Teaching Process Design through Integrated Process Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Matthew J.; Glasser, Benjamin J.; Patel, Bilal; Hildebrandt, Diane; Glasser, David

2012-01-01

The design course is an integral part of chemical engineering education. A novel approach to the design course was recently introduced at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. The course aimed to introduce students to systematic tools and techniques for setting and evaluating performance targets for processes, as well as…

Integrate Evaluation into the Planning Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camp, William

1985-01-01

In an attempt to correct for limitations in the Program Evaluation and Review Technique-Critical Path Method (PERT-CPM), the Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT) has been developed. This management tool allows for evaluation during the facilities' development process. Two figures and two references are provided. (DCS)

Integrating Evidence Within and Across Evidence Streams Using Qualitative Methods

EPA Science Inventory

There is high demand in environmental health for adoption of a structured process that evaluates and integrates evidence while making decisions transparent. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework holds promise to address this deman...

Impacts Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations: Evaluation Plan and Addendum

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

This document details the process that the Volpe Center intended to follow in evaluating the impacts of the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstration in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The document also includes the add...

Impact Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations Evaluation Plan and Addendum.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-04

This document details the process that the Volpe Center intended to follow in evaluating the impacts of the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstration in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The document also includes the add...

A Step for Evaluating Constructivist Approach Integrated Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gazi, Zehra A.

2011-01-01

This research aims to reveal the validation of 86-items in order to develop a scale for evaluating constructivist approach integrated online courses in higher education practices. The main aim of this research process is to reveal a scale to further evaluate whether the online education practices in higher education have the notions of…

Efficient ethanol recovery from yeast fermentation broth with integrated distillation-membrane process

EPA Science Inventory

A hybrid process integrating vapor stripping with vapor compression and vapor permeation membrane separation, termed Membrane Assisted Vapor Stripping (MAVS), was evaluated for recovery and dehydration of ethanol from aqueous solution as an alternative to conventional distillatio...

A flexible importance sampling method for integrating subgrid processes

DOE PAGES

Raut, E. K.; Larson, V. E.

2016-01-29

Numerical models of weather and climate need to compute grid-box-averaged rates of physical processes such as microphysics. These averages are computed by integrating subgrid variability over a grid box. For this reason, an important aspect of atmospheric modeling is spatial integration over subgrid scales. The needed integrals can be estimated by Monte Carlo integration. Monte Carlo integration is simple and general but requires many evaluations of the physical process rate. To reduce the number of function evaluations, this paper describes a new, flexible method of importance sampling. It divides the domain of integration into eight categories, such as the portion that containsmore » both precipitation and cloud, or the portion that contains precipitation but no cloud. It then allows the modeler to prescribe the density of sample points within each of the eight categories. The new method is incorporated into the Subgrid Importance Latin Hypercube Sampler (SILHS). Here, the resulting method is tested on drizzling cumulus and stratocumulus cases. In the cumulus case, the sampling error can be considerably reduced by drawing more sample points from the region of rain evaporation.« less

Integrating the human element into the systems engineering process and MBSE methodology

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

Tadros, Michael Samir

In response to the challenges related to the increasing size and complexity of systems, organizations have recognized the need to integrate human considerations in the beginning stages of systems development. Human Systems Integration (HSI) seeks to accomplish this objective by incorporating human factors within systems engineering (SE) processes and methodologies, which is the focus of this paper. A representative set of HSI methods from multiple sources are organized, analyzed, and mapped to the systems engineering Vee-model. These methods are then consolidated and evaluated against the SE process and Models-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodology to determine where and how they couldmore » integrate within systems development activities in the form of specific enhancements. Overall conclusions based on these evaluations are presented and future research areas are proposed.« less

A PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING INDICIES OF FISH ASSEMBLAGE INTEGRITY

EPA Science Inventory

We describe a general process for developing an index of fish assemblage integrity, using the Willamette Valley of Oregon, U.S.A., as an example. Such an index is useful for assessing the effects of humans on entire fish assemblages, and the general process can be applied to any ...

Research environments that promote integrity.

PubMed

Jeffers, Brenda Recchia; Whittemore, Robin

2005-01-01

The body of empirical knowledge about research integrity and the factors that promote research integrity in nursing research environments remains small. To propose an internal control model as an innovative framework for the design and structure of nursing research environments that promote integrity. An internal control model is adapted to illustrate its use for conceptualizing and designing research environments that promote integrity. The internal control model integrates both the organizational elements necessary to promote research integrity and the processes needed to assess research environments. The model provides five interrelated process components within which any number of research integrity variables and processes may be used and studied: internal control environment, risk assessment, internal control activities, monitoring, and information and communication. The components of the proposed research integrity internal control model proposed comprise an integrated conceptualization of the processes that provide reasonable assurance that research integrity will be promoted within the nursing research environment. Schools of nursing can use the model to design, implement, and evaluate systems that promote research integrity. The model process components need further exploration to substantiate the use of the model in nursing research environments.

Evaluating Three School-Based Integrated Health Centres Established by a Partnership in Cornwall to Inform Future Provision and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macpherson, Reynold

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to report the process, findings and implications of a three-year evaluation of integrated health centres (IHCs) established in three secondary schools in Cornwall by the School-Based Integrated Health Centres (SBIHC) partnership. Design/methodology/approach: When the partners had completed the capital works, an…

MIUS wastewater technology evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poradek, J. C.

1976-01-01

A modular integrated utility system wastewater-treatment process is described. Research in the field of wastewater treatment is reviewed, treatment processes are specified and evaluated, and recommendations for system use are made. The treatment processes evaluated are in the broad categories of preparatory, primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment, physical-chemical processing, dissolved-solids removal, disinfection, sludge processing, and separate systems. Capital, operating, and maintenance costs are estimated, and extensive references are given.

Federated Search Tools in Fusion Centers: Bridging Databases in the Information Sharing Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

considerable variation in how fusion centers plan for, gather requirements, select and acquire federated search tools to bridge disparate databases...centers, when considering integrating federated search tools; by evaluating the importance of the planning, requirements gathering, selection and...acquisition processes for integrating federated search tools; by acknowledging the challenges faced by some fusion centers during these integration processes

Pain management: a review of organisation models with integrated processes for the management of pain in adult cancer patients.

PubMed

Brink-Huis, Anita; van Achterberg, Theo; Schoonhoven, Lisette

2008-08-01

This paper reports a review of the literature conducted to identify organisation models in cancer pain management that contain integrated care processes and describe their effectiveness. Pain is experienced by 30-50% of cancer patients receiving treatment and by 70-90% of those with advanced disease. Efforts to improve pain management have been made through the development and dissemination of clinical guidelines. Early improvements in pain management were focussed on just one or two single processes such as pain assessment and patient education. Little is known about organisational models with multiple integrated processes throughout the course of the disease trajectory and concerning all stages of the care process. Systematic review. The review involved a systematic search of the literature, published between 1986-2006. Subject-specific keywords used to describe patients, disease, pain management interventions and integrated care processes, relevant for this review were selected using the thesaurus of the databases. Institutional models, clinical pathways and consultation services are three alternative models for the integration of care processes in cancer pain management. A clinical pathway is a comprehensive institutionalisation model, whereas a pain consultation service is a 'stand-alone' model that can be integrated in a clinical pathway. Positive patient and process outcomes have been described for all three models, although the level of evidence is generally low. Evaluation of the quality of pain management must involve standardised measurements of both patient and process outcomes. We recommend the development of policies for referrals to a pain consultation service. These policies can be integrated within a clinical pathway. To evaluate the effectiveness of pain management models standardised outcome measures are needed.

Development of the e-Baby serious game with regard to the evaluation of oxygenation in preterm babies: contributions of the emotional design.

PubMed

Fonseca, Luciana Mara Monti; Dias, Danielle Monteiro Vilela; Góes, Fernanda Dos Santos Nogueira; Seixas, Carlos Alberto; Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; Martins, José Carlos Amado; Rodrigues, Manuel Alves

2014-09-01

The present study aimed to describe the development process of a serious game that enables users to evaluate the respiratory process in a preterm infant based on an emotional design model. The e-Baby serious game was built to feature the simulated environment of an incubator, in which the user performs a clinical evaluation of the respiratory process in a virtual preterm infant. The user learns about the preterm baby's history, chooses the tools for the clinical evaluation, evaluates the baby, and determines whether his/her evaluation is appropriate. The e-Baby game presents phases that contain respiratory process impairments of higher or lower complexity in the virtual preterm baby. Included links give the user the option of recording the entire evaluation procedure and sharing his/her performance on a social network. e-Baby integrates a Clinical Evaluation of the Preterm Baby course in the Moodle virtual environment. This game, which evaluates the respiratory process in preterm infants, could support a more flexible, attractive, and interactive teaching and learning process that includes simulations with features very similar to neonatal unit realities, thus allowing more appropriate training for clinical oxygenation evaluations in at-risk preterm infants. e-Baby allows advanced user-technology-educational interactions because it requires active participation in the process and is emotionally integrated.

Teaching Business Process Management with Simulation in Graduate Business Programs: An Integrative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saraswat, Satya Prakash; Anderson, Dennis M.; Chircu, Alina M.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a graduate level Business Process Management (BPM) course with process modeling and simulation as its integral component, being offered at an accredited business university in the Northeastern U.S. Our approach is similar to that found in other Information Systems (IS) education papers, and…

Integration Processes Compared: Cortical Differences for Consistency Evaluation and Passive Comprehension in Local and Global Coherence.

PubMed

Egidi, Giovanna; Caramazza, Alfonso

2016-10-01

This research studies the neural systems underlying two integration processes that take place during natural discourse comprehension: consistency evaluation and passive comprehension. Evaluation was operationalized with a consistency judgment task and passive comprehension with a passive listening task. Using fMRI, the experiment examined the integration of incoming sentences with more recent, local context and with more distal, global context in these two tasks. The stimuli were stories in which we manipulated the consistency of the endings with the local context and the relevance of the global context for the integration of the endings. A whole-brain analysis revealed several differences between the two tasks. Two networks previously associated with semantic processing and attention orienting showed more activation during the judgment than the passive listening task. A network previously associated with episodic memory retrieval and construction of mental scenes showed greater activity when global context was relevant, but only during the judgment task. This suggests that evaluation, more than passive listening, triggers the reinstantiation of global context and the construction of a rich mental model for the story. Finally, a network previously linked to fluent updating of a knowledge base showed greater activity for locally consistent endings than inconsistent ones, but only during passive listening, suggesting a mode of comprehension that relies on a local scope approach to language processing. Taken together, these results show that consistency evaluation and passive comprehension weigh differently on distal and local information and are implemented, in part, by different brain networks.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process.

Integrated Meteorology and Chemistry Modeling: Evaluation and Research Needs

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past decade several online integrated atmospheric chemical-transport and meteorology modeling systems with varying levels of interactions among different atmospheric processes have been developed. A variety of approaches to meteorology-chemistry integration with differe...

Integrated Main Propulsion System Performance Reconstruction Process/Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Eduardo; Elliott, Katie; Snell, Steven; Evans, Michael

2013-01-01

The Integrated Main Propulsion System (MPS) Performance Reconstruction process provides the MPS post-flight data files needed for postflight reporting to the project integration management and key customers to verify flight performance. This process/model was used as the baseline for the currently ongoing Space Launch System (SLS) work. The process utilizes several methodologies, including multiple software programs, to model integrated propulsion system performance through space shuttle ascent. It is used to evaluate integrated propulsion systems, including propellant tanks, feed systems, rocket engine, and pressurization systems performance throughout ascent based on flight pressure and temperature data. The latest revision incorporates new methods based on main engine power balance model updates to model higher mixture ratio operation at lower engine power levels.

Using Analytic Hierarchy Process in Textbook Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kato, Shigeo

2014-01-01

This study demonstrates the application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in English language teaching materials evaluation, focusing in particular on its potential for systematically integrating different components of evaluation criteria in a variety of teaching contexts. AHP is a measurement procedure wherein pairwise comparisons are made…

Quality by design case study: an integrated multivariate approach to drug product and process development.

PubMed

Huang, Jun; Kaul, Goldi; Cai, Chunsheng; Chatlapalli, Ramarao; Hernandez-Abad, Pedro; Ghosh, Krishnendu; Nagi, Arwinder

2009-12-01

To facilitate an in-depth process understanding, and offer opportunities for developing control strategies to ensure product quality, a combination of experimental design, optimization and multivariate techniques was integrated into the process development of a drug product. A process DOE was used to evaluate effects of the design factors on manufacturability and final product CQAs, and establish design space to ensure desired CQAs. Two types of analyses were performed to extract maximal information, DOE effect & response surface analysis and multivariate analysis (PCA and PLS). The DOE effect analysis was used to evaluate the interactions and effects of three design factors (water amount, wet massing time and lubrication time), on response variables (blend flow, compressibility and tablet dissolution). The design space was established by the combined use of DOE, optimization and multivariate analysis to ensure desired CQAs. Multivariate analysis of all variables from the DOE batches was conducted to study relationships between the variables and to evaluate the impact of material attributes/process parameters on manufacturability and final product CQAs. The integrated multivariate approach exemplifies application of QbD principles and tools to drug product and process development.

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

PubMed

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

2016-06-01

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

Building Enterprise Transition Plans Through the Development of Collapsing Design Structure Matrices

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-17

processes from the earliest input to the final output to evaluate where change is needed to reduce costs, reduce waste, and improve the flow of information...from) integrating a large complex enterprise? • How should firms/enterprises evaluate systems prior to integration? What are some valid taxonomies

Using Learning Analytics for Preserving Academic Integrity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amigud, Alexander; Arnedo-Moreno, Joan; Daradoumis, Thanasis; Guerrero-Roldan, Ana-Elena

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of integrating learning analytics into the assessment process to enhance academic integrity in the e-learning environment. The goal of this research is to evaluate the computational-based approach to academic integrity. The machine-learning based framework learns students' patterns of language use from data,…

Teaching Integrative Thought: Techniques and Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malloy, Thomas E.

Focusing on techniques for teaching students to integrate diverse ideas at a deep level of cognitive processing, a study evaluated an idea integration package for teaching writing in the college classroom. Subjects, 29 college students from an introductory psychology class at a Utah university, were divided into two groups. The integration group…

Modeling integrated biomass gasification business concepts

Treesearch

Peter J. Ince; Ted Bilek; Mark A. Dietenberger

2011-01-01

Biomass gasification is an approach to producing energy and/or biofuels that could be integrated into existing forest product production facilities, particularly at pulp mills. Existing process heat and power loads tend to favor integration at existing pulp mills. This paper describes a generic modeling system for evaluating integrated biomass gasification business...

Fuel ethanol production: process design trends and integration opportunities.

PubMed

Cardona, Carlos A; Sánchez, Oscar J

2007-09-01

Current fuel ethanol research and development deals with process engineering trends for improving biotechnological production of ethanol. In this work, the key role that process design plays during the development of cost-effective technologies is recognized through the analysis of major trends in process synthesis, modeling, simulation and optimization related to ethanol production. Main directions in techno-economical evaluation of fuel ethanol processes are described as well as some prospecting configurations. The most promising alternatives for compensating ethanol production costs by the generation of valuable co-products are analyzed. Opportunities for integration of fuel ethanol production processes and their implications are underlined. Main ways of process intensification through reaction-reaction, reaction-separation and separation-separation processes are analyzed in the case of bioethanol production. Some examples of energy integration during ethanol production are also highlighted. Finally, some concluding considerations on current and future research tendencies in fuel ethanol production regarding process design and integration are presented.

Performance measurement: integrating quality management and activity-based cost management.

PubMed

McKeon, T

1996-04-01

The development of an activity-based management system provides a framework for developing performance measures integral to quality and cost management. Performance measures that cross operational boundaries and embrace core processes provide a mechanism to evaluate operational results related to strategic intention and internal and external customers. The author discusses this measurement process that allows managers to evaluate where they are and where they want to be, and to set a course of action that closes the gap between the two.

Effect of chemical pretreatments on corn stalk bagasse as immobilizing carrier of Clostridium acetobutylicum in the performance of a fermentation-pervaporation coupled system.

PubMed

Cai, Di; Li, Ping; Chen, Changjing; Wang, Yong; Hu, Song; Cui, Caixia; Qin, Peiyong; Tan, Tianwei

2016-11-01

In this study, different pretreatment methods were evaluated for modified the corn stalk bagasse and further used the pretreated bagasse as immobilized carrier in acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation process. Structural changes of the bagasses pretreated by different methods were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared, crystallinity index and scanning pictures by electron microscope. And the performances of batch fermentation using the corn stalk based carriers were evaluated. Results indicated that the highest ABE concentration of 23.86g/L was achieved using NaOH pretreated carrier in batch fermentation. Immobilized fermentation-pervaporation integration process was further carried out. The integration process showed long-term stability with 225-394g/L of ABE solvents on the permeate side of pervaporation membrane. This novel integration process was found to be an efficient method for biobutanol production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H. S.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. METHODS: With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process. PMID:28035943

Models of Evaluation Utilization: A Meta-Modeling Synthesis of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, R. Burke

An integrative causal process model of evaluation utilization variables is presented. The model was developed through a traditional approach to literature review that lists results from published studies and relates these to the research topic, and through an approach that tries to integrate the models found in the literature search. Meta-modeling…

Evaluating Computer Integration in the Elementary School: A Step-by-Step Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowe, Richard

This handbook was written to enable elementary school educators to conduct formative evaluations of their computer integrated instruction (CII) programs in minimum time. CII is defined as the use of computer software, such as word processing, database, and graphics programs, to help students solve problems or work more productively. The first…

Integrating Vocational & Academic Education. A Handbook Featuring Four Demonstration Sites Including Students from Special Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tindall, Lloyd W.; And Others

This handbook describes the processes and techniques used to develop, implement, and evaluate four integrated vocational and academic learning programs in Wisconsin that included students from special populations. The handbook contains seven chapters. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the project, including the request for proposal process and…

Fractionation of bamboo culms by autohydrolysis, organosolv delignification and extended delignification: understanding the fundamental chemistry of the lignin during the integrated process.

PubMed

Wen, Jia-Long; Sun, Shao-Ni; Yuan, Tong-Qi; Xu, Feng; Sun, Run-Cang

2013-12-01

Bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) was successfully fractionated using a three-step integrated process: (1) autohydrolysis pretreatment facilitating xylooligosaccharide (XOS) production (2) organosolv delignification with organic acids to obtain high-purity lignin, and (3) extended delignification with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) to produce purified pulp. The integrated process was comprehensively evaluated by component analysis, SEM, XRD, and CP-MAS NMR techniques. Emphatically, the fundamental chemistry of the lignin fragments obtained from the integrated process was thoroughly investigated by gel permeation chromatography and solution-state NMR techniques (quantitative (13)C, 2D-HSQC, and (31)P-NMR spectroscopies). It is believed that the integrated process facilitate the production of XOS, high-purity lignin, and purified pulp. Moreover, the enhanced understanding of structural features and chemical reactivity of lignin polymers will maximize their utilizations in a future biorefinery industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Issues and Applications in Assistive Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langton, Anthony J.; And Others

This collection of four reports focuses on the provision of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. The first report, "Making More Effective Use of Assistive Technology in the Vocational Evaluation Process" (Anthony J. Langton), discusses how integrating assistive technology into the vocational evaluation process will…

Development and evaluation of an intelligent traceability system for frozen tilapia fillet processing.

PubMed

Xiao, Xinqing; Fu, Zetian; Qi, Lin; Mira, Trebar; Zhang, Xiaoshuan

2015-10-01

The main export varieties in China are brand-name, high-quality bred aquatic products. Among them, tilapia has become the most important and fast-growing species since extensive consumer markets in North America and Europe have evolved as a result of commodity prices, year-round availability and quality of fresh and frozen products. As the largest tilapia farming country, China has over one-third of its tilapia production devoted to further processing and meeting foreign market demand. Using by tilapia fillet processing, this paper introduces the efforts for developing and evaluating ITS-TF: an intelligent traceability system integrated with statistical process control (SPC) and fault tree analysis (FTA). Observations, literature review and expert questionnaires were used for system requirement and knowledge acquisition; scenario simulation was applied to evaluate and validate ITS-TF performance. The results show that traceability requirement is evolved from a firefighting model to a proactive model for enhancing process management capacity for food safety; ITS-TF transforms itself as an intelligent system to provide functions on early warnings and process management by integrated SPC and FTA. The valuable suggestion that automatic data acquisition and communication technology should be integrated into ITS-TF was achieved for further system optimization, perfection and performance improvement. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Neural mechanisms underlying the integration of situational information into attribution outcomes.

PubMed

Brosch, Tobias; Schiller, Daniela; Mojdehbakhsh, Rachel; Uleman, James S; Phelps, Elizabeth A

2013-08-01

When forming impressions and trying to figure out why other people behave the way they do, we should take into account not only dispositional factors (i.e., personality traits) but also situational constraints as potential causes for a behavior. However, in their attributions, people often ignore the importance of situational factors. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the integration of situational information into attributions, we decomposed the attribution process by separately presenting information about behaviors and about the situational circumstances in which they occur. After reading the information, participants judged whether dispositional or situational causes explained the behavior (attribution), and how much they liked the person described in the scenario (affective evaluation). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed increased blood oxygenation-level-dependent activation during the encoding of situational information when the resulting attribution was situational, relative to when the attribution was dispositional, potentially reflecting a controlled process that integrates situational information into attributions. Interestingly, attributions were strongly linked to subsequent affective evaluations, with the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex emerging as potential substrate of the integration of attributions and affective evaluations. Our findings demonstrate how top-down control processes regulate impression formation when situational information is taken into account to understand others.

Neural mechanisms underlying the integration of situational information into attribution outcomes

PubMed Central

Brosch, Tobias; Schiller, Daniela; Mojdehbakhsh, Rachel; Uleman, James S.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

When forming impressions and trying to figure out why other people behave the way they do, we should take into account not only dispositional factors (i.e. personality traits) but also situational constraints as potential causes for a behavior. However, in their attributions, people often ignore the importance of situational factors. To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the integration of situational information into attributions, we decomposed the attribution process by separately presenting information about behaviors and about the situational circumstances in which they occur. After reading the information, participants judged whether dispositional or situational causes explained the behavior (attribution), and how much they liked the person described in the scenario (affective evaluation). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed increased blood oxygenation-level-dependent activation during the encoding of situational information when the resulting attribution was situational, relative to when the attribution was dispositional, potentially reflecting a controlled process that integrates situational information into attributions. Interestingly, attributions were strongly linked to subsequent affective evaluations, with the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex emerging as potential substrate of the integration of attributions and affective evaluations. Our findings demonstrate how top-down control processes regulate impression formation when situational information is taken into account to understand others. PMID:23446840

Mapping watershed integrity for the conterminous United States..

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed integrity is the capacity of a watershed to support and maintain the full range of ecological processes and functions essential to sustainability. We evaluated and mapped an Index of Watershed Integrity (IWI) for 2.6 million watersheds in the conterminous US using firs...

Free-world microelectronic manufacturing equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilby, J. S.; Arnold, W. H.; Booth, W. T.; Cunningham, J. A.; Hutcheson, J. D.; Owen, R. W.; Runyan, W. R.; McKenney, Barbara L.; McGrain, Moira; Taub, Renee G.

1988-12-01

Equipment is examined and evaluated for the manufacture of microelectronic integrated circuit devices and sources for that equipment within the Free World. Equipment suitable for the following are examined: single-crystal silicon slice manufacturing and processing; required lithographic processes; wafer processing; device packaging; and test of digital integrated circuits. Availability of the equipment is also discussed, now and in the near future. Very adequate equipment for most stages of the integrated circuit manufacturing process is available from several sources, in different countries, although the best and most widely used versions of most manufacturing equipment are made in the United States or Japan. There is also an active market in used equipment, suitable for manufacture of capable integrated circuits with performance somewhat short of the present state of the art.

Dual phase high-temperature membranes for CO2 separation - performance assessment in post- and pre-combustion processes.

PubMed

Anantharaman, Rahul; Peters, Thijs; Xing, Wen; Fontaine, Marie-Laure; Bredesen, Rune

2016-10-20

Dual phase membranes are highly CO 2 -selective membranes with an operating temperature above 400 °C. The focus of this work is to quantify the potential of dual phase membranes in pre- and post-combustion CO 2 capture processes. The process evaluations show that the dual phase membranes integrated with an NGCC power plant for CO 2 capture are not competitive with the MEA process for post-combustion capture. However, dual phase membrane concepts outperform the reference Selexol technology for pre-combustion CO 2 capture in an IGCC process. The two processes evaluated in this work, post-combustion NGCC and pre-combustion IGCC, represent extremes in CO 2 partial pressure fed to the separation unit. Based on the evaluations it is expected that dual phase membranes could be competitive for post-combustion capture from a pulverized coal fired power plant (PCC) and pre-combustion capture from an Integrated Reforming Cycle (IRCC).

Train integrity detection risk analysis based on PRISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Yuan

2018-04-01

GNSS based Train Integrity Monitoring System (TIMS) is an effective and low-cost detection scheme for train integrity detection. However, as an external auxiliary system of CTCS, GNSS may be influenced by external environments, such as uncertainty of wireless communication channels, which may lead to the failure of communication and positioning. In order to guarantee the reliability and safety of train operation, a risk analysis method of train integrity detection based on PRISM is proposed in this article. First, we analyze the risk factors (in GNSS communication process and the on-board communication process) and model them. Then, we evaluate the performance of the model in PRISM based on the field data. Finally, we discuss how these risk factors influence the train integrity detection process.

Liquid rocket booster integration study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The impacts of introducing liquid rocket booster engines (LRB) into the Space Transportation System (STS)/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch environment are identified and evaluated. Proposed ground systems configurations are presented along with a launch site requirements summary. Prelaunch processing scenarios are described and the required facility modifications and new facility requirements are analyzed. Flight vehicle design recommendations to enhance launch processing are discussed. Processing approaches to integrate LRB with existing STS launch operations are evaluated. The key features and significance of launch site transition to a new STS configuration in parallel with ongoing launch activities are enumerated. This volume is the executive summary of the five volume series.

Liquid rocket booster integration study. Volume 5, part 1: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The impacts of introducing liquid rocket booster engines (LRB) into the Space Transportation System (STS)/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch environment are identified and evaluated. Proposed ground systems configurations are presented along with a launch site requirements summary. Prelaunch processing scenarios are described and the required facility modifications and new facility requirements are analyzed. Flight vehicle design recommendations to enhance launch processing are discussed. Processing approaches to integrate LRB with existing STS launch operations are evaluated. The key features and significance of launch site transition to a new STS configuration in parallel with ongoing launch activities are enumerated. This volume is the appendices of the five volume series.

Liquid Rocket Booster Integration Study. Volume 2: Study synopsis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The impacts of introducing liquid rocket booster engines (LRB) into the Space Transportation System (STS)/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch environment are identified and evaluated. Proposed ground systems configurations are presented along with a launch site requirements summary. Prelaunch processing scenarios are described and the required facility modifications and new facility requirements are analyzed. Flight vehicle design recommendations to enhance launch processing are discussed. Processing approaches to integrate LRB with existing STS launch operations are evaluated. The key features and significance of launch site transition to a new STS configuration in parallel with ongoing launch activities are enumerated. This volume is the study summary of the five volume series.

Program evaluation of an Integrated Basic Science Medical Curriculum in Shiraz Medical School, Using CIPP Evaluation Model

PubMed Central

ROOHOLAMINI, AZADEH; AMINI, MITRA; BAZRAFKAN, LEILA; DEHGHANI, MOHAMMAD REZA; ESMAEILZADEH, ZOHREH; NABEIEI, PARISA; REZAEE, RITA; KOJURI, JAVAD

2017-01-01

Introduction: In recent years curriculum reform and integration was done in many medical schools. The integrated curriculum is a popular concept all over the world. In Shiraz medical school, the reform was initiated by stablishing the horizontal basic science integration model and Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) for undergraduate medical education. The purpose of this study was to provide the required data for the program evaluation of this curriculum for undergraduate medical students, using CIPP program evaluation model. Methods: This study is an analytic descriptive and triangulation mixed method study which was carried out in Shiraz Medical School in 2012, based on the views of professors of basic sciences courses and first and second year medical students. The study evaluated the quality of the relationship between basic sciences and clinical courses and the method of presenting such courses based on the Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model. The tools for collecting data, both quantitatively and qualitatively, were some questionnaires, content analysis of portfolios, semi- structured interview and brain storming sessions. For quantitative data analysis, SPSS software, version 14, was used. Results: In the context evaluation by modified DREEM questionnaire, 77.75%of the students believed that this educational system encourages them to actively participate in classes. Course schedule and atmosphere of class were reported suitable by 87.81% and 83.86% of students. In input domain that was measured by a researcher made questionnaire, the facilities for education were acceptable except for shortage of cadavers. In process evaluation, the quality of integrated modules presentation and Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) was good from the students’ viewpoint. In product evaluation, students’ brain storming, students’ portfolio and semi-structured interview with faculties were done, showing some positive aspects of integration and some areas that need improvement. Conclusion: The main advantage of assessing an educational program based on CIPP evaluation model is that the context, input, process and product of the program are viewed and evaluated systematically. This will help the educational authorities to make proper decisions based on the weaknesses and strengths of the program on its continuation, cessation and revision. Based on the results of this study, the integrated basic sciences course for undergraduate medical students in Shiraz Medical School is at a desirable level. However, attempts to improve or reform some sections and continual evaluation of the program and its accreditation seem to be necessary. PMID:28761888

Modeling and Advanced Control for Sustainable Process Systems

EPA Science Inventory

This book chapter introduces a novel process systems engineering framework that integrates process control with sustainability assessment tools for the simultaneous evaluation and optimization of process operations. The implemented control strategy consists of a biologically-insp...

Combining Mechanistic Approaches for Studying Eco-Hydro-Geomorphic Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francipane, A.; Ivanov, V.; Akutina, Y.; Noto, V.; Istanbullouglu, E.

2008-12-01

Vegetation interacts with hydrology and geomorphic form and processes of a river basin in profound ways. Despite recent advances in hydrological modeling, the dynamic coupling between these processes is yet to be adequately captured at the basin scale to elucidate key features of process interaction and their role in the organization of vegetation and landscape morphology. In this study, we present a blueprint for integrating a geomorphic component into the physically-based, spatially distributed ecohydrological model, tRIBS- VEGGIE, which reproduces essential water and energy processes over the complex topography of a river basin and links them to the basic plant life regulatory processes. We present a preliminary design of the integrated modeling framework in which hillslope and channel erosion processes at the catchment scale, will be coupled with vegetation-hydrology dynamics. We evaluate the developed framework by applying the integrated model to Lucky Hills basin, a sub-catchment of the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (Arizona). The evaluation is carried out by comparing sediment yields at the basin outlet, that follows a detailed verification of simulated land-surface energy partition, biomass dynamics, and soil moisture states.

Family Assessment/Treatment/Evaluation Methods Integrated for Helping Teen Suicide Attempters/Families in Short Term Psychiatric Hospitalization Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepard, Suzanne

The assessment process can be integrated with treatment and evaluation for helping teenage suicide attempters and families in short term psychiatric hospitalization programs. The method is an extremely efficient way for the therapist to work within a given time constraint. During family assessment sufficient information can be gathered to…

Evaluation of average daily gain predictions by the integrated farm system model for forage-finished beef steers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Representing the performance of cattle finished on an all forage diet in process-based whole farm system models has presented a challenge. To address this challenge, a study was done to evaluate average daily gain (ADG) predictions of the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) for steers consuming all-...

An Evaluation Model To Select an Integrated Learning System in a Large, Suburban School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curlette, William L.; And Others

The systematic evaluation process used in Georgia's DeKalb County School System to purchase comprehensive instructional software--an integrated learning system (ILS)--is described, and the decision-making model for selection is presented. Selection and implementation of an ILS were part of an instructional technology plan for the DeKalb schools…

A framework for human-hydrologic system model development integrating hydrology and water management: application to the Cutzamala water system in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wi, S.; Freeman, S.; Brown, C.

2017-12-01

This study presents a general approach to developing computational models of human-hydrologic systems where human modification of hydrologic surface processes are significant or dominant. A river basin system is represented by a network of human-hydrologic response units (HHRUs) identified based on locations where river regulations happen (e.g., reservoir operation and diversions). Natural and human processes in HHRUs are simulated in a holistic framework that integrates component models representing rainfall-runoff, river routing, reservoir operation, flow diversion and water use processes. We illustrate the approach in a case study of the Cutzamala water system (CWS) in Mexico, a complex inter-basin water transfer system supplying the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The human-hydrologic system model for CWS (CUTZSIM) is evaluated in terms of streamflow and reservoir storages measured across the CWS and to water supplied for MCMA. The CUTZSIM improves the representation of hydrology and river-operation interaction and, in so doing, advances evaluation of system-wide water management consequences under altered climatic and demand regimes. The integrated modeling framework enables evaluation and simulation of model errors throughout the river basin, including errors in representation of the human component processes. Heretofore, model error evaluation, predictive error intervals and the resultant improved understanding have been limited to hydrologic processes. The general framework represents an initial step towards fuller understanding and prediction of the many and varied processes that determine the hydrologic fluxes and state variables in real river basins.

Evaluation and selection of open-source EMR software packages based on integrated AHP and TOPSIS.

PubMed

Zaidan, A A; Zaidan, B B; Al-Haiqi, Ahmed; Kiah, M L M; Hussain, Muzammil; Abdulnabi, Mohamed

2015-02-01

Evaluating and selecting software packages that meet the requirements of an organization are difficult aspects of software engineering process. Selecting the wrong open-source EMR software package can be costly and may adversely affect business processes and functioning of the organization. This study aims to evaluate and select open-source EMR software packages based on multi-criteria decision-making. A hands-on study was performed and a set of open-source EMR software packages were implemented locally on separate virtual machines to examine the systems more closely. Several measures as evaluation basis were specified, and the systems were selected based a set of metric outcomes using Integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and TOPSIS. The experimental results showed that GNUmed and OpenEMR software can provide better basis on ranking score records than other open-source EMR software packages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building Bridges to Integrate Care (BRIDGES): Incubating Health Service Innovation across the Continuum of Care for Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions.

PubMed

Bhattacharyya, Onil; Schull, Michael; Shojania, Kaveh; Stergiopoulos, Vicky; Naglie, Gary; Webster, Fiona; Brandao, Ricardo; Mohammed, Tamara; Christian, Jennifer; Hawker, Gillian; Wilson, Lynn; Levinson, Wendy

2016-01-01

Integrating care for people with complex needs is challenging. Indeed, evidence of solutions is mixed, and therefore, well-designed, shared evaluation approaches are needed to create cumulative learning. The Toronto-based Building Bridges to Integrate Care (BRIDGES) collaborative provided resources to refine and test nine new models linking primary, hospital and community care. It used mixed methods, a cross-project meta-evaluation and shared outcome measures. Given the range of skills required to develop effective interventions, a novel incubator was used to test and spread opportunities for system integration that included operational expertise and support for evaluation and process improvement.

A Systematic Review of Sound-Based Intervention Programs to Improve Participation in Education for Children with Sensory Processing and Integration Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villasenor, Romana F.; Smith, Sarah L.; Jewell, Vanessa D.

2018-01-01

This systematic review evaluates current evidence for using sound-based interventions (SBIs) to improve educational participation for children with challenges in sensory processing and integration. Databases searched included CINAHL, MEDLINE Complete, PsychINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, and Cochrane. No studies explicitly measured participation-level…

Integrated distillation-membrane process for bio-ethanol and bio-butanol recovery from actual fermentation broths: Separation energy efficiency and fate of secondary fermentation products

EPA Science Inventory

A hybrid process integrating vapor stripping with vapor compression and vapor permeation membrane separation, termed Membrane Assisted Vapor Stripping (MAVS), was evaluated for recovery and dehydration of ethanol and/or 1-butanol from aqueous solution as an alternative to convent...

A performance evaluation model for the Stock Point Logistics Integrated Communication Environment (SPLICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, J. B.

1985-09-01

This thesis investigates ways of improving the real-time performance of the Stockpoint Logistics Integrated Communication Environment (SPLICE). Performance evaluation through continuous monitoring activities and performance studies are the principle vehicles discussed. The method for implementing this performance evaluation process is the measurement of predefined performance indexes. Performance indexes for SPLICE are offered that would measure these areas. Existing SPLICE capability to carry out performance evaluation is explored, and recommendations are made to enhance that capability.

[Evaluating the Significance of Odor Gas Released During the Directly Drying Process of Sludge: Based on the Multi-index Integrated Assessment Method].

PubMed

Ding, Wen-jie; Chen, Wen-he; Deng, Ming-jia; Luo, Hui; Li, Lin; Liu, Jun-xin

2016-02-15

Co-processing of sewage sludge using the cement kiln can realize sludge harmless treatment, quantity reduction, stabilization and reutilization. The moisture content should be reduced to below 30% to meet the requirement of combustion. Thermal drying is an effective way for sludge desiccation. Odors and volatile organic compounds are generated and released during the sludge drying process, which could lead to odor pollution. The main odor pollutants were selected by the multi-index integrated assessment method. The concentration, olfactory threshold, threshold limit value, smell security level and saturated vapor pressure were considered as indexes based on the related regulations in China and foreign countries. Taking the pollution potential as the evaluation target, and the risk index and odor emission intensity as evaluation indexes, the odor pollution potential rated evaluation model of the pollutants was built according to the Weber-Fechner law. The aim of the present study is to form the rating evaluation method of odor potential pollution capacity suitable for the directly drying process of sludge.

Resonance Parameter Adjustment Based on Integral Experiments

DOE PAGES

Sobes, Vladimir; Leal, Luiz; Arbanas, Goran; ...

2016-06-02

Our project seeks to allow coupling of differential and integral data evaluation in a continuous-energy framework and to use the generalized linear least-squares (GLLS) methodology in the TSURFER module of the SCALE code package to update the parameters of a resolved resonance region evaluation. We recognize that the GLLS methodology in TSURFER is identical to the mathematical description of a Bayesian update in SAMMY, the SAMINT code was created to use the mathematical machinery of SAMMY to update resolved resonance parameters based on integral data. Traditionally, SAMMY used differential experimental data to adjust nuclear data parameters. Integral experimental data, suchmore » as in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments Project, remain a tool for validation of completed nuclear data evaluations. SAMINT extracts information from integral benchmarks to aid the nuclear data evaluation process. Later, integral data can be used to resolve any remaining ambiguity between differential data sets, highlight troublesome energy regions, determine key nuclear data parameters for integral benchmark calculations, and improve the nuclear data covariance matrix evaluation. Moreover, SAMINT is not intended to bias nuclear data toward specific integral experiments but should be used to supplement the evaluation of differential experimental data. Using GLLS ensures proper weight is given to the differential data.« less

A method to evaluate process performance by integrating time and resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu; Wei, Qingjie; Jin, Shuang

2017-06-01

The purpose of process mining is to improve the existing process of the enterprise, so how to measure the performance of the process is particularly important. However, the current research on the performance evaluation method is still insufficient. The main methods of evaluation are mainly using time or resource. These basic statistics cannot evaluate process performance very well. In this paper, a method of evaluating the performance of the process based on time dimension and resource dimension is proposed. This method can be used to measure the utilization and redundancy of resources in the process. This paper will introduce the design principle and formula of the evaluation algorithm. Then, the design and the implementation of the evaluation method will be introduced. Finally, we will use the evaluating method to analyse the event log from a telephone maintenance process and propose an optimization plan.

Separate-Subject and Integrated Approaches to Social Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Andrew S.

1978-01-01

Comparing separate subject approach with an integrated approach to social studies instruction, it was found that neither approach taught process skills or changed student attitude; that integrated classes used more evaluative questions and were less teacher dominated; and that educational quality is related more to teacher quality than to…

An audience-channel-message-evaluation (ACME) framework for health communication campaigns.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M

2012-07-01

Recent reviews of the literature have indicated that a number of health communication campaigns continue to fail to adhere to principles of effective campaign design. The lack of an integrated, organizing framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of health communication campaigns may contribute to this state of affairs. The current article introduces an audience-channel-message-evaluation (ACME) framework that organizes the major principles of health campaign design, implementation, and evaluation. ACME also explicates the relationships and linkages between the varying principles. Insights from ACME include the following: The choice of audience segment(s) to focus on in a campaign affects all other campaign design choices, including message strategy and channel/component options. Although channel selection influences options for message design, choice of message design also influences channel options. Evaluation should not be thought of as a separate activity, but rather should be infused and integrated throughout the campaign design and implementation process, including formative, process, and outcome evaluation activities. Overall, health communication campaigns that adhere to this integrated set of principles of effective campaign design will have a greater chance of success than those using principles idiosyncratically. These design, implementation, and evaluation principles are embodied in the ACME framework.

Virtual Collaborative Simulation Environment for Integrated Product and Process Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulli, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Deneb Robotics is a leader in the development of commercially available, leading edge three- dimensional simulation software tools for virtual prototyping,, simulation-based design, manufacturing process simulation, and factory floor simulation and training applications. Deneb has developed and commercially released a preliminary Virtual Collaborative Engineering (VCE) capability for Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD). This capability allows distributed, real-time visualization and evaluation of design concepts, manufacturing processes, and total factory and enterprises in one seamless simulation environment.

A novel evaluation method for building construction project based on integrated information entropy with reliability theory.

PubMed

Bai, Xiao-ping; Zhang, Xi-wei

2013-01-01

Selecting construction schemes of the building engineering project is a complex multiobjective optimization decision process, in which many indexes need to be selected to find the optimum scheme. Aiming at this problem, this paper selects cost, progress, quality, and safety as the four first-order evaluation indexes, uses the quantitative method for the cost index, uses integrated qualitative and quantitative methodologies for progress, quality, and safety indexes, and integrates engineering economics, reliability theories, and information entropy theory to present a new evaluation method for building construction project. Combined with a practical case, this paper also presents detailed computing processes and steps, including selecting all order indexes, establishing the index matrix, computing score values of all order indexes, computing the synthesis score, sorting all selected schemes, and making analysis and decision. Presented method can offer valuable references for risk computing of building construction projects.

Application of integration algorithms in a parallel processing environment for the simulation of jet engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krosel, S. M.; Milner, E. J.

1982-01-01

The application of Predictor corrector integration algorithms developed for the digital parallel processing environment are investigated. The algorithms are implemented and evaluated through the use of a software simulator which provides an approximate representation of the parallel processing hardware. Test cases which focus on the use of the algorithms are presented and a specific application using a linear model of a turbofan engine is considered. Results are presented showing the effects of integration step size and the number of processors on simulation accuracy. Real time performance, interprocessor communication, and algorithm startup are also discussed.

Proposal for an integrated evaluation model for the study of whole systems health care in cancer.

PubMed

Jonas, Wayne B; Beckner, William; Coulter, Ian

2006-12-01

For more than 200 years, biomedicine has approached the treatment of disease by studying disease processes (patho-genesis), inferring causal connections and developing specific approaches for therapeutically interfering with those processes. This pathogenic approach has been highly successful in acute and traumatic disease but less successful in chronic disease, primarily because of the complex, multi-factorial nature of most chronic disease, which does not allow for simple causal inference or for simple therapeutic interventions. This article suggests that chronic disease is best approached by enhancing healing processes (salutogenesis) as a whole system. Because of the nature of complex systems in chronic disease, an evaluation model based on integrative medicine is felt to be more appropriate than a disease model. The authors propose and describe an integrated model for the evaluation of healing (IMEH) that collects multilevel "thick case" observational data in assessing complex practices for chronic disease. If successful, this approach could become a blueprint for studying healing capacity in whole medical systems, including complementary medicine, traditional medicine, and conventional primary care. In addition, streamlining data collection and applying rapid informatics management might allow for such data to be used in guiding clinical practice. The IMEH involves collection, integration, and potentially feedback of relevant variables in the following areas: (1) sociocultural, (2) psychological and behavioral, (3) clinical (diagnosis based), and (4) biological. Evaluation and integration of these components would involve specialized research teams that feed their data into a single data management and information analysis center. These data can then be subjected to descriptive and pathway analysis providing "bench and bedside" information.

How we remember the emotional intensity of past musical experiences

PubMed Central

Schäfer, Thomas; Zimmermann, Doreen; Sedlmeier, Peter

2014-01-01

Listening to music usually elicits emotions that can vary considerably in their intensity over the course of listening. Yet, after listening to a piece of music, people are easily able to evaluate the music's overall emotional intensity. There are two different hypotheses about how affective experiences are temporally processed and integrated: (1) all moments' intensities are integrated, resulting in an averaged value; (2) the overall evaluation is built from specific single moments, such as the moments of highest emotional intensity (peaks), the end, or a combination of these. Here we investigated what listeners do when building an overall evaluation of a musical experience. Participants listened to unknown songs and provided moment-to-moment ratings of experienced intensity of emotions. Subsequently, they evaluated the overall emotional intensity of each song. Results indicate that participants' evaluations were predominantly influenced by their average impression but that, in addition, the peaks and end emotional intensities contributed substantially. These results indicate that both types of processes play a role: All moments are integrated into an averaged value but single moments might be assigned a higher value in the calculation of this average. PMID:25177311

Rationale, design, and methods for process evaluation in the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration project

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The cross-site process evaluation plan for the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (CORD) project is described here. The CORD project comprises 3 unique demonstration projects designed to integrate multi-level, multi-setting health care and public health interventions over a 4-year funding peri...

Integrated Response Time Evaluation Methodology for the Nuclear Safety Instrumentation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang Jae; Yun, Jae Hee

2017-06-01

Safety analysis for a nuclear power plant establishes not only an analytical limit (AL) in terms of a measured or calculated variable but also an analytical response time (ART) required to complete protective action after the AL is reached. If the two constraints are met, the safety limit selected to maintain the integrity of physical barriers used for preventing uncontrolled radioactivity release will not be exceeded during anticipated operational occurrences and postulated accidents. Setpoint determination methodologies have actively been developed to ensure that the protective action is initiated before the process conditions reach the AL. However, regarding the ART for a nuclear safety instrumentation system, an integrated evaluation methodology considering the whole design process has not been systematically studied. In order to assure the safety of nuclear power plants, this paper proposes a systematic and integrated response time evaluation methodology that covers safety analyses, system designs, response time analyses, and response time tests. This methodology is applied to safety instrumentation systems for the advanced power reactor 1400 and the optimized power reactor 1000 nuclear power plants in South Korea. The quantitative evaluation results are provided herein. The evaluation results using the proposed methodology demonstrate that the nuclear safety instrumentation systems fully satisfy corresponding requirements of the ART.

Implementation of Recommendations from the One System Comparative Evaluation of the Hanford Tank Farms and Waste Treatment Plant Safety Bases

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

Garrett, Richard L.; Niemi, Belinda J.; Paik, Ingle K.

2013-11-07

A Comparative Evaluation was conducted for One System Integrated Project Team to compare the safety bases for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project (WTP) and Tank Operations Contract (TOC) (i.e., Tank Farms) by an Expert Review Team. The evaluation had an overarching purpose to facilitate effective integration between WTP and TOC safety bases. It was to provide One System management with an objective evaluation of identified differences in safety basis process requirements, guidance, direction, procedures, and products (including safety controls, key safety basis inputs and assumptions, and consequence calculation methodologies) between WTP and TOC. The evaluation identified 25more » recommendations (Opportunities for Integration). The resolution of these recommendations resulted in 16 implementation plans. The completion of these implementation plans will help ensure consistent safety bases for WTP and TOC along with consistent safety basis processes. procedures, and analyses. and should increase the likelihood of a successful startup of the WTP. This early integration will result in long-term cost savings and significant operational improvements. In addition, the implementation plans lead to the development of eight new safety analysis methodologies that can be used at other U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) complex sites where URS Corporation is involved.« less

Liquid rocket booster integration study. Volume 3: Study products. Part 2: Sections 8-19

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The impacts of introducing liquid rocket booster engines (LRB) into the Space Transportation System (STS)/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch environment are identified and evaluated. Proposed ground systems configurations are presented along with a launch site requirements summary. Prelaunch processing scenarios are described and the required facility modifications and new facility requirements are analyzed. Flight vehicle design recommendations to enhance launch processing are discussed. Processing approaches to integrate LRB with existing STS launch operations are evaluated. The key features and significance of launch site transition to a new STS configuration in parallel with ongoing launch activities are enumerated. This volume is part two of the study products section of the five volume series.

Liquid rocket booster integration study. Volume 3, part 1: Study products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The impacts of introducing liquid rocket booster engines (LRB) into the Space Transportation System (STS)/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch environment are identified and evaluated. Proposed ground systems configurations are presented along with a launch site requirements summary. Prelaunch processing scenarios are described and the required facility modifications and new facility requirements are analyzed. Flight vehicle design recommendations to enhance launch processing are discussed. Processing approaches to integrate LRB with existing STS launch operations are evaluated. The key features and significance of launch site transition to a new STS configuration in parallel with ongoing launch activities are enumerated. This volume is part one of the study products section of the five volume series.

Integration of Speech and Natural Language

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

major activities: • Development of the syntax and semantics components for natural language processing. • Integration of the developed syntax and...evaluating the performance of speech recognition algonthms developed K» under the Strategic Computing Program. grs Our work on natural language processing...included the developement of a grammar (syntax) that uses the Uiuficanon gnmmaj formaMsm (an augmented context free formalism). The Unification

Determining the Roles of Mentors in the Teachers' Use of Technology: Implementation of Systems-Based Mentoring Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gökoglu, Seyfullah; Çakiroglu, Ünal

2017-01-01

The aim of this case study is to evaluate the effect of mentors on teachers' technology integration process into their classrooms. In integration process, interactions between the mentors and the teachers are implemented in terms of Systems-Based Mentoring Model (SBMM). Mentors' leadership roles were determined and changes in teachers' technology…

Measuring horizontal integration among health care providers in the community: an examination of a collaborative process within a palliative care network.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Daryl; Brazil, Kevin; Krueger, Paul; Ploeg, Jenny; Taniguchi, Alan; Darnay, Julie

2015-05-01

In many countries formal or informal palliative care networks (PCNs) have evolved to better integrate community-based services for individuals with a life-limiting illness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a customized tool to determine the perceptions of the processes of palliative care delivery reflective of horizontal integration from the perspective of nurses, physicians and allied health professionals working in a PCN, as well as to assess the utility of this tool. The process elements examined were part of a conceptual framework for evaluating integration of a system of care and centred on interprofessional collaboration. We used the Index of Interdisciplinary Collaboration (IIC) as a basis of measurement. The 86 respondents (85% response rate) placed high value on working collaboratively and most reported being part of an interprofessional team. The survey tool showed utility in identifying strengths and gaps in integration across the network and in detecting variability in some factors according to respondent agency affiliation and profession. Specifically, support for interprofessional communication and evaluative activities were viewed as insufficient. Impediments to these aspects of horizontal integration may be reflective of workload constraints, differences in agency operations or an absence of key structural features.

Structuring an Internal Evaluation Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Sheila C.; Heinemann, Harry N.

1980-01-01

The design of an internal program evaluation system requires (1) formulation of program, operational, and institutional objectives; (2) establishment of evaluation criteria; (3) choice of data collection and evaluation techniques; (4) analysis of results; and (5) integration of the system into the mainstream of operations. (SK)

A merged model of quality improvement and evaluation: maximizing return on investment.

PubMed

Woodhouse, Lynn D; Toal, Russ; Nguyen, Trang; Keene, DeAnna; Gunn, Laura; Kellum, Andrea; Nelson, Gary; Charles, Simone; Tedders, Stuart; Williams, Natalie; Livingood, William C

2013-11-01

Quality improvement (QI) and evaluation are frequently considered to be alternative approaches for monitoring and assessing program implementation and impact. The emphasis on third-party evaluation, particularly associated with summative evaluation, and the grounding of evaluation in the social and behavioral science contrast with an emphasis on the integration of QI process within programs or organizations and its origins in management science and industrial engineering. Working with a major philanthropic organization in Georgia, we illustrate how a QI model is integrated with evaluation for five asthma prevention and control sites serving poor and underserved communities in rural and urban Georgia. A primary foundation of this merged model of QI and evaluation is a refocusing of the evaluation from an intimidating report card summative evaluation by external evaluators to an internally engaged program focus on developmental evaluation. The benefits of the merged model to both QI and evaluation are discussed. The use of evaluation based logic models can help anchor a QI program in evidence-based practice and provide linkage between process and outputs with the longer term distal outcomes. Merging the QI approach with evaluation has major advantages, particularly related to enhancing the funder's return on investment. We illustrate how a Plan-Do-Study-Act model of QI can (a) be integrated with evaluation based logic models, (b) help refocus emphasis from summative to developmental evaluation, (c) enhance program ownership and engagement in evaluation activities, and (d) increase the role of evaluators in providing technical assistance and support.

The cryoprotective effect of trehalose supplementation on boar spermatozoa quality.

