to a condition without a retro-cue. The neural basis of this special representational status was investigated by means of oscillatory parameters in the EEG and a clustering approach on level of the independent components (ICs) in the signal. The retroactive reduction of attended working memory representations was reflected in a suppression of alpha power over right parietal and parieto-occipital sites. In addition, we found that an IC cluster representing oscillatory activity in the mu/beta range (10-12 Hz and 20-24 Hz) with a source in sensorimotor cortex revealed a power suppression already prior to the memory probe following the one-item retro-cue. This suggests that the retro-cue benefit results in large parts from the possibility to focus attention on one particular item in working memory and initiate motor planning processes already ahead of the probe stimulus indicating the respective response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current sheet formation in a sheared force-free-magnetic field. [in sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfson, Richard

1989-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study showing how continuous shearing motion of magnetic footpoints in a tenuous, infinitely conducting plasma can lead to the development of current sheets, despite the absence of such sheets or even of neutral points in the initial state. The calculations discussed here verify the earlier suggestion by Low and Wolfson (1988) that extended current sheets should form due to the shearing of a force-free quadrupolar magnetic field. More generally, this work augments earlier studies suggesting that the appearance of discontinuities - current sheets - may be a necessary consequence of the topological invariance imposed on the magnetic field geometry of an ideal MHD system by virtue of its infinite conductivity. In the context of solar physics, the work shows how the gradual and continuous motion of magnetic footpoints at the solar photosphere may lead to the buildup of magnetic energy that can then be released explosively when finite conductivity effects become important and lead to the rapid dissipation of current sheets. Such energy release may be important in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other eruptive events.

A Qualitative Analysis of the Effects of Depression and Antidepressants on Physical and Work Functioning among ART Clients in Uganda

PubMed Central

Ngo, Victoria K.; Wagner, Glenn J.; Huynh, Alexis; Ryan, Gery; Musisi, Seggane

2013-01-01

Depression is common among people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, little is known about how depression influences physical health and socioeconomic well-being in the context of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Semi-structured interviews with 40 adult HIV clients receiving ART in Uganda were conducted to assess experiences prior to and after HIV diagnosis and initiation of ART. Content analysis revealed themes that were suggestive of the following patterns: 1) functioning decreased after patients were diagnosed with HIV, but improved following ART, 2) depression is associated with lower physical health functioning and work status levels after both HIV diagnosis and ART, and 3) antidepressant medication is associated with better functioning compared to depressed patients not receiving depression treatment. These findings suggest that depression plays a role in the deleterious effects of HIV on functioning, and that antidepressant treatment provided alongside ART may serve to help individuals regain functioning, particularly employment. These findings highlight the potential value of integrating depression treatment into HIV care. PMID:23442495

Women's health, HIV/AIDS and the workplace in South Africa.

PubMed

Sprague, Courtenay

2008-11-01

This work explores the connections between gender inequality, HIV/AIDS and women's health in the world of work in South Africa. These connections are located within a context of significant reversals in development, specifically declining life expectancy and premature mortality for South Africans - particularly for women. By relying on the existing literature and interviews with 33 key informants, the paper examines the extent to which South African workplaces are recognising women's social and biological vulnerability to HIV. In particular, the paper considers the potential role of the workplace in responding to growing evidence that links gender and health by establishing targeted HIV/AIDS interventions. The findings suggest that the vast majority of company representatives do not recognise women's social and biological vulnerability and related social norms vis-à-vis HIV and AIDS. Importantly, most workplaces are not initiating programmes that specifically address women's or men's health. The author briefly identifies factors that may help explain the current state of knowledge and practice in the realm of HIV and women's health in the workplace, and puts forward suggestions for future research.

Blue colour preference in honeybees distracts visual attention for learning closed shapes.

PubMed

Morawetz, Linde; Svoboda, Alexander; Spaethe, Johannes; Dyer, Adrian G

2013-10-01

Spatial vision is an important cue for how honeybees (Apis mellifera) find flowers, and previous work has suggested that spatial learning in free-flying bees is exclusively mediated by achromatic input to the green photoreceptor channel. However, some data suggested that bees may be able to use alternative channels for shape processing, and recent work shows conditioning type and training length can significantly influence bee learning and cue use. We thus tested the honeybees' ability to discriminate between two closed shapes considering either absolute or differential conditioning, and using eight stimuli differing in their spectral characteristics. Consistent with previous work, green contrast enabled reliable shape learning for both types of conditioning, but surprisingly, we found that bees trained with appetitive-aversive differential conditioning could additionally use colour and/or UV contrast to enable shape discrimination. Interestingly, we found that a high blue contrast initially interferes with bee shape learning, probably due to the bees innate preference for blue colours, but with increasing experience bees can learn a variety of spectral and/or colour cues to facilitate spatial learning. Thus, the relationship between bee pollinators and the spatial and spectral cues that they use to find rewarding flowers appears to be a more rich visual environment than previously thought.

Police-Related Experiences and HIV Risk Among Female Sex Workers in Andhra Pradesh, India

PubMed Central

Reed, Elizabeth; Blankenship, Kim M.

2011-01-01

Research suggests experiences with police are related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sexual risk among women working as sex workers. However, little is known about the links between specific police-related behaviors and HIV vulnerability. We examine whether 5 police-related experiences are associated with measures of HIV risk and violence among a sample of female sex workers (FSWs) in Andhra Pradesh, India, and consider the implications for HIV prevention. FSWs at least 18 years of age (n = 835) were recruited through respondent-driven sampling for a cross-sectional survey conducted as part of Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative. Using logistic regression models adjusted for age, age at start of sex work, and sex work venue, we assessed police-related experiences reported by FSWs in relation to HIV risk behaviors and violence. Results showed having sex with police to avoid trouble, giving gifts to police to avoid trouble, having police take condoms away, experiencing a workplace raid, and being arrested were associated with sexually transmitted infection symptoms, inconsistent condom use, acceptance of more money for sex without a condom, and experience of client violence. These findings suggest a need for interventions targeting police–FSW interactions to reduce HIV vulnerability among FSWs. PMID:22043036

Impulsive ankle push-off powers leg swing in human walking.

PubMed

Lipfert, Susanne W; Günther, Michael; Renjewski, Daniel; Seyfarth, Andre

2014-04-15

Rapid unloading and a peak in power output of the ankle joint have been widely observed during push-off in human walking. Model-based studies hypothesize that this push-off causes redirection of the body center of mass just before touch-down of the leading leg. Other research suggests that work done by the ankle extensors provides kinetic energy for the initiation of swing. Also, muscle work is suggested to power a catapult-like action in late stance of human walking. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the biomechanical process leading to this widely observed high power output of the ankle extensors. In our study, we use kinematic and dynamic data of human walking collected at speeds between 0.5 and 2.5 m s(-1) for a comprehensive analysis of push-off mechanics. We identify two distinct phases, which divide the push-off: first, starting with positive ankle power output, an alleviation phase, where the trailing leg is alleviated from supporting the body mass, and second, a launching phase, where stored energy in the ankle joint is released. Our results show a release of just a small part of the energy stored in the ankle joint during the alleviation phase. A larger impulse for the trailing leg than for the remaining body is observed during the launching phase. Here, the buckling knee joint inhibits transfer of power from the ankle to the remaining body. It appears that swing initiation profits from an impulsive ankle push-off resulting from a catapult without escapement.

Surface grafting of zwitterionic polymers onto dye doped AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles through surface-initiated ATRP for biological imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Liucheng; Liu, Xinhua; Liu, Meiying; Huang, Long; Xu, Dazhuang; Jiang, Ruming; Huang, Qiang; Wen, Yuanqing; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-10-01

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes have recently been intensively explored for biological imaging applications owing to their outstanding optical feature as compared with conventional organic dyes. The AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSNPs) are expected to combine the advantages both of silica nanoparticles and AIE-active dyes. Although the AIE-active LSNPs have been prepared previously, surface modification of these AIE-active LSNPs with functional polymers has not been reported thus far. In this work, we reported a rather facile and general strategy for preparation of polymers functionalized AIE-active LSNPs through the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The AIE-active LSNPs were fabricated via direct encapsulation of AIE-active dye into silica nanoparticles through a non-covalent modified Stöber method. The ATRP initiator was subsequently immobilized onto these AIE-active LSNPs through amidation reaction between 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy-silane and 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. Finally, the zwitterionic 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was selected as model monomer and grafted onto MSNs through ATRP. The characterization results suggested that LSNPs can be successfully modified with poly(MPC) through surface-initiated ATRP. The biological evaluation results demonstrated that the final SNPs-AIE-pMPC composites possess low cytotoxicity, desirable optical properties and great potential for biological imaging. Taken together, we demonstrated that AIE-active LSNPs can be fabricated and surface modified with functional polymers to endow novel functions and better performance for biomedical applications. More importantly, this strategy developed in this work could also be extended for fabrication of many other LSNPs polymer composites owing to the good monomer adoptability of ATRP.

Worklife Improvement and Leadership Development study: a learning experience in leadership development and "planned" organizational change.

PubMed

Cummings, Greta G; Spiers, Judith A; Sharlow, Janice; Germann, Paula; Yurtseven, Ozden; Bhatti, Aslam

2013-01-01

In response to increasing recognition of the importance of quality health care work environments, the Alberta Cancer Board initiated a province-wide leadership development program to plan for organizational change through a series of stages. In 2004, the Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) was implemented to facilitate organizational learning using a cohort-based leadership intervention based on a communities of practice framework. The aim of the Worklife Improvement and Leadership Development study was to examine both the outcomes and experiences of participants of the LDI program to better understand leadership development, implementation, and its impact on worklife quality among 5 cohorts of health care managers and staff at the Alberta Cancer Board. This study used both structured survey and interview methods, using a pretest-intervention-posttest quasi-experiment without a control group design, to assess the effects of LDI on worklife of leaders and staff. Surveys included the Leadership Practices Inventory and Areas of Worklife Scale, which looked at meaningfulness of work and organizational engagement. Interviews and focus group data provided a more detailed description of the experience of leadership development and perceptions of organizational worklife. The study revealed layers of information about the complexity of individual and collective leadership in a cohort-based design, perceptions of leadership initiatives, organizational worklife, and planned organizational change. Our findings suggest that early changes in how leaders reflected on their own skills and practices (Leading Self) were positive; however, growing disengagement as the LDI continued was evident in the focus group data, particularly when change in behavior of others was not perceived to be evident. To support the effectiveness and success of a leadership initiative, managers and administrators need to implement strategies designed to help leaders grow and cope with ongoing flux of organizational change and stagnation.

Work stress, asthma control and asthma-specific quality of life: Initial evidence from a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hartmann, Bettina; Leucht, Verena; Loerbroks, Adrian

2017-03-01

Research has suggested that psychological stress is positively associated with asthma morbidity. One major source of stress in adulthood is one's occupation. However, to date, potential links of work stress with asthma control or asthma-specific quality of life have not been examined. We aimed to address this knowledge gap. In 2014/2015, we conducted a cross-sectional study among adults with asthma in Germany (n = 362). For the current analyses that sample was restricted to participants in employment and reporting to have never been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 94). Work stress was operationalized by the 16-item effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, which measures the subcomponents "effort", "reward" and "overcommitment." Participants further completed the Asthma Control Test and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire-Sydney. Multivariable associations were quantified by linear regression and logistic regression. Effort, reward and their ratio (i.e. ERI ratio) did not show meaningful associations with asthma morbidity. By contrast, increasing levels of overcommitment were associated with poorer asthma control and worse quality of life in both linear regression (ß = -0.26, p = 0.01 and ß = 0.44, p < 0.01, respectively) and logistic regression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14-3.07 and OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.32-4.15, respectively). The present study provides initial evidence of a positive relationship of work-related overcommitment with asthma control and asthma-specific quality of life. Longitudinal studies with larger samples are needed to confirm our findings and to disentangle the potential causality of associations.

Neuropeptide Regulation of Fear and Anxiety: Implications of Cholecystokinin, Endogenous Opioids, and Neuropeptide Y

PubMed Central

Bowers, Mallory E.; Choi, Dennis C.; Ressler, Kerry J.

2012-01-01

The neural circuitry of fear likely underlies anxiety and fear-related disorders such as specific and social phobia, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The primary pharmacological treatments currently utilized for these disorders include benzodiazepines, which act on the GABAergic receptor system, and antidepressants, which modulate the monamine systems. However, recent work on the regulation of fear neural circuitry suggests that specific neuropeptide modulation of this system is of critical importance. Recent reviews have examined the roles of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis neuropeptides as well as the roles of neurotrophic factors in regulating fear. The present review, instead, will focus on three neuropeptide systems which have received less attention in recent years but which are clearly involved in regulating fear and its extinction. The endogenous opioid system, particularly activating the μ opioid receptors, has been demonstrated to regulate fear expression and extinction, possibly through functioning as an error signal within the amygdala to mark unreinforced conditioned stimuli. The cholecystokinin (CCK) system initially led to much excitement through its potential role in panic disorder. More recent work in the CCK neuropeptide pathway suggests that it may act in concordance with the endogenous cannabinoid system in the modulation of fear inhibition and extinction. Finally, older as well as very recent data suggests that neuropeptide Y (NPY) may play a very interesting role in counteracting stress effects, enhancing extinction, and enhancing resilience in fear and stress preclinical models. Future work in understanding the mechanisms of neuropeptide functioning, particularly within well-known behavioral circuits, are likely to provide fascinating new clues into the understanding of fear behavior as well as suggesting novel therapeutics for treating disorders of anxiety and fear dysregulation. PMID:22429904

Quality and consumer decision making in the market for health insurance and health care services.

PubMed

Kolstad, Jonathan T; Chernew, Michael E

2009-02-01

This article reviews the literature relating quality to consumer choice of health plan or health care provider. Evidence suggests that consumers tend to choose better performing health plans and providers and are responsive to initiatives that provide quality information. The response to quality and quality information differs significantly among consumers and across population subgroups. As such the effect of quality information on choice is apparent in only a relatively small, though perhaps consequential, number of consumers. Despite the wealth of findings on the topic to date, the authors suggest directions for future work, including better assessment of the dynamic issues related to information release, as well as a better understanding of how the response to information varies across different groups of patients.

ICT and Initial Teacher Education: National Policies. OECD Education Working Papers, Number 61

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizza, Caroline

2011-01-01

This working paper aims to give an overview of the national policies that exist in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) and initial teacher education. Information on this topic was initially gathered via a survey, in the form of a country questionnaire, which was conducted as part of the analytical strand of the the…

40 CFR 63.7735 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7735 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me? (a) For each iron and steel...-consumer automotive body scrap, post-consumer engine blocks, post-consumer oil filters, oily turnings, lead...

40 CFR 63.7735 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7735 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me? (a) For each iron and steel...-consumer automotive body scrap, post-consumer engine blocks, post-consumer oil filters, oily turnings, lead...

40 CFR 63.7735 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7735 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me? (a) For each iron and steel...-consumer automotive body scrap, post-consumer engine blocks, post-consumer oil filters, oily turnings, lead...

40 CFR 63.7735 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7735 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me? (a) For each iron and steel foundry... automotive body scrap, post-consumer engine blocks, post-consumer oil filters, oily turnings, lead components...

40 CFR 63.7735 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Initial Compliance Requirements § 63.7735 How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me? (a) For each iron and steel...-consumer automotive body scrap, post-consumer engine blocks, post-consumer oil filters, oily turnings, lead...

Investigation of Room Temperature Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Initial Permeability Properties of Al3+ Substituted Cobalt Ferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandit, Rabia; Kaur, Pawanpreet; Sharma, K. K.; Hashim, Mohd.; Kumar, Ravi

In the present work, Al3+ substituted cobalt ferrites (CoFe2‑xAlxO4, x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) have been synthesized via standard solid-state reaction technique. The incorporation of Al3+ ions in cobalt ferrite has been shown to play an important role in modifying the magnetic properties. The room temperature (300K) 57Fe Mössbauer spectra reveals that the studied samples show two characteristic ferromagnetic zeeman sextets at A and B-sites at lower Al3+ ion concentration (i.e., up to x=0.4). However, a paramagnetic relaxation has been noted for higher Al3+ substitution (for x=0.6 and 0.8) samples. The dependence of the Mössbauer parameters such as isomer shift, quadrupole splitting, line width and magnetic hyperfine field on Al3+ ion concentration has also been noted. The variations in initial permeability over a wide frequency range (125kHz to 30MHz) at 300K have been recorded. The fairly constant values of initial permeability and the low values of the relative loss factor of the order of 10‑4 to 10‑5 over the wide frequency range are the important findings of the present work. The observed low values of relative loss factor at high frequencies suggest that the studied ferrites are promising materials to be used in microwave applications.

Landscape of Innovation for Cardiovascular Pharmaceuticals: From Basic Science to New Molecular Entities.

PubMed

Beierlein, Jennifer M; McNamee, Laura M; Walsh, Michael J; Kaitin, Kenneth I; DiMasi, Joseph A; Ledley, Fred D

2017-07-01

This study examines the complete timelines of translational science for new cardiovascular therapeutics from the initiation of basic research leading to identification of new drug targets through clinical development and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of new molecular entities (NMEs) based on this research. This work extends previous studies by examining the association between the growth of research on drug targets and approval of NMEs associated with these targets. Drawing on research on innovation in other technology sectors, where technological maturity is an important determinant in the success or failure of new product development, an analytical model was used to characterize the growth of research related to the known targets for all 168 approved cardiovascular therapeutics. Categorizing and mapping the technological maturity of cardiovascular therapeutics reveal that (1) there has been a distinct transition from phenotypic to targeted methods for drug discovery, (2) the durations of clinical and regulatory processes were significantly influenced by changes in FDA practice, and (3) the longest phase of the translational process was the time required for technology to advance from initiation of research to a statistically defined established point of technology maturation (mean, 30.8 years). This work reveals a normative association between metrics of research maturation and approval of new cardiovascular therapeutics and suggests strategies for advancing translational science by accelerating basic and applied research and improving the synchrony between the maturation of this research and drug development initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

The longitudinal course of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: an examination of data from premorbid through posttreatment phases of illness.

PubMed

Keefe, Richard S E

2014-01-01

Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia that is present across the course of the illness. However, due to complexities of studying cognitive decline in patients prior to the onset of illness, the longitudinal course is not fully understood. The cognitive effects in patients with schizophrenia are robust, with a 1.5 to 2.5 standard deviation gap between patients and healthy controls on composite scores. People with schizophrenia manifest a prior history of cognitive impairment in the premorbid phases of the illness. Examination of school records suggests that children who will eventually develop schizophrenia begin school at a level of functioning that is a full grade behind their peers, with the gap increasing by the time they finish high school. Epidemiologic work suggests that there are both static cognitive impairments and developmental lags in these patients during childhood, well before the illness is fully manifest. Although there was initial promise of improved cognitive function with second-generation antipsychotic treatment, more recent studies have suggested no differences among antipsychotics, with the initial appearance of improvement very likely attributable to practice effects, inappropriate medication dosing, and poor study design. Two large, prominent studies evaluating first- and second-generation antipsychotics suggested that, although there was slight to modest improvement in cognitive function for all treatments, there were no differences among medications, regardless of the generation of the agents. In summary, patients who develop schizophrenia, on average, demonstrate cognitive impairment beginning as early as the first grade, with deterioration seen across school years. Further, these patients had substantial cognitive deficits after the initiation of psychosis. Finally, while antipsychotic treatment improves symptoms, antipsychotics have little impact on cognition, and there appear to be no differences in the degree of cognitive improvement between first- and second-generation agents. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

A new strategy toward Internet of Things: structural health monitoring using a combined fiber optic and acoustic emission wireless sensor platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, A. D.; Page, C.; Wilson, C. L.

2016-04-01

This paper investigates a new low-power structural health monitoring (SHM) strategy where fiber Bragg grating (FBG) rosettes can be used to continuously monitor for changes in a host structure's principal strain direction, suggesting damage and thus enabling the immediate triggering of a higher power acoustic emissions (AE) sensor to provide for better characterization of the damage. Unlike traditional "always on" AE platforms, this strategy has the potential for low power, while the wireless communication between different sensor types supports the Internet of Things (IoT) approach. A combination of fiber-optic sensor rosettes for strain monitoring and a fiber-optic sensor for acoustic emissions monitoring was attached to a sample and used to monitor crack initiation. The results suggest that passive principal strain direction monitoring could be used as a damage initiation trigger for other active sensing elements such as acoustic emissions. In future work, additional AE sensors can be added to provide for damage location; and a strategy where these sensors can be powered on periodically to further establish reliability while preserving an energy efficient scheme can be incorporated.

Regulation of Mih1/Cdc25 by protein phosphatase 2A and casein kinase 1

PubMed Central

Pal, Gayatri; Paraz, Maria T.Z.; Kellogg, Douglas R.

