Sample records for interactive case studies

  1. Study design options in evaluating gene-environment interactions: practical considerations for a planned case-control study of pediatric leukemia.

    PubMed

    Goodman, Michael; Dana Flanders, W

    2007-04-01

    We compare methodological approaches for evaluating gene-environment interaction using a planned study of pediatric leukemia as a practical example. We considered three design options: a full case-control study (Option I), a case-only study (Option II), and a partial case-control study (Option III), in which information on controls is limited to environmental exposure only. For each design option we determined its ability to measure the main effects of environmental factor E and genetic factor G, and the interaction between E and G. Using the leukemia study example, we calculated sample sizes required to detect and odds ratio (OR) of 2.0 for E alone, an OR of 10 for G alone and an interaction G x E of 3. Option I allows measuring both main effects and interaction, but requires a total sample size of 1,500 cases and 1,500 controls. Option II allows measuring only interaction, but requires just 121 cases. Option III allows calculating the main effect of E, and interaction, but not the main effect of G, and requires a total of 156 cases and 133 controls. In this case, the partial case-control study (Option III) appears to be more efficient with respect to its ability to answer the research questions for the amount of resources required. The design options considered in this example are not limited to observational epidemiology and may be applicable in studies of pharmacogenomics, survivorship, and other areas of pediatric ALL research.

  2. Teacher-Student Interactions: Four Case Studies of Gender in Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Kathryn; Nicaise, Virginia

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to better understand gender interactions between teachers and students in high school physical education. Gender interactions were explored in relation to the theory of reflective practice. Interview data were examined as four case studies using individual and cross-case inductive analysis. Two common themes emerged: (a)…

  3. A Study of Fan Stage/Casing Interaction Models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lawrence, Charles; Carney, Kelly; Gallardo, Vicente

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to investigate the performance of several existing and new, blade-case interactions modeling capabilities that are compatible with the large system simulations used to capture structural response during blade-out events. Three contact models are examined for simulating the interactions between a rotor bladed disk and a case: a radial and linear gap element and a new element based on a hydrodynamic formulation. The first two models are currently available in commercial finite element codes such as NASTRAN and have been showed to perform adequately for simulating rotor-case interactions. The hydrodynamic model, although not readily available in commercial codes, may prove to be better able to characterize rotor-case interactions.

  4. A Usability Study of Interactive Web-Based Modules

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Girard, Tulay; Pinar, Musa

    2011-01-01

    This research advances the understanding of the usability of marketing case study modules in the area of interactive web-based technologies through the assignment of seven interactive case modules in a Principles of Marketing course. The case modules were provided for marketing students by the publisher, McGraw Hill Irwin, of the…

  5. Simple F Test Reveals Gene-Gene Interactions in Case-Control Studies

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Guanjie; Yuan, Ao; Zhou, Jie; Bentley, Amy R.; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Rotimi, Charles N.

    2012-01-01

    Missing heritability is still a challenge for Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Gene-gene interactions may partially explain this residual genetic influence and contribute broadly to complex disease. To analyze the gene-gene interactions in case-control studies of complex disease, we propose a simple, non-parametric method that utilizes the F-statistic. This approach consists of three steps. First, we examine the joint distribution of a pair of SNPs in cases and controls separately. Second, an F-test is used to evaluate the ratio of dependence in cases to that of controls. Finally, results are adjusted for multiple tests. This method was used to evaluate gene-gene interactions that are associated with risk of Type 2 Diabetes among African Americans in the Howard University Family Study. We identified 18 gene-gene interactions (P < 0.0001). Compared with the commonly-used logistical regression method, we demonstrate that the F-ratio test is an efficient approach to measuring gene-gene interactions, especially for studies with limited sample size. PMID:22837643

  6. A novel approach to exploring potential interactions among single-nucleotide polymorphisms of inflammation genes in gliomagenesis: an exploratory case-only study.

    PubMed

    Amirian, E Susan; Scheurer, Michael E; Liu, Yanhong; D'Amelio, Anthony M; Houlston, Richard S; Etzel, Carol J; Shete, Sanjay; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Schoemaker, Minouk J; McKinney, Patricia A; Fleming, Sarah J; Muir, Kenneth R; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Bondy, Melissa L

    2011-08-01

    Despite extensive research on the topic, glioma etiology remains largely unknown. Exploration of potential interactions between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of immune genes is a promising new area of glioma research. The case-only study design is a powerful and efficient design for exploring possible multiplicative interactions between factors that are independent of one another. The purpose of our study was to use this exploratory design to identify potential pair wise SNP-SNP interactions from genes involved in several different immune-related pathways for investigation in future studies. The study population consisted of two case groups: 1,224 histologic confirmed, non-Hispanic white glioma cases from the United States and a validation population of 634 glioma cases from the United Kingdom. Polytomous logistic regression, in which one SNP was coded as the outcome and the other SNP was included as the exposure, was utilized to calculate the ORs of the likelihood of cases simultaneously having the variant alleles of two different SNPs. Potential interactions were examined only between SNPs located in different genes or chromosomes. Using this data mining strategy, we found 396 significant SNP-SNP interactions among polymorphisms of immune-related genes that were present in both the U.S. and U.K. study populations. This exploratory study was conducted for the purpose of hypothesis generation, and thus has provided several new hypotheses that can be tested using traditional case-control study designs to obtain estimates of risk. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to take this novel approach to identifying SNP-SNP interactions relevant to glioma etiology. ©2011 AACR.

  7. Pathology informatics fellowship retreats: The use of interactive scenarios and case studies as pathology informatics teaching tools.

    PubMed

    Lee, Roy E; McClintock, David S; Balis, Ulysses J; Baron, Jason M; Becich, Michael J; Beckwith, Bruce A; Brodsky, Victor B; Carter, Alexis B; Dighe, Anand S; Haghighi, Mehrvash; Hipp, Jason D; Henricks, Walter H; Kim, Jiyeon Y; Klepseis, Veronica E; Kuo, Frank C; Lane, William J; Levy, Bruce P; Onozato, Maristela L; Park, Seung L; Sinard, John H; Tuthill, Mark J; Gilbertson, John R

    2012-01-01

    Last year, our pathology informatics fellowship added informatics-based interactive case studies to its existing educational platform of operational and research rotations, clinical conferences, a common core curriculum with an accompanying didactic course, and national meetings. The structure of the informatics case studies was based on the traditional business school case study format. Three different formats were used, varying in length from short, 15-minute scenarios to more formal multiple hour-long case studies. Case studies were presented over the course of three retreats (Fall 2011, Winter 2012, and Spring 2012) and involved both local and visiting faculty and fellows. Both faculty and fellows found the case studies and the retreats educational, valuable, and enjoyable. From this positive feedback, we plan to incorporate the retreats in future academic years as an educational component of our fellowship program. Interactive case studies appear to be valuable in teaching several aspects of pathology informatics that are difficult to teach in more traditional venues (rotations and didactic class sessions). Case studies have become an important component of our fellowship's educational platform.

  8. Interactive learning research: application of cognitive load theory to nursing education.

    PubMed

    Hessler, Karen L; Henderson, Ann M

    2013-06-25

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of interactive self-paced computerized case study compared to traditional hand-written paper case study on the outcomes of student knowledge, attitude, and retention of the content delivered. Cognitive load theory (CLT) provided the theoretical framework for the study. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design with random group assignment was used to measure by self-report survey student cognitive load and interactivity level of the intervention. Student scores on quizzes in semester 1 and post-test follow-up quizzes in semester 3 were assessed for the intervention's effects on knowledge retention. While no significant statistical differences were found between groups, the students in the interactive case study group rated their case study as more fun and interactive. These students also scored consistently higher on the post-test quiz items in their third semester, showing the viability of using CLT to improve student retention of nursing curricula information.

  9. Use of interactive multimedia disks in the applied environmental sciences program at the Oregon Institute of Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, Charles R.

    Although a number of studies have been performed regarding the use of interactive multimedia disks in education, none were found which investigated their effect on either retention or recruitment for universities. The purpose of this case study was to gather information regarding student and teacher perceptions on the use of interactive multimedia disks and their effect on retention and recruitment. The primary source of data for this case study was student and teacher interviews. A purposive sample of students taking courses using the interactive multimedia disks in course at the Oregon Institute of Technology and at two Oregon high schools was chosen for the case study. Major findings of the case study were as follows: (1) Students interviewed in this case study perceived the interactive multimedia disk-based instructional method to be equally as effective as the lecture method. (2) Time flexibility in class scheduling was slightly more beneficial to female students than male students and the lack of instructor-led classroom interaction was more of a problem for female students than male students. (3) There was no difference in the perceptions of the college students and the high school students regarding the benefits and drawbacks of the interactive multimedia disk-based classes. (4) The flexible class scheduling made possible through the use of interactive multimedia disks influences some Oregon Institute of Technology students to stay and complete their degree programs. (5) There is some potential for interactive multimedia disk-based courses to be a recruiting tool. However, there is no evidence that it has been a successful recruiting tool for the Oregon Institute of Technology yet.

  10. Evaluation of an Interactive Case-Based Online Network (ICON) in a Problem Based Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nathoo, Arif N.; Goldhoff, Patricia; Quattrochi, James J.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: This study sought to assess the introduction of a web-based innovation in medical education that complements traditional problem-based learning curricula. Utilizing the case method as its fundamental educational approach, the Interactive Case-based Online Network (ICON) allows students to interact with each other, faculty and a virtual…

  11. Context Matters: Increasing Understanding with Interactive Clicker Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lundeberg, Mary A.; Kang, Hosun; Wolter, Bjorn; delMas, Robert; Armstrong, Norris; Borsari, Bruno; Boury, Nancy; Brickman, Peggy; Hannam, Kristi; Heinz, Cheryl; Horvath, Thomas; Knabb, Maureen; Platt, Terry; Rice, Nancy; Rogers, Bill; Sharp, Joan; Ribbens, Eric; Maier, Kimberly S.; Deschryver, Mike; Hagley, Rodney; Goulet, Tamar; Herreid, Clyde F.

    2011-01-01

    Although interactive technology is presumed to increase student understanding in large classes, no previous research studies have empirically explored the effects of Clicker Cases on students' performance. A Clicker Case is a story (e.g., a problem someone is facing) that uses clickers (student response systems) to engage students in understanding…

  12. Quality Standards Matter: A Comparative Case Study Examining Interactive Writing in the Preschool Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Anna H.

    2017-01-01

    Interactive writing is a research-based early literacy strategy that has been found effective at increasing young children's oral language skills, alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness, concepts of print, and early writing skills. This paper reports on a case study which explored the feasibility and fidelity of implementing interactive writing in…

  13. Obesity interacts with infectious mononucleosis in risk of multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Hedström, A K; Lima Bomfim, I; Hillert, J; Olsson, T; Alfredsson, L

    2015-03-01

    The possible interaction between adolescent obesity and past infectious mononucleosis (IM) was investigated with regard to multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. This report is based on two population-based case-control studies, one with incident cases (1780 cases, 3885 controls) and one with prevalent cases (4502 cases, 4039 controls). Subjects were categorized based on adolescent body mass index (BMI) and past IM and compared with regard to occurrence of MS by calculating odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) employing logistic regression. A potential interaction between adolescent BMI and past IM was evaluated by calculating the attributable proportion due to interaction. Regardless of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) status, a substantial interaction was observed between adolescent obesity and past IM with regard to MS risk. The interaction was most evident when IM after the age of 10 was considered (attributable proportion due to interaction 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-1.0 in the incident study, and attributable proportion due to interaction 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.0 in the prevalent study). In the incident study, the odds ratio of MS was 14.7 (95% CI 5.9-36.6) amongst subjects with adolescent obesity and past IM after the age of 10, compared with subjects with none of these exposures. The corresponding odds ratio in the prevalent study was 13.2 (95% CI 5.2-33.6). An obese state both impacts the cellular immune response to infections and induces a state of chronic immune-mediated inflammation which may contribute to explain our finding of an interaction between adolescent BMI and past IM. Measures taken against adolescent obesity may thus be a preventive strategy against MS. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.

  14. The Effects of Instructional Implementation on Learning with Interactive Multimedia Case-Based Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchem, Katherine; Koury, Kevin; Fitzgerald, Gail; Hollingsead, Candice; Miller, Kevin; Tsai, Hui-Hsien; Zha, Shenghua

    2009-01-01

    Interactive, multimedia cases with technology supports present new ways of teaching and learning in teacher education. In this mixed-methods, naturalistic study, the authors investigate how and what participants learn from multimedia cases and, in particular, how instructional implementation affects learning outcomes from multimedia cases.…

  15. The Economics of Interactive Instruction: The Case of South Africa. LearnTech Case Study Series, No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cobbe, James

    "English in Action," (EIA) an interactive audio instructional system using instructional cassette or radio, when available, was implemented in first and second grade classrooms in South Africa, in 1993 and 1994, respectively. This case study looks at the economics of alternative ways to implement and expand the "English in…

  16. Comparative study on collaborative interaction in non-immersive and immersive systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shahab, Qonita M.; Kwon, Yong-Moo; Ko, Heedong; Mayangsari, Maria N.; Yamasaki, Shoko; Nishino, Hiroaki

    2007-09-01

    This research studies the Virtual Reality simulation for collaborative interaction so that different people from different places can interact with one object concurrently. Our focus is the real-time handling of inputs from multiple users, where object's behavior is determined by the combination of the multiple inputs. Issues addressed in this research are: 1) The effects of using haptics on a collaborative interaction, 2) The possibilities of collaboration between users from different environments. We conducted user tests on our system in several cases: 1) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over LAN, 2) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over Internet, and 3) Analysis of collaborative interaction between non-immersive and immersive display environments. The case studies are the interaction of users in two cases: collaborative authoring of a 3D model by two users, and collaborative haptic interaction by multiple users. In Virtual Dollhouse, users can observe physics law while constructing a dollhouse using existing building blocks, under gravity effects. In Virtual Stretcher, multiple users can collaborate on moving a stretcher together while feeling each other's haptic motions.

  17. The Consequences of Metric Production for Small Manufacturers. Volume II. Case Studies of Large Business-Small Business Interaction,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-02-08

    II 00 CASE STUDIES OF LARGE BUSINESS - SMALL BUSINESS INTERACTION ’C- DTIC. Henry H1. Hitchcock dlELECTE7 Joseph F. Coates Marcy M. Canavan AUGG261982...J wis&omWWS1ARET N W WASIINGTOW. OC NO$I THE CONSEQUENCES OF METRIC PRODUCTION FOR SMALL MANUFACTURERS Volume 11 CASE STUDIES OF LARGE BUSINESS ... SMALL BUSINESS INTERACTION Accesqi~r, For NTIS GRA&t DTIC TAB Unannoun~ced J’htiI’ctof _ Henry H. Hitchcock vi 1ribr i t o aes Joseph F. Coates Avail arid

  18. Desktop Techniques for Analyzing Surface-Ground Water Interactions. The Reelfoot Lake Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-05-01

    Reelfoot Lake Case Study DTlCSELECTE JUN 13 M Research Document No. 28 May 1988 Approved for Public Release. Distribution Unlimited. 86 , l~ g DESKTOP...TECHNIQUES FOR ANALYZING SURFACE-GROUND WATER INTERACTIONS The Reelfoot Lake Case Study Prepared by Dennis B. McLaughlin ’ Ia Prepared for The...Engineers became involved in a study of Reelfoot Lake , a large natural lake in northwestern Tennessee. Although modeling studies of the lake and its

  19. Role of survivor bias in pancreatic cancer case-control studies.

    PubMed

    Hu, Zhen-Huan; Connett, John E; Yuan, Jian-Min; Anderson, Kristin E

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of survivor bias on pancreatic cancer case-control studies. The authors constructed five case-loss scenarios based on the Iowa Women's Health Study cohort to reflect how case recruitment in population-based studies varies by case survival time. Risk factors for disease incidence included smoking, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, diabetes, and alcohol consumption. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by conditional logistic regression and quantitatively compared by the interactions between risk factors and 3-month survival time. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier estimates for overall survival were compared within the subset cohort of pancreatic cancer cases. BMI and waist circumference showed a significant inverse relationship with survival time. Decreasing trends in ORs for BMI and waist circumference were observed with increasing case survival time. The interaction between BMI and survival time based on a cutpoint of 3 months was significant (P < .01) as was the interaction between waist circumference and survival time (P < .01). The findings suggested that case losses could result in survivor bias causing underestimated odds ratios for both BMI and waist circumference, whereas other risk factors were not significantly affected by case losses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Evaluation of an online, case-based interactive approach to teaching pathophysiology.

    PubMed

    Van Dijken, Pieter Canham; Thévoz, Sara; Jucker-Kupper, Patrick; Feihl, François; Bonvin, Raphaël; Waeber, Bernard

    2008-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate a new pedagogical approach in teaching fluid, electrolyte and acid-base pathophysiology in undergraduate students. This approach comprises traditional lectures, the study of clinical cases on the web and a final interactive discussion of these cases in the classroom. When on the web, the students are asked to select laboratory tests that seem most appropriate to understand the pathophysiological condition underlying the clinical case. The percentage of students having chosen a given test is made available to the teacher who uses it in an interactive session to stimulate discussion with the whole class of students. The same teacher used the same case studies during 2 consecutive years during the third year of the curriculum. The majority of students answered the questions on the web as requested and evaluated positively their experience with this form of teaching and learning. Complementing traditional lectures with online case-based studies and interactive group discussions represents, therefore, a simple means to promote the learning and the understanding of complex pathophysiological mechanisms. This simple problem-based approach to teaching and learning may be implemented to cover all fields of medicine.

  1. The application of interactive worksheet to improve vocational students' ability to write financial statements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larasati, Aisyah; Hajji, Apif Miftahul

    2017-09-01

    Vocational students in Culinary Department is required to mastering the ability on managing restaurant. One of the responsibility of the students while operating a training restaurant is writing financial statements. Most of the time, writing financial statements is the hardest part for students to be conducted in a training restaurant since the students have studied limited theory/courses on that topic. This research aims to explore the improvement of students' ability to write financial statements after the application of interactive worksheet by asking them to solve financial statements case study. This research is an experimental research. Three groups of samples are used in this research, in which each of the group consists of 74 students. The first group consists of the students who solve the case study without using any software/application, the second group solve the case study by using Microsoft excel, and the third group solve the case study by using the interactive worksheet application. The results show that the use of interactive worksheet significantly improve the students ability to solve the financial statement case study either in term of accuracy or time needed to write the financial statement.