PubMed

Hu, J-H; Li, Q-W; Jiang, Z-L; Yang, H; Zhang, S-S; Zhao, H-W

2009-08-01

In order to improve boar sperm quality during frozen-thawed process, the influence of the presence of trehalose on success of cryopreservation of boar sperm were investigated. We evaluated freeze-thawing tolerance of boar spermatozoa in a base cooling extender with the addition of different trehalose concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mm), and try to determine the optimum concentration of trehalose. We chose sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity and membrane integrity as parameters to evaluate cryopreservation capacity of boar spermatozoa. We obtained the best results for 100 mm trehalose-supplemented extenders, with values of 49.89% for motility, 44.69% for mitochondrial activity, 66.52% for acrosome integrity and 44.61% for membrane integrity, while freeze-thawing tolerance diminished significantly for 200 . The synergic effect of trehalose and glycerol resulted in better cryosurvival of boar spermatozoa than that of a single cryoprotectant. In conclusion, when trehalose-supplementation was added up to 100 mm, trehalose confers a greater cryoprotective capacity to the extender, and the sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity parameters were significantly improved during frozen-thawed process.

NASA GPM GV Science Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, W. A.

2009-01-01

Pre-launch algorithm development & post-launch product evaluation: The GPM GV paradigm moves beyond traditional direct validation/comparison activities by incorporating improved algorithm physics & model applications (end-to-end validation) in the validation process. Three approaches: 1) National Network (surface): Operational networks to identify and resolve first order discrepancies (e.g., bias) between satellite and ground-based precipitation estimates. 2) Physical Process (vertical column): Cloud system and microphysical studies geared toward testing and refinement of physically-based retrieval algorithms. 3) Integrated (4-dimensional): Integration of satellite precipitation products into coupled prediction models to evaluate strengths/limitations of satellite precipitation producers.

EVALUATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS, ECONOMICS, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES: HEAT INTEGRATION

EPA Science Inventory

The design and improvement of chemical processes can be very challenging. The earlier energy conservation, process economics and environmental aspects are incorporated into the process development, the easier and less expensive it is to alter the process design. In this work diff...

Capability approval programme for Microwave Hybrid Integrated Circuits (MHICS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-11-01

The general requirements for capability approval of a manufacturing line for Microwave Hybrid Integrated Circuits (MHICs) are defined. ESA approval mandate will be exercized upon conclusion of the evaluation phase and at the end of the program. Before the evaluation phase can commence, the manufacturer must define the capability approval domain by specifying the processes, materials and technology for which approval is sought.

A framework for different levels of integration of computational models into web-based virtual patients.

PubMed

Kononowicz, Andrzej A; Narracott, Andrew J; Manini, Simone; Bayley, Martin J; Lawford, Patricia V; McCormack, Keith; Zary, Nabil

2014-01-23

Virtual patients are increasingly common tools used in health care education to foster learning of clinical reasoning skills. One potential way to expand their functionality is to augment virtual patients' interactivity by enriching them with computational models of physiological and pathological processes. The primary goal of this paper was to propose a conceptual framework for the integration of computational models within virtual patients, with particular focus on (1) characteristics to be addressed while preparing the integration, (2) the extent of the integration, (3) strategies to achieve integration, and (4) methods for evaluating the feasibility of integration. An additional goal was to pilot the first investigation of changing framework variables on altering perceptions of integration. The framework was constructed using an iterative process informed by Soft System Methodology. The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) initiative has been used as a source of new computational models. The technical challenges associated with development of virtual patients enhanced by computational models are discussed from the perspectives of a number of different stakeholders. Concrete design and evaluation steps are discussed in the context of an exemplar virtual patient employing the results of the VPH ARCH project, as well as improvements for future iterations. The proposed framework consists of four main elements. The first element is a list of feasibility features characterizing the integration process from three perspectives: the computational modelling researcher, the health care educationalist, and the virtual patient system developer. The second element included three integration levels: basic, where a single set of simulation outcomes is generated for specific nodes in the activity graph; intermediate, involving pre-generation of simulation datasets over a range of input parameters; advanced, including dynamic solution of the model. The third element is the description of four integration strategies, and the last element consisted of evaluation profiles specifying the relevant feasibility features and acceptance thresholds for specific purposes. The group of experts who evaluated the virtual patient exemplar found higher integration more interesting, but at the same time they were more concerned with the validity of the result. The observed differences were not statistically significant. This paper outlines a framework for the integration of computational models into virtual patients. The opportunities and challenges of model exploitation are discussed from a number of user perspectives, considering different levels of model integration. The long-term aim for future research is to isolate the most crucial factors in the framework and to determine their influence on the integration outcome.

A Framework for Different Levels of Integration of Computational Models Into Web-Based Virtual Patients

PubMed Central

Narracott, Andrew J; Manini, Simone; Bayley, Martin J; Lawford, Patricia V; McCormack, Keith; Zary, Nabil

2014-01-01

Background Virtual patients are increasingly common tools used in health care education to foster learning of clinical reasoning skills. One potential way to expand their functionality is to augment virtual patients’ interactivity by enriching them with computational models of physiological and pathological processes. Objective The primary goal of this paper was to propose a conceptual framework for the integration of computational models within virtual patients, with particular focus on (1) characteristics to be addressed while preparing the integration, (2) the extent of the integration, (3) strategies to achieve integration, and (4) methods for evaluating the feasibility of integration. An additional goal was to pilot the first investigation of changing framework variables on altering perceptions of integration. Methods The framework was constructed using an iterative process informed by Soft System Methodology. The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) initiative has been used as a source of new computational models. The technical challenges associated with development of virtual patients enhanced by computational models are discussed from the perspectives of a number of different stakeholders. Concrete design and evaluation steps are discussed in the context of an exemplar virtual patient employing the results of the VPH ARCH project, as well as improvements for future iterations. Results The proposed framework consists of four main elements. The first element is a list of feasibility features characterizing the integration process from three perspectives: the computational modelling researcher, the health care educationalist, and the virtual patient system developer. The second element included three integration levels: basic, where a single set of simulation outcomes is generated for specific nodes in the activity graph; intermediate, involving pre-generation of simulation datasets over a range of input parameters; advanced, including dynamic solution of the model. The third element is the description of four integration strategies, and the last element consisted of evaluation profiles specifying the relevant feasibility features and acceptance thresholds for specific purposes. The group of experts who evaluated the virtual patient exemplar found higher integration more interesting, but at the same time they were more concerned with the validity of the result. The observed differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions This paper outlines a framework for the integration of computational models into virtual patients. The opportunities and challenges of model exploitation are discussed from a number of user perspectives, considering different levels of model integration. The long-term aim for future research is to isolate the most crucial factors in the framework and to determine their influence on the integration outcome. PMID:24463466

Temporal integration at consecutive processing stages in the auditory pathway of the grasshopper.

PubMed

Wirtssohn, Sarah; Ronacher, Bernhard

2015-04-01

Temporal integration in the auditory system of locusts was quantified by presenting single clicks and click pairs while performing intracellular recordings. Auditory neurons were studied at three processing stages, which form a feed-forward network in the metathoracic ganglion. Receptor neurons and most first-order interneurons ("local neurons") encode the signal envelope, while second-order interneurons ("ascending neurons") tend to extract more complex, behaviorally relevant sound features. In different neuron types of the auditory pathway we found three response types: no significant temporal integration (some ascending neurons), leaky energy integration (receptor neurons and some local neurons), and facilitatory processes (some local and ascending neurons). The receptor neurons integrated input over very short time windows (<2 ms). Temporal integration on longer time scales was found at subsequent processing stages, indicative of within-neuron computations and network activity. These different strategies, realized at separate processing stages and in parallel neuronal pathways within one processing stage, could enable the grasshopper's auditory system to evaluate longer time windows and thus to implement temporal filters, while at the same time maintaining a high temporal resolution. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

An Exploration of Teachers' and Administrators' Perspectives: The Collaborative Process Using the Danielson Framework for Teaching Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landolfi, Adrienne M.

2016-01-01

As accountability measures continue to increase within education, public school systems have integrated standards-based evaluation systems to formally assess professional practices among educators. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent in which the communication process between evaluators and teachers impacts teacher performance…

Information Literacy for Science Education: Evaluating Web-Based Materials for Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klosterman, Michelle L.; Sadler, Troy D.

2008-01-01

Students who engage in scientific inquiry must be able to evaluate the processes and evidence used to reach conclusions about scientific issues, regardless of whether the process is conducted in the classroom or through an information search on the internet. To explore strategies for integrating information literacy and science, the authors…

An Evaluation of Wellness Assessment Visualizations for Older Adults

PubMed Central

Reeder, Blaine; Yoo, Daisy; Aziz, Rafae; Thompson, Hilaire J.; Demiris, George

2015-01-01

Abstract Background Smart home technologies provide a valuable resource to unobtrusively monitor health and wellness within an older adult population. However, the breadth and density of data available along with aging associated decreases in working memory, prospective memory, spatial cognition, and processing speed can make it challenging to comprehend for older adults. We developed visualizations of smart home health data integrated into a framework of wellness. We evaluated the visualizations through focus groups with older adults and identified recommendations to guide the future development of visualizations. Materials and Methods We conducted four focus groups with older adult participants (n=31) at an independent retirement community. Participants were presented with three different visualizations from a wellness pilot study. A qualitative descriptive analysis was conducted to identify thematic content. Results We identified three themes related to processing and application of visualizations: (1) values of visualizations for wellness assessment, (2) cognitive processing approaches to visualizations, and (3) integration of health data for visualization. In addition, the focus groups highlighted key design considerations of visualizations important towards supporting decision-making and evaluation assessments within integrated health displays. Conclusions Participants found inherent value in having visualizations available to proactively engage with their healthcare provider. Integrating the visualizations into a wellness framework helped reduce the complexity of raw smart home data. There has been limited work on health visualizations from a consumer perspective, in particular for an older adult population. Creating appropriately designed visualizations is valuable towards promoting consumer involvement within the shared decision-making process of care. PMID:25401414

FAST-TRAC evaluation : evaluation summary report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

FAST-TRAC is an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) that integrates advanced traffic control with a variety of advanced traffic information systems through centralized collection, processing, and dissemination of traffic data. The Road Commission...

Developing a workstation-based, real-time simulation for rapid handling qualities evaluations during design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Frederick; Biezad, Daniel J.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the Rapid Aircraft DynamIcs AssessmeNt (RADIAN) project - an integration of the Aircraft SYNThesis (ACSTNT) design code with the USAD DATCOM code that estimates stability derivatives. Both of these codes are available to universities. These programs are then linked to flight simulation and flight controller synthesis tools and resulting design is evaluated on a graphics workstation. The entire process reduces the preliminary design time by an order of magnitude and provides an initial handling qualities evaluation of the design coupled to a control law. The integrated design process is applicable to both conventional aircraft taken from current textbooks and to unconventional designs emphasizing agility and propulsive control of attitude. The interactive and concurrent nature of the design process has been well received by industry and by design engineers at NASA. The process is being implemented into the design curriculum and is being used by students who view it as a significant advance over prior methods.

49 CFR 192.937 - What is a continual process of evaluation and assessment to maintain a pipeline's integrity?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Gas Transmission Pipeline Integrity Management § 192.937 What is a..., or stress corrosion cracking. An operator must conduct the direct assessment in accordance with the...

49 CFR 192.937 - What is a continual process of evaluation and assessment to maintain a pipeline's integrity?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Gas Transmission Pipeline Integrity Management § 192.937 What is a..., or stress corrosion cracking. An operator must conduct the direct assessment in accordance with the...

49 CFR 192.937 - What is a continual process of evaluation and assessment to maintain a pipeline's integrity?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Gas Transmission Pipeline Integrity Management § 192.937 What is a..., or stress corrosion cracking. An operator must conduct the direct assessment in accordance with the...

49 CFR 192.937 - What is a continual process of evaluation and assessment to maintain a pipeline's integrity?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Gas Transmission Pipeline Integrity Management § 192.937 What is a..., or stress corrosion cracking. An operator must conduct the direct assessment in accordance with the...

How do primary health care teams learn to integrate intimate partner violence (IPV) management? A realist evaluation protocol.

PubMed

Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen; San Sebastian, Miguel; Marchal, Bruno; Kegels, Guy; Hurtig, Anna-Karin

2013-03-23

Despite the existence of ample literature dealing, on the one hand, with the integration of innovations within health systems and team learning, and, on the other hand, with different aspects of the detection and management of intimate partner violence (IPV) within healthcare facilities, research that explores how health innovations that go beyond biomedical issues-such as IPV management-get integrated into health systems, and that focuses on healthcare teams' learning processes is, to the best of our knowledge, very scarce if not absent. This realist evaluation protocol aims to ascertain: why, how, and under what circumstances primary healthcare teams engage (if at all) in a learning process to integrate IPV management in their practices; and why, how, and under what circumstances team learning processes lead to the development of organizational culture and values regarding IPV management, and the delivery of IPV management services. This study will be conducted in Spain using a multiple-case study design. Data will be collected from selected cases (primary healthcare teams) through different methods: individual and group interviews, routinely collected statistical data, documentary review, and observation. Cases will be purposively selected in order to enable testing the initial middle-range theory (MRT). After in-depth exploration of a limited number of cases, additional cases will be chosen for their ability to contribute to refining the emerging MRT to explain how primary healthcare learn to integrate intimate partner violence management. Evaluations of health sector responses to IPV are scarce, and even fewer focus on why, how, and when the healthcare services integrate IPV management. There is a consensus that healthcare professionals and healthcare teams play a key role in this integration, and that training is important in order to realize changes. However, little is known about team learning of IPV management, both in terms of how to trigger such learning and how team learning is connected with changes in organizational culture and values, and in service delivery. This realist evaluation protocol aims to contribute to this knowledge by conducting this project in a country, Spain, where great endeavours have been made towards the integration of IPV management within the health system.

Cost-effectiveness of integrated analysis/design systems /IPAD/ An executive summary. II. [for aerospace vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. E., Jr.; Hansen, S. D.; Redhed, D. D.; Southall, J. W.; Kawaguchi, A. S.

1974-01-01

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of integrated analysis/design systems with particular attention to Integrated Program for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD) project. An analysis of all the ingredients of IPAD indicates the feasibility of a significant cost and flowtime reduction in the product design process involved. It is also concluded that an IPAD-supported design process will provide a framework for configuration control, whereby the engineering costs for design, analysis and testing can be controlled during the air vehicle development cycle.

Contribution of integrated teaching in the improvement of an undergraduate ophthalmology curriculum

PubMed Central

Tsinopoulos, Ioannis T; Symeonidis, Chrysanthos; Tsaousis, Konstantinos T; Mataftsi, Asimina; Chalvatzis, Nikolaos; Tzamalis, Argyrios; Lamprogiannis, Lampros P; Dimitrakos, Stavros A

2014-01-01

Purpose Conventional medical curriculum is the rule of medical teaching in Greek Medical Schools. Medical students are often taught irrelevant details with little or no reference to their potential clinical significance. Alternatively, integrated teaching warrants that the complete teaching material is covered by each faculty member not considering areas of personal expertise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of integrated teaching in ophthalmic training. Methods The main outcome measures of this retrospective study were a) comments and recommendations made anonymously by the fifth-year medical students in the evaluation questionnaires filled in at the end of their training, and b) scores obtained by students in their final examination at the end of their training in the 2nd Department of Ophthalmology as part of the core Curriculum of the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The latter outcome was analyzed with respect to the implementation of integrated teaching. Results The score obtained by students in the final examination, which is an objective outcome measure, increased significantly after the implementation of integrated teaching. The final grade (scores out of 10) of students who were trained with the integrated system (6.17±1.67, mean ± standard deviation) was significantly higher compared to those (5.52±2.20) trained with the conventional system (P<0.001). The positive outcome of this process was evident as there was a significant increase in the number of students satisfied with the teaching process compared to previous academic years. Conclusion Based on the experience of eight academic years and as a result of interactive assessment process our department has modified its medical student teaching process from conventional to integrated; all teaching staff members are involved in the teaching process, while students are divided in small groups. In conclusion, integrated teaching in small student groups appears to be an efficient teaching method (for both theoretical and clinical skills) of ophthalmic training for medical students. PMID:25429248

Recommendations and Improvements for the Evaluation of Integrated Community-Wide Interventions Approaches.

PubMed

van Koperen, Tessa M; Renders, Carry M; Spierings, Eline J M; Hendriks, Anna-Marie; Westerman, Marjan J; Seidell, Jacob C; Schuit, Albertine J

2016-01-01

Background . Integrated community-wide intervention approaches (ICIAs) are implemented to prevent childhood obesity. Programme evaluation improves these ICIAs, but professionals involved often struggle with performance. Evaluation tools have been developed to support Dutch professionals involved in ICIAs. It is unclear how useful these tools are to intended users. We therefore researched the facilitators of and barriers to ICIA programme evaluation as perceived by professionals and their experiences of the evaluation tools. Methods . Focus groups and interviews with 33 public health professionals. Data were analysed using a thematic content approach. Findings . Evaluation is hampered by insufficient time, budget, and experience with ICIAs, lack of leadership, and limited advocacy for evaluation. Epidemiologists are regarded as responsible for evaluation but feel incompetent to perform evaluation or advocate its need in a political environment. Managers did not prioritise process evaluations, involvement of stakeholders, and capacity building. The evaluation tools are perceived as valuable but too comprehensive considering limited resources. Conclusion . Evaluating ICIAs is important but most professionals are unfamiliar with it and management does not prioritise process evaluation nor incentivize professionals to evaluate. To optimise programme evaluation, more resources and coaching are required to improve professionals' evaluation capabilities and specifically the use of evaluation.

Recommendations and Improvements for the Evaluation of Integrated Community-Wide Interventions Approaches

PubMed Central

Spierings, Eline J. M.; Westerman, Marjan J.; Seidell, Jacob C.; Schuit, Albertine J.

2016-01-01

Background. Integrated community-wide intervention approaches (ICIAs) are implemented to prevent childhood obesity. Programme evaluation improves these ICIAs, but professionals involved often struggle with performance. Evaluation tools have been developed to support Dutch professionals involved in ICIAs. It is unclear how useful these tools are to intended users. We therefore researched the facilitators of and barriers to ICIA programme evaluation as perceived by professionals and their experiences of the evaluation tools. Methods. Focus groups and interviews with 33 public health professionals. Data were analysed using a thematic content approach. Findings. Evaluation is hampered by insufficient time, budget, and experience with ICIAs, lack of leadership, and limited advocacy for evaluation. Epidemiologists are regarded as responsible for evaluation but feel incompetent to perform evaluation or advocate its need in a political environment. Managers did not prioritise process evaluations, involvement of stakeholders, and capacity building. The evaluation tools are perceived as valuable but too comprehensive considering limited resources. Conclusion. Evaluating ICIAs is important but most professionals are unfamiliar with it and management does not prioritise process evaluation nor incentivize professionals to evaluate. To optimise programme evaluation, more resources and coaching are required to improve professionals' evaluation capabilities and specifically the use of evaluation. PMID:28116149

Evaluating the functional state of adult-born neurons in the adult dentate gyrus of the hippocampus: from birth to functional integration.

PubMed

Aguilar-Arredondo, Andrea; Arias, Clorinda; Zepeda, Angélica

2015-01-01

Hippocampal neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain in various species, including humans. A compelling question that arose when neurogenesis was accepted to occur in the adult dentate gyrus (DG) is whether new neurons become functionally relevant over time, which is key for interpreting their potential contributions to synaptic circuitry. The functional state of adult-born neurons has been evaluated using various methodological approaches, which have, in turn, yielded seemingly conflicting results regarding the timing of maturation and functional integration. Here, we review the contributions of different methodological approaches to addressing the maturation process of adult-born neurons and their functional state, discussing the contributions and limitations of each method. We aim to provide a framework for interpreting results based on the approaches currently used in neuroscience for evaluating functional integration. As shown by the experimental evidence, adult-born neurons are prone to respond from early stages, even when they are not yet fully integrated into circuits. The ongoing integration process for the newborn neurons is characterised by different features. However, they may contribute differently to the network depending on their maturation stage. When combined, the strategies used to date convey a comprehensive view of the functional development of newly born neurons while providing a framework for approaching the critical time at which new neurons become functionally integrated and influence brain function.

National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells |

Science.gov Websites

NREL National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center The National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center (NFCTEC) at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Cell Technology Evaluation Center to process and analyze data for a variety of hydrogen and fuel cell

[Sustainable process improvement with application of 'lean philosophy'].

PubMed

Rouppe van der Voort, Marc B V; van Merode, G G Frits; Veraart, Henricus G N

2013-01-01

Process improvement is increasingly being implemented, particularly with the aid of 'lean philosophy'. This management philosophy aims to improve quality by reducing 'wastage'. Local improvements can produce negative effects elsewhere due to interdependence of processes. An 'integrated system approach' is required to prevent this. Some hospitals claim that this has been successful. Research into process improvement with the application of lean philosophy has reported many positive effects, defined as improved safety, quality and efficiency. Due to methodological shortcomings and lack of rigorous evaluations it is, however, not yet possible to determine the impact of this approach. It is, however, obvious that the investigated applications are fragmentary, with a dominant focus on the instrumental aspect of the philosophy and a lack of integration in a total system, and with insufficient attention to human aspects. Process improvement is required to achieve better and more goal-oriented healthcare. To achieve this, hospitals must develop integrated system approaches that combine methods for process design with continuous improvement of processes and with personnel management. It is crucial that doctors take the initiative to guide and improve processes in an integral manner.

Chemical Process Design: An Integrated Teaching Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debelak, Kenneth A.; Roth, John A.

1982-01-01

Reviews a one-semester senior plant design/laboratory course, focusing on course structure, student projects, laboratory assignments, and course evaluation. Includes discussion of laboratory exercises related to process waste water and sludge. (SK)

End-User Evaluations of Semantic Web Technologies

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

McCool, Rob; Cowell, Andrew J.; Thurman, David A.

Stanford University's Knowledge Systems Laboratory (KSL) is working in partnership with Battelle Memorial Institute and IBM Watson Research Center to develop a suite of technologies for information extraction, knowledge representation & reasoning, and human-information interaction, in unison entitled 'Knowledge Associates for Novel Intelligence' (KANI). We have developed an integrated analytic environment composed of a collection of analyst associates, software components that aid the user at different stages of the information analysis process. An important part of our participatory design process has been to ensure our technologies and designs are tightly integrate with the needs and requirements of our end users,more » To this end, we perform a sequence of evaluations towards the end of the development process that ensure the technologies are both functional and usable. This paper reports on that process.« less

Spacelab user implementation assessment study. Volume 1: Concept development and evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The total matrix of alternate Spacelab processing concepts and the rejection rationale utilized to reduce the matrix of 243 alternates to the final candidate processing concepts are developed. The work breakdown structure used for the systematic estimation and compilation of integration and checkout resources is presented along with descriptors of each element. Program models are provided of the space transportation system, the Spacelab, the orbiter, and the ATL that were used as the basis for the study trades, analyses, and optimizations. Resource requirements for all processing concepts are summarized along with the optimizations of the processing concepts. Concept evaluations including flight-rate sensitivities of the GSE, facilities, Spacelab hardware elements, and personnel are delineated. An analysis is presented of the applicability of the candidate concepts to potential spacelab users. The impact of the use of the western test range as an orbiter/spacelab launch site on the candidate processing concepts is evaluated. An assessment of the geographical co-location of experiment, Spacelab, and orbiter-cargo integration is included. Ownership options of the support module/system igloo are discussed.

Improved system integration for integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems.

PubMed

Frey, H Christopher; Zhu, Yunhua

2006-03-01

Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems are a promising technology for power generation. They include an air separation unit (ASU), a gasification system, and a gas turbine combined cycle power block, and feature competitive efficiency and lower emissions compared to conventional power generation technology. IGCC systems are not yet in widespread commercial use and opportunities remain to improve system feasibility via improved process integration. A process simulation model was developed for IGCC systems with alternative types of ASU and gas turbine integration. The model is applied to evaluate integration schemes involving nitrogen injection, air extraction, and combinations of both, as well as different ASU pressure levels. The optimal nitrogen injection only case in combination with an elevated pressure ASU had the highest efficiency and power output and approximately the lowest emissions per unit output of all cases considered, and thus is a recommended design option. The optimal combination of air extraction coupled with nitrogen injection had slightly worse efficiency, power output, and emissions than the optimal nitrogen injection only case. Air extraction alone typically produced lower efficiency, lower power output, and higher emissions than all other cases. The recommended nitrogen injection only case is estimated to provide annualized cost savings compared to a nonintegrated design. Process simulation modeling is shown to be a useful tool for evaluation and screening of technology options.

Knudsen pump produced via silicon deep RIE, thermal oxidation, and anodic bonding processes for on-chip vacuum pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Toan, Nguyen; Inomata, Naoki; Trung, Nguyen Huu; Ono, Takahito

2018-05-01

This work describes the fabrication and evaluation of the Knudsen pump for on-chip vacuum pumping that works based on the principle of a thermal transpiration. Three AFM (atomic force microscope) cantilevers are integrated into small chambers with a size of 5 mm  ×  3 mm  ×  0.4 mm for the pump’s evaluation. Knudsen pump is fabricated using deep RIE (reactive ion etching), wet thermal oxidation and anodic bonding processes. The fabricated device is evaluated by monitoring the quality (Q) factor of the integrated cantilevers. The Q factor of the cantilever is increased from 300 -1150 in cases without and with a temperature difference approximately 25 °C between the top (the hot side at 40 °C) and bottom (the cold side at 15 °C) sides of the fabricated device, respectively. The evacuated chamber pressure of around 10 kPa is estimated from the Q factor of the integrated cantilevers.

An integral design strategy combining optical system and image processing to obtain high resolution images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiaoyang; Wang, Lin; Yang, Ying; Gong, Rui; Shao, Xiaopeng; Liang, Chao; Xu, Jun

2016-05-01

In this paper, an integral design that combines optical system with image processing is introduced to obtain high resolution images, and the performance is evaluated and demonstrated. Traditional imaging methods often separate the two technical procedures of optical system design and imaging processing, resulting in the failures in efficient cooperation between the optical and digital elements. Therefore, an innovative approach is presented to combine the merit function during optical design together with the constraint conditions of image processing algorithms. Specifically, an optical imaging system with low resolution is designed to collect the image signals which are indispensable for imaging processing, while the ultimate goal is to obtain high resolution images from the final system. In order to optimize the global performance, the optimization function of ZEMAX software is utilized and the number of optimization cycles is controlled. Then Wiener filter algorithm is adopted to process the image simulation and mean squared error (MSE) is taken as evaluation criterion. The results show that, although the optical figures of merit for the optical imaging systems is not the best, it can provide image signals that are more suitable for image processing. In conclusion. The integral design of optical system and image processing can search out the overall optimal solution which is missed by the traditional design methods. Especially, when designing some complex optical system, this integral design strategy has obvious advantages to simplify structure and reduce cost, as well as to gain high resolution images simultaneously, which has a promising perspective of industrial application.

Implementing Organizational Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Strategies on Paid Time: Process Evaluation of the UCLA WORKING Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Jammie M.; Glenn, Beth A.; Cole, Brian L.; McCarthy, William; Yancey, Antronette

2012-01-01

Integrating organizationally targeted wellness strategies into the routine conduct of business has shown promise in engaging captive audiences at highest risk of obesity and obesity-related health consequences. This paper presents a process evaluation of the implementation of the University of California, Los Angeles, Working Out Regularly Keeps…

Supporting the Use of CERT (registered trademark) Secure Coding Standards in DoD Acquisitions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

Capability Maturity Model IntegrationSM (CMMI®) [Davis 2009]. SM Team Software Process, TSP, and Capability Maturity Model Integration are service...STP Software Test Plan TEP Test and Evaluation Plan TSP Team Software Process V & V verification and validation CMU/SEI-2012-TN-016 | 47...Supporting the Use of CERT® Secure Coding Standards in DoD Acquisitions Tim Morrow ( Software Engineering Institute) Robert Seacord ( Software

A 3D Human-Machine Integrated Design and Analysis Framework for Squat Exercises with a Smith Machine.

PubMed

Lee, Haerin; Jung, Moonki; Lee, Ki-Kwang; Lee, Sang Hun

2017-02-06

In this paper, we propose a three-dimensional design and evaluation framework and process based on a probabilistic-based motion synthesis algorithm and biomechanical analysis system for the design of the Smith machine and squat training programs. Moreover, we implemented a prototype system to validate the proposed framework. The framework consists of an integrated human-machine-environment model as well as a squat motion synthesis system and biomechanical analysis system. In the design and evaluation process, we created an integrated model in which interactions between a human body and machine or the ground are modeled as joints with constraints at contact points. Next, we generated Smith squat motion using the motion synthesis program based on a Gaussian process regression algorithm with a set of given values for independent variables. Then, using the biomechanical analysis system, we simulated joint moments and muscle activities from the input of the integrated model and squat motion. We validated the model and algorithm through physical experiments measuring the electromyography (EMG) signals, ground forces, and squat motions as well as through a biomechanical simulation of muscle forces. The proposed approach enables the incorporation of biomechanics in the design process and reduces the need for physical experiments and prototypes in the development of training programs and new Smith machines.

A 3D Human-Machine Integrated Design and Analysis Framework for Squat Exercises with a Smith Machine

PubMed Central

Lee, Haerin; Jung, Moonki; Lee, Ki-Kwang; Lee, Sang Hun

2017-01-01

In this paper, we propose a three-dimensional design and evaluation framework and process based on a probabilistic-based motion synthesis algorithm and biomechanical analysis system for the design of the Smith machine and squat training programs. Moreover, we implemented a prototype system to validate the proposed framework. The framework consists of an integrated human–machine–environment model as well as a squat motion synthesis system and biomechanical analysis system. In the design and evaluation process, we created an integrated model in which interactions between a human body and machine or the ground are modeled as joints with constraints at contact points. Next, we generated Smith squat motion using the motion synthesis program based on a Gaussian process regression algorithm with a set of given values for independent variables. Then, using the biomechanical analysis system, we simulated joint moments and muscle activities from the input of the integrated model and squat motion. We validated the model and algorithm through physical experiments measuring the electromyography (EMG) signals, ground forces, and squat motions as well as through a biomechanical simulation of muscle forces. The proposed approach enables the incorporation of biomechanics in the design process and reduces the need for physical experiments and prototypes in the development of training programs and new Smith machines. PMID:28178184

How is rehabilitation with and without an integrated self-management approach perceived by UK community-dwelling stroke survivors? A qualitative process evaluation to explore implementation and contextual variations

PubMed Central

Jones, Fiona; McKevitt, Christopher; Riazi, Afsane; Liston, Matthew

2017-01-01

Objective Self-management programmes could support long-term needs after stroke and using methods integrated into rehabilitation is one option. To explore theoretical assumptions and possible mechanisms of implementation a process evaluation was delivered alongside a cluster trial which has demonstrated feasibility of an integrated self-management programme (Bridges SMP) in community-dwelling stroke survivors. This paper aims to show the extent to which experiences from stroke survivors receiving rehabilitation in control (usual care) and intervention (integrated self-management) sites reflected the differences in rehabilitation received and whether their understandings aligned with the self-management approach employed. Design Semistructured qualitative interviews carried out as part of a process evaluation analysed thematically. Setting Study was based in South London; all interviews were carried out in participants' home setting. Participants 22 stroke participants recruited; 12 from integrated self-management sites and 10 from usual care sites. Results All participants revealed shared appreciation of knowledge and support from therapists but subtle differences emerged between sites in respect to perceptions about responsibility, control and how previous experiences were used. Accounts depicted a variance regarding who had structured and planned their rehabilitation, with greater flexibility about content and involvement perceived by participants from the integrated self-management sites. They also provided accounts and experiences which aligned with principles of the intervention, such as self-discovery and problem-solving. Conclusions The findings reflect our theoretical assumptions and possible mechanisms of implementation that rehabilitation with a focus on supporting self-management is reflected in accounts and understandings of stroke survivors. Taken together with our previous research this justifies evaluating the effectiveness of Bridges SMP in a larger sample to further contribute to an understanding of the functioning of the intervention, implementation, contextual factors and mechanisms of impact. Trial registration number ISRCTN42534180; Post-results. PMID:28373253

Detailed seismic evaluation of bridges on and over the parkways in Western Kentucky.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-01

The report outlines a rating system and details an evaluation procedure for the seismic evaluation of highway bridges. These processes are later used to investigate the structural integrity of selected highway bridges on and over the parkways in West...

The cryoprotective effect of trehalose supplementation on boar spermatozoa quality.

PubMed

Hu, Jian-Hong; Li, Qing-Wang; Li, Gang; Jiang, Zhong-Liang; Bu, Shu-hai; Yang, Hai; Wang, Li-Qiang

2009-05-01

In order to improve boar sperm quality during frozen-thawed process, the influence of the presence of trehalose on success of cryopreservation of boar sperm were investigated. We evaluated freeze-thawing tolerance of boar spermatozoa in a base cooling extender with the addition of different trehalose concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200mmol/l), and tried to determine the optimum concentration of trehalose. We chose sperm motility, acrosome integrity, membrane integrity and cryocapacitation as parameters to evaluate cryopreservation capacity of boar spermatozoa. We obtained the best results for 100mmol/l trehalose-supplemented extenders, with values of 49.89% for motility, 66.52% for acrosome integrity and 44.61% for membrane integrity, while freeze-thawing tolerance was diminished significantly for 200mmol/l of trehalose. Before and after capacitation, the CTC score for semen diluted by extender containing 100mmol/l trehalose was 3.68% and 43.82%, respectively. In conclusion, trehalose could confer a greater cryoprotective capacity to boar spermatozoa. Trehalose-supplementation with 100mmol/l concentration in basic extender could significantly improve sperm motility, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity parameters, and reduce boar spermatozoa cryocapacitation during the cryopreservation process.

Process contribution evaluation for COD removal and energy production from molasses wastewater in a BioH2-BioCH4-MFC-integrated system.

PubMed

Yun, Jeonghee; Lee, Yun-Yeong; Choi, Hyung Joo; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2017-01-01

In this study, a three-stage-integrated process using the hydrogenic process (BioH 2 ), methanogenic process (BioCH 4 ), and a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was operated using molasses wastewater. The contribution of individual processes to chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and energy production was evaluated. The three-stage integration system was operated at molasses of 20 g-COD L -1 , and each process achieved hydrogen production rate of 1.1 ± 0.24 L-H 2 L -1 day -1 , methane production rate of 311 ± 18.94 mL-CH 4 L -1 day -1 , and production rate per electrode surface area of 10.8 ± 1.4 g m -2 day -1 . The three-stage integration system generated energy production of 32.32 kJ g-COD -1 and achieved COD removal of 98 %. The contribution of BioH 2 , BioCH 4 , and the MFC reactor was 20.8, 72.2, and, 7.0 % of the total COD removal, and 18.7, 81.2, and 0.16 % of the total energy production, respectively. The continuous stirred-tank reactor BioH 2 at HRT of 1 day, up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket BioCH 4 at HRT of 2 days, and MFC reactor at HRT of 3 days were decided in 1:2:3 ratios of working volume under hydraulic retention time consideration. This integration system can be applied to various configurations depending on target wastewater inputs, and it is expected to enhance energy recovery and reduce environmental impact of the final effluent.

The role of collaborative ontology development in the knowledge negotiation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Norma

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) collaboration can be defined as the process of integrating experts' knowledge, perspectives, and resources to advance scientific discovery. The flourishing of more complex research problems, together with the growth of scientific and technical knowledge has resulted in the need for researchers from diverse fields to provide different expertise and points of view to tackle these problems. These collaborations, however, introduce a new set of "culture" barriers as participating experts are trained to communicate in discipline-specific languages, theories, and research practices. We propose that building a common knowledge base for research using ontology development techniques can provide a starting point for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, negotiation, and integration. The goal of this work is to extend ontology development techniques to support the knowledge negotiation process in IDR groups. Towards this goal, this work presents a methodology that extends previous work in collaborative ontology development and integrates learning strategies and tools to enhance interdisciplinary research practices. We evaluate the effectiveness of applying such methodology in three different scenarios that cover educational and research settings. The results of this evaluation confirm that integrating learning strategies can, in fact, be advantageous to overall collaborative practices in IDR groups.

Influence of cell integrity on textural properties of raw, high pressure, and thermally processed onions.

PubMed

Gonzalez, M E; Jernstedt, J A; Slaughter, D C; Barrett, D M

2010-09-01

The integrity of onion cells and its impact on tissue texture after high pressure and thermal processing was studied. The contribution of cell membranes and the pectic component of cell walls on the texture properties of onion tissue were analyzed. Neutral red (NR) staining of onion parenchyma cell vacuoles was used for the evaluation of cell membrane integrity and microscopic image analysis was used for its quantification. The content of methanol in tissue as a result of pectin methylesterase activity was used to evaluate the pectin component of the middle lamella and cell walls and the hardening effect on the tissue after processing. High pressure treatments consisted of 5-min holding times at 50, 100, 200, 300, or 600 MPa. Thermal treatments consisted of 30-min water bath exposure to 40, 50, 60, 70, or 90 °C. In the high pressure treatments, loss of membrane integrity commenced at 200 MPa and total loss of membrane integrity occurred at 300 MPa and above. In the thermal treatments, membrane integrity was lost between 50 and 60 °C. The texture of onions was influenced by the state of the membranes and texture profiles were abruptly modified once membrane integrity was lost. Hardening of the tissue corresponded with pressure and temperature PME activation and occurred after membrane integrity loss. The texture of vegetables is an important quality attribute that affects consumer preference. Loss of textural integrity also indicates that other biochemical reactions that affect color, flavor, and nutrient content may occur more rapidly. In this study, we analyzed changes in the texture of onions after preservation with heat and high pressure.

Evaluating the Consistency of Scales Used in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment of College-Aged Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saleh, Ayman; Fuchs, Catherine; Taylor, Warren D.; Niarhos, Frances

2018-01-01

Objective: Neurocognitive evaluations are commonly integrated with clinical assessment to evaluate adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Study goal is to identify measures most strongly related to ADHD diagnosis and to determine their utility in screening processes. Participants: 230 students who were evaluated at the Vanderbilt…

Measuring Spontaneous and Instructed Evaluation Processes during Web Search: Integrating Concurrent Thinking-Aloud Protocols and Eye-Tracking Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerjets, Peter; Kammerer, Yvonne; Werner, Benita

2011-01-01

Web searching for complex information requires to appropriately evaluating diverse sources of information. Information science studies identified different criteria applied by searchers to evaluate Web information. However, the explicit evaluation instructions used in these studies might have resulted in a distortion of spontaneous evaluation…

CONSIDERATIONS FOR INNOVATIVE REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION SAMPLING PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Field trials of innovative subsurface cleanup technologies require the use of integrated site characterization approaches to obtain critical design parameters, to evaluate pre-treatment contaminant distributions, and to assess process efficiency. This review focuses on the trans...

Conceptual dissonance: evaluating the efficacy of natural language processing techniques for validating translational knowledge constructs.

PubMed

Payne, Philip R O; Kwok, Alan; Dhaval, Rakesh; Borlawsky, Tara B

2009-03-01

The conduct of large-scale translational studies presents significant challenges related to the storage, management and analysis of integrative data sets. Ideally, the application of methodologies such as conceptual knowledge discovery in databases (CKDD) provides a means for moving beyond intuitive hypothesis discovery and testing in such data sets, and towards the high-throughput generation and evaluation of knowledge-anchored relationships between complex bio-molecular and phenotypic variables. However, the induction of such high-throughput hypotheses is non-trivial, and requires correspondingly high-throughput validation methodologies. In this manuscript, we describe an evaluation of the efficacy of a natural language processing-based approach to validating such hypotheses. As part of this evaluation, we will examine a phenomenon that we have labeled as "Conceptual Dissonance" in which conceptual knowledge derived from two or more sources of comparable scope and granularity cannot be readily integrated or compared using conventional methods and automated tools.

Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Enhanced Pearson eText with Loose-Leaf Version--Access Card Package. Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creswell, John W.

2015-01-01

"Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research" offers a truly balanced, inclusive, and integrated overview of the processes involved in educational research. This text first examines the general steps in the research process and then details the procedures for conducting specific types…

Learner Performance Accounting: A Tri-Cycle Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Thomas C.; McCleary, Lloyd E.

1973-01-01

The Tri-Cycle Process described in the model permits for the first time an integrated system for designing an individualized instructional system that would permit a rational, diagnosis-prescription-evaluation system keyed to an accounting system. (Author)

75 FR 57763 - ILP Effectiveness Evaluation 2010; Supplemental Notice of Multi-Stakeholder Technical Conference...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-22

... Integrated Licensing Process (ILP); (2) build on the feedback gathered through personal interviews, by-sector... Licensing Process September 14, 2010. As announced in the May 18, 2010, ``Notice of Interviews...

Fabrication and development of several heat pipe honeycomb sandwich panel concepts. [airframe integrated scramjet engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanzer, H. J.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of fabricating and processing liquid metal heat pipes in a low mass honeycomb sandwich panel configuration for application on the NASA Langley airframe-integrated Scramjet engine was investigated. A variety of honeycomb panel facesheet and core-ribbon wick concepts was evaluated within constraints dictated by existing manufacturing technology and equipment. The chosen design consists of an all-stainless steel structure, sintered screen facesheets, and two types of core-ribbon; a diffusion bonded wire mesh and a foil-screen composite. Cleaning, fluid charging, processing, and process port sealing techniques were established. The liquid metals potassium, sodium and cesium were used as working fluids. Eleven honeycomb panels 15.24 cm X 15.24 cm X 2.94 cm were delivered to NASA Langley for extensive performance testing and evaluation; nine panels were processed as heat pipes, and two panels were left unprocessed.

EFFECT OF PITTING CORROSION PROMOTERS ON THE TREATMENT OF WATERS CONTAMINATED WITH A NITROAROMATIC COMPOUNDS USING INTEGRATED REDUCTIVE/OXIDATIVE PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

All the reaction mechanisms developed during the proposed research activities will provide essential information during risk assessment and evaluation of remediation strategies of NACs contamination. The concept of integrated reductive/oxidative technologies. exper...

Integrating the Curriculum: Quality and Relevance for Special Needs Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wessel, Janet A.

A comprehensive, integrated physical education system that has quality and relevance for handicapped students and their nonhandicapped peers is proposed. The Achievement Based Curriculum (ABC) Model is a systematic decision-making process for an instructional system that incorporates curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation in one…

Integrated circuits for accurate linear analogue electric signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huijsing, J. H.

1981-11-01

The main lines in the design of integrated circuits for accurate analog linear electric signal processing in a frequency range including DC are investigated. A categorization of universal active electronic devices is presented on the basis of the connections of one of the terminals of the input and output ports to the common ground potential. The means for quantifying the attributes of four types of universal active electronic devices are included. The design of integrated operational voltage amplifiers (OVA) is discussed. Several important applications in the field of general instrumentation are numerically evaluated, and the design of operatinal floating amplifiers is presented.

Misconceptions and Integration.

PubMed

Mortaz Hejri, Sara; Mirzazadeh, Azim; Jalili, Mohammad

2015-10-01

Pervasive beliefs regarding curricular reform and integration have flourished among medical students, faculty members and medical school administrators. These concepts have extensively impacted the reform process, sometimes by resisting the reforms and sometimes by diverting the curriculum from its planned objectives. In the current paper, we have tried to address the challenges of integration in MD program by looking at the existing literature and the experience of the international universities. We collected the questions frequently asked during the curricular reform process. We, then, evaluated them, and selected 5 main ideas. In order to find their answers, we searched the literature using these keywords: integration, reform, and undergraduate medical curriculum. The findings are discussed in five sections: 1) Reform is not equivalent to integration, 2) Integration can be implemented in both high school and graduate programs, 3) Organ-system based integration is not the only method available for integration, 4) Integration of two phases (basic sciences and physiopathology) can be considered but it is not mandatory, 5) Integration does not fade basic sciences in favor of clinical courses. It seems that medical education literature and prior experience of the leading universities do not support most of the usual concepts about integration. Therefore, it is important to consider informed decision making based on best evidence rather than personal opinions during the curricular reform process.

Evaluation of an Integrated Multi-Task Machine Learning System with Humans in the Loop

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

machine learning components natural language processing, and optimization...was examined with a test explicitly developed to measure the impact of integrated machine learning when used by a human user in a real world setting...study revealed that integrated machine learning does produce a positive impact on overall performance. This paper also discusses how specific machine learning components contributed to human-system

Integrated Emergy and Economic Evaluation of Tea Production Chains in Anxi, China

EPA Science Inventory

Emergy and economic methods were used to evaluate and compare tea production systems in Anxi, China. Tea production was classified into three phases, i.e., the nursery, the plantation and tea processing, and each phase was evaluated. The results showed that the nursery subsystems...

[Significance of re-evaluation and development of Chinese herbal drugs].

PubMed

Gao, Yue; Ma, Zengchun; Zhang, Boli

2012-01-01

The research of new herbal drugs involves in new herbal drugs development and renew the old drugs. It is necessary to research new herbal drugs based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The current development of famous TCM focuses on the manufacture process, quality control standards, material basis and clinical research. But system management of security evaluation is deficient, the relevant system for the safety assessment TCM has not been established. The causes of security problems, security risks, target organ of toxicity, weak link of safety evaluation, and ideas of safety evaluation are discussed in this paper. The toxicology research of chinese herbal drugs is necessary based on standard of good laboratory practices (GLP), the characteristic of Chinese herbal drugs is necessary to be fully integrated into safety evaluation. The safety of new drug research is necessary to be integrated throughout the entire process. Famous Chinese medicine safety research must be paid more attention in the future.

Embedding technology into inter-professional best practices in home safety evaluation.

PubMed

Burns, Suzanne Perea; Pickens, Noralyn Davel

2017-08-01

To explore inter-professional home evaluators' perspectives and needs for building useful and acceptable decision-support tools for the field of home modifications. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of home modification professionals from different regions of the United States. The interview transcripts were analyzed with a qualitative, descriptive, perspective approach. Technology supports current best practice and has potential to inform decision making through features that could enhance home evaluation processes, quality, efficiency and inter-professional communication. Technological advances with app design have created numerous opportunities for the field of home modifications. Integrating technology and inter-professional best practices will improve home safety evaluation and intervention development to meet client-centred and societal needs. Implications for rehabilitation Understanding home evaluators technology needs for home safety evaluations contributes to the development of app-based assessments. Integrating inter-professional perspectives of best practice and technological needs in an app for home assessments improves processes. Novice and expert home evaluators would benefit from decision support systems embedded in app-based assessments. Adoption of app-based assessment would improve efficiency while remaining client-centred.

Modeling the dynamics of evaluation: a multilevel neural network implementation of the iterative reprocessing model.

PubMed

Ehret, Phillip J; Monroe, Brian M; Read, Stephen J

2015-05-01

We present a neural network implementation of central components of the iterative reprocessing (IR) model. The IR model argues that the evaluation of social stimuli (attitudes, stereotypes) is the result of the IR of stimuli in a hierarchy of neural systems: The evaluation of social stimuli develops and changes over processing. The network has a multilevel, bidirectional feedback evaluation system that integrates initial perceptual processing and later developing semantic processing. The network processes stimuli (e.g., an individual's appearance) over repeated iterations, with increasingly higher levels of semantic processing over time. As a result, the network's evaluations of stimuli evolve. We discuss the implications of the network for a number of different issues involved in attitudes and social evaluation. The success of the network supports the IR model framework and provides new insights into attitude theory. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Evaluation of mercury in the liquid waste processing facilities

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

Jain, Vijay; Shah, Hasmukh; Occhipinti, John E.

2015-08-13

This report provides a summary of Phase I activities conducted to support an Integrated Evaluation of Mercury in Liquid Waste System (LWS) Processing Facilities. Phase I activities included a review and assessment of the liquid waste inventory and chemical processing behavior of mercury using a system by system review methodology approach. Gaps in understanding mercury behavior as well as action items from the structured reviews are being tracked. 64% of the gaps and actions have been resolved.

49 CFR 192.937 - What is a continual process of evaluation and assessment to maintain a pipeline's integrity?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Relating to Transportation (Continued) PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Gas Transmission Pipeline Integrity Management § 192.937 What is a...

Revenue Forecasting to Integrate CCC Planning and Resource Allocation for Transformative Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovey, Ann

2012-01-01

In recent years the majority of California community colleges evaluated for re-accreditation received sanctions requiring documented improvement in the integration of college planning and budgeting processes. This study explores the challenges colleges face and the best practices utilized by successful colleges in implementing integrated…

Bild- und Tontraeger im Fremdsprachenunterricht. Eine rentable Investition? (Visual and Sound Media in Foreign Language Teaching--A Profitable Investment?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macht, Konrad

1978-01-01

Discusses a "rational concept" of integration of audiovisual teaching aids into the foreign language teaching process that would be based on a positive evaluation of teacher-centered instruction. Offers a model for integration of human and technical media. (IFS/WGA)

Research on common methods for evaluating the operation effect of integrated wastewater treatment facilities of iron and steel enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bingsheng, Xu

2017-04-01

Considering the large quantities of wastewater generated from iron and steel enterprises in China, this paper is aimed to research the common methods applied for evaluating the integrated wastewater treatment effect of iron and steel enterprises. Based on survey results on environmental protection performance, technological economy, resource & energy consumption, services and management, an indicator system for evaluating the operation effect of integrated wastewater treatment facilities is set up. By discussing the standards and industrial policies in and out of China, 27 key secondary indicators are further defined on the basis of investigation on main equipment and key processes for wastewater treatment, so as to determine the method for setting key quantitative and qualitative indicators for evaluation indicator system. It is also expected to satisfy the basic requirements of reasonable resource allocation, environmental protection and sustainable economic development, further improve the integrated wastewater treatment effect of iron and steel enterprises, and reduce the emission of hazardous substances and environmental impact.

[Construction and realization of real world integrated data warehouse from HIS on re-evaluation of post-maketing traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Zhuang, Yan; Xie, Bangtie; Weng, Shengxin; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

To construct real world integrated data warehouse on re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine for the research on key techniques of clinic re-evaluation which mainly includes indication of traditional Chinese medicine, dosage usage, course of treatment, unit medication, combined disease and adverse reaction, which provides data for reviewed research on its safety,availability and economy,and provides foundation for perspective research. The integrated data warehouse extracts and integrate data from HIS by information collection system and data warehouse technique and forms standard structure and data. The further research is on process based on the data. A data warehouse and several sub data warehouses were built, which focused on patients' main records, doctor orders, diseases diagnoses, laboratory results and economic indications in hospital. These data warehouses can provide research data for re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine, and it has clinical value. Besides, it points out the direction for further research.

The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Dematel) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) for Safety Management System Evaluation Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolita, Lisa; Surarso, Bayu; Gernowo, Rahmat

2018-02-01

In order to improve airport safety management system (SMS) performance, an evaluation system is required to improve on current shortcomings and maximize safety. This study suggests the integration of the DEMATEL and ANP methods in decision making processes by analyzing causal relations between the relevant criteria and taking effective analysis-based decision. The DEMATEL method builds on the ANP method in identifying the interdependencies between criteria. The input data consists of questionnaire data obtained online and then stored in an online database. Furthermore, the questionnaire data is processed using DEMATEL and ANP methods to obtain the results of determining the relationship between criteria and criteria that need to be evaluated. The study cases on this evaluation system were Adi Sutjipto International Airport, Yogyakarta (JOG); Ahmad Yani International Airport, Semarang (SRG); and Adi Sumarmo International Airport, Surakarta (SOC). The integration grades SMS performance criterion weights in a descending order as follow: safety and destination policy, safety risk management, healthcare, and safety awareness. Sturges' formula classified the results into nine grades. JOG and SMG airports were in grade 8, while SOG airport was in grade 7.

Findings from a participatory evaluation of a smart home application for older adults.

PubMed

Demiris, George; Oliver, Debra Parker; Dickey, Geraldine; Skubic, Marjorie; Rantz, Marilyn

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present a participatory evaluation of an actual "smart home" project implemented in an independent retirement facility. Using the participatory evaluation process, residents guided the research team through development and implementation of the initial phase of a smart home project designed to assist residents to remain functionally independent and age in place. We recruited nine residents who provided permission to install the technology in their apartments. We conducted a total of 75 interviews and three observational sessions. Residents expressed overall positive perceptions of the sensor technologies and did not feel that these interfered with their daily activities. The process of adoption and acceptance of the sensors included three phases, familiarization, adjustment and curiosity, and full integration. Residents did not express privacy concerns. They provided detailed feedback and suggestions that were integrated into the redesign of the system. They also reported a sense of control resulting from their active involvement in the evaluation process. Observational sessions confirmed that the sensors were not noticeable and residents did not change their routines. The participatory evaluation approach not only empowers end-users but it also allows for the implementation of smart home systems that address residents' needs.

Improving predictions of large scale soil carbon dynamics: Integration of fine-scale hydrological and biogeochemical processes, scaling, and benchmarking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, W. J.; Dwivedi, D.; Ghimire, B.; Hoffman, F. M.; Pau, G. S. H.; Randerson, J. T.; Shen, C.; Tang, J.; Zhu, Q.