2008-01-01

The Cdc25 phosphatase promotes entry into mitosis by removing cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) inhibitory phosphorylation. Previous work suggested that Cdc25 is activated by Cdk1 in a positive feedback loop promoting entry into mitosis; however, it has remained unclear how the feedback loop is initiated. To learn more about the mechanisms that regulate entry into mitosis, we have characterized the function and regulation of Mih1, the budding yeast homologue of Cdc25. We found that Mih1 is hyperphosphorylated early in the cell cycle and is dephosphorylated as cells enter mitosis. Casein kinase 1 is responsible for most of the hyperphosphorylation of Mih1, whereas protein phosphatase 2A associated with Cdc55 dephosphorylates Mih1. Cdk1 appears to directly phosphorylate Mih1 and is required for initiation of Mih1 dephosphorylation as cells enter mitosis. Collectively, these observations suggest that Mih1 regulation is achieved by a balance of opposing kinase and phosphatase activities. Because casein kinase 1 is associated with sites of polar growth, it may regulate Mih1 as part of a signaling mechanism that links successful completion of growth-related events to cell cycle progression. PMID:18316413

Amyloidogenic Regions and Interaction Surfaces Overlap in Globular Proteins Related to Conformational Diseases

PubMed Central

Castillo, Virginia; Ventura, Salvador

2009-01-01

Protein aggregation underlies a wide range of human disorders. The polypeptides involved in these pathologies might be intrinsically unstructured or display a defined 3D-structure. Little is known about how globular proteins aggregate into toxic assemblies under physiological conditions, where they display an initially folded conformation. Protein aggregation is, however, always initiated by the establishment of anomalous protein-protein interactions. Therefore, in the present work, we have explored the extent to which protein interaction surfaces and aggregation-prone regions overlap in globular proteins associated with conformational diseases. Computational analysis of the native complexes formed by these proteins shows that aggregation-prone regions do frequently overlap with protein interfaces. The spatial coincidence of interaction sites and aggregating regions suggests that the formation of functional complexes and the aggregation of their individual subunits might compete in the cell. Accordingly, single mutations affecting complex interface or stability usually result in the formation of toxic aggregates. It is suggested that the stabilization of existing interfaces in multimeric proteins or the formation of new complexes in monomeric polypeptides might become effective strategies to prevent disease-linked aggregation of globular proteins. PMID:19696882

When is giving an impulse? An ERP investigation of intuitive prosocial behavior

PubMed Central

Aknin, Lara B.; Liotti, Mario

2016-01-01

Human prosociality is often assumed to emerge from exerting reflective control over initial, selfish impulses. However, recent findings suggest that prosocial actions can also stem from processes that are fast, automatic and intuitive. Here, we attempt to clarify when prosocial behavior may be intuitive by examining prosociality as a form of reward seeking. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we explored whether a neural signature that rapidly encodes the motivational salience of an event—the P300—can predict intuitive prosocial motivation. Participants allocated varying amounts of money between themselves and charities they initially labelled as high- or low-empathy targets under conditions that promoted intuitive or reflective decision making. Consistent with our predictions, P300 amplitude over centroparietal regions was greater when giving involved high-empathy targets than low-empathy targets, but only when deciding under intuitive conditions. Reflective conditions, alternatively, elicited an earlier frontocentral positivity related to response inhibition, regardless of target. Our findings suggest that during prosocial decision making, larger P300 amplitude could (i) signal intuitive prosocial motivation and (ii) predict subsequent engagement in prosocial behavior. This work offers novel insight into when prosociality may be driven by intuitive processes and the roots of such behaviors. PMID:26084530

The 9-1-1 DNA Clamp Is Required for Immunoglobulin Gene Conversion▿

PubMed Central

Saberi, Alihossein; Nakahara, Makoto; Sale, Julian E.; Kikuchi, Koji; Arakawa, Hiroshi; Buerstedde, Jean-Marie; Yamamoto, Kenichi; Takeda, Shunichi; Sonoda, Eiichiro

2008-01-01

Chicken DT40 cells deficient in the 9-1-1 checkpoint clamp exhibit hypersensitivity to a variety of DNA-damaging agents. Although recent work suggests that, in addition to its role in checkpoint activation, this complex may play a role in homologous recombination and translesion synthesis, the cause of this hypersensitivity has not been studied thoroughly. The immunoglobulin locus of DT40 cells allows monitoring of homologous recombination and translesion synthesis initiated by activation-induced deaminase (AID)-dependent abasic sites. We show that both the RAD9−/− and RAD17−/− mutants exhibit substantially reduced immunoglobulin gene conversion. However, the level of nontemplated immunoglobulin point mutation increased in these mutants, a finding that is reminiscent of the phenotype resulting from the loss of RAD51 paralogs or Brca2. This suggests that the 9-1-1 complex does not play a central role in translesion synthesis in this context. Despite reduced immunoglobulin gene conversion, the RAD9−/− and RAD17−/− cells do not exhibit a prominent defect in double-strand break-induced gene conversion or a sensitivity to camptothecin. This suggests that the roles of Rad9 and Rad17 may be confined to a subset of homologous recombination reactions initiated by replication-stalling lesions rather than those associated with double-strand break repair. PMID:18662998

40 CFR 63.7327 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks Initial Compliance... me? (a) For each by-product coke oven battery with vertical flues subject to the work practice...-product coke oven battery with horizontal flues subject to the work practice standards for fugitive...

40 CFR 63.7327 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks Initial Compliance... me? (a) For each by-product coke oven battery with vertical flues subject to the work practice...-product coke oven battery with horizontal flues subject to the work practice standards for fugitive...

40 CFR 63.7327 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks Initial Compliance... me? (a) For each by-product coke oven battery with vertical flues subject to the work practice...-product coke oven battery with horizontal flues subject to the work practice standards for fugitive...

40 CFR 63.7327 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the work practice standards that apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Hazardous Air Pollutants for Coke Ovens: Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stacks Initial Compliance... me? (a) For each by-product coke oven battery with vertical flues subject to the work practice...-product coke oven battery with horizontal flues subject to the work practice standards for fugitive...

Going Further: A Roadmap to the Works of the ACCLAIM Research Initiative. Working Paper No. 42

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Zach; Howley, Craig

2012-01-01

"Going Further" presents a roadmap to the works of the ACCLAIM (Appalachian Collaborative Center for Learning, Assessment, and Instruction in Mathematics) Research Initiative, the research effort of one the Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLTs) created with a grant (2001-2005) from the National Science Foundation. The Center began…

Experimental investigation on the development characteristics of initial electrons in a gas pressurized closing switch under DC voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rongxiao, ZHAI; Mengtong, QIU; Weixi, LUO; Peitian, CONG; Tao, HUANG; Jiahui, YIN; Tianyang, ZHANG

2018-04-01

As one of the most important elements in linear transformer driver (LTD) based systems, the gas pressurized closing switches are required to operate with a very low prefire probability during the DC-charging process to ensure reliable operation and stable output of the whole pulsed power system. The most direct and effective way to control the prefire probability is to select a suitable working coefficient. The study of the development characteristics of the initially generated electrons is useful for optimizing the working coefficient and improving the prefire characteristic of the switches. In this paper an ultraviolet pulsed laser is used to generate initial electrons inside the gap volume. A current measuring system is used to measure the time-dependent current generated by the growth of the initial electrons so as to study the development characteristics of the electrons under different working coefficients. Experimental results show that the development characteristics of the initial electrons are influenced obviously by the working coefficient. With the increase of the working coefficient, the development degree of the electrons increases consequently. At the same times, there is a threshold of working coefficient which produces the effect of ionization on electrons. The range of the threshold has a slow growth but remains close to 65% with the gas pressure increase. When the working coefficient increases further, γ processes are starting to be generated inside the gap volume. In addition, an optimal working coefficient beneficial for improving the prefire characteristic is indicated and further tested.

Chemical perturbation of an intrinsically disordered region of TFIID distinguishes two modes of transcription initiation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhengjian; Boskovic, Zarko; Hussain, Mahmud M; Hu, Wenxin; Inouye, Carla; Kim, Han-Je; Abole, A Katherine; Doud, Mary K; Lewis, Timothy A; Koehler, Angela N; Schreiber, Stuart L; Tjian, Robert

2015-01-01

Intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPs/IDRs) are proteins or peptide segments that fail to form stable 3-dimensional structures in the absence of partner proteins. They are abundant in eukaryotic proteomes and are often associated with human diseases, but their biological functions have been elusive to study. In this study, we report the identification of a tin(IV) oxochloride-derived cluster that binds an evolutionarily conserved IDR within the metazoan TFIID transcription complex. Binding arrests an isomerization of promoter-bound TFIID that is required for the engagement of Pol II during the first (de novo) round of transcription initiation. However, the specific chemical probe does not affect reinitiation, which requires the re-entry of Pol II, thus, mechanistically distinguishing these two modes of transcription initiation. This work also suggests a new avenue for targeting the elusive IDRs by harnessing certain features of metal-based complexes for mechanistic studies, and for the development of novel pharmaceutical interventions. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07777.001 PMID:26314865

Neuropsychological sequelae of work-stress-related exhaustion.

PubMed

Österberg, Kai; Skogsliden, Sofia; Karlson, Björn

2014-01-01

The aim was to assess long-term cognitive performance after substantial recovery from work-stress-related exhaustion, in relation to subjective cognitive complaints and return to active work. In total, 54 patients previously diagnosed with work-stress-related exhaustion participated in a neuropsychological examination ∼2 years after initial sick leave. Most participants were substantially recovered at follow-up, with only 13% still meeting the criteria for exhaustion disorder suggested by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. When participants' scores on 14 neuropsychological tests were compared to a matched group of 50 controls, the former patient group showed lower performance mainly on attention tests of the reaction time type, but also slightly lower scores on visuo-spatial constructional ability. However, the former patient group performed better than controls on two memory tests and, in part, on a test of simultaneous capacity. Self-ratings of everyday cognitive problems remained significantly higher in the former patient group than among controls, but the extent of self-rated cognitive problems was generally unrelated to performance on the neuropsychological tests. No relationship between performance on these tests and the extent of work resumption was observed. In summary, persons with previous work-stress-related exhaustion showed persistent signs of a minor attention deficit, despite considerable general recovery and return to work.

Chronic Stress Impairs Prefrontal Cortex-Dependent Response Inhibition and Spatial Working Memory

PubMed Central

Mika, Agnieszka; Mazur, Gabriel J.; Hoffman, Ann N.; Talboom, Joshua S.; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A.; Sanabria, Federico; Conrad, Cheryl D.

2012-01-01

Chronic stress leads to neurochemical and structural alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that correspond to deficits in PFC-mediated behaviors. The present study examined the effects of chronic restraint stress on response inhibition (using a response-withholding task, fixed-minimum interval schedule of reinforcement, or FMI), and working memory (using a radial arm water maze, RAWM). Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were first trained on the RAWM and subsequently trained on FMI. Following acquisition of FMI, rats were assigned to a restraint stress (6h/d/28d in wire mesh restrainers) or control condition. Immediately after chronic stress, rats were tested on FMI and subsequently on RAWM. FMI results suggest that chronic stress reduces response inhibition capacity and motivation to initiate the task on selective conditions when food reward was not obtained on the preceding trial. RAWM results suggest that chronic stress produces transient deficits in working memory without altering previously consolidated reference memory. Behavioral measures from FMI failed to correlate with metrics from RAWM except for one in which changes in FMI timing precision negatively correlated with changes in RAWM working memory errors for the controls, a finding that was not observed following chronic stress. Fisher’s r to z transformation revealed no significant differences between control and stress with correlation coefficients. These findings are the first to show that chronic stress impairs both response inhibition and working memory, two behaviors that have never been direct compared within the same animals following chronic stress, using FMI, an appetitive task, and RAWM, a non-appetitive task. PMID:22905921

What is the Meaning of the Physical Magnitude `Work'?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanderakis, Nikos

2014-06-01

Usually, in physics textbooks, the physical magnitude `work' is introduced as the product of a force multiplied by its displacement, in relation to the transfer of energy. In other words, `work' is presented as an internal affair of physics theory, while its relation to the world of experience, that is its empirical meaning, is missing. On the other hand, in the history of its creation, `work' was a concept that had empirical meaning from the start. It was constructed by engineers to measure the work (labor) of motor engines, men, and animals. Very soon however this initial meaning seems to vanish. In this article, it will be looked at how `work' is presented in physics textbooks, what was its initial meaning in the history of its formulation, under what circumstances this initial meaning faded, and how elements from the history of its creation can be used in the classroom to teach it.

Experiments with a Parallel Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm for Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Matthew; Johnston, Mark D.

2013-01-01

Evolutionary multi-objective algorithms have great potential for scheduling in those situations where tradeoffs among competing objectives represent a key requirement. One challenge, however, is runtime performance, as a consequence of evolving not just a single schedule, but an entire population, while attempting to sample the Pareto frontier as accurately and uniformly as possible. The growing availability of multi-core processors in end user workstations, and even laptops, has raised the question of the extent to which such hardware can be used to speed up evolutionary algorithms. In this paper we report on early experiments in parallelizing a Generalized Differential Evolution (GDE) algorithm for scheduling long-range activities on NASA's Deep Space Network. Initial results show that significant speedups can be achieved, but that performance does not necessarily improve as more cores are utilized. We describe our preliminary results and some initial suggestions from parallelizing the GDE algorithm. Directions for future work are outlined.

Hormonal regulation of metamorphosis and reproduction in ticks.

PubMed

Roe, R Michael; Donohue, Kevin V; Khalil, Sayed M S; Sonenshine, Daniel E

2008-05-01

The presence of a "status quo" hormone like JH has not been found in ticks. The most advanced understanding of tick endocrinology is associated with female reproduction, where the sequence of the first messages for storage proteins (vitellogenin (Vg) and carrier protein), the Vg receptor, and male peptidic pheromones were recently reported. The current consensus model suggests that ecdysteroids from the epidermis regulated by a putative peptidic ecdysiotrophic hormone from the synganlion initiates the expression of the Vg messages in fat body and midgut. Vg protein, secreted into the hemolymph, requires an ovary Vg receptor to be absorbed by oocytes. Male pheromones transferred into the female genital tract during mating initiate blood feeding to repletion and vitellogenesis. The work so far on tick endocrinology is limited by the paucity of identified hormones and the small number of studies on a few tick models. The role of storage proteins in the evolution of hematophagy is discussed.

On evading analysis by becoming an analyst.

PubMed

Meredith-Owen, William

2007-09-01

This paper considers what implications Bion's famous anecdote about 'some patients getting better and others going on to become psycho-analysts' might have in clinical practice. It explores key stages in the post-qualification analyses of three practitioners whose training analyses had left them qualified but restless and dissatisfied with their ongoing work. It suggests that a significant common factor in these unsatisfactory outcomes was the weakness of these analysands' egos, understood as their inability to enjoy coniunctios, and their profound fear of accessing the source of the problem. This had led to an unwitting investment in spurious super-ego driven alternatives such as professional qualification rather than face the initially bleak realization (of 'nameless dread') that could initiate analysis and individuation. Because of the containment and reward implicit in the training environment it is argued that training analysts--despite their experience and expertise--remain vulnerable to being recruited into an ameliorative fantasy that blocks the transference and inhibits development.

Benefits and Barriers of Implementation and Utilization of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Systems in Transfusion Medicine.

PubMed

Coustasse, Alberto; Cunningham, Brian; Deslich, Stacie; Willson, Eric; Meadows, Pamela

2015-01-01

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is used by hospital supply chains to track medical products and monitor inventories. Hospitals have also begun incorporating RFID technology as part of their transfusion processes. The purpose of this review was to analyze how healthcare organization supply chains can benefit from the utilization of RFID systems in transfusion service departments. The methodology for this study was a literature review following the steps of a systematic review with a total of 52 sources referenced. RFID technology is used to manage and track blood products from the initial donor phlebotomy to final disposition or product transfusion. RFID-enabled transfusion practices have successfully increased provider productivity and product quality through work-time reduction and error reduction. Findings of this research study suggest that RFID has provided improvements in quality of care and efficiency, while initial costs, security, and privacy appear to be the principal barriers to adoption.

Masculinized female yellow-bellied marmots initiate more social interactions.

PubMed

Monclús, Raquel; Cook, Taylor; Blumstein, Daniel T

2012-04-23

The presence of male siblings in utero influences female morphology and life-history traits because testosterone transferred among foetuses may masculinize females. Similarly, litter sex composition might alter the display of sexually dimorphic behaviour, such as play and allogrooming, since they are modulated by androgens. We explored whether masculinization alters the frequency of play and sociopositive behaviour in female yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). We found that masculinized juvenile females were more likely to initiate play and allogrooming, but yearling females exhibited higher levels of oestrogen-modulated sociopositive behaviours. Additionally, the more they interacted, the greater number of different partners they interacted with. Our results suggest that masculinization increases the rate of age-dependent social behaviour. This probably works by increasing exploration that predisposes individuals to higher encounter rates. Further support comes from previous findings showing that masculinized females were more likely to disperse. Our study stresses the importance of considering litter sex composition as a fitness modulator.

Initiation of Martian Outflow Channels: Related to the Dissociation of Gas Hydrate?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Max, Michael D.; Clifford, Stephen M.

2001-01-01

We propose that the disruption of subpermafrost aquifers on Mars by the thermal- or pressure-induced dissociation of methane hydrate may have been a frequent trigger for initiating outflow channel activity. This possibility is raised by recent work that suggests that significant amounts of methane and gas hydrate may have been produced within and beneath the planet's cryosphere. On Earth, the build-up of overpressured water and gas by the decomposition of hydrate deposits has been implicated in the formation of large blowout features on the ocean floor. These features display a remarkable resemblance (in both morphology and scale) to the chaotic terrain found at the source of many Martian channels. The destabilization of hydrate can generate pressures sufficient to disrupt aquifers confined by up to 5 kilometers of frozen ground, while smaller discharges may result from the water produced by the decomposition of near-surface hydrate alone.

Sorption and desorption of lead (II) from wastewater by green algae Cladophora fascicularis.

PubMed

Deng, Liping; Su, Yingying; Su, Hua; Wang, Xinting; Zhu, Xiaobin

2007-05-08

Biosorption is an effective method to remove heavy metals from wastewater. In this work, adsorption features of Cladophora fascicularis were investigated as a function of time, initial pH, initial Pb(II) concentrations, temperature and co-existing ions. Kinetics and equilibria were obtained from batch experiments. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order model. Adsorption equilibria were well described by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity was 198.5 mg/g at 298K and pH 5.0. The adsorption processes were endothermic and the biosorption heat was 29.6 kJ/mol. Desorption experiments indicated that 0.01 mol/L Na(2)EDTA was an efficient desorbent for the recovery of Pb(II) from biomass. IR spectrum analysis suggested amido or hydroxy, CO and C-O could combine intensively with Pb(II).

Global quasi-linearization (GQL) versus QSSA for a hydrogen-air auto-ignition problem.

PubMed

Yu, Chunkan; Bykov, Viatcheslav; Maas, Ulrich

2018-04-25

A recently developed automatic reduction method for systems of chemical kinetics, the so-called Global Quasi-Linearization (GQL) method, has been implemented to study and reduce the dimensions of a homogeneous combustion system. The results of application of the GQL and the Quasi-Steady State Assumption (QSSA) are compared. A number of drawbacks of the QSSA are discussed, i.e. the selection criteria of QSS-species and its sensitivity to system parameters, initial conditions, etc. To overcome these drawbacks, the GQL approach has been developed as a robust, automatic and scaling invariant method for a global analysis of the system timescale hierarchy and subsequent model reduction. In this work the auto-ignition problem of the hydrogen-air system is considered in a wide range of system parameters and initial conditions. The potential of the suggested approach to overcome most of the drawbacks of the standard approaches is illustrated.

Calculating the costs of work-based training: the case of NHS Cadet Schemes.

PubMed

Norman, Ian; Normand, Charles; Watson, Roger; Draper, Jan; Jowett, Sandra; Coster, Samantha

2008-09-01

The worldwide shortage of registered nurses [Buchan, J., Calman, L., 2004. The Global Shortage of Registered Nurses: An Overview of Issues And Actions. International Council of Nurses, Geneva] points to the need for initiatives which increase access to the profession, in particular, to those sections of the population who traditionally do not enter nursing. This paper reports findings on the costs associated with one such initiative, the British National Health Service (NHS) Cadet Scheme, designed to provide a mechanism for entry into nurse training for young people without conventional academic qualifications. The paper illustrates an approach to costing work-based learning interventions which offsets the value attributed to trainees' work against their training costs. To provide a preliminary evaluation of the cost of the NHS Cadet Scheme initiative. Questionnaire survey of the leaders of all cadet schemes in England (n=62, 100% response) in December 2002 to collect financial information and data on progression of cadets through the scheme, and a follow-up questionnaire survey of the same scheme leaders to improve the quality of information, which was completed in January 2004 (n=56, 59% response). The mean cost of producing a cadet to progress successfully through the scheme and onto a pre-registration nursing programme depends substantially on the value of their contribution to healthcare work during training and the progression rate of students through the scheme. The findings from this evaluation suggest that these factors varied very widely across the 62 schemes. Established schemes have, on average, lower attrition and higher progression rates than more recently established schemes. Using these rates, we estimate that on maturity, a cadet scheme will progress approximately 60% of students into pre-registration nurse training. As comparative information was not available from similar initiatives that provide access to nurse training, it was not possible to calculate the cost effectiveness of NHS Cadet Schemes. However, this study does show that those cadet schemes which have the potential to offer better value for money, are those where the progression rates are good and where the practical training of cadets is organised such that cadets meet the needs of patients which might otherwise have to be met by non-professionally qualified staff.

Healthcare Quality Improvement and 'work engagement'; concluding results from a national, longitudinal, cross-sectional study of the 'Productive Ward-Releasing Time to Care' Programme.

PubMed

White, Mark; Butterworth, Tony; Wells, John Sg

2017-08-01

Concerns about patient safety and reducing harm have led to a particular focus on initiatives that improve healthcare quality. However Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives have in the past typically faltered because they fail to fully engage healthcare professionals, resulting in apathy and resistance amongst this group of key stakeholders. Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care (PW) is a ward-based QI programme created to help ward-based teams redesign and streamline the way that they work; leaving more time to care for patients. PW is designed to engage and empower ward-based teams to improve the safety, quality and delivery of care. The main objective of this study was to explore whether PW sustains the 'engagement' of ward-based teams by examining the longitudinal effect that the national QI programme had on the 'work-engagement' of ward-based teams in Ireland. Utilising the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale questionnaire (UWES-17), we surveyed nine PW (intervention) sites from typical acute Medical/Surgical, Rehabilitation and Elderly services (representing the entire cohort of a national phase of PW implementation in Ireland) and a cohort of matched control sites. The numbers surveyed from the PW group at T1 (up to 3 months after commencing the programme) totalled 253 ward-team members and 249 from the control group. At T2 (12 months later), the survey was repeated with 233 ward-team members from the PW sites and 236 from the control group. Overall findings demonstrated that those involved in the QI initiative had higher 'engagement' scores at T1 and T2 in comparison to the control group. Total 'engagement' score (TES), and its 3 dimensions, were all significantly higher in the PW group at T1, but only the Vigour dimension remained significantly higher at T2 (p = 0.006). Our results lend some support to the assertions of the PW initiative itself and suggest that when compared to a control group, ward-based teams involved in the QI programme are more likely to be 'engaged' by it and its associated improvement activities and that this is maintained over time. However, only the Vigour dimension of 'engagement' remained significantly higher in the PW over time.

The impact of poor psychosocial work environment on non-work-related sickness absence.