  2. Interaction of a vortex and a premixed flame

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ferziger, Joel H.; Rutland, Christopher J.

    1989-01-01

    The interaction of a vortex structure and a premixed flame is studied. The presence of pressure gradients in the vortex and density gradients in the flame result in a complicated interaction. This interaction has been examined when the flame and vortex are fully coupled and in two special cases where they are decoupled: a frozen flame case and a frozen vortex case. In the frozen flame case the main effect of the flame on the vortex is through the barocline torque term. This has been modeled for high Damkoehler numbers. In the frozen vortex case the main effect, at moderate Damkoehler numbers, is to convect the flame around the vortex. At low Damkoehler numbers, depending on the length scales, pockets of unburned gas can form or the flame structure can be significantly changed. The two frozen cases provide a basis for understanding the full interaction.

  3. Interaction of free charged particles with a chirped electromagnetic pulse.

    PubMed

    Khachatryan, A G; van Goor, F A; Boller, K-J

    2004-12-01

    We study the effect of chirp on electromagnetic (EM) pulse interaction with a charged particle. Both the one-dimensional (1D) and 3D cases are considered. It is found that, in contrast to the case of a nonchirped pulse, the charged particle energy can be changed after the interaction with a 1D EM chirped pulse. Different types of chirp and pulse envelopes are considered. In the case of small chirp, an analytical expression is found for arbitrary temporal profiles of the chirp and the pulse envelope. In the 3D case, the interaction with a chirped pulse results in a polarization-dependent scattering of charged particles.

  4. Resident Perspectives of an Interactive Case Review Following Independent Didactic Study as a Method of Teaching a Pediatric Imaging Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Rozenberg, Aleksandr; Dheer, Sachin; Nazarian, Levon N; Long, Suzanne S

    The ABR has recently changed the format of the board examination, in which the oral examination was replaced by a computer based multiple-choice test. The purpose of this study was to determine resident's perceptions of a new conference resembling the new ABR format. Residents were requested to review a series of didactic pediatric imaging presentations prior to attending case conference. During conference, unknown cases reflecting the subject matter from the didactic presentations were presented along with multiple-choice questions. We then surveyed resident perspectives after each case conference. Between 14 and 18 residents were surveyed at the end of each subspecialty case review presentation. About 94% of resident respondents felt that the independent didactic study followed by an interactive case review session would better prepare them for the ABR certification exams, compared to didactic lectures alone. Furthermore, 95% of the respondents indicated that they preferred the independent didactic review followed by interactive case review versus didactic lecture alone. Most the respondents (85%) felt that combining independent didactic review with interactive unknown case sessions made the material more interesting and provided greater understanding of the material. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of answers across the subspecialty sessions (p > .05). Radiology residents favorably reviewed the combination of independent review of didactic material prior to interactive case review. Material presented in this fashion is felt to be more interesting and is thought to result in enhanced understanding of pediatric radiology material. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. NACASETAC BAY: AN INTERACTIVE CASE STUDY

    EPA Science Inventory

    This interactive case study or "game" was created to provide a "hands on" experience in the application of a weight of evidence approach to sediment assessment. The game proceeds in two phases. In each phase the players work together as a group. A scenario is presented, and the g...

  6. Astronomy and religion (1780-1915). Four case studies involving ideas of extraterrestrial life

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crowe, Michael J.

    The present essay discusses four examples of interactions, two from the eighteenth century and two from the nineteenth. All four cases concern the relations between religion and the astronomical claim that intelligent beings exist elsewhere in space. In each of these four cases religious claims influenced astronomy. Cases 3 and 4 share a feature not usually encountered in studies on the interactions of astronomy and religion in that they are instances where not just theistic belief but in fact core doctrines of a specific religion, Christianity, influenced astronomy. I begin by surveying the interactions between religion and the idea of extraterrestrial intelligent life in the early modern period.

  7. The interaction between cannabis use and the Val158Met polymorphism of the COMT gene in psychosis: A transdiagnostic meta - analysis.

    PubMed

    Vaessen, Thomas Stephanus Johannes; de Jong, Lea; Schäfer, Annika Theresia; Damen, Thomas; Uittenboogaard, Aniek; Krolinski, Pauline; Nwosu, Chinyere Vicky; Pinckaers, Florentina Maria Egidius; Rotee, Iris Leah Marije; Smeets, Antonius Petrus Wilhelmus; Ermiş, Ayşegül; Kennedy, James L; Nieman, Dorien H; Tiwari, Arun; van Os, Jim; Drukker, Marjan

    2018-01-01

    Neither environmental nor genetic factors are sufficient to predict the transdiagnostic expression of psychosis. Therefore, analysis of gene-environment interactions may be productive. A meta-analysis was performed using papers investigating the interaction between cannabis use and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) polymorphism Val158Met (COMTVal158Met). PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo. All observational studies assessing the interaction between COMTVal158Met and cannabis with any psychosis or psychotic symptoms measure as an outcome. A meta-analysis was performed using the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines and forest plots were generated. Thirteen articles met the selection criteria: 7 clinical studies using a case-only design, 3 clinical studies with a dichotomous outcome, and 3 studies analysing a continuous outcome of psychotic symptoms below the threshold of psychotic disorder. The three study types were analysed separately. Validity of the included studies was assessed using "A Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool: for Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions". For case-only studies, a significant interaction was found between cannabis use and COMTVal158Met, with an OR of 1.45 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.05-2.00; Met/Met as the risk genotype). However, there was no evidence for interaction in either the studies including dichotomous outcomes (B = -0.51, 95% Confidence Interval -1.72, 0.70) or the studies including continuous outcomes (B = -0.04 95% Confidence Interval -0.16-0.08). A substantial part of the included studies used the case-only design, which has lower validity and tends to overestimate true effects. The interaction term between cannabis use and COMTVal158Met was only statistically significant in the case-only studies, but not in studies using other clinical or non-clinical psychosis outcomes. Future additional high quality studies might change current perspectives, yet currently evidence for the interaction remains unconvincing.

  8. Individual and small group interactions in learning to teach with a hypermedia case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung, Mi-Lee Ahn

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the similarities and differences of individual and small group preservice teachers' interactions with a hypermedia case. Preservice teachers' interactions with a hypermedia case were defined in terms of their (1) goals and perception of accomplishments of the goals, (2) use of features of the hypermedia case, and (3) types of questions and conflicts raised. Two individuals and two small groups of three preservice teachers participated by interacting with the hypermedia case which was developed to illustrate conceptual change science teaching in an elementary classroom. Most of the previous studies in this area have addressed large group use of hypermedia cases, and this study attempted to address the gap in the literature related to different social contexts, individuals and small groups, from the constructivist perspective. The assumptions of symbolic interactionism guided data collection from think-alouds and interviews. These multiple sources of data were used to understand the participants' construction of knowledge; data were analyzed and interpreted by a process of analytic induction. The major assertion was that the preservice teachers perceived the hypermedia case to be like a tool to link theory and practice of teaching. Three sub-assertions, and several supporting categories, also emerged from the data. These findings indicated that group learning experiences with the hypermedia case were more valuable than those of individuals. In general, preservice teachers benefited from learning how to teach with the hypermedia case in both settings. However, the individuals were not as satisfied as those in small groups, and the members of small groups interacted more actively with the hypermedia case as well as with the peers. The results of this study suggest that effective use of hypermedia cases takes place in a community of learners where the learners share the context and can draw upon the resources afforded by the technology as well as each other. Implications for teacher educators' use of hypermedia cases in different social contexts, and the development and effective use of hypermedia cases are presented as well as the suggestions for the future studies.

  9. A genome-wide association study to identify genetic susceptibility loci that modify ductal and lobular postmenopausal breast cancer risk associated with menopausal hormone therapy use: a two-stage design with replication

    PubMed Central

    Dahmen, Norbert; Beckmann, Lars; Lindström, Sara; Schoof, Nils; Czene, Kamila; Mittelstraß, Kirstin; Illig, Thomas; Seibold, Petra; Behrens, Sabine; Humphreys, Keith; Li, Jingmei; Liu, Jianjun; Olson, Janet E.; Wang, Xianshu; Hankinson, Susan E.; Truong, Thérèse; Menegaux, Florence; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Johnson, Nichola; Chen, Shou-Tung; Yu, Jyh-Cherng; Ziogas, Argyrios; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Mannermaa, Arto; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Shen, Chen-Yang; Brauch, Hiltrud; Peto, Julian; Guénel, Pascal; Kraft, Peter; Couch, Fergus J.; Easton, Douglas F.; Hall, Per; Chang-Claude, Jenny

    2013-01-01

    Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. To identify genetic loci that modify breast cancer risk related to MHT use in postmenopausal women, we conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) with replication. In stage I, we performed a case-only GWAS in 731 invasive breast cancer cases from the German case-control study Mammary Carcinoma Risk Factor Investigation (MARIE). The 1,200 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing the lowest P values for interaction with current MHT use (within 6 months prior to breast cancer diagnosis), were carried forward to stage II, involving pooled case-control analyses including additional MARIE subjects (1,375 cases, 1,974 controls) as well as 795 cases and 764 controls of a Swedish case-control study. A joint P value was calculated for a combined analysis of stages I and II. Replication of the most significant interaction of the combined stage I and II was performed using 5,795 cases and 5,390 controls from nine studies of the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). The combined stage I and II yielded five SNPs on chromosomes 2, 7, and 18 with joint P values <6 × 10−6 for effect modification of current MHT use. The most significant interaction was observed for rs6707272 (P = 3 × 10−7) on chromosome 2 but was not replicated in the BCAC studies (P = 0.21). The potentially modifying SNPs are in strong linkage disequilibrium with SNPs in TRIP12 and DNER on chromosome 2 and SETBP1 on chromosome 18, previously linked to carcinogenesis. However, none of the interaction effects reached genome-wide significance. The inability to replicate the top SNP × MHT interaction may be due to limited power of the replication phase. Our study, however, suggests that there are unlikely to be SNPs that interact strongly enough with MHT use to be clinically significant in European women. PMID:23423446

  10. Does a Case-Based Online Group Project Increase Students' Satisfaction with Interaction in Online Courses?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Sang Joon; Ngampornchai, Anchalee; Trail-Constant, Trudian; Abril, Andres; Srinivasan, Sandhya

    2016-01-01

    Due to the realistic, complex natures of authentic cases involved in case-based learning, the use of group work has been encouraged and expected to enhance the quality of interaction among participants and to improve students' learning experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the case-based online group work increased…

  11. Managing Anxiety: A Case Study of an International Teaching Assistant's Interaction with American Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Ji

    2014-01-01

    This case study utilizes structuration theory to explore the complexities in the academic interaction between a Chinese international teaching assistant (ITA) and her American students. Through four semi-structured participant interviews, eight classroom observations, and student feedback, major themes and variations were identified regarding the…

  12. Goals, Big and Small

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walkow, Martin

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation explores the interaction of syntax and morphology in the morphological realization of AGREE-relations. I present two case studies of derivational interactions of AGREE-processes where the morphological realization of the later processes are affected by the earlier ones. The two cases studied differ in the way probes and goals…

  13. Dependence and Interdependence in Education: Two Case-Studies from Africa.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoloye, E. Ayotunde

    1985-01-01

    The three phenomena of independence, dependence, and interdependence interact in rather complex ways in African countries. These interactions, in the context of education, are examined through case studies of two regional African educational organizations: the Science Education Programme for Africa and the African Curriculum Organization. (RM)

  14. Putting Life into Computer-Based Training: The Creation of an Epidemiologic Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gathany, Nancy C.; Stehr-Green, Jeanette K.

    1994-01-01

    Describes the design of "Pharyngitis in Louisiana," a computer-based epidemiologic case study that was created to teach students how to conduct disease outbreak investigations. Topics discussed include realistic content portrayals; graphics; interactive teaching methods; interaction between the instructional designer and the medical…

  15. Obesity interacts with infectious mononucleosis in risk of multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Hedström, A K; Lima Bomfim, I; Hillert, J; Olsson, T; Alfredsson, L

    2015-01-01

    Background and purpose The possible interaction between adolescent obesity and past infectious mononucleosis (IM) was investigated with regard to multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. Methods This report is based on two population-based case–control studies, one with incident cases (1780 cases, 3885 controls) and one with prevalent cases (4502 cases, 4039 controls). Subjects were categorized based on adolescent body mass index (BMI) and past IM and compared with regard to occurrence of MS by calculating odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) employing logistic regression. A potential interaction between adolescent BMI and past IM was evaluated by calculating the attributable proportion due to interaction. Results Regardless of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) status, a substantial interaction was observed between adolescent obesity and past IM with regard to MS risk. The interaction was most evident when IM after the age of 10 was considered (attributable proportion due to interaction 0.8, 95% CI 0.6–1.0 in the incident study, and attributable proportion due to interaction 0.7, 95% CI 0.5–1.0 in the prevalent study). In the incident study, the odds ratio of MS was 14.7 (95% CI 5.9–36.6) amongst subjects with adolescent obesity and past IM after the age of 10, compared with subjects with none of these exposures. The corresponding odds ratio in the prevalent study was 13.2 (95% CI 5.2–33.6). Conclusions An obese state both impacts the cellular immune response to infections and induces a state of chronic immune-mediated inflammation which may contribute to explain our finding of an interaction between adolescent BMI and past IM. Measures taken against adolescent obesity may thus be a preventive strategy against MS. PMID:25530445

  16. A Case Study of Using a Social Annotation Tool to Support Collaboratively Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Fei

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to understand student interaction and learning supported by a collaboratively social annotation tool--Diigo. The researcher examined through a case study how students participated and interacted when learning an online text with the social annotation tool--Diigo, and how they perceived their experience. The findings…

  17. Levels of Interaction and Proximity: Content Analysis of Video-Based Classroom Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kale, Ugur

    2008-01-01

    This study employed content analysis techniques to examine video-based cases of two websites that exemplify learner-centered pedagogies for pre-service teachers to carry out in their teaching practices. The study focused on interaction types and physical proximity levels between students and teachers observed in the videos. The findings regarding…

  18. Using a contextualized sensemaking model for interaction design: A case study of tumor contouring.

    PubMed

    Aselmaa, Anet; van Herk, Marcel; Laprie, Anne; Nestle, Ursula; Götz, Irina; Wiedenmann, Nicole; Schimek-Jasch, Tanja; Picaud, Francois; Syrykh, Charlotte; Cagetti, Leonel V; Jolnerovski, Maria; Song, Yu; Goossens, Richard H M

    2017-01-01

    Sensemaking theories help designers understand the cognitive processes of a user when he/she performs a complicated task. This paper introduces a two-step approach of incorporating sensemaking support within the design of health information systems by: (1) modeling the sensemaking process of physicians while performing a task, and (2) identifying software interaction design requirements that support sensemaking based on this model. The two-step approach is presented based on a case study of the tumor contouring clinical task for radiotherapy planning. In the first step of the approach, a contextualized sensemaking model was developed to describe the sensemaking process based on the goal, the workflow and the context of the task. In the second step, based on a research software prototype, an experiment was conducted where three contouring tasks were performed by eight physicians respectively. Four types of navigation interactions and five types of interaction sequence patterns were identified by analyzing the gathered interaction log data from those twenty-four cases. Further in-depth study on each of the navigation interactions and interaction sequence patterns in relation to the contextualized sensemaking model revealed five main areas for design improvements to increase sensemaking support. Outcomes of the case study indicate that the proposed two-step approach was beneficial for gaining a deeper understanding of the sensemaking process during the task, as well as for identifying design requirements for better sensemaking support. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Code Switching in the Classroom: A Case Study of Economics and Management Students at the University of Sfax, Tunisia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bach Baoueb, Sallouha Lamia; Toumi, Naouel

    2012-01-01

    This case study explores the motivations for code switching (CS) in the interactions of Tunisian students at the faculty of Economics and Management in Sfax, Tunisia. The study focuses on students' (EMSs) classroom conversations and out-of-classroom peer interactions. The analysis of the social motivations of EMSs' CS behaviour shows that…

  20. Exploring interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care: case study based observational research

    PubMed Central

    McKinlay, Eileen M.; Morgan, Sonya J.; Gray, Ben V.; Macdonald, Lindsay M.; Pullon, Susan R.H.