2015-12-01

Numerical model representations of decadal- to centennial-scale soil-carbon dynamics are a dominant cause of uncertainty in climate change predictions. Recent attempts by some Earth System Model (ESM) teams to integrate previously unrepresented soil processes (e.g., explicit microbial processes, abiotic interactions with mineral surfaces, vertical transport), poor performance of many ESM land models against large-scale and experimental manipulation observations, and complexities associated with spatial heterogeneity highlight the nascent nature of our community's ability to accurately predict future soil carbon dynamics. I will present recent work from our group to develop a modeling framework to integrate pore-, column-, watershed-, and global-scale soil process representations into an ESM (ACME), and apply the International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) package for evaluation. At the column scale and across a wide range of sites, observed depth-resolved carbon stocks and their 14C derived turnover times can be explained by a model with explicit representation of two microbial populations, a simple representation of mineralogy, and vertical transport. Integrating soil and plant dynamics requires a 'process-scaling' approach, since all aspects of the multi-nutrient system cannot be explicitly resolved at ESM scales. I will show that one approach, the Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation, improves predictions of forest nitrogen and phosphorus experimental manipulations and leads to very different global soil carbon predictions. Translating model representations from the site- to ESM-scale requires a spatial scaling approach that either explicitly resolves the relevant processes, or more practically, accounts for fine-resolution dynamics at coarser scales. To that end, I will present recent watershed-scale modeling work that applies reduced order model methods to accurately scale fine-resolution soil carbon dynamics to coarse-resolution simulations. Finally, we contend that creating believable soil carbon predictions requires a robust, transparent, and community-available benchmarking framework. I will present an ILAMB evaluation of several of the above-mentioned approaches in ACME, and attempt to motivate community adoption of this evaluation approach.

Views and Experiences of Persons with Chronic Diseases about Strategies that Aim to Integrate and Re-Integrate Them into Work: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies.

PubMed

Esteban, Eva; Coenen, Michaela; Ito, Elizabeth; Gruber, Sonja; Scaratti, Chiara; Leonardi, Matilde; Roka, Olga; Vasilou, Evdokia; Muñoz-Murillo, Amalia; Ávila, Carolina C; Kovačič, Dare S; Ivandic, Ivana; Sabariego, Carla

2018-05-18

The effectiveness of strategies targeting professional integration and reintegration strongly depends on the experiences of participants. The aim of this systematic literature review is to synthesize European qualitative studies exploring views and experiences of persons with chronic conditions regarding strategies for integration and reintegration into work. The systematic search was conducted in Medline, PsycINFO, CDR-HTA, CDR-DARE and Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Overall, 24 studies published in English between January 2011 and April 2016 were included. Most studies were carried out in Nordic countries or in the UK, and most participants were persons with either mental or musculoskeletal disorders. Ten themes emerged: individual and holistic approach, clarity of strategy and processes, timing of rehabilitation processes, experience with professionals, at the workplace and with peer groups, changes in the understanding of health and work, active involvement in the process, competencies development and motivating aspects of work. Findings highlight, among others, the need to actively involve participants in the return to work process and to provide timely and clearly structured processes and interventions. This review provides stakeholders key information to develop, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to integrate and re-integrate persons with chronic conditions into work in Europe.

Views and Experiences of Persons with Chronic Diseases about Strategies that Aim to Integrate and Re-Integrate Them into Work: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

PubMed Central

Ito, Elizabeth; Gruber, Sonja; Scaratti, Chiara; Roka, Olga; Vasilou, Evdokia; Muñoz-Murillo, Amalia; Ávila, Carolina C.; Kovačič, Dare S.; Ivandic, Ivana

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of strategies targeting professional integration and reintegration strongly depends on the experiences of participants. The aim of this systematic literature review is to synthesize European qualitative studies exploring views and experiences of persons with chronic conditions regarding strategies for integration and reintegration into work. The systematic search was conducted in Medline, PsycINFO, CDR-HTA, CDR-DARE and Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Overall, 24 studies published in English between January 2011 and April 2016 were included. Most studies were carried out in Nordic countries or in the UK, and most participants were persons with either mental or musculoskeletal disorders. Ten themes emerged: individual and holistic approach, clarity of strategy and processes, timing of rehabilitation processes, experience with professionals, at the workplace and with peer groups, changes in the understanding of health and work, active involvement in the process, competencies development and motivating aspects of work. Findings highlight, among others, the need to actively involve participants in the return to work process and to provide timely and clearly structured processes and interventions. This review provides stakeholders key information to develop, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to integrate and re-integrate persons with chronic conditions into work in Europe. PMID:29783671

A four phase development model for integrated care services in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Minkman, Mirella MN; Ahaus, Kees TB; Huijsman, Robbert

2009-01-01

Background Multidisciplinary and interorganizational arrangements for the delivery of coherent integrated care are being developed in a large number of countries. Although there are many integrated care programs worldwide, the process of developing these programs and interorganizational collaboration is described in the literature only to a limited extent. The purpose of this study is to explore how local integrated care services are developed in the Netherlands, and to conceptualize and operationalize a development model of integrated care. Methods The research is based on an expert panel study followed by a two-part questionnaire, designed to identify the development process of integrated care. Essential elements of integrated care, which were developed in a previous Delphi and Concept Mapping Study, were analyzed in relation to development process of integrated care. Results Integrated care development can be characterized by four developmental phases: the initiative and design phase; the experimental and execution phase; the expansion and monitoring phase; and the consolidation and transformation phase. Different elements of integrated care have been identified in the various developmental phases. Conclusion The findings provide a descriptive model of the development process that integrated care services can undergo in the Netherlands. The findings have important implications for integrated care services, which can use the model as an instrument to reflect on their current practices. The model can be used to help to identify improvement areas in practice. The model provides a framework for developing evaluation designs for integrated care arrangements. Further research is recommended to test the developed model in practice and to add international experiences. PMID:19261176

[Problem-based learning in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: basic life support].

PubMed

Sardo, Pedro Miguel Garcez; Dal Sasso, Grace Terezinha Marcon

2008-12-01

Descriptive and exploratory study, aimed to develop an educational practice of Problem-Based Learning in CPR/BLS with 24 students in the third stage of the Nursing Undergraduate Course in a University in the Southern region of Brazil. The study used the PBL methodology, focused on problem situations of cardiopulmonary arrest, and was approved by the CONEP. The methodological strategies for data collection, such as participative observation and questionnaires to evaluate the learning, the educational practices and their methodology, allowed for grouping the results in: students' expectations; group activities; individual activities; practical activities; evaluation of the meetings and their methodology. The study showed that PBL allows the educator to evaluate the academic learning process in several dimensions, functioning as a motivating factor for both the educator and the student, because it allows the theoretical-practical integration in an integrated learning process.

Six sigma tools in integrating internal operations of a retail pharmacy: a case study.

PubMed

Kumar, Sameer; Kwong, Anthony M

2011-01-01

This study was initiated to integrate information and enterprise-wide healthcare delivery system issues specifically within an inpatient retail pharmacy operation in a U.S. community hospital. Six Sigma tools were used to examine the effects to an inpatient retail pharmacy service process. Some of the tools used include service blueprints, cause-effect diagram, gap analysis derived from customer and employee surveys, mistake proofing was applied in various business situations and results were analyzed to identify and propose process improvements and integration. The research indicates that the Six Sigma tools in this discussion are very applicable and quite effective in helping to streamline and integrate the pharmacy process flow. Additionally, gap analysis derived from two different surveys was used to estimate the primary areas of focus to increase customer and employee satisfaction. The results of this analysis were useful in initiating discussions of how to effectively narrow these service gaps. This retail pharmaceutical service study serves as a framework for the process that should occur for successful process improvement tool evaluation and implementation. Pharmaceutical Service operations in the U.S. that use this integration framework must tailor it to their individual situations to maximize their chances for success.

Process evaluation of discharge planning implementation in healthcare using normalization process theory.

PubMed

Nordmark, Sofi; Zingmark, Karin; Lindberg, Inger

2016-04-27

Discharge planning is a care process that aims to secure the transfer of care for the patient at transition from home to the hospital and back home. Information exchange and collaboration between care providers are essential, but deficits are common. A wide range of initiatives to improve the discharge planning process have been developed and implemented for the past three decades. However, there are still high rates of reported medical errors and adverse events related to failures in the discharge planning. Using theoretical frameworks such as Normalization Process Theory (NPT) can support evaluations of complex interventions and processes in healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the embedding and integration of the DPP from the perspective of registered nurses, district nurses and homecare organizers. The study design was explorative, using the NPT as a framework to explore the embedding and integration of the DPP. Data consisted of written documentation from; workshops with staff, registered adverse events and system failures, web based survey and individual interviews with staff. Using the NPT as a framework to explore the embedding and integration of discharge planning after 10 years in use showed that the staff had reached a consensus of opinion of what the process was (coherence) and how they evaluated the process (reflexive monitoring). However, they had not reached a consensus of opinion of who performed the process (cognitive participation) and how it was performed (collective action). This could be interpreted as the process had not become normalized in daily practice. The result shows necessity to observe the implementation of old practices to better understand the needs of new ones before developing and implementing new practices or supportive tools within healthcare to reach the aim of development and to accomplish sustainable implementation. The NPT offers a generalizable framework for analysis, which can explain and shape the implementation process of old practices, before further development of new practices or supportive tools.

Biorefinery integration of microalgae production into cassava processing industry: Potential and perspectives.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Júlio Cesar; Borghetti, Ivo Alberto; Cartas, Liliana Carrilo; Woiciechowski, Adenise Lorenci; Soccol, Vanete Thomaz; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2018-01-01

Cassava, the 5th most important staple crop, generates at least 600L of wastewater per ton of processed root. This residue, cassava processing wastewater (CPW) has a high chemical oxygen demand, that can reach 56 g/L, and has also high concentrations of several mineral nutrients. The cultivation of microalgae such as Chlorella, Spirulina and wild strains was evaluated in the last years in raw, minimally processed and partially digested CPW. Concentrations of 2-4 g/L of these microalgae, comparable to those obtained in synthetic media, could be reached. The BOD of the residue was reduced by up to 92%. This process can be integrated into cassava processing industries, if challenges such as the toxicity of the concentrated residue, bacterial contamination, and the isolation of robust strains are addressed. Because CPW carries about 11% of the crop energy, integrating biogas production and microalgal cultivation into the cassava processing chain is promising. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orbiter data reduction complex data processing requirements for the OFT mission evaluation team (level C)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

This document addresses requirements for post-test data reduction in support of the Orbital Flight Tests (OFT) mission evaluation team, specifically those which are planned to be implemented in the ODRC (Orbiter Data Reduction Complex). Only those requirements which have been previously baselined by the Data Systems and Analysis Directorate configuration control board are included. This document serves as the control document between Institutional Data Systems Division and the Integration Division for OFT mission evaluation data processing requirements, and shall be the basis for detailed design of ODRC data processing systems.

Automated event generation for loop-induced processes

DOE PAGES

Hirschi, Valentin; Mattelaer, Olivier

2015-10-22

We present the first fully automated implementation of cross-section computation and event generation for loop-induced processes. This work is integrated in the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO framework. We describe the optimisations implemented at the level of the matrix element evaluation, phase space integration and event generation allowing for the simulation of large multiplicity loop-induced processes. Along with some selected differential observables, we illustrate our results with a table showing inclusive cross-sections for all loop-induced hadronic scattering processes with up to three final states in the SM as well as for some relevant 2 → 4 processes. Furthermore, many of these are computed heremore » for the first time.« less

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) data use analysis and processing : project summary report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

The purpose of the Data Use Analysis and Processing (DUAP) project is to support the : Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and its partners in evaluating uses and : benefits of connected vehicle data in transportation agency management and :...

Developing a framework for a toolkit for carbon footprint that integrates transit (CFIT).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-11-01

The purpose of this research was to evaluate five transportation planning processes used in Florida to determine how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions considerations can be incorporated into the processes. These included the federal metropolitan plannin...

Benefit-Risk Assessment, Communication, and Evaluation (BRACE) throughout the life cycle of therapeutic products: overall perspective and role of the pharmacoepidemiologist.

PubMed

Radawski, Christine; Morrato, Elaine; Hornbuckle, Kenneth; Bahri, Priya; Smith, Meredith; Juhaeri, Juhaeri; Mol, Peter; Levitan, Bennett; Huang, Han-Yao; Coplan, Paul; Li, Hu

2015-12-01

Optimizing a therapeutic product's benefit-risk profile is an on-going process throughout the product's life cycle. Different, yet related, benefit-risk assessment strategies and frameworks are being developed by various regulatory agencies, industry groups, and stakeholders. This paper summarizes current best practices and discusses the role of the pharmacoepidemiologist in these activities, taking a life-cycle approach to integrated Benefit-Risk Assessment, Communication, and Evaluation (BRACE). A review of the medical and regulatory literature was performed for the following steps involved in therapeutic benefit-risk optimization: benefit-risk evidence generation; data integration and analysis; decision making; regulatory and policy decision making; benefit-risk communication and risk minimization; and evaluation. Feedback from International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology members was solicited on the role of the pharmacoepidemiologist. The case example of natalizumab is provided to illustrate the cyclic nature of the benefit-risk optimization process. No single, globally adopted benefit-risk assessment process exists. The BRACE heuristic offers a way to clarify research needs and to promote best practices in a cyclic and integrated manner and highlight the critical importance of cross-disciplinary input. Its approach focuses on the integration of BRACE activities for risk minimization and optimization of the benefit-risk profile. The activities defined in the BRACE heuristic contribute to the optimization of the benefit-risk profile of therapeutic products in the clinical world at both the patient and population health level. With interdisciplinary collaboration, pharmacoepidemiologists are well suited for bringing in methodology expertise, relevant research, and public health perspectives into the BRACE process. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Towards Integrated Health Technology Assessment for Improving Decision Making in Selected Countries.

PubMed

Oortwijn, Wija; Determann, Domino; Schiffers, Krijn; Tan, Siok Swan; van der Tuin, Jeroen

2017-09-01

To assess the level of comprehensiveness of health technology assessment (HTA) practices around the globe and to formulate recommendations for enhancing legitimacy and fairness of related decision-making processes. To identify best practices, we developed an evaluation framework consisting of 13 criteria on the basis of the INTEGRATE-HTA model (integrative perspective on assessing health technologies) and the Accountability for Reasonableness framework (deliberative appraisal process). We examined different HTA systems in middle-income countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Thailand) and high-income countries (Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Scotland, and South Korea). For this purpose, desk research and structured interviews with relevant key stakeholders (N = 32) in the selected countries were conducted. HTA systems in Canada, England, and Scotland appear relatively well aligned with our framework, followed by Australia, Germany, and France. Argentina and South Korea are at an early stage, whereas Brazil and Thailand are at an intermediate level. Both desk research and interviews revealed that scoping is often not part of the HTA process. In contrast, providing evidence reports for assessment is well established. Indirect and unintended outcomes are increasingly considered, but there is room for improvement. Monitoring and evaluation of the HTA process is not well established across countries. Finally, adopting transparent and robust processes, including stakeholder consultation, takes time. This study presents a framework for assessing the level of comprehensiveness of the HTA process in a country. On the basis of applying the framework, we formulate recommendations on how the HTA community can move toward a more integrated decision-making process using HTA. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration of healthcare and financial information: Evaluation in a public hospital using a comprehensive approach.

PubMed

Escobar-Pérez, Bernabé; Escobar-Rodríguez, Tomás; Bartual-Sopena, Lourdes

2016-12-01

Public healthcare organisations are moving towards the use of new technologies to automate and improve their internal processes in order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their use of resources. The aim of this research is to tackle the systematic evaluation of an experience of integrating information in a healthcare organisation, paying attention to the implications that this entails. The results show that the integration of the information in the hospital results in higher levels of quality. This study contributes a vision of interrelated work, in which tasks are shared and aims are jointly established. © The Author(s) 2015.

Test Structures For Bumpy Integrated Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buehler, Martin G.; Sayah, Hoshyar R.

1989-01-01

Cross-bridge resistors added to comb and serpentine patterns. Improved combination of test structures built into integrated circuit used to evaluate design rules, fabrication processes, and quality of interconnections. Consist of meshing serpentines and combs, and cross bridge. Structures used to make electrical measurements revealing defects in design or fabrication. Combination of test structures includes three comb arrays, two serpentine arrays, and cross bridge. Made of aluminum or polycrystalline silicon, depending on material in integrated-circuit layers evaluated. Aluminum combs and serpentine arrays deposited over steps made by polycrystalline silicon and diffusion layers, while polycrystalline silicon versions of these structures used to cross over steps made by thick oxide layer.

Evaluation of Mercury in Liquid Waste Processing Facilities - Phase I Report

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

Jain, V.; Occhipinti, J.; Shah, H.

2015-07-01

This report provides a summary of Phase I activities conducted to support an Integrated Evaluation of Mercury in Liquid Waste System (LWS) Processing Facilities. Phase I activities included a review and assessment of the liquid waste inventory and chemical processing behavior of mercury using a system by system review methodology approach. Gaps in understanding mercury behavior as well as action items from the structured reviews are being tracked. 64% of the gaps and actions have been resolved.

Evaluation of mercury in liquid waste processing facilities - Phase I report

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

Jain, V.; Occhipinti, J. E.; Shah, H.

2015-07-01

This report provides a summary of Phase I activities conducted to support an Integrated Evaluation of Mercury in Liquid Waste System (LWS) Processing Facilities. Phase I activities included a review and assessment of the liquid waste inventory and chemical processing behavior of mercury using a system by system review methodology approach. Gaps in understanding mercury behavior as well as action items from the structured reviews are being tracked. 64% of the gaps and actions have been resolved.

Evaluating a voice recognition system: finding the right product for your department.

PubMed

Freeh, M; Dewey, M; Brigham, L

2001-06-01

The Department of Radiology at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center has been in the process of transitioning from the traditional film-based department to a digital imaging department for the past 2 years. The department is now transitioning from the traditional method of dictating reports (dictation by radiologist to transcription to review and signing by radiologist) to a voice recognition system. The transition to digital operations will not be complete until we have the ability to directly interface the dictation process with the image review process. Voice recognition technology has advanced to the level where it can and should be an integral part of the new way of working in radiology and is an integral part of an efficient digital imaging department. The transition to voice recognition requires the task of identifying the product and the company that will best meet a department's needs. This report introduces the methods we used to evaluate the vendors and the products available as we made our purchasing decision. We discuss our evaluation method and provide a checklist that can be used by other departments to assist with their evaluation process. The criteria used in the evaluation process fall into the following major categories: user operations, technical infrastructure, medical dictionary, system interfaces, service support, cost, and company strength. Conclusions drawn from our evaluation process will be detailed, with the intention being to shorten the process for others as they embark on a similar venture. As more and more organizations investigate the many products and services that are now being offered to enhance the operations of a radiology department, it becomes increasingly important that solid methods are used to most effectively evaluate the new products. This report should help others complete the task of evaluating a voice recognition system and may be adaptable to other products as well.

The Program Evaluator's Role in Cross-Project Pollination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yasgur, Bruce J.

An expanded duties role of the multiple-program evaluator as an integral part of the ongoing decision-making process in all projects served is defended. Assumptions discussed included that need for projects with related objectives to pool resources and avoid duplication of effort and the evaluator's unique ability to provide an objective…

Evaluation Method for an App Involving Kitchen Activities.

PubMed

Burzagli, Laura; Gaggioli, Andrea

2017-01-01

An app, developed for the national Italian project "Design for all", is evaluated here. This app supports the user in most of his/her cooking activities. The evaluation process integrates different technologies, such as expert interview, cognitive walkthrough and focus group, to consider different aspects that include, but are not limited to, usability and accessibility.

Business intelligence modeling in launch operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardina, Jorge E.; Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar; Davis, Rodney D.

2005-05-01

The future of business intelligence in space exploration will focus on the intelligent system-of-systems real-time enterprise. In present business intelligence, a number of technologies that are most relevant to space exploration are experiencing the greatest change. Emerging patterns of set of processes rather than organizational units leading to end-to-end automation is becoming a major objective of enterprise information technology. The cost element is a leading factor of future exploration systems. This technology project is to advance an integrated Planning and Management Simulation Model for evaluation of risks, costs, and reliability of launch systems from Earth to Orbit for Space Exploration. The approach builds on research done in the NASA ARC/KSC developed Virtual Test Bed (VTB) to integrate architectural, operations process, and mission simulations for the purpose of evaluating enterprise level strategies to reduce cost, improve systems operability, and reduce mission risks. The objectives are to understand the interdependency of architecture and process on recurring launch cost of operations, provide management a tool for assessing systems safety and dependability versus cost, and leverage lessons learned and empirical models from Shuttle and International Space Station to validate models applied to Exploration. The systems-of-systems concept is built to balance the conflicting objectives of safety, reliability, and process strategy in order to achieve long term sustainability. A planning and analysis test bed is needed for evaluation of enterprise level options and strategies for transit and launch systems as well as surface and orbital systems. This environment can also support agency simulation based acquisition process objectives. The technology development approach is based on the collaborative effort set forth in the VTB's integrating operations, process models, systems and environment models, and cost models as a comprehensive disciplined enterprise analysis environment. Significant emphasis is being placed on adapting root cause from existing Shuttle operations to exploration. Technical challenges include cost model validation, integration of parametric models with discrete event process and systems simulations, and large-scale simulation integration. The enterprise architecture is required for coherent integration of systems models. It will also require a plan for evolution over the life of the program. The proposed technology will produce long-term benefits in support of the NASA objectives for simulation based acquisition, will improve the ability to assess architectural options verses safety/risk for future exploration systems, and will facilitate incorporation of operability as a systems design consideration, reducing overall life cycle cost for future systems.

Business Intelligence Modeling in Launch Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bardina, Jorge E.; Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar; Davis, Rodney D.

2005-01-01

This technology project is to advance an integrated Planning and Management Simulation Model for evaluation of risks, costs, and reliability of launch systems from Earth to Orbit for Space Exploration. The approach builds on research done in the NASA ARC/KSC developed Virtual Test Bed (VTB) to integrate architectural, operations process, and mission simulations for the purpose of evaluating enterprise level strategies to reduce cost, improve systems operability, and reduce mission risks. The objectives are to understand the interdependency of architecture and process on recurring launch cost of operations, provide management a tool for assessing systems safety and dependability versus cost, and leverage lessons learned and empirical models from Shuttle and International Space Station to validate models applied to Exploration. The systems-of-systems concept is built to balance the conflicting objectives of safety, reliability, and process strategy in order to achieve long term sustainability. A planning and analysis test bed is needed for evaluation of enterprise level options and strategies for transit and launch systems as well as surface and orbital systems. This environment can also support agency simulation .based acquisition process objectives. The technology development approach is based on the collaborative effort set forth in the VTB's integrating operations. process models, systems and environment models, and cost models as a comprehensive disciplined enterprise analysis environment. Significant emphasis is being placed on adapting root cause from existing Shuttle operations to exploration. Technical challenges include cost model validation, integration of parametric models with discrete event process and systems simulations. and large-scale simulation integration. The enterprise architecture is required for coherent integration of systems models. It will also require a plan for evolution over the life of the program. The proposed technology will produce long-term benefits in support of the NASA objectives for simulation based acquisition, will improve the ability to assess architectural options verses safety/risk for future exploration systems, and will facilitate incorporation of operability as a systems design consideration, reducing overall life cycle cost for future systems. The future of business intelligence of space exploration will focus on the intelligent system-of-systems real-time enterprise. In present business intelligence, a number of technologies that are most relevant to space exploration are experiencing the greatest change. Emerging patterns of set of processes rather than organizational units leading to end-to-end automation is becoming a major objective of enterprise information technology. The cost element is a leading factor of future exploration systems.

Advances in Integrated Computational Materials Engineering "ICME"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirsch, Jürgen

The methods of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering that were developed and successfully applied for Aluminium have been constantly improved. The main aspects and recent advances of integrated material and process modeling are simulations of material properties like strength and forming properties and for the specific microstructure evolution during processing (rolling, extrusion, annealing) under the influence of material constitution and process variations through the production process down to the final application. Examples are discussed for the through-process simulation of microstructures and related properties of Aluminium sheet, including DC ingot casting, pre-heating and homogenization, hot and cold rolling, final annealing. New results are included of simulation solution annealing and age hardening of 6xxx alloys for automotive applications. Physically based quantitative descriptions and computer assisted evaluation methods are new ICME methods of integrating new simulation tools also for customer applications, like heat affected zones in welding of age hardening alloys. The aspects of estimating the effect of specific elements due to growing recycling volumes requested also for high end Aluminium products are also discussed, being of special interest in the Aluminium producing industries.

Michigan Department of Transportation statewide advanced traffic management system (ATMS) procurement evaluation - phase I : software procurement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-04-01

This project evaluates the process that was followed by MDOT and other stakeholders for the acquisition : of new Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) software aiming to integrate and facilitate the : management of various Intelligent Transportat...

Integrating and evaluating sex and gender in health research.

PubMed

Day, Suzanne; Mason, Robin; Lagosky, Stephanie; Rochon, Paula A

2016-10-10

Both sex (biological factors) and gender (socio-cultural factors) shape health. To produce the best possible health research evidence, it is essential to integrate sex and gender considerations throughout the research process. Despite growing recognition of the importance of these factors, progress towards sex and gender integration as standard practice has been both slow and uneven in health research. In this commentary, we examine the challenges of integrating sex and gender from the research perspective, as well as strategies that can be used by researchers, funders and journal editors to address these challenges. Barriers to the integration of sex and gender in health research include problems with inconsistent terminology, difficulties in applying the concepts of sex and gender, failure to recognise the impact of sex and gender, and challenges with data collection and datasets. We analyse these barriers as strategic points of intervention for improving the integration of sex and gender at all stages of the research process. To assess the relative success of these strategies in any given study, researchers, funders and journal editors would benefit from a tool to evaluate the quality of sex and gender integration in order to establish benchmarks in research excellence. These assessment tools are needed now amidst growing institutional recognition that both sex and gender are necessary elements for advancing the quality and utility of health research evidence.

Walk-through survey report: Control technology for integrated circuit fabrication, Xerox Corporation, El Segundo, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihlan, G. J.; Ungers, L. J.; Smith, R. K.; Mitchell, R. I.; Jones, J. H.

1983-05-01

A preliminary control technology assessment survey was conducted at the facility which manufactures N-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) integrated circuits. The facility has industrial hygiene review procedures for evaluating all new and existing process equipment. Employees are trained in safety, use of personal protective equipment, and emergency response. Workers potentially exposed to arsenic are monitored for urinary arsenic levels. The facility should be considered a candidate for detailed study based on the diversity of process operations encountered and the use of state-of-the-art technology and process equipment.

Embedding Technology in Translation Teaching: Evaluative Considerations for Courseware Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, David

2013-01-01

This article shall discuss a number of factors to be considered in the process of integrating computer technology into the student language learning experience. It examines research on student attitudes and the factors that affect student engagement with the technology before looking at the experiences of a project undertaken at the University of…

Employability Skill Development in Work-Integrated Learning: Barriers and Best Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Denise

2015-01-01

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is widely considered instrumental in equipping new graduates with the required employability skills to function effectively in the work environment. Evaluation of WIL programs in enhancing skill development remains predominantly outcomes-focused with little attention to the process of what, how and from whom students…

Modeling Face Identification Processing in Children and Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarzer, Gudrun; Massaro, Dominic W.

2001-01-01

Two experiments studied whether and how 5-year-olds integrate single facial features to identify faces. Results indicated that children could evaluate and integrate information from eye and mouth features to identify a face when salience of features was varied. A weighted Fuzzy Logical Model of Perception fit better than a Single Channel Model,…

Performance, Process, and Costs: Managing Service Quality with the Balanced Scorecard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poll, Roswitha

2001-01-01

Describes a cooperative project among three German libraries that used the Balanced Scorecard as a concept for an integrated quality management system. Considers performance indicators across four perspectives that will help academic libraries establish an integrated controlling system and to collect and evaluate performance as well as cost data…

Point Cloud-Based Automatic Assessment of 3D Computer Animation Courseworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paravati, Gianluca; Lamberti, Fabrizio; Gatteschi, Valentina; Demartini, Claudio; Montuschi, Paolo

2017-01-01

Computer-supported assessment tools can bring significant benefits to both students and teachers. When integrated in traditional education workflows, they may help to reduce the time required to perform the evaluation and consolidate the perception of fairness of the overall process. When integrated within on-line intelligent tutoring systems,…

Curriculum-Integrated Information Literacy (CIIL) in a Community College Nursing Program: A Practical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argüelles, Carlos

2016-01-01

This article describes a strategy to integrate information literacy into the curriculum of a nursing program in a community college. The model is articulated in four explained phases: preparatory, planning, implementation, and evaluation. It describes a collaborative process encouraging librarians to work with nursing faculty, driving students to…

[Integration of new psychosocial facilities into the health care system: considerations on a social ecological evaluation concept exemplified by ambulatory crisis care].

PubMed

Leferink, K; Bergold, J B

1996-11-01

With respect to the methodological problems concerning the outcome evaluation of crisis intervention centers the outlines of a social-ecological research approach are developed. It is suggested that this approach is more suitable to take into account the role of the network of mental health services. The data come from a research project which was designed to explain the historical and social aspects of the process of integration of a crisis intervention service. The results indicate that on the one hand the practice of the service strongly depends on what other services do and on the other hand influences them. The social integration of an institution into the network of other services is discussed as an alternative criterion of evaluation.

Image processing and classification procedures for analysis of sub-decimeter imagery acquired with an unmanned aircraft over arid rangelands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Using five centimeter resolution images acquired with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), we developed and evaluated an image processing workflow that included the integration of resolution-appropriate field sampling, feature selection, object-based image analysis, and processing approaches for UAS i...

EVALUATING LANDSCAPE CHANGE AND HYDROLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES IN A SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

During the past two decades, important advances in the integration of remote imagery, computer processing, and spatial analysis technologies have been used to better understand the distribution of natural communities and ecosystems, and the ecological processes that affect these ...

Symbolic Heuristic Search for Factored Markov Decision Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Robert (Technical Monitor); Feng, Zheng-Zhu; Hansen, Eric A.

2003-01-01

We describe a planning algorithm that integrates two approaches to solving Markov decision processes with large state spaces. State abstraction is used to avoid evaluating states individually. Forward search from a start state, guided by an admissible heuristic, is used to avoid evaluating all states. We combine these two approaches in a novel way that exploits symbolic model-checking techniques and demonstrates their usefulness for decision-theoretic planning.

Steps toward improving ethical evaluation in health technology assessment: a proposed framework.

PubMed

Assasi, Nazila; Tarride, Jean-Eric; O'Reilly, Daria; Schwartz, Lisa

2016-06-06

While evaluation of ethical aspects in health technology assessment (HTA) has gained much attention during the past years, the integration of ethics in HTA practice still presents many challenges. In response to the increasing demand for expansion of health technology assessment (HTA) methodology to include ethical issues more systematically, this article reports on a multi-stage study that aimed at construction of a framework for improving the integration of ethics in HTA. The framework was developed through the following phases: 1) a systematic review and content analysis of guidance documents for ethics in HTA; 2) identification of factors influencing the integration of ethical considerations in HTA; 3) preparation of an action-oriented framework based on the key elements of the existing guidance documents and identified barriers to and facilitators of their implementation; and 4) expert consultation and revision of the framework. The proposed framework consists of three main components: an algorithmic flowchart, which exhibits the different steps of an ethical inquiry throughout the HTA process, including: defining the objectives and scope of the evaluation, stakeholder analysis, assessing organizational capacity, framing ethical evaluation questions, ethical analysis, deliberation, and knowledge translation; a stepwise guide, which focuses on the task objectives and potential questions that are required to be addressed at each step; and a list of some commonly recommended or used tools to help facilitate the evaluation process. The proposed framework can be used to support and promote good practice in integration of ethics into HTA. However, further validation of the framework through case studies and expert consultation is required to establish its utility for HTA practice.

Hydrogen production from sugar beet juice using an integrated biohydrogen process of dark fermentation and microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Dhar, Bipro Ranjan; Elbeshbishy, Elsayed; Hafez, Hisham; Lee, Hyung-Sool

2015-12-01

An integrated dark fermentation and microbial electrochemical cell (MEC) process was evaluated for hydrogen production from sugar beet juice. Different substrate to inoculum (S/X) ratios were tested for dark fermentation, and the maximum hydrogen yield was 13% of initial COD at the S/X ratio of 2 and 4 for dark fermentation. Hydrogen yield was 12% of initial COD in the MEC using fermentation liquid end products as substrate, and butyrate only accumulated in the MEC. The overall hydrogen production from the integrated biohydrogen process was 25% of initial COD (equivalent to 6 mol H2/mol hexoseadded), and the energy recovery from sugar beet juice was 57% using the combined biohydrogen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enforcement of entailment constraints in distributed service-based business processes.

PubMed

Hummer, Waldemar; Gaubatz, Patrick; Strembeck, Mark; Zdun, Uwe; Dustdar, Schahram

2013-11-01

A distributed business process is executed in a distributed computing environment. The service-oriented architecture (SOA) paradigm is a popular option for the integration of software services and execution of distributed business processes. Entailment constraints, such as mutual exclusion and binding constraints, are important means to control process execution. Mutually exclusive tasks result from the division of powerful rights and responsibilities to prevent fraud and abuse. In contrast, binding constraints define that a subject who performed one task must also perform the corresponding bound task(s). We aim to provide a model-driven approach for the specification and enforcement of task-based entailment constraints in distributed service-based business processes. Based on a generic metamodel, we define a domain-specific language (DSL) that maps the different modeling-level artifacts to the implementation-level. The DSL integrates elements from role-based access control (RBAC) with the tasks that are performed in a business process. Process definitions are annotated using the DSL, and our software platform uses automated model transformations to produce executable WS-BPEL specifications which enforce the entailment constraints. We evaluate the impact of constraint enforcement on runtime performance for five selected service-based processes from existing literature. Our evaluation demonstrates that the approach correctly enforces task-based entailment constraints at runtime. The performance experiments illustrate that the runtime enforcement operates with an overhead that scales well up to the order of several ten thousand logged invocations. Using our DSL annotations, the user-defined process definition remains declarative and clean of security enforcement code. Our approach decouples the concerns of (non-technical) domain experts from technical details of entailment constraint enforcement. The developed framework integrates seamlessly with WS-BPEL and the Web services technology stack. Our prototype implementation shows the feasibility of the approach, and the evaluation points to future work and further performance optimizations.

Evaluation of complex integrated care programmes: the approach in North West London

PubMed Central

Greaves, Felix; Pappas, Yannis; Bardsley, Martin; Harris, Matthew; Curry, Natasha; Holder, Holly; Blunt, Ian; Soljak, Michael; Gunn, Laura; Majeed, Azeem; Car, Josip

2013-01-01

Background Several local attempts to introduce integrated care in the English National Health Service have been tried, with limited success. The Northwest London Integrated Care Pilot attempts to improve the quality of care of the elderly and people with diabetes by providing a novel integration process across primary, secondary and social care organisations. It involves predictive risk modelling, care planning, multidisciplinary management of complex cases and an information technology tool to support information sharing. This paper sets out the evaluation approach adopted to measure its effect. Study design We present a mixed methods evaluation methodology. It includes a quantitative approach measuring changes in service utilization, costs, clinical outcomes and quality of care using routine primary and secondary data sources. It also contains a qualitative component, involving observations, interviews and focus groups with patients and professionals, to understand participant experiences and to understand the pilot within the national policy context. Theory and discussion This study considers the complexity of evaluating a large, multi-organisational intervention in a changing healthcare economy. We locate the evaluation within the theory of evaluation of complex interventions. We present the specific challenges faced by evaluating an intervention of this sort, and the responses made to mitigate against them. Conclusions We hope this broad, dynamic and responsive evaluation will allow us to clarify the contribution of the pilot, and provide a potential model for evaluation of other similar interventions. Because of the priority given to the integrated agenda by governments internationally, the need to develop and improve strong evaluation methodologies remains strikingly important. PMID:23687478

Evaluation of the Intel iWarp parallel processor for space flight applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hine, Butler P., III; Fong, Terrence W.

1993-01-01

The potential of a DARPA-sponsored advanced processor, the Intel iWarp, for use in future SSF Data Management Systems (DMS) upgrades is evaluated through integration into the Ames DMS testbed and applications testing. The iWarp is a distributed, parallel computing system well suited for high performance computing applications such as matrix operations and image processing. The system architecture is modular, supports systolic and message-based computation, and is capable of providing massive computational power in a low-cost, low-power package. As a consequence, the iWarp offers significant potential for advanced space-based computing. This research seeks to determine the iWarp's suitability as a processing device for space missions. In particular, the project focuses on evaluating the ease of integrating the iWarp into the SSF DMS baseline architecture and the iWarp's ability to support computationally stressing applications representative of SSF tasks.

An integrated gateway for various PHDs in U-healthcare environments.

PubMed

Park, KeeHyun; Pak, JuGeon

2012-01-01

We propose an integrated gateway for various personal health devices (PHDs). This gateway receives measurements from various PHDs and conveys them to a remote monitoring server (MS). It provides two kinds of transmission modes: immediate transmission and integrated transmission. The former mode operates if a measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold or in the case of an emergency. In the latter mode, the gateway retains the measurements instead of forwarding them. When the reporting time comes, the gateway extracts all the stored measurements, integrates them into one message, and transmits the integrated message to the MS. Through this mechanism, the transmission overhead can be reduced. On the basis of the proposed gateway, we construct a u-healthcare system comprising an activity monitor, a medication dispenser, and a pulse oximeter. The evaluation results show that the size of separate messages from various PHDs is reduced through the integration process, and the process does not require much time; the integration time is negligible.

An Integrated Gateway for Various PHDs in U-Healthcare Environments

PubMed Central

Park, KeeHyun; Pak, JuGeon

2012-01-01

We propose an integrated gateway for various personal health devices (PHDs). This gateway receives measurements from various PHDs and conveys them to a remote monitoring server (MS). It provides two kinds of transmission modes: immediate transmission and integrated transmission. The former mode operates if a measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold or in the case of an emergency. In the latter mode, the gateway retains the measurements instead of forwarding them. When the reporting time comes, the gateway extracts all the stored measurements, integrates them into one message, and transmits the integrated message to the MS. Through this mechanism, the transmission overhead can be reduced. On the basis of the proposed gateway, we construct a u-healthcare system comprising an activity monitor, a medication dispenser, and a pulse oximeter. The evaluation results show that the size of separate messages from various PHDs is reduced through the integration process, and the process does not require much time; the integration time is negligible. PMID:22899891

Addressable-Matrix Integrated-Circuit Test Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sayah, Hoshyar R.; Buehler, Martin G.

1991-01-01

Method of quality control based on use of row- and column-addressable test structure speeds collection of data on widths of resistor lines and coverage of steps in integrated circuits. By use of straightforward mathematical model, line widths and step coverages deduced from measurements of electrical resistances in each of various combinations of lines, steps, and bridges addressable in test structure. Intended for use in evaluating processes and equipment used in manufacture of application-specific integrated circuits.

Executing on Integration: The Key to Success in Mergers and Acquisitions.

PubMed

Bradley, Carol

2016-01-01

Health care mergers and acquisitions require a clearly stated vision and exquisite planning of integration activities to provide the best possible conditions for a successful transaction. During the due diligence process, key steps can be taken to create a shared vision and a plan to inspire confidence and build enthusiasm for all stakeholders. Integration planning should include a defined structure, roles and responsibilities, as well as a method for evaluation.

Effects of children's working memory capacity and processing speed on their sentence imitation performance.

PubMed

Poll, Gerard H; Miller, Carol A; Mainela-Arnold, Elina; Adams, Katharine Donnelly; Misra, Maya; Park, Ji Sook

2013-01-01

More limited working memory capacity and slower processing for language and cognitive tasks are characteristics of many children with language difficulties. Individual differences in processing speed have not consistently been found to predict language ability or severity of language impairment. There are conflicting views on whether working memory and processing speed are integrated or separable abilities. To evaluate four models for the relations of individual differences in children's processing speed and working memory capacity in sentence imitation. The models considered whether working memory and processing speed are integrated or separable, as well as the effect of the number of operations required per sentence. The role of working memory as a mediator of the effect of processing speed on sentence imitation was also evaluated. Forty-six children with varied language and reading abilities imitated sentences. Working memory was measured with the Competing Language Processing Task (CLPT), and processing speed was measured with a composite of truth-value judgment and rapid automatized naming tasks. Mixed-effects ordinal regression models evaluated the CLPT and processing speed as predictors of sentence imitation item scores. A single mediator model evaluated working memory as a mediator of the effect of processing speed on sentence imitation total scores. Working memory was a reliable predictor of sentence imitation accuracy, but processing speed predicted sentence imitation only as a component of a processing speed by number of operations interaction. Processing speed predicted working memory capacity, and there was evidence that working memory acted as a mediator of the effect of processing speed on sentence imitation accuracy. The findings support a refined view of working memory and processing speed as separable factors in children's sentence imitation performance. Processing speed does not independently explain sentence imitation accuracy for all sentence types, but contributes when the task requires more mental operations. Processing speed also has an indirect effect on sentence imitation by contributing to working memory capacity. © 2013 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

A Bayesian Framework of Uncertainties Integration in 3D Geological Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, D.; Liu, X.

2017-12-01

3D geological model can describe complicated geological phenomena in an intuitive way while its application may be limited by uncertain factors. Great progress has been made over the years, lots of studies decompose the uncertainties of geological model to analyze separately, while ignored the comprehensive impacts of multi-source uncertainties. Great progress has been made over the years, while lots of studies ignored the comprehensive impacts of multi-source uncertainties when analyzed them item by item from each source. To evaluate the synthetical uncertainty, we choose probability distribution to quantify uncertainty, and propose a bayesian framework of uncertainties integration. With this framework, we integrated data errors, spatial randomness, and cognitive information into posterior distribution to evaluate synthetical uncertainty of geological model. Uncertainties propagate and cumulate in modeling process, the gradual integration of multi-source uncertainty is a kind of simulation of the uncertainty propagation. Bayesian inference accomplishes uncertainty updating in modeling process. Maximum entropy principle makes a good effect on estimating prior probability distribution, which ensures the prior probability distribution subjecting to constraints supplied by the given information with minimum prejudice. In the end, we obtained a posterior distribution to evaluate synthetical uncertainty of geological model. This posterior distribution represents the synthetical impact of all the uncertain factors on the spatial structure of geological model. The framework provides a solution to evaluate synthetical impact on geological model of multi-source uncertainties and a thought to study uncertainty propagation mechanism in geological modeling.

Characteristics of High-Resolution Hemoglobin Measurement Microchip Integrated with Signal Processing Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noda, Toshihiko; Takao, Hidekuni; Ashiki, Mitsuaki; Ebi, Hiroyuki; Sawada, Kazuaki; Ishida, Makoto

2004-04-01

In this study, a microchip for measurement of hemoglobin in human blood has been proposed, fabricated and evaluated. The measurement principle of hemoglobin is based on the “cyanmethemoglobin method” that calculates the cyanmethemoglobin concentration by absorption photometry. A glass/silicon/silicon structure was used for the microchip. The middle silicon layer includes flow channels, and 45° mirrors formed at each end of the flow channels. Photodiodes and metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuits were fabricated on the bottom silicon layer. The performance of the microchip for hemoglobin measurement was evaluated using a solution of red food color instead of a real blood sample. The fabricated microchip exhibited a similar performance to a nonminiaturized absorption cell which has the same optical path length. Signal processing output varied with solution concentration from 5.32 V to 5.55 V with very high stability due to differential signal processing.

Future of lignite resources: a life cycle analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Qingsong; Liu, Wei; Yuan, Xueliang; Zheng, Xiaoning; Zuo, Jian

2016-12-01

Lignite is a low-quality energy source which accounts for 13 % of China's coal reserves. It is imperative to improve the quality of lignite for large-scale utilization. To further explore and analyze the influence of various key processes on the environment and economic costs, a lignite drying and compression technology is evaluated using an integrated approach of life cycle assessment and life cycle costs. Results showed that lignite mining, direct air emissions, and electricity consumption have most significant impacts on the environment. An integrated evaluation of life cycle assessment and life cycle costs showed that the most significant contributor to the environmental impacts and economic costs was the lignite mining process. The impact of transportation and wastewater treatment process on the environment and economic costs was small enough to be ignored. Critical factors were identified for reducing the environmental and economic impacts of lignite drying and compression technology. These findings provide useful inputs for both industrial practice and policy making for exploitation, processing, and utilization of lignite resources.

Dissemination and implementation science in program evaluation: A telemental health clinical consultation case example.

PubMed

Arora, Prerna G; Connors, Elizabeth H; Blizzard, Angela; Coble, Kelly; Gloff, Nicole; Pruitt, David

2017-02-01

Increased attention has been placed on evaluating the extent to which clinical programs that support the behavioral health needs of youth have effective processes and result in improved patient outcomes. Several theoretical frameworks from dissemination and implementation (D&I) science have been put forth to guide the evaluation of behavioral health program implemented in the context of real-world settings. Although a strong rationale for the integration of D&I science in program evaluation exists, few examples exist available to guide the evaluator in integrating D&I science in the planning and execution of evaluation activities. This paper seeks to inform program evaluation efforts by outlining two D&I frameworks and describing their integration in program evaluation design. Specifically, this paper seeks to support evaluation efforts by illustrating the use of these frameworks via a case example of a telemental health consultation program in pediatric primary care designed to improve access to behavioral health care for children and adolescents in rural settings. Lessons learned from this effort, as well as recommendations regarding the future evaluation of programs using D&I science to support behavioral health care in community-based settings are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Move me, astonish me… delight my eyes and brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up processes in Art Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and neurophysiological correlates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelowski, Matthew; Markey, Patrick S.; Forster, Michael; Gerger, Gernot; Leder, Helmut

2017-07-01

This paper has a rather audacious purpose: to present a comprehensive theory explaining, and further providing hypotheses for the empirical study of, the multiple ways by which people respond to art. Despite common agreement that interaction with art can be based on a compelling, and occasionally profound, psychological experience, the nature of these interactions is still under debate. We propose a model, The Vienna Integrated Model of Art Perception (VIMAP), with the goal of resolving the multifarious processes that can occur when we perceive and interact with visual art. Specifically, we focus on the need to integrate bottom-up, artwork-derived processes, which have formed the bulk of previous theoretical and empirical assessments, with top-down mechanisms which can describe how individuals adapt or change within their processing experience, and thus how individuals may come to particularly moving, disturbing, transformative, as well as mundane, results. This is achieved by combining several recent lines of theoretical research into a new integrated approach built around three processing checks, which we argue can be used to systematically delineate the possible outcomes in art experience. We also connect our model's processing stages to specific hypotheses for emotional, evaluative, and physiological factors, and address main topics in psychological aesthetics including provocative reactions-chills, awe, thrills, sublime-and difference between ;aesthetic; and ;everyday; emotional response. Finally, we take the needed step of connecting stages to functional regions in the brain, as well as broader core networks that may coincide with the proposed cognitive checks, and which taken together can serve as a basis for future empirical and theoretical art research.

Move me, astonish me… delight my eyes and brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up processes in Art Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and neurophysiological correlates.

PubMed

Pelowski, Matthew; Markey, Patrick S; Forster, Michael; Gerger, Gernot; Leder, Helmut

2017-07-01

This paper has a rather audacious purpose: to present a comprehensive theory explaining, and further providing hypotheses for the empirical study of, the multiple ways by which people respond to art. Despite common agreement that interaction with art can be based on a compelling, and occasionally profound, psychological experience, the nature of these interactions is still under debate. We propose a model, The Vienna Integrated Model of Art Perception (VIMAP), with the goal of resolving the multifarious processes that can occur when we perceive and interact with visual art. Specifically, we focus on the need to integrate bottom-up, artwork-derived processes, which have formed the bulk of previous theoretical and empirical assessments, with top-down mechanisms which can describe how individuals adapt or change within their processing experience, and thus how individuals may come to particularly moving, disturbing, transformative, as well as mundane, results. This is achieved by combining several recent lines of theoretical research into a new integrated approach built around three processing checks, which we argue can be used to systematically delineate the possible outcomes in art experience. We also connect our model's processing stages to specific hypotheses for emotional, evaluative, and physiological factors, and address main topics in psychological aesthetics including provocative reactions-chills, awe, thrills, sublime-and difference between "aesthetic" and "everyday" emotional response. Finally, we take the needed step of connecting stages to functional regions in the brain, as well as broader core networks that may coincide with the proposed cognitive checks, and which taken together can serve as a basis for future empirical and theoretical art research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Realist complex intervention science: Applying realist principles across all phases of the Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions

PubMed Central

Fletcher, Adam; Jamal, Farah; Moore, Graham; Evans, Rhiannon E.; Murphy, Simon; Bonell, Chris

2016-01-01

The integration of realist evaluation principles within randomised controlled trials (‘realist RCTs’) enables evaluations of complex interventions to answer questions about what works, for whom and under what circumstances. This allows evaluators to better develop and refine mid-level programme theories. However, this is only one phase in the process of developing and evaluating complex interventions. We describe and exemplify how social scientists can integrate realist principles across all phases of the Medical Research Council framework. Intervention development, modelling, and feasibility and pilot studies need to theorise the contextual conditions necessary for intervention mechanisms to be activated. Where interventions are scaled up and translated into routine practice, realist principles also have much to offer in facilitating knowledge about longer-term sustainability, benefits and harms. Integrating a realist approach across all phases of complex intervention science is vital for considering the feasibility and likely effects of interventions for different localities and population subgroups. PMID:27478401

An Integrated On-Line Transfer Credit Evaluation System-Admissions through Graduation Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuman, Chester D.

This document discusses a computerized transfer evaluation system designed by Pennsylvania College of Technology, a comprehensive two-year institution with an enrollment of over 4,800 students. It is noted that the Admissions Office processes approximately 500 transfer applications for a fall semester, as well as a large number of evaluations for…

A 3D THz image processing methodology for a fully integrated, semi-automatic and near real-time operational system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brook, A.; Cristofani, E.; Vandewal, M.; Matheis, C.; Jonuscheit, J.; Beigang, R.

2012-05-01

The present study proposes a fully integrated, semi-automatic and near real-time mode-operated image processing methodology developed for Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) THz images with the center frequencies around: 100 GHz and 300 GHz. The quality control of aeronautics composite multi-layered materials and structures using Non-Destructive Testing is the main focus of this work. Image processing is applied on the 3-D images to extract useful information. The data is processed by extracting areas of interest. The detected areas are subjected to image analysis for more particular investigation managed by a spatial model. Finally, the post-processing stage examines and evaluates the spatial accuracy of the extracted information.

A simple approach to industrial laser safety.

PubMed

Lewandowski, Michael A; Hinz, Michael W

2005-02-01

Industrial applications of lasers include marking, welding, cutting, and other material processing. Lasers used in these ways have significant power output but are generally designed to limit operator exposure to direct or scattered laser radiation to harmless levels in order to meet the Federal Laser Product Performance Standard (21CFR1040) for Class 1 laser products. Interesting challenges occur when companies integrate high power lasers into manufacturing or process control equipment. A significant part of the integration process is developing engineering and administrative controls to produce an acceptable level of laser safety while balancing production, maintenance, and service requirements. 3M Company uses a large number of high power lasers in numerous manufacturing processes. Whether the laser is purchased as a Class 1 laser product or whether it is purchased as a Class 4 laser and then integrated into a manufacturing application, 3M Company has developed an industrial laser safety program that maintains a high degree of laser safety while facilitating the rapid and economical integration of laser technology into the manufacturing workplace. This laser safety program is based on the requirements and recommendations contained in the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers, ANSI Z136.1. The fundamental components of the 3M program include hazard evaluation, engineering, administrative, and procedural controls, protective equipment, signs and labels, training, and re-evaluation upon change. This program is implemented in manufacturing facilities and has resulted in an excellent history of laser safety and an effective and efficient use of laser safety resources.

Integrated gasifier combined cycle polygeneration system to produce liquid hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, R. K.; Staiger, P. J.; Donovan, R. M.

1982-01-01

An integrated gasifier combined cycle (IGCC) system which simultaneously produces electricity, process steam, and liquid hydrogen was evaluated and compared to IGCC systems which cogenerate electricity and process steam. A number of IGCC plants, all employing a 15 MWe has turbine and producing from 0 to 20 tons per day of liquid hydrogen and from 0 to 20 MWt of process steam were considered. The annual revenue required to own and operate such plants was estimated to be significantly lower than the potential market value of the products. The results indicate a significant potential economic benefit to configuring IGCC systems to produce a clean fuel in addition to electricity and process steam in relatively small industrial applications.

Integrating utilization-focused evaluation with business process modeling for clinical research improvement.

PubMed

Kagan, Jonathan M; Rosas, Scott; Trochim, William M K

2010-10-01

New discoveries in basic science are creating extraordinary opportunities to design novel biomedical preventions and therapeutics for human disease. But the clinical evaluation of these new interventions is, in many instances, being hindered by a variety of legal, regulatory, policy and operational factors, few of which enhance research quality, the safety of study participants or research ethics. With the goal of helping increase the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical research, we have examined how the integration of utilization-focused evaluation with elements of business process modeling can reveal opportunities for systematic improvements in clinical research. Using data from the NIH global HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks, we analyzed the absolute and relative times required to traverse defined phases associated with specific activities within the clinical protocol lifecycle. Using simple median duration and Kaplan-Meyer survival analysis, we show how such time-based analyses can provide a rationale for the prioritization of research process analysis and re-engineering, as well as a means for statistically assessing the impact of policy modifications, resource utilization, re-engineered processes and best practices. Successfully applied, this approach can help researchers be more efficient in capitalizing on new science to speed the development of improved interventions for human disease.