PubMed

Catalina-Romero, C; Sainz, J C; Pastrana-Jiménez, J I; García-Diéguez, N; Irízar-Muñoz, I; Aleixandre-Chiva, J L; Gonzalez-Quintela, A; Calvo-Bonacho, E

2015-08-01

We aimed to analyse the impact of psychosocial work environment on non-work-related sickness absence (NWRSA) among a prospective cohort study, stratified using a random sampling technique. Psychosocial variables were assessed among 15,643 healthy workers using a brief version of the Spanish adaptation of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. A one year follow-up assessed the total count of NWRSA days. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used for multivariate analyses. After adjusting for covariates, low levels of job control and possibilities for development (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.01-1.36 [men]; OR: 1.39 95% CI: 1.09-1.77 [women]), poor social support and quality of leadership (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11-1.50 [men]; OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.01-1.63 [women]), and poor rewards (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.14-1.57 [men]; OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.01-1.66 [women]) predicted a total count of sickness absence greater than zero, in both men and women. Double presence was also significantly associated with NWRSA different than 0, but only among women (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.08-1.81). Analyses found no association between psychosocial risk factors at work and the total count (i.e., number of days) of sickness absences. The results suggest that work-related psychosocial factors may increase the likelihood of initiating an NWRSA episode, but were not associated with the length of the sickness absence episode. Among our large cohort we observed that some associations were gender-dependent, suggesting that future research should consider gender when designing psychosocial interventions aimed at decreasing sickness absences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intensive working memory training: a single case experimental design in a patient following hypoxic brain damage.

PubMed

Hynes, S M; Fish, J; Manly, T

2014-01-01

Recent reports suggest that intensive, progressive training on working memory tasks can lead to generalized cognitive gains. A patient, following hypoxic brain damage, showed significant difficulties in working memory and time-perception. This study examined the impact and specificity of any benefits resulting from automated working memory training (AWMT) in comparison with the effects of an equivalent programme that emphasized automated novel problem-solving (APST) which served as an active control. Following initial assessment, the patient trained for 4 weeks (20 days), 20-30 minutes a day on the APST tasks before repeating key outcome measures. He then trained for an identical period on AWMT. There were no cognitive gains apparent following APST. Furthermore, there were no disproportionate gains on digit span following AWMT. AWMT was, however, associated with improvement in time-perception that had previously been resistant to rehabilitation. In line with previous reports, AWMT was also followed by gains on a measure of planning. The results provide encouraging evidence that AWMT may have generalized benefits in the context of impaired WM capacity following brain injury.

Electrical and chemical interactions at Mars Workshop, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The Electrical and Chemical Interactions at Mars Workshop, hosted by NASA Lewis Research Center on November 19 and 20, 1991, was held with the following objectives in mind: (1) to identify issues related to electrical and chemical interactions between systems and their local environments on Mars, and (2) to recommend means of addressing those issues, including the dispatch of robotic spacecraft to Mars to acquire necessary information. The workshop began with presentations about Mars' surface and orbital environments, Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) systems, environmental interactions, modeling and analysis, and plans for exploration. Participants were then divided into two working groups: one to examine the surface of Mars; and the other, the orbit of Mars. The working groups were to identify issues relating to environmental interactions; to state for each issue what is known and what new knowledge is needed; and to recommend ways to fulfill the need. Issues were prioritized within each working group using the relative severity of effects as a criterion. Described here are the two working groups' contributions. A bibliography of materials used during the workshop and suggested reference materials is included.

Post-conflict affiliation as conflict management in captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Chisato; Morisaka, Tadamichi; Furuta, Keisuke; Ishibashi, Toshiaki; Yoshida, Akihiko; Taki, Michihiro; Mori, Yoshihisa; Amano, Masao

2015-01-01

Post-conflict affiliation between former opponents or between one of the former opponents and bystanders might have the function of conflict management, which reduces the costs associated with aggressions. One of the suggested functions of post-conflict affiliation is decreased renewed aggressions directed from aggressors to victims. However, the effect of post-conflict affiliation on renewed aggressions by victims has not been investigated. We examined whether post-conflict affiliations decreased the number of renewed aggressions initiated by winners or losers in captive bottlenose dolphins. Both winners and losers initiated renewed aggressions. However, these aggressions decreased after post-conflict affiliation between former opponents, initiated by bystanders to winners, initiated by losers to bystanders, and initiated by bystanders to losers. Post-conflict affiliation between former opponents is suggested to function as reconciliation. Post–conflict affiliation initiated by losers to bystanders is suggested to function as the protection of losers. Post-conflict affiliations initiated by bystanders to one of former opponents are suggested to function as both appeasement and protection of the opponent who affiliates with bystanders. PMID:26392064

Post-conflict affiliation as conflict management in captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

PubMed

Yamamoto, Chisato; Morisaka, Tadamichi; Furuta, Keisuke; Ishibashi, Toshiaki; Yoshida, Akihiko; Taki, Michihiro; Mori, Yoshihisa; Amano, Masao

2015-09-22

Post-conflict affiliation between former opponents or between one of the former opponents and bystanders might have the function of conflict management, which reduces the costs associated with aggressions. One of the suggested functions of post-conflict affiliation is decreased renewed aggressions directed from aggressors to victims. However, the effect of post-conflict affiliation on renewed aggressions by victims has not been investigated. We examined whether post-conflict affiliations decreased the number of renewed aggressions initiated by winners or losers in captive bottlenose dolphins. Both winners and losers initiated renewed aggressions. However, these aggressions decreased after post-conflict affiliation between former opponents, initiated by bystanders to winners, initiated by losers to bystanders, and initiated by bystanders to losers. Post-conflict affiliation between former opponents is suggested to function as reconciliation. Post-conflict affiliation initiated by losers to bystanders is suggested to function as the protection of losers. Post-conflict affiliations initiated by bystanders to one of former opponents are suggested to function as both appeasement and protection of the opponent who affiliates with bystanders.

Contrast-enhanced [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography as an initial imaging modality in patients presenting with metastatic malignancy of undefined primary origin.

PubMed

Jain, Avani; Srivastava, Madhur Kumar; Pawaskar, Alok Suresh; Shelley, Simon; Elangovan, Indirani; Jain, Hasmukh; Pandey, Somnath; Kalal, Shilpa; Amalachandran, Jaykanth

2015-01-01

To evaluate the advantages of contrast enhanced F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-contrast enhanced CT [CECT]) when used as an initial imaging modality in patients presenting with metastatic malignancy of undefined primary origin (MUO). A total of 243 patients with fine needle aspiration cytology/biopsy proven MUO were included in this prospective study. Patients who were thoroughly evaluated for primary or primary tumor was detected by any other investigation were excluded from the analysis. Totally, 163 patients with pathological diagnosis of malignancy but no apparent sites of the primary tumor were finally selected for analysis. The site of probable primary malignancy suggested by PET-CECT was confirmed by biopsy/follow-up. PET-CECT suggested probable site of primary in 128/163 (78.52%) patients. In 30/35 remaining patients, primary tumor was not detected even after extensive work-up. In 5 patients, where PET-CECT was negative, primary was found on further extensive investigations or follow-up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the study were 95.76%, 66.67%, 88.28% and 85.71% respectively. F-18 FDG PET-CECT aptly serves the purpose of initial imaging modality owing to high sensitivity, negative and positive predictive value. PET-CECT not only surveys the whole body for the primary malignancy but also stages the disease accurately. Use of contrast improves the diagnostic utility of modality as well as help in staging of the primary tumor. Although benefits of using PET-CECT as initial diagnostic modality are obvious from this study, there is a need for a larger study comparing conventional methods for diagnosing primary in patients with MUO versus PET-CECT.

40 CFR Table 38 to Subpart Uuu of... - Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63 Protection of... Sulfur Recovery Units Pt. 63, Subpt. UUU, Table 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63—Initial Compliance...

40 CFR Table 38 to Subpart Uuu of... - Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63 Protection of... Sulfur Recovery Units Pt. 63, Subpt. UUU, Table 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63—Initial Compliance...

40 CFR Table 38 to Subpart Uuu of... - Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Initial Compliance With Work Practice Standards for HAP Emissions From Bypass Lines 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63 Protection of... Sulfur Recovery Units Pt. 63, Subpt. UUU, Table 38 Table 38 to Subpart UUU of Part 63—Initial Compliance...

Evaluation of a shared-work program for reducing assistance provided to supported workers with severe multiple disabilities.

PubMed

Parsons, Marsha B; Reid, Dennis H; Green, Carolyn W; Browning, Leah B; Hensley, Mary B

2002-01-01

Concern has been expressed recently regarding the need to enhance the performance of individuals with highly significant disabilities in community-based, supported jobs. We evaluated a shared-work program for reducing job coach assistance provided to three workers with severe multiple disabilities in a publishing company. Following systematic observations of the assistance provided as each worker worked on entire job tasks, steps comprising the tasks were then re-assigned across workers. The re-assignment involved assigning each worker only those task steps for which the respective worker received the least amount of assistance (e.g., re-assigning steps that a worker could not complete due to physical disabilities), and ensuring the entire tasks were still completed by combining steps performed by all three workers. The shared-work program was accompanied by reductions in job coach assistance provided to each worker. Work productivity of the supported workers initially decreased but then increased to a level equivalent to the higher ranges of baseline productivity. These results suggested that the shared-work program appears to represent a viable means of enhancing supported work performance of people with severe multiple disabilities in some types of community jobs. Future research needs discussed focus on evaluating shared-work approaches with other jobs, and developing additional community work models specifically for people with highly significant disabilities.

To work despite chronic health conditions: a qualitative study of workers at the Swedish Public Employment Service

PubMed Central

Hjärtström, Carina; Lindahl Norberg, Annika; Johansson, Gun; Bodin, Theo

2018-01-01

Objectives Achieving a sustainable, healthy and long working life is key prerequisite for meeting the demographic challenge posed by an ageing population so that more people can work on into their later years. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between work and chronic health conditions in a group of employees aged 50–64 years with a focus on factors that enable them to continue to work. Methods Ten white-collar workers with one or more chronic health conditions at the Swedish Public Employment Service participated in the study. A qualitative method with semistructured in-depth interviews was used to collect data. Results and conclusions This study shows that factors enabling people with chronic health conditions to work include adaptation of the work situation by task-shifting as well as provision of physical aids. Our study suggest that the changes often come at the employee’s initiative; hence, there is potential for greater involvement from the employer, healthcare agencies and the social insurance fund in making it easier for employees to adapt their work situation and in providing information regarding available support. It confirms findings in earlier studies that health plays an important part and also that self-confidence and motivation are significant factors contributing to workers being able and wanting to continue working. PMID:29678972

Generational sex work and HIV risk among Indigenous women in a street-based urban Canadian setting.

PubMed

Bingham, Brittany; Leo, Diane; Zhang, Ruth; Montaner, Julio; Shannon, Kate

2014-01-01

In Canada, Indigenous women are over-represented among new HIV infections and street-based sex workers. Scholars suggest that Aboriginal women's HIV risk stems from intergenerational effects of colonisation and racial policies. This research examined generational sex work involvement among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women and the effect on risk for HIV acquisition. The sample included 225 women in street-based sex work and enrolled in a community-based prospective cohort, in partnership with local sex work and Aboriginal community partners. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression modeled an independent relationship between Aboriginal ancestry and generational sex work and the impact of generational sex work on HIV infection among Aboriginal sex workers. Aboriginal women (48%) were more likely to be HIV-positive, with 34% living with HIV compared to 24% non-Aboriginal women. In multivariate logistic regression model, Aboriginal women remained three times more likely to experience generational sex work (AOR:2.97; 95%CI:1.5,5.8). Generational sex work was significantly associated with HIV (AOR = 3.01, 95%CI: 1.67-4.58) in a confounder model restricted to Aboriginal women. High prevalence of generational sex work among Aboriginal women and three-fold increased risk for HIV infection are concerning. Policy reforms and community-based, culturally safe and trauma informed HIV-prevention initiatives are required for Indigenous sex workers.

Influence of initial sulfur content in precursor solution for the growth of molybdenum disulfide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, A. L.; Ng, S. S.; Abu Hassan, H.

2018-04-01

This work investigated the influence of initial sulfur content in the precursor solution for the growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) films by thermal vapour sulfurization (TVS) with sol-gel spin coating as pre-deposition technique. The early introduction of sulfur shows the presence of grains are uniformly distributed and homogeneous on the surface of the film. MoS2 (002) planes are detected for both films with and without initial sulfur conditions, however, the presence of initial sulfur contents gives slightly higher intensity of diffraction peak. Two phonon modes for MoS2, namely the E2g 1 (in-plane) and the A1g (out-of plane), are well detected from which the frequency difference of Raman peaks between E2g 1 and A1g suggest the grown MoS2 consisted of multi-layers. There is a slight shift of E2g 1 which is caused by the carbon impurities but no shift for A1g. Besides, MoS2 film with the presence of initial sulfur content shows better crystal as indicated by its narrower Raman peaks linewidth. Two broad absorption peaks of MoS2 are detected at 614nm and 665nm. Hence, the early introduction of sulfur content in prepared precursor solution is one way of optimizing the growth of MoS2 films.

Balance between cell-substrate adhesion and myosin contraction determines the frequency of motility initiation in fish keratocytes.

PubMed

Barnhart, Erin; Lee, Kun-Chun; Allen, Greg M; Theriot, Julie A; Mogilner, Alex

2015-04-21

Cells are dynamic systems capable of spontaneously switching among stable states. One striking example of this is spontaneous symmetry breaking and motility initiation in fish epithelial keratocytes. Although the biochemical and mechanical mechanisms that control steady-state migration in these cells have been well characterized, the mechanisms underlying symmetry breaking are less well understood. In this work, we have combined experimental manipulations of cell-substrate adhesion strength and myosin activity, traction force measurements, and mathematical modeling to develop a comprehensive mechanical model for symmetry breaking and motility initiation in fish epithelial keratocytes. Our results suggest that stochastic fluctuations in adhesion strength and myosin localization drive actin network flow rates in the prospective cell rear above a critical threshold. Above this threshold, high actin flow rates induce a nonlinear switch in adhesion strength, locally switching adhesions from gripping to slipping and further accelerating actin flow in the prospective cell rear, resulting in rear retraction and motility initiation. We further show, both experimentally and with model simulations, that the global levels of adhesion strength and myosin activity control the stability of the stationary state: The frequency of symmetry breaking decreases with increasing adhesion strength and increases with increasing myosin contraction. Thus, the relative strengths of two opposing mechanical forces--contractility and cell-substrate adhesion--determine the likelihood of spontaneous symmetry breaking and motility initiation.

Cost-benefit analysis of biopsy methods for suspicious mammographic lesions; discussion 994-5.

PubMed

Fahy, B N; Bold, R J; Schneider, P D; Khatri, V; Goodnight, J E

2001-09-01

Stereotactic core biopsy (SCB) is more cost-effective than needle-localized biopsy (NLB) for evaluation and treatment of mammographic lesions. A computer-generated mathematical model was developed based on clinical outcome modeling to estimate costs accrued during evaluation and treatment of suspicious mammographic lesions. Total costs were determined for evaluation and subsequent treatment of cancer when either SCB or NLB was used as the initial biopsy method. Cost was estimated by the cumulative work relative value units accrued. The risk of malignancy based on the Breast Imaging Reporting Data System (BIRADS) score and mammographic suspicion of ductal carcinoma in situ were varied to simulate common clinical scenarios. Total cost accumulated during evaluation and subsequent surgical therapy (if required). Evaluation of BIRADS 5 lesions (highly suggestive, risk of malignancy = 90%) resulted in equivalent relative value units for both techniques (SCB, 15.54; NLB, 15.47). Evaluation of lesions highly suspicious for ductal carcinoma in situ yielded similar total treatment relative value units (SCB, 11.49; NLB, 10.17). Only for evaluation of BIRADS 4 lesions (suspicious abnormality, risk of malignancy = 34%) was SCB more cost-effective than NLB (SCB, 7.65 vs. NLB, 15.66). No difference in cost-benefit was found when lesions highly suggestive of malignancy (BIRADS 5) or those suspicious for ductal carcinoma in situ were evaluated initially with SCB vs. NLB, thereby disproving the hypothesis. Only for intermediate-risk lesions (BIRADS 4) did initial evaluation with SCB yield a greater cost savings than with NLB.

Connecting Work and School: A Statewide Study of Employer Participation in Florida School-to-Work Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Mary

A study assessed the characteristics and practices of employers participating in Florida school-to-work (STW) initiatives, the factors influencing their participation, and the quality and value of their partnerships with schools. Data were gathered through a statewide mail survey of a random sample of employers drawn from more than 15,000 Florida…

Change at Work and Professional Learning: How Readiness to Change, Self-Determination and Personal Initiative Affect Individual Learning through Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hetzner, Stefanie; Heid, Helmut; Gruber, Hans

2012-01-01

Reflection offers an important means to learn effectively from changes induced by the workplace. The authors examined readiness to change and work-related self-determination as preconditions for reflection at work and expected personal initiative--defined as "self-starting" and "proactive behaviour"--to have a mediating effect. The study tested…

Putting America Back to Work: The Kellogg Leadership Initiative. A Report and Guidebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Washington, DC.

As part of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges' Putting America Back to Work Project, this monograph examines the economic climate of the United States and the role of the community colleges in economic recovery. The first sections outline the origins and initial activities of the Putting America Back to Work Project, which…

Study of molecular carbon-hydrogen bond dissociation during shock compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammel, Ben; Hawreliak, James

2017-06-01

Advancements in theory and experiment show that chemical interactions in warm dense mixtures play a non-negligible role in the high-temperature and high-pressure properties of a molecular compound. For example, recent work on polystyrene has observed features suggestive of molecular dissociation - non-linear ``kinks'' are evident in the material's Hugoniot, consistent with CH bond breaking. The assumption used in linear mixing models, that species are chemically inert, breaks down in warm dense mixtures. At the Institute for Shock Physics, we are developing the necessary capabilities to perform high-repetition-rate experiments needed to map out chemical-reaction features along a material's Hugoniot. Initially, we plan to benchmark our work to the data taken by Barrios et al., by reproducing the observed kink in the polystyrene Hugoniot. We then extend this capability to explore polypropylene, CH2, where we expect to observe multiple kink features - representative of the disassociation of multiple CH bonds. Work supported by DOE/NNSA, DOE/SC-OFES and Murdock Charitable Trust.

Utility of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for educational psychologists’ work

PubMed Central

Aljunied, Mariam; Frederickson, Norah

2014-01-01

Despite embracing a bio-psycho-social perspective, the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) assessment framework has had limited application to date with children who have special educational needs (SEN). This study examines its utility for educational psychologists’ work with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Mothers of 40 children with ASD aged eight to 12 years were interviewed using a structured protocol based on the ICF framework. The Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorder (DISCO) was completed with a subset of 19 mothers. Internal consistency and inter-rater reliability of the interview assessments were found to be acceptable and there was evidence for concurrent and discriminant validity. Despite some limitations, initial support for the utility of the ICF model suggests its potential value across educational, health and care fields. Further consideration of its relevance to educational psychologists in new areas of multi-agency working is warranted. PMID:26157197

Predicting the Influence of Situational and Immigration Stress on Latino Day Laborers' Workplace Injuries: An Exploratory Structural Equation Model.

PubMed

Fernández-Esquer, Maria Eugenia; Gallardo, Kathryn R; Diamond, Pamela M

2018-05-16

Latino day laborers are a socially and economically marginalized immigrant population with a high risk of occupational injury. These workers confront multiple social, psychological, and environmental hardships that increase their risk for adverse health outcomes. How these stressors interact and influence work-related injuries in this population remains unclear. We conducted an exploratory study with 327 Latino day laborers who completed a community survey. We developed a structural equation model, using cross-sectional data to explore the relationships among socioeconomic status, situational and immigration stress, depression, work risk exposure, and occupational injury. The model revealed a statistically significant mediated effect from situational stress to injury through work risk exposure as well as a significant mediated effect from immigration stress through depression to injury. These initial findings suggest that situational and immigration-related stress have a detrimental impact on Latino day laborers' mental health and workplace safety and, ultimately, increase their risk of occupational injury.

If It Works for Pills, Can It Work for Skills? Direct-to-Consumer Social Marketing of Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments.

PubMed

Friedberg, Robert D; Bayar, Hasan

2017-06-01

The emergence of evidence-based psychological treatments (EVPTs) is a scientific success story, but unfortunately the application of these empirically supported procedures has been slow to gain ground in treatment-as-usual settings. This Open Forum commentary argues that direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing, which has worked well in communicating the advantages of various medicines, should perhaps be considered for use in social marketing of EVPTs. DTC marketing of pharmaceuticals is a long-standing advertising strategy in the United States. In fact, DTC marketing of psychotropic medicines is quite a success story. The authors recommend various strategies for using marketing science to devise DTC advertising of EVPTs, discuss previous research on DTC campaigns, and describe initiatives launched in the United Kingdom and Europe to promote EVPTs. Suggestions for evaluating and regulating DTC marketing of EVPTs are included. Finally, the potential for DTC marketing of EVPTs to increase mental health literacy and reduce health disparities is explored.

Organizational factors associated with readiness for change in residential aged care settings.

PubMed

von Treuer, Kathryn; Karantzas, Gery; McCabe, Marita; Mellor, David; Konis, Anastasia; Davison, Tanya E; O'Connor, Daniel

2018-02-01

Organizational change is inevitable in any workplace. Previous research has shown that leadership and a number of organizational climate and contextual variables can affect the adoption of change initiatives. The effect of these workplace variables is particularly important in stressful work sectors such as aged care where employees work with challenging older clients who frequently exhibit dementia and depression. This study sought to examine the effect of organizational climate and leadership variables on organizational readiness for change across 21 residential aged care facilities. Staff from each facility (N = 255) completed a self-report measure assessing organizational factors including organizational climate, leadership and readiness for change. A hierarchical regression model revealed that the organizational climate variables of work pressure, innovation, and transformational leadership were predictive of employee perceptions of organizational readiness for change. These findings suggest that within aged care facilities an organization's capacity to change their organizational climate and leadership practices may enhance an organization's readiness for change.

Designing Work, Family & Health Organizational Change Initiatives.

PubMed

Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Hammer, Leslie B; Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis

2014-01-01

For decades, leaders and scholars have been advocating change efforts to improve work-life relationships. Yet most initiatives have lacked rigor and not been developed using scientific principles. This has created an evidence gap for employer support of work and personal life as a win-win for productivity and employees' well-being. This paper examines the approach used by the U.S. Work Family Health Network (WFRN) to develop an innovative workplace intervention to improve employee and family health. The change initiative was designed to reduce organizationally based work-family conflict in two contrasting contexts representative of major segments of today's U.S. workforce: health care employees and informational technology professionals. The WFRN Intervention (called STAR) had three theoretically based change elements. They were: 1) increase job control over work time and schedule; 2) increase supervisor social support for family and job effectiveness; and 3) improve organizational culture and job design processes to foster results orientation. Seven practical lessons for developing work-life interventions emerged from this groundbreaking endeavor.