    2017-01-01

    Background The increase in multimorbidity or co-occurring chronic illnesses is a leading healthcare concern. Patients with multimorbidity require ongoing care from many different professionals and agencies, and often report a lack of integrated care. Objective To explore the daily help-seeking behaviours of patients with multimorbidity, including which health professionals they seek help from, how professionals work together, and perceptions and characteristics of effective interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care. Design Using a case study observational research design, multiple data sources were assembled for four patients with multimorbidity, identified by two general practitioners in New Zealand. In this paper, two case studies are presented, including the recorded instances of contact and communication between patients and professionals, and between professionals. Professional interactions were categorized as consultation, coordination, or collaboration. Results The two case studies illustrated two female patients with likely similar educational levels, but with different profiles of multimorbidity, social circumstances, and personal capabilities, involving various professionals and agencies. Engagement between professionals showed varying levels of interaction and a lack of clarity about leadership or care coordination. The majority of interactions were one-to-one consultations and rarely involved coordination and collaboration. Patients were rarely included in communications between professionals. Conclusion Cases constructed from multiple data sources illustrate the complexity of day-to-day, interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care. While consultation is the most frequent mode of professional interaction, targeted coordinated and collaborative interactions (including the patient) are highly effective activities. Greater attention should be given to developing and facilitating these interactions and determining who should lead them. PMID:29090190

  1. Designing an Online Case-Based Library for Technology Integration in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hebebci, Mustafa Tevfik; Kucuk, Sirin; Celik, Ismail; Akturk, A. Oguz; Sahin, Ismail; Eren, Fetah

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to introduce an interactive online case-study library website developed in a national project. The design goal of the website is to provide interactive, enhanced, case-based and online educational resource for educators through the purpose and within the scope of a national project. The ADDIE instructional design model…

  2. Natural Learning Case Study Archives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawler, Robert W.

    2015-01-01

    Natural Learning Case Study Archives (NLCSA) is a research facility for those interested in using case study analysis to deepen their understanding of common sense knowledge and natural learning (how the mind interacts with everyday experiences to develop common sense knowledge). The database comprises three case study corpora based on experiences…

  3. The InterAct Project: An Examination of the Interaction of Genetic and Lifestyle Factors on the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in the EPIC Study

    PubMed Central

    Langenberg, C; Sharp, S; Forouhi, NG; Franks, P; Schulze, MB; Kerrison, N; Ekelund, U; Barroso, I; Panico, S; Tormo, M; Spranger, J; Griffin, S; van der Schouw, YT; Amiano, P; Ardanaz, E; Arriola, L; Balkau, B; Barricarte, A; Beulens, JWJ; Boeing, H; Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB; Buijsse, BB; Chirlaque Lopez, MD; Clavel-Chapelon, F; Crowe, FL; de Lauzon-Guillan, B; Deloukas, P; Dorronsoro, M; Drogan, DD; Froguel, P; Gonzalez, C; Grioni, S; Groop, L; Groves, C; Hainaut, P; Halkjaer, J; Hallmans, G; Hansen, T; Kaaks, R; Key, TJ; Khaw, K; Koulman, A; Mattiello, A; Navarro, C; Nilsson, P; Norat, T; Overvad, K; Palla, L; Palli, D; Pedersen, O; Peeters, PH; Quirós, JR; Ramachandran, A; Rodriguez-Suarez, L; Rolandsson, O; Romaguera, D; Romieu, I; Sacerdote, C; Sánchez, M; Sandbaek, A; Slimani, N; Sluijs, I; Spijkerman, AMW; Teucher, B; Tjonneland, A; Tumino, R; van der A, DL; Verschuren, WMM; Tuomilehto, J; Feskens, E; McCarthy, M; Riboli, E; Wareham, NJ

    2014-01-01

    Background Studying gene-lifestyle interaction may help to identify lifestyle factors that modify genetic susceptibility and uncover genetic loci exerting important subgroup effects. Adequately powered studies with prospective, unbiased, standardised assessment of key behavioural factors for gene-lifestyle studies are lacking. Objective To establish a type 2 diabetes case-cohort study designed to investigate how genetic and potentially modifiable lifestyle and behavioral factors, particularly diet and physical activity, interact in their influence on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Methods Funded by the Sixth European Framework Programme, InterAct consortium partners ascertained and verified incident cases of type 2 diabetes occurring in European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohorts between 1991 and 2007 from 8 of the 10 EPIC countries. A pragmatic, high sensitivity approach was used for case ascertainment including multiple sources at each EPIC centre, followed by diagnostic verification. Prentice-weighted Cox regression and random effects meta-analyses were used to investigate differences in diabetes incidence by age and sex. Results A total of 12,403 verified incident cases of type 2 diabetes occurred during 3.99 million person-years of follow-up of 340,234 EPIC participants eligible for InterAct. We defined a centre stratified subcohort of 16,154 individuals for comparative analyses. Individuals with incident diabetes that were randomly selected into the subcohort (n=778) were included as cases in the analyses. All prevalent diabetes cases were excluded from the study. InterAct cases were followed-up for an average of 6.9 years, 49.7% were men. Mean baseline age and age at diagnosis were 55.6 and 62.5 years, mean BMI and waist were 29.4 kg/m2 and 102.7 cm in men, and 30.1 kg/m2 and 92.8 cm in women, respectively. Risk of type 2 diabetes increased linearly with age, with an overall hazard ratio (95% CI) of 1.56 (1.48; 1.64) for a 10 year age difference, adjusted for sex. A male excess in the risk of incident diabetes was consistently observed across all countries, with a pooled hazard ratio of 1.51 (1.39; 1.64), adjusted for age. Conclusions InterAct is a large, well powered, prospective study which will inform our understanding of the interplay between genes and lifestyle factors on the risk of type 2 diabetes development. PMID:21717116

  4. The interaction between cannabis use and the Val158Met polymorphism of the COMT gene in psychosis: A transdiagnostic meta – analysis

    PubMed Central

    Schäfer, Annika Theresia; Damen, Thomas; Uittenboogaard, Aniek; Krolinski, Pauline; Nwosu, Chinyere Vicky; Pinckaers, Florentina Maria Egidius; Rotee, Iris Leah Marije; Ermiş, Ayşegül; Kennedy, James L.; Nieman, Dorien H.; Tiwari, Arun; van Os, Jim

    2018-01-01

    Background Neither environmental nor genetic factors are sufficient to predict the transdiagnostic expression of psychosis. Therefore, analysis of gene-environment interactions may be productive. Objective A meta-analysis was performed using papers investigating the interaction between cannabis use and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) polymorphism Val158Met (COMTVal158Met). Data sources PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo. Study eligibility criteria All observational studies assessing the interaction between COMTVal158Met and cannabis with any psychosis or psychotic symptoms measure as an outcome. Study appraisal and synthesis methods A meta-analysis was performed using the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines and forest plots were generated. Thirteen articles met the selection criteria: 7 clinical studies using a case-only design, 3 clinical studies with a dichotomous outcome, and 3 studies analysing a continuous outcome of psychotic symptoms below the threshold of psychotic disorder. The three study types were analysed separately. Validity of the included studies was assessed using "A Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool: for Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions". Results For case-only studies, a significant interaction was found between cannabis use and COMTVal158Met, with an OR of 1.45 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.05–2.00; Met/Met as the risk genotype). However, there was no evidence for interaction in either the studies including dichotomous outcomes (B = -0.51, 95% Confidence Interval -1.72, 0.70) or the studies including continuous outcomes (B = -0.04 95% Confidence Interval -0.16–0.08). Limitation A substantial part of the included studies used the case-only design, which has lower validity and tends to overestimate true effects. Conclusion The interaction term between cannabis use and COMTVal158Met was only statistically significant in the case-only studies, but not in studies using other clinical or non-clinical psychosis outcomes. Future additional high quality studies might change current perspectives, yet currently evidence for the interaction remains unconvincing. PMID:29444152

  5. Struggling to Move Beyond Projection: A Case Study of Instructional Use of an Interactive White Board in Elementary Social Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheffield, Caroline C.

    2015-01-01

    Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) are increasingly prevalent in U.S. classrooms. Yet, little is known about how this tool is being used to teach social studies. This case study through classroom observations, interviews, and student focus groups examines how two fifth-grade teachers use the IWB to teach U.S. history. The data indicate that when the…

  6. A Case Study of Single-Sex Middle School Mathematics Classes in a Mixed-Sex Public School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kawasha, Fridah Singongi Silishebo

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to (a) examine the main and interaction effects of gender, race and class-type on mathematics achievement, mathematics attitudes and sources of mathematics self-efficacy, (b) investigate teacher-student interactions in the single-sex mathematics classes and (c) investigate perspectives about single-sex…

  7. Listening to "How the Patient Presents Herself": A Case Study of a Doctor-Patient Interaction in an Emergency Room

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delbene, Roxana

    2015-01-01

    This is a case-study based on a micro-ethnography analyzing a doctor-patient interaction in an emergency room (ER) in New York City. Drawing on the framework of narrative medicine (Charon, 2006), the study examines how a phenomenological approach to listening to the patient facilitated the patient's narrative orientation not only to relevant…

  8. Online Learning and Teaching with Technology: Case Studies, Experience and Practice. Case Studies of Teaching in Higher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, David, Ed.; Walker, Rob, Ed.; Webb, Graham, Ed.

    This book contains case studies that look at using technology in a wide range of situations, from fully online courses to more traditional face-to-face settings. The case studies deal with issues related to student interaction, teaching and assessment, planning and development, and policy. The following case studies are included: (1) "Flame…

  9. Molecular insights into the stabilization of protein-protein interactions with small molecule: The FKBP12-rapamycin-FRB case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaurasia, Shilpi; Pieraccini, Stefano; De Gonda, Riccardo; Conti, Simone; Sironi, Maurizio

    2013-11-01

    Targetting protein-protein interactions is a challenging task in drug discovery process. Despite the challenges, several studies provided evidences for the development of small molecules modulating protein-protein interactions. Here we consider a typical case of protein-protein interaction stabilization: the complex between FKBP12 and FRB with rapamycin. We have analyzed the stability of the complex and characterized its interactions at the atomic level by performing free energy calculations and computational alanine scanning. It is shown that rapamycin stabilizes the complex by acting as a bridge between the two proteins; and the complex is stable only in the presence of rapamycin.

  10. Making an Interactive Calculus Textbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larson, Timothy R.

    1995-01-01

    Presents a case study of the design and production of "Interactive Calculus," an interactive multimedia textbook. Discusses reasons for using multimedia textbooks; what an interactive textbook is; content, organization, graphic design, authoring and composition; and work flow. (AEF)

  11. Polygenic interactions with environmental adversity in the aetiology of major depressive disorder.

    PubMed

    Mullins, N; Power, R A; Fisher, H L; Hanscombe, K B; Euesden, J; Iniesta, R; Levinson, D F; Weissman, M M; Potash, J B; Shi, J; Uher, R; Cohen-Woods, S; Rivera, M; Jones, L; Jones, I; Craddock, N; Owen, M J; Korszun, A; Craig, I W; Farmer, A E; McGuffin, P; Breen, G; Lewis, C M

    2016-03-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and disabling condition with well-established heritability and environmental risk factors. Gene-environment interaction studies in MDD have typically investigated candidate genes, though the disorder is known to be highly polygenic. This study aims to test for interaction between polygenic risk and stressful life events (SLEs) or childhood trauma (CT) in the aetiology of MDD. The RADIANT UK sample consists of 1605 MDD cases and 1064 controls with SLE data, and a subset of 240 cases and 272 controls with CT data. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) were constructed using results from a mega-analysis on MDD by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. PRS and environmental factors were tested for association with case/control status and for interaction between them. PRS significantly predicted depression, explaining 1.1% of variance in phenotype (p = 1.9 × 10(-6)). SLEs and CT were also associated with MDD status (p = 2.19 × 10(-4) and p = 5.12 × 10(-20), respectively). No interactions were found between PRS and SLEs. Significant PRSxCT interactions were found (p = 0.002), but showed an inverse association with MDD status, as cases who experienced more severe CT tended to have a lower PRS than other cases or controls. This relationship between PRS and CT was not observed in independent replication samples. CT is a strong risk factor for MDD but may have greater effect in individuals with lower genetic liability for the disorder. Including environmental risk along with genetics is important in studying the aetiology of MDD and PRS provide a useful approach to investigating gene-environment interactions in complex traits.

  12. Online Education: Analysis of Interaction and Knowledge Building Patterns among Foreign Language Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celentin, Paola

    2007-01-01

    In this article we discuss findings from a case-study related to the distance education of teachers of Italian as a second/foreign language. This case-study has examined interactions among teachers during their discussions in a web-forum exploiting the model of content analysis proposed in the "Practical Inquiry Model" by Garrison, Anderson, and…

  13. Web 2.0, Pedagogical Support for Reflexive and Emotional Social Interaction among Swedish Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Augustsson, Gunnar

    2010-01-01

    Collaborative social interaction when using Web 2.0 in terms of VoiceThread is investigated in a case study of a Swedish university course in social psychology. The case study method was chosen because of the desire not to manipulate the students' behaviour, and data was collected in parallel with course implementation. Two particular…

  14. The Role of Oral Language Interactions in English Literacy Learning: A Case Study of a First Grade Korean Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Kwangok

    2011-01-01

    This paper is a qualitative case study of a Korean first grade child. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of a first grade Korean child's oral language interactions with teachers, parents, peers, and community members and to examine how a child's oral language impacts his literacy learning in English. The data were…

  15. A Comparative Case Study of Music Interactions between Mothers and Infants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrn, Michelle D.; Hourigan, Ryan

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the music interactions between mothers and young infants. Research questions included: (1) What type of musical interactions took place in the mother/infant relationship? and (2) What importance did mothers place on musical interactions within the family structure? Data included interviews, observations,…

  16. Conducting interactive experiments online.

    PubMed

    Arechar, Antonio A; Gächter, Simon; Molleman, Lucas

    2018-01-01

    Online labor markets provide new opportunities for behavioral research, but conducting economic experiments online raises important methodological challenges. This particularly holds for interactive designs. In this paper, we provide a methodological discussion of the similarities and differences between interactive experiments conducted in the laboratory and online. To this end, we conduct a repeated public goods experiment with and without punishment using samples from the laboratory and the online platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. We chose to replicate this experiment because it is long and logistically complex. It therefore provides a good case study for discussing the methodological and practical challenges of online interactive experimentation. We find that basic behavioral patterns of cooperation and punishment in the laboratory are replicable online. The most important challenge of online interactive experiments is participant dropout. We discuss measures for reducing dropout and show that, for our case study, dropouts are exogenous to the experiment. We conclude that data quality for interactive experiments via the Internet is adequate and reliable, making online interactive experimentation a potentially valuable complement to laboratory studies.

  17. Interactive Visualization of Dependencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moreno, Camilo Arango; Bischof, Walter F.; Hoover, H. James

    2012-01-01

    We present an interactive tool for browsing course requisites as a case study of dependency visualization. This tool uses multiple interactive visualizations to allow the user to explore the dependencies between courses. A usability study revealed that the proposed browser provides significant advantages over traditional methods, in terms of…

  18. Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology.

    PubMed

    Blewett, Earl L; Kisamore, Jennifer L

    2009-08-27

    Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified.

  19. Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology

    PubMed Central

    Blewett, Earl L; Kisamore, Jennifer L

    2009-01-01

    Background Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Methods Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Results Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. Conclusion The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified. PMID:19712473

  20. SMART Moves? A Case Study of One Teacher's Pedagogical Change through Use of the Interactive Whiteboard

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohon, Elizabeth H.

    2008-01-01

    This case study investigates how the use of an interactive whiteboard (IWB) leads to pedagogical change within a UK secondary school classroom. A teacher's experiences as recorded in a reflective journal, and the responses of students as recorded in a questionnaire, are set within the context of rhetoric about the value of IWBs. It is argued that…

  1. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Children Born Premature: A Case Study and Illustration of Vagal Tone as a Physiological Measure of Treatment Outcome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bagner, Daniel M.; Sheinkopf, Stephen J.; Miller-Loncar, Cynthia L.; Vohr, Betty R.; Hinckley, Matthew; Eyberg, Sheila M.; Lester, Barry M.

    2009-01-01

    Evidence-based psychosocial interventions for externalizing behavior problems in children born premature have not been reported in the literature. This single-case study describes Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) with a 23-month-old child born at 29 weeks gestation weighing 1,020 grams, who presented with significant externalizing behavior…

  2. Leadership in Education Abroad Office: A Case Study Based on the Interactional Framework of Leadership and the Transformational-Transactional Leadership Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deng, Jie

    2017-01-01

    This case study explored the unique context and dynamics of leadership in an education abroad office. The focus was on how leadership took place in the synergistic interactions among the leader, the followers, and specific situations in such an office. Interviews, observations, and document review were used to collect data. Hughes, Ginnett, and…

  3. A Case-Study of One Teacher's Use of an Interactive Whiteboard System to Support Knowledge Co-Construction in the History Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deaney, Rosemary; Chapman, Arthur; Hennessy, Sara

    2009-01-01

    Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have rapidly become an integral feature of many classrooms across the UK and elsewhere, but debate continues regarding the pedagogical implications of their use. This article reports on an in-depth case-study from the wider T-MEDIA project (Teacher Mediation of Subject Learning with ICT: a Multimedia Approach). A key…

  4. Interaction between adolescent obesity and HLA risk genes in the etiology of multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Lima Bomfim, Izaura; Barcellos, Lisa; Gianfrancesco, Milena; Schaefer, Catherine; Kockum, Ingrid; Olsson, Tomas; Alfredsson, Lars

    2014-01-01

    Objective: We investigated potential interactions between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype and body mass index (BMI) status in relation to the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: We used 2 case-control studies, one with incident cases (1,510 cases, 2,017 controls) and one with prevalent cases (937 cases, 609 controls). Subjects with different genotypes and BMI were compared with regard to incidence of MS by calculating odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) employing logistic regression. Potential interactions between genotypes and BMI were evaluated by calculating the attributable proportion due to interaction. Results: In both cohorts, a significant interaction was observed between HLA-DRB1*15 and obesity, regardless of HLA-A*02 status. Similarly, there was a significant interaction between absence of A*02 and obesity, regardless of DRB1*15 status. In the incident cohort, obese subjects with the most susceptible genotype (carriage of DRB1*15 and absence of A*02) had an OR of 16.2 (95% CI 7.5–35.2) compared to nonobese subjects without the genetic risk factors. The corresponding OR in the prevalent study was 13.8 (95% CI 4.1–46.8). Conclusions: We observed striking interactions between BMI status and HLA genotype with regard to MS risk. Hypothetically, a low-grade inflammatory response inherent to obesity synergizes with the adaptive, HLA molecule–restricted arm of the immune system, causing MS. Prevention of adolescent obesity may thus lower the risk of developing MS, predominantly among people with a genetic susceptibility to the disease. PMID:24500647

  5. Genome-wide interaction study of smoking behavior and non-small cell lung cancer risk in Caucasian population.

    PubMed

    Li, Yafang; Xiao, Xiangjun; Han, Younghun; Gorlova, Olga; Qian, David; Leighl, Natasha; Johansen, Jakob S; Barnett, Matt; Chen, Chu; Goodman, Gary; Cox, Angela; Taylor, Fiona; Woll, Penella; Wichmann, H-Erich; Manz, Judith; Muley, Thomas; Risch, Angela; Rosenberger, Albert; Arnold, Susanne M; Haura, Eric B; Bolca, Ciprian; Holcatova, Ivana; Janout, Vladimir; Kontic, Milica; Lissowska, Jolanta; Mukeria, Anush; Ognjanovic, Simona; Orlowski, Tadeusz M; Scelo, Ghislaine; Swiatkowska, Beata; Zaridze, David; Bakke, Per; Skaug, Vidar; Zienolddiny, Shanbeh; Duell, Eric J; Butler, Lesley M; Houlston, Richard; Soler Artigas, María; Grankvist, Kjell; Johansson, Mikael; Shepherd, Frances A; Marcus, Michael W; Brunnström, Hans; Manjer, Jonas; Melander, Olle; Muller, David C; Overvad, Kim; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Tumino, Rosario; Liu, Geoffrey; Bojesen, Stig E; Wu, Xifeng; Marchand, Loic Le; Albanes, Demetrios; Bickeböller, Heike; Aldrich, Melinda C; Bush, William S; Tardon, Adonina; Rennert, Gad; Teare, M Dawn; Field, John K; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Lazarus, Philip; Haugen, Aage; Lam, Stephen; Schabath, Matthew B; Andrew, Angeline S; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Pesatori, Angela C; Christiani, David C; Caporaso, Neil; Johansson, Mattias; McKay, James D; Brennan, Paul; Hung, Rayjean J; Amos, Christopher I

    2018-03-08

    Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer. Both environmental and genetic risk factors contribute to lung carcinogenesis. We conducted a genome-wide interaction analysis between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and smoking status (never- versus ever-smokers) in a European-descent population. We adopted a two-step analysis strategy in the discovery stage: we first conducted a case-only interaction analysis to assess the relationship between SNPs and smoking behavior using 13336 non-small cell lung cancer cases. Candidate SNPs with P-value <0.001 were further analyzed using a standard case-control interaction analysis including 13970 controls. The significant SNPs with P-value <3.5 × 10-5 (correcting for multiple tests) from the case-control analysis in the discovery stage were further validated using an independent replication dataset comprising 5377 controls and 3054 non-small cell lung cancer cases. We further stratified the analysis by histological subtypes. Two novel SNPs, rs6441286 and rs17723637, were identified for overall lung cancer risk. The interaction odds ratio and meta-analysis P-value for these two SNPs were 1.24 with 6.96 × 10-7 and 1.37 with 3.49 × 10-7, respectively. In addition, interaction of smoking with rs4751674 was identified in squamous cell lung carcinoma with an odds ratio of 0.58 and P-value of 8.12 × 10-7. This study is by far the largest genome-wide SNP-smoking interaction analysis reported for lung cancer. The three identified novel SNPs provide potential candidate biomarkers for lung cancer risk screening and intervention. The results from our study reinforce that gene-smoking interactions play important roles in the etiology of lung cancer and account for part of the missing heritability of this disease.