Measuring healthcare integration: Operationalization of a framework for a systems evaluation of palliative care structures, processes, and outcomes.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Daryl; Brazil, Kevin; Ploeg, Jenny; Krueger, Paul; Taniguchi, Alan

2016-06-01

Healthcare integration is a priority in many countries, yet there remains little direction on how to systematically evaluate this construct to inform further development. The examination of community-based palliative care networks provides an ideal opportunity for the advancement of integration measures, in consideration of how fundamental provider cohesion is to effective care at end of life. This article presents a variable-oriented analysis from a theory-based case study of a palliative care network to help bridge the knowledge gap in integration measurement. Data from a mixed-methods case study were mapped to a conceptual framework for evaluating integrated palliative care and a visual array depicting the extent of key factors in the represented palliative care network was formulated. The study included data from 21 palliative care network administrators, 86 healthcare professionals, and 111 family caregivers, all from an established palliative care network in Ontario, Canada. The framework used to guide this research proved useful in assessing qualities of integration and functioning in the palliative care network. The resulting visual array of elements illustrates that while this network performed relatively well at the multiple levels considered, room for improvement exists, particularly in terms of interventions that could facilitate the sharing of information. This study, along with the other evaluative examples mentioned, represents important initial attempts at empirically and comprehensively examining network-integrated palliative care and healthcare integration in general. © The Author(s) 2016.

The integral indicator of socio-economic assessment in regard to resource-oriented territories development in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuvashova, M. N.; Avramchikova, N. T.; Zelenkov, P. V.; Petrosyan, M. O.

2016-04-01

Economic peculiarity of Russian resource-oriented territories are based on a focal type of industrial complex, differentiation of economies within a principle of mining and processing of natural resources. To improve the economic condition and integrate into the world innovative process is essential to solve the problem of eliminating the prevalence of resourse focus in the industrial economic structure that could ensure the overcoming of the existing spa- cial dissociation and market mechanisms development in innovative promotion. The monitoring system, involving the integral indicator of socioeconomic and territorial potential assessment, has suggested by the authors. The integral indicator could guarantee the objective evaluation of economic condition within a territory that is vital for the governmental authorities to design strategies providing the economic development of administrative territories.

Non-Integrated Information and Communication Technologies in the Kidney Transplantation Process in Brazil.

PubMed

Peres Penteado, Alissa; Fábio Maciel, Rafael; Erbs, João; Feijó Ortolani, Cristina Lucia; Aguiar Roza, Bartira; Torres Pisa, Ivan

2015-01-01

The entire kidney transplantation process in Brazil is defined through laws, decrees, ordinances, and resolutions, but there is no defined theoretical map describing this process. From this representation it's possible to perform analysis, such as the identification of bottlenecks and information and communication technologies (ICTs) that support this process. The aim of this study was to analyze and represent the kidney transplantation workflow using business process modeling notation (BPMN) and then to identify the ICTs involved in the process. This study was conducted in eight steps, including document analysis and professional evaluation. The results include the BPMN model of the kidney transplantation process in Brazil and the identification of ICTs. We discovered that there are great delays in the process due to there being many different ICTs involved, which can cause information to be poorly integrated.

Model reduction in integrated controls-structures design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maghami, Peiman G.

1993-01-01

It is the objective of this paper to present a model reduction technique developed for the integrated controls-structures design of flexible structures. Integrated controls-structures design problems are typically posed as nonlinear mathematical programming problems, where the design variables consist of both structural and control parameters. In the solution process, both structural and control design variables are constantly changing; therefore, the dynamic characteristics of the structure are also changing. This presents a problem in obtaining a reduced-order model for active control design and analysis which will be valid for all design points within the design space. In other words, the frequency and number of the significant modes of the structure (modes that should be included) may vary considerably throughout the design process. This is also true as the locations and/or masses of the sensors and actuators change. Moreover, since the number of design evaluations in the integrated design process could easily run into thousands, any feasible order-reduction method should not require model reduction analysis at every design iteration. In this paper a novel and efficient technique for model reduction in the integrated controls-structures design process, which addresses these issues, is presented.

Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider.

PubMed

Douglas, Heather E; Georgiou, Andrew; Tariq, Amina; Prgomet, Mirela; Warland, Andrew; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

2017-04-10

There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to support integrated aged care services. We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to support service integration. Our case study included seventeen interviews and eleven observation sessions with a purposive sample of staff within the organisation. Inductive analysis was used to develop a model of ICT-supported information exchange. Management staff described the integrated care model designed to underpin carelink+. Frontline staff described complex information exchange processes supporting coordination of client services. Mismatches between the data quality and the functions carelink+ was designed to support necessitated the evolution of new work processes associated with the system. There is value in explicitly modelling the work processes that emerge as a consequence of ICT. Continuous evaluation of the match between ICT and work processes will help aged care organisations to achieve higher levels of ICT maturity that support their efforts to provide integrated care to clients.

Implementing Information and Communication Technology to Support Community Aged Care Service Integration: Lessons from an Australian Aged Care Provider

PubMed Central

Georgiou, Andrew; Tariq, Amina; Prgomet, Mirela; Warland, Andrew; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

2017-01-01

Introduction: There is limited evidence of the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to support integrated aged care services. Objectives: We undertook a case study to describe carelink+, a centralised client service management ICT system implemented by a large aged and community care service provider, Uniting. We sought to explicate the care-related information exchange processes associated with carelink+ and identify lessons for organisations attempting to use ICT to support service integration. Methods: Our case study included seventeen interviews and eleven observation sessions with a purposive sample of staff within the organisation. Inductive analysis was used to develop a model of ICT-supported information exchange. Results: Management staff described the integrated care model designed to underpin carelink+. Frontline staff described complex information exchange processes supporting coordination of client services. Mismatches between the data quality and the functions carelink+ was designed to support necessitated the evolution of new work processes associated with the system. Conclusions: There is value in explicitly modelling the work processes that emerge as a consequence of ICT. Continuous evaluation of the match between ICT and work processes will help aged care organisations to achieve higher levels of ICT maturity that support their efforts to provide integrated care to clients. PMID:29042851

A liberation psychology approach to acculturative integration of migrant populations.

PubMed

García-Ramírez, Manuel; de la Mata, Manuel L; Paloma, Virginia; Hernández-Plaza, Sonia

2011-03-01

This paper describes an acculturative integration approach that stresses the contribution of liberation psychology. Immigrant integration is a challenge for receiving countries in the Western world due to the frequent asymmetrical and oppressive conditions suffered by newcomers in their new settlements. The cross-cultural perspective connects integration with psychological acculturation, emphasizing harmony between acquisitions of the new culture while maintaining cultural heritage, and creating opportunities for intergroup relationships. In turn, liberation psychology permits an understanding of the acculturative transition as an empowerment and self-construction process by which immigrants acquire a new vision of the world and of themselves, transforming both structural conditions and themselves. From this perspective we conceptualize acculturative integration as the process by which newcomers become an accepted part of the new society through a reflexive and evaluative process, changing their social references and position, rebuilding their social and personal resources, and achieving a new agency in coherence with their new challenges and goals. In this process, they acquire critical thinking about unequal conditions, gain capacities to respond to the inequalities, and take effective actions to confront them. We illustrate this process using the narratives of nine Moroccan women who are living in asymmetrical and oppressive local contexts in Andalusia, the southern-most region of Spain.

An integrated pavement data management and feedback system (PAMS) : evaluation of pavement condition rating procedure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-08-01

This report describes an evaluation of a method for use in the Highway Needs Study pavement condition rating. The methods by which the Department generates and manages pavement condition data in the overall process of providing a network of highways ...

Oceanographic satellite remote sensing: Registration, rectification, and data integration requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nichols, D. A.

1982-01-01

The problem of data integration in oceanography is discussed. Recommendations are made for technique development and evaluation, understanding requirements, and packaging techniques for speed, efficiency and ease of use. The primary satellite sensors of interest to oceanography are summarized. It is concluded that imaging type sensors make image processing an important tool for oceanographic studies.

Double-Higgs boson production in the high-energy limit: planar master integrals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Joshua; Mishima, Go; Steinhauser, Matthias; Wellmann, David

2018-03-01

We consider the virtual corrections to the process gg → HH at NLO in the high energy limit and compute the corresponding planar master integrals in an expansion for small top quark mass. We provide details on the evaluation of the boundary conditions and present analytic results expressed in terms of harmonic polylogarithms.

An Evaluation of Selected Communications Assemblies and Hearing Protection Systems: A Field Study Conducted for the Future Force Warrior Integrated Headgear Integrated Process Team

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

Hearing restoration was provided via binaural hear-through microphones on the 1Communications & Ear...second question asked was “which of the systems provided the best speech intelligibility?” The BC system beat the TAC by half a vote (because one

On-Line Support and Portfolio Assessment for NETS-T Standards In Pre-Service Programs at a Large Southeastern University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoffner, Mary B.; Dias, Laurie B.

This paper details the theoretical underpinnings of one university's approach to technology integration in its pre-service teacher preparation programs, and the results of a continuous, feedback-driven project to evaluate for technology integration through a student portfolio development process. Portfolios are assessed for multiple education and…

Applicability of integrated cell culture quantitative PCR (ICC-qPCR) for the detection of infectious adenovirus type 2 in UV disinfection studies

EPA Science Inventory

Human adenovirus is relatively resistant to UV radiation and has been used as a conservative testing microbe for evaluations of UV disinfection systems as components of water treatment processes. In this study, we attempted to validate the applicability of integrated cell culture...

Evaluation of the clinical process in a critical care information system using the Lean method: a case study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There are numerous applications for Health Information Systems (HIS) that support specific tasks in the clinical workflow. The Lean method has been used increasingly to optimize clinical workflows, by removing waste and shortening the delivery cycle time. There are a limited number of studies on Lean applications related to HIS. Therefore, we applied the Lean method to evaluate the clinical processes related to HIS, in order to evaluate its efficiency in removing waste and optimizing the process flow. This paper presents the evaluation findings of these clinical processes, with regards to a critical care information system (CCIS), known as IntelliVue Clinical Information Portfolio (ICIP), and recommends solutions to the problems that were identified during the study. Methods We conducted a case study under actual clinical settings, to investigate how the Lean method can be used to improve the clinical process. We used observations, interviews, and document analysis, to achieve our stated goal. We also applied two tools from the Lean methodology, namely the Value Stream Mapping and the A3 problem-solving tools. We used eVSM software to plot the Value Stream Map and A3 reports. Results We identified a number of problems related to inefficiency and waste in the clinical process, and proposed an improved process model. Conclusions The case study findings show that the Value Stream Mapping and the A3 reports can be used as tools to identify waste and integrate the process steps more efficiently. We also proposed a standardized and improved clinical process model and suggested an integrated information system that combines database and software applications to reduce waste and data redundancy. PMID:23259846

Evaluation of the clinical process in a critical care information system using the Lean method: a case study.

PubMed

Yusof, Maryati Mohd; Khodambashi, Soudabeh; Mokhtar, Ariffin Marzuki

2012-12-21

There are numerous applications for Health Information Systems (HIS) that support specific tasks in the clinical workflow. The Lean method has been used increasingly to optimize clinical workflows, by removing waste and shortening the delivery cycle time. There are a limited number of studies on Lean applications related to HIS. Therefore, we applied the Lean method to evaluate the clinical processes related to HIS, in order to evaluate its efficiency in removing waste and optimizing the process flow. This paper presents the evaluation findings of these clinical processes, with regards to a critical care information system (CCIS), known as IntelliVue Clinical Information Portfolio (ICIP), and recommends solutions to the problems that were identified during the study. We conducted a case study under actual clinical settings, to investigate how the Lean method can be used to improve the clinical process. We used observations, interviews, and document analysis, to achieve our stated goal. We also applied two tools from the Lean methodology, namely the Value Stream Mapping and the A3 problem-solving tools. We used eVSM software to plot the Value Stream Map and A3 reports. We identified a number of problems related to inefficiency and waste in the clinical process, and proposed an improved process model. The case study findings show that the Value Stream Mapping and the A3 reports can be used as tools to identify waste and integrate the process steps more efficiently. We also proposed a standardized and improved clinical process model and suggested an integrated information system that combines database and software applications to reduce waste and data redundancy.

Evaluation of massless-spring modeling of suspension-line elasticity during the parachute unfurling process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poole, L. R.; Huckins, E. K., III

1972-01-01

A general theory on mathematical modeling of elastic parachute suspension lines during the unfurling process was developed. Massless-spring modeling of suspension-line elasticity was evaluated in detail. For this simple model, equations which govern the motion were developed and numerically integrated. The results were compared with flight test data. In most regions, agreement was satisfactory. However, poor agreement was obtained during periods of rapid fluctuations in line tension.

Albuquerque Operations Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Technology summary

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

Not Available

1994-08-01

This document has been prepared by the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Office of Technology Development (OTD) in order to highlight research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT&E) activities funded through the Albuquerque Operations Office. Technologies and processes described have the potential to enhance DOE`s cleanup and waste management efforts, as well as improve US industry`s competitiveness in global environmental markets. The information has been assembled from recently produced OTD documents that highlight technology development activities within each of the OTD program elements. These integrated program summaries include: Volatile Organic Compounds in Non-Arid Soils, Volatile Organic Compounds inmore » Arid Soils, Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration, Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration, Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology, In Situ Remediation, Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration, Underground Storage Tank, Efficient Separations and Processing, Mixed Waste Integrated Program, Rocky Flats Compliance Program, Pollution Prevention Program, Innovation Investment Area, and Robotics Technology.« less

Experimental Evaluation of Hybrid Distillation-Vapor Permeation Process for Efficient Ethanol Recovery from Ethanol-Water Mixtures

EPA Science Inventory

The energy demand of distillation-based systems for ethanol recovery and dehydration can be significant, particularly for dilute solutions [1]. An alternative separation process integrating vapor stripping with a vapor compression step and a vapor permeation membrane separation ...

Cognitive Processes in Dissociation: An Analysis of Core Theoretical Assumptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giesbrecht, Timo; Lilienfield, Scott O.; Lynn, Steven Jay; Merckelbach, Harald

2008-01-01

Dissociation is typically defined as the lack of normal integration of thoughts, feelings, and experiences into consciousness and memory. The present article critically evaluates the research literature on cognitive processes in dissociation. The authors' review indicates that dissociation is characterized by subtle deficits in neuropsychological…

Report to the administrator by the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel on the Skylab program. Volume 1: Summary report. [systems management evaluation and design analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Contractor and NASA technical management for the development and manufacture of the Skylab modules is reviewed with emphasis on the following management controls: configuration and interface management; vendor control; and quality control of workmanship. A review of the modified two-stage Saturn V launch vehicle which focused on modifications to accommodate the Skylab payload; resolution of prior flight anomalies; and changes in personnel and management systems is presented along with an evaluation of the possible age-life and storage problems for the Saturn 1-B launch vehicle. The NASA program management's visibility and control of contractor operations, systems engineering and integration, the review process for the evaluation of design and flight hardware, and the planning process for mission operations are investigated. It is concluded that the technical management system for development and fabrication of the modules, spacecraft, and launch vehicles, the process of design and hardware acceptance reviews, and the risk assessment activities are satisfactory. It is indicated that checkout activity, integrated testing, and preparations for and execution of mission operation require management attention.

The watershed-scale optimized and rearranged landscape design (WORLD) model and local biomass processing depots for sustainable biofuel production: Integrated life cycle assessments

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

Eranki, Pragnya L.; Manowitz, David H.; Bals, Bryan D.

An array of feedstock is being evaluated as potential raw material for cellulosic biofuel production. Thorough assessments are required in regional landscape settings before these feedstocks can be cultivated and sustainable management practices can be implemented. On the processing side, a potential solution to the logistical challenges of large biorefi neries is provided by a network of distributed processing facilities called local biomass processing depots. A large-scale cellulosic ethanol industry is likely to emerge soon in the United States. We have the opportunity to influence the sustainability of this emerging industry. The watershed-scale optimized and rearranged landscape design (WORLD) modelmore » estimates land allocations for different cellulosic feedstocks at biorefinery scale without displacing current animal nutrition requirements. This model also incorporates a network of the aforementioned depots. An integrated life cycle assessment is then conducted over the unified system of optimized feedstock production, processing, and associated transport operations to evaluate net energy yields (NEYs) and environmental impacts.« less

A systematic review of integrated working between care homes and health care services

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the UK there are almost three times as many beds in care homes as in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. Care homes rely on primary health care for access to medical care and specialist services. Repeated policy documents and government reviews register concern about how health care works with independent providers, and the need to increase the equity, continuity and quality of medical care for care homes. Despite multiple initiatives, it is not known if some approaches to service delivery are more effective in promoting integrated working between the NHS and care homes. This study aims to evaluate the different integrated approaches to health care services supporting older people in care homes, and identify barriers and facilitators to integrated working. Methods A systematic review was conducted using Medline (PubMed), CINAHL, BNI, EMBASE, PsycInfo, DH Data, Kings Fund, Web of Science (WoS incl. SCI, SSCI, HCI) and the Cochrane Library incl. DARE. Studies were included if they evaluated the effectiveness of integrated working between primary health care professionals and care homes, or identified barriers and facilitators to integrated working. Studies were quality assessed; data was extracted on health, service use, cost and process related outcomes. A modified narrative synthesis approach was used to compare and contrast integration using the principles of framework analysis. Results Seventeen studies were included; 10 quantitative studies, two process evaluations, one mixed methods study and four qualitative. The majority were carried out in nursing homes. They were characterised by heterogeneity of topic, interventions, methodology and outcomes. Most quantitative studies reported limited effects of the intervention; there was insufficient information to evaluate cost. Facilitators to integrated working included care home managers' support and protected time for staff training. Studies with the potential for integrated working were longer in duration. Conclusions Despite evidence about what inhibits and facilitates integrated working there was limited evidence about what the outcomes of different approaches to integrated care between health service and care homes might be. The majority of studies only achieved integrated working at the patient level of care and the focus on health service defined problems and outcome measures did not incorporate the priorities of residents or acknowledge the skills of care home staff. There is a need for more research to understand how integrated working is achieved and to test the effect of different approaches on cost, staff satisfaction and resident outcomes. PMID:22115126

Electromagnetic pulsed thermography for natural cracks inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yunlai; Tian, Gui Yun; Wang, Ping; Wang, Haitao; Gao, Bin; Woo, Wai Lok; Li, Kongjing

2017-02-01

Emerging integrated sensing and monitoring of material degradation and cracks are increasingly required for characterizing the structural integrity and safety of infrastructure. However, most conventional nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods are based on single modality sensing which is not adequate to evaluate structural integrity and natural cracks. This paper proposed electromagnetic pulsed thermography for fast and comprehensive defect characterization. It hybrids multiple physical phenomena i.e. magnetic flux leakage, induced eddy current and induction heating linking to physics as well as signal processing algorithms to provide abundant information of material properties and defects. New features are proposed using 1st derivation that reflects multiphysics spatial and temporal behaviors to enhance the detection of cracks with different orientations. Promising results that robust to lift-off changes and invariant features for artificial and natural cracks detection have been demonstrated that the proposed method significantly improves defect detectability. It opens up multiphysics sensing and integrated NDE with potential impact for natural understanding and better quantitative evaluation of natural cracks including stress corrosion crack (SCC) and rolling contact fatigue (RCF).

Systematic review of youth mental health service integration research.

PubMed

Kinchin, Irina; Tsey, Komla; Heyeres, Marion; Cadet-James, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Quality mental health care is based on the integration of care across organisations and disciplines. The aims of this study were, first, to assess the extent, characteristics and reported outcomes of publications concerned with youth mental health service integration in Australia and internationally; and second, to investigate the study design quality of evaluative interventions and determine whether the studies report on the cost-effectiveness of the integration in order to inform the reform of youth mental health services by Queensland Health. A systematic search of the peer-reviewed literature and a narrative synthesis were undertaken of English language publications from 21 electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were: published 1998-2014 (inclusive); peer-reviewed research; focused on mental health services integration; reported data for youth aged 12-25 years. The methodological quality of evaluative interventions was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP). Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria: one (4%) was classified as a measurement research, 13 (52%) as descriptive, and 11 (44%) as interventions including five (45%) evaluative interventions. Four out of the five evaluative interventions reported positive effects of youth mental health service integration. Particular problems included ambiguity of definitions, absence of economic or cost analyses and insufficient consumer involvement. The methodological quality of the interventions was variable with, on average, a moderate level of selection bias and study design. Despite a slight increase in the number of studies in the last couple of years, there are important gaps in the evidence base for youth mental health service integration processes. The relatively small number of evaluative studies and lack of economic evaluations point to the need for additional research in this important area.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and auditory processing in autism: modifiable deficits of an integrated social engagement system?

PubMed

Porges, Stephen W; Macellaio, Matthew; Stanfill, Shannon D; McCue, Kimberly; Lewis, Gregory F; Harden, Emily R; Handelman, Mika; Denver, John; Bazhenova, Olga V; Heilman, Keri J

2013-06-01

The current study evaluated processes underlying two common symptoms (i.e., state regulation problems and deficits in auditory processing) associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Although these symptoms have been treated in the literature as unrelated, when informed by the Polyvagal Theory, these symptoms may be viewed as the predictable consequences of depressed neural regulation of an integrated social engagement system, in which there is down regulation of neural influences to the heart (i.e., via the vagus) and to the middle ear muscles (i.e., via the facial and trigeminal cranial nerves). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart period were monitored to evaluate state regulation during a baseline and two auditory processing tasks (i.e., the SCAN tests for Filtered Words and Competing Words), which were used to evaluate auditory processing performance. Children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were contrasted with aged matched typically developing children. The current study identified three features that distinguished the ASD group from a group of typically developing children: 1) baseline RSA, 2) direction of RSA reactivity, and 3) auditory processing performance. In the ASD group, the pattern of change in RSA during the attention demanding SCAN tests moderated the relation between performance on the Competing Words test and IQ. In addition, in a subset of ASD participants, auditory processing performance improved and RSA increased following an intervention designed to improve auditory processing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urban-Water Harmony model to evaluate the urban water management.

PubMed

Ding, Yifan; Tang, Deshan; Wei, Yuhang; Yin, Sun

2014-01-01

Water resources in many urban areas are under enormous stress due to large-scale urban expansion and population explosion. The decision-makers are often faced with the dilemma of either maintaining high economic growth or protecting water resources and the environment. Simple criteria of water supply and drainage do not reflect the requirement of integrated urban water management. The Urban-Water Harmony (UWH) model is based on the concept of harmony and offers a more integrated approach to urban water management. This model calculates four dimensions, namely urban development, urban water services, water-society coordination, and water environment coordination. And the Analytic Hierarchy Process has been used to determine the indices weights. We applied the UWH model to Beijing, China for an 11-year assessment. Our findings show that, despite the severe stress inherent in rapid development and water shortage, the urban water relationship of Beijing is generally evolving in a positive way. The social-economic factors such as the water recycling technologies contribute a lot to this change. The UWH evaluation can provide a reasonable analysis approach to combine various urban and water indices to produce an integrated and comparable evaluation index. This, in turn, enables more effective water management in decision-making processes.

NASA Integrated Network COOP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Michael L.; Wright, Nathaniel; Tai, Wallace

2012-01-01

Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, civil unrest, and other events have the potential of disrupting mission-essential operations in any space communications network. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation office (SCaN) is in the process of studying options for integrating the three existing NASA network elements, the Deep Space Network, the Near Earth Network, and the Space Network, into a single integrated network with common services and interfaces. The need to maintain Continuity of Operations (COOP) after a disastrous event has a direct impact on the future network design and operations concepts. The SCaN Integrated Network will provide support to a variety of user missions. The missions have diverse requirements and include anything from earth based platforms to planetary missions and rovers. It is presumed that an integrated network, with common interfaces and processes, provides an inherent advantage to COOP in that multiple elements and networks can provide cross-support in a seamless manner. The results of trade studies support this assumption but also show that centralization as a means of achieving integration can result in single points of failure that must be mitigated. The cost to provide this mitigation can be substantial. In support of this effort, the team evaluated the current approaches to COOP, developed multiple potential approaches to COOP in a future integrated network, evaluated the interdependencies of the various approaches to the various network control and operations options, and did a best value assessment of the options. The paper will describe the trade space, the study methods, and results of the study.

Evaluating the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation in dairy production.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Process-level modeling at the farm scale provides a tool for evaluating strategies for both mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. The Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) simulates representative crop, beef or dairy farms over many years of weather to predict performance...

Evaluating Technology Integration in the Elementary School: A Site-Based Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowe, Richard

This book enables educators at the elementary level to conduct formative evaluations of their technology programs in minimum time. Most of the technology is computer related, including word processing, graphics, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, databases, instructional software, programming, and telecommunications. The design of the book is aimed…

Managing Service Quality with the Balanced Scorecard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poll, Roswitha

In order to evaluate and utilize library data for the management process, a German project, sponsored by the German Research Council, uses the Balanced Scorecard as the concept for integrated quality management. Performance indicators across the following four perspectives are combined to produce a balanced evaluation of the library: (1) users,…

Do Different Training Conditions Facilitate Team Implementation? A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Karina; Randall, Raymond; Christensen, Karl B.

2017-01-01

A mixed methods approach was applied to examine the effects of a naturally occurring teamwork intervention supported with training. The first objective was to integrate qualitative process evaluation and quantitative effect evaluation to examine "how" and "why" the training influence intervention outcomes. The intervention (N =…

Labor Market Assessments: An Essential Data Element for Program Development and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedel, Janice N.

The Eastern Iowa Community College District (EICCD) has conducted labor market assessments in 17 occupations related to its programs. These assessments are an integral component of the EICCD program evaluation process. These assessments provide valuable information in the specific occupational areas regarding (1) characteristics of the local…

Mind the Gap: Accountability, Observation and Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowe, Christina C.; Rivers, Susan E.; Bertoli, Michelle C.

2017-01-01

There is an absence of observation-based tools designed to evaluate teaching in special education classrooms. Evaluations derived from classroom observations are integral to the accountability process, adding value to understanding teaching and learning by providing a lens into the classroom that test scores cannot capture. The present paper…

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum and course development and evaluation research. First, the context of, and impetus for, what was formerly called vocational education, now referred to as technical or workforce education, is provided. Second, the research that was undertaken to design and evaluate an associate degree-level STEM workforce education program is described. Third, the adaptation of a student self-assessment of learning gains instrument is reviewed, and an analysis of the resulting data using an adapted logic model is provided, to evaluate the extent to which instructional approaches, in two process control/improvement-focused courses, were effective in meeting course-level intended learning outcomes. Finally, eight integrative multiscale exercises were designed from two example process systems, wastewater treatment and fast pyrolysis. The integrative exercises are intended for use as tools to accelerate the formation of an operator-technician's multiscale vision of systems, unit operations, underlying processes, and fundamental reactions relevant to multiple industries. Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. Through development of the curricular, course, and assessment-related instruments and tools, this research helps ensure associate degree-level technical education programs can engage in a continual process of program evaluation and improvement.

Handheld tools assess medical necessity at the point of care.

PubMed

Pollard, Dan

2002-01-01

An emerging strategy to manage financial risk in clinical practice is to involve the physician at the point of care. Using handheld technology, encounter-specific information along with medical necessity policy can be presented to physicians allowing them to integrate it into their medical decision-making process. Three different strategies are discussed: reference books or paper encounter forms, electronic reference tools, and integrated process tools. The electronic reference tool strategy was evaluated and showed a return on investment exceeding 1200% due to reduced overhead costs associated with rework of claim errors.

Assessing treatment integrity in cognitive-behavioral therapy: comparing session segments with entire sessions.

PubMed

Weck, Florian; Grikscheit, Florian; Höfling, Volkmar; Stangier, Ulrich

2014-07-01

The evaluation of treatment integrity (therapist adherence and competence) is a necessary condition to ensure the internal and external validity of psychotherapy research. However, the evaluation process is associated with high costs, because therapy sessions must be rated by experienced clinicians. It is debatable whether rating session segments is an adequate alternative to rating entire sessions. Four judges evaluated treatment integrity (i.e., therapist adherence and competence) in 84 randomly selected videotapes of cognitive-behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and hypochondriasis (from three different treatment outcome studies). In each case, two judges provided ratings based on entire therapy sessions and two on session segments only (i.e., the middle third of the entire sessions). Interrater reliability of adherence and competence evaluations proved satisfactory for ratings based on segments and the level of reliability did not differ from ratings based on entire sessions. Ratings of treatment integrity that were based on entire sessions and session segments were strongly correlated (r=.62 for adherence and r=.73 for competence). The relationship between treatment integrity and outcome was comparable for ratings based on session segments and those based on entire sessions. However, significant relationships between therapist competence and therapy outcome were only found in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Ratings based on segments proved to be adequate for the evaluation of treatment integrity. The findings demonstrate that session segments are an adequate and cost-effective alternative to entire sessions for the evaluation of therapist adherence and competence. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Integrating uncertainties to the combined environmental and economic assessment of algal biorefineries: A Monte Carlo approach.

PubMed

Pérez-López, Paula; Montazeri, Mahdokht; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Moreira, María Teresa; Eckelman, Matthew J

2018-06-01

The economic and environmental performance of microalgal processes has been widely analyzed in recent years. However, few studies propose an integrated process-based approach to evaluate economic and environmental indicators simultaneously. Biodiesel is usually the single product and the effect of environmental benefits of co-products obtained in the process is rarely discussed. In addition, there is wide variation of the results due to inherent variability of some parameters as well as different assumptions in the models and limited knowledge about the processes. In this study, two standardized models were combined to provide an integrated simulation tool allowing the simultaneous estimation of economic and environmental indicators from a unique set of input parameters. First, a harmonized scenario was assessed to validate the joint environmental and techno-economic model. The findings were consistent with previous assessments. In a second stage, a Monte Carlo simulation was applied to evaluate the influence of variable and uncertain parameters in the model output, as well as the correlations between the different outputs. The simulation showed a high probability of achieving favorable environmental performance for the evaluated categories and a minimum selling price ranging from $11gal -1 to $106gal -1 . Greenhouse gas emissions and minimum selling price were found to have the strongest positive linear relationship, whereas eutrophication showed weak correlations with the other indicators (namely greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative energy demand and minimum selling price). Process parameters (especially biomass productivity and lipid content) were the main source of variation, whereas uncertainties linked to the characterization methods and economic parameters had limited effect on the results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Supporting Learning from Illustrated Texts: Conceptualizing and Evaluating a Learning Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlag, Sabine; Ploetzner, Rolf

2011-01-01

Texts and pictures are often combined in order to improve learning. Many students, however, have difficulty to appropriately process text-picture combinations. We have thus conceptualized a learning strategy which supports learning from illustrated texts. By inducing the processes of information selection, organization, integration, and…

Up the Down Spiral with English: Guidelines, Project Insight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catholic Board of Education, Diocese of Cleveland, OH.

This curriculum guide presents the philosophy, objectives, and processes which unify a student-centered English program based on Jerome Bruner's concept of the spiral curriculum. To illustrate the spiraling of the learning process (i.e., engagement, perception, interpretation, evaluation, and personal integration), the theme of "hero" is traced…

Teacher Professional Development for TPACK-21CL: Effects on Teacher ICT Integration and Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Joyce Hwee Ling; Chai, Ching Sing; Lim, Wei Ying

2017-01-01

This article explicates the conception and evaluation of an information and communications technologies (ICT) professional development process for developing teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge for 21st century learning. The process emphasizes teachers' prolonged engagement with peers and researchers in design teams. Supported by…

48 CFR 915.207-70 - Handling proposals and information during evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... information (data) before decision as to the award of a contract, or the transfer of valuable and sensitive information between competing offerors during the competitive phase of the acquisition process, would seriously disrupt the Government's decision-making process and undermine the integrity of the competitive...

Teaching Information Literacy and Scientific Process Skills: An Integrated Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Souchek, Russell; Meier, Marjorie

1997-01-01

Describes an online searching and scientific process component taught as part of the laboratory for a general zoology course. The activities were designed to be gradually more challenging, culminating in a student-developed final research project. Student evaluations were positive, and faculty indicated that student research skills transferred to…

Integrated Sensing and Processing (ISP) Phase II: Demonstration and Evaluation for Distributed Sensor Netowrks and Missile Seeker Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-28

Shah, D. Waagen, H. Schmitt, S. Bellofiore, A. Spanias, and D. Cochran, 32nd International Conference on Acoustics, Speech , and Signal Processing...Information Exploitation Office kNN k-Nearest Neighbor LEAN Laplacian Eigenmap Adaptive Neighbor LIP Linear Integer Programming ISP

Methodology for the optimal design of an integrated first and second generation ethanol production plant combined with power cogeneration.

PubMed

Bechara, Rami; Gomez, Adrien; Saint-Antonin, Valérie; Schweitzer, Jean-Marc; Maréchal, François

2016-08-01

The application of methodologies for the optimal design of integrated processes has seen increased interest in literature. This article builds on previous works and applies a systematic methodology to an integrated first and second generation ethanol production plant with power cogeneration. The methodology breaks into process simulation, heat integration, thermo-economic evaluation, exergy efficiency vs. capital costs, multi-variable, evolutionary optimization, and process selection via profitability maximization. Optimization generated Pareto solutions with exergy efficiency ranging between 39.2% and 44.4% and capital costs from 210M$ to 390M$. The Net Present Value was positive for only two scenarios and for low efficiency, low hydrolysis points. The minimum cellulosic ethanol selling price was sought to obtain a maximum NPV of zero for high efficiency, high hydrolysis alternatives. The obtained optimal configuration presented maximum exergy efficiency, hydrolyzed bagasse fraction, capital costs and ethanol production rate, and minimum cooling water consumption and power production rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response to waste electrical and electronic equipments in China: legislation, recycling system, and advanced integrated process.

PubMed

Zhou, Lei; Xu, Zhenming

2012-05-01

Over the past 30 years, China has been suffering from negative environmental impacts from distempered waste electrical and electronic equipments (WEEE) recycling activities. For the purpose of environmental protection and resource reusing, China made a great effort to improve WEEE recycling. This article reviews progresses of three major fields in the development of China's WEEE recycling industry: legal system, formal recycling system, and advanced integrated process. Related laws concerning electronic waste (e-waste) management and renewable resource recycling are analyzed from aspects of improvements and loopholes. The outcomes and challenges for existing formal recycling systems are also discussed. The advantage and deficiency related to advanced integrated recycling processes for typical e-wastes are evaluated respectively. Finally, in order to achieve high disposal rates of WEEE, high-quantify separation of different materials in WEEE and high added value final products produced by separated materials from WEEE, an idea of integrated WEEE recycling system is proposed to point future development of WEEE recycling industry. © 2012 American Chemical Society

What works in implementation of integrated care programs for older adults with complex needs? A realist review

PubMed Central

Kirst, Maritt; Im, Jennifer; Burns, Tim; Baker, G. Ross; Goldhar, Jodeme; O'Campo, Patricia; Wojtak, Anne; Wodchis, Walter P

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose A realist review of the evaluative evidence was conducted on integrated care (IC) programs for older adults to identify key processes that lead to the success or failure of these programs in achieving outcomes such as reduced healthcare utilization, improved patient health, and improved patient and caregiver experience. Data sources International academic literature was searched in 12 indexed, electronic databases and gray literature through internet searches, to identify evaluative studies. Study selection Inclusion criteria included evaluative literature on integrated, long-stay health and social care programs, published between January 1980 and July 2015, in English. Data extraction Data were extracted on the study purpose, period, setting, design, population, sample size, outcomes, and study results, as well as explanations of mechanisms and contextual factors influencing outcomes. Results of data synthesis A total of 65 articles, representing 28 IC programs, were included in the review. Two context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOcs) were identified: (i) trusting multidisciplinary team relationships and (ii) provider commitment to and understanding of the model. Contextual factors such as strong leadership that sets clear goals and establishes an organizational culture in support of the program, along with joint governance structures, supported team collaboration and subsequent successful implementation. Furthermore, time to build an infrastructure to implement and flexibility in implementation, emerged as key processes instrumental to success of these programs. Conclusions This review included a wide range of international evidence, and identified key processes for successful implementation of IC programs that should be considered by program planners, leaders and evaluators. PMID:28992156

Integration of health into urban spatial planning through impact assessment: Identifying governance and policy barriers and facilitators

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

Carmichael, Laurence, E-mail: Laurence.carmichael@uwe.ac.uk; Barton, Hugh; Gray, Selena

This article presents the results of a review of literature examining the barriers and facilitators in integrating health in spatial planning at the local, mainly urban level, through appraisals. Our literature review covered the UK and non UK experiences of appraisals used to consider health issues in the planning process. We were able to identify four main categories of obstacles and facilitators including first the different knowledge and conceptual understanding of health by different actors/stakeholders, second the types of governance arrangements, in particular partnerships, in place and the political context, third the way institutions work, the responsibilities they have andmore » their capacity and resources and fourth the timeliness, comprehensiveness and inclusiveness of the appraisal process. The findings allowed us to draw some lessons on the governance and policy framework regarding the integration of health impact into spatial planning, in particular considering the pros and cons of integrating health impact assessment (HIA) into other forms of impact assessment of spatial planning decisions such as environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environment assessment (SEA). In addition, the research uncovered a gap in the literature that tends to focus on the mainly voluntary HIA to assess health outcomes of planning decisions and neglect the analysis of regulatory mechanisms such as EIA and SEA. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Governance and policy barriers and facilitators to the integration of health into urban planning. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Review of literature on impact assessment methods used across the world. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Knowledge, partnerships, management/resources and processes can impede integration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HIA evaluations prevail uncovering research opportunities for evaluating other techniques.« less

Process Evaluation of the Project SHINE Intervention for African American Families: An Integrated Positive Parenting and Peer Monitoring Approach to Health Promotion.

PubMed

St George, Sara M; Wilson, Dawn K; McDaniel, Tyler; Alia, Kassandra A

2016-07-01

This study describes the process evaluation of Project SHINE, a randomized family-based health promotion intervention that integrated parenting and peer monitoring for improving sedentary behavior, physical activity, and diet in African American families. Adolescent-parent dyads (n = 89) were randomized to a 6-week behavioral, positive parenting, and peer monitoring skills intervention or a general health education comparison condition. Process evaluation included observational ratings of fidelity, attendance records, psychosocial measures, and qualitative interviews. Results indicated that the intervention was delivered with high fidelity based on facilitator adherence (>98% of content delivered) and competent use of theoretically based behavior change and positive parenting skills (100% of ratings >3 on a 1-4 scale). Although only 43% of peers attended the "bring a friend" session, overall attendance was high (4.39 ± 1.51 sessions) as was the retention rate (88%). Parents in the intervention condition reported significant improvements in communication related to adolescents' engagement in health behaviors both on their own and with peers. These findings were supported by qualitative themes related to improvements in family communication and connectedness. This study provides an innovative example of how future family-based health promotion trials can expand their process evaluation approaches by assessing theoretically relevant positive parenting variables as part of ongoing monitoring. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Evaluation of community-level interventions to increase early initiation of antenatal care in pregnancy: protocol for the Community REACH study, a cluster randomised controlled trial with integrated process and economic evaluations.

PubMed

Sawtell, Mary; Sweeney, Lorna; Wiggins, Meg; Salisbury, Cathryn; Eldridge, Sandra; Greenberg, Lauren; Hunter, Rachael; Kaur, Inderjeet; McCourt, Christine; Hatherall, Bethan; Findlay, Gail; Morris, Joanne; Reading, Sandra; Renton, Adrian; Adekoya, Ruth; Green, Belinda; Harvey, Belinda; Latham, Sarah; Patel, Kanta; Vanlessen, Logan; Harden, Angela

2018-03-05

The provision of high-quality maternity services is a priority for reducing inequalities in health outcomes for mothers and infants. Best practice includes women having their initial antenatal appointment within the first trimester of pregnancy in order to provide screening and support for healthy lifestyles, well-being and self-care in pregnancy. Previous research has identified inequalities in access to antenatal care, yet there is little evidence on interventions to improve early initiation of antenatal care. The Community REACH trial will assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of engaging communities in the co-production and delivery of an intervention that addresses this issue. The study design is a matched cluster randomised controlled trial with integrated process and economic evaluations. The unit of randomisation is electoral ward. The intervention will be delivered in 10 wards; 10 comparator wards will have normal practice. The primary outcome is the proportion of pregnant women attending their antenatal booking appointment by the 12th completed week of pregnancy. This and a number of secondary outcomes will be assessed for cohorts of women (n = approximately 1450 per arm) who give birth 2-7 and 8-13 months after intervention delivery completion in the included wards, using routinely collected maternity data. Eight hospitals commissioned to provide maternity services in six NHS trusts in north and east London and Essex have been recruited to the study. These trusts will provide anonymised routine data for randomisation and outcomes analysis. The process evaluation will examine intervention implementation, acceptability, reach and possible causal pathways. The economic evaluation will use a cost-consequences analysis and decision model to evaluate the intervention. Targeted community engagement in the research process was a priority. Community REACH aims to increase early initiation of antenatal care using an intervention that is co-produced and delivered by local communities. This pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, with integrated process and economic evaluation, aims to rigorously assess the effectiveness of this public health intervention, which is particularly complex due to the required combination of standardisation with local flexibility. It will also answer questions about scalability and generalisability. ISRCTN registry: registration number 63066975 . Registered on 18 August 2015.

Design and Control of Integrated Systems for Hydrogen Production and Power Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgis, Dimitrios

Growing concerns on CO2 emissions have led to the development of highly efficient power plants. Options for increased energy efficiencies include alternative energy conversion pathways, energy integration and process intensification. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) constitute a promising alternative for power generation since they convert the chemical energy electrochemically directly to electricity. Their high operating temperature shows potential for energy integration with energy intensive units (e.g. steam reforming reactors). Although energy integration is an essential tool for increased efficiencies, it leads to highly complex process schemes with rich dynamic behavior, which are challenging to control. Furthermore, the use of process intensification for increased energy efficiency imposes an additional control challenge. This dissertation identifies and proposes solutions on design, operational and control challenges of integrated systems for hydrogen production and power generation. Initially, a study on energy integrated SOFC systems is presented. Design alternatives are identified, control strategies are proposed for each alternative and their validity is evaluated under different operational scenarios. The operational range of the proposed control strategies is also analyzed. Next, thermal management of water gas shift membrane reactors, which are a typical application of process intensification, is considered. Design and operational objectives are identified and a control strategy is proposed employing advanced control algorithms. The performance of the proposed control strategy is evaluated and compared with classical control strategies. Finally SOFC systems for combined heat and power applications are considered. Multiple recycle loops are placed to increase design flexibility. Different operational objectives are identified and a nonlinear optimization problem is formulated. Optimal designs are obtained and their features are discussed and compared. The results of the dissertation provide a deeper understanding on the design, operational and control challenges of the above systems and can potentially guide further commercialization efforts. In addition to this, the results can be generalized and used for applications from the transportation and residential sector to large--scale power plants.

Conserving Our Health. Seychelles Integrated Science. [Teacher and Pupil Booklets]. Unit 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brophy, M.; Fryars, M.

Seychelles Integrated Science (SIS), a 3-year laboratory-based science program for students (ages 11-15) in upper primary grades 7, 8, and 9, was developed from an extensive evaluation and modification of previous P7-P9 materials. This P9 SIS unit deals with conserving health, focusing on such body processes as breathing, digestion, excretion,…

Development of tools for evaluating integrated municipal waste management using life-cycle management

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

Thorneloe, S.; Weitz, K.; Nishtala, S.

1998-08-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management increasingly is based on integrated systems. The US initiated research in 1994 through funding by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy to develop (1) a decision support tool; (2) a database; and (3) case studies. This paper provides an overview of the research that is in process.

An integrated approach to evaluating the economic costs of wildfire hazard reduction through wood utilization opportunities in the southwestern United States

Treesearch

Eini C. Lowell; Dennis R. Becker; Robert Rummer; Debra Larson; Linda Wadleigh

2008-01-01

This research provides an important step in the conceptualization and development of an integrated wildfire fuels reduction system from silvicultural prescription, through stem selection, harvesting, in-woods processing, transport, and market selection. Decisions made at each functional step are informed by knowledge about subsequent functions. Data on the resource...

An integrated approach to evaluating the economic costs of wildfire hazard reduction through wood utilization opportunities in the Southwestern United States

Treesearch

Eini C. Lowell; Dennis R. Becker; Robert Rummer; Debra Larson; Linda Wadleigh

2008-01-01

This research provides an important step in the conceptualization and development of an integrated wildfire fuels reduction system from silvicultural prescription, through stem selection, harvesting, in-woods processing, transport, and market selection. Decisions made at each functional step are informed by knowledge about subsequent functions. Data on the resource...

PARAGON: A Systematic, Integrated Approach to Aerosol Observation and Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diner, David J.; Kahn, Ralph A.; Braverman, Amy J.; Davies, Roger; Martonchik, John V.; Menzies, Robert T.; Ackerman, Thomas P.; Seinfeld, John H.; Anderson, Theodore L.; Charlson, Robert J.;

Comprehensive system models: Strategies for evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Field, Christopher; Kutzbach, John E.; Ramanathan, V.; Maccracken, Michael C.

1992-01-01

The task of evaluating comprehensive earth system models is vast involving validations of every model component at every scale of organization, as well as tests of all the individual linkages. Even the most detailed evaluation of each of the component processes and the individual links among them should not, however, engender confidence in the performance of the whole. The integrated earth system is so rich with complex feedback loops, often involving components of the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and cryosphere, that it is certain to exhibit emergent properties very difficult to predict from the perspective of a narrow focus on any individual component of the system. Therefore, a substantial share of the task of evaluating comprehensive earth system models must reside at the level of whole system evaluations. Since complete, integrated atmosphere/ ocean/ biosphere/ hydrology models are not yet operational, questions of evaluation must be addressed at the level of the kinds of earth system processes that the models should be competent to simulate, rather than at the level of specific performance criteria. Here, we have tried to identify examples of earth system processes that are difficult to simulate with existing models and that involve a rich enough suite of feedbacks that they are unlikely to be satisfactorily described by highly simplified or toy models. Our purpose is not to specify a checklist of evaluation criteria but to introduce characteristics of the earth system that may present useful opportunities for model testing and, of course, improvement.

"I Am Really Good at It" or "I Am Just Feeling Lucky": The Effects of Emotions on Information Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Mingming

2013-01-01

The ability to search, process, extract, evaluate and integrate information for learning purposes has clearly become the basic skills of the twenty first century. Although this process is often taken as a cognitive process, research has shown a strong connection between emotion and cognition. Recent research has suggested that positive emotions…

Program evaluation in integrated resource planning

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

Council, C.D.

1994-12-31

The Western Area Power Administration along with the Southwestern and Southeastern Power Administrations joined together to develop a set of integrated resource planning (IRP) tools to help their customers development and implement an IRP process. The project has been entitled the Resource Planning Guide (RPG), and is specifically designed to help small- to mid-sized utilities analyze supply- and demand-side alternatives as part of an IRP process. The RPG project will be available in January 1994 and will include such support as: workshops, technical assistance, an RPG hotline, and an RPG User`s Group for the project. The RPG grew out ofmore » the interest shown by utility customers who wanted a user-friendly tool to aid in their application of the IRP process. The project has been field tested by 43 utilities and related organizations over the last year, has sparked interest both nationally and internationally, and is now available for public use. The program evaluation aspects of the IRP process are heightened by a requirement of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 which requires all long-term power customers of the Western Area Power Administration to develop, implement, and monitor an IRP process. The EPAct defines IRP as: A planning process for new energy resources that evaluates the full range of alternatives, including new generating capacity, power purchases, energy conservation and efficiency, cogeneration and district heating and cooling applications, and renewable energy resources, to provide adequate and reliable service to its electric customers at the lowest system cost. The process takes into account necessary features for system operation, such as diversity, reliability, dispatchability, and other factors of risk; the ability to verify energy savings achieved through energy conservation and efficiency and the projected durability of such savings measured over time; and treats demand and supply resources on a consistent and integrated basis.« less

Modeling of an integrated fermentation/membrane extraction process for the production of 2-phenylethanol and 2-phenylethylacetate.

PubMed

Adler, Philipp; Hugen, Thorsten; Wiewiora, Marzena; Kunz, Benno

2011-03-07

An unstructured model for an integrated fermentation/membrane extraction process for the production of the aroma compounds 2-phenylethanol and 2-phenylethylacetate by Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS 600 was developed. The extent to which this model, based only on data from the conventional fermentation and separation processes, provided an estimation of the integrated process was evaluated. The effect of product inhibition on specific growth rate and on biomass yield by both aroma compounds was approximated by multivariate regression. Simulations of the respective submodels for fermentation and the separation process matched well with experimental results. With respect to the in situ product removal (ISPR) process, the effect of reduced product inhibition due to product removal on specific growth rate and biomass yield was predicted adequately by the model simulations. Overall product yields were increased considerably in this process (4.0 g/L 2-PE+2-PEA vs. 1.4 g/L in conventional fermentation) and were even higher than predicted by the model. To describe the effect of product concentration on product formation itself, the model was extended using results from the conventional and the ISPR process, thus agreement between model and experimental data improved notably. Therefore, this model can be a useful tool for the development and optimization of an efficient integrated bioprocess. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fair Oaks Dairy Farms Cellulosic Ethanol Technology Review Summary

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

Andrew Wold; Robert Divers

2011-06-23

At Fair Oaks Dairy, dried manure solids (''DMS'') are currently used as a low value compost. United Power was engaged to evaluate the feasibility of processing these DMS into ethanol utilizing commercially available cellulosic biofuels conversion platforms. The Fair Oaks Dairy group is transitioning their traditional ''manure to methane'' mesophilic anaerobic digester platform to an integrated bio-refinery centered upon thermophilic digestion. Presently, the Digested Manure Solids (DMS) are used as a low value soil amendment (compost). United Power evaluated the feasibility of processing DMS into higher value ethanol utilizing commercially available cellulosic biofuels conversion platforms. DMS was analyzed and overmore » 100 potential technology providers were reviewed and evaluated. DMS contains enough carbon to be suitable as a biomass feedstock for conversion into ethanol by gasification technology, or as part of a conversion process that would include combined heat and power. In the first process, 100% of the feedstock is converted into ethanol. In the second process, the feedstock is combusted to provide heat to generate electrical power supporting other processes. Of the 100 technology vendors evaluated, a short list of nine technology providers was developed. From this, two vendors were selected as finalists (one was an enzymatic platform and one was a gasification platform). Their selection was based upon the technical feasibility of their systems, engineering expertise, experience in commercial or pilot scale operations, the ability or willingness to integrate the system into the Fair Oaks Biorefinery, the know-how or experience in producing bio-ethanol, and a clear path to commercial development.« less

CONFIG: Integrated engineering of systems and their operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Ryan, Dan; Fleming, Land

1994-01-01

This article discusses CONFIG 3, a prototype software tool that supports integrated conceptual design evaluation from early in the product life cycle, by supporting isolated or integrated modeling, simulation, and analysis of the function, structure, behavior, failures and operations of system designs. Integration and reuse of models is supported in an object-oriented environment providing capabilities for graph analysis and discrete event simulation. CONFIG supports integration among diverse modeling approaches (component view, configuration or flow path view, and procedure view) and diverse simulation and analysis approaches. CONFIG is designed to support integrated engineering in diverse design domains, including mechanical and electro-mechanical systems, distributed computer systems, and chemical processing and transport systems.

Gaussian Process Interpolation for Uncertainty Estimation in Image Registration

PubMed Central

Wachinger, Christian; Golland, Polina; Reuter, Martin; Wells, William

2014-01-01

Intensity-based image registration requires resampling images on a common grid to evaluate the similarity function. The uncertainty of interpolation varies across the image, depending on the location of resampled points relative to the base grid. We propose to perform Bayesian inference with Gaussian processes, where the covariance matrix of the Gaussian process posterior distribution estimates the uncertainty in interpolation. The Gaussian process replaces a single image with a distribution over images that we integrate into a generative model for registration. Marginalization over resampled images leads to a new similarity measure that includes the uncertainty of the interpolation. We demonstrate that our approach increases the registration accuracy and propose an efficient approximation scheme that enables seamless integration with existing registration methods. PMID:25333127

Integration between chemical oxidation and membrane thermophilic biological process.

PubMed

Bertanza, G; Collivignarelli, M C; Crotti, B M; Pedrazzani, R

2010-01-01

Full scale applications of activated sludge thermophilic aerobic process for treatment of liquid wastes are rare. This experimental work was carried out at a facility, where a thermophilic reactor (1,000 m(3) volume) is operated. In order to improve the global performance of the plant, it was decided to upgrade it, by means of two membrane filtration units (ultrafiltration -UF-, in place of the final sedimentation, and nanofiltration -NF-). Subsequently, the integration with chemical oxidation (O(3) and H(2)O(2)/UV processes) was taken into consideration. Studied solutions dealt with oxidation of both the NF effluents (permeate and concentrate). Based on experimental results and economic evaluation, an algorithm was proposed for defining limits of convenience of this process.

More Than Meets the Eye: Split-Second Social Perception

PubMed Central

Freeman, Jonathan B.; Johnson, Kerri L.

2017-01-01

Recent research suggests that visual perception of social categories is shaped not only by facial features but also by higher-order social cognitive processes (e.g., stereotypes, attitudes, goals). Building on neural computational models of social perception, we outline a perspective of how multiple bottom-up visual cues are flexibly integrated with a range of top-down processes to form perceptions, and we identify a set of key brain regions involved. During this integration, ‘hidden’ social category activations are often triggered which temporarily impact perception without manifesting in explicit perceptual judgments. Importantly, these hidden impacts and other aspects of the perceptual process predict downstream social consequences – from politicians’ electoral success to several evaluative biases – independently of the outcomes of that process. PMID:27050834

Evaluation of Process Performance for Sustainable Hard Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotella, Giovanna; Umbrello, Domenico; , Oscar W. Dillon, Jr.; Jawahir, I. S.