Designing Work, Family & Health Organizational Change Initiatives

PubMed Central

Hammer, Leslie B.; Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis

2014-01-01

Executive Summary For decades, leaders and scholars have been advocating change efforts to improve work-life relationships. Yet most initiatives have lacked rigor and not been developed using scientific principles. This has created an evidence gap for employer support of work and personal life as a win–win for productivity and employees’ well-being. This paper examines the approach used by the U.S. Work Family Health Network (WFRN) to develop an innovative workplace intervention to improve employee and family health. The change initiative was designed to reduce organizationally based work-family conflict in two contrasting contexts representative of major segments of today’s U.S. workforce: health care employees and informational technology professionals. The WFRN Intervention (called STAR) had three theoretically based change elements. They were: 1) increase job control over work time and schedule; 2) increase supervisor social support for family and job effectiveness; and 3) improve organizational culture and job design processes to foster results orientation. Seven practical lessons for developing work-life interventions emerged from this groundbreaking endeavor. PMID:24683279

A comparison of methods for teaching receptive language to toddlers with autism.

PubMed

Vedora, Joseph; Grandelski, Katrina

2015-01-01

The use of a simple-conditional discrimination training procedure, in which stimuli are initially taught in isolation with no other comparison stimuli, is common in early intensive behavioral intervention programs. Researchers have suggested that this procedure may encourage the development of faulty stimulus control during training. The current study replicated previous work that compared the simple-conditional and the conditional-only methods to teach receptive labeling of pictures to young children with autism spectrum disorder. Both methods were effective, but the conditional-only method required fewer sessions to mastery. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Interdisciplinary Evidence-based Practice: Moving from Silos to Synergy

PubMed Central

Newhouse, Robin P.; Spring, Bonnie

2010-01-01

Despite the assumption that health care providers work synergistically in practice, professions have tended to be more exclusive than inclusive when it comes to educating students in a collaborative approach to interdisciplinary evidence-based practice (EBP). This article explores the state of academic and clinical training regarding interdisciplinary EBP, describes efforts to foster interdisciplinary EBP, and suggests strategies to accelerate the translation of EBP across disciplines. Moving from silos to synergy in interdisciplinary EBP will require a paradigm shift. Changes can be leveraged professionally and politically using national initiatives currently in place on improving quality and health care reform. PMID:21074648

Theoretical Study of Various Airplane Motions After Initial Disturbance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haus, FR

1938-01-01

The present investigation may be considered as preliminary to the study of automatic stabilizers. We have sought to determine first how an airplane of average characteristics reacts against the principal disturbances it may encounter. Without entering into the general study of automatic stabilizers, the present work suggests the idea of a stabilizer whose sensitive member would be a wind vane or pressure plate. The elements considered as variable were the coefficients of static stability - that is, the derivatives of the coefficients of the moments with respect to the angles of attack and of yaw; these angles may be determined by the vanes.

Science laboratory behavior strategies of students relative to performance in and attitude to laboratory work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okebukola, Peter Akinsola

The relationship between science laboratory behavior strategies of students and performance in and attitude to laboratory work was investigated in an observational study of 160 laboratory sessions involving 600 class five (eleventh grade) biology students. Zero-order correlations between the behavior strategies and outcome measures reveal a set of low to strong relationships. Transmitting information, listening and nonlesson related behaviors exhibited low correlations with practical skills and the attitude measure. The correlations between manipulating apparatus and observation with practical skills measures were found to be strong. Multiple correlation analysis revealed that the behaviors of students in the laboratories observed accounted for a large percentage of the variance in the scores on manipulative skills and a low percentage on interpretation of data, responsibility, initiative, and work habits. One significant canonical correlation emerged. The loadings on this canonical variate indicate that the practical skills measures, i.e., planning and design, manipulative skills and conduct of experiments, observation and recording of data, and attitude to laboratory work made primary contributions to the canonical relationship. Suggestions as to how students can be encouraged to go beyond cookbook-like laboratories and develop a more favorable attitude to laboratory work are made.

Working smarter on cold cases: identifying factors associated with successful cold case investigations.

PubMed

Davis, Robert C; Jensen, Carl J; Burgette, Lane; Burnett, Kathryn

2014-03-01

Cold case squads have garnered much attention; however, they have yet to undergo significant empirical scrutiny. In the present study, the authors interviewed investigators and reviewed 189 solved and unsolved cold cases in Washington, D.C., to determine whether there are factors that can predict cold case solvability. In the interviews, new information from witnesses or information from new witnesses was cited as the most prevalent reason for case clearance. The case reviews determined that there were factors in each of the following domains that predicted whether cases would be solved during cold case investigations: Crime Context, Initial Investigation Results, Basis for Opening Cold Case, and Cold Case Investigator Actions. The results suggest that it is possible to prioritize cold case work based on the likelihood of investigations leading to clearances. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

A method to enhance the curve negotiation performance of HTS Maglev

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che, T.; Gou, Y. F.; Deng, Z. G.; Zheng, J.; Zheng, B. T.; Chen, P.

2015-09-01

High temperature superconducting (HTS) Maglev has attracted more and more attention due to its special self-stable characteristic, and much work has been done to achieve its actual application, but the research about the curve negotiation is not systematic and comprehensive. In this paper, we focused on the change of the lateral displacements of the Maglev vehicle when going through curves under different velocities, and studied the change of the electromagnetic forces through experimental methods. Experimental results show that setting an appropriate initial eccentric distance (ED), which is the distance between the center of the bulk unit and the center of the permanent magnet guideway (PMG), when cooling the bulks is favorable for the Maglev system’s curve negotiation. This work will provide some available suggestions for improving the curve negotiation performance of the HTS Maglev system.

Marketing foods to children: are we asking the right questions?

PubMed

Elliott, Charlene

2012-06-01

The childhood obesity epidemic has prompted a range of regulatory initiatives that seek to reduce the impact of food marketing on children. Policy recommendations by government and public health organizations have suggested regulating the promotion of high-sugar, -fat, and/or -salt foods to children, while the food industry has created voluntary nutrition guidelines to channel child-targeted marketing toward only "better-for-you" products. This article argues that the overarching focus on the nutrient profile of foods (nutritionism) is wrong-headed: The slippage in terms from "better-for-you" foods to "healthy dietary choices" is problematic and also makes it difficult for children to identify the healthy choice. Nutritionism further works to sidestep important questions pertaining to the ethics of food marketing, not to mention the way that marketing foods as fun and entertainment works to encourage overeating in children.

A comprehensive review of the Healthy People 2020 Occupational Safety And Health Objectives: Part 1. Tools for the occupational health nurse in goal attainment.

PubMed

Parks, Carol I; Chikotas, Noreen E; Olszewski, Kimberly

2012-01-01

This is the first part of a two-part series introducing Healthy People 2020 and the foundational categories that are linked to overarching goals and corresponding measures for progress within the Healthy People 2020 initiative. The two articles together will review the 10 objectives for occupational safety and health within the American workplace, provide a resource guide for occupational health nurses, and discuss MAP-IT, the suggested implementation format to reach the Healthy People 2020 goals. The articles are intended to inform occupational health nurses about the current agenda for safety and health of the U.S. work force as articulated in Healthy People 2020 and provide a foundation for better understanding the requirements of a safe work environment in 2020 and beyond. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

A comprehensive review of the healthy people 2020 occupational safety and health objectives: part 2. Tools for the occupational health nurse in goal attainment.

PubMed

Chikotas, Noreen E; Parks, Carol I; Olszewski, Kimberly

2012-02-01

This is the second part of a two-part series introducing Healthy People 2020 and the foundational categories that are linked to overarching goals and corresponding measures of progress within the Healthy People 2020 initiative. The two articles together review the 10 objectives for occupational safety and health within the American workplace, provide a resource guide for occupational health nurses, and discuss MAP-IT, the suggested implementation format to reach the Healthy People 2020 goals. The articles are intended to inform occupational health nurses about the current agenda for safety and health of the U.S. work force as articulated in Healthy People 2020 and provide a foundation for better understanding the requirements of a safe work environment in 2020 and beyond. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Rethinking construction: inclusion of slow learners as taker-off in quantity surveying practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majid, Masidah Abdul; Ashaari, Norul Izzati M.; @ Suhana Kamarudin Nurul Aini Osman, Suhaida; Suhaimi, Mohamad Saifulnizam Mohd

2017-11-01

The objective of this paper is to present the preliminary findings regarding the participation of OKU with learning disability in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sectors. Review of the works of past researchers suggested that OKU is a potential workforce in STEM sectors but still under-represented due to lack of efforts from stakeholders and learning institutions in providing information on the opportunities that are available. A research has been initiated to explore the potential of slow learners to become workforce in the construction industry as a taker off - part of work of a Quantity Surveyor. Against the findings from the literature review, the modest attempt to attract slow learners to become taker off in the construction industry require the formulation of appropriate learning environment and strong support from the respective key players and stakeholders.

Maternal Nonstandard Work Schedules and Breastfeeding Behaviors.

PubMed

Zilanawala, Afshin

2017-06-01

Objectives Although maternal employment rates have increased in the last decade in the UK, there is very little research investigating the linkages between maternal nonstandard work schedules (i.e., work schedules outside of the Monday through Friday, 9-5 schedule) and breastfeeding initiation and duration, especially given the wide literature citing the health advantages of breastfeeding for mothers and children. Methods This paper uses a population-based, UK cohort study, the Millennium Cohort Study (n = 17,397), to investigate the association between types of maternal nonstandard work (evening, night, away from home overnight, and weekends) and breastfeeding behaviors. Results In unadjusted models, exposure to evening shifts was associated with greater odds of breastfeeding initiation (OR 1.71, CI 1.50-1.94) and greater odds of short (OR 1.55, CI 1.32-1.81), intermediate (OR 2.01, CI 1.64-2.47), prolonged partial duration (OR 2.20, CI 1.78-2.72), and prolonged exclusive duration (OR 1.53, CI 1.29-1.82), compared with mothers who were unemployed and those who work other types of nonstandard shifts. Socioeconomic advantage of mothers working evening schedules largely explained the higher odds of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Conclusions Socioeconomic characteristics explain more breastfeeding behaviors among mothers working evening shifts. Policy interventions to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration should consider the timing of maternal work schedules.

Work distributions for random sudden quantum quenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łobejko, Marcin; Łuczka, Jerzy; Talkner, Peter

2017-05-01

The statistics of work performed on a system by a sudden random quench is investigated. Considering systems with finite dimensional Hilbert spaces we model a sudden random quench by randomly choosing elements from a Gaussian unitary ensemble (GUE) consisting of Hermitian matrices with identically, Gaussian distributed matrix elements. A probability density function (pdf) of work in terms of initial and final energy distributions is derived and evaluated for a two-level system. Explicit results are obtained for quenches with a sharply given initial Hamiltonian, while the work pdfs for quenches between Hamiltonians from two independent GUEs can only be determined in explicit form in the limits of zero and infinite temperature. The same work distribution as for a sudden random quench is obtained for an adiabatic, i.e., infinitely slow, protocol connecting the same initial and final Hamiltonians.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Association With Subsequent Risky and Problem Drinking Initiation.

PubMed

Bensley, Kara M; Seelig, Amber D; Armenta, Richard F; Rivera, Anna C; Peterson, Arthur V; Jacobson, Isabel G; Littman, Alyson J; Maynard, Charles; Bricker, Jonathan B; Boyko, Edward J; Rull, Rudolph P; Williams, Emily C

2018-06-04

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and unhealthy alcohol use are commonly associated conditions. It is unknown whether specific symptoms of PTSD are associated with subsequent initiation of unhealthy alcohol use. Data from the first 3 enrollment panels (n = 151,567) of the longitudinal Millennium Cohort Study of military personnel were analyzed (2001-2012). Complementary log-log models were fit to estimate whether specific PTSD symptoms and symptom clusters were associated with subsequent initiation of 2 domains of unhealthy alcohol use: risky and problem drinking (experience of 1 or more alcohol-related consequences). Models were adjusted for other PTSD symptoms and demographic, service, and health-related characteristics. Eligible study populations included those without risky (n = 31,026) and problem drinking (n = 67,087) at baseline. In adjusted analyses, only 1 PTSD symptom-irritability/anger-was associated with subsequent increased initiation of risky drinking (relative risk [RR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.09) at least 3 years later. Two symptom clusters (dysphoric arousal [RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.11-1.23] and emotional numbing [RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.22-1.40]) and 5 symptoms (restricted affect [RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.08-1.19], sense of foreshortened future [RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06-1.18], exaggerated startle response [RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.13], sleep disturbance [RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.07-1.15], and irritability/anger [RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07-1.17]) were associated with subsequent initiation of problem drinking. Findings suggest that specific PTSD symptoms and symptom clusters are associated with subsequent initiation of unhealthy alcohol use.Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a "work of the United States Government" for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.

New injectors and the social context of injection initiation

PubMed Central

Harocopos, Alex; Goldsamt, Lloyd A.; Kobrak, Paul; Jost, John J.; Clatts, Michael C.

2009-01-01

Background Preventing the onset of injecting drug use is an important public health objective yet there is little understanding of the process that leads to injection initiation. This paper draws extensively on narrative data to describe how injection initiation is influenced by social environment. We examine how watching other people inject can habitualise non-injectors to administering drugs with a needle and consider the process by which the stigma of injecting is replaced with curiosity. Method In-depth interviews (n=54) were conducted as part of a two-year longitudinal study examining the behaviours of new injecting drug users. Results Among our sample, injection initiation was the result of a dynamic process during which administering drugs with a needle became acceptable or even appealing. Most often, this occurred as a result of spending time with current injectors in a social context and the majority of this study’s participants were given their first shot by a friend or sexual partner. Initiates could be tenacious in their efforts to acquire an injection trainer and findings suggest that once injecting had been introduced to a drug-using network, it was likely to spread throughout the group. Conclusion Injection initiation should be viewed as a communicable process. New injectors are unlikely to have experienced the negative effects of injecting and may facilitate the initiation of their drug-using friends. Prevention messages should therefore aim to find innovative ways of targeting beginning injectors and present a realistic appraisal of the long-term consequences of injecting. Interventionists should also work with current injectors to develop strategies to refuse requests from non-injectors for their help to initiate. PMID:18790623

Factors supporting good partnership working between generalist and specialist palliative care services: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gardiner, Clare; Gott, Merryn; Ingleton, Christine

2012-05-01

The care that most people receive at the end of their lives is provided not by specialist palliative care professionals but by generalists such as GPs, district nurses and others who have not undertaken specialist training in palliative care. A key focus of recent UK policy is improving partnership working across the spectrum of palliative care provision. However there is little evidence to suggest factors which support collaborative working between specialist and generalist palliative care providers. To explore factors that support partnership working between specialist and generalist palliative care providers. Systematic review. A systematic review of studies relating to partnership working between specialist and generalist palliative care providers was undertaken. Six electronic databases were searched for papers published up until January 2011. Of the 159 articles initially identified, 22 papers met the criteria for inclusion. Factors supporting good partnership working included: good communication between providers; clear definition of roles and responsibilities; opportunities for shared learning and education; appropriate and timely access to specialist palliative care services; and coordinated care. Multiple examples exist of good partnership working between specialist and generalist providers; however, there is little consistency regarding how models of collaborative working are developed, and which models are most effective. Little is known about the direct impact of collaborative working on patient outcomes. Further research is required to gain the direct perspectives of health professionals and patients regarding collaborative working in palliative care, and to develop appropriate and cost-effective models for partnership working.

Evaluating Research and Impact: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research by the NIH/NIAID HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks

PubMed Central

Rosas, Scott R.; Kagan, Jonathan M.; Schouten, Jeffrey T.; Slack, Perry A.; Trochim, William M. K.

2011-01-01

Evaluative bibliometrics uses advanced techniques to assess the impact of scholarly work in the context of other scientific work and usually compares the relative scientific contributions of research groups or institutions. Using publications from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) HIV/AIDS extramural clinical trials networks, we assessed the presence, performance, and impact of papers published in 2006–2008. Through this approach, we sought to expand traditional bibliometric analyses beyond citation counts to include normative comparisons across journals and fields, visualization of co-authorship across the networks, and assess the inclusion of publications in reviews and syntheses. Specifically, we examined the research output of the networks in terms of the a) presence of papers in the scientific journal hierarchy ranked on the basis of journal influence measures, b) performance of publications on traditional bibliometric measures, and c) impact of publications in comparisons with similar publications worldwide, adjusted for journals and fields. We also examined collaboration and interdisciplinarity across the initiative, through network analysis and modeling of co-authorship patterns. Finally, we explored the uptake of network produced publications in research reviews and syntheses. Overall, the results suggest the networks are producing highly recognized work, engaging in extensive interdisciplinary collaborations, and having an impact across several areas of HIV-related science. The strengths and limitations of the approach for evaluation and monitoring research initiatives are discussed. PMID:21394198

The role of intrinsic muscle mechanics in the neuromuscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl

PubMed Central

Daley, Monica A; Voloshina, Alexandra; Biewener, Andrew A

2009-01-01

Here we investigate the interplay between intrinsic mechanical and neural factors in muscle contractile performance during running, which has been less studied than during walking. We report in vivo recordings of the gastrocnemius muscle of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), during the response and recovery from an unexpected drop in terrain. Previous studies on leg and joint mechanics following this perturbation suggested that distal leg extensor muscles play a key role in stabilisation. Here, we test this through direct recordings of gastrocnemius fascicle length (using sonomicrometry), muscle–tendon force (using buckle transducers), and activity (using indwelling EMG). Muscle recordings were analysed from the stride just before to the second stride following the perturbation. The gastrocnemius exhibits altered force and work output in the perturbed and first recovery strides. Muscle work correlates strongly with leg posture at the time of ground contact. When the leg is more extended in the drop step, net gastrocnemius work decreases (−5.2 J kg−1versus control), and when the leg is more flexed in the step back up, it increases (+9.8 J kg−1versus control). The muscle's work output is inherently stabilising because it pushes the body back toward its pre-perturbation (level running) speed and leg posture. Gastrocnemius length and force return to level running means by the second stride following the perturbation. EMG intensity differs significantly from level running only in the first recovery stride following the perturbation, not within the perturbed stride. The findings suggest that intrinsic mechanical factors contribute substantially to the initial changes in muscle force and work. The statistical results suggest that a history-dependent effect, shortening deactivation, may be an important factor in the intrinsic mechanical changes, in addition to instantaneous force–velocity and force–length effects. This finding suggests the potential need to incorporate history-dependent muscle properties into neuromechanical simulations of running, particularly if high muscle strains are involved and stability characteristics are important. Future work should test whether a Hill or modified Hill type model provides adequate prediction in such conditions. Interpreted in light of previous studies on walking, the findings support the concept of speed-dependent roles of reflex feedback. PMID:19359369

Optimizing Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Malaysia: The Current Global Initiatives, Gaps and Suggested Solutions.

PubMed

Jarrar, Mu'taman; Abdul Rahman, Hamzah; Don, Mohammad Sobri

2015-10-20

Demand for health care service has significantly increased, while the quality of healthcare and patient safety has become national and international priorities. This paper aims to identify the gaps and the current initiatives for optimizing the quality of care and patient safety in Malaysia. Review of the current literature. Highly cited articles were used as the basis to retrieve and review the current initiatives for optimizing the quality of care and patient safety. The country health plan of Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia and the MOH Malaysia Annual Reports were reviewed. The MOH has set four strategies for optimizing quality and sustaining quality of life. The 10th Malaysia Health Plan promotes the theme "1 Care for 1 Malaysia" in order to sustain the quality of care. Despite of these efforts, the total number of complaints received by the medico-legal section of the MOH Malaysia is increasing. The current global initiatives indicted that quality performance generally belong to three main categories: patient; staffing; and working environment related factors. There is no single intervention for optimizing quality of care to maintain patient safety. Multidimensional efforts and interventions are recommended in order to optimize the quality of care and patient safety in Malaysia.

Optimizing Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Malaysia: The Current Global Initiatives, Gaps and Suggested Solutions

PubMed Central

Jarrar, Mu’taman; Rahman, Hamzah Abdul; Don, Mohammad Sobri

2016-01-01

Background and Objective: Demand for health care service has significantly increased, while the quality of healthcare and patient safety has become national and international priorities. This paper aims to identify the gaps and the current initiatives for optimizing the quality of care and patient safety in Malaysia. Design: Review of the current literature. Highly cited articles were used as the basis to retrieve and review the current initiatives for optimizing the quality of care and patient safety. The country health plan of Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia and the MOH Malaysia Annual Reports were reviewed. Results: The MOH has set four strategies for optimizing quality and sustaining quality of life. The 10th Malaysia Health Plan promotes the theme “1 Care for 1 Malaysia” in order to sustain the quality of care. Despite of these efforts, the total number of complaints received by the medico-legal section of the MOH Malaysia is increasing. The current global initiatives indicted that quality performance generally belong to three main categories: patient; staffing; and working environment related factors. Conclusions: There is no single intervention for optimizing quality of care to maintain patient safety. Multidimensional efforts and interventions are recommended in order to optimize the quality of care and patient safety in Malaysia. PMID:26755459

Sexual behavior of Pecari tajacu (Cetartiodactyla: Tayassuidae) during periovulatory and early gestation periods.

PubMed

da Silva, Suleima do Socorro Bastos; Le Pendu, Yvonnick; Ohashi, Otavio Mitio; Oba, Eunice; de Albuquerque, Natália Inagaki; Garcia, Alexandre Rossetto; Mayor, Pedro; de Araujo Guimarães, Diva Anelie

2016-10-01

The goal of this study was to describe the sexual behavior in female and male collared peccary. Twenty females and twelve males were monitored in familiar and non-familiar units for two 60 days periods. During both phases, we recorded 2747 sexual interactions initiated by 20 different females toward males and 4461 sexual interactions initiated by 12 males toward females. The frequency of sexual interactions initiated per female significantly increased from proestrus to estrus, and they were significantly more frequently courted. Females initiated olfactory inspections 15.42 times more and were mounted 22.6 times more during estrus than during proestrus. Nulliparous and primiparous females copulated only when exposed to non-parental males. After estrus, the frequency of sexual interactions received by females sharply decreased. One mating event was recorded during the first gestation week and 31 mountings were observed after the second week. In conclusion, the behavioral monitoring is a useful procedure for the recognition of estrus. Our results suggest that ovulation may be associated with the end of the estrus, which will support future work in assisted reproduction in this species. To promote good handling practices, females of reproductive age should be removed from their family unit of origin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A critical exploration of "Working Together, Learning Together"--does it meet the learning needs of nurses?