  6. WWW Case Study Program To Enhance Thinking, Critically and Globally: The Impact of NAFTA on the Apparel Industry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frey, Diane K.; Eckman, Molly

    1999-01-01

    An interactive Web program was developed to present a case study on textile/apparel products for a family and consumer sciences course. Students found the case studies relevant and stimulating for complex thinking. (SK)

  7. Making intelligent systems team players: Additional case studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Malin, Jane T.; Schreckenghost, Debra L.; Rhoads, Ron W.

    1993-01-01

    Observations from a case study of intelligent systems are reported as part of a multi-year interdisciplinary effort to provide guidance and assistance for designers of intelligent systems and their user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted to investigate issues in designing intelligent fault management systems in aerospace applications for effective human-computer interaction. The results of the initial study are documented in two NASA technical memoranda: TM 104738 Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Case Studies and Design Issues, Volumes 1 and 2; and TM 104751, Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Overview for Designers. The objective of this additional study was to broaden the investigation of human-computer interaction design issues beyond the focus on monitoring and fault detection in the initial study. The results of this second study are documented which is intended as a supplement to the original design guidance documents. These results should be of interest to designers of intelligent systems for use in real-time operations, and to researchers in the areas of human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence.

  8. Tool for simplifying the complex interactions within resilient communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stwertka, C.; Albert, M. R.; White, K. D.

    2016-12-01

    In recent decades, scientists have observed and documented impacts from climate change that will impact multiple sectors, will be impacted by decisions from multiple sectors, and will change over time. This complex human-engineered system has a large number of moving, interacting parts, which are interdependent and evolve over time towards their purpose. Many of the existing resilience frameworks and vulnerability frameworks focus on interactions between the domains, but do not include the structure of the interactions. We present an engineering systems approach to investigate the structural elements that influence a community's ability to be resilient. In this presentation we will present and analyze four common methods for building community resilience, utilizing our common framework. For several existing case studies we examine the stress points in the system and identify the impacts on the outcomes from the case studies. In ongoing research we will apply our system tool to a new case in the field.

  9. Students' Peer Interactions within a Cohort and in Host Countries during a Short-Term Study Abroad

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jessup-Anger, Jody E.; Aragones, Aileen

    2013-01-01

    In this qualitative case study, we explored students' peer interactions within their cohort and in the host countries during a short-term study abroad. Framed by Bronfenbrenner's (1993) ecological systems theory, findings revealed that students spent considerable energy reflecting on interactions with peers. The students considered themselves…

  10. Using Online Case Studies to Enhance Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richman, Laila

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the impact interactive, online case studies have on learning for preservice teachers. More specifically, it evaluated whether the use of online case studies in instruction could enhance the level of knowledge the preservice teacher gained from the content material. This study utilized a nonequivalent group,…

  11. Interferometric data for a shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunagan, Stephen E.; Brown, James L.; Miles, John B.

    1986-01-01

    An experimental study of the axisymmetric shock-wave / boundary-layer strong interaction flow generated in the vicinity of a cylinder-cone intersection was conducted. The study data are useful in the documentation and understanding of compressible turbulent strong interaction flows, and are part of a more general effort to improve turbulence modeling for compressible two- and three-dimensional strong viscous/inviscid interactions. The nominal free stream Mach number was 2.85. Tunnel total pressures of 1.7 and 3.4 atm provided Reynolds number values of 18 x 10(6) and 36 x 10(6) based on model length. Three cone angles were studied giving negligible, incipient, and large scale flow separation. The initial cylinder boundary layer upstream of the interaction had a thickness of 1.0 cm. The subsonic layer of the cylinder boundary layer was quite thin, and in all cases, the shock wave penetrated a significant portion of the boundary layer. Owing to the thickness of the cylinder boundary layer, considerable structural detail was resolved for the three shock-wave / boundary-layer interaction cases considered. The primary emphasis was on the application of the holographic interferometry technique. The density field was deduced from an interferometric analysis based on the Able transform. Supporting data were obtained using a 2-D laser velocimeter, as well as mean wall pressure and oil flow measurements. The attached flow case was observed to be steady, while the separated cases exhibited shock unsteadiness. Comparisons with Navier-Stokes computations using a two-equation turbulence model are presented.

  12. Case Study: Let's Get Personal--Putting Personality into Your Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herreid, Clyde Freeman

    2017-01-01

    In this case study, the subject for discussion is the need to use teaching notes in order to add personality to case studies. Personality, it is said, is more important than policy, than demographics, than finances, or amorous peccadillos. Personality is essential. It is the interaction of people that capture our interest, yet, the question is…

  13. 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.

  14. Creative Interactive Teaching: Case Method & Other Techniques. Selected Papers of the International Conference on Case Methods Research & Application (16th, Caceres, Spain, 1999).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klein, Hans E., Ed.

    This book presents a selection of papers from the international, interdisciplinary conference of the World Association for Case Method Research & Application. Papers are categorized into seven areas: (1) "International Case Studies" (e.g., event-based entrepreneurship, case studies on consumer complaints, and strategic quality…

  15. Flux quench in a system of interacting spinless fermions in one dimension

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakagawa, Yuya O.; Misguich, Grégoire; Oshikawa, Masaki

    2016-05-01

    We study a quantum quench in a one-dimensional spinless fermion model (equivalent to the XXZ spin chain), where a magnetic flux is suddenly switched off. This quench is equivalent to imposing a pulse of electric field and therefore generates an initial particle current. This current is not a conserved quantity in the presence of a lattice and interactions, and we investigate numerically its time evolution after the quench, using the infinite time-evolving block decimation method. For repulsive interactions or large initial flux, we find oscillations that are governed by excitations deep inside the Fermi sea. At long times we observe that the current remains nonvanishing in the gapless cases, whereas it decays to zero in the gapped cases. Although the linear response theory (valid for a weak flux) predicts the same long-time limit of the current for repulsive and attractive interactions (relation with the zero-temperature Drude weight), larger nonlinearities are observed in the case of repulsive interactions compared with that of the attractive case.

  16. Learning on Zoo Field Trips: The Interaction of the Agendas and Practices of Students, Teachers, and Zoo Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Susan Kay; Passmore, Cynthia; Anderson, David

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on the findings of a case study that investigated the interaction of the agendas and practices of students, teachers, and zoo educators during a class field trip to a zoo. The study reports on findings of the analysis of two case classes of students and their perceptions of their learning experiences during the field trip. The…

  17. Using Interactive Technology to Disseminate Research Findings to a Diverse Population

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stockley, Denise; Beyer, Wanda; Hutchinson, Nancy; DeLugt, Jennifer; Chin, Peter; Versnel, Joan; Munby, Hugh

    2009-01-01

    This paper demonstrates how case stories can be used to disseminate the findings of several case studies on negotiating accommodations in the workplace. It highlights the power of interactive technology and of the partnership between the researchers and the Canadian Council for Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). The paper describes the process of…

  18. Collaborative Interactivity and Integrated Thinking in Brazilian Business Schools Using Cognitive Flexibility Hypertexts: The Panteon Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lima, Marcos; Koehler, Matthew J.; Spiro, Rand J.

    2004-01-01

    In this article, we discuss how the Harvard Method of case study, Interactive Communication Technologies, and Cognitive Flexibility Theory may contribute to case-based learning about business decision-making. In particular, we are interested in designing learning environments that foster critical thinking, creativity, and reasoning that entertains…

  19. Composite nonlinear structure within the magnetosonic soliton interactions in a spin-1/2 degenerate quantum plasma

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

    Han, Jiu-Ning, E-mail: hanjiuning@126.com; Luo, Jun-Hua; Li, Jun-Xiu

    2015-06-15

    We study the basic physical properties of composite nonlinear structure induced by the head-on collision of magnetosonic solitons. Solitary waves are assumed to propagate in a quantum electron-ion magnetoplasma with spin-1/2 degenerate electrons. The main interest of the present work is to investigate the time evolution of the merged composite structure during a specific time interval of the wave interaction process. We consider three cases of colliding-situation, namely, compressive-rarefactive solitons interaction, compressive-compressive solitons interaction, and rarefactive-rarefactive solitons interaction, respectively. Compared with the last two colliding cases, the changing process of the composite structure is more complex for the first situation.more » Moreover, it is found that they are obviously different for the last two colliding cases.« less

  20. Effects of interactive metronome training on postural stability and upper extremity function in Parkinson's disease: a case study.

    PubMed

    Kim, Arim; Lee, Hye-Sun; Song, Chiang-Soon

    2017-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interactive metronome training on the postural stability and upper extremity function of an individual with Parkinson's disease. [Subject and Methods] The participant of this case study was a 75-year-old female with Parkinson's disease diagnosed 7 years prior. This study was a single-subject research with an A-B-A design. She received IM training during the treatment phase (B phase) for 40 minutes per session. She was assessed pretest and posttest using the Berg balance scale and Wolf motor function test, and at baseline and the treatment phase using the measured box-and-block test and a Tetrax system. [Results] After training, the patient's static and dynamic balance, functional activity, and performance time of the upper extremity improved. Interactive metronome therapy improved the manual dexterity of both hands. Interactive metronome therapy also improved the limit of stability of the Parkinson's disease. [Conclusion] Though a case study, the results of this study suggest that IM therapy is effective at restoring the postural stability and upper extremity function of patients with Parkinson's disease.

  1. Effects of interactive metronome training on postural stability and upper extremity function in Parkinson’s disease: a case study

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Arim; Lee, Hye-Sun; Song, Chiang-Soon

    2017-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interactive metronome training on the postural stability and upper extremity function of an individual with Parkinson’s disease. [Subject and Methods] The participant of this case study was a 75-year-old female with Parkinson’s disease diagnosed 7 years prior. This study was a single-subject research with an A-B-A design. She received IM training during the treatment phase (B phase) for 40 minutes per session. She was assessed pretest and posttest using the Berg balance scale and Wolf motor function test, and at baseline and the treatment phase using the measured box-and-block test and a Tetrax system. [Results] After training, the patient’s static and dynamic balance, functional activity, and performance time of the upper extremity improved. Interactive metronome therapy improved the manual dexterity of both hands. Interactive metronome therapy also improved the limit of stability of the Parkinson’s disease. [Conclusion] Though a case study, the results of this study suggest that IM therapy is effective at restoring the postural stability and upper extremity function of patients with Parkinson’s disease. PMID:28210066

  2. An Exploratory Case Study of Young Children's Interactive Play Behaviours with a Non-English Speaking Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Joohi; Md-Yunus, Sham'ah; Son, Won In; Meadows, Michelle

    2009-01-01

    This study is an examination of preschool-age English speaking children's interactive play behaviours with a non-English speaking child (NEC). The play types of a NEC were reported using the Parten's categories of solitary, parallel and interactive play. In addition, English-speaking children's interactive play with a NEC were reported in this…

  3. A Constructive Controversy Approach to "Case Studies"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bird, Sharon R.; Erickson, Karla A.

    2010-01-01

    On the basis of analysis of student responses to a case study titled "Drinks and Dinner," the authors evaluate the pedagogical potential of using constructive controversy case studies to teach about inequality. "Drinks and Dinner" is designed to capture the complexity of social interactions that defy simple solutions to engage students in…

  4. The Effectiveness of Lecture-Integrated, Web-Supported Case Studies in Large Group Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azzawi, May; Dawson, Maureen M.

    2007-01-01

    The effectiveness of lecture-integrated and web-supported case studies in supporting a large and academically diverse group of undergraduate students was evaluated in the present study. Case studies and resource (web)-based learning were incorporated as two complementary interactive learning strategies into the traditional curriculum. A truncated…

  5. An Activity Theoretical Approach to Social Interaction during Study Abroad

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shively, Rachel L.

    2016-01-01

    This case study examines how one study abroad student oriented to social interaction during a semester in Spain. Using an activity theoretical approach, the findings indicate that the student not only viewed social interaction with his Spanish host family and an expert-Spanish-speaking age peer as an opportunity for second language (L2) learning,…

  6. Interaction between genes and macronutrient intake on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes: systematic review and findings from European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-InterAct.

    PubMed

    Li, Sherly X; Imamura, Fumiaki; Ye, Zheng; Schulze, Matthias B; Zheng, Jusheng; Ardanaz, Eva; Arriola, Larraitz; Boeing, Heiner; Dow, Courtney; Fagherazzi, Guy; Franks, Paul W; Agudo, Antonio; Grioni, Sara; Kaaks, Rudolf; Katzke, Verena A; Key, Timothy J; Khaw, Kay Tee; Mancini, Francesca R; Navarro, Carmen; Nilsson, Peter M; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Overvad, Kim; Palli, Domenico; Panico, Salvatore; Quirós, J Ramón; Rolandsson, Olov; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Sánchez, María-José; Slimani, Nadia; Sluijs, Ivonne; Spijkerman, Annemieke Mw; Tjonneland, Anne; Tumino, Rosario; Sharp, Stephen J; Riboli, Elio; Langenberg, Claudia; Scott, Robert A; Forouhi, Nita G; Wareham, Nicholas J

    2017-07-01

    Background: Gene-diet interactions have been reported to contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, to our knowledge, few examples have been consistently replicated to date. Objective: We aimed to identify existing evidence for gene-macronutrient interactions and T2D and to examine the reported interactions in a large-scale study. Design: We systematically reviewed studies reporting gene-macronutrient interactions and T2D. We searched the MEDLINE, Human Genome Epidemiology Network, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform electronic databases to identify studies published up to October 2015. Eligibility criteria included assessment of macronutrient quantity (e.g., total carbohydrate) or indicators of quality (e.g., dietary fiber) by use of self-report or objective biomarkers of intake. Interactions identified in the review were subsequently examined in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer)-InterAct case-cohort study ( n = 21,148, with 9403 T2D cases; 8 European countries). Prentice-weighted Cox regression was used to estimate country-specific HRs, 95% CIs, and P -interaction values, which were then pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. A primary model was fitted by using the same covariates as reported in the published studies, and a second model adjusted for additional covariates and estimated the effects of isocaloric macronutrient substitution. Results: Thirteen observational studies met the eligibility criteria ( n < 1700 cases). Eight unique interactions were reported to be significant between macronutrients [carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, dietary fiber, and glycemic load derived from self-report of dietary intake and circulating n-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids] and genetic variants in or near transcription factor 7-like 2 ( TCF7L2 ), gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor ( GIPR ), caveolin 2 ( CAV2 ), and peptidase D ( PEPD ) ( P -interaction < 0.05). We found no evidence of interaction when we tried to replicate previously reported interactions. In addition, no interactions were detected in models with additional covariates. Conclusions: Eight gene-macronutrient interactions were identified for the risk of T2D from the literature. These interactions were not replicated in the EPIC-InterAct study, which mirrored the analyses undertaken in the original reports. Our findings highlight the importance of independent replication of reported interactions.

  7. Drug interactions with phenprocoumon and the risk of serious haemorrhage: a nested case-control study in a large population-based German database.

    PubMed

    Jobski, Kathrin; Behr, Sigrid; Garbe, Edeltraut

    2011-09-01

    Phenprocoumon is the most frequently used vitamin K antagonist in Germany. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of serious bleeding as a result of the use of drugs with potential interaction with phenprocoumon. We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of 246,220 phenprocoumon users in the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database. Cases were patients hospitalised for haemorrhage of different kinds. Ten controls were matched to each case by health insurance, birth year and sex using incidence density sampling. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the risk of serious bleeding associated with combined use of phenprocoumon and potentially interacting drugs versus phenprocoumon alone were estimated using conditional logistic regression analysis. Our analyses considered multiple risk factors, such as bleeding history, other comorbidities or co-medication. Our study included 2,553 cases and 25,348 matched controls. An increased risk of bleeding was observed for the combined use of phenprocoumon and clopidogrel vs phenprocoumon use alone (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.41-2.36). Antibiotic drugs associated with an increased risk of haemorrhage in the population of phenprocoumon users included the group of quinolones with ORs ranging from 2.74 (95% CI: 1.80-4.18) for ciprofloxacin to 4.40 (95% CI: 2.45-7.89) for levofloxacin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (OR: 2.99, 95% CI: 1.39-6.42) and cotrimoxazole (OR 3.57, 95% CI: 2.36-5.40). Among non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ketoprofen and naproxen were associated with the highest risks. Significantly elevated risks of major bleeding were mainly observed for drugs with known pharmacodynamic interaction with phenprocoumon, and less for drugs with possible pharmacokinetic interaction.