This paper aims to evaluate the sustainability performance of machining operation of through-hardening steel, AISI 52100, taking into account the impact of the material removal process in its various aspects. Experiments were performed for dry and cryogenic cutting conditions using chamfered cubic boron nitride (CBN) tool inserts at varying cutting conditions (cutting speed and feed rate). Cutting forces, mechanical power, tool wear, white layer thickness, surface roughness and residual stresses were investigated in order to evaluate the effects of extreme in-process cooling on the machined surface. The results indicate that cryogenic cooling has the potential to be used for surface integrity enhancement for improved product life and more sustainable functional performance.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of diesel-contaminated soil before and after a bioremediation process.

PubMed

Molina-Barahona, L; Vega-Loyo, L; Guerrero, M; Ramírez, S; Romero, I; Vega-Jarquín, C; Albores, A

2005-02-01

Evaluation of contaminated sites is usually performed by chemical analysis of pollutants in soil. This is not enough either to evaluate the environmental risk of contaminated soil nor to evaluate the efficiency of soil cleanup techniques. Information on the bioavailability of complex mixtures of xenobiotics and degradation products cannot be totally provided by chemical analytical data, but results from bioassays can integrate the effects of pollutants in complex mixtures. In the preservation of human health and environment quality, it is important to assess the ecotoxicological effects of contaminated soils to obtain a better evaluation of the healthiness of this system. The monitoring of a diesel-contaminated soil and the evaluation of a bioremediation technique conducted on a microcosm scale were performed by a battery of ecotoxicological tests including phytotoxicity, Daphnia magna, and nematode assays. In this study we biostimulated the native microflora of soil contaminated with diesel by adding nutrients and crop residue (corn straw) as a bulking agent and as a source of microorganisms and nutrients; in addition, moisture was adjusted to enhance diesel removal. The bioremediation process efficiency was evaluated directly by an innovative, simple phytotoxicity test system and the diesel extracts by Daphnia magna and nematode assays. Contaminated soil samples were revealed to have toxic effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and Daphnia survival. After biostimulation, the diesel concentration was reduced by 50.6%, and the soil samples showed a significant reduction in phytotoxicity (9%-15%) and Daphnia assays (3-fold), confirming the effectiveness of the bioremediation process. Results from our microcosm study suggest that in addition to the evaluation of the bioremediation processes efficiency, toxicity testing is different with organisms representative of diverse phylogenic levels. The integration of analytical, toxicological and bioremediation data is necessary to properly assess the ecological risk of bioremediation processes. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Moving base simulation of an integrated flight and propulsion control system for an ejector-augmentor STOVL aircraft in hover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcneill, Walter, E.; Chung, William W.; Stortz, Michael W.

1995-01-01

A piloted motion simulator evaluation, using the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator, was conducted in support of a NASA Lewis Contractual study of the integration of flight and propulsion systems of a STOVL aircraft. Objectives of the study were to validate the Design Methods for Integrated Control Systems (DMICS) concept, to evaluate the handling qualities, and to assess control power usage. The E-7D ejector-augmentor STOVL fighter design served as the basis for the simulation. Handling-qualities ratings were obtained during precision hover and shipboard landing tasks. Handling-qualities ratings for these tasks ranged from satisfactory to adequate. Further improvement of the design process to fully validate the DMICS concept appears to be warranted.

[Designs and thoughts of real world integrated data warehouse from HIS on re-evaluation of post-maketing traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Zhuang, Yan; Xie, Bangtie; Weng, Shengxin; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

To discuss the feasibility and necessity of using HIS data integration to build large data warehouse system which is extensively used on re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine, and to provide the thought and method of the overall design for it. With domestic and overseas' analysis and comparison on clinical experiments' design based on real world using electronic information system, and with characteristics of HIS in China, a general framework was designed and discussed which refers to design thought, design characteristics, existing problems and solutions and so on. A design scheme of HIS data warehouse on re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine was presented. The design scheme was proved to be high coherence and low coupling, safe, Universal, efficient and easy to maintain, which can effectively solve the problems many hospitals have faced during the process of HIS data integration.

An integrative multi-criteria decision making techniques for supplier evaluation problem with its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatrias, D.; Kamil, I.; Meilani, D.

2018-03-01

Coordinating business operation with suppliers becomes increasingly important to survive and prosper under the dynamic business environment. A good partnership with suppliers not only increase efficiency, but also strengthen corporate competitiveness. Associated with such concern, this study aims to develop a practical approach of multi-criteria supplier evaluation using combined methods of Taguchi loss function (TLF), best-worst method (BWM) and VIse Kriterijumska Optimizacija kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). A new framework of integrative approach adopting these methods is our main contribution for supplier evaluation in literature. In this integrated approach, a compromised supplier ranking list based on the loss score of suppliers is obtained using efficient steps of a pairwise comparison based decision making process. Implemetation to the case problem with real data from crumb rubber industry shows the usefulness of the proposed approach. Finally, a suitable managerial implication is presented.

A Process-Oriented Nuts and Bolts Tutorial for Implementing Manpower and Personnel Integration (MANPRINT) Evaluations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

103  2.3.6 Use of Model 4 for MANPRINT Evaluation of the M1A2 in the IOTE ..........103 iv 3.  Conclusions...System (ASAS) Block II Initial Operational Test and Evaluation ( IOTE ) 203  Appendix I. Noise and Temperature Measurements in and Around the HETS...Test and Evaluation (LUTE), Initial Operational Test and Evaluation ( IOTE ) or a Follow-on Test and Evaluation (FOTE)—was being planned, our Field

Evaluation of Container Closure System Integrity for Storage of Frozen Drug Products: Impact of Capping Force and Transportation.

PubMed

Nieto, Alejandra; Roehl, Holger; Adler, Michael; Mohl, Silke

2018-05-31

Frozen-state storage and cold-chain transport are key operations in the development and commercialization of biopharmaceuticals. Nowadays, a few marketed drug products are stored (and/or) shipped under frozen conditions to ensure sufficient stability, particularly for live viral vaccines. When these products are stored in glass vials with stoppers, the elastomer of the stopper needs to be flexible enough to seal the vial at the target's lowest temperature to ensure container closure integrity and hence both sterility and safety of the drug product. The container closure integrity assessment in the frozen state (e.g., -20°C, -80°C) should include: Container Closure Integrity (CCI) of the Container Closure System (CCS) itself, impact of processing, e.g. capping process on CCI and impact of shipment and movement on CCI in the frozen state. The objective of this work was an evaluation of the impact of processing and shipment on CCI of a CCS in the frozen state. The impact on other quality attributes was not investigated. In this light, the ThermCCI method was applied to evaluate the impact of shipping stress and variable capping force on CCI of frozen vials and to evaluate the temperature limits of rubber stoppers. In conclusion, retaining CCI during cold storage is mostly a function of vial-stopper combination and temperatures below -40°C may pose a risk to the CCI of a frozen drug product. Variable capping force may have an influence on the CCI of a frozen drug product if not appropriately assessed. Regarding the impact of shipment on the CCI of glass vials, no indication was given either at room temperature, -20°C or -75°C when compared to static storage at such temperatures. Copyright © 2018, Parenteral Drug Association.

FBI fingerprint identification automation study. AIDS 3 evaluation report. Volume 3: Operational feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulhall, B. D. L.

1980-01-01

An evaluation is presented which is defined as the adequacy of system design with known functional and performance requirements. The proposed Rockwell International AIDS 3 card, document and data flow are presented to summarize the concepts involved and the relationships between functions. The analysis and evaluation includes a study of system capability, processing rates, search requirements and response accuracy as well as a consideration of operational components and hardware integration. Results indicate that the AIDS 3 System concept is operationally feasible if production capacity is slightly enhanced but that operational complexity, hardware integration and a lack of conceptual data pertinent to some of the functions are areas of concern.

Integrated learning in dentistry: baseline data and first evaluation at the Dental School of Basel.

PubMed

Neuhaus, K W; Schegg, R; Krastl, G; Amato, M; Weiger, R; Walter, C

2008-08-01

Integrated learning modules were introduced and baseline information was collected, in order to identify the expectations regarding e-learning. Furthermore, first formative evaluation of fourth-year dental students was conducted and the experience gained with summative online assessment was reported. Questionnaires designed by Infratest dimap (Berlin, Germany) were distributed to undergraduate students (n = 72) of the School of Dentistry. The fourth-year dental students went through a preliminary evaluation process. An online test was evaluated and compared with a traditional examination. Sixty-three questionnaires were returned. Sixty-five per cent of the students were already familiar with e-learning. All but one student owned at least one personal computer or laptop. Ninety-one per cent of the students expected positive effects from the integration of online modules. Enhanced flexibility regarding time and location as well as comfortable access to learning materials were mentioned most frequently. Ninety per cent of the students expected to achieve better results by finding it easier to understand learning materials produced with multimedia tools. Sixty per cent of the students feared technical complications when using an online platform. The online test was successfully performed. A formative evaluation process demonstrated agreement between expectations and first experiences with e-learning. Most students expect the quality of their studies to improve by implementation of e-learning. Students appreciating regularly updated learning materials particularly emphasise the importance of its visualisation. Online tests might be an option for student's self-performance rating.

Application of agent-based system for bioprocess description and process improvement.

PubMed

Gao, Ying; Kipling, Katie; Glassey, Jarka; Willis, Mark; Montague, Gary; Zhou, Yuhong; Titchener-Hooker, Nigel J

2010-01-01

Modeling plays an important role in bioprocess development for design and scale-up. Predictive models can also be used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing to assist decision-making either to maintain process consistency or to identify optimal operating conditions. To predict the whole bioprocess performance, the strong interactions present in a processing sequence must be adequately modeled. Traditionally, bioprocess modeling considers process units separately, which makes it difficult to capture the interactions between units. In this work, a systematic framework is developed to analyze the bioprocesses based on a whole process understanding and considering the interactions between process operations. An agent-based approach is adopted to provide a flexible infrastructure for the necessary integration of process models. This enables the prediction of overall process behavior, which can then be applied during process development or once manufacturing has commenced, in both cases leading to the capacity for fast evaluation of process improvement options. The multi-agent system comprises a process knowledge base, process models, and a group of functional agents. In this system, agent components co-operate with each other in performing their tasks. These include the description of the whole process behavior, evaluating process operating conditions, monitoring of the operating processes, predicting critical process performance, and providing guidance to decision-making when coping with process deviations. During process development, the system can be used to evaluate the design space for process operation. During manufacture, the system can be applied to identify abnormal process operation events and then to provide suggestions as to how best to cope with the deviations. In all cases, the function of the system is to ensure an efficient manufacturing process. The implementation of the agent-based approach is illustrated via selected application scenarios, which demonstrate how such a framework may enable the better integration of process operations by providing a plant-wide process description to facilitate process improvement. Copyright 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Integration of care for hypertension and diabetes: a scoping review assessing the evidence from systematic reviews and evaluating reporting.

PubMed

Yiu, Kristy C; Rohwer, Anke; Young, Taryn

2018-06-20

With the rise in pre-mature mortality rate from non-communicable disease (NCD), there is a need for evidence-based interventions. We evaluated existing systematic reviews on effectiveness of integration of healthcare services, in particular with focus on delivery of care designed to improve health and process outcomes in people with multi-morbidity, where at least one of the conditions was diabetes or hypertension. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Health Evidence to November 8, 2016 and consulted experts. One review author screened titles, abstracts and two review authors independently screened short listed full-texts and selected reviews for inclusion. We considered systematic reviews evaluating integration of care, compared to usual care, for people with multi-morbidity. One review author extracted data and another author verified it. Two review authors independently evaluated risk of bias using ROBIS and AMSTAR. Inter-rater reliability was analysed for ROBIS and AMSTAR using Cohen's kappa and percent agreement. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist was used to assess reporting. We identified five systematic reviews on integration of care. Four reviews focused on comorbid diabetes and depression and two covered hypertension and comorbidities of cardiovascular disease, depression, or diabetes. Interventions were poorly described. The health outcomes evaluated included risk of all-cause mortality, measures of depression, cholesterol levels, HbA1c levels, effect of depression on HbA1c levels, symptom improvement, systolic blood pressure, and hypertension control. Process outcomes included access and utilisation of healthcare services, costs, and quality of care. Overall, three reviews had a low and medium risk of bias according to ROBIS and AMSTAR respectively, while two reviews had high risk of bias as judged by both ROBIS and AMSTAR. Findings have demonstrated that collaborative care in general resulted in better health and process outcomes when compared to usual care for both depression and diabetes and hypertension and diabetes. Several knowledge gaps were identified on integration of care for comorbidities with diabetes and/or hypertension: limited research on this topic for hypertension, limited reviews that included primary studies based in low-middle income countries, and limited reviews on collaborative care for communicable and NCDs.

[Modern research progress of traditional Chinese medicine based on integrative pharmacology].

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Tang, Shi-Huan; Su, Jin; Zhang, Jia-Qi; Cui, Ru-Yi; Xu, Hai-Yu; Yang, Hong-Jun

2018-04-01

Integrative pharmacology (IP) is a discipline that studies the interaction, integration and principle of action of multiple components with the body, emphasizing the integrations of multi-level and multi-link, such as "whole and part", " in vivo and in vitro ", " in vivo process and activity evaluation". After four years of development and practice, the theory and method of IP has received extensive attention and application.In order to better promote the development of IP, this paper systematically reviews the concepts, research contents, research methods and application fields about IP. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Key Lessons for the Design and Integration of Virtual Environments in Secondary Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosier, Joanna K.; Cobb, Sue; Wilson, John R.

2002-01-01

Discusses a three-year research project in which a virtual environment to teach radioactivity in secondary schools in the United Kingdom was developed and tested. Emphasizes the importance of involving teachers through the development process and confirms the importance of school-based evaluation studies in the development and evaluation of…

The Multiple Challenges of Multimedia: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kassen, Margaret Ann

1998-01-01

This article presents an overview of an ongoing initiative to develop, integrate, and evaluate multimedia lessons to enhance listening comprehension in Spanish language classes at the Catholic University of America (District of Columbia). Focusing on the process involved, the two phases of the project that have been completed are examined,…

Simulating forage crop production in a northern climate with the Integrated Farm System Model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whole-farm simulation models are useful tools for evaluating the effect of management practices and climate variability on the agro-environmental and economic performance of farms. A few process-based farm-scale models have been developed, but none have been evaluated in a northern region with a sho...

Conducting effective performance appraisals.

PubMed

2001-01-01

According to experts, performance appraisals rate just below firing someone as the least favorite thing managers do. Many factors contribute to this view--one is that current systems do a poor job of evaluating performance and in fact often impede both evaluation and performance. When used as part of an ongoing supportive process of goal setting and feedback, performance appraisals can enhance performance and morale. One alternative to traditional employee evaluation methods is full-circle or 360-degree feedback. Contained in this issue are practical suggestions for preparing employees for performance appraisals which, when followed daily, encourage employees to put their best feet forward as part of their regular routine. Also included is a template specific to assessing the performance of clinical laboratory technologists . Additionally, numerous resources are provided to help you refine appraisal systems to fit your needs. Full-circle feedback is proving to be a boon to managers. It relieves them from being the exclusive "heavies" in evaluating performance, integrates appraisal input from several sources, and incorporates increasing employee skills, competencies, and satisfaction, thus improving productivity of people and processes. And aren't integration and continuous improvement what the laboratory is all about?

Integrating Multiple Criteria Evaluation and GIS in Ecotourism: a Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd, Z. H.; Ujang, U.

2016-09-01

The concept of 'Eco-tourism' is increasingly heard in recent decades. Ecotourism is one adventure that environmentally responsible intended to appreciate the nature experiences and cultures. Ecotourism should have low impact on environment and must contribute to the prosperity of local residents. This article reviews the use of Multiple Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and Geographic Information System (GIS) in ecotourism. Multiple criteria evaluation mostly used to land suitability analysis or fulfill specific objectives based on various attributes that exist in the selected area. To support the process of environmental decision making, the application of GIS is used to display and analysis the data through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Integration between MCE and GIS tool is important to determine the relative weight for the criteria used objectively. With the MCE method, it can resolve the conflict between recreation and conservation which is to minimize the environmental and human impact. Most studies evidences that the GIS-based AHP as a multi criteria evaluation is a strong and effective in tourism planning which can aid in the development of ecotourism industry effectively.

How to convince your manager to invest in an HIS preimplementation methodology for appraisal of material, process and human costs and benefits.

PubMed Central

Bossard, B.; Renard, J. M.; Capelle, P.; Paradis, P.; Beuscart, M. C.

2000-01-01

Investing in information technology has become a crucial process in hospital management today. Medical and administrative managers are faced with difficulties in measuring medical information technology costs and benefits due to the complexity of the domain. This paper proposes a preimplementation methodology for evaluating and appraising material, process and human costs and benefits. Based on the users needs and organizational process analysis, the methodology provides an evaluative set of financial and non financial indicators which can be integrated in a decision making and investment evaluation process. We describe the first results obtained after a few months of operation for the Computer-Based Patient Record (CPR) project. Its full acceptance, in spite of some difficulties, encourages us to diffuse the method for the entire project. PMID:11079851

A prototype of mammography CADx scheme integrated to imaging quality evaluation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiabel, Homero; Matheus, Bruno R. N.; Angelo, Michele F.; Patrocínio, Ana Claudia; Ventura, Liliane

2011-03-01

As all women over the age of 40 are recommended to perform mammographic exams every two years, the demands on radiologists to evaluate mammographic images in short periods of time has increased considerably. As a tool to improve quality and accelerate analysis CADe/Dx (computer-aided detection/diagnosis) schemes have been investigated, but very few complete CADe/Dx schemes have been developed and most are restricted to detection and not diagnosis. The existent ones usually are associated to specific mammographic equipment (usually DR), which makes them very expensive. So this paper describes a prototype of a complete mammography CADx scheme developed by our research group integrated to an imaging quality evaluation process. The basic structure consists of pre-processing modules based on image acquisition and digitization procedures (FFDM, CR or film + scanner), a segmentation tool to detect clustered microcalcifications and suspect masses and a classification scheme, which evaluates as the presence of microcalcifications clusters as well as possible malignant masses based on their contour. The aim is to provide enough information not only on the detected structures but also a pre-report with a BI-RADS classification. At this time the system is still lacking an interface integrating all the modules. Despite this, it is functional as a prototype for clinical practice testing, with results comparable to others reported in literature.

Integrating relationship- and research-based approaches in Australian health promotion practice.

PubMed

Klinner, Christiane; Carter, Stacy M; Rychetnik, Lucie; Li, Vincy; Daley, Michelle; Zask, Avigdor; Lloyd, Beverly

2015-12-01

We examine the perspectives of health promotion practitioners on their approaches to determining health promotion practice, in particular on the role of research and relationships in this process. Using Grounded Theory methods, we analysed 58 semi-structured interviews with 54 health promotion practitioners in New South Wales, Australia. Practitioners differentiated between relationship-based and research-based approaches as two sources of knowledge to guide health promotion practice. We identify several tensions in seeking to combine these approaches in practice and describe the strategies that participants adopted to manage these tensions. The strategies included working in an evidence-informed rather than evidence-based way, creating new evidence about relationship-based processes and outcomes, adopting 'relationship-based' research and evaluation methods, making research and evaluation useful for communities, building research and evaluation skills and improving collaboration between research and evaluation and programme implementation staff. We conclude by highlighting three systemic factors which could further support the integration of research-based and relationship-based health promotion practices: (i) expanding conceptions of health promotion evidence, (ii) developing 'relationship-based' research methods that enable practitioners to measure complex social processes and outcomes and to facilitate community participation and benefit, and (iii) developing organizational capacity. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Value-based integrated (renal) care: setting a development agenda for research and implementation strategies.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Biermann, Claus; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2016-08-02

Integrated care services are considered a vital strategy for improving the Triple Aim values for people with chronic kidney disease. However, a solid scholarly explanation of how to develop, implement and evaluate such value-based integrated renal care services is limited. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to identify the strategies and outcomes for the implementation of value-based integrated renal care. First, the theoretical foundations of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care and the Triple Aim were united into one overarching framework through an iterative process of key-informant consultations. Second, a rapid review approach was conducted to identify the published research on integrated renal care, and the Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, and Business Source Premier databases were searched for pertinent articles published between 2000 and 2015. Based on the framework, a coding schema was developed to synthesis the included articles. The overarching framework distinguishes the integrated care domains: 1) type of integration, 2) enablers of integration and the interrelated outcome domains, 3) experience of care, 4) population health and 5) costs. The literature synthesis indicated that integrated renal care implementation strategies have particularly focused on micro clinical processes and physical outcomes, while little emphasis has been placed on meso organisational as well as macro system integration processes. In addition, evidence regarding patients' perceived outcomes and economic outcomes has been weak. These results underscore that the future challenge for researchers is to explore which integrated care implementation strategies achieve better health and improved experience of care at a lower cost within a specific context. For this purpose, this study's framework and evidence synthesis have set a developmental agenda for both integrated renal care practice and research. Accordingly, we plan further work to develop an implementation model for value-based integrated renal services.

Multi-View Interaction Modelling of human collaboration processes: a business process study of head and neck cancer care in a Dutch academic hospital.

PubMed

Stuit, Marco; Wortmann, Hans; Szirbik, Nick; Roodenburg, Jan

2011-12-01

In the healthcare domain, human collaboration processes (HCPs), which consist of interactions between healthcare workers from different (para)medical disciplines and departments, are of growing importance as healthcare delivery becomes increasingly integrated. Existing workflow-based process modelling tools for healthcare process management, which are the most commonly applied, are not suited for healthcare HCPs mainly due to their focus on the definition of task sequences instead of the graphical description of human interactions. This paper uses a case study of a healthcare HCP at a Dutch academic hospital to evaluate a novel interaction-centric process modelling method. The HCP under study is the care pathway performed by the head and neck oncology team. The evaluation results show that the method brings innovative, effective, and useful features. First, it collects and formalizes the tacit domain knowledge of the interviewed healthcare workers in individual interaction diagrams. Second, the method automatically integrates these local diagrams into a single global interaction diagram that reflects the consolidated domain knowledge. Third, the case study illustrates how the method utilizes a graphical modelling language for effective tree-based description of interactions, their composition and routing relations, and their roles. A process analysis of the global interaction diagram is shown to identify HCP improvement opportunities. The proposed interaction-centric method has wider applicability since interactions are the core of most multidisciplinary patient-care processes. A discussion argues that, although (multidisciplinary) collaboration is in many cases not optimal in the healthcare domain, it is increasingly considered a necessity to improve integration, continuity, and quality of care. The proposed method is helpful to describe, analyze, and improve the functioning of healthcare collaboration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk Assessment of Groundwater Contamination: A Multilevel Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Approach Based on DRASTIC Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yan; Zhong, Ming

2013-01-01

Groundwater contamination is a serious threat to water supply. Risk assessment of groundwater contamination is an effective way to protect the safety of groundwater resource. Groundwater is a complex and fuzzy system with many uncertainties, which is impacted by different geological and hydrological factors. In order to deal with the uncertainty in the risk assessment of groundwater contamination, we propose an approach with analysis hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation integrated together. Firstly, the risk factors of groundwater contamination are identified by the sources-pathway-receptor-consequence method, and a corresponding index system of risk assessment based on DRASTIC model is established. Due to the complexity in the process of transitions between the possible pollution risks and the uncertainties of factors, the method of analysis hierarchy process is applied to determine the weights of each factor, and the fuzzy sets theory is adopted to calculate the membership degrees of each factor. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate and test this methodology. It is concluded that the proposed approach integrates the advantages of both analysis hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, which provides a more flexible and reliable way to deal with the linguistic uncertainty and mechanism uncertainty in groundwater contamination without losing important information. PMID:24453883

Integrated Model for E-Learning Acceptance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramadiani; Rodziah, A.; Hasan, S. M.; Rusli, A.; Noraini, C.

2016-01-01

E-learning is not going to work if the system is not used in accordance with user needs. User Interface is very important to encourage using the application. Many theories had discuss about user interface usability evaluation and technology acceptance separately, actually why we do not make it correlation between interface usability evaluation and user acceptance to enhance e-learning process. Therefore, the evaluation model for e-learning interface acceptance is considered important to investigate. The aim of this study is to propose the integrated e-learning user interface acceptance evaluation model. This model was combined some theories of e-learning interface measurement such as, user learning style, usability evaluation, and the user benefit. We formulated in constructive questionnaires which were shared at 125 English Language School (ELS) students. This research statistics used Structural Equation Model using LISREL v8.80 and MANOVA analysis.

Strategic planning for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griner, Carolyn S.

1990-01-01

The concept for utilization and operations planning for the International Space Station Freedom was developed in a NASA Space Station Operations Task Force in 1986. Since that time the concept has been further refined to definitize the process and products required to integrate the needs of the international user community with the operational capabilities of the Station in its evolving configuration. The keystone to the process is the development of individual plans by the partners, with the parameters and formats common to the degree that electronic communications techniques can be effectively utilized, while maintaining the proper level and location of configuration control. The integration, evaluation, and verification of the integrated plan, called the Consolidated Operations and Utilization Plan (COUP), is being tested in a multilateral environment to prove out the parameters, interfaces, and process details necessary to produce the first COUP for Space Station in 1991. This paper will describe the concept, process, and the status of the multilateral test case.

Self-aligned block technology: a step toward further scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzarino, Frédéric; Mohanty, Nihar; Feurprier, Yannick; Huli, Lior; Luong, Vinh; Demand, Marc; Decoster, Stefan; Vega Gonzalez, Victor; Ryckaert, Julien; Kim, Ryan Ryoung Han; Mallik, Arindam; Leray, Philippe; Wilson, Chris; Boemmels, Jürgen; Kumar, Kaushik; Nafus, Kathleen; deVilliers, Anton; Smith, Jeffrey; Fonseca, Carlos; Bannister, Julie; Scheer, Steven; Tokei, Zsolt; Piumi, Daniele; Barla, Kathy

2017-04-01

In this work, we present and compare two integration approaches to enable self-alignment of the block suitable for the 5- nm technology node. The first approach is exploring the insertion of a spin-on metal-based material to memorize the first block and act as an etch stop layer in the overall integration. The second approach is evaluating the self-aligned block technology employing widely used organic materials and well-known processes. The concept and the motivation are discussed considering the effects on design and mask count as well as the impact on process complexity and EPE budget. We show the integration schemes and discuss the requirements to enable self-alignment. We present the details of materials and processes selection to allow optimal selective etches and we demonstrate the proof of concept using a 16- nm half-pitch BEOL vehicle. Finally, a study on technology insertion and cost estimation is presented.

[Factors of working environment and process on non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises in Bashkortostan Republic and workers' occupational health].

PubMed

Bakirov, A B; Takaev, R M; Kondrova, N S; Shaĭkhlislamova, E R

2011-01-01

The authors studied factors of working environment and process on nonferrous metallurgy enterprises in Bashkortostan Republic and evaluated their influence on the workers' occupational health over 1997-2009, with consideration of occupation, sex, age, length of service, work conditions and characters. The article demonstrates that sanitary and hygienic characteristics of occupations connected with machinery operation are prone to increased integral evaluation of work conditions due to underestimation of actual hardiness and intensity of work.

Develop Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing Process of ZrO 2 Nanocrystals/Acrylic Nanocomposites for High Refractive Index Applications

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

Joshi, Pooran C.; Compton, Brett G.; Li, Jianlin

2015-04-01

The purpose of this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was to develop and evaluate ZrO 2/acrylic nanocomposite coatings for integrated optoelectronic applications. The formulations engineered to be compatible with roll-to-roll process were evaluated in terms of optical and dielectric properties. The uniform distribution of the ZrO 2 nanocrystals in the polymer matrix resulted in highly tunable refractive index and dielectric response suitable for advanced photonic and electronic device applications.

Neutron Thermal Cross Sections, Westcott Factors, Resonance Integrals, Maxwellian Averaged Cross Sections and Astrophysical Reaction Rates Calculated from the ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.1.2, JENDL-4.0, ROSFOND-2010, CENDL-3.1 and EAF-2010 Evaluated Data Libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritychenko, B.; Mughabghab, S. F.

2012-12-01

We present calculations of neutron thermal cross sections, Westcott factors, resonance integrals, Maxwellian-averaged cross sections and astrophysical reaction rates for 843 ENDF materials using data from the major evaluated nuclear libraries and European activation file. Extensive analysis of newly-evaluated neutron reaction cross sections, neutron covariances, and improvements in data processing techniques motivated us to calculate nuclear industry and neutron physics quantities, produce s-process Maxwellian-averaged cross sections and astrophysical reaction rates, systematically calculate uncertainties, and provide additional insights on currently available neutron-induced reaction data. Nuclear reaction calculations are discussed and new results are presented. Due to space limitations, the present paper contains only calculated Maxwellian-averaged cross sections and their uncertainties. The complete data sets for all results are published in the Brookhaven National Laboratory report.

Feasibility study of an Integrated Program for Aerospace-vehicle Design (IPAD) system. Volume 3: Engineering creative/evaluation processes, phase 1, task 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrocq, C. A.; Hosek, J. J.

1973-01-01

A series of functional flow charts are considered that were developed to properly identify and record the degree of participation of the disciplines considered in this feasibility study and the type of data required in the design process.

Holistic Approach as Viewed by the Basic School Teachers in Latvia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badjanova, Jelena; Iliško, Dzintra

2015-01-01

The article points to new competencies required from basic school teachers, reinforced by the reform processes in the educational system in Latvia, the quality assurance of educational process, and modernisation and critical re-evaluation of educational materials and standards. The authors view sustainability as an integral part of reform…

When Professors Confront Themselves: Towards a Theoretical Conceptualization of Video Self-Confrontation in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlberg, Arye

1983-01-01

Two explanations of the underlying process in faculty self-evaluation by videotape recording are outlined and integrated into one conceptualization. One theory is based on affect: self-confrontation, dissonance, stress, distress, and eustress. The second is based on a cognitive and information processing approach and includes feedback,…

[Ideas and methods on efficient screening of traditional medicines for anti-osteoporosis activity based on M-Act/Tox integrated evaluation using zebrafish].

PubMed

Wang, Mo; Ling, Jie; Chen, Ying; Song, Jie; Sun, E; Shi, Zi-Qi; Feng, Liang; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Wei, Ying-Jie

2017-11-01

The increasingly apparent liver injury problems of bone strengthening Chinese medicines have brought challenges for clinical application, and it is necessary to consider both effectiveness and safety in screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. Metabolic transformation is closely related to drug efficacy and toxicity, so it is significant to comprehensively consider metabolism-action/toxicity(M-Act/Tox) for screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. The current evaluation models and the number of compounds(including metabolites) severely restrict efficient screening in vivo. By referring to previous relevant research and domestic and abroad literature, zebrafish M-Act/Tox integrative method was put forward for efficiently screening anti-osteoporosis herb medicines, which has organically integrated zebrafish metabolism model, osteoporosis model and toxicity evaluation method. This method can break through the bottleneck and blind spots that trace compositions can't achieve efficient and integrated in vivo evaluation, and realize both efficient and comprehensive screening on anti-osteoporosis traditional medicines based on in vivo process taking both safety and effectiveness into account, which is significant to accelerate discovery of effective and safe innovative traditional Chinese medicines for osteoporosis. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Satellite-aided evaluation of population exposure to air pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todd, W. J.; George, A. J., Jr.; Bryant, N. A.

1979-01-01

The evaluation of population exposure to air pollution through the computer processing of Landsat digital land use data, along with total suspended particulate estimates and population data by census tracts, is demonstrated. Digital image processing was employed to analyze simultaneously data from Landsat MSS bands 4 through 7 in order to extract land use and land cover information. The three data sets were spatially registered in a digital format, compatible with integrated computer processing, and cross-tabulated. A map illustrating relative air quality by 2-sq km cells for the residential population in the Portland, Oregon area is obtained.

Integration of membrane separation and Fenton processes for sanitary landfill leachate treatment.

PubMed

Santos, Amanda Vitória; Andrade, Laura Hamdan de; Amaral, Míriam Cristina Santos; Lange, Liséte Celina

2018-04-06

The appropriate treatment of sanitary landfill leachate is one of the greatest challenges nowadays due to the large volumes of solid waste generated. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of different routes involving the integration of advanced oxidation processes based on Fenton's reagents (AOP-Fenton) and microfiltration (MF) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane processes for the treatment of landfill leachate. MF module configuration (submerged or sidestream) and MF and NF recovery rate were evaluated. The combination of AOP-Fenton, MF and NF proved to be an effective treatment for landfill leachate. High removal efficiencies of chemical oxidation demand (94-96%) and colour (96-99%) were obtained. The configuration named route 3, composed of MF of raw landfill leachate (MF1), POA-Fenton-MF2 of the MF1 concentrate and NF of both MF1 and MF2 permeates, showed a higher global water recovery and was responsible for lower waste generation. It was considered the best one in terms of environmental, technical and economical aspects.

Biometric Attendance and Big Data Analysis for Optimizing Work Processes.

PubMed

Verma, Neetu; Xavier, Teenu; Agrawal, Deepak

2016-01-01

Although biometric attendance management is available, large healthcare organizations have difficulty in big data analysis for optimization of work processes. The aim of this project was to assess the implementation of a biometric attendance system and its utility following big data analysis. In this prospective study the implementation of biometric system was evaluated over 3 month period at our institution. Software integration with other existing systems for data analysis was also evaluated. Implementation of the biometric system could be successfully done over a two month period with enrollment of 10,000 employees into the system. However generating reports and taking action this large number of staff was a challenge. For this purpose software was made for capturing the duty roster of each employee and integrating it with the biometric system and adding an SMS gateway. This helped in automating the process of sending SMSs to each employee who had not signed in. Standalone biometric systems have limited functionality in large organizations unless it is meshed with employee duty roster.

Evaluation of rail test frequencies using risk analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-03

Several industries now use risk analysis to develop : inspection programs to ensure acceptable mechanical integrity : and reliability. These industries include nuclear and electric : power generation, oil refining, gas processing, onshore and : offsh...

78 FR 38981 - Statement of Organization Functions, and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... integration of the budget and planning processes. Manages evaluation and measurement activities for the Agency... financial accounting and reporting systems and coordinates responses on budget and accounting matters with...

Framework for the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Evaluation : ITS Integration Activities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-08-01

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) represent a significant opportunity to improve the efficiency and safety of the surface transportation system. ITS includes technologies to support information processing, communications, surveillance and cont...

The Application of Learning Styles to Computer Assisted Instruction in Nursing Education

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

nursing profession is to integrate computer technology into the learning process at all levels of nursing education . In order to successfully accomplish... learning styles. * Computer technology needs to be integrated into nursing education , research and practice. * * An evaluation tool needs to be...Computer-assisted video instruction Learning Styles and CAI 71 References Aiken, E. (1990). Continuing nursing education in computer technology : A regional

The Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Digital Interactive Globe System Integrated into an Earth Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Wei-Kai; Bhagat, Kaushal Kumar; Chang, Chun-Yen

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to design and implement a digital interactive globe system (DIGS), by integrating low-cost equipment to make DIGS cost-effective. DIGS includes a data processing unit, a wireless control unit, an image-capturing unit, a laser emission unit, and a three-dimensional hemispheric body-imaging screen. A quasi-experimental study…

Rigor + Results = Impact: Measuring Impact with Integrity (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, H. B.; Scalice, D.

2013-12-01

Are you struggling to measure and explain the impact of your EPO efforts? The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) is using an evaluation process to determine the impact of its 15 EPO projects with over 200 activities. What is the current impact? How can it be improved in the future? We have developed a process that preserves autonomy at the project implementation level while still painting a picture of the entire portfolio. The impact evaluation process looks at an education/public outreach activity through its entire project cycle. Working with an external evaluator, education leads: 1) rate the quality/health of an activity in each stage of its cycle, and 2) determine the impact based on the results of the evaluation and the rigor of the methods used. The process has created a way to systematically codify a project's health and its impact, while offering support for improving both impact and how it is measured.

Performance evaluation for volumetric segmentation of multiple sclerosis lesions using MATLAB and computing engine in the graphical processing unit (GPU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Anh H.; Park, Young W.; Ma, Kevin; Jacobs, Colin; Liu, Brent J.

2010-03-01

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease affecting myelin pathways in the brain. Multiple lesions in the white matter can cause paralysis and severe motor disabilities of the affected patient. To solve the issue of inconsistency and user-dependency in manual lesion measurement of MRI, we have proposed a 3-D automated lesion quantification algorithm to enable objective and efficient lesion volume tracking. The computer-aided detection (CAD) of MS, written in MATLAB, utilizes K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) method to compute the probability of lesions on a per-voxel basis. Despite the highly optimized algorithm of imaging processing that is used in CAD development, MS CAD integration and evaluation in clinical workflow is technically challenging due to the requirement of high computation rates and memory bandwidth in the recursive nature of the algorithm. In this paper, we present the development and evaluation of using a computing engine in the graphical processing unit (GPU) with MATLAB for segmentation of MS lesions. The paper investigates the utilization of a high-end GPU for parallel computing of KNN in the MATLAB environment to improve algorithm performance. The integration is accomplished using NVIDIA's CUDA developmental toolkit for MATLAB. The results of this study will validate the practicality and effectiveness of the prototype MS CAD in a clinical setting. The GPU method may allow MS CAD to rapidly integrate in an electronic patient record or any disease-centric health care system.

Drug interactions evaluation: An integrated part of risk assessment of therapeutics

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

Zhang, Lei; Reynolds, Kellie S.; Zhao, Ping

2010-03-01

Pharmacokinetic drug interactions can lead to serious adverse events or decreased drug efficacy. The evaluation of a new molecular entity's (NME's) drug-drug interaction potential is an integral part of risk assessment during drug development and regulatory review. Alteration of activities of enzymes or transporters involved in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of a new molecular entity by concomitant drugs may alter drug exposure, which can impact response (safety or efficacy). The recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) draft drug interaction guidance ( (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/ucm072101.pdf)) highlights the methodologies and criteria that may be used to guide drug interaction evaluation by industrymore » and regulatory agencies and to construct informative labeling for health practitioner and patients. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration established a 'Drug Development and Drug Interactions' website to provide up-to-date information regarding evaluation of drug interactions ( (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/DevelopmentResources/DrugInteractionsLabeling/ucm080499.htm)). This review summarizes key elements in the FDA drug interaction guidance and new scientific developments that can guide the evaluation of drug-drug interactions during the drug development process.« less

Parsing the Behavioral and Brain Mechanisms of Third-Party Punishment

PubMed Central

Bonnie, Richard J.; Hoffman, Morris B.; Shen, Francis X.; Simons, Kenneth W.

2016-01-01

The evolved capacity for third-party punishment is considered crucial to the emergence and maintenance of elaborate human social organization and is central to the modern provision of fairness and justice within society. Although it is well established that the mental state of the offender and the severity of the harm he caused are the two primary predictors of punishment decisions, the precise cognitive and brain mechanisms by which these distinct components are evaluated and integrated into a punishment decision are poorly understood. Using fMRI, here we implement a novel experimental design to functionally dissociate the mechanisms underlying evaluation, integration, and decision that were conflated in previous studies of third-party punishment. Behaviorally, the punishment decision is primarily defined by a superadditive interaction between harm and mental state, with subjects weighing the interaction factor more than the single factors of harm and mental state. On a neural level, evaluation of harms engaged brain areas associated with affective and somatosensory processing, whereas mental state evaluation primarily recruited circuitry involved in mentalization. Harm and mental state evaluations are integrated in medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate structures, with the amygdala acting as a pivotal hub of the interaction between harm and mental state. This integrated information is used by the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at the time of the decision to assign an appropriate punishment through a distributed coding system. Together, these findings provide a blueprint of the brain mechanisms by which neutral third parties render punishment decisions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Punishment undergirds large-scale cooperation and helps dispense criminal justice. Yet it is currently unknown precisely how people assess the mental states of offenders, evaluate the harms they caused, and integrate those two components into a single punishment decision. Using a new design, we isolated these three processes, identifying the distinct brain systems and activities that enable each. Additional findings suggest that the amygdala plays a crucial role in mediating the interaction of mental state and harm information, whereas the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a crucial, final-stage role, both in integrating mental state and harm information and in selecting a suitable punishment amount. These findings deepen our understanding of how punishment decisions are made, which may someday help to improve them. PMID:27605616

Parsing the Behavioral and Brain Mechanisms of Third-Party Punishment.

PubMed

Ginther, Matthew R; Bonnie, Richard J; Hoffman, Morris B; Shen, Francis X; Simons, Kenneth W; Jones, Owen D; Marois, René

2016-09-07

The evolved capacity for third-party punishment is considered crucial to the emergence and maintenance of elaborate human social organization and is central to the modern provision of fairness and justice within society. Although it is well established that the mental state of the offender and the severity of the harm he caused are the two primary predictors of punishment decisions, the precise cognitive and brain mechanisms by which these distinct components are evaluated and integrated into a punishment decision are poorly understood. Using fMRI, here we implement a novel experimental design to functionally dissociate the mechanisms underlying evaluation, integration, and decision that were conflated in previous studies of third-party punishment. Behaviorally, the punishment decision is primarily defined by a superadditive interaction between harm and mental state, with subjects weighing the interaction factor more than the single factors of harm and mental state. On a neural level, evaluation of harms engaged brain areas associated with affective and somatosensory processing, whereas mental state evaluation primarily recruited circuitry involved in mentalization. Harm and mental state evaluations are integrated in medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate structures, with the amygdala acting as a pivotal hub of the interaction between harm and mental state. This integrated information is used by the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at the time of the decision to assign an appropriate punishment through a distributed coding system. Together, these findings provide a blueprint of the brain mechanisms by which neutral third parties render punishment decisions. Punishment undergirds large-scale cooperation and helps dispense criminal justice. Yet it is currently unknown precisely how people assess the mental states of offenders, evaluate the harms they caused, and integrate those two components into a single punishment decision. Using a new design, we isolated these three processes, identifying the distinct brain systems and activities that enable each. Additional findings suggest that the amygdala plays a crucial role in mediating the interaction of mental state and harm information, whereas the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a crucial, final-stage role, both in integrating mental state and harm information and in selecting a suitable punishment amount. These findings deepen our understanding of how punishment decisions are made, which may someday help to improve them. Copyright © 2016 Ginther et al.

A Life Cycle Assessment of integrated dairy farm-greenhouse systems in British Columbia.

PubMed

Zhang, Siduo; Bi, Xiaotao Tony; Clift, Roland

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anticipated environmental benefits from integrating a dairy farm and a greenhouse; the integration is based on anaerobic digestion of manures to produce biogas energy, biogenic CO2, and digested slurry. A full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been conducted on six modeled cases applicable in British Columbia, to evaluate non-renewable energy consumption, climate change, acidification, eutrophication, respiratory effects and human toxicity. Compared to conventional practice, an integrated system has the potential to nearly halve eutrophication and respiratory effects caused by inorganic emissions and to reduce non-renewable energy consumption, climate change, and acidification by 65-90%, while respiratory effects caused by organic emissions become negative as co-products substitute for other materials. Co-digestion of other livestock manures, greenhouse plant waste, or food and food processing waste with dairy manure can further improve the performance of the integrated system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

JIMM: the next step for mission-level models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gump, Jamieson; Kurker, Robert G.; Nalepka, Joseph P.

2001-09-01

The (Simulation Based Acquisition) SBA process is one in which the planning, design, and test of a weapon system or other product is done through the more effective use of modeling and simulation, information technology, and process improvement. This process results in a product that is produced faster, cheaper, and more reliably than its predecessors. Because the SBA process requires realistic and detailed simulation conditions, it was necessary to develop a simulation tool that would provide a simulation environment acceptable for doing SBA analysis. The Joint Integrated Mission Model (JIMM) was created to help define and meet the analysis, test and evaluation, and training requirements of a Department of Defense program utilizing SBA. Through its generic nature of representing simulation entities, its data analysis capability, and its robust configuration management process, JIMM can be used to support a wide range of simulation applications as both a constructive and a virtual simulation tool. JIMM is a Mission Level Model (MLM). A MLM is capable of evaluating the effectiveness and survivability of a composite force of air and space systems executing operational objectives in a specific scenario against an integrated air and space defense system. Because MLMs are useful for assessing a system's performance in a realistic, integrated, threat environment, they are key to implementing the SBA process. JIMM is a merger of the capabilities of one legacy model, the Suppressor MLM, into another, the Simulated Warfare Environment Generator (SWEG) MLM. By creating a more capable MLM, JIMM will not only be a tool to support the SBA initiative, but could also provide the framework for the next generation of MLMs.

A longitudinal investigation of older adults' physical activity: Testing an integrated dual-process model.

PubMed

Arnautovska, Urska; Fleig, Lena; O'Callaghan, Frances; Hamilton, Kyra

2017-02-01

To assess the effects of conscious and non-conscious processes for prediction of older adults' physical activity (PA), we tested a dual-process model that integrated motivational (behavioural intention) and volitional (action planning and coping planning) processes with non-conscious, automatic processes (habit). Participants (N = 215) comprised community-dwelling older adults (M = 73.8 years). A longitudinal design was adopted to investigate direct and indirect effects of intentions, habit strength (Time 1), and action planning and coping planning (Time 2) on PA behaviour (Time 3). Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the model. The model provided a good fit to the data, accounting for 44% of the variance in PA behaviour at Time 3. PA was predicted by intentions, action planning, and habit strength, with action planning mediating the intention-behaviour relationship. An effect of sex was also found where males used fewer planning strategies and engaged in more PA than females. By investigating an integration of conscious and non-conscious processes, this study provides a novel understanding of older adults' PA. Interventions aiming to promote PA behaviour of older adults should target the combination of psychological processes.

Solving the hypersingular boundary integral equation for the Burton and Miller formulation.

PubMed

Langrenne, Christophe; Garcia, Alexandre; Bonnet, Marc

2015-11-01

This paper presents an easy numerical implementation of the Burton and Miller (BM) formulation, where the hypersingular Helmholtz integral is regularized by identities from the associated Laplace equation and thus needing only the evaluation of weakly singular integrals. The Helmholtz equation and its normal derivative are combined directly with combinations at edge or corner collocation nodes not used when the surface is not smooth. The hypersingular operators arising in this process are regularized and then evaluated by an indirect procedure based on discretized versions of the Calderón identities linking the integral operators for associated Laplace problems. The method is valid for acoustic radiation and scattering problems involving arbitrarily shaped three-dimensional bodies. Unlike other approaches using direct evaluation of hypersingular integrals, collocation points still coincide with mesh nodes, as is usual when using conforming elements. Using higher-order shape functions (with the boundary element method model size kept fixed) reduces the overall numerical integration effort while increasing the solution accuracy. To reduce the condition number of the resulting BM formulation at low frequencies, a regularized version α = ik/(k(2 )+ λ) of the classical BM coupling factor α = i/k is proposed. Comparisons with the combined Helmholtz integral equation Formulation method of Schenck are made for four example configurations, two of them featuring non-smooth surfaces.

Integrated Inductors for RF Transmitters in CMOS/MEMS Smart Microsensor Systems

PubMed Central

Kim, Jong-Wan; Takao, Hidekuni; Sawada, Kazuaki; Ishida, Makoto

2007-01-01

This paper presents the integration of an inductor by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible processes for integrated smart microsensor systems that have been developed to monitor the motion and vital signs of humans in various environments. Integration of radio frequency transmitter (RF) technology with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor/micro electro mechanical systems (CMOS/MEMS) microsensors is required to realize the wireless smart microsensors system. The essential RF components such as a voltage controlled RF-CMOS oscillator (VCO), spiral inductors for an LC resonator and an integrated antenna have been fabricated and evaluated experimentally. The fabricated RF transmitter and integrated antenna were packaged with subminiature series A (SMA) connectors, respectively. For the impedance (50 Ω) matching, a bonding wire type inductor was developed. In this paper, the design and fabrication of the bonding wire inductor for impedance matching is described. Integrated techniques for the RF transmitter by CMOS compatible processes have been successfully developed. After matching by inserting the bonding wire inductor between the on-chip integrated antenna and the VCO output, the measured emission power at distance of 5 m from RF transmitter was -37 dBm (0.2 μW).

Development of an integrated, zero-G pneumatic transporter/rotating-paddle incinerator/catalytic afterburner subsystem for processing human waste on board spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, S. F.; Labak, L. J.; Honegger, R. J.

1974-01-01

A baseline laboratory prototype of an integrated, six man, zero-g subsystem for processing human wastes onboard spacecraft was investigated, and included the development of an operational specification for the baseline subsystem, followed by design and fabrication. The program was concluded by performing a series of six tests over a period of two weeks to evaluate the performance of the subsystem. The results of the tests were satisfactory, however, several changes in the design of the subsystem are required before completely satisfactory performance can be achieved.

Green Pea and Garlic Puree Model Food Development for Thermal Pasteurization Process Quality Evaluation.

PubMed

Bornhorst, Ellen R; Tang, Juming; Sablani, Shyam S; Barbosa-Cánovas, Gustavo V; Liu, Fang

2017-07-01

Development and selection of model foods is a critical part of microwave thermal process development, simulation validation, and optimization. Previously developed model foods for pasteurization process evaluation utilized Maillard reaction products as the time-temperature integrators, which resulted in similar temperature sensitivity among the models. The aim of this research was to develop additional model foods based on different time-temperature integrators, determine their dielectric properties and color change kinetics, and validate the optimal model food in hot water and microwave-assisted pasteurization processes. Color, quantified using a * value, was selected as the time-temperature indicator for green pea and garlic puree model foods. Results showed 915 MHz microwaves had a greater penetration depth into the green pea model food than the garlic. a * value reaction rates for the green pea model were approximately 4 times slower than in the garlic model food; slower reaction rates were preferred for the application of model food in this study, that is quality evaluation for a target process of 90 °C for 10 min at the cold spot. Pasteurization validation used the green pea model food and results showed that there were quantifiable differences between the color of the unheated control, hot water pasteurization, and microwave-assisted thermal pasteurization system. Both model foods developed in this research could be utilized for quality assessment and optimization of various thermal pasteurization processes. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

An integrated assessment instrument: Developing and validating instrument for facilitating critical thinking abilities and science process skills on electrolyte and nonelectrolyte solution matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Sri Rejeki Dwi; Suyanta, LFX, Endang Widjajanti; Rohaeti, Eli

2017-05-01

The demanding of assessment in learning process was impact by policy changes. Nowadays, assessment is not only emphasizing knowledge, but also skills and attitudes. However, in reality there are many obstacles in measuring them. This paper aimed to describe how to develop integrated assessment instrument and to verify instruments' validity such as content validity and construct validity. This instrument development used test development model by McIntire. Development process data was acquired based on development test step. Initial product was observed by three peer reviewer and six expert judgments (two subject matter experts, two evaluation experts and two chemistry teachers) to acquire content validity. This research involved 376 first grade students of two Senior High Schools in Bantul Regency to acquire construct validity. Content validity was analyzed used Aiken's formula. The verifying of construct validity was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis using SPSS ver 16.0. The result show that all constructs in integrated assessment instrument are asserted valid according to content validity and construct validity. Therefore, the integrated assessment instrument is suitable for measuring critical thinking abilities and science process skills of senior high school students on electrolyte solution matter.

ASRM test report: Autoclave cure process development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nachbar, D. L.; Mitchell, Suzanne

1992-01-01

ASRM insulated segments will be autoclave cured following insulation pre-form installation and strip wind operations. Following competitive bidding, Aerojet ASRM Division (AAD) Purchase Order 100142 was awarded to American Fuel Cell and Coated Fabrics Company, Inc. (Amfuel), Magnolia, AR, for subcontracted insulation autoclave cure process development. Autoclave cure process development test requirements were included in Task 3 of TM05514, Manufacturing Process Development Specification for Integrated Insulation Characterization and Stripwind Process Development. The test objective was to establish autoclave cure process parameters for ASRM insulated segments. Six tasks were completed to: (1) evaluate cure parameters that control acceptable vulcanization of ASRM Kevlar-filled EPDM insulation material; (2) identify first and second order impact parameters on the autoclave cure process; and (3) evaluate insulation material flow-out characteristics to support pre-form configuration design.

Electromagnetic pulsed thermography for natural cracks inspection

PubMed Central

Gao, Yunlai; Tian, Gui Yun; Wang, Ping; Wang, Haitao; Gao, Bin; Woo, Wai Lok; Li, Kongjing

2017-01-01

Emerging integrated sensing and monitoring of material degradation and cracks are increasingly required for characterizing the structural integrity and safety of infrastructure. However, most conventional nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods are based on single modality sensing which is not adequate to evaluate structural integrity and natural cracks. This paper proposed electromagnetic pulsed thermography for fast and comprehensive defect characterization. It hybrids multiple physical phenomena i.e. magnetic flux leakage, induced eddy current and induction heating linking to physics as well as signal processing algorithms to provide abundant information of material properties and defects. New features are proposed using 1st derivation that reflects multiphysics spatial and temporal behaviors to enhance the detection of cracks with different orientations. Promising results that robust to lift-off changes and invariant features for artificial and natural cracks detection have been demonstrated that the proposed method significantly improves defect detectability. It opens up multiphysics sensing and integrated NDE with potential impact for natural understanding and better quantitative evaluation of natural cracks including stress corrosion crack (SCC) and rolling contact fatigue (RCF). PMID:28169361

Multimodal frontostriatal connectivity underlies individual differences in self-esteem

PubMed Central

Heatherton, Todd F.