PubMed

Walshe, Amanda

2003-10-01

Recent government educational initiatives have emphasised the need for lifelong learning to facilitate and equip nurses with the appropriate knowledge and skills to operate in a dynamic healthcare delivery system. In this paper I will critically explore a recent educational framework from an educational ideology and curriculum design perspective. It is recognised that any educational program cannot be devised or constructed in a socio-political vacuum and any developments must acknowledge this influence on the context in which nurse education operates. The framework is debated from an ideological perspective and I surmise that an ideological change from Romanticism to Revisionism will facilitate change in curriculum design that is in keeping with the realties of healthcare needs. The educational initiative is explored from a curriculum design perspective utilising Beattie's Fourfold Model. I further surmise that the educational initiative fails to acknowledge the uniqueness of nursing knowledge and the integral learning processes such as reflection thus marginalising nursing as a profession. In this paper I suggest that any educational initiative must recognise the evolving role of nursing, the profession and the realties of healthcare systems to ensure the present and future workforce is skilled and empowered to aspire to these multifaceted demands.

Generational Sex And HIV Risk Among Indigenous Women In A Street-Based Urban Canadian Setting

PubMed Central

Bingham, Brittany; Leo, Diane; Zhang, Ruth; Montaner, Julio

2014-01-01

In Canada, indigenous women are overrepresented among new HIV infections and street-based sex workers. Scholars suggest that Aboriginal women’s HIV risk stems from intergenerational effects of colonisation and racial policies. This research examined generational sex work involvement among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women and the effect on risk for HIV acquisition. The sample included 225 women in street-based sex work and enrolled in a community-based prospective cohort, in partnership with local sex work and Aboriginal community partners. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression modeled an independent relationship between Aboriginal ancestry and generational sex work; and the impact of generational sex work on HIV infection among Aboriginal sex workers. Aboriginal women (48%) were more likely to be HIV-positive, with 34% living with HIV compared to 24% non-Aboriginal. In multivariate logistic regression model, Aboriginal women remained 3 times more likely to experience generational sex work (aOR:2.97; 95%CI:1.5,5.8). Generational sex work was significantly associated with HIV (aOR=3.01, 95%CI: 1.67–4.58) in a confounder model restricted to Aboriginal women. High prevalence of generational sex work among Aboriginal women and 3-fold increased risk for HIV infection are concerning. Policy reforms and community-based, culturally safe and trauma informed HIV prevention initiatives are required for Indigenous sex workers. PMID:24654881

Redistribution of Mechanical Work at the Knee and Ankle Joints During Fast Running in Minimalist Shoes

PubMed Central

Fuller, Joel T.; Buckley, Jonathan D.; Tsiros, Margarita D.; Brown, Nicholas A. T.; Thewlis, Dominic

2016-01-01

Context: Minimalist shoes have been suggested as a way to alter running biomechanics to improve running performance and reduce injuries. However, to date, researchers have only considered the effect of minimalist shoes at slow running speeds. Objective: To determine if runners change foot-strike pattern and alter the distribution of mechanical work at the knee and ankle joints when running at a fast speed in minimalist shoes compared with conventional running shoes. Design: Crossover study. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-six trained runners (age = 30.0 ± 7.9 years [age range, 18−40 years], height = 1.79 ± 0.06 m, mass = 75.3 ± 8.2 kg, weekly training distance = 27 ± 15 km) who ran with a habitual rearfoot foot-strike pattern and had no experience running in minimalist shoes. Intervention(s): Participants completed overground running trials at 18 km/h in minimalist and conventional shoes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sagittal-plane kinematics and joint work at the knee and ankle joints were computed using 3-dimensional kinematic and ground reaction force data. Foot-strike pattern was classified as rearfoot, midfoot, or forefoot strike based on strike index and ankle angle at initial contact. Results: We observed no difference in foot-strike classification between shoes (χ21 = 2.29, P = .13). Ankle angle at initial contact was less (2.46° versus 7.43°; t25 = 3.34, P = .003) and strike index was greater (35.97% versus 29.04%; t25 = 2.38, P = .03) when running in minimalist shoes compared with conventional shoes. We observed greater negative (52.87 J versus 42.46 J; t24 = 2.29, P = .03) and positive work (68.91 J versus 59.08 J; t24 = 2.65, P = .01) at the ankle but less negative (59.01 J versus 67.02 J; t24 = 2.25, P = .03) and positive work (40.37 J versus 47.09 J; t24 = 2.11, P = .046) at the knee with minimalist shoes compared with conventional shoes. Conclusions: Running in minimalist shoes at a fast speed caused a redistribution of work from the knee to the ankle joint. This finding suggests that runners changing from conventional to minimalist shoes for short-distance races could be at an increased risk of ankle and calf injuries but a reduced risk of knee injuries. PMID:27834504

Hematocrit levels as cardiovascular risk among taxi drivers in Bangkok, Thailand

PubMed Central

ISHIMARU, Tomohiro; ARPHORN, Sara; JIRAPONGSUWAN, Ann

2016-01-01

In Thailand, taxi drivers employed in the informal sector often experience hazardous working conditions. Previous studies revealed that elevated Hematocrit (HCT) is a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study assessed factors associated with HCT in taxi drivers to predict their occupational CVD risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 298 male taxi drivers who joined a health check-up campaign in Bangkok, Thailand. HCT and body mass index were retrieved from participant health check-up files. Self-administered questionnaires assessed demographics, driving mileage, working hours, and lifestyle. Statistical associations were analyzed using stepwise linear regression. Our results showed that obesity (p=0.007), daily alcohol drinking (p=0.003), and current or past smoking (p=0.016) were associated with higher HCT levels. While working hours were not directly associated with HCT levels in the current study, the effect on overworking is statistically arguable because most participants worked substantially longer hours. Our findings suggest that taxi drivers’ CVD risk may be increased by their unhealthy work styles. Initiatives to improve general working conditions for taxi drivers should take into account health promotion and CVD prevention. The policy of providing periodic health check-ups is important to make workers in the informal sector aware of their health status. PMID:27151439

Working Therapeutically with Deaf People Recovering from Trauma and Addiction

PubMed Central

Anderson, Melissa L.; Glickman, Neil S.; Mistler, Lisa A.; Gonzalez, Marco

2015-01-01

Objective This article reviews what is known about behavioral health treatment of deaf persons with comorbid trauma and addiction. Method We discuss how to work therapeutically with deaf people with comorbid trauma and addiction, both through a review of the literature and through clinical observations of the authors. The article also includes the personal stories of two people – a Deaf peer specialist and a hearing psychiatrist – who share their humbling stories about the recovery process for deaf people and the challenges of learning to become an effective Deaf mental health care provider. Findings Deaf people report higher rates of mental health problems than the general population. Although initial empirical work with the deaf population suggests high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD), little is known about the rates of comorbid PTSD/SUD, nor how to effectively address this comorbidity in treatment. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Substantial work is needed to raise awareness of comorbid PTSD/SUD and provide treatment tools to agencies and providers who work with deaf clients, infusing trauma-informed care into deaf SUD services and SUD treatment into deaf mental health care. Fortunately, several endeavors are on the horizon to disseminate assessment and treatment tools to work with deaf people recovering from trauma and addiction. PMID:25984736

Beyond the Team: Understanding Interprofessional Work in Two North American ICUs.

PubMed

Alexanian, Janet A; Kitto, Simon; Rak, Kim J; Reeves, Scott

2015-09-01

To examine the ways in which healthcare professionals work together in the ICU setting, through a consideration of the contextual, organizational, processual, and relational factors that impact their interprofessional collaboration. Data from over 350 hours of ethnographic observation and 35 semistructured interviews with clinicians in two ICUs were collected by two medical anthropologists over a period of 6 months. Medical surgical ICUs in two urban research hospitals in Canada and the United States. Although the concept of teamwork is often central to interventions to improve patient safety in the ICU, our observations suggest that this concept does not fully describe how interprofessional work actually occurs in this setting. With the exception of crisis situations, most interprofessional interactions in the two ICUs we studied could be better described as forms of interprofessional work other than teamwork, which include collaboration, coordination, and networking. A singular notion of team is too reductive to account for the ways in which work happens in the ICU and therefore cannot be taken for granted in quality improvement initiatives or among healthcare professionals in this setting. Adapting interventions to the complex nature of interprofessional work and each ICUs unique local context is an important and necessary step to ensure the delivery of safe and effective patient care.

Hematocrit levels as cardiovascular risk among taxi drivers in Bangkok, Thailand.

PubMed

Ishimaru, Tomohiro; Arphorn, Sara; Jirapongsuwan, Ann

2016-10-08

In Thailand, taxi drivers employed in the informal sector often experience hazardous working conditions. Previous studies revealed that elevated Hematocrit (HCT) is a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study assessed factors associated with HCT in taxi drivers to predict their occupational CVD risk factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 298 male taxi drivers who joined a health check-up campaign in Bangkok, Thailand. HCT and body mass index were retrieved from participant health check-up files. Self-administered questionnaires assessed demographics, driving mileage, working hours, and lifestyle. Statistical associations were analyzed using stepwise linear regression. Our results showed that obesity (p=0.007), daily alcohol drinking (p=0.003), and current or past smoking (p=0.016) were associated with higher HCT levels. While working hours were not directly associated with HCT levels in the current study, the effect on overworking is statistically arguable because most participants worked substantially longer hours. Our findings suggest that taxi drivers' CVD risk may be increased by their unhealthy work styles. Initiatives to improve general working conditions for taxi drivers should take into account health promotion and CVD prevention. The policy of providing periodic health check-ups is important to make workers in the informal sector aware of their health status.

Perceptions of work environment priorities: Are there any differences by company size? An ecological study

PubMed Central

Nordlöf, Hasse; Wijk, Katarina; Westergren, Karl-Erik

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Earlier studies suggest that the quality of handling occupational health and safety (OHS) activities differs between companies of different sizes. Company size is a proxy variable for other variables affecting OHS performance. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate if there is an association between company size and perceptions of work environment prioritizations. METHODS: Data from 106 small- and medium-sized Swedish manufacturing companies was collected. One manager and one safety delegate at each company rated different aspects of their companies’ work environment prioritizations with a 43-item questionnaire. Ratings were aggregated to a summary statistic for each company before analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences in perceptions of priority were found to be associated with company sizes. This is in contrast to earlier studies of objective differences. The respondents in small companies, however, showed significantly greater consensus in their ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Company size does not appear to be associated with perceptions of work environment prioritizations. Company size is an important proxy variable to study in order to understand what factors enable and obstruct safe and healthy workplaces. The work presented here should be viewed as an initial exploration to serve as direction for future academic work. PMID:26409368

Occupational factors associated with the potential years of working life lost due to a non-work related permanent disability.

PubMed

Duran, Xavier; Martínez, José Miguel; Benavides, Fernando G

2013-01-01

To analyze the association between occupational factors (number of contracts and occupational category) and potential years of working life lost (PYWLL) due to non-work related permanent disability (PD). The study design was a retrospective cohort of 11,812 workers affiliated with the Social Security System in Spain that began a non-work related PD between 2004 and 2009. The PYWLL was defined as the time in years between the age at which a worker initiates a PD and age 65 or the age of reinstatement to a job. The PYWLL was analyzed by calculating the quartiles and using an approach based on a median regression. The difference in medians of PYWLL between men and women was 2.49 years (95% CI: 2.01-2.97); between skilled non-manual and unskilled manual workers was 1.88 years (95% CI: 1.08-2.69); between workers with three or more contracts and workers with a single contract in the period was 3.78 years (95% CI: 3.28-4.29). Women, non-skilled workers and employees that have had more contracts within the period of study are those with greatest loss of PYWLL. This suggests that individuals with poorer working and employment conditions could have more PYWLL.

An operant approach to rehabilitation medicine: overcoming learned nonuse by shaping.

PubMed

Taub, E; Crago, J E; Burgio, L D; Groomes, T E; Cook, E W; DeLuca, S C; Miller, N E

1994-03-01

A new approach to the rehabilitation of movement, based primarily on the principles of operant conditioning, was derived from research with deafferented monkeys. The analysis suggests that a certain proportion of excess motor disability after certain types of injury involves a learned suppression of movement and may be termed learned nonuse. Learned nonuse can be overcome by changing the contingencies of reinforcement so that they strongly favor use of an affected upper extremity in the chronic postinjury situation. The techniques employed here involved 2 weeks of restricting movement of the opposite (unaffected) extremity and training of the affected limb. Initial work with humans has been with chronic stroke patients for whom the approach has yielded large improvements in motor ability and functional independence. We report here preliminary data suggesting that shaping with verbal feedback further enhances the motor recovery.

Intelligence in the brain: a theory of how it works and how to build it.

PubMed

Werbos, Paul J

2009-04-01

This paper presents a theory of how general-purpose learning-based intelligence is achieved in the mammal brain, and how we can replicate it. It reviews four generations of ever more powerful general-purpose learning designs in Adaptive, Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP), which includes reinforcement learning as a special case. It reviews empirical results which fit the theory, and suggests important new directions for research, within the scope of NSF's recent initiative on Cognitive Optimization and Prediction. The appendices suggest possible connections to the realms of human subjective experience, comparative cognitive neuroscience, and new challenges in electric power. The major challenge before us today in mathematical neural networks is to replicate the "mouse level", but the paper does contain a few thoughts about building, understanding and nourishing levels of general intelligence beyond the mouse.

Nurses' attitudes toward continuing formal education: a comparison by level of education and geography.

PubMed

Altmann, Tanya K

2012-01-01

The education of nurses has an influence on patient safety and outcomes, the nursing shortage, the faculty shortage, and nurses' attitudes and actions. This article reports on a dissertation study designed to examine the attitudes of nurses, initially registered with an associate degree or diploma in nursing, toward continuing formal education. Actively licensed registered nurses in the eastern and western United States (n=535) participated. The main finding of this study was that, although nurses held positive attitudes overall, attitudes ranked barely above neutral. The findings suggest that work needs to be done to improve nurses' attitudes toward continuing formal education and research needs to be undertaken to understand what would entice nurses back to school. Implications for nursing practice and education are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

[Graphic images on cigarette packages not effective].

PubMed

Kok, Gerjo; Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Y; Ruiter, Robert A C

2013-01-01

The Dutch Government intends to make graphic images on cigarette packages mandatory. However, contrary to other policy measures to reduce smoking, health warnings do not work. There is no acceptable evidence in favour of graphic images and behaviour change theories suggest methods of change that improve skills, self-efficacy and social support. Thus, theory- and evidence-based policy should focus on prohibiting the tobacco industry from glamourizing packaging and make health communications on packages mandatory. As to the type of communications to be used, theory and evidence suggest that warning of the negative consequences of smoking is not an effective approach. Rather, targeting the most important determinants of the initiation of smoking and its successful cessation - such as skills, self-efficacy and subjective norm - along with the most effective behaviour change methods appears to be the most expedient strategy.

Factors associated with psychoactive drug initiation in a sample of workers in France: results of the VISAT cohort study.

PubMed

Boeuf-Cazou, O; Niezborala, M; Marquie, J C; Lapeyre-Mestre, M

2010-03-01

To identify which psychosocial factors at work are associated with the initiation of psychoactive drug use in a cohort of healthy French workers. This study used data collected from the VISAT ('Vieillissement, Santé, Travail') cohort which included workers aged 32, 42, 52 and 62 years in 1996 with follow-ups conducted over the following 5 years. Data were collected through interviews and five standardized questionnaires in annual occupational medical examinations in 1996, 1999 and 2001. We defined new consumers of psychoactive drugs according to their answers during the follow-ups and compared their psychosocial and working characteristics to non-consumers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors related to a psychoactive drug initiation. Among 1533 subjects, 5.4% began consuming psychoactive drugs during the follow-up with a twofold rate for women than for men. Factors related to psychoactive drug initiation were different according to gender. In men, initiation was mainly found in participants who were separated, showed high emotional reaction scores and were members of the white-collar working class. We did not find any other occupational factors associated to psychoactive drug initiation in men. By contrast, among women, drug initiation was more frequent in participants who were 52 years old and over, and whose job control-reward level was lower. Psychoactive drug initiation concerned 5.4% of workers within the 5-year interval in this study. The pressure of psychosocial environment was more important in men, whereas age and work-related psychosocial factors were the main factors associated with new consumption among women.

Developing International Links through Work Exchange. An Exchange between Australia and Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Rosie

2001-01-01

Describes a work exchange experience between volunteer managers in Australia and Canada. Offers guidelines for initiating the program including developing a rationale and an exchange agreement. Discusses first impressions, initial problems, and differences and similarities between the two contexts. (JOW)

The effects of work engagement and self-efficacy on personal initiative and performance.

PubMed

Lisbona, Ana; Palaci, Francisco; Salanova, Marisa; Frese, Michael

2018-02-01

Two popular concepts, work engagement and personal initiative, are different but related constructs. This study is based on and extends the Frese and Fay (2001) model of personal initiative (PI) by including work engagement (WE) and self-efficacy as antecedents of PI, and performance as a consequence. Two studies (study 1, with a cross-sectional design using N = 396 participants from 22 organizations, and study 2, with a longitudinal design conducted in two waves with N = 118 participants from 15 organizations) test the hypotheses. Structural equation modeling and the PROCESS SPSS Macro were used to test the hypothesized mediating role of personal initiative in work engagement and performance, and the results show the indirect effect of WE on performance through PI. The results of these two studies confirmed our hypotheses: WE and self-efficacy lead to higher PI, which, in turn, leads to higher performance. In addition to considering WE as an antecedent of PI, the results lead to considering PI as an antecedent of performance.

Changes in psychosocial work factors in the French working population between 2006 and 2010.

PubMed

Malard, Lucile; Chastang, Jean-François; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2015-02-01

The aim of the study was to assess the changes in psychosocial work factors in the French working population between 2006 and 2010 and to examine potential differential changes according to age, occupation, public/private sector, work contract and self-employed/employee status. The study sample included 5,600 workers followed up from 2006 to 2010 from the national representative Santé et Itinéraire Professionnel (SIP) survey. Psychosocial work factors included decision latitude, psychological demands, social support, reward, overcommitment, long working hours, predictability, night- and shift work, emotional demands, role conflict, ethical conflict, tensions with the public, job insecurity and work-life imbalance, and were measured using scores. Linear regressions were used to analyse the change in the scores of these factors adjusted for age and initial score. All analyses were stratified by gender. Psychosocial work factors worsened between 2006 and 2010: decision latitude, social support, reward, role conflict and work-life imbalance for both genders, and psychological demands, emotional demands, ethical conflict and tensions with the public for women. Differential changes according to age, occupation, public/private sector, work contract and self-employed/employee status were observed suggesting that some groups may be more likely to be exposed to negative changes especially the younger, low- and high-skilled and public sector workers. Monitoring exposure to psychosocial work factors over time may be crucial, and prevention policies should take into account that deterioration of psychosocial work factors may be sharper among subgroups such as younger, low- and high-skilled and public sector workers.

GENDERED CHALLENGE, GENDERED RESPONSE

PubMed Central

KELLY, ERIN L.; AMMONS, SAMANTHA K.; CHERMACK, KELLY; MOEN, PHYLLIS

2010-01-01

This article integrates research on gendered organizations and the work-family interface to investigate an innovative workplace initiative, the Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), implemented in the corporate headquarters of Best Buy, Inc. While flexible work policies common in other organizations “accommodate” individuals, this initiative attempts a broader and deeper critique of the organizational culture. We address two research questions: How does this initiative attempt to change the masculinized ideal worker norm? And what do women's and men's responses reveal about the persistent ways that gender structures work and family life? Data demonstrate the ideal worker norm is pervasive and powerful, even as employees begin critically examining expectations regarding work time that have historically privileged men. Employees' responses to ROWE are also gendered. Women (especially mothers) are more enthusiastic, while men are more cautious. Ambivalence about and resistance to change is expressed in different ways depending on gender and occupational status. PMID:20625518

Exploring the X-ray Morphology of the Supernova Remnant Kes 27 using Numerical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwarkadas, Vikram; Dewey, D.

2013-04-01

Kesteven 27 is a member of the class of thermal composite or mixed-morphology remnants, which can show thermal X-ray emission extending all the way in towards the center. The Chandra image shows two incomplete shell-like features in the north-eastern half, with brightness fading towards the southwest. The X-ray and radio structure led Chen et al. (2008) to suggest that the morphology represents a supernova remnant expanding in a windblown bubble. The two X-ray rings represent the outer shock of the supernova remnant, and a reflected shock arising from collision with a dense shell. Using numerical simulations followed by a computation of the X-ray emission, we explore this possibility. Our initial modeling suggests that the scenario discussed by Chen et al. (2008) may not work. We suggest and discuss modifications to this scenario that may be able to reproduce the observed morphology, and the implications for thermal composite remnants.

Porting Initiation and Failure into Linked CHEETAH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souers, Clark; Vitello, Peter

2007-06-01

Linked CHEETAH is a thermo-chemical code coupled to a 2-D hydrocode. Initially, a quadratic-pressure dependent kinetic rate was used, which worked well in modeling prompt detonation of explosives of large size, but does not work on other aspects of explosive behavior. The variable-pressure Tarantula reactive flow rate model was developed with JWL++ in order to also describe failure and initiation, and we have moved this model into Linked CHEETAH. The model works by turning on only above a pressure threshold, where a slow turn-on creates initiation. At a higher pressure, the rate suddenly leaps to a large value over a small pressure range. A slowly failing cylinder will see a rapidly declining rate, which pushes it quickly into failure. At a high pressure, the detonation rate is constant. A sequential validation procedure is used, which includes metal-confined cylinders, rate-sticks, corner-turning, initiation and threshold, gap tests and air gaps. The size (diameter) effect is central to the calibration. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Effects of maternal absence due to employment on the quality of infant-mother attachment in a low-risk sample.