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

    Xiao, Heng; Gustafson, William I.; Wang, Hailong

    Subgrid-scale interactions between turbulence and radiation are potentially important for accurately reproducing marine low clouds in climate models. To better understand the impact of these interactions, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is configured for large eddy simulation (LES) to study the stratocumulus-to-trade cumulus (Sc-to-Cu) transition. Using the GEWEX Atmospheric System Studies (GASS) composite Lagrangian transition case and the Atlantic Trade Wind Experiment (ATEX) case, it is shown that the lack of subgrid-scale turbulence-radiation interaction, as is the case in current generation climate models, accelerates the Sc-to-Cu transition. Our analysis suggests that in cloud-topped boundary layers subgrid-scale turbulence-radiation interactionsmore » contribute to stronger production of temperature variance, which in turn leads to stronger buoyancy production of turbulent kinetic energy and helps to maintain the Sc cover.« less

  9. Exploring Biomolecular Recognition by Modeling and Simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wade, Rebecca

    2007-12-01

    Biomolecular recognition is complex. The balance between the different molecular properties that contribute to molecular recognition, such as shape, electrostatics, dynamics and entropy, varies from case to case. This, along with the extent of experimental characterization, influences the choice of appropriate computational approaches to study biomolecular interactions. I will present computational studies in which we aim to make concerted use of bioinformatics, biochemical network modeling and molecular simulation techniques to study protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions and to facilitate computer-aided drug design.

  10. Unconditional analyses can increase efficiency in assessing gene-environment interaction of the case-combined-control design.

    PubMed

    Goldstein, Alisa M; Dondon, Marie-Gabrielle; Andrieu, Nadine

    2006-08-01

    A design combining both related and unrelated controls, named the case-combined-control design, was recently proposed to increase the power for detecting gene-environment (GxE) interaction. Under a conditional analytic approach, the case-combined-control design appeared to be more efficient and feasible than a classical case-control study for detecting interaction involving rare events. We now propose an unconditional analytic strategy to further increase the power for detecting gene-environment (GxE) interactions. This strategy allows the estimation of GxE interaction and exposure (E) main effects under certain assumptions (e.g. no correlation in E between siblings and the same exposure frequency in both control groups). Only the genetic (G) main effect cannot be estimated because it is biased. Using simulations, we show that unconditional logistic regression analysis is often more efficient than conditional analysis for detecting GxE interaction, particularly for a rare gene and strong effects. The unconditional analysis is also at least as efficient as the conditional analysis when the gene is common and the main and joint effects of E and G are small. Under the required assumptions, the unconditional analysis retains more information than does the conditional analysis for which only discordant case-control pairs are informative leading to more precise estimates of the odds ratios.

  11. Fostering Verbal and Non-Verbal Social Interactions in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment: A Case Study of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Learning Social Competence in iSocial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Xianhui; Laffey, James; Xing, Wanli; Galyen, Krista; Stichter, Janine

    2017-01-01

    This case study describes the verbal and nonverbal social interaction of 11 youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment-iSocial. The youth were developing social competence through participation in a social competence intervention curriculum implemented online so as to provide access to high quality…

  12. Developing Competencies for Using the Interactive Whiteboard to Implement Communicative Language Teaching in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cutrin Schmid, Euline

    2010-01-01

    This paper discusses the findings of a case study conducted with an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher at a German secondary school. This case study is part of a research project that investigates the new competencies that EFL teachers need to acquire in order to be able to use the interactive whiteboard (IWB) to develop their practice,…

  13. Gene-Based Testing of Interactions in Association Studies of Quantitative Traits

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Li; Clark, Andrew G.; Keinan, Alon

    2013-01-01

    Various methods have been developed for identifying gene–gene interactions in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, most methods focus on individual markers as the testing unit, and the large number of such tests drastically erodes statistical power. In this study, we propose novel interaction tests of quantitative traits that are gene-based and that confer advantage in both statistical power and biological interpretation. The framework of gene-based gene–gene interaction (GGG) tests combine marker-based interaction tests between all pairs of markers in two genes to produce a gene-level test for interaction between the two. The tests are based on an analytical formula we derive for the correlation between marker-based interaction tests due to linkage disequilibrium. We propose four GGG tests that extend the following P value combining methods: minimum P value, extended Simes procedure, truncated tail strength, and truncated P value product. Extensive simulations point to correct type I error rates of all tests and show that the two truncated tests are more powerful than the other tests in cases of markers involved in the underlying interaction not being directly genotyped and in cases of multiple underlying interactions. We applied our tests to pairs of genes that exhibit a protein–protein interaction to test for gene-level interactions underlying lipid levels using genotype data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We identified five novel interactions that are not evident from marker-based interaction testing and successfully replicated one of these interactions, between SMAD3 and NEDD9, in an independent sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We conclude that our GGG tests show improved power to identify gene-level interactions in existing, as well as emerging, association studies. PMID:23468652

  14. Productive School Governance: Success Case Studies from New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piggot-Irvine, Eileen

    2008-01-01

    The rhetoric abounds concerning the types of effective, high trust, interactions that should exist for a school governing body. In practise, however, such interactions are often difficult to define, establish, maintain, and sustain. The study reported on in this paper attempted to identify interactions linked to perceptions of high trust via a…

  15. A Comparative Case-Study of School-LEA-NGO Interactions across Different Socio-Economic Strata in Israel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yemini, Miri; Cegla, Ariel; Sagie, Netta

    2018-01-01

    This study examines the interaction between non-governmental organization (NGO), the Local Education Authority (LEA), and public schools in communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds in Israel. We characterize how schools serving more and less affluent communities create, cultivate, and preserve interactions with NGOs; how NGOs form, and…

  16. Repair Sequences in Dysarthric Conversational Speech: A Study in Interactional Phonetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rutter, Ben

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents some findings from a case study of repair sequences in conversations between a dysarthric speaker, Chris, and her interactional partners. It adopts the methodology of interactional phonetics, where turn design, sequence organization, and variation in phonetic parameters are analysed in unison. The analysis focused on the use of…

  17. DEEP SPACE: High Resolution VR Platform for Multi-user Interactive Narratives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuka, Daniela; Elias, Oliver; Martins, Ronald; Lindinger, Christopher; Pramböck, Andreas; Jalsovec, Andreas; Maresch, Pascal; Hörtner, Horst; Brandl, Peter

    DEEP SPACE is a large-scale platform for interactive, stereoscopic and high resolution content. The spatial and the system design of DEEP SPACE are facing constraints of CAVETM-like systems in respect to multi-user interactive storytelling. To be used as research platform and as public exhibition space for many people, DEEP SPACE is capable to process interactive, stereoscopic applications on two projection walls with a size of 16 by 9 meters and a resolution of four times 1080p (4K) each. The processed applications are ranging from Virtual Reality (VR)-environments to 3D-movies to computationally intensive 2D-productions. In this paper, we are describing DEEP SPACE as an experimental VR platform for multi-user interactive storytelling. We are focusing on the system design relevant for the platform, including the integration of the Apple iPod Touch technology as VR control, and a special case study that is demonstrating the research efforts in the field of multi-user interactive storytelling. The described case study, entitled "Papyrate's Island", provides a prototypical scenario of how physical drawings may impact on digital narratives. In this special case, DEEP SPACE helps us to explore the hypothesis that drawing, a primordial human creative skill, gives us access to entirely new creative possibilities in the domain of interactive storytelling.

  18. Students' Use of the Interactive Whiteboard during Physics Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellingsaeter, Magnus Strøm; Bungum, Berit

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a case study of how the interactive whiteboard (IWB) may facilitate collective meaning-making processes in group work in engineering education. In the case, first-year students attended group-work sessions as an organised part of a basic physics course at a Norwegian university college. Each student group was equipped with an…

  19. Student's Social Interaction in Inquiry-Based Science Education: How Experiences of Flow Can Increase Motivation and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellwood, Robin; Abrams, Eleanor

    2018-01-01

    This research investigated how student social interactions within two approaches to an inquiry-based science curriculum could be related to student motivation and achievement outcomes. This qualitative case study consisted of two cases, Off-Campus and On-Campus, and used ethnographic techniques of participant observation. Research participants…

  20. [Role of food interaction pharmacokinetic studies in drug development. Food interaction studies of theophylline and nifedipine retard and buspirone tablets].

    PubMed

    Drabant, S; Klebovich, I; Gachályi, B; Renczes, G; Farsang, C

    1998-09-01

    Due to several mechanism, meals may modify the pharmacokinetics of drug products, thereby eliciting to clinically significant food interaction. Food interactions with the drug substance and with the drug formulation should be distinguished. Food interaction of different drug products containing the same active ingredient can be various depending on the pharmaceutical formulation technology. Particularly, in the case of modified release products, the food/formulation interaction can play an important role in the development of food interaction. Well known example, that bioavailability of theophylline can be influenced in different way (either increased, decreased or unchanged) by concomitant intake of food in the case of different sustained release products. The role and methods of food interaction studies in the different kinds of drug development (new chemical entity, modified release products, generics) are reviewed. Prediction of food effect response on the basis of the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drug molecule or formulations is discussed. The results of three food interaction studies carried out the products of EGIS Pharmaceuticals Ltd. are also reviewed. The pharmacokinetic parameters of theophyllin 400 mg retard tablet were practically the same in both fasting condition and administration after consumption of a high fat containing standard breakfast. The ingestion of a high fat containing breakfast, increased the AUC of nifedipine from 259.0 +/- 101.2 ng h/ml to 326.7 +/- 122.5 ng h/ml and Cmax from 34.5 +/- 15.9 ng/ml to 74.3 +/- 23.9 ng/ml in case of nifedipine 20 mg retard tablet, in agreement with the data of literature. The statistical evaluation indicated significant differences between the pharmacokinetic parameters in the case of two administrations (before and after meal). The effect of a high fat containing breakfast for a generic version of buspiron 10 mg tablet and the bioequivalence after food consumption were studied in a single-dose, three-way (test and reference products administered after consumption of standard breakfast, as well as test product in fasting condition), cross-over, food effect bioequivalence study. According to the results, the test product--which, in a former study proved to be bioequivalent with the reference product in fasting state--is bioequivalent with the reference product under feeding conditions and the food intake influenced the pharmacokinetics of the test tablets.

  1. Using Case Studies in Business Education to Promote Networked Thinking: Findings of an Intervention Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pilz, Matthias; Zenner, Lea

    2018-01-01

    Case studies are central to the way management is currently taught at universities. Among other benefits attributed to the case study method is that it promotes networked thinking by learners. Networked thinking takes account of interactions and repercussions, making it crucial to decision-making within the complex system of rules that shapes…

  2. Composite Socio-Technical Systems: A Method for Social Energy Systems

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

    Zhang, Yingchen; He, Fulin; Hao, Jun

    In order to model and study the interactions between social on technical systems, a systemic method, namely the composite socio-technical systems (CSTS), is proposed to incorporate social systems, technical systems and the interaction mechanism between them. A case study on University of Denver (DU) campus grid is presented in paper to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. In the case study, the social system, technical system, and the interaction mechanism are defined and modelled within the framework of CSTS. Distributed and centralized control and management schemes are investigated, respectively, and numerical results verifies the feasibility and performance of themore » proposed composite system method.« less

  3. Developing the Understanding of the Role of Interpersonal Interaction in Early Literacy Development: A Case Study of a Thai Public Preschool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klibthong, Sunanta

    2012-01-01

    This study focuses on the role of interpersonal interaction in early literacy development in one public preschool school in Bangkok, Thailand. Specifically, it explores and analyses the nature of interpersonal interaction and collaborative activities the teachers employ in teaching literacy to children. The study involves observation of 82…

  4. The use of relative incidence ratios in self-controlled case series studies: an overview.

    PubMed

    Hawken, Steven; Potter, Beth K; Little, Julian; Benchimol, Eric I; Mahmud, Salah; Ducharme, Robin; Wilson, Kumanan

    2016-09-23

    The self-controlled case series (SCCS) is a useful design for investigating associations between outcomes and transient exposures. The SCCS design controls for all fixed covariates, but effect modification can still occur. This can be evaluated by including interaction terms in the model which, when exponentiated, can be interpreted as a relative incidence ratio (RIR): the change in relative incidence (RI) for a unit change in an effect modifier. We conducted a scoping review to investigate the use of RIRs in published primary SCCS studies, and conducted a case-study in one of our own primary SCCS studies to illustrate the use of RIRs within an SCCS analysis to investigate subgroup effects in the context of comparing whole cell (wcp) and acellular (acp) pertussis vaccines. Using this case study, we also illustrated the potential utility of RIRs in addressing the healthy vaccinee effect (HVE) in vaccine safety surveillance studies. Our scoping review identified 122 primary studies reporting an SCCS analysis. Of these, 24 described the use of interaction terms to test for effect modification. 21 of 24 studies reported stratum specific RIs, 22 of 24 reported the p-value for interaction, and less than half (10 of 24) reported the estimate of the interaction term/RIR, the stratum specific RIs and interaction p-values. Our case-study demonstrated that there was a nearly two-fold greater RI of ER visits and admissions following wcp vaccination relative to acp vaccination (RIR = 1.82, 95 % CI 1.64-2.01), where RI estimates in each subgroup were clearly impacted by a strong healthy vaccinee effect. We demonstrated in our scoping review that calculating RIRs is not a widely utilized strategy. We showed that calculating RIRs across time periods is useful for the detection of relative changes in adverse event rates that might otherwise be missed due to the HVE. Many published studies of vaccine-associated adverse events could have missed/underestimated important safety signals masked by the HVE. With further development, our application of RIRs could be an important tool to address the HVE, particularly in the context of self-controlled study designs.

  5. The use of microblog-based case studies in a pharmacotherapy introduction class in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tiansheng; Wang, Fei; Shi, Luwen

    2013-09-08

    Microblog is a Web 2.0 technology that provides an online social networking platform for communicating and sharing information among web users. Pharmacy educators have previously used microblog to promote active engagement of students. However, there is very little research to demonstrate how to use microblogging effectively to enhance pedagogy in a blended or face-to-face classroom environment. We used the most popular microblog website in China to create a "space" within the classroom to evaluate an interactive microblogging forum for the integration of pharmacotherapy case studies. This study is aimed to determine students' attitudes toward microblog-based case studies (MBC) in a pharmacotherapy class. We created a group on Sina Weibo, the most popular microblog website in China, to explore the possibilities of using microblog-based case discussions in pharmacy education to promote and motivate student learning. The class teaching activities began in November 2011; individual group assignments to a single case study were administered to 21 groups with a total of 126 participating pharmacy students. Each group was required to share a discussion care plan on the microblogging platform. Individual students were expected to participate in an online discussion related to at least two other group cases by posting their comments on the microblog platform. All postings were tracked and analyzed, and then a post MBC survey was administered anonymously to determine students' opinions towards MBC. A total of 126 students posted 592 messages and 112 students (89%) completed the survey. More than 80% of students agreed that MBC improved communication; nearly 70% agreed that MBC increased the amount of interaction, and over 50% found value in reading other students' messages. However, 25% students believed the collaborative learning was not effective and 22% indicated the quality of interaction was low. MBC appears to be well-accepted learning method to students in this study. Educators who wish to use MBC for pharmacy courses should balance the potential advantages, such as improving communication and the amount of interaction, with potential disadvantages, such as inefficient collaborative learning and the low quality of interaction.

  6. Interaction between Marine-Derived n-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Uric Acid on Glucose Metabolism and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Li, Kelei; Wu, Kejian; Zhao, Yimin; Huang, Tao; Lou, Dajun; Yu, Xiaomei; Li, Duo

    2015-08-26

    The present case-control study explored the interaction between marine-derived n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC PUFAs) and uric acid (UA) on glucose metabolism and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Two hundred and eleven healthy subjects in control group and 268 T2DM subjects in case group were included. Plasma phospholipid (PL) fatty acids and biochemical parameters were detected by standard methods. Plasma PL C22:6n-3 was significantly lower in case group than in control group, and was negatively correlated with fasting glucose (r = -0.177, p < 0.001). Higher plasma PL C22:6n-3 was associated with lower risk of T2DM, and the OR was 0.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.12 to 0.80; p = 0.016) for per unit increase of C22:6n-3. UA was significantly lower in case group than in control group. UA was positively correlated with fasting glucose in healthy subjects, but this correlation became negative in T2DM subjects. A significant interaction was observed between C22:6n-3 and UA on fasting glucose (p for interaction = 0.005): the lowering effect of C22:6n-3 was only significant in subjects with a lower level of UA. In conclusion, C22:6n-3 interacts with UA to modulate glucose metabolism.

  7. Human patient simulators and interactive case studies: a comparative analysis of learning outcomes and student perceptions.

    PubMed

    Howard, Valerie Michele; Ross, Carl; Mitchell, Ann M; Nelson, Glenn M

    2010-01-01

    Although human patient simulators provide an innovative teaching method for nursing students, they are quite expensive. To investigate the value of this expenditure, a quantitative, quasi-experimental, two-group pretest and posttest design was used to compare two educational interventions: human patient simulators and interactive case studies. The sample (N = 49) consisted of students from baccalaureate, accelerated baccalaureate, and diploma nursing programs. Custom-designed Health Education Systems, Inc examinations were used to measure knowledge before and after the implementation of the two educational interventions. Students in the human patient simulation group scored significantly higher than did those in the interactive case study group on the posttest Health Education Systems, Inc examination, and no significant difference was found in student scores among the three types of nursing programs that participated in the study. Data obtained from a questionnaire administered to participants indicated that students responded favorably to the use of human patient simulators as a teaching method.

  8. Interaction between IRF6 and TGFA Genes Contribute to the Risk of Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip/Palate

    PubMed Central

    Letra, Ariadne; Fakhouri, Walid; Fonseca, Renata F.; Menezes, Renato; Kempa, Inga; Prasad, Joanne L.; McHenry, Toby G.; Lidral, Andrew C.; Moreno, Lina; Murray, Jeffrey C.; Daack-Hirsch, Sandra; Marazita, Mary L.; Castilla, Eduardo E.; Lace, Baiba; Orioli, Ieda M.; Granjeiro, Jose M.; Schutte, Brian C.; Vieira, Alexandre R.