2015-01-01

A heightened sense of self-esteem is associated with a reduced risk for several types of affective and psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. However, little is known about how brain systems integrate self-referential processing and positive evaluation to give rise to these feelings. To address this, we combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test how frontostriatal connectivity reflects long-term trait and short-term state aspects of self-esteem. Using DTI, we found individual variability in white matter structural integrity between the medial prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum was related to trait measures of self-esteem, reflecting long-term stability of self-esteem maintenance. Using fMRI, we found that functional connectivity of these regions during positive self-evaluation was related to current feelings of self-esteem, reflecting short-term state self-esteem. These results provide convergent anatomical and functional evidence that self-esteem is related to the connectivity of frontostriatal circuits and suggest that feelings of self-worth may emerge from neural systems integrating information about the self with positive affect and reward. This information could potentially inform the etiology of diminished self-esteem underlying multiple psychiatric conditions and inform future studies of evaluative self-referential processing. PMID:24795440

Development of improved high temperature coatings for IN-792 + HF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Profant, D. D.; Naik, S. K.

1981-01-01

The development for t-55 l712 engine of high temperature for integral turbine nozzles with improved thermal fatigue resistance without sacrificing oxidation/corrosion protection is discussed. The program evaluated to coating systems which comprised one baseline plasma spray coating (12% Al-NiCoCrALY), three aluminide coatings including the baseline aluminide (701), two CoNiCrAly (6% Al) + aluminide systems and four NiCoCrY + aluminide coating were evaluated. The two-step coating processes were investigated since it offered the advantage of tailoring the composition as well as properly coating surfaces of an integral or segmented nozzle. Cyclic burner rig thermal fatigue and oxidation/corrosion tests were used to evaluate the candidate coating systems. The plasma sprayed 12% Al-NiCoCrAlY was rated the best coating in thermal fatigue resistance and outperformed all coatings by a factor between 1.4 to 2.5 in cycles to crack initiation. However, this coatings is not applicable to integral or segmented nozzles due to the line of sight limitation of the plasma spray process. The 6% Al-CoNiCrAlY + Mod. 701 aluminide (32 w/o Al) was rated the best coating in oxidation/corrosion resistance and was rated the second best in thermal fatigue resistance.

Research and development of low cost processes for integrated solar arrays. Final report, April 15, 1974--January 14, 1976

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

Graham, C.D.; Kulkarni, S.; Louis, E.

1976-05-01

Results of a program to study process routes leading to a low cost large area integrated silicon solar array manufacture for terrestrial applications are reported. Potential processes for the production of solar-grade silicon are evaluated from thermodynamic, economic, and technical feasibility points of view. Upgrading of the present arc-furnace process is found most favorable. Experimental studies of the Si/SiF/sub 4/ transport and purification process show considerable impurity removal and reasonable transport rates. Silicon deformation experiments indicate production of silicon sheet by rolling at 1350/sup 0/C is feasible. Significant recrystallization by strain-anneal technique has been observed. Experimental recrystallization studies using anmore » electron beam line source are discussed. A maximum recrystallization velocity of approximately 9 m/hr is calculated for silicon sheet. A comparative process rating technique based on detailed cost analysis is presented.« less

Does the Component Processes Task Assess Text-Based Inferences Important for Reading Comprehension? A Path Analysis in Primary School Children

PubMed Central

Wassenburg, Stephanie I.; de Koning, Björn B.; de Vries, Meinou H.; van der Schoot, Menno

2016-01-01

Using a component processes task (CPT) that differentiates between higher-level cognitive processes of reading comprehension provides important advantages over commonly used general reading comprehension assessments. The present study contributes to further development of the CPT by evaluating the relative contributions of its components (text memory, text inferencing, and knowledge integration) and working memory to general reading comprehension within a single study using path analyses. Participants were 173 third- and fourth-grade children. As hypothesized, knowledge integration was the only component of the CPT that directly contributed to reading comprehension, indicating that the text-inferencing component did not assess inferential processes related to reading comprehension. Working memory was a significant predictor of reading comprehension over and above the component processes. Future research should focus on finding ways to ensure that the text-inferencing component taps into processes important for reading comprehension. PMID:27378989

Integrating surveillance data on water-related diseases and drinking-water quality; action-research in a Brazilian municipality.

PubMed

Queiroz, Ana Carolina Lanza; Cardoso, Laís Santos de Magalhães; Heller, Léo; Cairncross, Sandy

2015-12-01

The Brazilian Ministry of Health proposed a research study involving municipal professional staff conducting both epidemiological and water quality surveillance to facilitate the integration of the data which they collected. It aimed to improve the intersectoral collaboration and health promotion activities in the municipalities, especially regarding drinking-water quality. We then conducted a study using the action-research approach. At its evaluation phase, a technique which we called 'the tree analogy' was applied in order to identify both possibilities and challenges related to the proposed interlinkage. Results showed that integrating the two data collection systems cannot be attained without prior institutional adjustments. It suggests therefore the necessity to unravel issues that go beyond the selection and the interrelation of indicators and compatibility of software, to include political, administrative and personal matters. The evaluation process led those involved to re-think their practice by sharing experiences encountered in everyday practice, and formulating constructive criticisms. All this inevitably unleashes a process of empowerment. From this perspective, we have certainly gathered some fruit from the Tree, but not necessarily the most visible.

Integration of Off-Track Sonic Boom Analysis in Conceptual Design of Supersonic Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordaz, Irian; Li, Wu

2011-01-01

A highly desired capability for the conceptual design of aircraft is the ability to rapidly and accurately evaluate new concepts to avoid adverse trade decisions that may hinder the development process in the later stages of design. Evaluating the robustness of new low-boom concepts is important for the conceptual design of supersonic aircraft. Here, robustness means that the aircraft configuration has a low-boom ground signature at both under- and off-track locations. An integrated process for off-track boom analysis is developed to facilitate the design of robust low-boom supersonic aircraft. The integrated off-track analysis can also be used to study the sonic boom impact and to plan future flight trajectories where flight conditions and ground elevation might have a significant effect on ground signatures. The key enabler for off-track sonic boom analysis is accurate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions for off-body pressure distributions. To ensure the numerical accuracy of the off-body pressure distributions, a mesh study is performed with Cart3D to determine the mesh requirements for off- body CFD analysis and comparisons are made between the Cart3D and USM3D results. The variations in ground signatures that result from changes in the initial location of the near-field waveform are also examined. Finally, a complete under- and off-track sonic boom analysis is presented for two distinct supersonic concepts to demonstrate the capability of the integrated analysis process.

The Modular Modeling System (MMS): User's Manual

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leavesley, G.H.; Restrepo, Pedro J.; Markstrom, S.L.; Dixon, M.; Stannard, L.G.

1996-01-01

The Modular Modeling System (MMS) is an integrated system of computer software that has been developed to provide the research and operational framework needed to support development, testing, and evaluation of physical-process algorithms and to facilitate integration of user-selected sets of algorithms into operational physical-process models. MMS uses a module library that contains modules for simulating a variety of water, energy, and biogeochemical processes. A model is created by selectively coupling the most appropriate modules from the library to create a 'suitable' model for the desired application. Where existing modules do not provide appropriate process algorithms, new modules can be developed. The MMS user's manual provides installation instructions and a detailed discussion of system concepts, module development, and model development and application using the MMS graphical user interface.

Team table: a framework and tool for continuous factory planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sihn, Wilfried; Bischoff, Juergen; von Briel, Ralf; Josten, Marcus

2000-10-01

Growing market turbulences and shorter product life cycles require a continuous adaptation of factory structures resulting in a continuous factory planning process. Therefore a new framework is developed which focuses on configuration and data management process integration. This enable an online system performance evaluation based on continuous availability of current data. The use of this framework is especially helpful and will guarantee high cost and time savings, when used in the early stages of the planning, called the concept or rough planning phase. The new framework is supported by a planning round table as a tool for team-based configuration processes integrating the knowledge of all persons involved in planning processes. A case study conducted at a German company shows the advantages which can be achieved by implementing the new framework and methods.

More Than Meets the Eye: Split-Second Social Perception.

PubMed

Freeman, Jonathan B; Johnson, Kerri L

2016-05-01

Recent research suggests that visual perception of social categories is shaped not only by facial features but also by higher-order social cognitive processes (e.g., stereotypes, attitudes, goals). Building on neural computational models of social perception, we outline a perspective of how multiple bottom-up visual cues are flexibly integrated with a range of top-down processes to form perceptions, and we identify a set of key brain regions involved. During this integration, 'hidden' social category activations are often triggered which temporarily impact perception without manifesting in explicit perceptual judgments. Importantly, these hidden impacts and other aspects of the perceptual process predict downstream social consequences - from politicians' electoral success to several evaluative biases - independently of the outcomes of that process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a plan for automating integrated circuit processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The operations analysis and equipment evaluations pertinent to the design of an automated production facility capable of manufacturing beam-lead CMOS integrated circuits are reported. The overall plan shows approximate cost of major equipment, production rate and performance capability, flexibility, and special maintenance requirements. Direct computer control is compared with supervisory-mode operations. The plan is limited to wafer processing operations from the starting wafer to the finished beam-lead die after separation etching. The work already accomplished in implementing various automation schemes, and the type of equipment which can be found for instant automation are described. The plan is general, so that small shops or large production units can perhaps benefit. Examples of major types of automated processing machines are shown to illustrate the general concepts of automated wafer processing.

Development and evaluation of a profile negotiation process for integrating aircraft and air traffic control automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Steven M.; Denbraven, Wim; Williams, David H.

1993-01-01

The development and evaluation of the profile negotiation process (PNP), an interactive process between an aircraft and air traffic control (ATC) that integrates airborne and ground-based automation capabilities to determine conflict-free trajectories that are as close to an aircraft's preference as possible, are described. The PNP was evaluated in a real-time simulation experiment conducted jointly by NASA's Ames and Langley Research Centers. The Ames Center/TRACON Automation System (CTAS) was used to support the ATC environment, and the Langley Transport Systems Research Vehicle (TSRV) piloted cab was used to simulate a 4D Flight Management System (FMS) capable aircraft. Both systems were connected in real time by way of voice and data lines; digital datalink communications capability was developed and evaluated as a means of supporting the air/ground exchange of trajectory data. The controllers were able to consistently and effectively negotiate nominally conflict-free vertical profiles with the 4D-equipped aircraft. The actual profiles flown were substantially closer to the aircraft's preference than would have been possible without the PNP. However, there was a strong consensus among the pilots and controllers that the level of automation of the PNP should be increased to make the process more transparent. The experiment demonstrated the importance of an aircraft's ability to accurately execute a negotiated profile as well as the need for digital datalink to support advanced air/ground data communications. The concept of trajectory space is proposed as a comprehensive approach for coupling the processes of trajectory planning and tracking to allow maximum pilot discretion in meeting ATC constraints.

Children's neural processing of moral scenarios provides insight into the formation and reduction of in-group biases.

PubMed

Meidenbauer, Kimberly L; Cowell, Jason M; Decety, Jean

2018-04-25

Survival is dependent on sociality within groups which ensure sustenance and protection. From an early age, children show a natural tendency to sort people into groups and discriminate among them. The computations guiding evaluation of third-party behaviors are complex, requiring integration of intent, consequences, and knowledge of group affiliation. This study examined how perceiving third-party morally laden behavior influences children's likelihood to exhibit or reduce group bias. Following a minimal group paradigm assignment, young children (4-7 years) performed a moral evaluation task where group affiliations and moral actions were systematically juxtaposed, so that they were exposed to disproportionately antisocial in-group and prosocial out-group scenarios. Electroencephalography was recorded, and group preference was assessed with a resource allocation game before and after the EEG session. Across all children, evaluations of others' moral actions arose from early and automatic processing (~150 ms), followed by later interactive processing of affiliation and moral valence (~500 ms). Importantly, individual differences in bias manifestation and attitude change were predicted by children's neural responses. Children with high baseline bias selectively exhibited a rapid detection (~200 ms) of scenarios inconsistent with their bias (in-group harm and out-group help). Changes in bias corresponded to distinct patterns in longer latency neural processing. These new developmental neuroscience findings elucidate the multifaceted processing involved in moral evaluation of others' actions, their group affiliations, the nature of the integration of both into full judgments, and the relation of individual differences in neural responses to social decision-making in childhood. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ultrasonic assessment of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schehl, Norman; Kramb, Vicki; Dierken, Josiah; Aldrin, John; Schwalbach, Edwin; John, Reji

2018-04-01

Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes offer the potential for manufacturing cost savings and rapid insertion into service through production of near net shape components for complicated structures. Use of these parts in high reliability applications such as those in the aerospace industry will require nondestructive characterization methods to ensure post-process material quality in as-built condition. Ultrasonic methods can be used for this quality verification. Depending on the application, the service life of AM components can be sensitive to the part surface condition. The surface roughness and layered structure inherent to the electron-beam powder-bed fusion process necessitates new approaches to evaluate subsurface material integrity in its presence. Experimental methods and data analytics may improve the evaluation of as-built additively manufactured materials. This paper discusses the assessment of additively manufactured EBM Ti-6Al-4V panels using ultrasonic methods and the data analytics applied to evaluate material integrity. The assessment was done as an exploratory study as the discontinuities of interest in these test samples were not known when the measurements were performed. Water immersion ultrasonic techniques, including pulse-echo and through transmission with 10 MHz focused transducers, were used to explore the material integrity of as-built plates. Subsequent destructive mechanical tests of specimens extracted from the plates provided fracture locations indicating critical flaws. To further understand the effect of surface-roughness, an evaluation of ultrasonic response in the presence of as-built surfaces and with the surface removed was performed. The assessment of additive manufactured EBM Ti-6Al-4V panels with ultrasonic techniques indicated that ultrasonic energy was attenuated by the as-built surface roughness. In addition, feature detection was shown to be sensitive to experimental ultrasonic parameters and flaw morphology.

Breaking barriers: a competency-based framework for promoting the integration of the pediatrician's education.

PubMed

Naghettini, Alessandra V; Bollela, Valdes R; Costa, Nilce M S C; Salgado, Luciana M R

2011-01-01

To describe the process of integration and revision of a pediatric program curriculum which resulted in the creation of a competency-based framework recommended in the Brazilian National Curricular Guidelines. Quali-quantitative analysis of an intervention evaluating the students and professors' perception of the pediatric program curriculum (focus groups and semi-structured interviews). Results were discussed during teaching development workshops. A competency-based framework was suggested for the pediatric program from the 3rd to the 6th year. The new curriculum was approved, implemented, and reevaluated six months later. Twelve students (12%) from the 3rd to the 6th year participated in the focus groups, and 11 professors (78.5%) answered the questionnaire. Most participants reported lack of integration among the courses, lack of knowledge about the learning goals of the internships, few opportunities of practice, and predominance of theoretical evaluation. In the training workshops, a competency-based curriculum was created after pediatrics and collective health professors reached an agreement. The new curriculum was focused on general competency, learning goals, opportunities available to learn these goals, and evaluation system. After six months, 93% (104/112) of students and 79% (11/14) of professors reported greater integration of the program and highlighted the inclusion of the clinical performance evaluation. The collective creation of a competency-based curriculum promoted higher satisfaction of students and professors. After being implemented, the new curriculum was considered to integrate the teaching practices and contents, improving the quality of the clinical performance evaluation.

Verification and Validation of Digitally Upgraded Control Rooms

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

Boring, Ronald; Lau, Nathan

2015-09-01

As nuclear power plants undertake main control room modernization, a challenge is the lack of a clearly defined human factors process to follow. Verification and validation (V&V) as applied in the nuclear power community has tended to involve efforts such as integrated system validation, which comes at the tail end of the design stage. To fill in guidance gaps and create a step-by-step process for control room modernization, we have developed the Guideline for Operational Nuclear Usability and Knowledge Elicitation (GONUKE). This approach builds on best practices in the software industry, which prescribe an iterative user-centered approach featuring multiple cyclesmore » of design and evaluation. Nuclear regulatory guidance for control room design emphasizes summative evaluation—which occurs after the design is complete. In the GONUKE approach, evaluation is also performed at the formative stage of design—early in the design cycle using mockups and prototypes for evaluation. The evaluation may involve expert review (e.g., software heuristic evaluation at the formative stage and design verification against human factors standards like NUREG-0700 at the summative stage). The evaluation may also involve user testing (e.g., usability testing at the formative stage and integrated system validation at the summative stage). An additional, often overlooked component of evaluation is knowledge elicitation, which captures operator insights into the system. In this report we outline these evaluation types across design phases that support the overall modernization process. The objective is to provide industry-suitable guidance for steps to be taken in support of the design and evaluation of a new human-machine interface (HMI) in the control room. We suggest the value of early-stage V&V and highlight how this early-stage V&V can help improve the design process for control room modernization. We argue that there is a need to overcome two shortcomings of V&V in current practice—the propensity for late-stage V&V and the use of increasingly complex psychological assessment measures for V&V.« less

Stormwater BMP Effectiveness Assessment Toolkit

EPA Science Inventory

US EPA has identified stormwater BMP effectiveness as a priority research need. Effective protection of biotic integrity requires that processes maintaining the diversity of physical habitats be protected. Methods are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of existing Stormwater ...

School nurse evaluations: making the process meaningful and motivational.

PubMed

McDaniel, Kathryn H; Overman, Muriel; Guttu, Martha; Engelke, Martha Keehner

2013-02-01

The professional standards of school nursing practice provide a framework to help school nurses focus on their unique mission of promoting health and academic achievement for all students. Without the standards, the nurse's role can become task oriented and limited in scope. By using an evaluation tool that reflects the standards, nurses not only become aware and begin to understand the standards; they also become directly accountable for meeting them. In addition, developing an evaluation process based on the standards of school nurse practice increases the visibility of school nurses and helps school administrators understand the role of the school nurse. This article describes how one school district integrated the scope and standards of school nursing into the job description and performance evaluation of the nurse. The process which is used to complete the evaluation in a manner that is meaningful and motivational to the school nurse is described.

[Biological evaluation within a risk management process].

PubMed

Zhuang, Fei; Ding, Biao

2007-07-01

Bio-evaluation within the medical device quality/risk management system is a risk analyzing and assessing process. On the basis of data from characterization of materials, scientific literatures, application history, bio-toxicology testing and so on, weighing the benefit and the risk, bio-evaluation does a conclusion to "take" or "quit" the product design. There is no "zero risk" though "no toxicity" always is the most desirable conclusion in a testing report. The application history data is the most comprehensive among the information available, since no testing system can "clone" the human body. In addition, the capital cost has to be taken into account when bringing the sophisticated testing technologies into the evaluating system. Investigating the #G95-1 of FDA CDRH and the changes of ISO 10993-1, the trend to integrate bio-evaluation into a quality/risk management process can be figured out.

Development of NASA's Sample Cartridge Assembly: Summary of GEDS Design, Development Testing, and Thermal Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Connor, Brian; Hernandez, Deborah; Hornsby, Linda; Brown, Maria; Horton-Mullins, Kathryn

2017-01-01

Outline: Background of ISS (International Space Station) Material Science Research Rack; NASA SCA (Sample Cartridge Assembly) Design; GEDS (Gravitational Effects in Distortion in Sintering) Experiment Ampoule Design; Development Testing Summary; Thermal Modeling and Analysis. Summary: GEDS design development challenging (GEDS Ampoule design developed through MUGS (Microgravity) testing; Short duration transient sample processing; Unable to measure sample temperatures); MUGS Development testing used to gather data (Actual LGF (Low Gradient Furnace)-like furnace response; Provided sample for sintering evaluation); Transient thermal model integral to successful GEDS experiment (Development testing provided furnace response; PI (Performance Indicator) evaluation of sintering anchored model evaluation of processing durations; Thermal transient model used to determine flight SCA sample processing profiles).

Integrating Critical Thinking into the Assessment of College Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Frost; Moore, Miriam

2012-01-01

When writing teachers at any level get together to assess student essays, they often disagree in their evaluations of the writing at hand. This is no surprise as writing is a complex process, and in evaluating it, teachers go through a complex sequence of thoughts before emerging with an overall assessment. Critical thinking, or the complexity of…

Space Tug avionics definition study. Volume 4: Supporting trade studies and analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Analyses and trade studies were performed for the evaluation of the most desirable solutions to space tug subsystem requirements. These were accomplished at system, subsystem, and at component levels. The criteria, the candidate options evaluated, the selection process, and the recommended solutions that have been integrated together in the configuration descriptions are reported.

Farm simulation: a tool for evaluating the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the adaptation of dairy production to climate change

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Process-level modeling at the farm scale provides a tool for evaluating both strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and strategies for adapting to climate change. The Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) simulates representative crop, beef or dairy farms over many years of weather to pred...

Development of an Automated System for Evaluation of Student Teacher Effectiveness. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chissom, Brad S.; Morris, John E.

The primary purpose of this project was to develop a system for the evaluation of student teachers employing automated data processing as an integral part of the system. This system employed data gathered from four sources: (1) Public School Pupils, Grades 7-12; (2) Student Teachers; (3) Supervising Teachers; (4) College Supervisors. The emphasis…

Architecture and Design Process of the Individualized Assessment System Integrable to Distance Education Softwares

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozyurt, Hacer; Ozyurt, Ozcan; Baki, Adnan

2012-01-01

Assessment is one of the methods used for evaluation of the learning outputs. Nowadays, use of adaptive assessment systems estimating ability level and abilities of the students is becoming widespread instead of traditional assessment systems. Adaptive assessment system evaluates students not only according to their marks that they take in test…

Business process architectures: overview, comparison and framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dijkman, Remco; Vanderfeesten, Irene; Reijers, Hajo A.

2016-02-01

With the uptake of business process modelling in practice, the demand grows for guidelines that lead to consistent and integrated collections of process models. The notion of a business process architecture has been explicitly proposed to address this. This paper provides an overview of the prevailing approaches to design a business process architecture. Furthermore, it includes evaluations of the usability and use of the identified approaches. Finally, it presents a framework for business process architecture design that can be used to develop a concrete architecture. The use and usability were evaluated in two ways. First, a survey was conducted among 39 practitioners, in which the opinion of the practitioners on the use and usefulness of the approaches was evaluated. Second, four case studies were conducted, in which process architectures from practice were analysed to determine the approaches or elements of approaches that were used in their design. Both evaluations showed that practitioners have a preference for using approaches that are based on reference models and approaches that are based on the identification of business functions or business objects. At the same time, the evaluations showed that practitioners use these approaches in combination, rather than selecting a single approach.

Donabedian's structure-process-outcome quality of care model: Validation in an integrated trauma system.

PubMed

Moore, Lynne; Lavoie, André; Bourgeois, Gilles; Lapointe, Jean

2015-06-01

According to Donabedian's health care quality model, improvements in the structure of care should lead to improvements in clinical processes that should in turn improve patient outcome. This model has been widely adopted by the trauma community but has not yet been validated in a trauma system. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of an integrated trauma system in terms of structure, process, and outcome and evaluate the correlation between quality domains. Quality of care was evaluated for patients treated in a Canadian provincial trauma system (2005-2010; 57 centers, n = 63,971) using quality indicators (QIs) developed and validated previously. Structural performance was measured by transposing on-site accreditation visit reports onto an evaluation grid according to American College of Surgeons criteria. The composite process QI was calculated as the average sum of proportions of conformity to 15 process QIs derived from literature review and expert opinion. Outcome performance was measured using risk-adjusted rates of mortality, complications, and readmission as well as hospital length of stay (LOS). Correlation was assessed with Pearson's correlation coefficients. Statistically significant correlations were observed between structure and process QIs (r = 0.33), and process and outcome QIs (r = -0.33 for readmission, r = -0.27 for LOS). Significant positive correlations were also observed between outcome QIs (r = 0.37 for mortality-readmission; r = 0.39 for mortality-LOS and readmission-LOS; r = 0.45 for mortality-complications; r = 0.34 for readmission-complications; 0.63 for complications-LOS). Significant correlations between quality domains observed in this study suggest that Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model is a valid model for evaluating trauma care. Trauma centers that perform well in terms of structure also tend to perform well in terms of clinical processes, which in turn has a favorable influence on patient outcomes. Prognostic study, level III.

Evaluation of security algorithms used for security processing on DICOM images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaomeng; Shuai, Jie; Zhang, Jianguo; Huang, H. K.

2005-04-01

In this paper, we developed security approach to provide security measures and features in PACS image acquisition and Tele-radiology image transmission. The security processing on medical images was based on public key infrastructure (PKI) and including digital signature and data encryption to achieve the security features of confidentiality, privacy, authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation. There are many algorithms which can be used in PKI for data encryption and digital signature. In this research, we select several algorithms to perform security processing on different DICOM images in PACS environment, evaluate the security processing performance of these algorithms, and find the relationship between performance with image types, sizes and the implementation methods.

Semantic integration of differently asynchronous audio-visual information in videos of real-world events in cognitive processing: an ERP study.

PubMed

Liu, Baolin; Wu, Guangning; Wang, Zhongning; Ji, Xiang

2011-07-01

In the real world, some of the auditory and visual information received by the human brain are temporally asynchronous. How is such information integrated in cognitive processing in the brain? In this paper, we aimed to study the semantic integration of differently asynchronous audio-visual information in cognitive processing using ERP (event-related potential) method. Subjects were presented with videos of real world events, in which the auditory and visual information are temporally asynchronous. When the critical action was prior to the sound, sounds incongruous with the preceding critical actions elicited a N400 effect when compared to congruous condition. This result demonstrates that semantic contextual integration indexed by N400 also applies to cognitive processing of multisensory information. In addition, the N400 effect is early in latency when contrasted with other visually induced N400 studies. It is shown that cross modal information is facilitated in time when contrasted with visual information in isolation. When the sound was prior to the critical action, a larger late positive wave was observed under the incongruous condition compared to congruous condition. P600 might represent a reanalysis process, in which the mismatch between the critical action and the preceding sound was evaluated. It is shown that environmental sound may affect the cognitive processing of a visual event. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated optimisation technique based on computer-aided capacity and safety evaluation for managing downstream lane-drop merging area of signalised junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, CHAI; Yiik Diew, WONG

2017-02-01

This study provides an integrated strategy, encompassing microscopic simulation, safety assessment, and multi-attribute decision-making, to optimize traffic performance at downstream merging area of signalized intersections. A Fuzzy Cellular Automata (FCA) model is developed to replicate microscopic movement and merging behavior. Based on simulation experiment, the proposed FCA approach is able to provide capacity and safety evaluation of different traffic scenarios. The results are then evaluated through data envelopment analysis (DEA) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Optimized geometric layout and control strategies are then suggested for various traffic conditions. An optimal lane-drop distance that is dependent on traffic volume and speed limit can thus be established at the downstream merging area.

Teaching Image-Processing Concepts in Junior High School: Boys' and Girls' Achievements and Attitudes towards Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barak, Moshe; Asad, Khaled

2012-01-01

Background: This research focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of a course on image-processing principles aimed at middle-school students. Purpose: The overarching purpose of the study was that of integrating the learning of subjects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and linking the learning of these…

Commentary: Advances in Research on Sourcing-Source Credibility and Reliable Processes for Producing Knowledge Claims

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinn, Clark A.; Rinehart, Ronald W.

2016-01-01

In our commentary on this excellent set of articles on "Sourcing in the Reading Process," we endeavor to synthesize the findings from the seven articles and discuss future research. We discuss significant contributions related to source memory, source evaluation, use of sources in action and belief, integration of information from…

Integrated Ion Exchange Regeneration Process for Drinking Water

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

Volatile Organic Carbon 1 . INTRODUCTION - This report describes an evaluation of the synthesis of an ion exchange (IX) process for perchlorate...Absorption Spectroscopy 1 ,2-dibromo-3- chloropropane Dibenzofurans Disinfectants and disinfection by-products Decafluorotriphenylphosphine The...Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions

Improving the Residency Admissions Process by Integrating a Professionalism Assessment: A Validity and Feasibility Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bajwa, Nadia M.; Yudkowsky, Rachel; Belli, Dominique; Vu, Nu Viet; Park, Yoon Soo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide validity and feasibility evidence in measuring professionalism using the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) scores as part of a residency admissions process. In 2012 and 2013, three standardized-patient-based P-MEX encounters were administered to applicants invited for an interview at the…

The Insider Threat to Cybersecurity: How Group Process and Ignorance Affect Analyst Accuracy and Promptitude

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

meta-analytic review and theoretical integration . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ,65(4), 681. Karr-Wisniewski, P., & Lu, Y. (2010...dissertation applies attribution theory, a product of cognitive psychology , to evaluate how analysts collectively and individually make attributions in...Likewise, many researchers agree that anomaly detection is an integral component for insider threat analysis (Brdiczka, Liu, Price, Shen, Patil, Chow

Patient-centered care in cancer treatment programs: the future of integrative oncology through psychoeducation.

PubMed

Garchinski, Christina M; DiBiase, Ann-Marie; Wong, Raimond K; Sagar, Stephen M

2014-12-01

The reciprocal relationship between the mind and body has been a neglected process for improving the psychosocial care of cancer patients. Emotions form an important link between the mind and body. They play a fundamental role in the cognitive functions of decision-making and symptom control. Recognizing this relationship is important for integrative oncology. We define psychoeducation as the teaching of self-evaluation and self-regulation of the mind-body process. A gap exists between research evidence and implementation into clinical practice. The patients' search for self-empowerment through the pursuit of complementary therapies may be a surrogate for inadequate psychoeducation. Integrative oncology programs should implement psychoeducation that helps patients to improve both emotional and cognitive intelligence, enabling them to better negotiate cancer treatment systems.

[Therapy of adult-onset laryngeal papilloma: integrallty submucosal dissection of the tumor by CO2 laser].

PubMed

Lei, W B; Liu, Q H; Chai, L P; Zhu, X L; Wang, Z F; Li, Q M; Tang, H C; Jiang, A Y; Wen, Y H; Wen, W P

2016-10-07

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the integrallty submucosal resection of adult-onset laryngeal papilloma by CO 2 laser. Methods: A group of 64 cases (36 males and 28 females, multipe lesions 54 cases and single lesion 10 cases, aged 18-75 years, mean age 43.13 years) with adult-onset laryngeal papilloma encountered in the first affliated hospital of Sun Yatsen university from 2009 to 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. All cases were treated with integrallty submucosal dissection of the tumor by CO 2 laser, and observed the changes of tumor integral scope, inter-operative, operative processes, postoperative voice quality, postoperative scarring, and the tracheotomy conditions, which were analysed and evaluated. Results: A total of 64 patients were followed up from 1 year to 5 years. Preoperative tumor integral scope of these patients averaged of 7.00. A total of 62 cases kept 0 score of the tumor integral scope for at least one year, which lead to a clinical cure rate of 96.9%. The inter-operative averaged of 25.7 months. The total operative processes of these patients were 87 times (mean time 1.36). Four cases resulted in postoperative scarring. However these was a good result in postoperative voice quality with a mean score 4.25. As to the changes of tumor integral scope, all cases got a declining score (mean score 6.72), which resulted in a remission rate of 100%. Conclusion: The integrallty submucosal dissection of adult-onset 1aryngeal papilloma by CO 2 laser was an effective way to reduce the tumor integral scope; lengthen their inter-operative; decrease the operative processes, avoid the occurrence of tracheotomy; and improve the postoperative voice quality. Most of the patients could even be cured ultimately.

Techniques for control of long-term reliability of complex integrated circuits. I - Reliability assurance by test vehicle qualification.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Vonno, N. W.

1972-01-01

Development of an alternate approach to the conventional methods of reliability assurance for large-scale integrated circuits. The product treated is a large-scale T squared L array designed for space applications. The concept used is that of qualification of product by evaluation of the basic processing used in fabricating the product, providing an insight into its potential reliability. Test vehicles are described which enable evaluation of device characteristics, surface condition, and various parameters of the two-level metallization system used. Evaluation of these test vehicles is performed on a lot qualification basis, with the lot consisting of one wafer. Assembled test vehicles are evaluated by high temperature stress at 300 C for short time durations. Stressing at these temperatures provides a rapid method of evaluation and permits a go/no go decision to be made on the wafer lot in a timely fashion.

Characterization of integrated optical CD for process control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jackie; Uchida, Junichi; van Dommelen, Youri; Carpaij, Rene; Cheng, Shaunee; Pollentier, Ivan; Viswanathan, Anita; Lane, Lawrence; Barry, Kelly A.; Jakatdar, Nickhil

2004-05-01

The accurate measurement of CD (critical dimension) and its application to inline process control are key challenges for high yield and OEE (overall equipment efficiency) in semiconductor production. CD-SEM metrology, although providing the resolution necessary for CD evaluation, suffers from the well-known effect of resist shrinkage, making accuracy and stability of the measurements an issue. For sub-100 nm in-line process control, where accuracy and stability as well as speed are required, CD-SEM metrology faces serious limitations. In contrast, scatterometry, using broadband optical spectra taken from grating structures, does not suffer from such limitations. This technology is non-destructive and, in addition to CD, provides profile information and film thickness in a single measurement. Using Timbre's Optical Digital Profililometry (ODP) technology, we characterized the Process Window, using a iODP101 integrated optical CD metrology into a TEL Clean Track at IMEC. We demonstrate the Optical CD's high sensitivity to process change and its insensitivity to measurement noise. We demonstrate the validity of ODP modeling by showing its accurate response to known process changes built into the evaluation and its excellent correlation to CD-SEM. We will further discuss the intrinsic Optical CD metrology factors that affect the tool precision, accuracy and its correlation to CD-SEM.

Integrated urban water planning: big picture planning is good for the wallet and the environment.

PubMed

Anderson, J; Iyaduri, R

2003-01-01

The demands on governments and local authorities are changing in response to community expectations for environmentally sustainable outcomes. To reverse declining water quality in rivers and ensure sustainable use in the 21st century, the State Government in New South Wales has introduced a package of Water Reforms. The introduction of integrated water, sewerage and drainage planning is one of the Water Reform initiatives. Traditionally, government and local authorities have managed their water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage systems as separate entities. Integrated urban water planning is a structured planning process to evaluate concurrently the opportunities to improve the management of water, sewerage and drainage services within an urban area in ways which are consistent with broader catchment and river management objectives. The New South Wales Department of Land & Water Conservation (DLWC) has developed an integrated urban water planning process through a number of recent pilot studies. The process links urban water management objectives to overall catchment and river management objectives. DLWC is currently developing a set of guidelines for integrated urban water plans. DLWC has developed the Integrated Urban Water Planning methodology through three pilot studies in the New South Wales towns of Finley, Goulburn and Bombala. The pilot studies have shown that an integrated approach to water, sewerage and stormwater planning can identify opportunities that are not apparent when separate strategies are developed for each service. The result is better-integrated, more sustainable solutions, and substantial cost savings for local communities.

Semi-Markov adjunction to the Computer-Aided Markov Evaluator (CAME)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosch, Gene; Hutchins, Monica A.; Leong, Frank J.; Babcock, Philip S., IV

1988-01-01

The rule-based Computer-Aided Markov Evaluator (CAME) program was expanded in its ability to incorporate the effect of fault-handling processes into the construction of a reliability model. The fault-handling processes are modeled as semi-Markov events and CAME constructs and appropriate semi-Markov model. To solve the model, the program outputs it in a form which can be directly solved with the Semi-Markov Unreliability Range Evaluator (SURE) program. As a means of evaluating the alterations made to the CAME program, the program is used to model the reliability of portions of the Integrated Airframe/Propulsion Control System Architecture (IAPSA 2) reference configuration. The reliability predictions are compared with a previous analysis. The results bear out the feasibility of utilizing CAME to generate appropriate semi-Markov models to model fault-handling processes.

Learning to walk before we run: what can medical education learn from the human body about integrated care.

PubMed

Manusov, Eron G; Marlowe, Daniel P; Teasley, Deborah J

2013-04-01

True integration requires a shift in all levels of medical and allied health education; one that emphasizes team learning, practicing, and evaluating from the beginning of each students' educational experience whether that is as physician, nurse, psychologist, or any other health profession. Integration of healthcare services will not occur until medical education focuses, like the human body, on each system working inter-dependently and cohesively to maintain balance through continual change and adaptation. The human body develops and maintains homeostasis by a process of communication: true integrated care relies on learned interprofessionality and ensures shared responsibility and practice.

Learning to walk before we run: what can medical education learn from the human body about integrated care

PubMed Central

Manusov, Eron G; Marlowe, Daniel P; Teasley, Deborah J

2013-01-01

True integration requires a shift in all levels of medical and allied health education; one that emphasizes team learning, practicing, and evaluating from the beginning of each students’ educational experience whether that is as physician, nurse, psychologist, or any other health profession. Integration of healthcare services will not occur until medical education focuses, like the human body, on each system working inter-dependently and cohesively to maintain balance through continual change and adaptation. The human body develops and maintains homeostasis by a process of communication: true integrated care relies on learned interprofessionality and ensures shared responsibility and practice. PMID:23882167

Feasibility study on the use of groupware support for NASA source evaluation boards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Peter C.; Yoes, Cissy

1991-01-01

Groupware is a class of computer based systems that support groups engaged in a common task (or goal) and that provide an interface to a shared environment. A potential application for groupware is the source evaluation board (SEB) process used in the procurement of government contracts. This study was undertaken to (1) identify parts of the SEB process which are candidates for groupware supports; and (2) identify tools which could be used to support the candidate process. Two processes of the SEB were identified as good candidates for groupware support: (1) document generation - a coordination and communication process required to present and document the findings of an SEB; and (2) group decision making - a highly analytical and integrative decision process requiring a clear and supportable outcome.

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme: protocol for trial and integrated economic and process evaluation.

PubMed

Murphy, Simon; Raisanen, Larry; Moore, Graham; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Linck, Pat; Williams, Nefyn; Ud Din, Nafees; Hale, Janine; Roberts, Chris; McNaish, Elaine; Moore, Laurence

2010-06-18

The benefits to health of a physically active lifestyle are well established and there is evidence that a sedentary lifestyle plays a significant role in the onset and progression of chronic disease. Despite a recognised need for effective public health interventions encouraging sedentary people with a medical condition to become more active, there are few rigorous evaluations of their effectiveness. Following NICE guidance, the Welsh national exercise referral scheme was implemented within the context of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. The randomised controlled trial, with nested economic and process evaluations, recruited 2,104 inactive men and women aged 16+ with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and/or mild to moderate depression, anxiety or stress. Participants were recruited from 12 local health boards in Wales and referred directly by health professionals working in a range of health care settings. Consenting participants were randomised to either a 16 week tailored exercise programme run by qualified exercise professionals at community sports centres (intervention), or received an information booklet on physical activity (control). A range of validated measures assessing physical activity, mental health, psycho-social processes and health economics were administered at 6 and 12 months, with the primary 12 month outcome measure being 7 day Physical Activity Recall. The process evaluation explored factors determining the effectiveness or otherwise of the scheme, whilst the economic evaluation determined the relative cost-effectiveness of the scheme in terms of public spending. Evaluation of such a large scale national public health intervention presents methodological challenges in terms of trial design and implementation. This study was facilitated by early collaboration with social research and policy colleagues to develop a rigorous design which included an innovative approach to patient referral and trial recruitment, a comprehensive process evaluation examining intervention delivery and an integrated economic evaluation. This will allow a unique insight into the feasibility, effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a national exercise referral scheme for participants with CHD risk factors or mild to moderate anxiety, depression, or stress and provides a potential model for future policy evaluations. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN47680448.

A Qualitative Study of the Communication Process for Medical Acupuncture in Family Medicine.

PubMed

Ledford, Christy J W; Fisher, Carla L; Crawford, Paul

2018-05-01

As evidence establishes the efficacy of medical acupuncture, more family physicians and family medicine residents may receive medical acupuncture training and need to know how to effectively communicate about the treatment option with patients. By identifying how physicians talk about acupuncture treatment with their patients, we aimed to develop a model for physician training that could enhance their ability to integrate and practice medical acupuncture in conventional clinical settings. To capture the communication process that family physicians engage in when integrating acupuncture treatment into a clinical environment, we sought both physicians' and patients' perspectives. We conducted interviews with 17 family physicians and 15 patients in a US family medicine clinic that has integrated medical acupuncture into its practice. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed by two members of the study team in ATLAS.ti, using the constant comparative method. Integrating acupuncture into family medicine entailed a three-phase communication process: (1) introduce acupuncture, (2) explain the medical process, and (3) evaluate treatment outcomes. The emerging three-phase process of communicating acupuncture described here provides an initial model for teaching communication in the context of medical acupuncture. Given the exploratory nature of this initial study and the rarity of acupuncture treatment integrated into family medical settings, this is a first step in building knowledge in this realm of practice. Future research is needed to better understand the experience of patients who do not report notable results of acupuncture and to extend this study into other family medicine settings.

Technical and Energy Performance of an Advanced, Aqueous Ammonia-Based CO2 Capture Technology for a 500 MW Coal-Fired Power Station.

PubMed

Li, Kangkang; Yu, Hai; Feron, Paul; Tade, Moses; Wardhaugh, Leigh

2015-08-18

Using a rate-based model, we assessed the technical feasibility and energy performance of an advanced aqueous-ammonia-based postcombustion capture process integrated with a coal-fired power station. The capture process consists of three identical process trains in parallel, each containing a CO2 capture unit, an NH3 recycling unit, a water separation unit, and a CO2 compressor. A sensitivity study of important parameters, such as NH3 concentration, lean CO2 loading, and stripper pressure, was performed to minimize the energy consumption involved in the CO2 capture process. Process modifications of the rich-split process and the interheating process were investigated to further reduce the solvent regeneration energy. The integrated capture system was then evaluated in terms of the mass balance and the energy consumption of each unit. The results show that our advanced ammonia process is technically feasible and energy-competitive, with a low net power-plant efficiency penalty of 7.7%.

Attitudes and attitude change.

PubMed

Bohner, Gerd; Dickel, Nina

2011-01-01

Attitudes and attitude change remain core topics of contemporary social psychology. This selective review emphasizes work published from 2005 to 2009. It addresses constructionist and stable-entity conceptualizations of attitude, the distinction between implicit and explicit measures of attitude, and implications of the foregoing for attitude change. Associative and propositional processes in attitude change are considered at a general level and in relation to evaluative conditioning. The role of bodily states and physical perceptions in attitude change is reviewed. This is followed by an integrative perspective on processing models of persuasion and the consideration of meta-cognitions in persuasion. Finally, effects of attitudes on information processing, social memory, and behavior are highlighted. Core themes cutting across the areas reviewed are attempts at integrative theorizing bringing together formerly disparate phenomena and viewpoints.

Stormwater BMP Effectiveness Toolkit

EPA Science Inventory

US EPA has identified the effectiveness of Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) as a priority research need. Effective protection of biotic integrity requires that processes maintaining the diversity of physical habitats be protected. Methods are needed to evaluate the e...

Research on non-destructive evaluation : workshop.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-01

The workshop held on March 28 at the MDOT Aeronautics Auditorium in Lansing, : Michigan, was organized with the goal of providing an overview of readily available and : proven NDE technologies and the process of integrating these technologies into th...

A model biorefinery for avocado (Persea americana mill.) processing.

PubMed

Dávila, Javier A; Rosenberg, Moshe; Castro, Eulogio; Cardona, Carlos A

2017-11-01

This research investigated and evaluated a biorefinery for processing avocado Hass variety into microencapsulated phenolic compounds extract, ethanol, oil and xylitol. Avocado was first characterized for its potential valuable compounds; then, the techno-economic and environmental aspects of the biorefinery were developed and finally the total production costs and potential environmental impact of the proposed biorefinery were investigated. Four scenarios of the biorefinery were evaluated with different extent of mass and energy integration as well as the incorporation of a cogeneration system. Results indicated that the main fatty acid in the pulp of the investigated avocado variety was oleic acid (50.96%) and that this fruit contained significant amount of holocellulose (52.88% and 54.36% in the peel and seed, respectively). Techno-economic and environmental assessment suggested an attractive opportunity for a biorefinery for complete utilization of the avocado fruit as well the importance of the level of integration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Benchmark matrix and guide: Part III.

PubMed

1992-01-01

The final article in the "Benchmark Matrix and Guide" series developed by Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command completes the discussion of the last three categories that are essential ingredients of a successful total quality management (TQM) program. Detailed behavioral objectives are listed in the areas of recognition, process improvement, and customer focus. These vertical categories are meant to be applied to the levels of the matrix that define the progressive stages of the TQM: business as usual, initiation, implementation, expansion, and integration. By charting the horizontal progress level and the vertical TQM category, the quality management professional can evaluate the current state of TQM in any given organization. As each category is completed, new goals can be defined in order to advance to a higher level. The benchmarking process is integral to quality improvement efforts because it focuses on the highest possible standards to evaluate quality programs.

Patient Web Portals to Improve Diabetes Outcomes: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Mayberry, Lindsay Satterwhite; Mulvaney, Shelagh A.; Hess, Rachel

2011-01-01

Patient web portals (PWPs), defined as the integration of electronic medical records and patient health records, have been related to enhanced patient outcomes. A literature review was conducted to characterize the design and evaluation of PWPs to improve health care processes and outcomes in diabetes. A summary of 26 articles revealed the positive impact PWPs have on patient outcomes, patient-provider communication, disease management, and access to and patient satisfaction with health care. Innovative and useful approaches included the evaluation of specific components of the PWPs, assessing the impact of PWPs on mediators of health behaviors, such as patient distress, identification of barriers to use, and patient willingness to pay for access. Future research should focus on relevant processes that mediate patient and provider use, impact on health care utilization, and a patient-centered approach to the design and integration of educational opportunities afforded through PWPs. PMID:20890688

Patient web portals to improve diabetes outcomes: a systematic review.

PubMed

Osborn, Chandra Y; Mayberry, Lindsay Satterwhite; Mulvaney, Shelagh A; Hess, Rachel

2010-12-01

Patient web portals (PWPs), defined as the integration of electronic medical records and patient health records, have been related to enhanced patient outcomes. A literature review was conducted to characterize the design and evaluation of PWPs to improve health care processes and outcomes in diabetes. A summary of 26 articles revealed the positive impact PWPs have on patient outcomes, patient-provider communication, disease management, and access to and patient satisfaction with health care. Innovative and useful approaches included the evaluation of specific components of the PWPs, assessing the impact of PWPs on mediators of health behaviors, such as patient distress, identification of barriers to use, and patient willingness to pay for access. Future research should focus on relevant processes that mediate patient and provider use, impact on health care utilization, and a patient-centered approach to the design and integration of educational opportunities afforded through PWPs.

On viewer motivation, unit of analysis, and the VIMAP. Comment on "Move me, astonish me ... delight my eyes and brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up processes in Art Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and neurophysiological correlates" by Matthew Pelowski et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinio, Pablo P. L.

2017-07-01

The Vienna Integrated Model of Art Perception (VIMAP; [5]) is the most comprehensive model of the art experience today. The model incorporates bottom-up and top-down cognitive processes and accounts for different outcomes of the art experience, such as aesthetic evaluations, emotions, and physiological and neurological responses to art. In their presentation of the model, Pelowski et al. also present hypotheses that are amenable to empirical testing. These features make the VIMAP an ambitious model that attempts to explain how meaningful, complex, and profound aspects of the art experience come about, which is a significant extension of previous models of the art experience (e.g., [1-3,10]), and which gives the VIMAP good explanatory power.

Adaptive integration of habits into depth-limited planning defines a habitual-goal–directed spectrum

PubMed Central

Keramati, Mehdi; Smittenaar, Peter; Dolan, Raymond J.; Dayan, Peter

2016-01-01

Behavioral and neural evidence reveal a prospective goal-directed decision process that relies on mental simulation of the environment, and a retrospective habitual process that caches returns previously garnered from available choices. Artificial systems combine the two by simulating the environment up to some depth and then exploiting habitual values as proxies for consequences that may arise in the further future. Using a three-step task, we provide evidence that human subjects use such a normative plan-until-habit strategy, implying a spectrum of approaches that interpolates between habitual and goal-directed responding. We found that increasing time pressure led to shallower goal-directed planning, suggesting that a speed-accuracy tradeoff controls the depth of planning with deeper search leading to more accurate evaluation, at the cost of slower decision-making. We conclude that subjects integrate habit-based cached values directly into goal-directed evaluations in a normative manner. PMID:27791110

Evaluating the Economic Impact of Smart Care Platforms: Qualitative and Quantitative Results of a Case Study

PubMed Central

Van der Auwermeulen, Thomas; Van Ooteghem, Jan; Jacobs, An; Verbrugge, Sofie; Colle, Didier

2016-01-01

Background In response to the increasing pressure of the societal challenge because of a graying society, a gulf of new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported care services (eCare) can now be noticed. Their common goal is to increase the quality of care while decreasing its costs. Smart Care Platforms (SCPs), installed in the homes of care-dependent people, foster the interoperability of these services and offer a set of eCare services that are complementary on one platform. These eCare services could not only result in more quality care for care receivers, but they also offer opportunities to care providers to optimize their processes. Objective The objective of the study was to identify and describe the expected added values and impacts of integrating SCPs in current home care delivery processes for all actors. In addition, the potential economic impact of SCP deployment is quantified from the perspective of home care organizations. Methods Semistructured and informal interviews and focus groups and cocreation workshops with service providers, managers of home care organizations, and formal and informal care providers led to the identification of added values of SCP integration. In a second step, process breakdown analyses of home care provisioning allowed defining the operational impact for home care organization. Impacts on 2 different process steps of providing home care were quantified. After modeling the investment, an economic evaluation compared the business as usual (BAU) scenario versus the integrated SCP scenario. Results The added value of SCP integration for all actors involved in home care was identified. Most impacts were qualitative such as increase in peace of mind, better quality of care, strengthened involvement in care provisioning, and more transparent care communication. For home care organizations, integrating SCPs could lead to a decrease of 38% of the current annual expenses for two administrative process steps namely, care rescheduling and the billing for care provisioning. Conclusions Although integrating SCP in home care processes could affect both the quality of life of the care receiver and informal care giver, only scarce and weak evidence was found that supports this assumption. In contrast, there exists evidence that indicates the lack of the impact on quality of life of the care receiver while it increases the cost of care provisioning. However, our cost-benefit quantification model shows that integrating SCPs in home care provisioning could lead to a considerable decrease of costs for care administrative tasks. Because of this cost decreasing impact, we believe that the integration of SCPs will be driven by home care organizations instead of the care receivers themselves. PMID:27799137

Evaluating the Economic Impact of Smart Care Platforms: Qualitative and Quantitative Results of a Case Study.

PubMed

Vannieuwenborg, Frederic; Van der Auwermeulen, Thomas; Van Ooteghem, Jan; Jacobs, An; Verbrugge, Sofie; Colle, Didier

2016-10-31

In response to the increasing pressure of the societal challenge because of a graying society, a gulf of new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported care services (eCare) can now be noticed. Their common goal is to increase the quality of care while decreasing its costs. Smart Care Platforms (SCPs), installed in the homes of care-dependent people, foster the interoperability of these services and offer a set of eCare services that are complementary on one platform. These eCare services could not only result in more quality care for care receivers, but they also offer opportunities to care providers to optimize their processes. The objective of the study was to identify and describe the expected added values and impacts of integrating SCPs in current home care delivery processes for all actors. In addition, the potential economic impact of SCP deployment is quantified from the perspective of home care organizations. Semistructured and informal interviews and focus groups and cocreation workshops with service providers, managers of home care organizations, and formal and informal care providers led to the identification of added values of SCP integration. In a second step, process breakdown analyses of home care provisioning allowed defining the operational impact for home care organization. Impacts on 2 different process steps of providing home care were quantified. After modeling the investment, an economic evaluation compared the business as usual (BAU) scenario versus the integrated SCP scenario. The added value of SCP integration for all actors involved in home care was identified. Most impacts were qualitative such as increase in peace of mind, better quality of care, strengthened involvement in care provisioning, and more transparent care communication. For home care organizations, integrating SCPs could lead to a decrease of 38% of the current annual expenses for two administrative process steps namely, care rescheduling and the billing for care provisioning. Although integrating SCP in home care processes could affect both the quality of life of the care receiver and informal care giver, only scarce and weak evidence was found that supports this assumption. In contrast, there exists evidence that indicates the lack of the impact on quality of life of the care receiver while it increases the cost of care provisioning. However, our cost-benefit quantification model shows that integrating SCPs in home care provisioning could lead to a considerable decrease of costs for care administrative tasks. Because of this cost decreasing impact, we believe that the integration of SCPs will be driven by home care organizations instead of the care receivers themselves. ©Frederic Vannieuwenborg, Thomas Van der Auwermeulen, Jan Van Ooteghem, An Jacobs, Sofie Verbrugge, Didier Colle. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 31.10.2016.

WTS-4 system verification unit for wind/hydroelectric integration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watts, A. W.