PubMed

Barglow, P; Vaughn, B E; Molitor, N

1987-08-01

Recent reports have suggested that day-care experience initiated prior to 12 months of age is associated with increased proportions of infants whose attachment to mother is classified as "insecure-avoidant." However, reviewers have questioned the generality of these findings, noting that samples in which associations between early day-care experience and avoidant attachment patterns have been reported come from high-risk populations, and/or that the infants' day-care settings may not have been of high quality. In the present study, effects of maternal absences on infant-mother attachment quality were assessed in a low-risk, middle-class sample (N = 110). In all instances, substitute care had been initiated at least 4 months prior to the infant's first birthday and was provided in the infant's home by a person unrelated to the baby. Infants were assessed using the Ainsworth Strange Situation when they were 12-13 months of age. Analyses indicated that a significantly greater proportion of infants whose mothers worked outside the home (N = 54) were assigned to the category "insecure-avoidant" as compared to infants whose mothers remained in the home (N = 56) throughout the first year of life. Analyses of demographic and psychological data available for the sample indicated that this relation is dependent upon maternal parity (primi- vs. multiparous mother). The association between attachment quality and work status was significant only for firstborn children of full-time working mothers. The results are interpreted as evidence that the repeated daily separations experienced by infants whose mothers are working full-time constitute a "risk" factor for the development of "insecure-avoidant" infant-mother attachments.

Racial differences in quality of life and employment outcomes in insured women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Bradley, Cathy J; Wilk, Amber

2014-03-01

Prior studies indicate that racial disparities are not only present in cancer survival, but also in the quality of cancer survivorship. We estimated the effect of cancer and its treatment on two measures of survivorship quality as follows: health-related quality of life and employment and hours worked for initially employed and insured women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. We collected employment data from 548 women from 2007 to 2011; 22 % were African-American. The outcomes were responses to the SF-36, CES-D, employment, and change in weekly hours worked from pre-diagnosis to 2 and 9 months following treatment initiation. African-American women reported a 2.77 (0.94) and 1.96 (0.92) higher score on the mental component summary score at the 2 and 9 month interviews, respectively. They also report fewer depression symptoms at the 2-month interview, but were over half as likely to be employed as non-Hispanic white women (OR = 0.43; 95 % CI = 0.26 to 0.71). At the 9-month interview, African-American women had 2.33 (1.06) lower scores on the physical component summary score. Differences in health-related quality of life were small and, although statistically significant, were most likely clinically insignificant between African-American and non-Hispanic white women. Differences in employment were substantial, suggesting the need for future research to identify reasons for disparities and interventions to reduce the employment effects of breast cancer and its treatment on African-American women. African-American breast cancer survivors are more likely to stop working during the early phases of their treatment. These women and their treating physicians need to be aware of options to reduce work loss and take steps to minimize long-term employment consequences.

Global Seismic Cross-Correlation Results: Characterizing Repeating Seismic Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieceli, R.; Dodge, D. A.; Walter, W. R.

2016-12-01

Increases in seismic instrument quality and coverage have led to increased knowledge of earthquakes, but have also revealed the complex and diverse nature of earthquake ruptures. Nonetheless, some earthquakes are sufficiently similar to each other that they produce correlated waveforms. Such repeating events have been used to investigate interplate coupling of subduction zones [e.g. Igarashi, 2010; Yu, 2013], study spatio-temporal changes in slip rate at plate boundaries [e.g. Igarashi et al., 2003], observe variations in seismic wave propagation velocities in the crust [e.g. Schaff and Beroza, 2004; Sawazaki et al., 2015], and assess inner core rotation [e.g. Yu, 2016]. The characterization of repeating events on a global scale remains a very challenging problem. An initial global seismic cross-correlation study used over 310 million waveforms from nearly 3.8 million events recorded between 1970 and 2013 to determine an initial look at global correlated seismicity [Dodge and Walter, 2015]. In this work, we analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of the most highly correlated event clusters or "multiplets" from the Dodge and Walter [2015] study. We examine how the distributions and characteristics of multiplets are effected by tectonic environment, source-station separation, and frequency band. Preliminary results suggest that the distribution of multiplets does not correspond to the tectonic environment in any obvious way, nor do they always coincide with the occurrence of large earthquakes. Future work will focus on clustering correlated pairs and working to reduce the bias introduced by non-uniform seismic station coverage and data availability. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

PRESCHOOL SPEECH ARTICULATION AND NONWORD REPETITION ABILITIES MAY HELP PREDICT EVENTUAL RECOVERY OR PERSISTENCE OF STUTTERING

PubMed Central

Spencer, Caroline; Weber-Fox, Christine

2014-01-01

Purpose In preschool children, we investigated whether expressive and receptive language, phonological, articulatory, and/or verbal working memory proficiencies aid in predicting eventual recovery or persistence of stuttering. Methods Participants included 65 children, including 25 children who do not stutter (CWNS) and 40 who stutter (CWS) recruited at age 3;9–5;8. At initial testing, participants were administered the Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language, 3rd edition (TACL-3), Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test, 3rd edition (SPELT-3), Bankson-Bernthal Test of Phonology-Consonant Inventory subtest (BBTOP-CI), Nonword Repetition Test (NRT; Dollaghan & Campbell, 1998), and Test of Auditory Perceptual Skills-Revised (TAPS-R) auditory number memory and auditory word memory subtests. Stuttering behaviors of CWS were assessed in subsequent years, forming groups whose stuttering eventually persisted (CWS-Per; n=19) or recovered (CWS-Rec; n=21). Proficiency scores in morphosyntactic skills, consonant production, verbal working memory for known words, and phonological working memory and speech production for novel nonwords obtained at the initial testing were analyzed for each group. Results CWS-Per were less proficient than CWNS and CWS-Rec in measures of consonant production (BBTOP-CI) and repetition of novel phonological sequences (NRT). In contrast, receptive language, expressive language, and verbal working memory abilities did not distinguish CWS-Rec from CWS-Per. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that preschool BBTOP-CI scores and overall NRT proficiency significantly predicted future recovery status. Conclusion Results suggest that phonological and speech articulation abilities in the preschool years should be considered with other predictive factors as part of a comprehensive risk assessment for the development of chronic stuttering. PMID:25173455

Work-Related Factors Considered by Sickness-Absent Employees When Estimating Timeframes for Returning to Work

PubMed Central

Choi, YoonSun

2016-01-01

Introduction Work-related factors have been found to be influential in shaping a number of return-to-work outcomes including return-to-work expectations. Based on the idea that work-related factors have the potential for modification through workplace-based initiatives, this study involved a detailed examination of work-related factors referenced by workers as being taken into consideration when estimating timeframes for returning to work. Methods Focus groups were conducted with 30 employees, currently off work (≤ 3 months) due to a musculoskeletal condition. During the focus groups, participants wrote and spoke about the factors that they considered when forming their expectations for returning to work. Data were subjected to thematic content analysis. Results Discussions revealed that participants’ considerations tended to differ depending on whether or not they had a job to return to. Those with jobs (n = 23) referenced specific influences such as working relationships, accommodations, physical and practical limitations, as well as concerns about their ability to do their job. Those without a job to return to (n = 7) talked about the ways they would go about finding work, and how long they thought this would take. Both groups mentioned the influence of wanting to find the “right” job, retraining and being limited due to the need for income. Conclusion Findings indicate that employees reference numerous work-related factors when estimating their timeframes for returning to work, and that many of these have been previously identified as relating to other return-to-work outcomes. Findings suggest the potential to improve return-to-work expectation through addressing work-related influences, and helping people work through the tasks they need to complete in order to move forward in the return-to-work process. PMID:27706194

Work-Related Factors Considered by Sickness-Absent Employees When Estimating Timeframes for Returning to Work.

PubMed

Young, Amanda E; Choi, YoonSun

2016-01-01

Work-related factors have been found to be influential in shaping a number of return-to-work outcomes including return-to-work expectations. Based on the idea that work-related factors have the potential for modification through workplace-based initiatives, this study involved a detailed examination of work-related factors referenced by workers as being taken into consideration when estimating timeframes for returning to work. Focus groups were conducted with 30 employees, currently off work (≤ 3 months) due to a musculoskeletal condition. During the focus groups, participants wrote and spoke about the factors that they considered when forming their expectations for returning to work. Data were subjected to thematic content analysis. Discussions revealed that participants' considerations tended to differ depending on whether or not they had a job to return to. Those with jobs (n = 23) referenced specific influences such as working relationships, accommodations, physical and practical limitations, as well as concerns about their ability to do their job. Those without a job to return to (n = 7) talked about the ways they would go about finding work, and how long they thought this would take. Both groups mentioned the influence of wanting to find the "right" job, retraining and being limited due to the need for income. Findings indicate that employees reference numerous work-related factors when estimating their timeframes for returning to work, and that many of these have been previously identified as relating to other return-to-work outcomes. Findings suggest the potential to improve return-to-work expectation through addressing work-related influences, and helping people work through the tasks they need to complete in order to move forward in the return-to-work process.

To create a consensus on malnutrition diagnostic criteria: A report from the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) meeting at the ESPEN Congress 2016.

PubMed

Cederholm, Tommy; Jensen, Gordon L

2017-02-01

During the ESPEN Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark (September 2016) representatives of the 4 largest global PEN-societies from Europe (ESPEN), USA (ASPEN), Asia (PENSA) and Latin America (FELANPE), and from national PEN-societies around the world met to continue the conversation on how to diagnose malnutrition that started during the Clinical Nutrition Week, Austin, USA (February 2016). Current thinking on diagnostic approaches was shared; ESPEN suggested a grading approach that could encompass various types of signs, symptoms and etiologies to support diagnosis. ASPEN emphasized where the parties agree; i.e. that the three major published approaches (ESPEN, ASPEN/AND and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)) all propose weight loss as a key indicator for malnutrition. FELANPE suggested that the anticipated consensus approach needs to prioritize a diagnostic methodology that is available for everybody since resources differ globally. PENSA highlighted that BMI varies by ethnicity/race, and that sarcopenia/muscle mass evaluation is important for the diagnosis of malnutrition. A Core Working Committee of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) has been established (comprised of two representatives each from the 4 largest PEN-societies) that will lead consensus development in collaboration with a larger Working Group with broad global representation, using e-mail, telephone conferences, and face-to-face meetings during the up-coming ASPEN and ESPEN Congresses. Transparency and external input will be sought. Objectives include: 1. Consensus development around evidence-based criteria for broad application. 2. Promotion of global dissemination of the consensus criteria. 3. Seeking adoption by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Copyright © 2017 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Elsevier Ltd, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The sex-selective impact of the Black Death and recurring plagues in the Southern Netherlands, 1349-1450.

PubMed

Curtis, Daniel R; Roosen, Joris

2017-10-01

Although recent work has begun to establish that early modern plagues had selective mortality effects, it was generally accepted that the initial outbreak of Black Death in 1347-52 was a "universal killer." Recent bioarchaeological work, however, has argued that the Black Death was also selective with regard to age and pre-plague health status. The issue of the Black Death's potential sex selectivity is less clear. Bioarchaeological research hypothesizes that sex-selection in mortality was possible during the initial Black Death outbreak, and we present evidence from historical sources to test this notion. To determine whether the Black Death and recurring plagues in the period 1349-1450 had a sex-selective mortality effect. We present a newly compiled database of mortality information taken from mortmain records in Hainaut, Belgium, in the period 1349-1450, which not only is an important new source of information on medieval mortality, but also allows for sex-disaggregation. We find that the Black Death period of 1349-51, as well as recurring plagues in the 100 years up to 1450, often had a sex-selective effect-killing more women than in "non-plague years." Although much research tends to suggest that men are more susceptible to a variety of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites, we cannot assume that the same direction of sex-selection in mortality applied to diseases in the distant past such as Second Pandemic plagues. While the exact reasons for the sex-selective effect of late-medieval plague are unclear in the absence of further data, we suggest that simple inequities between the sexes in exposure to the disease may not have been a key driver. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Smart sensors and virtual physiology human approach as a basis of personalized therapies in diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Fernández Peruchena, Carlos M; Prado-Velasco, Manuel

2010-01-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a growing incidence and prevalence in modern societies, pushed by the aging and change of life styles. Despite the huge resources dedicated to improve their quality of life, mortality and morbidity rates, these are still very poor. In this work, DM pathology is revised from clinical and metabolic points of view, as well as mathematical models related to DM, with the aim of justifying an evolution of DM therapies towards the correction of the physiological metabolic loops involved. We analyze the reliability of mathematical models, under the perspective of virtual physiological human (VPH) initiatives, for generating and integrating customized knowledge about patients, which is needed for that evolution. Wearable smart sensors play a key role in this frame, as they provide patient's information to the models.A telehealthcare computational architecture based on distributed smart sensors (first processing layer) and personalized physiological mathematical models integrated in Human Physiological Images (HPI) computational components (second processing layer), is presented. This technology was designed for a renal disease telehealthcare in earlier works and promotes crossroads between smart sensors and the VPH initiative. We suggest that it is able to support a truly personalized, preventive, and predictive healthcare model for the delivery of evolved DM therapies.

Smart Sensors and Virtual Physiology Human Approach as a Basis of Personalized Therapies in Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Fernández Peruchena, Carlos M; Prado-Velasco, Manuel

2010-01-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a growing incidence and prevalence in modern societies, pushed by the aging and change of life styles. Despite the huge resources dedicated to improve their quality of life, mortality and morbidity rates, these are still very poor. In this work, DM pathology is revised from clinical and metabolic points of view, as well as mathematical models related to DM, with the aim of justifying an evolution of DM therapies towards the correction of the physiological metabolic loops involved. We analyze the reliability of mathematical models, under the perspective of virtual physiological human (VPH) initiatives, for generating and integrating customized knowledge about patients, which is needed for that evolution. Wearable smart sensors play a key role in this frame, as they provide patient’s information to the models. A telehealthcare computational architecture based on distributed smart sensors (first processing layer) and personalized physiological mathematical models integrated in Human Physiological Images (HPI) computational components (second processing layer), is presented. This technology was designed for a renal disease telehealthcare in earlier works and promotes crossroads between smart sensors and the VPH initiative. We suggest that it is able to support a truly personalized, preventive, and predictive healthcare model for the delivery of evolved DM therapies. PMID:21625646

Do science coaches promote inquiry-based instruction in the elementary science classroom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicker, Rosemary Knight

The South Carolina Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative established a school-based science coaching model that was effective in improving instruction by increasing the level of inquiry-based instruction in elementary science classrooms. Classroom learning environment data from both teacher groups indicated considerable differences in the quality of inquiry instruction for those classrooms of teachers supported by a science coach. All essential features of inquiry were demonstrated more frequently and at a higher level of open-ended inquiry in classrooms with the support of a science coach than were demonstrated in classrooms without a science coach. However, from teacher observations and interviews, it was determined that elementary schoolteacher practice of having students evaluate conclusions and connect them to current scientific knowledge was often neglected. Teachers with support of a science coach reported changes in inquiry-based instruction that were statistically significant. This mixed ethnographic study also suggested that the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative Theory of Action for Instructional Improvement was an effective model when examining the work of science coaches. All components of effective school infrastructure were positively impacted by a variety of science coaching strategies intended to promote inquiry. Professional development for competent teachers, implementation of researched-based curriculum, and instructional materials support were areas highly impacted by the work of science coaches.

The National Breastfeeding Policy in Nigeria: the working mother and the law.

PubMed

Worugji, I N E; Etuk, S J

2005-08-01

In this article, we examine the National Breastfeeding Policy in Nigeria, the extent to which the law guarantees and protects the maternity rights of the working mother, and the interplay between the law and the National Breastfeeding Policy. Our aim is to make people aware of this interplay to lead to some positive efforts to sanitize the workplace and shield women from some of the practices against them in employment relations in Nigeria as well as encourage exclusive breastfeeding by employed mothers.We conclude that the provisions of the law in this regard are not in accord with the contemporary international standards for the protection of pregnancy and maternity. It does not guarantee and protect the freedom of the nursing mother to exclusively breastfeed the child for at least the 6 months as propagated by Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and the National Breastfeeding Policy. Moreover, there is no enabling law to back up the National Policy Initiative as it affects employer and employee relations. We, therefore, suggest a legal framework for effective implementation of the National Breastfeeding Policy for women in dependent labour relations. It is hoped that such laws will not only limit some of the practices against women in employment but also will encourage and promote exclusive breastfeeding behaviour by employed mothers.

Perception of occupational balance by people with mental illness: A new methodology.

PubMed

Eklund, Mona; Argentzell, Elisabeth

2016-07-01

Aims The aims were to (i) investigate initial construct validity of a tool for assessment of time allocation in occupational balance, and (ii) describe perceived occupational balance and its relationship with socio-demographics, well-being, and personal recovery among people with mental illness. Methods Satisfaction with Daily Occupations and Occupational Balance (SDO-OB) was administered to 226 persons. SDO-OB reflects balance in five occupational domains: work, leisure, home chores, self-care, and overall occupational balance. Indicators for assessing construct validity were: satisfaction with everyday occupations, occupational value, symptom severity, and psychosocial functioning. For the second aim, the data collection included socio-demographics, life quality, self-esteem, self-mastery, and personal recovery. Results Occupational balance ratings indicated the participants were either under-occupied or in balance. Few were over-occupied. Feeling in balance was related to greater well-being and recovery compared with being under-occupied. Risk factors for under-occupation were younger age (in relation to work), and higher education (in relation to overall balance). Conclusions Associations with the indicators suggest initial construct validity. The SDO-OB is promising for assessment of occupational balance among people with mental illness. Being under-occupied was detrimental to well-being and recovery, and this indicates the importance of offering more occupational opportunities for people with mental illness.

Building a values-based culture in nurse education.

PubMed

Tetley, Josie; Dobson, Fiona; Jack, Kirsten; Pearson, Beryl; Walker, Elaine

2016-01-01

Nurse education has found itself challenged to select and educate nurses who on completion of? of their programme? have: excellent technical skills, an ability to critically analyse care and work compassionately in ways that support the values of care that are important to service users. Recent reports of care suggest that nursing still needs to develop the values base of its student selection and education processes. Against this backdrop, this paper presents two examples from pre registration nurse education that illustrate how a values based approach is used as part of the selection process in one university and used to inform the development of a reflective poetry initiative in another university. Having presented the two examples the authors debate some of the wider benefits and challenges linked to these ways of working. For example, the importance of connecting nurses' personal beliefs, attitudes and assumptions to service user values in recruitment are discussed. The use of poetry as a way of thinking about practice that moves beyond traditional models of reflection in nursing are also considered. However, the authors recognise that if developments in nurse education are to have a real impact on nursing practice and patient care, there is the need for values based initiatives to be more directly connected to the delivery of healthcare. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of transitional flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lund, Thomas S.

1988-01-01

An effort directed at developing improved transitional models was initiated. The focus of this work was concentrated on the critical assessment of a popular existing transitional model developed by McDonald and Fish in 1972. The objective of this effort was to identify the shortcomings of the McDonald-Fish model and to use the insights gained to suggest modifications or alterations of the basic model. In order to evaluate the transitional model, a compressible boundary layer code was required. Accordingly, a two-dimensional compressible boundary layer code was developed. The program was based on a three-point fully implicit finite difference algorithm where the equations were solved in an uncoupled manner with second order extrapolation used to evaluate the non-linear coefficients. Iteration was offered as an option if the extrapolation error could not be tolerated. The differencing scheme was arranged to be second order in both spatial directions on an arbitrarily stretched mesh. A variety of boundary condition options were implemented including specification of an external pressure gradient, specification of a wall temperature distribution, and specification of an external temperature distribution. Overall the results of the initial phase of this work indicate that the McDonald-Fish model does a poor job at predicting the details of the turbulent flow structure during the transition region.

Quality standards in a rheumatology Day-Care Hospital Unit. The proposal of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Day Hospitals' Working Group.

PubMed

García-Vicuña, Rosario; Montoro, María; Egües Dubuc, César Antonio; Bustabad Reyes, Sagrario; Gómez-Centeno, Antonio; Muñoz-Fernández, Santiago; Pérez Pampín, Eva; Román Ivorra, Jose Andrés; Balsa, Alejandro; Loza, Estíbaliz

2014-01-01

In recent years, the Rheumatology Day-Care Hospital Units (DHU have undergone extensive development. However, the quality standards are poorly documented and mainly limited to structure items rather than including broad and specific areas of this specialty. To develop specific quality standards for Rheumatology DHU. After a systematic review of the literature and related documents, a working group (WG) involving 8 DHU-experienced rheumatologists developed an initial proposal of the quality standards, under the supervision of an expert methodologist. A second round was held by the WG group to review the initial proposal and to consider further suggestions. Once the content was agreed upon by consensus, a final report was prepared. 17 structure standards, 25 process standards and 10 results standards were defined, with special emphasis on specific aspects of the Rheumatology DHU. The proposal includes: 1) essential standards to 2) excellent standards, 3) a Rheumatology DHU services portfolio and 4) performance criteria. The proposed quality standards are the basis for developing the indicators and other management tools for Rheumatology DHU, thereby ensuring a patient-oriented practice based on both the evidence and the experience. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program

PubMed Central

Bredesen, Dale E.

2014-01-01

This report describes a novel, comprehensive, and personalized therapeutic program that is based on the underlying pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and which involves multiple modalities designed to achieve metabolic enhancement for neurodegeneration (MEND). The first 10 patients who have utilized this program include patients with memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), or subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). Nine of the 10 displayed subjective or objective improvement in cognition beginning within 3-6 months, with the one failure being a patient with very late stage AD. Six of the patients had had to discontinue working or were struggling with their jobs at the time of presentation, and all were able to return to work or continue working with improved performance. Improvements have been sustained, and at this time the longest patient follow-up is two and one-half years from initial treatment, with sustained and marked improvement. These results suggest that a larger, more extensive trial of this therapeutic program is warranted. The results also suggest that, at least early in the course, cognitive decline may be driven in large part by metabolic processes. Furthermore, given the failure of monotherapeutics in AD to date, the results raise the possibility that such a therapeutic system may be useful as a platform on which drugs that would fail as monotherapeutics may succeed as key components of a therapeutic system. PMID:25324467

The dark side of testing memory: repeated retrieval can enhance eyewitness suggestibility.