    2012-01-01

    Previous evidence from tooth agenesis studies suggested IRF6 and TGFA interact. Since tooth agenesis is commonly found in individuals with cleft lip/palate (CL/P), we used four large cohorts to evaluate if IRF6 and TGFA interaction contributes to CL/P. Markers within and flanking IRF6 and TGFA genes were tested using Taqman or SYBR green chemistries for case-control analyses in 1,000 Brazilian individuals. We looked for evidence of gene-gene interaction between IRF6 and TGFA by testing if markers associated with CL/P were overtransmitted together in the case-control Brazilian dataset and in the additional family datasets. Genotypes for an additional 142 case-parent trios from South America drawn from the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), 154 cases from Latvia, and 8,717 individuals from several cohorts were available for replication of tests for interaction. Tgfa and Irf6 expression at critical stages during palatogenesis was analyzed in wild type and Irf6 knockout mice. Markers in and near IRF6 and TGFA were associated with CL/P in the Brazilian cohort (p<10−6). IRF6 was also associated with cleft palate (CP) with impaction of permanent teeth (p<10−6). Statistical evidence of interaction between IRF6 and TGFA was found in all data sets (p = 0.013 for Brazilians; p = 0.046 for ECLAMC; p = 10−6 for Latvians, and p = 0.003 for the 8,717 individuals). Tgfa was not expressed in the palatal tissues of Irf6 knockout mice. IRF6 and TGFA contribute to subsets of CL/P with specific dental anomalies. Moreover, this potential IRF6-TGFA interaction may account for as much as 1% to 10% of CL/P cases. The Irf6-knockout model further supports the evidence of IRF6-TGFA interaction found in humans. PMID:23029012

  9. Online Tutor 2.0: Methodologies and Case Studies for Successful Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    García-Peñalvo, Francisco José, Ed.; Seoane-Pardo, Antonio Miguel, Ed.

    2014-01-01

    After centuries of rethinking education and learning, the current theory is based on technology's approach to and affect on the planned interaction between knowledge trainers and trainees. "Online Tutor 2.0: Methodologies and Case Studies for Successful Learning" demonstrates, through the exposure of successful cases in online education…

  10. iLOCi: a SNP interaction prioritization technique for detecting epistasis in genome-wide association studies

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) do not provide a full account of the heritability of genetic diseases since gene-gene interactions, also known as epistasis are not considered in single locus GWAS. To address this problem, a considerable number of methods have been developed for identifying disease-associated gene-gene interactions. However, these methods typically fail to identify interacting markers explaining more of the disease heritability over single locus GWAS, since many of the interactions significant for disease are obscured by uninformative marker interactions e.g., linkage disequilibrium (LD). Results In this study, we present a novel SNP interaction prioritization algorithm, named iLOCi (Interacting Loci). This algorithm accounts for marker dependencies separately in case and control groups. Disease-associated interactions are then prioritized according to a novel ranking score calculated from the difference in marker dependencies for every possible pair between case and control groups. The analysis of a typical GWAS dataset can be completed in less than a day on a standard workstation with parallel processing capability. The proposed framework was validated using simulated data and applied to real GWAS datasets using the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) data. The results from simulated data showed the ability of iLOCi to identify various types of gene-gene interactions, especially for high-order interaction. From the WTCCC data, we found that among the top ranked interacting SNP pairs, several mapped to genes previously known to be associated with disease, and interestingly, other previously unreported genes with biologically related roles. Conclusion iLOCi is a powerful tool for uncovering true disease interacting markers and thus can provide a more complete understanding of the genetic basis underlying complex disease. The program is available for download at http://www4a.biotec.or.th/GI/tools/iloci. PMID:23281813

  11. User Interaction in Semi-Automatic Segmentation of Organs at Risk: a Case Study in Radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Ramkumar, Anjana; Dolz, Jose; Kirisli, Hortense A; Adebahr, Sonja; Schimek-Jasch, Tanja; Nestle, Ursula; Massoptier, Laurent; Varga, Edit; Stappers, Pieter Jan; Niessen, Wiro J; Song, Yu

    2016-04-01

    Accurate segmentation of organs at risk is an important step in radiotherapy planning. Manual segmentation being a tedious procedure and prone to inter- and intra-observer variability, there is a growing interest in automated segmentation methods. However, automatic methods frequently fail to provide satisfactory result, and post-processing corrections are often needed. Semi-automatic segmentation methods are designed to overcome these problems by combining physicians' expertise and computers' potential. This study evaluates two semi-automatic segmentation methods with different types of user interactions, named the "strokes" and the "contour", to provide insights into the role and impact of human-computer interaction. Two physicians participated in the experiment. In total, 42 case studies were carried out on five different types of organs at risk. For each case study, both the human-computer interaction process and quality of the segmentation results were measured subjectively and objectively. Furthermore, different measures of the process and the results were correlated. A total of 36 quantifiable and ten non-quantifiable correlations were identified for each type of interaction. Among those pairs of measures, 20 of the contour method and 22 of the strokes method were strongly or moderately correlated, either directly or inversely. Based on those correlated measures, it is concluded that: (1) in the design of semi-automatic segmentation methods, user interactions need to be less cognitively challenging; (2) based on the observed workflows and preferences of physicians, there is a need for flexibility in the interface design; (3) the correlated measures provide insights that can be used in improving user interaction design.

  12. Influence of learner knowledge and case complexity on handover accuracy and cognitive load: results from a simulation study.

    PubMed

    Young, John Q; van Dijk, Savannah M; O'Sullivan, Patricia S; Custers, Eugene J; Irby, David M; Ten Cate, Olle

    2016-09-01

    The handover represents a high-risk event in which errors are common and lead to patient harm. A better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms of handover errors is essential to improving handover education and practice. This paper reports on an experiment conducted to study the effects of learner knowledge, case complexity (i.e. cases with or without a clear diagnosis) and their interaction on handover accuracy and cognitive load. Participants were 52 Dutch medical students in Years 2 and 6. The experiment employed a repeated-measures design with two explanatory variables: case complexity (simple or complex) as the within-subject variable, and learner knowledge (as indicated by illness script maturity) as the between-subject covariate. The dependent variables were handover accuracy and cognitive load. Each participant performed a total of four simulated handovers involving two simple cases and two complex cases. Higher illness script maturity predicted increased handover accuracy (p < 0.001) and lower cognitive load (p = 0.007). Case complexity did not independently affect either outcome. For handover accuracy, there was no interaction between case complexity and illness script maturity. For cognitive load, there was an interaction effect between illness script maturity and case complexity, indicating that more mature illness scripts reduced cognitive load less in complex cases than in simple cases. Students with more mature illness scripts performed more accurate handovers and experienced lower cognitive load. For cognitive load, these effects were more pronounced in simple than complex cases. If replicated, these findings suggest that handover curricula and protocols should provide support that varies according to the knowledge of the trainee. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  13. The relationship between body movements and qualities of social interaction between a boy with severe developmental disabilities and his caregiver.

    PubMed

    Dammeyer, Jesper; Køppe, Simo

    2013-06-01

    Research in social interaction and nonverbal communication among individuals with severe developmental disabilities also includes the study of body movements. Advances in analytical technology give new possibilities for measuring body movements more accurately and reliably. One such advance is the Qualisys Motion Capture System (QMCS), which utilizes optical markers to capture body movements. The aim of this study was to explore the practicality of measuring body movements in the nonverbal communication of a child with severe developmental disabilities. A preliminary case study has been undertaken. The social interaction between a boy with developmental disabilities and his teacher was analyzed (1) using observer ratings on psychological aspects of the social interaction and (2) measuring body positions, velocity, and angles of body movements using the QMCS. Associations between observer ratings and measured body movements were examined. This preliminary case study has indicated that emotional response and attention level during the social interaction corresponded with local, synchronized movements and face-to-face orientation. Measurement of motor behavior is suggested as being a potentially useful methodological approach to studying social interaction and communication development.

  14. Disability assessment: the efficacy of multimedia interactive nurse education.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Hui-Chaun; Lin, Feng-Yu; Hwu, Yueh-Juen

    2013-06-01

    Nearly 3% of the population in Taiwan is classified as disabled. Disability assessment directly relates to long-term care quality and resource allocation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a multimedia interactive DVD on enhancing nurse knowledgeand disability assessment skills. The study was a quasi-experimental design. The experimental group received multimedia interactive DVD, and the control group received conventional classroom education. The study gathered data using scales assessing knowledge related to disability assessment and case studies. Scales were implemented before and after multimedia interactive DVD interventions at weeks 2 and 4. In-depth interviews with voice recording were used to collect qualitative data to elicit differences in perception between the experimental and control groups. This study found significant improvements in the experimental group in terms of disability assessment knowledge and case study assessment skills. These improvements lasted through at least 1-month posttest. Analysis of interview data for the experimental group showed that the multimedia interactive DVD provided a more flexible approach to learning than classroom education and improved participant self-confidence to conduct disability assessments. The study showed the effectiveness of the developed multimedia interactive DVD in significantly improving the disability assessment confidences of nurses. Study findings can be used as a reference guide for continuing educational efforts in long-term care settings.

  15. The Importance of Interaction in Web-Based Education: A Program-Level Case Study of Online MBA Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Su, Bude; Bonk, Curtis J.; Magjuka, Richard J.; Liu, Xiaojing; Lee, Seung-hee

    2005-01-01

    Though interaction is often billed as a significant component of successful online learning, empirical evidence of its importance as well as practical guidance or specific interaction techniques continue to be lacking. In response, this study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate how instructors and students perceive the…

  16. Interventions to Support Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review of Single Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozuna, Jennifer; Mavridis, Alexis; Hott, Brittany L.

    2015-01-01

    Social interaction is a core deficit in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, parents and teachers need effective interventions to support students with ASD. This synthesis provides a quantitative analysis of single-subject studies that examine interventions to support social interactions in children with ASD. Results suggest…

  17. "Man, This Is Hard": A Case Study of How Race and Religion Affect Cross-Racial Interaction for Black Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Julie J.

    2012-01-01

    This study examines how multiple facets of students' identities affect their experiences with cross-racial interaction. I consider how the intersection between two identity categories--race and religion--affected six Black students' experiences with cross-racial interaction in a multiracial religious student organization. While the pursuit of…

  18. Noise-induced effects in population dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spagnolo, Bernardo; Cirone, Markus; La Barbera, Antonino; de Pasquale, Ferdinando

    2002-03-01

    We investigate the role of noise in the nonlinear relaxation of two ecosystems described by generalized Lotka-Volterra equations in the presence of multiplicative noise. Specifically we study two cases: (i) an ecosystem with two interacting species in the presence of periodic driving; (ii) an ecosystem with a great number of interacting species with random interaction matrix. We analyse the interplay between noise and periodic modulation for case (i) and the role of the noise in the transient dynamics of the ecosystem in the presence of an absorbing barrier in case (ii). We find that the presence of noise is responsible for the generation of temporal oscillations and for the appearance of spatial patterns in the first case. In the other case we obtain the asymptotic behaviour of the time average of the ith population and discuss the effect of the noise on the probability distributions of the population and of the local field.

  19. A Single Case Design Evaluation of a Software and Tutor Intervention Addressing Emotion Recognition and Social Interaction in Four Boys with ASD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lacava, Paul G.; Rankin, Ana; Mahlios, Emily; Cook, Katie; Simpson, Richard L.

    2010-01-01

    Many students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have delays learning to recognize emotions. Social behavior is also challenging, including initiating interactions, responding to others, developing peer relationships, and so forth. In this single case design study we investigated the relationship between use of computer software ("Mind Reading:…

  20. Symmetry considerations in the scattering of identical composite bodies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Norbury, J. W.; Townsend, L. W.; Deutchman, P. A.

    1986-01-01

    Previous studies of the interactions between composite particles were extended to the case in which the composites are identical. The form of the total interaction potential matrix elements was obtained, and guidelines for their explicit evaluation were given. For the case of elastic scattering of identical composites, the matrix element approach was shown to be equivalent to the scattering amplitude method.

  1. Interaction between the Teacher and the Congenitally Deafblind Child

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vervloed, Mathijs P. J.; van Dijk, Rick J. M.; Knoors, Harry; van Dijk, Jan P. M.

    2006-01-01

    Empirical data on the development of interaction, communication, and language in deafblind children is very rare. To fill this gap, a case study was conducted in which the interaction between a teacher and a deafblind boy age 3 years 4 months was analyzed. Sequential analysis of their interaction confirmed some general clinical impressions about…

  2. Genome-wide search followed by replication reveals genetic interaction of CD80 and ALOX5AP associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Asian populations.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yan; Yang, Jing; Zhang, Jing; Sun, Liangdan; Hirankarn, Nattiya; Pan, Hai-Feng; Lau, Chak Sing; Chan, Tak Mao; Lee, Tsz Leung; Leung, Alexander Moon Ho; Mok, Chi Chiu; Zhang, Lu; Wang, Yongfei; Shen, Jiangshan Jane; Wong, Sik Nin; Lee, Ka Wing; Ho, Marco Hok Kung; Lee, Pamela Pui Wah; Chung, Brian Hon-Yin; Chong, Chun Yin; Wong, Raymond Woon Sing; Mok, Mo Yin; Wong, Wilfred Hing Sang; Tong, Kwok Lung; Tse, Niko Kei Chiu; Li, Xiang-Pei; Avihingsanon, Yingyos; Rianthavorn, Pornpimol; Deekajorndej, Thavatchai; Suphapeetiporn, Kanya; Shotelersuk, Vorasuk; Ying, Shirley King Yee; Fung, Samuel Ka Shun; Lai, Wai Ming; Wong, Chun-Ming; Ng, Irene Oi Lin; Garcia-Barcelo, Maria-Merce; Cherny, Stacey S; Cui, Yong; Sham, Pak Chung; Yang, Sen; Ye, Dong-Qing; Zhang, Xue-Jun; Lau, Yu Lung; Yang, Wanling

    2016-05-01

    Genetic interaction has been considered as a hallmark of the genetic architecture of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Based on two independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Chinese populations, we performed a genome-wide search for genetic interactions contributing to SLE susceptibility. The study involved a total of 1 659 cases and 3 398 controls in the discovery stage and 2 612 cases and 3 441 controls in three cohorts for replication. Logistic regression and multifactor dimensionality reduction were used to search for genetic interaction. Interaction of CD80 (rs2222631) and ALOX5AP (rs12876893) was found to be significantly associated with SLE (OR_int=1.16, P_int_all=7.7E-04 at false discovery rate<0.05). Single nuclear polymorphism rs2222631 was found associated with SLE with genome-wide significance (P_all=4.5E-08, OR=0.86) and is independent of rs6804441 in CD80, whose association was reported previously. Significant correlation was observed between expression of these two genes in healthy controls and SLE cases, together with differential expression of these genes between cases and controls, observed from individuals from the Hong Kong cohort. Genetic interactions between BLK (rs13277113) and DDX6 (rs4639966), and between TNFSF4 (rs844648) and PXK (rs6445975) were also observed in both GWAS data sets. Our study represents the first genome-wide evaluation of epistasis interactions on SLE and the findings suggest interactions and independent variants may help partially explain missing heritability for complex diseases. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  3. Estrogen-IGF-1 interactions in neuroprotection: Ischemic Stroke as a case study

    PubMed Central

    Sohrabji, Farida

    2014-01-01

    The steroid hormone 17b-estradiol and the peptide hormone insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 independently exert neuroprotective actions in neurologic diseases such as stroke. Only a few studies have directly addressed the interaction between the two hormone systems, however, there is a large literature that indicates potentially greater interactions between the 17b-estradiol and IGF-1 systems. The present review focuses on key issues related to this interaction including IGF-1 and sex differences and common activation of second messenger systems. Using ischemic stroke as a case study, this review also focuses on independent and cooperative actions of estrogen and IGF-1 on neuroprotection, blood brain barrier integrity, angiogenesis, inflammation and post-stroke epilepsy. Finally, the review also focuses on the astrocyte, a key mediator of post stroke repair, as a local source of 17b-estradiol and IGF-1. This review thus highlights areas where significant new research is needed to clarify the interactions between these two neuroprotectants. PMID:24882635

  4. Analysis of airframe/engine interactions in integrated flight and propulsion control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schierman, John D.; Schmidt, David K.

    1991-01-01

    An analysis framework for the assessment of dynamic cross-coupling between airframe and engine systems from the perspective of integrated flight/propulsion control is presented. This analysis involves to determining the significance of the interactions with respect to deterioration in stability robustness and performance, as well as critical frequency ranges where problems may occur due to these interactions. The analysis illustrated here investigates both the airframe's effects on the engine control loops and the engine's effects on the airframe control loops in two case studies. The second case study involves a multi-input/multi-output analysis of the airframe. Sensitivity studies are performed on critical interactions to examine the degradations in the system's stability robustness and performance. Magnitudes of the interactions required to cause instabilities, as well as the frequencies at which the instabilities occur are recorded. Finally, the analysis framework is expanded to include control laws which contain cross-feeds between the airframe and engine systems.

  5. Promoting student case creation to enhance instruction of clinical reasoning skills: a pilot feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Chandrasekar, Hamsika; Gesundheit, Neil; Nevins, Andrew B; Pompei, Peter; Bruce, Janine; Merrell, Sylvia Bereknyei

    2018-01-01

    It is a common educational practice for medical students to engage in case-based learning (CBL) exercises by working through clinical cases that have been developed by faculty. While such faculty-developed exercises have educational strengths, there are at least two major drawbacks to learning by this method: the number and diversity of cases is often limited; and students decrease their engagement with CBL cases as they grow accustomed to the teaching method. We sought to explore whether student case creation can address both of these limitations. We also compared student case creation to traditional clinical reasoning sessions in regard to tutorial group effectiveness, perceived gains in clinical reasoning, and quality of student-faculty interaction. Ten first-year medical students participated in a feasibility study wherein they worked in small groups to develop their own patient case around a preassigned diagnosis. Faculty provided feedback on case quality afterwards. Students completed pre- and post-self-assessment surveys. Students and faculty also participated in separate focus groups to compare their case creation experience to traditional CBL sessions. Students reported high levels of team engagement and peer learning, as well as increased ownership over case content and understanding of clinical reasoning nuances. However, students also reported decreases in student-faculty interaction and the use of visual aids ( P < 0.05). The results of our feasibility study suggest that student-generated cases can be a valuable adjunct to traditional clinical reasoning instruction by increasing content ownership, encouraging student-directed learning, and providing opportunities to explore clinical nuances. However, these gains may reduce student-faculty interaction. Future studies may be able to identify an improved model of faculty participation, the ideal timing for incorporation of this method in a medical curriculum, and a more rigorous assessment of the impact of student case creation on the development of clinical reasoning skills.