1982-01-01

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) initiated a study to investigate the concept of integrating 100 MW of wind energy from megawatt-size wind turbines with the Federal hydroelectric system. As a part of the study, one large wind turbine was purchased through the competitive bid process and is now being installed to serve as a system verification unit (SVU). Reclamation negotiated an agreement with NASA to provide technical management of the project for the design, fabrication, installation, testing, and initial operation. Hamilton Standard was awarded a contract to furnish and install its WTS-4 wind turbine rated at 4 MW at a site near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. The purposes for installing the SVU are to fully evaluate the wind/hydro integration concept, make technical evaluation of the hardware design, train personnel in the technology, evaluate operation and maintenance aspects, and evaluate associated environmental impacts. The SVU will be operational in June 1982. Data from the WTS-4 and from a second SVU, Boeing's MOD-2, will be used to prepare a final design for a 100-MW farm if Congress authorizes the project.

Activity ranking of synthetic analogs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 by an integrated cell membrane chromatography system.

PubMed

Wang, Dongyao; Lv, Diya; Chen, Xiaofei; Liu, Yue; Ding, Xuan; Jia, Dan; Chen, Langdong; Zhu, Zhenyu; Cao, Yan; Chai, Yifeng

2015-12-01

Evaluating the biological activities of small molecules represents an important part of the drug discovery process. Cell membrane chromatography (CMC) is a well-developed biological chromatographic technique. In this study, we have developed combined SMMC-7721/CMC and HepG2/CMC with high-performance liquid chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to establish an integrated screening platform. These systems was subsequently validated and used for evaluating the activity of quinazoline compounds, which were designed and synthesized to target vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. The inhibitory activities of these compounds towards this receptor were also tested using a classical caliper mobility shift assay. The results revealed a significant correlation between these two methods (R(2) = 0.9565 or 0.9420) for evaluating the activities of these compounds. Compared with traditional methods of evaluating the activities analogous compounds, this integrated cell membrane chromatography screening system took less time and was more cost effective, indicating that it could be used as a practical method in drug discovery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Uncertainty evaluation of nuclear reaction model parameters using integral and microscopic measurements. Covariances evaluation with CONRAD code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Saint Jean, C.; Habert, B.; Archier, P.; Noguere, G.; Bernard, D.; Tommasi, J.; Blaise, P.

2010-10-01

In the [eV;MeV] energy range, modelling of the neutron induced reactions are based on nuclear reaction models having parameters. Estimation of co-variances on cross sections or on nuclear reaction model parameters is a recurrent puzzle in nuclear data evaluation. Major breakthroughs were asked by nuclear reactor physicists to assess proper uncertainties to be used in applications. In this paper, mathematical methods developped in the CONRAD code[2] will be presented to explain the treatment of all type of uncertainties, including experimental ones (statistical and systematic) and propagate them to nuclear reaction model parameters or cross sections. Marginalization procedure will thus be exposed using analytical or Monte-Carlo solutions. Furthermore, one major drawback found by reactor physicist is the fact that integral or analytical experiments (reactor mock-up or simple integral experiment, e.g. ICSBEP, …) were not taken into account sufficiently soon in the evaluation process to remove discrepancies. In this paper, we will describe a mathematical framework to take into account properly this kind of information.

Creating a Culture of Safety Around Bar-Code Medication Administration: An Evidence-Based Evaluation Framework.

PubMed

Kelly, Kandace; Harrington, Linda; Matos, Pat; Turner, Barbara; Johnson, Constance

2016-01-01

Bar-code medication administration (BCMA) effectiveness is contingent upon compliance with best-practice protocols. We developed a 4-phased BCMA evaluation program to evaluate the degree of integration of current evidence into BCMA policies, procedures, and practices; identify barriers to best-practice BCMA use; and modify BCMA practice in concert with changes to the practice environment. This program provides an infrastructure for frontline nurses to partner with hospital leaders to continually evaluate and improve BCMA using a systematic process.

TU-C-17A-03: An Integrated Contour Evaluation Software Tool Using Supervised Pattern Recognition for Radiotherapy

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

Chen, H; Tan, J; Kavanaugh, J

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) contours delineated either manually or semiautomatically require verification before clinical usage. Manual evaluation is very time consuming. A new integrated software tool using supervised pattern contour recognition was thus developed to facilitate this process. Methods: The contouring tool was developed using an object-oriented programming language C# and application programming interfaces, e.g. visualization toolkit (VTK). The C# language served as the tool design basis. The Accord.Net scientific computing libraries were utilized for the required statistical data processing and pattern recognition, while the VTK was used to build and render 3-D mesh models from critical RT structures in real-timemore » and 360° visualization. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for system self-updating geometry variations of normal structures based on physician-approved RT contours as a training dataset. The inhouse design of supervised PCA-based contour recognition method was used for automatically evaluating contour normality/abnormality. The function for reporting the contour evaluation results was implemented by using C# and Windows Form Designer. Results: The software input was RT simulation images and RT structures from commercial clinical treatment planning systems. Several abilities were demonstrated: automatic assessment of RT contours, file loading/saving of various modality medical images and RT contours, and generation/visualization of 3-D images and anatomical models. Moreover, it supported the 360° rendering of the RT structures in a multi-slice view, which allows physicians to visually check and edit abnormally contoured structures. Conclusion: This new software integrates the supervised learning framework with image processing and graphical visualization modules for RT contour verification. This tool has great potential for facilitating treatment planning with the assistance of an automatic contour evaluation module in avoiding unnecessary manual verification for physicians/dosimetrists. In addition, its nature as a compact and stand-alone tool allows for future extensibility to include additional functions for physicians’ clinical needs.« less

A Quality Assurance Initiative for Commercial-Scale Production in High-Throughput Cryopreservation of Blue Catfish Sperm

PubMed Central

Hu, E; Liao, T. W.; Tiersch, T. R.

2013-01-01

Cryopreservation of fish sperm has been studied for decades at a laboratory (research) scale. However, high-throughput cryopreservation of fish sperm has recently been developed to enable industrial-scale production. This study treated blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) sperm high-throughput cryopreservation as a manufacturing production line and initiated quality assurance plan development. The main objectives were to identify: 1) the main production quality characteristics; 2) the process features for quality assurance; 3) the internal quality characteristics and their specification designs; 4) the quality control and process capability evaluation methods, and 5) the directions for further improvements and applications. The essential product quality characteristics were identified as fertility-related characteristics. Specification design which established the tolerance levels according to demand and process constraints was performed based on these quality characteristics. Meanwhile, to ensure integrity throughout the process, internal quality characteristics (characteristics at each quality control point within process) that could affect fertility-related quality characteristics were defined with specifications. Due to the process feature of 100% inspection (quality inspection of every fish), a specific calculation method, use of cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts, was applied to monitor each quality characteristic. An index of overall process evaluation, process capacity, was analyzed based on in-control process and the designed specifications, which further integrates the quality assurance plan. With the established quality assurance plan, the process could operate stably and quality of products would be reliable. PMID:23872356

Accurate and efficient spin integration for particle accelerators

DOE PAGES

Abell, Dan T.; Meiser, Dominic; Ranjbar, Vahid H.; ...

2015-02-01

Accurate spin tracking is a valuable tool for understanding spin dynamics in particle accelerators and can help improve the performance of an accelerator. In this paper, we present a detailed discussion of the integrators in the spin tracking code GPUSPINTRACK. We have implemented orbital integrators based on drift-kick, bend-kick, and matrix-kick splits. On top of the orbital integrators, we have implemented various integrators for the spin motion. These integrators use quaternions and Romberg quadratures to accelerate both the computation and the convergence of spin rotations.We evaluate their performance and accuracy in quantitative detail for individual elements as well as formore » the entire RHIC lattice. We exploit the inherently data-parallel nature of spin tracking to accelerate our algorithms on graphics processing units.« less

Adapting the Quebecois method for assessing implementation to the French National Alzheimer Plan 2008–2012: lessons for gerontological services integration

PubMed Central

Somme, Dominique; Trouvé, Hélène; Perisset, Catherine; Corvol, Aline; Ankri, Joël; Saint-Jean, Olivier; de Stampa, Matthieu

2014-01-01

Introduction Many countries face ageing-related demographic and epidemiological challenges, notably neurodegenerative disorders, due to the multiple care services they require, thereby pleading for a more integrated system of care. The integrated Quebecois method issued from the Programme of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy inspired a French pilot experiment and the National Alzheimer Plan 2008–2012. Programme of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy method implementation was rated with an evaluation grid adapted to assess its successive degrees of completion. Discussion The approaching end of the president's term led to the method's institutionalization (2011–2012), before the implementation study ended. When the government changed, the study was interrupted. The results extracted from that ‘lost’ study (presented herein) have, nonetheless, ‘found’ some key lessons. Key lessons/conclusion It was possible to implement a Quebecois integrated-care method in France. We describe the lessons and pitfalls encountered in adapting this evaluation tool. This process is necessarily multidisciplinary and requires a test phase. A simple tool for quantitative assessment of integration was obtained. The first assessment of the tool was unsatisfactory but requires further studies. In the meantime, we recommend using mixed methodologies to assess the services integration level. PMID:24959112

StreamQRE: Modular Specification and Efficient Evaluation of Quantitative Queries over Streaming Data.

PubMed

Mamouras, Konstantinos; Raghothaman, Mukund; Alur, Rajeev; Ives, Zachary G; Khanna, Sanjeev

2017-06-01

Real-time decision making in emerging IoT applications typically relies on computing quantitative summaries of large data streams in an efficient and incremental manner. To simplify the task of programming the desired logic, we propose StreamQRE, which provides natural and high-level constructs for processing streaming data. Our language has a novel integration of linguistic constructs from two distinct programming paradigms: streaming extensions of relational query languages and quantitative extensions of regular expressions. The former allows the programmer to employ relational constructs to partition the input data by keys and to integrate data streams from different sources, while the latter can be used to exploit the logical hierarchy in the input stream for modular specifications. We first present the core language with a small set of combinators, formal semantics, and a decidable type system. We then show how to express a number of common patterns with illustrative examples. Our compilation algorithm translates the high-level query into a streaming algorithm with precise complexity bounds on per-item processing time and total memory footprint. We also show how to integrate approximation algorithms into our framework. We report on an implementation in Java, and evaluate it with respect to existing high-performance engines for processing streaming data. Our experimental evaluation shows that (1) StreamQRE allows more natural and succinct specification of queries compared to existing frameworks, (2) the throughput of our implementation is higher than comparable systems (for example, two-to-four times greater than RxJava), and (3) the approximation algorithms supported by our implementation can lead to substantial memory savings.

StreamQRE: Modular Specification and Efficient Evaluation of Quantitative Queries over Streaming Data*

PubMed Central

Mamouras, Konstantinos; Raghothaman, Mukund; Alur, Rajeev; Ives, Zachary G.; Khanna, Sanjeev

2017-01-01

Real-time decision making in emerging IoT applications typically relies on computing quantitative summaries of large data streams in an efficient and incremental manner. To simplify the task of programming the desired logic, we propose StreamQRE, which provides natural and high-level constructs for processing streaming data. Our language has a novel integration of linguistic constructs from two distinct programming paradigms: streaming extensions of relational query languages and quantitative extensions of regular expressions. The former allows the programmer to employ relational constructs to partition the input data by keys and to integrate data streams from different sources, while the latter can be used to exploit the logical hierarchy in the input stream for modular specifications. We first present the core language with a small set of combinators, formal semantics, and a decidable type system. We then show how to express a number of common patterns with illustrative examples. Our compilation algorithm translates the high-level query into a streaming algorithm with precise complexity bounds on per-item processing time and total memory footprint. We also show how to integrate approximation algorithms into our framework. We report on an implementation in Java, and evaluate it with respect to existing high-performance engines for processing streaming data. Our experimental evaluation shows that (1) StreamQRE allows more natural and succinct specification of queries compared to existing frameworks, (2) the throughput of our implementation is higher than comparable systems (for example, two-to-four times greater than RxJava), and (3) the approximation algorithms supported by our implementation can lead to substantial memory savings. PMID:29151821

Integrating Human Factors Engineering and Information Processing Approaches to Facilitate Evaluations in Criminal Justice Technology Research.

PubMed

Salvemini, Anthony V; Piza, Eric L; Carter, Jeremy G; Grommon, Eric L; Merritt, Nancy

2015-06-01

Evaluations are routinely conducted by government agencies and research organizations to assess the effectiveness of technology in criminal justice. Interdisciplinary research methods are salient to this effort. Technology evaluations are faced with a number of challenges including (1) the need to facilitate effective communication between social science researchers, technology specialists, and practitioners, (2) the need to better understand procedural and contextual aspects of a given technology, and (3) the need to generate findings that can be readily used for decision making and policy recommendations. Process and outcome evaluations of technology can be enhanced by integrating concepts from human factors engineering and information processing. This systemic approach, which focuses on the interaction between humans, technology, and information, enables researchers to better assess how a given technology is used in practice. Examples are drawn from complex technologies currently deployed within the criminal justice system where traditional evaluations have primarily focused on outcome metrics. Although this evidence-based approach has significant value, it is vulnerable to fully account for human and structural complexities that compose technology operations. Guiding principles for technology evaluations are described for identifying and defining key study metrics, facilitating communication within an interdisciplinary research team, and for understanding the interaction between users, technology, and information. The approach posited here can also enable researchers to better assess factors that may facilitate or degrade the operational impact of the technology and answer fundamental questions concerning whether the technology works as intended, at what level, and cost. © The Author(s) 2015.

Developing a Self-Report-Based Sequential Analysis Method for Educational Technology Systems: A Process-Based Usability Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yi-Chun; Hsieh, Ya-Hui; Hou, Huei-Tse

2015-01-01

The development of a usability evaluation method for educational systems or applications, called the self-report-based sequential analysis, is described herein. The method aims to extend the current practice by proposing self-report-based sequential analysis as a new usability method, which integrates the advantages of self-report in survey…

Developmental Evaluation Framework for Innovation and Learning Networks: Integration of the Structure, Process and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramstad, Elise

2009-01-01

Purpose: During the past decade new types of broader networks that aim to achieve widespread effects in the working life have emerged. These are typically based on an interactive innovation approach, where knowledge is created jointly together with diverse players. At the moment, the challenge is how to evaluate these complex networks and learning…

The CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding for Small and Medium-Sized Public Libraries. Revised and Updated.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Belinda

The method called CREW (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) integrates material selection and acquisition, cataloging and processing, and circulation and reference into one ongoing routine that assures that all the necessary indirect services are accomplished in an effective way. This revision of the original guide, published in 1976,…

An Integrated MCDM Model for Conveyor Equipment Evaluation and Selection in an FMC Based on a Fuzzy AHP and Fuzzy ARAS in the Presence of Vagueness.

PubMed

Nguyen, Huu-Tho; Dawal, Siti Zawiah Md; Nukman, Yusoff; Rifai, Achmad P; Aoyama, Hideki

2016-01-01

The conveyor system plays a vital role in improving the performance of flexible manufacturing cells (FMCs). The conveyor selection problem involves the evaluation of a set of potential alternatives based on qualitative and quantitative criteria. This paper presents an integrated multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model of a fuzzy AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and fuzzy ARAS (additive ratio assessment) for conveyor evaluation and selection. In this model, linguistic terms represented as triangular fuzzy numbers are used to quantify experts' uncertain assessments of alternatives with respect to the criteria. The fuzzy set is then integrated into the AHP to determine the weights of the criteria. Finally, a fuzzy ARAS is used to calculate the weights of the alternatives. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model, a case study is performed of a practical example, and the results obtained demonstrate practical potential for the implementation of FMCs.

An Integrated MCDM Model for Conveyor Equipment Evaluation and Selection in an FMC Based on a Fuzzy AHP and Fuzzy ARAS in the Presence of Vagueness

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Huu-Tho; Md Dawal, Siti Zawiah; Nukman, Yusoff; P. Rifai, Achmad; Aoyama, Hideki

2016-01-01

The conveyor system plays a vital role in improving the performance of flexible manufacturing cells (FMCs). The conveyor selection problem involves the evaluation of a set of potential alternatives based on qualitative and quantitative criteria. This paper presents an integrated multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model of a fuzzy AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and fuzzy ARAS (additive ratio assessment) for conveyor evaluation and selection. In this model, linguistic terms represented as triangular fuzzy numbers are used to quantify experts’ uncertain assessments of alternatives with respect to the criteria. The fuzzy set is then integrated into the AHP to determine the weights of the criteria. Finally, a fuzzy ARAS is used to calculate the weights of the alternatives. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model, a case study is performed of a practical example, and the results obtained demonstrate practical potential for the implementation of FMCs. PMID:27070543

Numerical Evaluation of the "Dual-Kernel Counter-flow" Matric Convolution Integral that Arises in Discrete/Continuous (D/C) Control Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Douglas D.

2009-01-01

Discrete/Continuous (D/C) control theory is a new generalized theory of discrete-time control that expands the concept of conventional (exact) discrete-time control to create a framework for design and implementation of discretetime control systems that include a continuous-time command function generator so that actuator commands need not be constant between control decisions, but can be more generally defined and implemented as functions that vary with time across sample period. Because the plant/control system construct contains two linear subsystems arranged in tandem, a novel dual-kernel counter-flow convolution integral appears in the formulation. As part of the D/C system design and implementation process, numerical evaluation of that integral over the sample period is required. Three fundamentally different evaluation methods and associated algorithms are derived for the constant-coefficient case. Numerical results are matched against three available examples that have closed-form solutions.

Robotics development for the enhancement of space endeavors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauceri, A. J.; Clarke, Margaret M.

Telerobotics and robotics development activities to support NASA's goal of increasing opportunities in space commercialization and exploration are described. The Rockwell International activities center is using robotics to improve efficiency and safety in three related areas: remote control of autonomous systems, automated nondestructive evaluation of aspects of vehicle integrity, and the use of robotics in space vehicle ground reprocessing operations. In the first area, autonomous robotic control, Rockwell is using the control architecture, NASREM, as the foundation for the high level command of robotic tasks. In the second area, we have demonstrated the use of nondestructive evaluation (using acoustic excitation and lasers sensors) to evaluate the integrity of space vehicle surface material bonds, using Orbiter 102 as the test case. In the third area, Rockwell is building an automated version of the present manual tool used for Space Shuttle surface tile re-waterproofing. The tool will be integrated into an orbiter processing robot being developed by a KSC-led team.

Using a mixed-methods design to examine nurse practitioner integration in British Columbia.

PubMed

Sangster-Gormley, Esther; Griffith, Janessa; Schreiber, Rita; Borycki, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

To discuss and provide examples of how mixed-methods research was used to evaluate the integration of nurse practitioners (NPs) into a Canadian province. Legislation enabling NPs to practise in British Columbia (BC) was enacted in 2005. This research evaluated the integration of NPs and their effect on the BC healthcare system. Data were collected using surveys, focus groups, participant interviews and case studies over three years. Data sources and methods were triangulated to determine how the findings addressed the research questions. The challenges and benefits of using the multiphase design are highlighted in the paper. The multiphase mixed-methods research design was selected because of its applicability to evaluation research. The design proved to be robust and flexible in answering research questions. As sub-studies within the multiphase design are often published separately, it can be difficult for researchers to find examples. This paper highlights ways that a multiphase mixed-methods design can be conducted for researchers unfamiliar with the process.

Using an integrative mock-up simulation approach for evidence-based evaluation of operating room design prototypes.

PubMed

Bayramzadeh, Sara; Joseph, Anjali; Allison, David; Shultz, Jonas; Abernathy, James

2018-07-01

This paper describes the process and tools developed as part of a multidisciplinary collaborative simulation-based approach for iterative design and evaluation of operating room (OR) prototypes. Full-scale physical mock-ups of healthcare spaces offer an opportunity to actively communicate with and to engage multidisciplinary stakeholders in the design process. While mock-ups are increasingly being used in healthcare facility design projects, they are rarely evaluated in a manner to support active user feedback and engagement. Researchers and architecture students worked closely with clinicians and architects to develop OR design prototypes and engaged clinical end-users in simulated scenarios. An evaluation toolkit was developed to compare design prototypes. The mock-up evaluation helped the team make key decisions about room size, location of OR table, intra-room zoning, and doors location. Structured simulation based mock-up evaluations conducted in the design process can help stakeholders visualize their future workspace and provide active feedback. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating a Hypernymic Proposition Interpreter into a Semantic Processor for Biomedical Texts

PubMed Central

Fiszman, Marcelo; Rindflesch, Thomas C.; Kilicoglu, Halil

2003-01-01

Semantic processing provides the potential for producing high quality results in natural language processing (NLP) applications in the biomedical domain. In this paper, we address a specific semantic phenomenon, the hypernymic proposition, and concentrate on integrating the interpretation of such predications into a more general semantic processor in order to improve overall accuracy. A preliminary evaluation assesses the contribution of hypernymic propositions in providing more specific semantic predications and thus improving effectiveness in retrieving treatment propositions in MEDLINE abstracts. Finally, we discuss the generalization of this methodology to additional semantic propositions as well as other types of biomedical texts. PMID:14728170

An Integrated Approach of Fuzzy Linguistic Preference Based AHP and Fuzzy COPRAS for Machine Tool Evaluation.

PubMed

Nguyen, Huu-Tho; Md Dawal, Siti Zawiah; Nukman, Yusoff; Aoyama, Hideki; Case, Keith

2015-01-01

Globalization of business and competitiveness in manufacturing has forced companies to improve their manufacturing facilities to respond to market requirements. Machine tool evaluation involves an essential decision using imprecise and vague information, and plays a major role to improve the productivity and flexibility in manufacturing. The aim of this study is to present an integrated approach for decision-making in machine tool selection. This paper is focused on the integration of a consistent fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and a fuzzy COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) for multi-attribute decision-making in selecting the most suitable machine tool. In this method, the fuzzy linguistic reference relation is integrated into AHP to handle the imprecise and vague information, and to simplify the data collection for the pair-wise comparison matrix of the AHP which determines the weights of attributes. The output of the fuzzy AHP is imported into the fuzzy COPRAS method for ranking alternatives through the closeness coefficient. Presentation of the proposed model application is provided by a numerical example based on the collection of data by questionnaire and from the literature. The results highlight the integration of the improved fuzzy AHP and the fuzzy COPRAS as a precise tool and provide effective multi-attribute decision-making for evaluating the machine tool in the uncertain environment.

Assessing coastal reclamation suitability based on a fuzzy-AHP comprehensive evaluation framework: A case study of Lianyungang, China.

PubMed

Feng, Lan; Zhu, Xiaodong; Sun, Xiang

2014-12-15

Coastal reclamation suitability evaluation (CRSE) is a difficult, complex and protracted process requiring the evaluation of many different criteria. In this paper, an integrated framework employing a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to the suitability evaluation for coastal reclamation for future sustainable development in the coastal area of Lianyungang, China. The evaluation results classified 6.63%, 22.99%, 31.59% and 38.79% of the coastline as suitable, weakly suitable, unsuitable and forbidden, respectively. The evaluation results were verified by the marine pollution data and highly consistent with the water quality status. The fuzzy-AHP comprehensive evaluation method (FACEM) was found to be suitable for the CRSE. This CRSE can also be applied to other coastal areas in China and thereby be used for the better management of coastal reclamation and coastline protection projects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated-optics heralded controlled-NOT gate for polarization-encoded qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeuner, Jonas; Sharma, Aditya N.; Tillmann, Max; Heilmann, René; Gräfe, Markus; Moqanaki, Amir; Szameit, Alexander; Walther, Philip

2018-03-01

Recent progress in integrated-optics technology has made photonics a promising platform for quantum networks and quantum computation protocols. Integrated optical circuits are characterized by small device footprints and unrivalled intrinsic interferometric stability. Here, we take advantage of femtosecond-laser-written waveguides' ability to process polarization-encoded qubits and present an implementation of a heralded controlled-NOT gate on chip. We evaluate the gate performance in the computational basis and a superposition basis, showing that the gate can create polarization entanglement between two photons. Transmission through the integrated device is optimized using thermally expanded core fibers and adiabatically reduced mode-field diameters at the waveguide facets. This demonstration underlines the feasibility of integrated quantum gates for all-optical quantum networks and quantum repeaters.

Integrating Waste Heat from CO 2 Removal and Coal-Fired Flue Gas to Increase Plant Efficiency

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

Irvin, Nick; Kowalczyk, Joseph

In project DE-FE0007525, Southern Company Services demonstrated heat integration methods for the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide produced from pulverized coal combustion. A waste heat recovery technology (termed High Efficiency System) from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America was integrated into an existing 25-MW amine-based CO 2 capture process (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®1) at Southern Company’s Plant Barry to evaluate improvements in the energy performance of the pulverized coal plant and CO 2 capture process. The heat integration system consists of two primary pieces of equipment: (1) the CO 2 Cooler which uses product CO 2 gas from themore » capture process to heat boiler condensate, and (2) the Flue Gas Cooler which uses air heater outlet flue gas to further heat boiler condensate. Both pieces of equipment were included in the pilot system. The pilot CO 2 Cooler used waste heat from the 25-MW CO 2 capture plant (but not always from product CO 2 gas, as intended). The pilot Flue Gas Cooler used heat from a slipstream of flue gas taken from downstream of Plant Barry’s air heater. The pilot also included a 0.25-MW electrostatic precipitator. The 25-MW High Efficiency System operated for approximately six weeks over a four month time period in conjunction with the 25-MW CO 2 capture facility at Plant Barry. Results from the program were used to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of full-scale implementation of this technology. The test program quantified energy efficiency improvements to a host power plant that could be realized due to the High Efficiency System. Through the execution of this project, the team verified the integrated operation of the High Efficiency System and Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process®. The ancillary benefits of the High Efficiency System were also quantified, including reduced water consumption, a decrease in toxic air emissions, and better overall air quality control systems performance.« less

Integrated Energy System with Beneficial Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Use - Final Scientific/Technical Report

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

Sun, Xiaolei; Rink, Nancy T

2011-04-29

This report presents an integrated energy system that combines the production of substitute natural gas through coal hydrogasification with an algae process for beneficial carbon dioxide (CO2) use and biofuel production (funded under Department of Energy (DOE) contract DE-FE0001099). The project planned to develop, test, operate and evaluate a 2 ton-per-day coal hydrogasification plant and 25-acre algae farm at the Arizona Public Service (APS) 1000 Megawatt (MW) Cholla coal-fired power plant in Joseph City, Arizona. Conceptual design of the integrated system was undertaken with APS partners Air Liquide (AL) and Parsons. The process engineering was separated into five major areas:more » flue gas preparation and CO2 delivery, algae farming, water management, hydrogasification, and biofuel production. The process flow diagrams, energy and material balances, and preliminary major equipment needs for each major area were prepared to reflect integrated process considerations and site infrastructure design basis. The total project also included research and development on a bench-scale hydrogasifier, one-dimensional (1-D) kinetic-model simulation, extensive algae stressing, oil extraction, lipid analysis and a half-acre algae farm demonstration at APS?s Redhawk testing facility. During the project, a two-acre algae testing facility with a half-acre algae cultivation area was built at the APS Redhawk 1000 MW natural gas combined cycle power plant located 55 miles west of Phoenix. The test site integrated flue gas delivery, CO2 capture and distribution, algae cultivation, algae nursery, algae harvesting, dewatering and onsite storage as well as water treatment. The site environmental, engineering, and biological parameters for the cultivators were monitored remotely. Direct biodiesel production from biomass through an acid-catalyzed transesterification reaction and a supercritical methanol transesterification reaction were evaluated. The highest oil-to-biodiesel conversion of 79.9% was achieved with a stressed algae sample containing 40% algae oil. The effort concluded that producing biodiesel directly from the algae biomass could be an efficient, cost-effective and readily scalable way to produce biodiesel by eliminating the oil extraction process.« less

Moral judgment as information processing: an integrative review.

PubMed

Guglielmo, Steve

2015-01-01

How do humans make moral judgments about others' behavior? This article reviews dominant models of moral judgment, organizing them within an overarching framework of information processing. This framework poses two distinct questions: (1) What input information guides moral judgments? and (2) What psychological processes generate these judgments? Information Models address the first question, identifying critical information elements (including causality, intentionality, and mental states) that shape moral judgments. A subclass of Biased Information Models holds that perceptions of these information elements are themselves driven by prior moral judgments. Processing Models address the second question, and existing models have focused on the relative contribution of intuitive versus deliberative processes. This review organizes existing moral judgment models within this framework and critically evaluates them on empirical and theoretical grounds; it then outlines a general integrative model grounded in information processing, and concludes with conceptual and methodological suggestions for future research. The information-processing framework provides a useful theoretical lens through which to organize extant and future work in the rapidly growing field of moral judgment.

Development of a course review process.

PubMed

Persky, Adam M; Joyner, Pamela U; Cox, Wendy C

2012-09-10

To describe and assess a course review process designed to enhance course quality. A course review process led by the curriculum and assessment committees was designed for all required courses in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program at a school of pharmacy. A rubric was used by the review team to address 5 areas: course layout and integration, learning outcomes, assessment, resources and materials, and learner interaction. One hundred percent of targeted courses, or 97% of all required courses, were reviewed from January to August 2010 (n=30). Approximately 3.5 recommendations per course were made, resulting in improvement in course evaluation items related to learning outcomes. Ninety-five percent of reviewers and 85% of course directors agreed that the process was objective and the course review process was important. The course review process was objective and effective in improving course quality. Future work will explore the effectiveness of an integrated, continual course review process in improving the quality of pharmacy education.

Moral judgment as information processing: an integrative review

PubMed Central

Guglielmo, Steve

2015-01-01

How do humans make moral judgments about others’ behavior? This article reviews dominant models of moral judgment, organizing them within an overarching framework of information processing. This framework poses two distinct questions: (1) What input information guides moral judgments? and (2) What psychological processes generate these judgments? Information Models address the first question, identifying critical information elements (including causality, intentionality, and mental states) that shape moral judgments. A subclass of Biased Information Models holds that perceptions of these information elements are themselves driven by prior moral judgments. Processing Models address the second question, and existing models have focused on the relative contribution of intuitive versus deliberative processes. This review organizes existing moral judgment models within this framework and critically evaluates them on empirical and theoretical grounds; it then outlines a general integrative model grounded in information processing, and concludes with conceptual and methodological suggestions for future research. The information-processing framework provides a useful theoretical lens through which to organize extant and future work in the rapidly growing field of moral judgment. PMID:26579022

System integration of wind and solar power in integrated assessment models: A cross-model evaluation of new approaches

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

Pietzcker, Robert C.; Ueckerdt, Falko; Carrara, Samuel

Mitigation-Process Integrated Assessment Models (MP-IAMs) are used to analyze long-term transformation pathways of the energy system required to achieve stringent climate change mitigation targets. Due to their substantial temporal and spatial aggregation, IAMs cannot explicitly represent all detailed challenges of integrating the variable renewable energies (VRE) wind and solar in power systems, but rather rely on parameterized modeling approaches. In the ADVANCE project, six international modeling teams have developed new approaches to improve the representation of power sector dynamics and VRE integration in IAMs. In this study, we qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the last years' modeling progress and study themore » impact of VRE integration modeling on VRE deployment in IAM scenarios. For a comprehensive and transparent qualitative evaluation, we first develop a framework of 18 features of power sector dynamics and VRE integration. We then apply this framework to the newly-developed modeling approaches to derive a detailed map of strengths and limitations of the different approaches. For the quantitative evaluation, we compare the IAMs to the detailed hourly-resolution power sector model REMIX. We find that the new modeling approaches manage to represent a large number of features of the power sector, and the numerical results are in reasonable agreement with those derived from the detailed power sector model. Updating the power sector representation and the cost and resources of wind and solar substantially increased wind and solar shares across models: Under a carbon price of 30$/tCO2 in 2020 (increasing by 5% per year), the model-average cost-minimizing VRE share over the period 2050-2100 is 62% of electricity generation, 24%-points higher than with the old model version.« less

Equilibrium Noise in Ion Selective Field Effect Transistors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-21

face. These parameters have been evaluated for several ion-selective membranes. DD I JAN ") 1473 EDITION or I Mov 09SIS OSSOLETE ONi 0102-LF-0146601...the "integrated circuit" noise on the processing parameters which were different for the two laboratories. This variability in the "integrated circuit...systems and is useful in the identification of the parameters limiting the performance of -11- these systems. In thermodynamic equilibrium, every

An Integrated Calibration Technique for Stereo Vision Systems (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

technique for stereo vision systems has been developed. To demonstrate and evaluate this calibration technique, multiple Wii Remotes (Wiimotes) from Nintendo ...from Nintendo were used to form stereo vision systems to perform 3D motion capture in real time. This integrated technique is a two-step process...Wiimotes) used in Nintendo Wii games. Many researchers have successfully dealt with the problem of camera calibration by taking images from a 2D

Microstructure Engineering in Hot Strip Mills, Part 1 of 2: Integrated mathematical Model

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

J.K. Brimacombe; I.V. Samaraseker; E.B. Hawbolt

1998-09-30

This report describes the work of developing an integrated model used to predict the thermal history, deformation, roll forces, microstructural evaluation and mechanical properties of steel strip in a hot-strip mill. This achievement results from a join research effort that is part of the American Iron and Steel Institute's (AISI) Advanced Process Control Program, a collaboration between the U.S. DOE and fifteen North American steel makers.

Integrated Decision Strategies for Skin Sensitization Hazard

EPA Science Inventory

One of the top priorities of the Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) is the identification and evaluation of non-animal alternatives for skin sensitization testing. Although skin sensitization is a complex process, the key biologi...

BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE, EFFECT AND SUSCEPTIBILITY IN FISHES

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding basic mechanisms of toxicological processes is integral to assessment of risk, In aquatic toxicology, however, the mechanistic evaluation of environmental chemicals is a much younger area of investigation than in mammalian systems and only recently has received sig...

Performance on Tests of Central Auditory Processing by Individuals Exposed to High-Intensity Blasts

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

percent (gap detected on at least four of the six presentations), with all longer durations receiving a score greater than 50 percent. Binaural ...Processing and Sound Localization Temporal precision of neural firing is also involved in binaural processing and localization of sound in space. The...Masking Level Difference (MLD) test evaluates the integrity of the earliest sites of binaural comparison and sensitivity to interaural phase in the

Extended study on the influence of z-value(s) of single and multicomponent time-temperature integrators on the accuracy of quantitative thermal process assessment.

PubMed

Guiavarc'h, Yann P; van Loey, Ann M; Hendrickx, Marc E

2005-02-01

The possibilities and limitations of single- and multicomponent time-temperature integrators (TTIs) for evaluating the impact of thermal processes on a target food attribute with a Ztarget value different from the zTTI value(s) of the TTI is far from sufficiently documented. In this study, several thousand time-temperature profiles were generated by heat transfer simulations based on a wide range of product and process thermal parameters and considering a Ztarget value of 10 degrees C and a reference temperature of 121.1 degrees C, both currently used to assess the safety of food sterilization processes. These simulations included 15 different Ztarget=10 degrees CF121.1 degrees C values in the range 3 to 60 min. The integration of the time-temperature profiles with ZTTI values of 5.5 to 20.5 degrees C in steps of 1 degrees C allowed generation of a large database containing for each combination of product and process parameters the correction factor to apply to the process value FmultiTTI, which was derived from a single- or multicomponent TTI, to obtain the target process value 10 degrees CF121.1 degrees C. The table and the graph results clearly demonstrated that multicomponent TTIs with z-values close to 10 degrees C can be used as an extremely efficient approach when a single-component TTI with a z-value of 10 degrees C is not available. In particular, a two-component TTI with z1 and z2 values respectively above and below the Ztarget value (10 degrees C in this study) would be the best option for the development of a TTI to assess the safety of sterilized foods. Whatever process and product parameters are used, such a TTI allows proper evaluation of the process value 10 degrees CF121.1 degrees C.

Social feedback processing from early to late adolescence: influence of sex, age, and attachment style

PubMed Central

Vrtička, Pascal; Sander, David; Anderson, Brittany; Badoud, Deborah; Eliez, Stephan; Debbané, Martin

2014-01-01

Objective The establishment of an accurate understanding of one's social context is a central developmental task during adolescence. A critical component of such development is to learn how to integrate the objective evaluation of one's behavior with the social response to the latter—here referred to as social feedback processing. Case report We measured brain activity by means of fMRI in 33 healthy adolescents (12–19 years old, 14 females). Participants played a difficult perceptual game with integrated verbal and visual feedback. Verbal feedback provided the participants with objective performance evaluation (won vs. lost). Visual feedback consisted of either smiling or angry faces, representing positive or negative social evaluations. Together, the combination of verbal and visual feedback gave rise to congruent versus incongruent social feedback combinations. In addition to assessing sex differences, we further tested for the effects of age and attachment style on social feedback processing. Results revealed that brain activity during social feedback processing was significantly modulated by sex, age, and attachment style in prefrontal cortical areas, ventral anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, caudate, and amygdala/hippocampus. We found indication for heightened activity during incongruent social feedback processing in females, older participants, and individuals with an anxious attachment style. Conversely, we observed stronger activity during processing of congruent social feedback in males and participants with an avoidant attachment style. Conclusion Our findings not only extend knowledge on the typical development of socio-emotional brain function during adolescence, but also provide first clues on how attachment insecurities, and particularly attachment avoidance, could interfere with the latter mechanisms. PMID:25328847

Transition process from emerging NDT technology to production inspection application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jappe, William; Wood, Nancy; Johnson, Maurice

1995-07-01

The successful application of emerging NDT technologies for specific aging aircraft inspections requires an integration of efforts between aircraft operators, airframe manufacturers, NDT equipment designers, and government regulators. This paper describes the development process that was followed to establish an alternate inspection technique for a DC-10 crown skin butt joint inspection. Initial investigation, intermediate development, and final evaluations are discussed.

Integrated mild gasification processing at the Homer City Electric Power Generating Station site. Final report, July 1989--June 1993

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

Battista, J.J.; Zawadzki, E.A.

1993-07-01

A new process for the production of commercial grade coke, char, and carbon products has been evaluated by Penelec/NYSEG. The process, developed by Coal Technology Corporation, CTC, utilizes a unique screw reactor to produce a devolatilized char from a wide variety of coals for the production of commercial grade coke for use in blast furnaces, foundries, and other processes requiring high quality coke. This process is called the CTC Mild Gasification Process (MGP). The process economics are significantly enhanced by integrating the new technology into an existing power generating complex. Cost savings are realized by the coke producer, the cokemore » user, and the electric utility company. Site specific economic studies involving the Homer City Generating Station site in Western Pennsylvania, confirmed that an integrated MGP at the Homer City site, using coal fines produced at the Homer City Coal Preparation Plant, would reduce capital and operating costs significantly and would enable the HC Owners to eliminate thermal dryers, obtain low cost fuel in the form of combustible gases and liquids, and obtain lower cost replacement coal on the spot market. A previous report, identified as the Interim Report on the Project, details the technical and economic studies.« less

Understanding Pitch Perception as a Hierarchical Process with Top-Down Modulation

PubMed Central

Balaguer-Ballester, Emili; Clark, Nicholas R.; Coath, Martin; Krumbholz, Katrin; Denham, Susan L.

2009-01-01

Pitch is one of the most important features of natural sounds, underlying the perception of melody in music and prosody in speech. However, the temporal dynamics of pitch processing are still poorly understood. Previous studies suggest that the auditory system uses a wide range of time scales to integrate pitch-related information and that the effective integration time is both task- and stimulus-dependent. None of the existing models of pitch processing can account for such task- and stimulus-dependent variations in processing time scales. This study presents an idealized neurocomputational model, which provides a unified account of the multiple time scales observed in pitch perception. The model is evaluated using a range of perceptual studies, which have not previously been accounted for by a single model, and new results from a neurophysiological experiment. In contrast to other approaches, the current model contains a hierarchy of integration stages and uses feedback to adapt the effective time scales of processing at each stage in response to changes in the input stimulus. The model has features in common with a hierarchical generative process and suggests a key role for efferent connections from central to sub-cortical areas in controlling the temporal dynamics of pitch processing. PMID:19266015

NASA Countermeasures Evaluation and Validation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lundquist, Charlie M.; Paloski, William H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

To support its ISS and exploration class mission objectives, NASA has developed a Countermeasure Evaluation and Validation Project (CEVP). The goal of this project is to evaluate and validate the optimal complement of countermeasures required to maintain astronaut health, safety, and functional ability during and after short- and long-duration space flight missions. The CEVP is the final element of the process in which ideas and concepts emerging from basic research evolve into operational countermeasures. The CEVP is accomplishing these objectives by conducting operational/clinical research to evaluate and validate countermeasures to mitigate these maladaptive responses. Evaluation is accomplished by testing in space flight analog facilities, and validation is accomplished by space flight testing. Both will utilize a standardized complement of integrated physiological and psychological tests, termed the Integrated Testing Regimen (ITR) to examine candidate countermeasure efficacy and intersystem effects. The CEVP emphasis is currently placed on validating the initial complement of ISS countermeasures targeting bone, muscle, and aerobic fitness; followed by countermeasures for neurological, psychological, immunological, nutrition and metabolism, and radiation risks associated with space flight. This presentation will review the processes, plans, and procedures that will enable CEVP to play a vital role in transitioning promising research results into operational countermeasures necessary to maintain crew health and performance during long duration space flight.

Human health benefits and burdens of a pharmaceutical treatment: Discussion of a conceptual integrated approach.

PubMed

Debaveye, Sam; De Soete, Wouter; De Meester, Steven; Vandijck, Dominique; Heirman, Bert; Kavanagh, Shane; Dewulf, Jo

2016-01-01

The effects of a pharmaceutical treatment have until now been evaluated by the field of Health Economics on the patient health benefits, expressed in Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) versus the monetary costs. However, there is also a Human Health burden associated with this process, resulting from emissions that originate from the pharmaceutical production processes, Use Phase and End of Life (EoL) disposal of the medicine. This Human Health burden is evaluated by the research field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and expressed in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), a metric similar to the QALY. The need for a new framework presents itself in which both the positive and negative health effects of a pharmaceutical treatment are integrated into a net Human Health effect. To do so, this article reviews the methodologies of both Health Economics and the area of protection Human Health of the LCA methodology and proposes a conceptual framework on which to base an integration of both health effects. Methodological issues such as the inclusion of future costs and benefits, discounting and age weighting are discussed. It is suggested to use the structure of an LCA as a backbone to cover all methodological challenges involved in the integration. The possibility of monetizing both Human Health benefits and burdens is explored. The suggested approach covers the main methodological aspects that should be considered in an integrated assessment of the health effects of a pharmaceutical treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation design of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE): preventive integrated health and social care for community-dwelling older persons in five European cities.

PubMed

Franse, Carmen B; Voorham, Antonius J J; van Staveren, Rob; Koppelaar, Elin; Martijn, Rens; Valía-Cotanda, Elisa; Alhambra-Borrás, Tamara; Rentoumis, Tasos; Bilajac, Lovorka; Marchesi, Vanja Vasiljev; Rukavina, Tomislav; Verma, Arpana; Williams, Greg; Clough, Gary; Garcés-Ferrer, Jorge; Mattace Raso, Francesco; Raat, Hein

2017-09-11

Older persons often have interacting physical and social problems and complex care needs. An integrated care approach in the local context with collaborations between community-, social-, and health-focused organisations can contribute to the promotion of independent living and quality of life. In the Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE) project, five European cities (Greater Manchester, United Kingdom; Pallini (in Greater Athens Area), Greece; Rijeka, Croatia; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and Valencia, Spain) develop and implement a care template that integrates health and social care and includes a preventive approach. The UHCE project includes an effect and process evaluation. In a one-year pre-post controlled trial, in each city 250 participants aged 75+ years are recruited to receive the UHCE approach and are compared with 250 participants who receive 'care as usual'. Benefits of UHCE approach in terms of healthy life styles, fall risk, appropriate medication use, loneliness level and frailty, and in terms of level of independence and health-related quality of life and health care use are assessed. A multilevel modeling approach is used for the analyses. The process evaluation is used to provide insight into the reach of the target population, the extent to which elements of the UHCE approach are executed as planned and the satisfaction of the participants. The UHCE project will provide new insight into the feasibility and effectiveness of an integrated care approach for older persons in different European settings. ISRCTN registry number is ISRCTN52788952 . Date of registration is 13/03/2017.

3D J-Integral Capability in Grizzly

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

Spencer, Benjamin; Backman, Marie; Chakraborty, Pritam

2014-09-01

This report summarizes work done to develop a capability to evaluate fracture contour J-Integrals in 3D in the Grizzly code. In the current fiscal year, a previously-developed 2D implementation of a J-Integral evaluation capability has been extended to work in 3D, and to include terms due both to mechanically-induced strains and due to gradients in thermal strains. This capability has been verified against a benchmark solution on a model of a curved crack front in 3D. The thermal term in this integral has been verified against a benchmark problem with a thermal gradient. These developments are part of a largermore » effort to develop Grizzly as a tool that can be used to predict the evolution of aging processes in nuclear power plant systems, structures, and components, and assess their capacity after being subjected to those aging processes. The capabilities described here have been developed to enable evaluations of Mode- stress intensity factors on axis-aligned flaws in reactor pressure vessels. These can be compared with the fracture toughness of the material to determine whether a pre-existing flaw would begin to propagate during a pos- tulated pressurized thermal shock accident. This report includes a demonstration calculation to show how Grizzly is used to perform a deterministic assessment of such a flaw propagation in a degraded reactor pressure vessel under pressurized thermal shock conditions. The stress intensity is calculated from J, and the toughness is computed using the fracture master curve and the degraded ductile to brittle transition temperature.« less

Life sciences payload definition and integration study. Volume 2: Requirements, design, and planning studies for the carry-on laboratories. [for Spacelab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The task phase concerned with the requirements, design, and planning studies for the carry-on laboratory (COL) began with a definition of biomedical research areas and candidate research equipment, and then went on to develop conceptual layouts for COL which were each evaluated in order to arrive at a final conceptual design. Each step in this design/evaluation process concerned itself with man/systems integration research and hardware, and life support and protective systems research and equipment selection. COL integration studies were also conducted and include attention to electrical power and data management requirements, operational considerations, and shuttle/Spacelab interface specifications. A COL program schedule was compiled, and a cost analysis was finalized which takes into account work breakdown, annual funding, and cost reduction guidelines.

Situation-Dependent Medical Device Risk Estimation: Design and Evaluation of an Equipment Management Center For Vendor-Independent Integrated Operating Rooms.

PubMed

Maktabi, Marianne; Neumuth, Thomas

2017-12-22

The complexity of surgical interventions and the number of technologies involved are constantly rising. Hospital staff has to learn how to handle new medical devices efficiently. However, if medical device-related incidents occur, the patient treatment is delayed. Patient safety could therefore be supported by an optimized assistance system that helps improve the management of technical equipment by nonmedical hospital staff. We developed a system for the optimal monitoring of networked medical device activity and maintenance requirements, which works in conjunction with a vendor-independent integrated operating room and an accurate surgical intervention Time And Resource Management System. An integrated situation-dependent risk assessment system gives the medical engineers optimal awareness of the medical devices in the operating room. A qualitative and quantitative survey among ten medical engineers from three different hospitals was performed to evaluate the approach. A series of 25 questions was used to evaluate various aspects of our system as well as the system currently used. Moreover, the respondents were asked to perform five tasks related to system supervision and incident handling. Our system received a very positive feedback. The evaluation studies showed that the integration of information, the structured presentation of information, and the assistance modules provide valuable support to medical engineers. An automated operating room monitoring system with an integrated risk assessment and Time And Resource Management System module is a new way to assist the staff being outside of a vendor-independent integrated operating room, who are nevertheless involved in processes in the operating room.

Neutral-neutral and neutral-ion collision integrals for Y2O3-Ar plasma system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhamale, Gayatri D.; Nath, Swastik; Mathe, Vikas L.; Ghorui, Srikumar

2017-06-01

A detailed investigation on the neutral-neutral and neutral-ion collision integrals is reported for Y2O3-Ar plasma, an important system of functional material with unique properties having a wide range of processing applications. The calculated integrals are indispensible pre-requisite for the estimation of transport properties needed in CFD modelling of associated plasma processes. Polarizability plays an important role in determining the integral values. Ambiguity in selecting appropriate polarizability data available in the literature and calculating effective number of electrons in the ionized species contributing to the polarizability are addressed. The integrals are evaluated using Lennard-Jones like phenomenological potential up to (l,s) = (4,4). Used interaction potential is suitable for both neutral-neutral and neutral-ion interactions. For atom-parent ion interactions, contribution coming from the inelastic resonant charge transfer process has been accounted properly together with that coming from the elastic counterpart. A total of 14 interacting species and 60 different interactions are considered. Key contributing factors like basic electronic properties of the interacting species and associated polarizability values are accounted carefully. Adopted methodology is first benchmarked against data reported in the literature and then applied to the Y2O3-Ar plasma system for estimating the collision integrals. Results are presented in the temperature range of 100 K-100 000 K.

Carbon-free hydrogen production from low rank coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, Muhammad; Oda, Takuya; Kashiwagi, Takao

2018-02-01

Novel carbon-free integrated system of hydrogen production and storage from low rank coal is proposed and evaluated. To measure the optimum energy efficiency, two different systems employing different chemical looping technologies are modeled. The first integrated system consists of coal drying, gasification, syngas chemical looping, and hydrogenation. On the other hand, the second system combines coal drying, coal direct chemical looping, and hydrogenation. In addition, in order to cover the consumed electricity and recover the energy, combined cycle is adopted as addition module for power generation. The objective of the study is to find the best system having the highest performance in terms of total energy efficiency, including hydrogen production efficiency and power generation efficiency. To achieve a thorough energy/heat circulation throughout each module and the whole integrated system, enhanced process integration technology is employed. It basically incorporates two core basic technologies: exergy recovery and process integration. Several operating parameters including target moisture content in drying module, operating pressure in chemical looping module, are observed in terms of their influence to energy efficiency. From process modeling and calculation, two integrated systems can realize high total energy efficiency, higher than 60%. However, the system employing coal direct chemical looping represents higher energy efficiency, including hydrogen production and power generation, which is about 83%. In addition, optimum target moisture content in drying and operating pressure in chemical looping also have been defined.

A systematic approach to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of integrated health services.

PubMed

Reynolds, Heidi W; Sutherland, Elizabeth G

2013-05-06

Because of the current emphasis and enthusiasm focused on integration of health systems, there is a risk of piling resources into integrated strategies without the necessary systems in place to monitor their progress adequately or to measure impact, and to learn from these efforts. The rush to intervene without adequate monitoring and evaluation will continue to result in a weak evidence base for decision making and resource allocation. Program planning and implementation are inextricability linked to monitoring and evaluation. Country level guidance is needed to identify country-specific integrated strategies, thereby increasing country ownership. This paper focuses on integrated health services but takes into account how health services are influenced by the health system, managed by programs, and made up of interventions. We apply the principles in existing comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in order to outline a systematic approach to the M&E of integration for the country level. The approach is grounded by first defining the country-specific health challenges that integration is intended to affect. Priority points of contact for care can directly influence health, and essential packages of integration for all major client presentations need to be defined. Logic models are necessary to outline the plausible causal pathways and define the inputs, roles and responsibilities, indicators, and data sources across the health system. Finally, we recommend improvements to the health information system and in data use to ensure that data are available to inform decisions, because changes in the M&E function to make it more integrated will also facilitate integration in the service delivery, planning, and governance components. This approach described in the paper is the ideal, but its application at the country level can help reveal gaps and guide decisions related to what health services to prioritize for integration, help plan for how to strengthen systems to support health services, and ultimately establish an evidence base to inform investments in health care. More experience is needed to understand if the approach is feasible; similarly, more emphasis is needed on documenting the process of designing and implemented integrated interventions at the national level.

Using Systems Thinking to Frame the Evaluation of a Complex Educational Intervention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastens, K. A.; Baldassari, C.; DeLisi, J.; Manduca, C. A.

2014-12-01

InTeGrate (serc.carleton.edu/integrate/) is the geoscience component of NSF's STEM Talent Expansion Center program. As such, it is a $10M, 5 year effort, with dual goals of improving undergraduate STEM education and addressing an important national challenge, which in InTeGrate's case is environmental sustainability. InTeGrate is very complicated, involving five PI's, dozens of curriculum developers, scores of workshops and webinars, hundreds of faculty, and thousands of students. To get a handle on this complexity, the leadership team and evaluators are viewing project activities and outcomes through a system thinking lens, analogous to how geoscientists view the Earth system. For each major component of the project, we have a flowchart logic model that traces the flows of information, materials, influence, and people that are thought to result from project activities. As is to be expected in a complex system, individual activities are often influenced by multiple inputs and contribute to multiple outputs. The systems approach allows us to spot critical points in the system where evaluative probes are needed; for example, are workshops actually resulting in a flux of new people into roles of increased responsibility within InTeGrate as intended? InTeGrate is permeated with opportunities for participants to engage in assessment, reflection and peer-review. From a systems perspective, this evaluative culture can be seen as an effort to create reinforcing feedback loops for processes that advance InTeGrate's values. For example, assessment team members review draft instructional materials against a materials development rubric and coach developers through an iterative development cycle towards materials that embody InTeGrate's priorities. Of particular interest are flows of information or influence that may carry InTeGrate's impact outward in space and time beyond activities that are directly funded by the project. For example, positive experiences during materials development may influence developers' teaching practice such that they embed InTeGrate's methods into their teaching of non-InTeGrate materials and advocate for InTeGrate methods on their campuses. Only if such influence pathways exist will InTeGrate be able to achieve national and enduring impact.