PubMed

Chan, Jason C K; Lapaglia, Jessica A

2011-12-01

Eyewitnesses typically recount their experiences many times before trial. Such repeated retrieval can enhance memory retention of the witnessed event. However, recent studies (e.g., Chan, Thomas, & Bulevich, 2009) have found that initial retrieval can exacerbate eyewitness suggestibility to later misleading information--a finding termed retrieval-enhanced suggestibility (RES). Here we examined the influence of multiple retrieval attempts on eyewitness suggestibility to subsequent misinformation. In four experiments, we systematically varied the number of initial tests taken (between zero and six), the delay between initial testing and misinformation exposure (~30 min or 1 week), and whether initial testing was manipulated between- or within-subjects. University undergraduate students were used as participants. Overall, we found that eyewitness suggestibility increased as the number of initial tests increased, but this RES effect was qualified by the delay and by whether initial testing occurred in a within- or between-subjects manner. Specifically, the within-subjects RES effect was smaller than the between-subjects RES effect, possibly because of the influence of retrieval-induced forgetting/facilitation (Chan, 2009) when initial testing was manipulated within subjects. Moreover, consistent with the testing effect literature (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006), the benefits of repeated testing on later memory were stronger after a 1-week delay than after a 30-min delay, thus reducing the negative impact of RES in long-term situations. These findings suggest that conditions that are likely to occur in criminal investigations can either increase (repeated testing) or reduce (delay) the influence of RES, thus further demonstrating the complex relationship between eyewitness memory and repeated retrieval.

Faith-Based Human Services Initiatives: Considerations for Social Work Practice and Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tangenberg, Kathleen M.

2005-01-01

Faith-based human services initiatives present numerous challenges to professional social work. This article explores ways a theoretical integration of ecosystems and structuration perspectives may help social workers navigate complex ideological and practical implications of changing service delivery policies. The article highlights diversity…

Report on Wisconsin Quality of Workforce Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technical Education: Pathway to the Future, 1991

1991-01-01

This newsletter updates the reader on the latest Wisconsin initiatives to build tomorrow's work force through education, training, and cooperative ventures with business and industry. "Executive Cabinet for a Quality Workforce Defines Pathways to the Future" (Dwight York) discusses major reports related to the work of the executive…

The struggle for inter-professional teamwork and collaboration in maternity care: Austrian health professionals' perspectives on the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

PubMed

Wieczorek, Christina C; Marent, Benjamin; Dorner, Thomas E; Dür, Wolfgang

2016-03-14

The health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies are well documented in the scientific literature. Research suggests that support of breastfeeding during pre- and postnatal maternity care is an important determinant of breastfeeding initiation and duration. To support and promote breastfeeding on maternity units, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1991. In Austria, however, less than one fifth of hospitals with a maternity unit are currently BFHI-certified. Implementation of BFHI and adjunct changes in work practices seem to represent a major challenge to maternity units. This article builds upon previous research that has identified a number of facilitators of and barriers to BFHI implementation in Austria. A major barrier has been the lack of intra- and inter-professional collaboration. Therefore, this article investigates the ways in which different healthcare professionals struggle to work together to successfully integrate the BFHI into practice. In this study, a qualitative research approach was used. Thirty-six semi-structured interviews with 11 midwives, 11 nurses, 13 physicians, and one quality manager, working across three maternity units, were interviewed on-site. Data analysis followed thematic analysis. Midwives, nurses, and physicians had diverse approaches to childbirth and breastfeeding (medicalization vs. naturalness) and worked along different jurisdictions that became manifest in strict spatial divisions of maternity units. In their engagement within the BFHI, midwives, nurses, and physicians pursued different strategies (safeguarding vs. circumvention strategies). These differences hindered inter-professional teamwork and collaboration and, therefore, the integration of BFHI into practice. Differing approaches to childbirth and breastfeeding, deep seated professional jurisdictions, as well as spatial constraints, challenge inter-professional teamwork and collaboration on maternity units. Inter-professional teamwork and collaboration are widely espoused goals of contemporary healthcare improvement strategies. Yet, critical debate on how these goals can be integrated into practice is needed. To enable collaboration and facilitate the implementation of programs such as BFHI, the different perspectives of health professionals should be brought together and the potential for integrating different forms of knowledge and practices should be considered.

Interfacial waves generated by gravity currents in two-layer fluid.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Leary, A.; Parker, D.; Peakall, J.; Ross, A.; Knippertz, P.; Marsham, J.

2012-04-01

The mesoscale convective systems of the West African Monsoon have a huge energetic impact on the surrounding environment. Energy is radiated away from these systems by internal waves formed by the vigorous movements of air mass at their core, propagating over long range in the existence of a suitable waveguide. Gravity currents formed by convective downdrafts are an exceedlingly common phenomenon around the monsoon, covering significant distances on the continental scale. The initiation of solitary waves and bores by gravity currents incident on a marine or nocturnal inversion is well documented, the Morning Glory of Northern Australia being a well known and spectacular example. The interior of the African continent exhibits a further mechanism for the propagation of wave energy, with the environment of the Sahara often characterised by a deep convective boundary layer topped by a well mixed residual layer. This suggests a simple laboratory analogy for the idealised study of deep moist convection at the edge of the monsoon; that of a gravity current generated by lock release into a two layer fluid. This work looks specifically at the waves generated on the interface, especially with regard to their amplitude and propagation speed relative to the current. A series of simple experiments have been performed in the laboratory and combined with data from previous work. In addition to improving the basic dynamical understanding of the idealised problem the aim of these experiments is to examine whether there exist regions in the bulk parameter space in which waves are generated that are fast and of large amplitude. That is, were this an appropriate analog for the atmosphere, under which conditions are waves produced that would favour the initiation of subsequent convection? Ultimately this work aims to bring together research from fluid dynamics, field observations and numerical modelling to explore the phenomena of the convective environment of the Sahel. This fundamental work is a small part of efforts initiated in the AMMA* project to further understand the West African Monsoon. * African Monsoon and Multidisciplinary Analyses

Western Mountain Initiative

Science.gov Websites

Home About WMI People Publications News Media Research Links Western Mountain Initiative The Western Mountain Initiative is a team of USGS, US Forest Service, and university scientists working to

Work–life initiatives and organizational change: Overcoming mixed messages to move from the margin to the mainstream

PubMed Central

Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Lewis, Suzan; Hammer, Leslie B

2011-01-01

This article examines perspectives on employer work–life initiatives as potential organizational change phenomena. Work–life initiatives address two main organizational challenges: structural (flexible job design, human resource policies) and cultural (supportive supervisors, climate) factors. While work–life initiatives serve a purpose in highlighting the need for organizational adaptation to changing relationships between work, family, and personal life, we argue they usually are marginalized rather than mainstreamed into organizational systems. We note mixed consequences of work–life initiatives for individuals and organizations.While they may enable employees to manage work and caregiving, they can increase work intensification and perpetuate stereotypes of ideal workers. In order to advance the field, organizations and scholars need to frame both structural and cultural work–life changes as part of the core employment systems to enhance organizational effectiveness and not just as strategies to support disadvantaged, non-ideal workers. We conclude with an overview of the articles in this special issue. PMID:22021934

On-the-job moms: work and breastfeeding initiation and duration for a sample of low-income women.

PubMed

Kimbro, Rachel Tolbert

2006-01-01

As both employed and breastfeeding mothers increase, more women are facing the decision of whether and how to combine the behaviors. This paper examines three hypotheses for a sample of low-income women: 1) Mothers who expect to return to work after the birth of their baby will be less likely to initiate breastfeeding; 2) The timing of the return to work and quitting breastfeeding will coincide; 3) Mothers in professional jobs and Stay-at-Home (SAH) Moms will breastfeed for longer durations than mothers with other types of jobs. The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a sample of mostly low-income, unmarried U.S. mothers, offers a unique opportunity to study this issue, as there is reason to believe that employment may impact breastfeeding differently for low-income women. Logistic regression determines the relationship between the expectation of work and breastfeeding initiation, and discrete-time logit models examine breastfeeding duration, the timing of the return to work, and occupation type. Expecting to work in the year after the baby's birth does not impact breastfeeding initiation. The timing of quitting breastfeeding and the return to work are closely and powerfully linked, and mothers in administrative and manual positions quit earlier than other women. Interestingly, women in service occupations do not differ in breastfeeding duration from SAH mothers or professionals. This research demonstrates that low-income women are having difficulty combining work and breastfeeding, which has important health implications for their infants, and that women working in administrative and manual occupations may face special constraints.

Chronic stress impairs prefrontal cortex-dependent response inhibition and spatial working memory.

PubMed

Mika, Agnieszka; Mazur, Gabriel J; Hoffman, Ann N; Talboom, Joshua S; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A; Sanabria, Federico; Conrad, Cheryl D

2012-10-01

Chronic stress leads to neurochemical and structural alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that correspond to deficits in PFC-mediated behaviors. The present study examined the effects of chronic restraint stress on response inhibition (using a response-withholding task, the fixed-minimum interval schedule of reinforcement, or FMI), and working memory (using a radial arm water maze, RAWM). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were first trained on the RAWM and subsequently trained on FMI. After acquisition of FMI, rats were assigned to a restraint stress (6h/d/28d in wire mesh restrainers) or control condition. Immediately after chronic stress, rats were tested on FMI and subsequently on RAWM. FMI results suggest that chronic stress reduces response inhibition capacity and motivation to initiate the task on selective conditions when sucrose reward was not obtained on the preceding trial. RAWM results suggest that chronic stress produces transient deficits in working memory without altering previously consolidated reference memory. Behavioral measures from FMI failed to correlate with metrics from RAWM except for one in which changes in FMI timing imprecision negatively correlated with changes in RAWM working memory errors for the controls, a finding that was not observed following chronic stress. Fisher's r-to-z transformation revealed no significant differences between control and stress groups with correlation coefficients. These findings are the first to show that chronic stress impairs both response inhibition and working memory, two behaviors that have never been directly compared within the same animals after chronic stress, using FMI, an appetitive task, and RAWM, a nonappetitive task. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Students' Understanding and Perceptions of Assigned Team Roles in a Classroom Laboratory Environment

PubMed Central

Ott, Laura E.; Kephart, Kerrie; Stolle-McAllister, Kathleen; LaCourse, William R.

2018-01-01

Using a cooperative learning framework in a quantitative reasoning laboratory course, students were assigned to static teams of four in which they adopted roles that rotated regularly. The roles included: team leader, protocol manager, data recorder, and researcher. Using a mixed-methods approach, we investigated students' perceptions of the team roles and specifically addressed students' understanding of the roles, students' beliefs in their ability to enact the roles, and whether working with assigned team roles supported the teams to work effectively and cohesively. Although students expressed confidence in their understanding of the team roles, their understanding differed from the initial descriptions. This suggests that students' understanding of team roles may be influenced by a variety of factors, including their experiences within their teams. Students also reported that some roles appeared to lack a purpose, implying that for roles to be successful, they must have a clear purpose. Finally, the fact that many students reported ignoring the team roles suggests that students do not perceive roles as a requirement for team productivity and cohesion. On the basis of these findings, we provide recommendations for instructors wishing to establish a classroom group laboratory environment. PMID:29681667

In Pursuit of Consensus: Disagreement and legitimization during small-group argumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berland, Leema K.; Lee, Victor R.

2012-08-01

In recent years, an emphasis on scientific argumentation in classrooms has brought into focus collaborative consensus-building as an instructional strategy. In these situations, students with differing and competing arguments are asked to work with one another in order to establish a shared perspective. However, the literature suggests that consensus-building can be challenging for students because their interpretations of the argumentative task and context may not enable their productive engagement with counter-arguments and evidence. In this paper, our goal is to explore the ways in which interactions of students support or inhibit their consensus-building. To that end, we examine and describe three cases that represent different ways in which initially dissenting students try to work towards a consensus with their peers. Through these cases, we demonstrate that legitimization of disparate or incorrect ideas can enable students whose arguments rely on incorrect ideas to feel that their ideas were heard and valued by the rest of their group. As such, we suggest that this legitimization is important because it can help students 'save face'. This enables students to move away from the competitive and persuasive aspects of argumentation towards interactions that align more closely with sensemaking and consensus-building.

A review of head-worn display research at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthur, Jarvis J.; Bailey, Randall E.; Williams, Steven P.; Prinzel, Lawrence J.; Shelton, Kevin J.; Jones, Denise R.; Houston, Vincent

2015-05-01

NASA Langley has conducted research in the area of helmet-mounted/head-worn displays over the past 30 years. Initially, NASA Langley's research focused on military applications, but recently has conducted a line of research in the area of head-worn displays for commercial and business aircraft. This work has revolved around numerous simulation experiments as well as flight tests to develop technology and data for industry and regulatory guidance. The paper summarizes the results of NASA's helmet-mounted/head-worn display research. Of note, the work tracks progress in wearable collimated optics, head tracking, latency reduction, and weight. The research lends credence that a small, sunglasses-type form factor of the head-worn display would be acceptable to commercial pilots, and this goal is now becoming technologically feasible. The research further suggests that a head-worn display may serve as an "equivalent" Head-Up Display (HUD) with safety, operational, and cost benefits. "HUD equivalence" appears to be the economic avenue by which head-worn displays can become main-stream on the commercial and business aircraft flight deck. If this happens, NASA's research suggests that additional operational benefits using the unique capabilities of the head-worn display can open up new operational paradigms.

Review of head-worn displays for the Next Generation Air Transportation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthur, Jarvis (Trey) J.; Bailey, Randall E.; Williams, Steven P.; Prinzel, Lawrence J.; Shelton, Kevin J.; Jones, Denise R.; Houston, Vincent E.

2017-05-01

NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has conducted research in the area of helmet-mounted display (HMD)/head-worn display (HWD) over the past 30 years. Initially, NASA LaRC's research focused on military applications, but recently NASA has conducted a line of research in the area of HWD for commercial and business aircraft. This work revolved around numerous simulation experiments as well as flight tests to develop technology and data for industry and regulatory guidance. This paper summarizes the results of NASA's HMD/HWD research. Of note, the work tracks progress in wearable collimated optics, head tracking, latency reduction, and weight. The research lends credence to a small, sunglasses-type form factor of the HWD being acceptable to commercial pilots, and this goal is now becoming technologically feasible. The research further suggests that an HWD may serve as an "equivalent" head-up display (HUD) with safety, operational, and cost benefits. "HUD equivalence" appears to be the economic avenue by which HWDs can become mainstream on the commercial and business aircraft flight deck. If this happens, NASA's research suggests that additional operational benefits using the unique capabilities of the HWD can open up new operational paradigms.

Representative learning design in springboard diving: Is dry-land training representative of a pool dive?

PubMed

Barris, Sian; Davids, Keith; Farrow, Damian

2013-01-01

Two distinctly separate training facilities (dry-land and aquatic) are routinely used in springboard diving and pose an interesting problem for learning, given the inherent differences in landing (head first vs. feet first) imposed by the different task constraints. Although divers may practise the same preparation phase, take-off and initial aerial rotation in both environments, there is no evidence to suggest that the tasks completed in the dry-land training environment are representative of those performed in the aquatic competition environment. The aim of this study was to compare the kinematics of the preparation phase of reverse dives routinely practised in each environment. Despite their high skill level, it was predicted that individual analyses of elite springboard divers would reveal differences in the joint coordination and board-work between take-offs. The two-dimensional kinematic characteristics were recorded during normal training sessions and used for intra-individual analysis. Kinematic characteristics of the preparatory take-off phase revealed differences in board-work (step lengths, jump height, board depression angles) for all participants at key events. However, the presence of scaled global topological characteristics suggested that all participants adopted similar joint coordination patterns in both environments. These findings suggest that the task constraints of wet and dry training environments are not similar, and highlight the need for coaches to consider representative learning designs in high performance diving programmes.

Early Adolescent Sexual Debut: The Mediating Role of Working Memory Ability, Sensation Seeking, and Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Khurana, Atika; Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura M.; Brodsky, Nancy L.; Giannetta, Joan M.; Hurt, Hallam

2013-01-01

Although deficits in working memory ability have been implicated in suboptimal decision making and risk taking among adolescents, its influence on early sexual initiation has so far not been examined. Analyzing 2 waves of panel data from a community sample of adolescents (N = 347; Mean age[baseline] = 13.4 years), assessed 1 year apart, the present study tested the hypothesis that weak working memory ability predicts early sexual initiation and explored whether this relationship is mediated by sensation seeking and 2 forms of impulsivity, namely acting-without-thinking and temporal discounting. The 2 forms of impulsivity were expected to be positively associated with early sexual initiation, whereas sensation seeking was hypothesized to be unrelated or to have a protective influence, due to its positive association with working memory. Results obtained from structural equation modeling procedures supported these predictions and in addition showed that the effects of 3 prominent risk factors (Black racial identity, low socioeconomic background, and early pubertal maturation) on early sexual initiation were entirely mediated by working memory and impulsivity. The findings are discussed in regard to their implications for preventing early sexual onset among adolescents. PMID:22369334

Cholinergic control of male mating behavior in hamsters: effects of central oxotremorine treatment.

PubMed

Floody, Owen R; Katin, Michael J; Harrington, Lia X; Schassburger, Rachel L

2011-12-01

The responses of rats to intracranial injections of cholinergic drugs implicate acetylcholine in the control of male mating behavior and suggest specific brain areas as mediators of these effects. In particular, past work has linked the medial preoptic area (MPOA) to the control of intromission frequency but implicated areas near the lateral ventricles in effects on the initiation and spacing of intromissions. Studies of responses to systemic cholinergic treatments suggest that acetylcholine is even more important for the control of mating behavior in male hamsters but provide no information on the relevant brain areas. To fill this gap, we observed the effects of central injections of the cholinergic agonist oxotremorine that approached the MPOA along contrasting paths. Both studies suggest that increased cholinergic activity in or near the MPOA can facilitate behavior by reducing the postejaculatory interval and possibly affecting other parts of the mechanisms controlling the initiation of copulation and the efficiency of performance early in an encounter. In addition, oxotremorine caused other changes in behavior that could not be tied to the MPOA and may reflect actions at more dorsal sites, possibly including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial septum. These effects were notably heterogeneous, including facilitatory and disruptive effects on male behavior along with a facilitation of lordosis responses to manual stimulation. These results emphasize the number and diversity of elements of sexual behavior in hamsters that are under the partial control of forebrain cholinergic mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forewarning of Debris flows using Intelligent Geophones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

PK, I.; Ramesh, M. V.

2017-12-01

Landslides are one of the major catastrophic disasters that cause significant damage to human life and civil structures. Heavy rainfall on landslide prone areas can lead to most dangerous debris flow, where the materials such as mud, sand, soil, rock, water and air will move with greater velocity down the mountain. This sudden slope instability can lead to loss of human life and infrastructure. According to our knowledge, till now no one could identify the minutest factors that lead to initiation of the landslide. In this work, we aim to study the landslide phenomena deeply, using the landslide laboratory set up in our university. This unique mechanical simulator for landslide initiation is equipped with the capability to generate rainfall, seepage, etc., in the laboratory setup. Using this setup, we aim to study several landslide initiation scenarios generated by varying different parameters. The complete setup will be equipped with heterogeneous sensors such as rain gauge, moisture sensor, pore pressure sensor, strain gauges, tiltmeter, inclinometer, extensometer, and geophones. Our work will focus on the signals received from the intelligent geophone system for identifying the underground vibrations during a debris flow. Using the large amount of signals derived from the laboratory set up, we have performed detailed signal processing and data analysis to determine the fore warning signals captured by these heterogeneous sensors. Detailed study of these heterogeneous signals has provided the insights to forewarning the community based on the signals generated during the laboratory tests. In this work we will describe the details of the design, development, methodology, results, inferences and the suggestion for the next step to detect and forewarn the students. The response of intelligent geophone sensors at the time of failure, failure style and subsequent debris flow for heterogeneous soil layers were studied, thus helping in the development of fore warning systems for debris flows.

Valuing Initial Teacher Education at Master's Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Clare; Brant, Jacek; Abrahams, Ian; Yandell, John

2012-01-01

The future of Master's-level work in initial teacher education (ITE) in England seems uncertain. Whilst the coalition government has expressed support for Master's-level work, its recent White Paper focuses on teaching skills as the dominant form of professional development. This training discourse is in tension with the view of professional…

School Working Conditions and Changes in Student Teachers' Planned Persistence in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirrell, Matthew; Reininger, Michelle

2017-01-01

This study examines the relationship between the working conditions of student teaching schools and changes in student teachers' planned persistence in teaching. Planned persistence (and a related construct, initial commitment) is an important predictor of initial entry (Rots, Aelterman, Vlerick, & Vermeulen, 2007) and actual persistence in…

Georgia's Workforce Development Pipeline: One District's Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Melissa H.; Hufstetler, Tammy L.

2011-01-01

Launched in 2006, the Georgia Work Ready initiative seeks to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia's workforce and drive the state's economic growth. Georgia Work Ready is a partnership between the state and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Comprised of three components, Georgia's initiative focuses on job profiling, skills…

Working Women's Consciousness: Traditional or Oppositional?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costello, Cynthia

Based on an analysis of oral history interviews, this paper examines the events and consciousness surrounding a 1979 strike initiated by 53 female office employees of the Wisconsin Education Association (WEA) Insurance Trust. Faced with sex-discriminatory working conditions, the women at the Trust responded by initiating a strike. For many of the…

Willingness to pay for flexible working conditions of people with type 2 diabetes: discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

Nexo, M A; Cleal, B; Hagelund, Lise; Willaing, I; Olesen, K

2017-12-15

The increasing number of people with chronic diseases challenges workforce capacity. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) can have work-related consequences, such as early retirement. Laws of most high-income countries require workplaces to provide accommodations to enable people with chronic disabilities to manage their condition at work. A barrier to successful implementation of such accommodations can be lack of co-workers' willingness to support people with T2D. This study aimed to examine the willingness to pay (WTP) of people with and without T2D for five workplace initiatives that help individuals with type 2 diabetes manage their diabetes at work. Three samples with employed Danish participants were drawn from existing online panels: a general population sample (n = 600), a T2D sample (n = 693), and a matched sample of people without diabetes (n = 539). Participants completed discrete choice experiments eliciting their WTP (reduction in monthly salary, €/month) for five hypothetical workplace initiatives: part-time job, customized work, extra breaks with pay, and time off for medical consultations with and without pay. WTP was estimated by conditional logits models. Bootstrapping was used to estimate confidence intervals for WTP. There was an overall WTP for all initiatives. Average WTP for all attributes was 34 €/month (95% confidence interval [CI]: 27-43] in the general population sample, 32 €/month (95% CI: 26-38) in the T2D sample, and 55 €/month (95% CI: 43-71) in the matched sample. WTP for additional breaks with pay was considerably lower than for the other initiatives in all samples. People with T2D had significantly lower WTP than people without diabetes for part-time work, customized work, and time off without pay, but not for extra breaks or time off with pay. For people with and without T2D, WTP was present for initiatives that could improve management of diabetes at the workplace. WTP was lowest among people with T2D. Implementation of these initiatives seems feasible and may help unnecessary exclusion of people with T2D from work.