  6. Promoting student case creation to enhance instruction of clinical reasoning skills: a pilot feasibility study

    PubMed Central

    Chandrasekar, Hamsika; Gesundheit, Neil; Nevins, Andrew B; Pompei, Peter; Bruce, Janine; Merrell, Sylvia Bereknyei

    2018-01-01

    Background It is a common educational practice for medical students to engage in case-based learning (CBL) exercises by working through clinical cases that have been developed by faculty. While such faculty-developed exercises have educational strengths, there are at least two major drawbacks to learning by this method: the number and diversity of cases is often limited; and students decrease their engagement with CBL cases as they grow accustomed to the teaching method. We sought to explore whether student case creation can address both of these limitations. We also compared student case creation to traditional clinical reasoning sessions in regard to tutorial group effectiveness, perceived gains in clinical reasoning, and quality of student–faculty interaction. Methods Ten first-year medical students participated in a feasibility study wherein they worked in small groups to develop their own patient case around a preassigned diagnosis. Faculty provided feedback on case quality afterwards. Students completed pre- and post-self-assessment surveys. Students and faculty also participated in separate focus groups to compare their case creation experience to traditional CBL sessions. Results Students reported high levels of team engagement and peer learning, as well as increased ownership over case content and understanding of clinical reasoning nuances. However, students also reported decreases in student–faculty interaction and the use of visual aids (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of our feasibility study suggest that student-generated cases can be a valuable adjunct to traditional clinical reasoning instruction by increasing content ownership, encouraging student-directed learning, and providing opportunities to explore clinical nuances. However, these gains may reduce student–faculty interaction. Future studies may be able to identify an improved model of faculty participation, the ideal timing for incorporation of this method in a medical curriculum, and a more rigorous assessment of the impact of student case creation on the development of clinical reasoning skills. PMID:29692641

  7. Student participation and interactivity using asynchronous computer-mediated communication for resolution of an undergraduate capstone management case study.

    PubMed

    Miller, Paulette J

    2012-01-01

    Online discussion activities are designed for computer-mediated learning activities in face-to-face, hybrid, and totally online courses. The use of asynchronous computer-mediated communication (A-CMC) coupled with authentic workplace case studies provides students in the protected learning environment with opportunities to practice workplace decision making and communication. In this study, communication behaviors of transmitter and receiver were analyzed to determine participation and interactivity in communication among small-group participants in a health information management capstone management course.

  8. An evaluation of learning clinical decision-making for early rehabilitation in the ICU via interactive education with audience response system.

    PubMed

    Toonstra, Amy L; Nelliot, Archana; Aronson Friedman, Lisa; Zanni, Jennifer M; Hodgson, Carol; Needham, Dale M

    2017-06-01

    Knowledge-related barriers to safely implement early rehabilitation programs in intensive care units (ICUs) may be overcome via targeted education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive educational session on short-term knowledge of clinical decision-making for safe rehabilitation of patients in ICUs. A case-based teaching approach, drawing from published safety recommendations for initiation of rehabilitation in ICUs, was used with a multidisciplinary audience. An audience response system was incorporated to promote interaction and evaluate knowledge before vs. after the educational session. Up to 175 audience members, of 271 in attendance (129 (48%) physical therapists, 51 (19%) occupational therapists, 31 (11%) nursing, 14 (5%) physician, 46 (17%) other), completed both the pre- and post-test questions for each of the six unique patient cases. In four of six patient cases, there was a significant (p< 0.001) increase in identifying the correct answer regarding initiation of rehabilitation activities. This learning effect was similar irrespective of participants' years of experience and clinical discipline. An interactive, case-based, educational session may be effective for increasing short-term knowledge, and identifying knowledge gaps, regarding clinical decision-making for safe rehabilitation of patients in ICUs. Implications for Rehabilitation Lack of knowledge regarding the safety considerations for early rehabilitation of ICU patients is a barrier to implementing early rehabilitation. Interactive educational formats, such as the use of audience response systems, offer a new method of teaching and instantly assessing learning of clinically important information. In a small study, we have shown that an interactive, case-based educational format may be used to effectively teach clinical decision-making for the safe rehabilitation of ICU patients to a diverse audience of clinicians.

  9. [A radiological case collection with interactive character as a new element in the education of medical students].

    PubMed

    Heye, T; Kurz, P; Eiers, M; Kauffmann, G W; Schipp, A

    2008-04-01

    Evaluation of an interactive, multimedia case-based learning platform for the radiological education of medical students. An interactive electronic learning platform for the education of medical students was built in HTML format independent of the operating system in the context of the Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed). A case collection of 30 common and authentic clinical cases is used as the central theme and clinical background. The user has to work on each case by making decisions regarding a selection of diagnostic modalities and by analyzing the chosen studies. After a reasonable selection and sequence of diagnostic radiological modalities and their interpretation, a diagnosis has to be made. An extensive collection of normal findings for any modality is available for the user as a reference in correlation with the pathology at anytime within each case. The case collection consists of 2053 files with 1109 Internet pages (HTML) and 869 image files (.jpeg) with approximately 10 000 crosslinks (links). The case collection was evaluated by a questionnaire (scale 1 - 5) at the end of the radiological student course. The development of the results of the radiological course exam was analyzed to investigate any effect on the learning performance after the case collection was introduced. 97.6 % of the course participants would use the case collection beyond the radiological student course to learn radiology in their medical studies. The handling of the case collection was rated excellent in 36.9 %, good in 54.6 %, satisfactory in 8 % and unsatisfactory in 0.4 %. 41 % felt that the case collection was overall excellent, 49.2 % good, 7.8 % satisfactory, 1.6 % unsatisfactory and 0.4 % poor. A positive trend in the development of the results in the radiological course exam with less variance after the introduction of the case collection was found but failed statistical significance. A platform-independent, interactive, multimedia learning platform with authentic clinical cases and multiple choice elements for the user is the ideal method for supporting and expanding medical education in radiology. The usefulness and the reasonable exertion of diagnostic modalities are conveyed in a practical context as teaching goals. The high acceptance among students is based on the interactivity and use of multimedia.

  10. Polymer translocation under time-dependent driving forces: resonant activation induced by attractive polymer-pore interactions.

    PubMed

    Ikonen, Timo; Shin, Jaeoh; Sung, Wokyung; Ala-Nissila, Tapio

    2012-05-28

    We study the driven translocation of polymers under time-dependent driving forces using N-particle Langevin dynamics simulations. We consider the force to be either sinusoidally oscillating in time or dichotomic noise with exponential correlation time, to mimic both plausible experimental setups and naturally occurring biological conditions. In addition, we consider both the case of purely repulsive polymer-pore interactions and the case with additional attractive polymer-pore interactions, typically occurring inside biological pores. We find that the nature of the interaction fundamentally affects the translocation dynamics. For the non-attractive pore, the translocation time crosses over to a fast translocation regime as the frequency of the driving force decreases. In the attractive pore case, because of a free energy well induced inside the pore, the translocation time can be a minimum at the optimal frequency of the force, the so-called resonant activation. In the latter case, we examine the effect of various physical parameters on the resonant activation, and explain our observations using simple theoretical arguments.

  11. Model Checking Failed Conjectures in Theorem Proving: A Case Study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pike, Lee; Miner, Paul; Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

    2004-01-01

    Interactive mechanical theorem proving can provide high assurance of correct design, but it can also be a slow iterative process. Much time is spent determining why a proof of a conjecture is not forthcoming. In some cases, the conjecture is false and in others, the attempted proof is insufficient. In this case study, we use the SAL family of model checkers to generate a concrete counterexample to an unproven conjecture specified in the mechanical theorem prover, PVS. The focus of our case study is the ROBUS Interactive Consistency Protocol. We combine the use of a mechanical theorem prover and a model checker to expose a subtle flaw in the protocol that occurs under a particular scenario of faults and processor states. Uncovering the flaw allows us to mend the protocol and complete its general verification in PVS.

  12. Local interaction strategies and capacity for better care in nursing homes: a multiple case study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background To describe relationship patterns and management practices in nursing homes (NHs) that facilitate or pose barriers to better outcomes for residents and staff. Methods We conducted comparative, multiple-case studies in selected NHs (N = 4). Data were collected over six months from managers and staff (N = 406), using direct observations, interviews, and document reviews. Manifest content analysis was used to identify and explore patterns within and between cases. Results Participants described interaction strategies that they explained could either degrade or enhance their capacity to achieve better outcomes for residents; people in all job categories used these ‘local interaction strategies’. We categorized these two sets of local interaction strategies as the ‘common pattern’ and the ‘positive pattern’ and summarize the results in two models of local interaction. Conclusions The findings suggest the hypothesis that when staff members in NHs use the set of positive local interaction strategies, they promote inter-connections, information exchange, and diversity of cognitive schema in problem solving that, in turn, create the capacity for delivering better resident care. We propose that these positive local interaction strategies are a critical driver of care quality in NHs. Our hypothesis implies that, while staffing levels and skill mix are important factors for care quality, improvement would be difficult to achieve if staff members are not engaged with each other in these ways. PMID:24903706

  13. Shared Reading Interactions between Mothers and Pre-School Children: Case Studies of Three Dyads from a Disadvantaged Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Anne

    2005-01-01

    Research has shown that adult-child shared book reading can enhance language and literacy development in the early years, although little is known about how mothers and children from socio-economically disadvantaged communities interact around books. This study investigated the shared reading interactions of three mother-child dyads living in such…

  14. Understanding Task-in-Process through the Lens of Laughter: Activity Designs, Instructional Materials, Learner Orientations, and Interpersonal Relationships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasegawa, Atsushi

    2018-01-01

    Using the framework of conversation analysis, this study investigated the interactional workings of laughter in task-based interactions. The analysis was drawn from 160 cases of pair work interactions, collected in 2nd-semester Japanese-as-a-foreign-language classrooms. The pair work activities examined in this study are mostly grammar-focused,…

  15. Interaction in a Blended Environment for English Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romero Archila, Yuranny Marcela

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to identify the types of interaction that emerged not only in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) but also in face-to-face settings. The study also assessed the impact of the different kinds of interactions in terms of language learning. This is a qualitative case study that took place in a private Colombian…

  16. Communication Behaviors and Trust in Collaborative Online Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulu, Saniye Tugba; Yildirim, Zahide

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates preservice teachers' trust levels and collaborative communication behaviors namely leadership, feedback, social interaction, enthusiasm, task and technical uncertainties, and task-oriented interactions in online learning environment. A case study design involving qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis was…

  17. L2 Learners' Informal Online Interactions in Social Network Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malerba, Maria-Luisa

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on a study on the use of social network sites (SNSs) designed for L2 learning, such as "Livemocha" and "Busuu", where learners autonomously seek opportunities for authentic interaction in spontaneous ways. The study consists in a longitudinal multiple case study approach to investigate learners' informal…

  18. The Interactive Whiteboard: A Transitional Technology Supporting Diverse Teaching Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winzenried, Arthur; Dalgarno, Barney; Tinkler, Jacqueline

    2010-01-01

    This article describes the findings of a qualitative study investigating teacher perspectives on the impact of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) on their classroom teaching practice, using intensive case studies focusing on six primary and secondary teachers from two rural schools. The study found that all teachers were enthusiastic, had seen…

  19. The case-only test for gene-environment interaction is not uniformly powerful: an empirical example

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Chen; Chang, Jiang; Ma, Baoshan; Miao, Xiaoping; Zhou, Yifeng; Liu, Yu; Li, Yun; Wu, Tangchun; Hu, Zhibin; Shen, Hongbing; Jia, Weihua; Zeng, Yixin; Lin, Dongxin; Kraft, Peter

    2016-01-01

    The case-only test has been proposed as a more powerful approach to detect gene-environment (G×E) interactions. This approach assumes that the genetic and environmental factors are independent. While it is well known that Type I error rate will increase if this assumption is violated, it is less widely appreciated that gene-environment correlation can also lead to power loss. We illustrate this phenomenon by comparing the performance of the case-only test to other approaches to detect G×E interactions in a genome-wide association study of esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC) in Chinese populations. Some of these approaches do not use information on the correlation between exposure and genotype (standard logistic regression), while others seek to use this information in a robust fashion to boost power without increasing Type I error (two-step, empirical Bayes and cocktail methods). G×E interactions were identified involving drinking status and two regions containing genes in the alcohol metabolism pathway, 4q23 and 12q24. Although the case-only test yielded the most significant tests of G×E interaction in the 4q23 region, the case-only test failed to identify significant interactions in the 12q24 region which were readily identified using other approaches. The low power of the case-only test in the 12q24 region is likely due to the strong inverse association between the SNPs in this region and drinking status. This example underscores the need to consider multiple approaches to detect gene-environment interactions, as different tests are more or less sensitive to different alternative hypotheses and violations of the gene-environment independence assumption. PMID:23595356

  20. Exposure enriched outcome dependent designs for longitudinal studies of gene-environment interaction.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhichao; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Estes, Jason P; Vokonas, Pantel S; Park, Sung Kyun

    2017-08-15

    Joint effects of genetic and environmental factors have been increasingly recognized in the development of many complex human diseases. Despite the popularity of case-control and case-only designs, longitudinal cohort studies that can capture time-varying outcome and exposure information have long been recommended for gene-environment (G × E) interactions. To date, literature on sampling designs for longitudinal studies of G × E interaction is quite limited. We therefore consider designs that can prioritize a subsample of the existing cohort for retrospective genotyping on the basis of currently available outcome, exposure, and covariate data. In this work, we propose stratified sampling based on summaries of individual exposures and outcome trajectories and develop a full conditional likelihood approach for estimation that adjusts for the biased sample. We compare the performance of our proposed design and analysis with combinations of different sampling designs and estimation approaches via simulation. We observe that the full conditional likelihood provides improved estimates for the G × E interaction and joint exposure effects over uncorrected complete-case analysis, and the exposure enriched outcome trajectory dependent design outperforms other designs in terms of estimation efficiency and power for detection of the G × E interaction. We also illustrate our design and analysis using data from the Normative Aging Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study initiated by the Veterans Administration in 1963. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Experimental studies of hypersonic shock-wave boundary-layer interactions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lu, Frank K.

    1992-01-01

    Two classes of shock-wave boundary-layer interactions were studied experimentally in a shock tunnel in which a low Reynolds number, turbulent flow at Mach 8 was developed on a cold, flat test surface. The two classes of interactions were: (1) a swept interaction generated by a wedge ('fin') mounted perpendicularly on the flat plate; and (2) a two-dimensional, unseparated interaction induced by a shock impinging near an expansion corner. The swept interaction, with wedge angles of 5-20 degrees, was separated and there was also indication that the strongest interactions prossessed secondary separation zones. The interaction spread out extensively from the inviscid shock location although no indication of quasi-conical symmetry was evident. The surface pressure from the upstream influence to the inviscid shock was relatively low compared to the inviscid downstream value but it rose rapidly past the inviscid shock location. However, the surface pressure did not reach the downstream inviscid value and reasons were proposed for this anomalous behavior compared to strongly separated, supersonic interactions. The second class of interactions involved weak shocks impinging near small expansion corners. As a prelude to studying this interaction, a hypersonic similarity parameter was identified for the pure, expansion corner flow. The expansion corner severely damped out surface pressure fluctuations. When a shock impinged upstream of the corner, no significant changes to the surface pressure were found as compared to the case when the shock impinged on a flat plate. But, when the shock impinged downstream of the corner, a close coupling existed between the two wave systems, unlike the supersonic case. This close coupling modified the upstream influence. Regardless of whether the shock impinged ahead or behind the corner, the downstream region was affected by the close coupling between the shock and the expansion. Not only was the mean pressure distribution modified but the unsteadiness in the surface pressure was reduced compared to the flat-plate case.

  2. The Interactions between Breastfeeding Mothers and Their Babies during the Breastfeeding Session.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Epstein, Karen

    1993-01-01

    Videotaped 12 breastfeeding mothers and their babies during breastfeeding sessions to investigate maternal-infant interactions occurring during breastfeeding sessions. Presents four case studies to examine differences in breastfeeding interactions, as well as benefits and disadvantages that breastfeeding provided different mother-child pairs. (MM)

  3. Climate and Energy-Water-Land System Interactions Technical Report to the U.S. Department of Energy in Support of the National Climate Assessment

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

    Skaggs, Richard; Hibbard, Kathleen A.; Frumhoff, Peter

    2012-03-01

    This report provides a framework to characterize and understand the important elements of climate and energy-water-land (EWL) system interactions. It identifies many of the important issues, discusses our understanding of those issues, and presents a long-term research program research needs to address the priority scientific challenges and gaps in our understanding. Much of the discussion is organized around two discrete case studies with the broad themes of (1) extreme events and (2) regional intercomparisons. These case studies help demonstrate unique ways in which energy-water-land interactions can occur and be influenced by climate.

  4. A Framework for Categorizing Social Interactions Related to End-of-Life Care in Nursing Homes

    PubMed Central

    Bern-Klug, Mercedes

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: Almost half of people age 85 and older who die annually in the United States die as nursing home residents, yet because it is not always clear who is close to death, not all residents who might benefit from end-of-life care receive it. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for organizing social interactions related to end-of-life care and to characterize the social construction of dying in two nursing homes. Design: Secondary analysis of qualitative ethnographic data collected before the death of 45 residents who were selected for the study on account of their “declining” health status. Methods: Field notes, medical chart data, and transcribed interviews corresponding to 45 residents in two nursing homes in a large Midwestern city were analyzed using qualitative descriptive methods guided by symbolic interaction and role theory. The data were also grouped by resident to facilitate the development of cases that illustrate the categories of social interactions. A second reader also categorized all the resident cases into one of five categories as a means of verifying the model. Results: A new framework of five categories to name the stance toward the possibility of dying is presented and illustrated with cases. The categories include: dying allowed, dying contested, mixed message dying, not dying, and not enough information. Cases are provided to illustrate the importance of recognizing the impact that social interactions can have on care. Over half the resident cases were classified as mixed message dying or not enough information, which speaks to the ambiguity regarding care plan goals found in the two nursing homes in the study. Implications: Social interactions related to the health care and dying status of a nursing home resident help to construct a social reality, and that social reality can affect the care the nursing home resident receives. Conversations about goals of care, and how these goals will be operationalized are important issues for discussion among residents (to the extent able), family, staff, and physicians. Social interactions, or the lack thereof, matter. PMID:19491358

  5. Interaction of a genetic risk score with physical activity, physical inactivity, and body mass index in relation to venous thromboembolism risk.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jihye; Kraft, Peter; Hagan, Kaitlin A; Harrington, Laura B; Lindstroem, Sara; Kabrhel, Christopher

    2018-06-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is highly heritable. Physical activity, physical inactivity and body mass index (BMI) are also risk factors, but evidence of interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors is limited. Data on 2,134 VTE cases and 3,890 matched controls were obtained from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). We calculated a weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) using 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with VTE risk in published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data on three risk factors, physical activity (metabolic equivalent [MET] hours per week), physical inactivity (sitting hours per week) and BMI, were obtained from biennial questionnaires. VTE cases were incident since cohort inception; controls were matched to cases on age, cohort, and genotype array. Using conditional logistic regression, we assessed joint effects and interaction effects on both additive and multiplicative scales. We also ran models using continuous wGRS stratified by risk-factor categories. We observed a supra-additive interaction between wGRS and BMI. Having both high wGRS and high BMI was associated with a 3.4-fold greater risk of VTE (relative excess risk due to interaction = 0.69, p = 0.046). However, we did not find evidence for a multiplicative interaction with BMI. No interactions were observed for physical activity or inactivity. We found a synergetic effect between a genetic risk score and high BMI on the risk of VTE. Intervention efforts lowering BMI to decrease VTE risk may have particularly large beneficial effects among individuals with high genetic risk. © 2018 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

  6. Characterization of Statin-Associated Myopathy Case Reports in Thailand Using the Health Product Vigilance Center Database.