An integrative review of the literature on registered nurses' medication competence.

PubMed

Sulosaari, Virpi; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2011-02-01

The aim of this integrative literature review was to describe registered nurses' medication competence. The objectives of the literature review were to chart the need for future studies and use the results for instrument development. Nurses play a vital role in different phases of a patient's medication process and thus need adequate competence to fulfil their role. Research on nurses' level of medication competence in different competency areas has been published. However, previous studies have lacked a comprehensive or integrated definition or description of medication competence in nursing. Integrative literature review. The integrative literature review followed five stages: (1) problem identification, (2) literature search, (3) data evaluation, (4) data analysis and (5) presentation. Eligible articles were identified via systematic literature search of research and evidence-based--databases. Twenty-one studies met the selection criteria. Eleven competency areas that constitute nurses' medication competence were identified: (1) anatomy and physiology, (2) pharmacology, (3) communication, (4) interdisciplinary collaboration, (5) information seeking, (6) mathematical and medication calculation, (7) medication administration, (8) medication education, (9) assessment and evaluation, (10) documentation and (11) promoting medication safety as part of patient safety. The analysis revealed three major categories which integrate these competency areas: (1) decision making competence, (2) theoretical competence and (3) practical competence. Medication competence requires a solid knowledge base and the ability to apply that knowledge in real-life situations during often complex and dynamic patient medication processes. Decision making competence was found to be an important and integral part of a nurses' theoretical and practical competence. These main competence categories integrated all of the 11 competency areas identified in this review. It is important to determine registered nurses' medication competence in the context of developing nursing education and migration of the nursing workforce. This literature review contributes an integrated perspective on nurses' medication competence and in doing so has clinical relevance for curriculum development and to future research in this area. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An Integrated Information System for Supporting Quality Management Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, N.; Helmreich, W.

2004-08-01

In a competitive environment, well defined processes become the strategic advantage of a company. Hence, targeted Quality Management ensures efficiency, trans- parency and, ultimately, customer satisfaction. In the particular context of a Space Test Centre, a num- ber of specific Quality Management standards have to be applied. According to the revision of ISO 9001 dur- ing 2000, and due to the adaptation of ECSS-Q20-07, process orientation and data analysis are key tasks for ensuring and evaluating the efficiency of a company's processes. In line with these requirements, an integrated management system for accessing the necessary infor- mation to support Quality Management and other proc- esses has been established. Some of its test-related fea- tures are presented here. Easy access to the integrated management system from any work place at IABG's Space Test Centre is ensured by means of an intranet portal. It comprises a full set of quality-related process descriptions, information on test facilities, emergency procedures, and other relevant in- formation. The portal's web interface provides direct access to a couple of external applications. Moreover, easy updating of all information and low cost mainte- nance are features of this integrated information system. The timely and transparent management of non- conformances is covered by a dedicated NCR database which incorporates full documentation capability, elec- tronic signature and e-mail notification of concerned staff. A search interface allows for queries across all documented non-conformances. Furthermore, print ver- sions can be generated at any stage in the process, e.g. for distribution to customers. Feedback on customer satisfaction is sought through a web-based questionnaire. The process is initiated by the responsible test manager through submission of an e- mail that contains a hyperlink to a secure website, ask- ing the customer to complete the brief online form, which is directly fed to a database for subsequent evaluation by the Quality Manager. All such information can be processed and presented in an appropriate manner for internal or external audits, as well as for regular management reviews.

Flight deck benefits of integrated data link communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Marvin C.

1992-01-01

A fixed-base, piloted simulation study was conducted to determine the operational benefits that result when air traffic control (ATC) instructions are transmitted to the deck of a transport aircraft over a digital data link. The ATC instructions include altitude, airspeed, heading, radio frequency, and route assignment data. The interface between the flight deck and the data link was integrated with other subsystems of the airplane to facilitate data management. Data from the ATC instructions were distributed to the flight guidance and control system, the navigation system, and an automatically tuned communication radio. The co-pilot initiated the automation-assisted data distribution process. Digital communications and automated data distribution were compared with conventional voice radio communication and manual input of data into other subsystems of the simulated aircraft. Less time was required in the combined communication and data management process when data link ATC communication was integrated with the other subsystems. The test subjects, commercial airline pilots, provided favorable evaluations of both the digital communication and data management processes.

Potentiometric analytical microsystem based on the integration of a gas-diffusion step for on-line ammonium determination in water recycling processes in manned space missions.

PubMed

Calvo-López, Antonio; Ymbern, Oriol; Puyol, Mar; Casalta, Joan Manel; Alonso-Chamarro, Julián

2015-05-18

The design, construction and evaluation of a versatile cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)-based continuous flow potentiometric microanalyzer to monitor the presence of ammonium ion in recycling water processes for future manned space missions is presented. The microsystem integrates microfluidics, a gas-diffusion module and a detection system in a single substrate. The gas-diffusion module was integrated by a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The potentiometric detection system is based on an all-solid state ammonium selective electrode and a screen-printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The analytical features provided by the analytical microsystem after the optimization process were a linear range from 0.15 to 500 mg L(-1) and a detection limit of 0.07 ± 0.01 mg L(-1). Nevertheless, the operational features can be easily adapted to other applications through the modification of the hydrodynamic variables of the microfluidic platform. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Knowledge Assisted Integrated Design of a Component and Its Manufacturing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautham, B. P.; Kulkarni, Nagesh; Khan, Danish; Zagade, Pramod; Reddy, Sreedhar; Uppaluri, Rohith

Integrated design of a product and its manufacturing processes would significantly reduce the total cost of the products as well as the cost of its development. However this would only be possible if we have a platform that allows us to link together simulations tools used for product design, performance evaluation and its manufacturing processes in a closed loop. In addition to that having a comprehensive knowledgebase that provides systematic knowledge guided assistance to product or process designers who may not possess in-depth design knowledge or in-depth knowledge of the simulation tools, would significantly speed up the end-to-end design process. In this paper, we propose a process and illustrate a case for achieving an integrated product and manufacturing process design assisted by knowledge support for the user to make decisions at various stages. We take transmission component design as an example. The example illustrates the design of a gear for its geometry, material selection and its manufacturing processes, particularly, carburizing-quenching and tempering, and feeding the material properties predicted during heat treatment into performance estimation in a closed loop. It also identifies and illustrates various decision stages in the integrated life cycle and discusses the use of knowledge engineering tools such as rule-based guidance, to assist the designer make informed decisions. Simulation tools developed on various commercial, open-source platforms as well as in-house tools along with knowledge engineering tools are linked to build a framework with appropriate navigation through user-friendly interfaces. This is illustrated through examples in this paper.

The use of concept mapping for scale development and validation in evaluation.

PubMed

Rosas, Scott R; Camphausen, Lauren C

2007-05-01

Evaluators often make key decisions about what content to include when designing new scales. However, without clear conceptual grounding, there is a risk these decisions may compromise the scale's validity. Techniques such as concept mapping are available to evaluators for the specification of conceptual frameworks, but have not been used as a fully integrated part of scale development. As part of a multi-site evaluation of family support programs, we integrated concept mapping with traditional scale-development processes to strengthen the creation of a scale for inclusion in an evaluation instrument. Using concept mapping, we engaged staff and managers in the development of a framework of intended benefits of program participation and used the information to systematically select the scale's content. The psychometric characteristics of the scale were then formally assessed using a sample of program participants. The implications of the approach for supporting construct validity, inclusion of staff and managers, and theory-driven evaluation are discussed.

Quality-by-Design (QbD): An integrated process analytical technology (PAT) approach for a dynamic pharmaceutical co-precipitation process characterization and process design space development.

PubMed

Wu, Huiquan; White, Maury; Khan, Mansoor A

2011-02-28

The aim of this work was to develop an integrated process analytical technology (PAT) approach for a dynamic pharmaceutical co-precipitation process characterization and design space development. A dynamic co-precipitation process by gradually introducing water to the ternary system of naproxen-Eudragit L100-alcohol was monitored at real-time in situ via Lasentec FBRM and PVM. 3D map of count-time-chord length revealed three distinguishable process stages: incubation, transition, and steady-state. The effects of high risk process variables (slurry temperature, stirring rate, and water addition rate) on both derived co-precipitation process rates and final chord-length-distribution were evaluated systematically using a 3(3) full factorial design. Critical process variables were identified via ANOVA for both transition and steady state. General linear models (GLM) were then used for parameter estimation for each critical variable. Clear trends about effects of each critical variable during transition and steady state were found by GLM and were interpreted using fundamental process principles and Nyvlt's transfer model. Neural network models were able to link process variables with response variables at transition and steady state with R(2) of 0.88-0.98. PVM images evidenced nucleation and crystal growth. Contour plots illustrated design space via critical process variables' ranges. It demonstrated the utility of integrated PAT approach for QbD development. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Integration agent-based models and GIS as a virtual urban dynamic laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Peng; Liu, Miaolong

2007-06-01

Based on the Agent-based Model and spatial data model, a tight-coupling integrating method of GIS and Agent-based Model (ABM) is to be discussed in this paper. The use of object-orientation for both spatial data and spatial process models facilitates their integration, which can allow exploration and explanation of spatial-temporal phenomena such as urban dynamic. In order to better understand how tight coupling might proceed and to evaluate the possible functional and efficiency gains from such a tight coupling, the agent-based model and spatial data model are discussed, and then the relationships affecting spatial data model and agent-based process models interaction. After that, a realistic crowd flow simulation experiment is presented. Using some tools provided by general GIS systems and a few specific programming languages, a new software system integrating GIS and MAS as a virtual laboratory applicable for simulating pedestrian flows in a crowd activity centre has been developed successfully. Under the environment supported by the software system, as an applicable case, a dynamic evolution process of the pedestrian's flows (dispersed process for the spectators) in a crowds' activity center - The Shanghai Stadium has been simulated successfully. At the end of the paper, some new research problems have been pointed out for the future.

[Development and clinical evaluation of an anesthesia information management system].

PubMed

Feng, Jing-yi; Chen, Hua; Zhu, Sheng-mei

2010-09-21

To study the design, implementation and clinical evaluation of an anesthesia information management system. To record, process and store peri-operative patient data automatically, all kinds of bedside monitoring equipments are connected into the system based on information integrating technology; after a statistical analysis of those patient data by data mining technology, patient status can be evaluated automatically based on risk prediction standard and decision support system, and then anesthetist could perform reasonable and safe clinical processes; with clinical processes electronically recorded, standard record tables could be generated, and clinical workflow is optimized, as well. With the system, kinds of patient data could be collected, stored, analyzed and archived, kinds of anesthesia documents could be generated, and patient status could be evaluated to support clinic decision. The anesthesia information management system is useful for improving anesthesia quality, decreasing risk of patient and clinician, and aiding to provide clinical proof.

Evaluation in health: participatory methodology and involvement of municipal managers

PubMed Central

de Almeida, Cristiane Andrea Locatelli; Tanaka, Oswaldo Yoshimi

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze scopes and limits of the use of participatory methodology of evaluation with municipal health managers and administrators. METHODS Qualitative research with health policymakers and managers of the Comissão Intergestores Regional (CIR – Regional Interagency Commission) of a health region of the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Representatives from seven member cities participated in seven workshops facilitated by the researchers, with the aim of assessing a specific problem of the care line, which would be used as a tracer of the system integrality. The analysis of the collected empirical material was based on the hermeneutic-dialectic methodology and aimed at the evaluation of the applied participatory methodology, according to its capacity of promoting a process of assessment capable to be used as a support for municipal management. RESULTS With the participatory approach of evaluation, we were able to promote in-depth discussions with the group, especially related to the construction of integral care and to the inclusion of the user’s perspective in decision-making, linked to the search for solution to concrete problems of managers. By joint exploration, the possibility of using data from electronic information systems was opened, as well as information coming directly from the users of the services, to enhance discussions and negotiations between partners. The participants were disbelievers of the replication potential of this type of evaluation without the direct monitoring of the academy, given the difficulty of organizing the process in everyday life, already taken by emergency and political issues. CONCLUSIONS Evaluations of programs and services carried out within the Regional Interagency Commission, starting from the local interest and facilitating the involvement of its members by the use of participatory methodologies, can contribute to the construction of integral care. To the extent that the act of evaluating stay invested with greater significance to the local actors, its involvement with the evaluations at the federal level can also be stimulated. PMID:27509011

Ugliness as the fourth wall-breaker. Comment on "Move me, astonish me... delight my eyes and brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up processes in Art Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and neurophysiological correlates" by Matthew Pelowski et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishizu, Tomohiro; Sakamoto, Yasuhiro

2017-07-01

In this extensive and valuable theoretical article, Pelowski et al. propose a psychological architecture in art appreciation by introducing the concepts of early/bottom-up and relatively late/top-down stages. The former is dictated as automatic processing on perceptual features of visual images, while the latter comprises cognitive and evaluative processes where modulations from acquired knowledge and memories come into play with recurrent loops to form final experiences, as well as brain areas/networks which possibly have a role in each processing component [9].

Flight-testing of the self-repairing flight control system using the F-15 highly integrated digital electronic control flight research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, James F.; Shuck, Thomas L.

1990-01-01

Flight tests conducted with the self-repairing flight control system (SRFCS) installed on the NASA F-15 highly integrated digital electronic control aircraft are described. The development leading to the current SRFCS configuration is highlighted. Key objectives of the program are outlined: (1) to flight-evaluate a control reconfiguration strategy with three types of control surface failure; (2) to evaluate a cockpit display that will inform the pilot of the maneuvering capacity of the damage aircraft; and (3) to flight-evaluate the onboard expert system maintenance diagnostics process using representative faults set to occur only under maneuvering conditions. Preliminary flight results addressing the operation of the overall system, as well as the individual technologies, are included.

Where Public Health Meets Human Rights: Integrating Human Rights into the Validation of the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis.

PubMed

Kismödi, Eszter; Kiragu, Karusa; Sawicki, Olga; Smith, Sally; Brion, Sophie; Sharma, Aditi; Mworeko, Lilian; Iovita, Alexandrina

2017-12-01

In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a process for validation of the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis by countries. For the first time in such a process for the validation of disease elimination, WHO introduced norms and approaches that are grounded in human rights, gender equality, and community engagement. This human rights-based validation process can serve as a key opportunity to enhance accountability for human rights protection by evaluating EMTCT programs against human rights norms and standards, including in relation to gender equality and by ensuring the provision of discrimination-free quality services. The rights-based validation process also involves the assessment of participation of affected communities in EMTCT program development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. It brings awareness to the types of human rights abuses and inequalities faced by women living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV and syphilis, and commits governments to eliminate those barriers. This process demonstrates the importance and feasibility of integrating human rights, gender, and community into key public health interventions in a manner that improves health outcomes, legitimizes the participation of affected communities, and advances the human rights of women living with HIV.

Health Impact Assessment, Physical Activity and Federal Lands Trail Policy

PubMed Central

Davis, Sally M.; Cruz, Theresa H.; Kozoll, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Objectives The objectives of this paper are to describe the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to inform trail decisions affecting a rural, under-resourced community and propose the routine integration of HIAs to enhance NEPA environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for trail decisions on federal lands. Methods Screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, monitoring and evaluation are being used to examine the health impact of trail location and design. Results HIA recommendations are being integrated into the public lands National Environmental Protection Act process for planning access to a new segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Potential users from a nearby rural New Mexico community and a region of almost one million may benefit from this HIA-informed planning. Conclusions HIA can be integrated into the policy and decision-making process for trails on public lands. PMID:27213163

Analysis of the possibility of a PGA309 integrated circuit application in pressure sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walendziuk, Wojciech; Baczewski, Michal; Idzkowski, Adam

2016-09-01

This article present the results of research concerning the analysis of the possibilities of applying a PGA309 integrated circuit in transducers used for pressure measurement. The experiments were done with the use of a PGA309EVM-USB evaluation circuit with a BD|SENSORS pressure sensor. A specially prepared MATLAB script was used in the process of the calibration setting choice and the results analysis. The article discusses the worked out algorithm that processes the measurement results, i.e. the algorithm which calculates the desired gain and the offset adjustment voltage of the transducer measurement bridge in relation to the input signal range of the integrated circuit and the temperature of the environment (temperature compensation). The checking procedure was conducted in a measurement laboratory and the obtained result were analyzed and discussed.

Developing a Cyberinfrastructure for integrated assessments of environmental contaminants.

PubMed

Kaur, Taranjit; Singh, Jatinder; Goodale, Wing M; Kramar, David; Nelson, Peter

2005-03-01

The objective of this study was to design and implement prototype software for capturing field data and automating the process for reporting and analyzing the distribution of mercury. The four phase process used to design, develop, deploy and evaluate the prototype software is described. Two different development strategies were used: (1) design of a mobile data collection application intended to capture field data in a meaningful format and automate transfer into user databases, followed by (2) a re-engineering of the original software to develop an integrated database environment with improved methods for aggregating and sharing data. Results demonstrated that innovative use of commercially available hardware and software components can lead to the development of an end-to-end digital cyberinfrastructure that captures, records, stores, transmits, compiles and integrates multi-source data as it relates to mercury.

Noncognitive constructs in graduate admissions: an integrative review of available instruments.

PubMed

Megginson, Lucy

2009-01-01

In the graduate admission process, both cognitive and noncognitive instruments evaluate a candidate's potential success in a program of study. Traditional cognitive measures include the Graduate Record Examination or graduate grade point average, while noncognitive constructs such as personality, attitude, and motivation are generally measured through letters of recommendation, interviews, or personality inventories. Little consensus exists as to what criteria constitute valid and effective measurements of graduate student potential. This integrative review of available tools to measure noncognitive constructs will assist graduate faculty in identifying valid and reliable instruments that will enhance a more holistic assessment of nursing graduate candidates. Finally, as evidence-based practice begins to penetrate academic processes and as graduate faculty realize the predictive significance of noncognitive attributes, faculty can use the information in this integrative review to guide future research.

Computerized engineering logic for nuclear procurement and dedication processes

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

Tulay, M.P.

1996-12-31

In an attempt to better meet the needs of operations and maintenance organizations, many nuclear utility procurement engineering groups have simplified their procedures, developed on-line tools for performing the specification of replacement items, and developed relational databases containing part-level information necessary to automate the procurement process. Although these improvements have helped to reduce the engineering necessary to properly specify and accept/dedicate items for nuclear safety-related applications, a number of utilities have recognized that additional long-term savings can be realized by integrating a computerized logic to assist technical procurement engineering personnel. The most commonly used logic follows the generic processes containedmore » in Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) published guidelines. The processes are typically customized to some extent to accommodate each utility`s organizational structure, operating procedures, and strategic goals. This paper will discuss a typical logic that integrates the technical evaluation, acceptance, and receipt inspection and testing processes. The logic this paper will describe has been successfully integrated at a growing number of nuclear utilities and has produced numerous positive results. The application of the logic ensures that utility-wide standards or procedures, common among multi-site utilities, are followed.« less

A review of computer aided interpretation technology for the evaluation of radiographs of aluminum welds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lloyd, J. F., Sr.

1987-01-01

Industrial radiography is a well established, reliable means of providing nondestructive structural integrity information. The majority of industrial radiographs are interpreted by trained human eyes using transmitted light and various visual aids. Hundreds of miles of radiographic information are evaluated, documented and archived annually. In many instances, there are serious considerations in terms of interpreter fatigue, subjectivity and limited archival space. Quite often it is difficult to quickly retrieve radiographic information for further analysis or investigation. Methods of improving the quality and efficiency of the radiographic process are being explored, developed and incorporated whenever feasible. High resolution cameras, digital image processing, and mass digital data storage offer interesting possibilities for improving the industrial radiographic process. A review is presented of computer aided radiographic interpretation technology in terms of how it could be used to enhance the radiographic interpretation process in evaluating radiographs of aluminum welds.

Adapting Nielsen’s Design Heuristics to Dual Processing for Clinical Decision Support

PubMed Central

Taft, Teresa; Staes, Catherine; Slager, Stacey; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

The study objective was to improve the applicability of Nielson’s standard design heuristics for evaluating electronic health record (EHR) alerts and linked ordering support by integrating them with Dual Process theory. Through initial heuristic evaluation and a user study of 7 physicians, usability problems were identified. Through independent mapping of specific usability criteria to support for each of the Dual Cognitive processes (S1 and S2) and deliberation, agreement was reached on mapping criteria. Finally, usability errors from the heuristic and user study were mapped to S1 and S2. Adding a dual process perspective to specific heuristic analysis increases the applicability and relevance of computerized health information design evaluations. This mapping enables designers to measure that their systems are tailored to support attention allocation. System 1 will be supported by improving pattern recognition and saliency, and system 2 through efficiency and control of information access. PMID:28269915

Adapting Nielsen's Design Heuristics to Dual Processing for Clinical Decision Support.

PubMed

Taft, Teresa; Staes, Catherine; Slager, Stacey; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

The study objective was to improve the applicability of Nielson's standard design heuristics for evaluating electronic health record (EHR) alerts and linked ordering support by integrating them with Dual Process theory. Through initial heuristic evaluation and a user study of 7 physicians, usability problems were identified. Through independent mapping of specific usability criteria to support for each of the Dual Cognitive processes (S1 and S2) and deliberation, agreement was reached on mapping criteria. Finally, usability errors from the heuristic and user study were mapped to S1 and S2. Adding a dual process perspective to specific heuristic analysis increases the applicability and relevance of computerized health information design evaluations. This mapping enables designers to measure that their systems are tailored to support attention allocation. System 1 will be supported by improving pattern recognition and saliency, and system 2 through efficiency and control of information access.

Integrated field and laboratory tests to evaluate effects of metals-impacted wetlands on amphibians: A case study from Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Linder, G.; ,

2003-01-01

Mining activities frequently impact wildlife habitats, and a wide range of habitats may require evaluations of the linkages between wildlife and environmental stressors common to mining activities (e.g., physical alteration of habitat, releases of chemicals such as metals and other inorganic constituents as part of the mining operation). Wetlands, for example, are frequently impacted by mining activities. Within an ecological assessment for a wetland, toxicity evaluations for representative species may be advantageous to the site evaluation, since these species could be exposed to complex chemical mixtures potentially released from the site. Amphibian species common to these transition zones between terrestrial and aquatic habitats are one key biological indicator of exposure, and integrated approaches which involve both field and laboratory methods focused on amphibians are critical to the assessment process. The laboratory and field evaluations of a wetland in western Montana illustrates the integrated approach to risk assessment and causal analysis. Here, amphibians were used to evaluate the potential toxicity associated with heavy metal-laden sediments deposited in a reservoir. Field and laboratory methods were applied to a toxicity assessment for metals characteristic of mine tailings to reduce potential "lab to field" extrapolation errors and provide adaptive management programs with critical site-specific information targeted on remediation.

Computer-aided operations engineering with integrated models of systems and operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Ryan, Dan; Fleming, Land

1994-01-01

CONFIG 3 is a prototype software tool that supports integrated conceptual design evaluation from early in the product life cycle, by supporting isolated or integrated modeling, simulation, and analysis of the function, structure, behavior, failures and operation of system designs. Integration and reuse of models is supported in an object-oriented environment providing capabilities for graph analysis and discrete event simulation. Integration is supported among diverse modeling approaches (component view, configuration or flow path view, and procedure view) and diverse simulation and analysis approaches. Support is provided for integrated engineering in diverse design domains, including mechanical and electro-mechanical systems, distributed computer systems, and chemical processing and transport systems. CONFIG supports abstracted qualitative and symbolic modeling, for early conceptual design. System models are component structure models with operating modes, with embedded time-related behavior models. CONFIG supports failure modeling and modeling of state or configuration changes that result in dynamic changes in dependencies among components. Operations and procedure models are activity structure models that interact with system models. CONFIG is designed to support evaluation of system operability, diagnosability and fault tolerance, and analysis of the development of system effects of problems over time, including faults, failures, and procedural or environmental difficulties.

Participatory Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of Multi-Stakeholder Platforms in Integrated Landscape Initiatives.

PubMed

Kusters, Koen; Buck, Louise; de Graaf, Maartje; Minang, Peter; van Oosten, Cora; Zagt, Roderick

2018-07-01

Integrated landscape initiatives typically aim to strengthen landscape governance by developing and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms. These are institutional coordination mechanisms that enable discussions, negotiations, and joint planning between stakeholders from various sectors in a given landscape. Multi-stakeholder platforms tend to involve complex processes with diverse actors, whose objectives and focus may be subjected to periodic re-evaluation, revision or reform. In this article we propose a participatory method to aid planning, monitoring, and evaluation of such platforms, and we report on experiences from piloting the method in Ghana and Indonesia. The method is comprised of three components. The first can be used to look ahead, identifying priorities for future multi-stakeholder collaboration in the landscape. It is based on the identification of four aspirations that are common across multi-stakeholder platforms in integrated landscape initiatives. The second can be used to look inward. It focuses on the processes within an existing multi-stakeholder platform in order to identify areas for possible improvement. The third can be used to look back, identifying the main outcomes of an existing platform and comparing them to the original objectives. The three components can be implemented together or separately. They can be used to inform planning and adaptive management of the platform, as well as to demonstrate performance and inform the design of new interventions.

Multimodal frontostriatal connectivity underlies individual differences in self-esteem.

PubMed

Chavez, Robert S; Heatherton, Todd F

2015-03-01

A heightened sense of self-esteem is associated with a reduced risk for several types of affective and psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. However, little is known about how brain systems integrate self-referential processing and positive evaluation to give rise to these feelings. To address this, we combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test how frontostriatal connectivity reflects long-term trait and short-term state aspects of self-esteem. Using DTI, we found individual variability in white matter structural integrity between the medial prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum was related to trait measures of self-esteem, reflecting long-term stability of self-esteem maintenance. Using fMRI, we found that functional connectivity of these regions during positive self-evaluation was related to current feelings of self-esteem, reflecting short-term state self-esteem. These results provide convergent anatomical and functional evidence that self-esteem is related to the connectivity of frontostriatal circuits and suggest that feelings of self-worth may emerge from neural systems integrating information about the self with positive affect and reward. This information could potentially inform the etiology of diminished self-esteem underlying multiple psychiatric conditions and inform future studies of evaluative self-referential processing. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Web services-based text-mining demonstrates broad impacts for interoperability and process simplification.

PubMed

Wiegers, Thomas C; Davis, Allan Peter; Mattingly, Carolyn J

2014-01-01

The Critical Assessment of Information Extraction systems in Biology (BioCreAtIvE) challenge evaluation tasks collectively represent a community-wide effort to evaluate a variety of text-mining and information extraction systems applied to the biological domain. The BioCreative IV Workshop included five independent subject areas, including Track 3, which focused on named-entity recognition (NER) for the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD; http://ctdbase.org). Previously, CTD had organized document ranking and NER-related tasks for the BioCreative Workshop 2012; a key finding of that effort was that interoperability and integration complexity were major impediments to the direct application of the systems to CTD's text-mining pipeline. This underscored a prevailing problem with software integration efforts. Major interoperability-related issues included lack of process modularity, operating system incompatibility, tool configuration complexity and lack of standardization of high-level inter-process communications. One approach to potentially mitigate interoperability and general integration issues is the use of Web services to abstract implementation details; rather than integrating NER tools directly, HTTP-based calls from CTD's asynchronous, batch-oriented text-mining pipeline could be made to remote NER Web services for recognition of specific biological terms using BioC (an emerging family of XML formats) for inter-process communications. To test this concept, participating groups developed Representational State Transfer /BioC-compliant Web services tailored to CTD's NER requirements. Participants were provided with a comprehensive set of training materials. CTD evaluated results obtained from the remote Web service-based URLs against a test data set of 510 manually curated scientific articles. Twelve groups participated in the challenge. Recall, precision, balanced F-scores and response times were calculated. Top balanced F-scores for gene, chemical and disease NER were 61, 74 and 51%, respectively. Response times ranged from fractions-of-a-second to over a minute per article. We present a description of the challenge and summary of results, demonstrating how curation groups can effectively use interoperable NER technologies to simplify text-mining pipeline implementation. Database URL: http://ctdbase.org/ © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Web services-based text-mining demonstrates broad impacts for interoperability and process simplification

PubMed Central

Wiegers, Thomas C.; Davis, Allan Peter; Mattingly, Carolyn J.

2014-01-01

The Critical Assessment of Information Extraction systems in Biology (BioCreAtIvE) challenge evaluation tasks collectively represent a community-wide effort to evaluate a variety of text-mining and information extraction systems applied to the biological domain. The BioCreative IV Workshop included five independent subject areas, including Track 3, which focused on named-entity recognition (NER) for the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD; http://ctdbase.org). Previously, CTD had organized document ranking and NER-related tasks for the BioCreative Workshop 2012; a key finding of that effort was that interoperability and integration complexity were major impediments to the direct application of the systems to CTD's text-mining pipeline. This underscored a prevailing problem with software integration efforts. Major interoperability-related issues included lack of process modularity, operating system incompatibility, tool configuration complexity and lack of standardization of high-level inter-process communications. One approach to potentially mitigate interoperability and general integration issues is the use of Web services to abstract implementation details; rather than integrating NER tools directly, HTTP-based calls from CTD's asynchronous, batch-oriented text-mining pipeline could be made to remote NER Web services for recognition of specific biological terms using BioC (an emerging family of XML formats) for inter-process communications. To test this concept, participating groups developed Representational State Transfer /BioC-compliant Web services tailored to CTD's NER requirements. Participants were provided with a comprehensive set of training materials. CTD evaluated results obtained from the remote Web service-based URLs against a test data set of 510 manually curated scientific articles. Twelve groups participated in the challenge. Recall, precision, balanced F-scores and response times were calculated. Top balanced F-scores for gene, chemical and disease NER were 61, 74 and 51%, respectively. Response times ranged from fractions-of-a-second to over a minute per article. We present a description of the challenge and summary of results, demonstrating how curation groups can effectively use interoperable NER technologies to simplify text-mining pipeline implementation. Database URL: http://ctdbase.org/ PMID:24919658

Effectiveness of Teamwork in an Integrated Care Setting for Patients with COPD: Development and Testing of a Self-Evaluation Instrument for Interprofessional Teams.

PubMed

Van Dijk-de Vries, Anneke N; Duimel-Peeters, Inge G P; Muris, Jean W; Wesseling, Geertjan J; Beusmans, George H M I; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2016-04-08

Teamwork between healthcare providers is conditional for the delivery of integrated care. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model for developing and testing of the Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument. Focus groups with healthcare providers in an integrated care setting for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were conducted to examine the recognisability of the conceptual framework and to explore critical success factors for collaborative COPD practice out of this framework. The resulting items were transposed into a pilot instrument. This was reviewed by expert opinion and completed 153 times by healthcare providers. The underlying structure and internal consistency of the instrument were verified by factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. The conceptual framework turned out to be comprehensible for discussing teamwork effectiveness. The pilot instrument measures 25 relevant aspects of teamwork in integrated COPD care. Factor analysis suggested three reliable components: teamwork effectiveness, team processes and team psychosocial traits (Cronbach's alpha between 0.76 and 0.81). The conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model is relevant in developing a practical full-spectrum instrument to facilitate discussing teamwork effectiveness. The Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument provides a well-founded basis to self-evaluate teamwork effectiveness in integrated COPD care by healthcare providers. Recommendations are provided for the improvement of the instrument.

Evolving Maturation of the Series-Bosch System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanley, Christine; Abney, Morgan B.; Barnett, Bill

2017-01-01

Human exploration missions to Mars and other destinations beyond low Earth orbit require highly robust, reliable, and maintainable life support systems that maximize recycling of water and oxygen. In order to meet this requirement, NASA has continued the development of a Series-Bosch System, a two stage reactor process that reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) with hydrogen (H2) to produce water and solid carbon. Theoretically, the Bosch process can recover 100% of the oxygen (O2) from CO2 in the form of water, making it an attractive option for long duration missions. The Series Bosch system includes a reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reactor, a carbon formation reactor (CFR), an H2 extraction membrane, and a CO2 extraction membrane. In 2016, the results of integrated testing of the Series Bosch system showed great promise and resulted in design modifications to the CFR to further improve performance. This year, integrated testing was conducted with the modified reactor to evaluate its performance and compare it with the performance of the previous configuration. Additionally, a CFR with the capability to load new catalyst and remove spent catalyst in-situ was built. Flow demonstrations were performed to evaluate both the catalyst loading and removal process and the hardware performance. The results of the integrated testing with the modified CFR as well as the flow demonstrations are discussed in this paper.

Guide to Considering Children's Health When Developing EPA Actions: Implementing Executive Order 13045 and EPA's Policy on Evaluating Health Risks to Children

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Recommendations on integrating children's health considerations into EPA's Action Development Process (ADP). Also how to identify economically significant actions, disproportionate risk, and developing the Analytical Blueprint.

Postgraduate Clinical Training at the New England School of Optometry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Douglas J.

1989-01-01

The New England College of Optometry's two separate but integrated clinical postgraduate programs, one providing Veterans' Administration residencies and the other, college-based fellowships, are described. The shared curriculum components, exchange process, and evaluation system are highlighted. (MSE)

An integrated approach of AHP and DEMATEL methods in evaluating the criteria of auto spare parts industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hsin-Hung; Tsai, Ya-Ning

2012-11-01

This study uses both analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methods to evaluate the criteria in auto spare parts industry in Taiwan. Traditionally, AHP does not consider indirect effects for each criterion and assumes that criteria are independent without further addressing the interdependence between or among the criteria. Thus, the importance computed by AHP can be viewed as short-term improvement opportunity. On the contrary, DEMATEL method not only evaluates the importance of criteria but also depicts the causal relations of criteria. By observing the causal diagrams, the improvement based on cause-oriented criteria might improve the performance effectively and efficiently for the long-term perspective. As a result, the major advantage of integrating AHP and DEMATEL methods is that the decision maker can continuously improve suppliers' performance from both short-term and long-term viewpoints.

An operational information systems architecture for assessing sustainable transportation planning: principles and design.

PubMed

Borzacchiello, Maria Teresa; Torrieri, Vincenzo; Nijkamp, Peter

2009-11-01

This paper offers the description of an integrated information system framework for the assessment of transportation planning and management. After an introductory exposition, in the first part of the paper, a broad overview of international experiences regarding information systems on transportation is given, focusing in particular on the relationship between transportation system's performance monitoring and the decision-making process, and on the importance of this connection in the evaluation and planning process, in Italian and European cases. Next, the methodological design of an information system to support efficient and sustainable transportation planning and management aiming to integrate inputs from several different data sources is presented. The resulting framework deploys modular and integrated databases which include data stemming from different national or regional data banks and which integrate information belonging to different transportation fields. For this reason, it allows public administrations to account for many strategic elements that influence their decisions regarding transportation, both from a systemic and infrastructural point of view.

Evaluation of a synergistic handheld instrument for resternotomy controlled by an integrated optical sensor.

PubMed

Korff, Alexander; Jalowy, Thomas; Mueller, Meiko; Fuertjes, Tobias; Dohmen, Guido; Radermacher, Klaus; Follmann, Axel

2011-01-01

Re-Sternotomy is an important part of many interventions in cardiac or thoracic surgery. It is performed close to critical structures such as the ascending aorta or the heart with an inherent high risk of serious damage. In this paper, a system for improving the safety of this surgical procedure is presented. A soft tissue preserving saw is combined with automatic depth regulation. The depth is controlled on the basis of the optical characteristics (visible light) of the tissue aligned to the saw blade, which is analyzed using a color sensor. Detection of the blades' position in the bone during the cutting process is possible through the integration of an optical fiber into the tip of the saw blade. The automatic depth control is realized using a hysteresis controller running on a real time system. To show the feasibility of this approach, the sensor technology was integrated into a prototypal sternal saw and evaluated on artificial bone. As part of the experiments the influence of water for cooling and dust particles from the process on the systems control stability were analyzed. The system performed stable and accurate. Future research will focus on the control algorithm and cadaver trials.

Integration of design and inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmonds, William H.

1990-08-01

Developments in advanced computer integrated manufacturing technology, coupled with the emphasis on Total Quality Management, are exposing needs for new techniques to integrate all functions from design through to support of the delivered product. One critical functional area that must be integrated into design is that embracing the measurement, inspection and test activities necessary for validation of the delivered product. This area is being tackled by a collaborative project supported by the UK Government Department of Trade and Industry. The project is aimed at developing techniques for analysing validation needs and for planning validation methods. Within the project an experimental Computer Aided Validation Expert system (CAVE) is being constructed. This operates with a generalised model of the validation process and helps with all design stages: specification of product requirements; analysis of the assurance provided by a proposed design and method of manufacture; development of the inspection and test strategy; and analysis of feedback data. The kernel of the system is a knowledge base containing knowledge of the manufacturing process capabilities and of the available inspection and test facilities. The CAVE system is being integrated into a real life advanced computer integrated manufacturing facility for demonstration and evaluation.

Possibilities of the Integration of the Method of the Ecologically Oriented Independent Scientific Research in the Study Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grizans, Jurijs; Vanags, Janis

2010-01-01

The aim of this paper is to analyse possibilities of the integration of the method of the ecologically oriented independent scientific research in the study process. In order to achieve the set aim, the following scientific research methods were used: analysis of the conceptual guidelines for the development of environmentally oriented entrepreneurship, interpretation of the experts' evaluation of the ecologically oriented management, analysis of the results of the students' ecologically oriented independent scientific research, as well as monographic and logically constructive methods. The results of the study give an opportunity to make conclusions and to develop conceptual recommendations on how to introduce future economics and business professionals with the theoretical and practical aspects of ecologically oriented management during the study process.

Enabling Earth Science Through Cloud Computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardman, Sean; Riofrio, Andres; Shams, Khawaja; Freeborn, Dana; Springer, Paul; Chafin, Brian

2012-01-01

Cloud Computing holds tremendous potential for missions across the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Several flight missions are already benefiting from an investment in cloud computing for mission critical pipelines and services through faster processing time, higher availability, and drastically lower costs available on cloud systems. However, these processes do not currently extend to general scientific algorithms relevant to earth science missions. The members of the Airborne Cloud Computing Environment task at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have worked closely with the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) mission to integrate cloud computing into their science data processing pipeline. This paper details the efforts involved in deploying a science data system for the CARVE mission, evaluating and integrating cloud computing solutions with the system and porting their science algorithms for execution in a cloud environment.

Integrating an infectious disease programme into the primary health care service: a retrospective analysis of Chagas disease community-based surveillance in Honduras.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Ken; Zúniga, Concepción; Nakamura, Jiro; Hanada, Kyo

2015-03-24

Integration of disease-specific programmes into the primary health care (PHC) service has been attempted mostly in clinically oriented disease control such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis but rarely in vector control. Chagas disease is controlled principally by interventions against the triatomine vector. In Honduras, after successful reduction of household infestation by vertical approach, the Ministry of Health implemented community-based vector surveillance at the PHC services (health centres) to prevent the resurgence of infection. This paper retrospectively analyses the effects and process of integrating a Chagas disease vector surveillance system into health centres. We evaluated the effects of integration at six pilot sites in western Honduras during 2008-2011 on; surveillance performance; knowledge, attitude and practice in schoolchildren; reports of triatomine bug infestation and institutional response; and seroprevalence among children under 15 years of age. The process of integration of the surveillance system was analysed using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for health programme planning. The model was employed to systematically determine influential and interactive factors which facilitated the integration process at different levels of the Ministry of Health and the community. Overall surveillance performance improved from 46 to 84 on a 100 point-scale. Schoolchildren's attitude (risk awareness) score significantly increased from 77 to 83 points. Seroprevalence declined from 3.4% to 0.4%. Health centres responded to the community bug reports by insecticide spraying. As key factors, the health centres had potential management capacity and influence over the inhabitants' behaviours and living environment directly and through community health volunteers. The National Chagas Programme played an essential role in facilitating changes with adequate distribution of responsibilities, participatory modelling, training and, evaluation and advocacy. We found that Chagas disease vector surveillance can be integrated into the PHC service. Health centres demonstrated capacity to manage vector surveillance and improve performance, children's awareness, vector report-response and seroprevalence, once tasks were simplified to be performed by trained non-specialists and distributed among the stakeholders. Health systems integration requires health workers to perform beyond their usual responsibilities and acquire management skills. Integration of vector control is feasible and can contribute to strengthening the preventive capacity of the PHC service.

Fed-batch hydrolysate addition and cell separation by settling in high cell density lignocellulosic ethanol fermentations on AFEX™ corn stover in the Rapid Bioconversion with Integrated recycling Technology process.

PubMed

Sarks, Cory; Jin, Mingjie; Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E

2017-09-01

The Rapid Bioconversion with Integrated recycling Technology (RaBIT) process uses enzyme and yeast recycling to improve cellulosic ethanol production economics. The previous versions of the RaBIT process exhibited decreased xylose consumption using cell recycle for a variety of different micro-organisms. Process changes were tested in an attempt to eliminate the xylose consumption decrease. Three different RaBIT process changes were evaluated in this work including (1) shortening the fermentation time, (2) fed-batch hydrolysate addition, and (3) selective cell recycling using a settling method. Shorting the RaBIT fermentation process to 11 h and introducing fed-batch hydrolysate addition eliminated any xylose consumption decrease over ten fermentation cycles; otherwise, decreased xylose consumption was apparent by the third cell recycle event. However, partial removal of yeast cells during recycle was not economical when compared to recycling all yeast cells.

Economic evaluation of integrated new technologies for health and social care: Suggestions for policy makers, users and evaluators.

PubMed

Wildman, John; McMeekin, Peter; Grieve, Eleanor; Briggs, Andrew

2016-11-01

With an ageing population there is a move towards the use of assisted living technologies (ALTs) to provide social care and health care services, and to improve service processes. These technologies are at the forefront of the integration of health and social care. However, economic evaluations of ALTs, and indeed economic evaluations of any interventions providing both health benefits and benefits beyond health are complex. This paper considers the challenges faced by evaluators and presents a method of economic evaluation for use with interventions where traditional methods may not be suitable for informing funders and decision makers. We propose a method, combining economic evaluation techniques, that can accommodate health outcomes and outcomes beyond health through the use of a common numeraire. Such economic evaluations can benefit both the public and private sector, firstly by ensuring the efficient allocation of resources. And secondly, by providing information for individuals who, in the market for ALTs, face consumption decisions that are infrequent and for which there may be no other sources of information. We consider these issues in the welfarist, extra-welfarist and capabilities frameworks, which we link to attributes in an individual production model. This approach allows for the valuation of the health component of any such intervention and the valuation of key social care attributes and processes. Finally, we present a set of considerations for evaluators highlighting the key issues that need to be considered in this type of economic evaluation. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a survey instrument to measure patient experience of integrated care.

PubMed

Walker, Kara Odom; Stewart, Anita L; Grumbach, Kevin

2016-06-01

Healthcare systems are working to move towards more integrated, patient-centered care. This study describes the development and testing of a multidimensional self-report measure of patients' experiences of integrated care. Random-digit-dial telephone survey in 2012 of 317 adults aged 40 years or older in the San Francisco region who had used healthcare at least twice in the past 12 months. One-time cross-sectional survey; psychometric evaluation to confirm dimensions and create multi-item scales. Survey data were analyzed using VARCLUS and confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency reliability testing. Scales measuring five domains were confirmed: coordination within and between care teams, navigation (arranging appointments and visits), communication between specialist and primary care doctor, and communication between primary care doctor and specialist. Four of these demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability. Mean scale scores indicated low levels of integration. These scales measuring integrated care capture meaningful domains of patients' experiences of health care. The low levels of care integration reported by patients in the study sample suggest that these types of measures should be considered in ongoing evaluations of health system performance and improvement. Further research should examine whether differences in patient experience of integrated care are associated with differences in the processes and outcomes of care received.

Integrated Assessment of Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bautista, S.; Orr, B. J.; Vallejo, R.

2009-12-01

Recent advances in desertification and land degradation research have provided valuable conceptual and analytical frameworks, degradation indicators, assessment tools and surveillance systems with respect to desertification drivers, processes, and impacts. These findings, together with stakeholders’ perceptions and local/regional knowledge, have helped to define and propose measures and strategies to combat land degradation. However, integrated and comprehensive assessment and evaluation of prevention and restoration strategies and techniques to combat desertification is still lacking, and knowledge on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the proposed strategies over a wide range of environmental and socio-economic conditions is very scarce. To address this challenge, we have launched a multinational project (PRACTICE - Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification. An Integrated Assessment), funded by the European Commission, in order to link S & T advances and traditional knowledge on prevention and restoration practices to combat desertification with sound implementation, learning and adaptive management, knowledge sharing, and dissemination of best practices. The key activities for pursuing this goal are (1) to establish a platform and information system of long-term monitoring sites for assessing sustainable management and actions to combat desertification, (2) to define an integrated protocol for the assessment of these actions, and (3) to link project assessment and evaluation with training and education, adaptive management, and knowledge sharing and dissemination through a participatory approach involving scientists, managers, technicians, financial officers, and members of the public who are/were impacted by the desertification control projects. Monitoring sites are distributed in the Mediterranean Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal), Africa (Morocco, Namibia, South Africa), Middle East (Israel), China, and South and North America (Chile, Mexico, and USA). PRACTICE integrated assessment protocol (IAPro) assumes the mutual human-environment interactions in land-use/cover change at multiple scales, and therefore adopts an integrated approach, which simultaneously considers both biophysical and socio-economic attributes, for assessing actions to combat desertification. IAPro mostly relies on critical slow variables and particularly exploits long-term monitoring data. Integration of biophysical and socio-economic assessment indicators and stakeholder preferences is based on a participatory multi-criteria decision making process. The process is iterative and provides a framework for knowledge exchange and a path to consensus building.

A study of machine-learning-based approaches to extract clinical entities and their assertions from discharge summaries.

PubMed

Jiang, Min; Chen, Yukun; Liu, Mei; Rosenbloom, S Trent; Mani, Subramani; Denny, Joshua C; Xu, Hua

2011-01-01

The authors' goal was to develop and evaluate machine-learning-based approaches to extracting clinical entities-including medical problems, tests, and treatments, as well as their asserted status-from hospital discharge summaries written using natural language. This project was part of the 2010 Center of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/Veterans Affairs (VA) natural-language-processing challenge. The authors implemented a machine-learning-based named entity recognition system for clinical text and systematically evaluated the contributions of different types of features and ML algorithms, using a training corpus of 349 annotated notes. Based on the results from training data, the authors developed a novel hybrid clinical entity extraction system, which integrated heuristic rule-based modules with the ML-base named entity recognition module. The authors applied the hybrid system to the concept extraction and assertion classification tasks in the challenge and evaluated its performance using a test data set with 477 annotated notes. Standard measures including precision, recall, and F-measure were calculated using the evaluation script provided by the Center of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/VA challenge organizers. The overall performance for all three types of clinical entities and all six types of assertions across 477 annotated notes were considered as the primary metric in the challenge. Systematic evaluation on the training set showed that Conditional Random Fields outperformed Support Vector Machines, and semantic information from existing natural-language-processing systems largely improved performance, although contributions from different types of features varied. The authors' hybrid entity extraction system achieved a maximum overall F-score of 0.8391 for concept extraction (ranked second) and 0.9313 for assertion classification (ranked fourth, but not statistically different than the first three systems) on the test data set in the challenge.

Integrated tracking of components by engineering and logistics utilizing logistics asset tracking system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renfroe, Michael B.; Mcdonald, Edward J.; Bradshaw, Kimberly

1988-01-01

The Logistics Asset Tracking System (LATS) devised by NASA contains data on Space Shuttle LRUs that are daily updated to reflect such LRU status changes as repair due to failure or modification due to changing engineering requirements. The implementation of LATS has substantially increased personnel responsiveness, preventing costly delays in Space Shuttle processing and obviating hardware cannibalization. An evaluation is presented of LATS achievements in the direction of an integrated logistical support posture.

The Integration of COTS/GOTS within NASA's HST Command and Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfarr, Thomas; Reis, James E.; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's mission critical Hubble Space Telescope (HST) command and control system has been re-engineered with COTS/GOTS and minimal custom code. This paper focuses on the design of this new HST Control Center System (CCS) and the lessons learned throughout its development. CCS currently utilizes 31 COTS/GOTS products with an additional 12 million lines of custom glueware code; the new CCS exceeds the capabilities of the original system while significantly reducing the lines of custom code by more than 50%. The lifecycle of COTS/GOTS products will be examined including the pack-age selection process, evaluation process, and integration process. The advantages, disadvantages, issues, concerns, and lessons teamed for integrating COTS/GOTS into the NASA's mission critical HST CCS will be examined in detail. Command and control systems designed with traditional custom code development efforts will be compared with command and control systems designed with new development techniques relying heavily on COTS/COTS integration. This paper will reveal the many hidden costs of COTS/GOTS solutions when compared to traditional custom code development efforts; this paper will show the high cost of COTS/GOTS solutions including training expenses, consulting fees, and long-term maintenance expenses.

Evaluation of using digital gravity field models for zoning map creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loginov, Dmitry

2018-05-01

At the present time the digital cartographic models of geophysical fields are taking a special significance into geo-physical mapping. One of the important directions to their application is the creation of zoning maps, which allow taking into account the morphology of geophysical field in the implementation automated choice of contour intervals. The purpose of this work is the comparative evaluation of various digital models in the creation of integrated gravity field zoning map. For comparison were chosen the digital model of gravity field of Russia, created by the analog map with scale of 1 : 2 500 000, and the open global model of gravity field of the Earth - WGM2012. As a result of experimental works the four integrated gravity field zoning maps were obtained with using raw and processed data on each gravity field model. The study demonstrates the possibility of open data use to create integrated zoning maps with the condition to eliminate noise component of model by processing in specialized software systems. In this case, for solving problem of contour intervals automated choice the open digital models aren't inferior to regional models of gravity field, created for individual countries. This fact allows asserting about universality and independence of integrated zoning maps creation regardless of detail of a digital cartographic model of geo-physical fields.

Multi-Sensor Data Integration Using Deep Learning for Characterization of Defects in Steel Elements †

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Nowadays, there is a strong demand for inspection systems integrating both high sensitivity under various testing conditions and advanced processing allowing automatic identification of the examined object state and detection of threats. This paper presents the possibility of utilization of a magnetic multi-sensor matrix transducer for characterization of defected areas in steel elements and a deep learning based algorithm for integration of data and final identification of the object state. The transducer allows sensing of a magnetic vector in a single location in different directions. Thus, it enables detecting and characterizing any material changes that affect magnetic properties regardless of their orientation in reference to the scanning direction. To assess the general application capability of the system, steel elements with rectangular-shaped artificial defects were used. First, a database was constructed considering numerical and measurements results. A finite element method was used to run a simulation process and provide transducer signal patterns for different defect arrangements. Next, the algorithm integrating responses of the transducer collected in a single position was applied, and a convolutional neural network was used for implementation of the material state evaluation model. Then, validation of the obtained model was carried out. In this paper, the procedure for updating the evaluated local state, referring to the neighboring area results, is presented. Finally, the results and future perspective are discussed. PMID:29351215

How personal and standardized coordination impact implementation of integrated care.

PubMed

Benzer, Justin K; Cramer, Irene E; Burgess, James F; Mohr, David C; Sullivan, Jennifer L; Charns, Martin P

2015-10-02

Integrating health care across specialized work units has the potential to lower costs and increase quality and access to mental health care. However, a key challenge for healthcare managers is how to develop policies, procedures, and practices that coordinate care across specialized units. The purpose of this study was to identify how organizational factors impacted coordination, and how to facilitate implementation of integrated care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in August 2009 with 30 clinic leaders and 35 frontline staff who were recruited from a convenience sample of 16 primary care and mental health clinics across eight medical centers. Data were drawn from a management evaluation of primary care-mental health integration in the US Department of Veterans Affairs. To protect informant confidentiality, the institutional review board did not allow quotations. Interviews identified antecedents of organizational coordination processes, and highlighted how these antecedents can impact the implementation of integrated care. Overall, implementing new workflow practices were reported to create conflicts with pre-existing standardized coordination processes. Personal coordination (i.e., interpersonal communication processes) between primary care leaders and staff was reported to be effective in overcoming these barriers both by working around standardized coordination barriers and modifying standardized procedures. This study identifies challenges to integrated care that might be solved with attention to personal and standardized coordination. A key finding was that personal coordination both between primary care and mental health leaders and between frontline staff is important for resolving barriers related to integrated care implementation. Integrated care interventions can involve both new standardized procedures and adjustments to existing procedures. Aligning and integrating procedures between primary care and specialty care requires personal coordination amongst leaders. Interpersonal relationships should be strengthened between staff when personal connections are important for coordinating patient care across clinical settings.

Robotic tool positioning process using a multi-line off-axis laser triangulation sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, T. C.; Matos, G.

2018-03-01

Proper positioning of a friction stir welding head for pin insertion, driven by a closed chain robot, is important to ensure quality repair of cracks. A multi-line off-axis laser triangulation sensor was designed to be integrated to the robot, allowing relative measurements of the surface to be repaired. This work describes the sensor characteristics, its evaluation and the measurement process for tool positioning to a surface point of interest. The developed process uses a point of interest image and a measured point cloud to define the translation and rotation for tool positioning. Sensor evaluation and tests are described. Keywords: laser triangulation, 3D measurement, tool positioning, robotics.