To work despite chronic health conditions: a qualitative study of workers at the Swedish Public Employment Service.

PubMed

Hjärtström, Carina; Lindahl Norberg, Annika; Johansson, Gun; Bodin, Theo

2018-04-20

Achieving a sustainable, healthy and long working life is key prerequisite for meeting the demographic challenge posed by an ageing population so that more people can work on into their later years. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between work and chronic health conditions in a group of employees aged 50-64 years with a focus on factors that enable them to continue to work. Ten white-collar workers with one or more chronic health conditions at the Swedish Public Employment Service participated in the study. A qualitative method with semistructured in-depth interviews was used to collect data. This study shows that factors enabling people with chronic health conditions to work include adaptation of the work situation by task-shifting as well as provision of physical aids. Our study suggest that the changes often come at the employee's initiative; hence, there is potential for greater involvement from the employer, healthcare agencies and the social insurance fund in making it easier for employees to adapt their work situation and in providing information regarding available support. It confirms findings in earlier studies that health plays an important part and also that self-confidence and motivation are significant factors contributing to workers being able and wanting to continue working. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Stochasticity and predictability in terrestrial planet formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Volker; Grimm, Simon L.; Moore, Ben; Stadel, Joachim

2017-02-01

Terrestrial planets are thought to be the result of a vast number of gravitational interactions and collisions between smaller bodies. We use numerical simulations to show that practically identical initial conditions result in a wide array of final planetary configurations. This is a result of the chaotic evolution of trajectories which are highly sensitive to minuscule displacements. We determine that differences between systems evolved from virtually identical initial conditions can be larger than the differences between systems evolved from very different initial conditions. This implies that individual simulations lack predictive power. For example, there is not a reproducible mapping between the initial and final surface density profiles. However, some key global properties can still be extracted if the statistical spread across many simulations is considered. Based on these spreads, we explore the collisional growth and orbital properties of terrestrial planets, which assemble from different initial conditions (we vary the initial planetesimal distribution, planetesimal masses, and giant planet orbits.). Confirming past work, we find that the resulting planetary systems are sculpted by sweeping secular resonances. Configurations with giant planets on eccentric orbits produce fewer and more massive terrestrial planets on tighter orbits than those with giants on circular orbits. This is further enhanced if the initial mass distribution is biased to the inner regions. In all cases, the outer edge of the system is set by the final location of the ν6 resonance and we find that the mass distribution peaks at the ν5 resonance. Using existing observations, we find that extrasolar systems follow similar trends. Although differences between our numerical modelling and exoplanetary systems remain, we suggest that CoRoT-7, HD 20003 and HD 20781 may host undetected giant planets.

Wavelength dependence and multiple-induced states in photoresponses of copper phthalocyanine-doped gold nanoparticle single-electron device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Makoto; Ueda, Rieko; Terui, Toshifumi; Imazu, Keisuke; Tamada, Kaoru; Sakano, Takeshi; Matsuda, Kenji; Ishii, Hisao; Noguchi, Yutaka

2014-01-01

We have proposed a gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based single-electron transistor (SET) doped with a dye molecule, where the molecule works as a photoresponsive floating gate. Here, we examined the source-drain current (I_{\\text{SD}}) at a constant drain voltage under light irradiation with various wavelengths ranging from 400 to 700 nm. Current change was enhanced at the wavelengths of 600 and 700 nm, corresponding to the optical absorption band of the doped molecule (copper phthalocyanine: CuPc). Moreover, several peaks appear in the histograms of I_{\\text{SD}} during light irradiation, indicating that multiple discrete states were induced in the device. The results suggest that the current change was initiated by the light absorption of CuPc and multiple CuPc molecules near the GNP working as a floating gate. Molecular doping can activate advanced device functions in GNP-based SETs.

Cratons are from Earth, Planum are from Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, C. M.; Lenardic, A.; Moresi, L.

2004-12-01

Both the Earth and Venus exhibit ancient features that are associated with long-term stability from deformation after their initial formation. On the Earth, these features are referred to as cratons. On Venus, a classic example of such a feature is Lakshmi Planum, a large plateau that sits 4 km above the surface. Both cratons and the Lakshmi Planum have been proposed to form through some form of crustal thickening over mantle downwellings, though the physical viability of these models have not been tested. Here we present the work of numerical simulations and scaling analysis, which suggest that the formation and preservation of such features can be achieved through crustal thickening via localized deformation (i.e., thrust stacking) even in the presence of a high viscosity crust, which would inhibit viscous deformation. We choose to present this work in such a way that will highlight the similarities and differences between the two formation histories using an alternative poster format.

The Pulsed High Density Experiment (PHDX) Final Report

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

Slough, John P.; Andreason, Samuel

The purpose of this paper is to present the conclusions that can be drawn from the Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) formation experiments conducted on the Pulsed High Density experiment (PHD) at the University of Washington. The experiment is ongoing. The experimental goal for this first stage of PHD was to generate a stable, high flux (>10 mWb), high energy (>10 KJ) target FRC. Such results would be adequate as a starting point for several later experiments. This work focuses on experimental implementation and the results of the first four month run. Difficulties were encountered due to the initial on-axis plasmamore » ionization source. Flux trapping with this ionization source acting alone was insufficient to accomplish experimental objectives. Additional ionization methods were utilized to overcome this difficulty. A more ideal plasma source layout is suggested and will be explored during a forthcoming work.« less

Perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport: some considerations when applying the expert performance approach.

PubMed

Williams, A Mark; Ericsson, K Anders

2005-06-01

The number of researchers studying perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport is increasing. The intention in this paper is to review the currently accepted framework for studying expert performance and to consider implications for undertaking research work in the area of perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport. The expert performance approach presents a descriptive and inductive approach for the systematic study of expert performance. The nature of expert performance is initially captured in the laboratory using representative tasks that identify reliably superior performance. Process-tracing measures are employed to determine the mechanisms that mediate expert performance on the task. Finally, the specific types of activities that lead to the acquisition and development of these mediating mechanisms are identified. General principles and mechanisms may be discovered and then validated by more traditional experimental designs. The relevance of this approach to the study of perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport is discussed and suggestions for future work highlighted.

Exploiting Self-organization in Bioengineered Systems: A Computational Approach.

PubMed

Davis, Delin; Doloman, Anna; Podgorski, Gregory J; Vargis, Elizabeth; Flann, Nicholas S

2017-01-01

The productivity of bioengineered cell factories is limited by inefficiencies in nutrient delivery and waste and product removal. Current solution approaches explore changes in the physical configurations of the bioreactors. This work investigates the possibilities of exploiting self-organizing vascular networks to support producer cells within the factory. A computational model simulates de novo vascular development of endothelial-like cells and the resultant network functioning to deliver nutrients and extract product and waste from the cell culture. Microbial factories with vascular networks are evaluated for their scalability, robustness, and productivity compared to the cell factories without a vascular network. Initial studies demonstrate that at least an order of magnitude increase in production is possible, the system can be scaled up, and the self-organization of an efficient vascular network is robust. The work suggests that bioengineered multicellularity may offer efficiency improvements difficult to achieve with physical engineering approaches.

Breastfeeding and employment: an assessment of employer attitudes.

PubMed

Libbus, M Kay; Bullock, Linda F C

2002-08-01

Both research and anecdotal reports suggest that maternal employment is associated with failure to initiate breastfeeding and early breastfeeding attrition. The objective of this study was to describe the experience with and attitudes toward breastfeeding of a sample of employers in a small Midwestern city in the United States. Based on an analysis of 85 mail-out questionnaires, we found that less than half of the employers had personal experience with breastfeeding. A large percentage of the sample, however, indicated that they would be willing to facilitate women who wished to breastfeed or express milk in the workplace. However, these employers also stated that they saw little value to their business of supporting breastfeeding in the work environment. Thus, enhancement of breastfeeding opportunity in the work environment may come as a result of public and employer education but, more likely, will require some type of directive from official sources.

Continuous-variable quantum probes for structured environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bina, Matteo; Grasselli, Federico; Paris, Matteo G. A.

2018-01-01

We address parameter estimation for structured environments and suggest an effective estimation scheme based on continuous-variables quantum probes. In particular, we investigate the use of a single bosonic mode as a probe for Ohmic reservoirs, and obtain the ultimate quantum limits to the precise estimation of their cutoff frequency. We assume the probe prepared in a Gaussian state and determine the optimal working regime, i.e., the conditions for the maximization of the quantum Fisher information in terms of the initial preparation, the reservoir temperature, and the interaction time. Upon investigating the Fisher information of feasible measurements, we arrive at a remarkable simple result: homodyne detection of canonical variables allows one to achieve the ultimate quantum limit to precision under suitable, mild, conditions. Finally, upon exploiting a perturbative approach, we find the invariant sweet spots of the (tunable) characteristic frequency of the probe, able to drive the probe towards the optimal working regime.

Peer mentoring supports the learning needs of nurses providing palliative care in a rural acute care setting.

PubMed

Rabbetts, Lyn

2017-06-02

A specific set of assessment scales can underpin the management of distressing symptoms of patients requiring palliative care. A research assistant supported nurses working in a rural hospital setting during the introduction of these scales. A secondary analysis was conducted to further explore the qualitative data of a previously reported mixed-method study. In particular, the experiences of nurses working alongside a research assistant in the facilitation of using a new assessment form. Purposeful sampling was employed: participating nurses were invited to attend one of three focus group meetings. Data analysis revealed three main themes: a contact person, coach/mentor and extra help initiatives. Three to four subthemes corresponded with each main theme. Findings suggest nurses benefit from having someone to assist in learning about new documentation. Nurses respond positively to mentorship and practical guidance when integrating a new assessment form into routine evidence-based practice.

Towards a genealogy of pharmacological practice.

PubMed

Camargo, Ricardo; Ried, Nicolás

2016-03-01

Following Foucault's work on disciplinary power and biopolitics, this article maps an initial cartography of the research areas to be traced by a genealogy of pharmacological practice. Pharmacology, as a practical activity, refers to the creation, production and sale of drugs/medication. This work identifies five lines of research that, although often disconnected from each other, may be observed in the specialized literature: (1) pharmaceuticalization; (2) regulation of the pharmaceutical industry; (3) the political-economic structure of the pharmaceutical industry; (4) consumption/consumerism of medications; (5) and bio-knowledge. The article suggests that a systematic analysis of these areas leads one to consider pharmacological practice a sui generis apparatus of power, which reaches beyond the purely disciplinary and biopolitical levels to encompass molecular configurations, thereby giving rise not only to new types of government over life, but also to new struggles for life, extending from molecular to population-wide levels.

[Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment].

PubMed

De Angelis, Rossella; Salaffi, Fausto; Filippucci, Emilio; Grassi, Walter

2006-01-01

Carpal tunnel syndrome, the most common peripheral neuropathy, results from compression of the median nerve at the wrist, and is a cause of pain, numbness and tingling in the upper extremities and an increasingly recognized cause of work disability. If carpal tunnel syndrome seems likely, conservative management with splinting should be initiated. Moreover, it has suggested that patients reduce activities at home and work that exacerbate symptoms. Pyridoxine and diuretics, since are largely utilised, are no more effective than placebo in relieving the symptoms. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and orally administered corticosteroids can be effective for short-term management (two to four weeks), but local corticosteroid injection may improve symptoms for a longer period. Injection is especially effective if there is no loss of sensibility or thenar-muscle atrophy and weakness, and if symptoms are intermittent rather than constant. If symptoms are refractory to conservative measures, the option of surgical therapy may be considered.

Initiation of Solar Eruptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L.

2007-01-01

We consider processes occurring just prior to and at the start of the onset of flare- and CME-producing solar eruptions. Our recent work uses observations of filament motions around the time of eruption onset as a proxy for the evolution of the fields involved in the eruption. Frequently the filaments show a slow rise prior to fast eruption, indicative of a slow expansion of the field that is about co explode. Work by us and others suggests that reconnection involving emerging or canceling flux results in a lengthening of fields restraining the filament-carrying field, and the consequent upward expansion of the field in and around the filament produces the filament's slow rise: that is, the reconnection weakens the magnetic "tethers" ("tether-weakening" reconnection), and results in the slow rise of the filament. It is still inconclusive, however, what mechanism is responsible for the switch from the slow rise to the fast eruption.

Global life satisfaction predicts ambulatory affect, stress, and cortisol in daily life in working adults.

PubMed

Smyth, Joshua M; Zawadzki, Matthew J; Juth, Vanessa; Sciamanna, Christopher N

2017-04-01

Global life satisfaction has been linked with long-term health advantages, yet how life satisfaction impacts the trajectory of long-term health is unclear. This paper examines one such possible mechanism-that greater life satisfaction confers momentary benefits in daily life that accumulate over time. A community sample of working adults (n = 115) completed a measure of life satisfaction and then three subsequent days of ecological momentary assessment surveys (6 times/day) measuring affect (i.e., emotional valence, arousal), and perceived stress, and also provided salivary cortisol samples. Multilevel models indicated that people with higher (vs. lower) levels of life satisfaction reported better momentary affect, less stress, marginally lower momentary levels and significantly altered diurnal slopes of cortisol. Findings suggest individuals with high global life satisfaction have advantageous daily experiences, providing initial evidence for potential mechanisms through which global life satisfaction may help explain long-term health benefits.

Propensity for intimate partner abuse and workplace productivity: why employers should care.

PubMed

Rothman, Emily F; Corso, Phaedra S

2008-09-01

It has been demonstrated that intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is costly to employers, but little is known about the economic consequences associated with employing perpetrators. This study investigated propensity for partner abuse as a predictor of missed work time and on-the-job decreases in productivity among a small sample of male employees at a state agency (N=61). Results suggest that greater propensity for abusiveness is positively associated with missing work and experiencing worse productivity on the job, controlling for level of education, income, marital status, age, and part-time versus full-time employment status. Additional research could clarify whether IPV perpetration is a predictor of decreased productivity among larger samples and a wider variety of workplace settings. Employers and IPV advocates should consider responding to potential IPV perpetrators through the workplace in addition to developing victim-oriented policies and prevention initiatives.

Projects for increasing job satisfaction and creating a healthy work environment.

PubMed

Brunges, Michele; Foley-Brinza, Christine

2014-12-01

Workplace culture is one of the biggest factors driving employee commitment and engagement. Multiple studies have shown that hospitals will perform better over time if employees are committed to their jobs and engaged in what they do. By creating and implementing multiple projects during a three-year period, a team at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, increased job satisfaction. Projects included ensuring meal breaks were offered, creating a serenity area, developing the patient ambassador role, actively addressing bullying and unprofessional behavior, assigning a student mentee to work with staff members on culture change, offering regular fun activities, redesigning the unit, reorganizing schedules to reduce stress, implementing education and training initiatives, establishing a Unit Practice Council, and implementing reward and recognition programs. Survey results and anecdotal evidence suggest that these projects combined to increase employee satisfaction and employee retention rates. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical Study of Outlet Boundary Conditions for Unsteady Turbulent Internal Flows Using the NCC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Nan-Suey; Shih, Tsan-Hsing

2009-01-01

This paper presents the results of studies on the outlet boundary conditions for turbulent internal flow simulations. Several outlet boundary conditions have been investigated by applying the National Combustion Code (NCC) to the configuration of a LM6000 single injector flame tube. First of all, very large eddy simulations (VLES) have been performed using the partially resolved numerical simulation (PRNS) approach, in which both the nonlinear and linear dynamic subscale models were employed. Secondly, unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier- Stokes (URANS) simulations have also been performed for the same configuration to investigate the effects of different outlet boundary conditions in the context of URANS. Thirdly, the possible role of the initial condition is inspected by using three different initial flow fields for both the PRNS/VLES simulation and the URANS simulation. The same grid is used for all the simulations and the number of mesh element is about 0.5 million. The main purpose of this study is to examine the long-time behavior of the solution as determined by the imposed outlet boundary conditions. For a particular simulation to be considered as successful under the given initial and boundary conditions, the solution must be sustainable in a physically meaningful manner over a sufficiently long period of time. The commonly used outlet boundary condition for steady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation is a fixed pressure at the outlet with all the other dependent variables being extrapolated from the interior. The results of the present study suggest that this is also workable for the URANS simulation of the LM6000 injector flame tube. However, it does not work for the PRNS/VLES simulation due to the unphysical reflections of the pressure disturbances at the outlet boundary. This undesirable situation can be practically alleviated by applying a simple unsteady convection equation for the pressure disturbances at the outlet boundary. The numerical results presented in this paper suggest that this unsteady convection of pressure disturbances at the outlet works very well for all the unsteady simulations (both PRNS/VLES and URANS) of the LM6000 single injector flame tube.

Implementing an Injury Prevention Briefing to aid delivery of key fire safety messages in UK children's centres: qualitative study nested within a multi-centre randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Beckett, Kate; Goodenough, Trudy; Deave, Toity; Jaeckle, Sally; McDaid, Lisa; Benford, Penny; Hayes, Mike; Towner, Elizabeth; Kendrick, Denise

2014-12-10

To improve the translation of public health evidence into practice, there is a need to increase practitioner involvement in initiative development, to place greater emphasis on contextual knowledge, and to address intervention processes and outcomes. Evidence that demonstrates the need to reduce childhood fire-related injuries is compelling but its translation into practice is inconsistent and limited. With this knowledge the Keeping Children Safe programme developed an "Injury Prevention Briefing (IPB)" using a 7 step process to combine scientific evidence with practitioner contextual knowledge. The IPB was designed specifically for children's centres (CCs) to support delivery of key fire safety messages to parents. This paper reports the findings of a nested qualitative study within a clustered randomised controlled trial of the IPB, in which staff described their experiences of IPB implementation to aid understanding of why or how the intervention worked. Interviews were conducted with key staff at 24 CCs participating in the two intervention arms: 1) IPB supplemented by initial training and regular facilitation; 2) IPB sent by post with no facilitation. Framework Analysis was applied to these interview data to explore intervention adherence including; exposure or dose; quality of delivery; participant responsiveness; programme differentiation; and staff experience of IPB implementation. This included barriers, facilitators and suggested improvements. 83% of CCs regarded the IPB as a simple, accessible tool which raised awareness, and stimulated discussion and behaviour change. 15 CCs suggested minor modifications to format and content. Four levels of implementation were identified according to content, frequency, duration and coverage. Most CCs (75%) achieved 'extended' or 'essential' IPB implementation. Three universal factors affected all CCs: organisational change and resourcing; working with hard to engage groups; additional demands of participating in a research study. Six specific factors were associated with the implementation level achieved: staff engagement and training; staff continuity; adaptability and flexibility; other agency support; conflicting priorities; facilitation. CCs achieving high implementation levels increased from 58% (no facilitation) to 92% with facilitation. Incorporating service provider perspectives and scientific evidence into health education initiatives enhances potential for successful implementation, particularly when supplemented by ongoing training and facilitation.

Ready4Work "In Brief": Update on Outcomes; Reentry May Be Critical for States, Cities. P/PV In Brief. Issue 6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley, Chelsea; McClanahan, Wendy S.

2007-01-01

This issue of "P/PV In Brief" provides updated data from the Ready4Work prisoner reentry initiative, with a focus on the prison crisis occurring in many cities and states. While much more research is needed to understand the true, long-term impact of prisoner reentry initiatives, outcomes from Ready4Work were extremely promising in terms of…

When is giving an impulse? An ERP investigation of intuitive prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Carlson, Ryan W; Aknin, Lara B; Liotti, Mario

2016-07-01

Human prosociality is often assumed to emerge from exerting reflective control over initial, selfish impulses. However, recent findings suggest that prosocial actions can also stem from processes that are fast, automatic and intuitive. Here, we attempt to clarify when prosocial behavior may be intuitive by examining prosociality as a form of reward seeking. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we explored whether a neural signature that rapidly encodes the motivational salience of an event-the P300-can predict intuitive prosocial motivation. Participants allocated varying amounts of money between themselves and charities they initially labelled as high- or low-empathy targets under conditions that promoted intuitive or reflective decision making. Consistent with our predictions, P300 amplitude over centroparietal regions was greater when giving involved high-empathy targets than low-empathy targets, but only when deciding under intuitive conditions. Reflective conditions, alternatively, elicited an earlier frontocentral positivity related to response inhibition, regardless of target. Our findings suggest that during prosocial decision making, larger P300 amplitude could (i) signal intuitive prosocial motivation and (ii) predict subsequent engagement in prosocial behavior. This work offers novel insight into when prosociality may be driven by intuitive processes and the roots of such behaviors. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Regulation of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells or Tumor-Initiating Cells

PubMed Central

Kwon, Mi Jeong; Shin, Young Kee

2013-01-01

Cancer stem cells or tumor-initiating cells (CSC/TICs), which can undergo self-renewal and differentiation, are thought to play critical roles in tumorigenesis, therapy resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis. Tumor recurrence and chemoresistance are major causes of poor survival rates of ovarian cancer patients, which may be due in part to the existence of CSC/TICs. Therefore, elucidating the molecular mechanisms responsible for the ovarian CSC/TICs is required to develop a cure for this malignancy. Recent studies have indicated that the properties of CSC/TICs can be regulated by microRNAs, genes and signaling pathways which also function in normal stem cells. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests that the tumor microenvironments surrounding CSC/TICs are crucial for the maintenance of these cells. Similarly, efforts are now being made to unravel the mechanism involved in the regulation of ovarian CSC/TICs, although much work is still needed. This review considers recent advances in identifying the genes and pathways involved in the regulation of ovarian CSC/TICs. Furthermore, current approaches targeting ovarian CSC/TICs are described. Targeting both CSC/TICs and bulk tumor cells is suggested as a more effective approach to eliminating ovarian tumors. Better understanding of the regulation of ovarian CSC/TICs might facilitate the development of improved therapeutic strategies for recurrent ovarian cancer. PMID:23528891