    PubMed

    Boonmuang, Pornwalai; Nathisuwan, Surakit; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn; Suwankesawong, Wimon; Pokhagul, Pattreya; Teerawattanapong, Nattawat; Supsongserm, Pairin

    2013-09-01

    HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors [statins], a widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering therapy, are associated with muscle-related adverse events. While characteristics of such events are well documented in Western countries, little data exists for the Thai population. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients, type and dosing of statin, and to identify patterns of drug use that may be associated with such adverse events using the national pharmacovigilance database known as Thai Vigibase. Muscle-related adverse events involving statins in the Thai Vigibase from 1996 to December 2009 were identified. For each report, the following information was extracted: patient demographics, co-morbidities, detailed information of adverse event, detailed information of suspected drug, treatment and outcome, as well as causality assessment and quality of reports. Descriptive statistics were performed for all study variables. A total of 198 cases of statin-associated muscle-related adverse events were identified. Mean age was 61.4 ± 12.4 years of age and 59.6% were female. Simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and cerivastatin were implicated as the suspected drug in 163 (82.3%), 24 (12.1%), 10 (5.1%) and 1 (0.5%) cases, respectively. Rhabdomyolysis accounted for 55.6% of all muscle-related adverse events. Drug interactions known to enhance such toxicity of statins were identified in 40.9% of the total set of reports. Similar to studies from Western countries, fibrates, HIV protease inhibitors, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, azole antifungals and macrolides were commonly found in such cases. Interestingly, colchicine has been identified as the second most common drug interaction in our database. Case fatality rates were 0.9, 1.6 and 16.7%, when there were 0, 1 and ≥2 interacting drugs, respectively. Characteristics of muscle-related adverse events with statins in the Thai population showed some similarities and differences compared with Western countries. Such similarities included advanced age, female sex, certain co-morbidities and drug interactions. While the majority of interacting drugs are well known, a big proportion of cases of statin-colchicine interaction attributed to long-term use of colchicine in Thailand was noted and should be further investigated. Based on these results, an attempt to avoid dangerous and well-known drug interactions among statin users should be implemented nationwide.

  7. Ghost Dark Energy with Non-Linear Interaction Term

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ebrahimi, E.

    2016-06-01

    Here we investigate ghost dark energy (GDE) in the presence of a non-linear interaction term between dark matter and dark energy. To this end we take into account a general form for the interaction term. Then we discuss about different features of three choices of the non-linear interacting GDE. In all cases we obtain equation of state parameter, w D = p/ ρ, the deceleration parameter and evolution equation of the dark energy density parameter (Ω D ). We find that in one case, w D cross the phantom line ( w D < -1). However in two other classes w D can not cross the phantom divide. The coincidence problem can be solved in these models completely and there exist good agreement between the models and observational values of w D , q. We study squared sound speed {vs2}, and find that for one case of non-linear interaction term {vs2} can achieves positive values at late time of evolution.

  8. Complex interactions between autotrophs in shallow marine and freshwater ecosystems: implications for community responses to nutrient stress.

    PubMed

    Havens, K E; Hauxwell, J; Tyler, A C; Thomas, S; McGlathery, K J; Cebrian, J; Valiela, I; Steinman, A D; Hwang, S J

    2001-01-01

    The relative biomass of autotrophs (vascular plants, macroalgae, microphytobenthos, phytoplankton) in shallow aquatic ecosystems is thought to be controlled by nutrient inputs and underwater irradiance. Widely accepted conceptual models indicate that this is the case both in marine and freshwater systems. In this paper we examine four case studies and test whether these models generally apply. We also identify other complex interactions among the autotrophs that may influence ecosystem response to cultural eutrophication. The marine case studies focus on macroalgae and its interactions with sediments and vascular plants. The freshwater case studies focus on interactions between phytoplankton, epiphyton, and benthic microalgae. In Waquoit Bay, MA (estuary), controlled experiments documented that blooms of macroalgae were responsible for the loss of eelgrass beds at nutrient-enriched locations. Macroalgae covered eelgrass and reduced irradiance to the extent that the plants could not maintain net growth. In Hog Island Bay, VA (estuary), a dense lawn of macroalgae covered the bottom sediments. There was reduced sediment-water nitrogen exchange when the algae were actively growing and high nitrogen release during algal senescence. In Lakes Brobo (West Africa) and Okeechobee (FL), there were dramatic seasonal changes in the biomass and phosphorus content of planktonic versus attached algae, and these changes were coupled with changes in water level and abiotic turbidity. Deeper water and/or greater turbidity favored dominance by phytoplankton. In Lake Brobo there also was evidence that phytoplankton growth was stimulated following a die-off of vascular plants. The case studies from Waquoit Bay and Lake Okeechobee support conceptual models of succession from vascular plants to benthic algae to phytoplankton along gradients of increasing nutrients and decreasing under-water irradiance. The case studies from Hog Island Bay and Lake Brobo illustrate additional effects (modified sediment-water nutrient fluxes, allelopathy or nutrient release during plant senescence) that could play a role in ecosystem response to nutrient stress.

  9. Lattice model for water-solute mixtures.

    PubMed

    Furlan, A P; Almarza, N G; Barbosa, M C

    2016-10-14

    A lattice model for the study of mixtures of associating liquids is proposed. Solvent and solute are modeled by adapting the associating lattice gas (ALG) model. The nature of interaction of solute/solvent is controlled by tuning the energy interactions between the patches of ALG model. We have studied three set of parameters, resulting in, hydrophilic, inert, and hydrophobic interactions. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations were carried out, and the behavior of pure components and the excess properties of the mixtures have been studied. The pure components, water (solvent) and solute, have quite similar phase diagrams, presenting gas, low density liquid, and high density liquid phases. In the case of solute, the regions of coexistence are substantially reduced when compared with both the water and the standard ALG models. A numerical procedure has been developed in order to attain series of results at constant pressure from simulations of the lattice gas model in the grand canonical ensemble. The excess properties of the mixtures, volume and enthalpy as the function of the solute fraction, have been studied for different interaction parameters of the model. Our model is able to reproduce qualitatively well the excess volume and enthalpy for different aqueous solutions. For the hydrophilic case, we show that the model is able to reproduce the excess volume and enthalpy of mixtures of small alcohols and amines. The inert case reproduces the behavior of large alcohols such as propanol, butanol, and pentanol. For the last case (hydrophobic), the excess properties reproduce the behavior of ionic liquids in aqueous solution.

  10. Interaction between the teacher and the congenitally deafblind child.

    PubMed

    Vervloed, Mathijs P J; van Dijk, Rick J M; Knoors, Harry; van Dijk, Jan P M

    2006-01-01

    Empirical data on the development of interaction, communication, and language in deafblind children is very rare. To fill this gap, a case study was conducted in which the interaction between a teacher and a deafblind boy age 3 years 4 months was analyzed. Sequential analysis of their interaction confirmed some general clinical impressions about interaction with deafblind children, and provided the basis for suggestions on how the interaction pattern might be changed.

  11. Power Law and Logarithmic Ricci Dark Energy Models in Hořava-Lifshitz Cosmology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pasqua, Antonio; Chattopadhyay, Surajit; Khurshudyan, Martiros; Myrzakulov, Ratbay; Hakobyan, Margarit; Movsisyan, Artashes

    2015-03-01

    In this work, we studied the Power Law and the Logarithmic Entropy Corrected versions of the Ricci Dark Energy (RDE) model in a spatially non-flat universe and in the framework of Hořava-Lifshitz cosmology. For the two cases containing non-interacting and interacting RDE and Dark Matter (DM), we obtained the exact differential equation that determines the evolutionary form of the RDE energy density. Moreover, we obtained the expressions of the deceleration parameter q and, using a parametrization of the equation of state (EoS) parameter ω D given by the relation ω D ( z) = ω 0+ ω 1 z, we derived the expressions of both ω 0 and ω 1. We interestingly found that the expression of ω 0 is the same for both non-interacting and interacting case. The expression of ω 1 for the interacting case has strong dependence from the interacting parameter b 2. The parameters derived in this work are done in small redshift approximation and for low redshift expansion of the EoS parameter.

  12. An Assessment of Need for Instructional Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers Using Interactive Lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burton, Amanda

    Numerous studies on the impact of interactive lessons on student learning have been conducted, but there has been a lack of professional development (PD) programs at a middle school focusing on ways to incorporate interactive lessons into the science classroom setting. The purpose of this case study was to examine the instructional practices of science teachers to determine whether the need for an interactive lessons approach to teaching students exists. This qualitative case study focused on teachers' perceptions and pedagogy to determine whether the need to use interactive lessons to meet the needs of all students is present. The research question focused on identifying current practices and determining whether a need for interactive lessons is present. Qualitative data were gathered from science teachers at the school through interviews, lesson plans, and observations, all of which were subsequently coded using an interpretative analysis. The results indicated the need for a professional development (PD) program centered on interactive science lessons. Upon completion of the qualitative study, a detailed PD program has been proposed to increase the instructional practices of science teachers to incorporate interactive lessons within the science classroom. Implications for positive social change include improved teaching strategies and lessons that are more student-centered resulting in better understanding and comprehension, as well as performance on state-mandated tests.

  13. Effectiveness of integrating case studies in online and face-to-face instruction of pathophysiology: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Saleh, Suha M; Asi, Yara M; Hamed, Kastro M

    2013-06-01

    Due to growing demand from students and facilitated by innovations in educational technology, institutions of higher learning are increasingly offering online courses. Subjects in the hard sciences, such as pathophysiology, have traditionally been taught in the face-to-face format, but growing demand for preclinical science courses has compelled educators to incorporate online components into their classes to promote comprehension. Learning tools such as case studies are being integrated into such courses to aid in student interaction, engagement, and critical thinking skills. Careful assessment of pedagogical techniques is essential; hence, this study aimed to evaluate and compare student perceptions of the use of case studies in face-to-face and fully online pathophysiology classes. A series of case studies was incorporated into the curriculum of a pathophysiology class for both class modes (online and face to face). At the end of the semester, students filled out a survey assessing the effectiveness of the case studies. Both groups offered positive responses about the incorporation of case studies in the curriculum of the pathophysiology class. This study supports the argument that with proper use of innovative teaching tools, such as case studies, online pathophysiology classes can foster a sense of community and interaction that is typically only seen with face-to-face classes, based on student responses. Students also indicated that regardless of class teaching modality, use of case studies facilitates student learning and comprehension as well as prepares them for their future careers in health fields.

  14. Case study: videogame distraction reduces behavioral distress in a preschool-aged child undergoing repeated burn dressing changes: a single-subject design.

    PubMed

    Sil, Soumitri; Dahlquist, Lynnda M; Burns, Andrew J

    2013-04-01

    This single-subject design study evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of passive and interactive videogame distraction on behavioral distress for a preschool-aged child receiving repeated burn dressing changes. A 4-year-old girl underwent 3 baseline and 10 videogame distraction sessions (5 passive and 5 interactive) using a restricted alternating treatments design. Observed behavioral distress was coded, and parents and nurses rated the child's distress and cooperative behavior. Relative to baseline, behavioral distress decreased and cooperative behavior increased immediately after the onset of videogame distraction. Single Case Randomization Tests revealed significantly lower behavioral distress and greater cooperation during interactive videogame distraction relative to passive videogame distraction. Interactive videogame distraction appears to be a feasible and effective pain management strategy for a preschool-aged child undergoing repeated painful medical procedures.

  15. Interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors--a meta-analysis and case studies.

    PubMed

    Laskowski, Ryszard; Bednarska, Agnieszka J; Kramarz, Paulina E; Loureiro, Susana; Scheil, Volker; Kudłek, Joanna; Holmstrup, Martin

    2010-08-15

    The paper addresses problems arising from effects of natural environmental factors on toxicity of pollutants to organisms. Most studies on interactions between toxicants and natural factors, including those completed in the EU project NoMiracle (Novel Methods for Integrated Risk Assessment of Cumulative Stressors in Europe) described herein, showed that effects of toxic chemicals on organisms can differ vastly depending purely on external conditions. We compiled data from 61 studies on effects of temperature, moisture and dissolved oxygen on toxicity of a range of chemicals representing pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plant protection products of bacterial origin and trace metals. In 62.3% cases significant interactions (p< or =0.05 or less) between natural factors and chemicals were found, reaching 100% for the effect of dissolved oxygen on toxicity of waterborne chemicals. The meta-analysis of the 61 studies showed that the null hypothesis assuming no interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors should be rejected at p=2.7 x 10(-82) (truncated product method probability). In a few cases of more complex experimental designs, also second-order interactions were found, indicating that natural factors can modify interactions among chemicals. Such data emphasize the necessity of including information on natural factors and their variation in time and across geographic regions in ecological risk assessment. This can be done only if appropriate ecotoxicological test designs are used, in which test organisms are exposed to toxicants at a range of environmental conditions. We advocate designing such tests for the second-tier ecological risk assessment procedures. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Inhomogeneous fluid of penetrable-spheres: Application of the random phase approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiang, Yan; Frydel, Derek

    2017-05-01

    The focus of the present work is the application of the random phase approximation (RPA), derived for inhomogeneous fluids [Frydel and Ma, Phys. Rev. E 93, 062112 (2016)], to penetrable-spheres. As penetrable-spheres transform into hard-spheres with increasing interactions, they provide an interesting case for exploring the RPA, its shortcomings, and limitations, the weak- versus the strong-coupling limit. Two scenarios taken up by the present study are a one-component and a two-component fluid with symmetric interactions. In the latter case, the mean-field contributions cancel out and any contributions from particle interactions are accounted for by correlations. The accuracy of the RPA for this case is the result of a somewhat lucky cancellation of errors.

  17. Teaching Ecological Principles as a Basis for Understanding Environmental Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Paul; Boltt, Gill

    1989-01-01

    Using case study data, determines high school pupils' and university students' (n=162) ability to predict possible outcomes of interactions between ecological populations . Results indicate the majority of respondents could predict interactive outcomes within a simple food web but not when the interaction involved multiple routes. (five…

  18. Modernization: A Case Study of the Interaction of Setting, Custom, and Ideology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frankel, Daniel G.; Roer-Bornstein, Dorit

    An investigation was conducted to better understand the interaction between physical and social settings, culturally based customs for parenting, and the ideology of caretakers in two Israeli cultures undergoing modernization. Yemenite and Kurdish parenting systems were examined by observing mother/infant interactions in unstructured naturalistic…

  19. Front-Line Educators: The Impact of Classified Staff Interactions on the Student Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmitt, Mary Ann; Duggan, Molly H.; Williams, Mitchell R.; McMillan, Judy B.

    2015-01-01

    This multiple case study explored classified staff interactions with students as a strategy for increasing success. Interviews, observations, and focus groups examined interactions from the staff perspective. Findings indicate staff members enhance the educational process by providing a human connection, offering practical strategies for success,…

  20. Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Institutional Case Studies-Based Course in Food Safety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pleitner, Aaron M.; Chapin, Travis K.; Hammons, Susan R.; Stelten, Anna Van; Nightingale, Kendra K.; Wiedmann, Martin; Johnston, Lynette M.; Oliver, Haley F.

    2015-01-01

    Developing novel, engaging courses in food safety is necessary to train professionals in this discipline. Courses that are interactive and case-based encourage development of critical thinking skills necessary for identifying and preventing foodborne disease outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a case study…

  1. Interactions of Science and Technology in the Innovative Process: Some Case Studies. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH. Columbus Labs.

    This is the final report of the latest effort in a series sponsored by the National Science Foundation on the innovation process. It adds to the store of retrospective case studies by documenting historically the significant events in several technological innovations of high social impact. These cases, drawn together by the Battelle Columbus…

  2. The Social Interactions of Students with Disabilities in a 5th Grade Level Inclusive Classroom and the Effect on Academic Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall-Reed, Estella

    2010-01-01

    This dissertation is a qualitative, ethnographic case study of 3 students with disabilities. The purpose of this research study was to observe and collect descriptive accounts of the social interactions that exist between the cultures in a 5th grade level inclusive classroom, such as the interactions between the special education students, general…

  3. Evaluating interactive technology for an evolving case study on learning and satisfaction of graduate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Vogt, Marjorie A; Schaffner, Barbara H

    2016-07-01

    Nursing education is challenged to prepare students for complex healthcare needs through the integration of teamwork and informatics. Technology has become an important teaching tool in the blended classroom to enhance group based learning experiences. Faculty evaluation of classroom technologies is imperative prior to adoption. Few studies have directly compared various technologies and their impact on student satisfaction and learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate technology enhanced teaching methods on the learning and satisfaction of graduate students in an advanced pharmacology class using an unfolding case study. After IRB approval, students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: blogging group, wiki group or webinar group. Students completed the evolving case study using the assigned interactive technology. Student names were removed from the case studies. Faculty evaluated the case study using a rubric, while blinded to the assigned technology method used. No significant difference was found on case study grades, the range of grades on the assignment demonstrated little differences between the methods used. Students indicated an overall positive impact related to networking and collaboration on a satisfaction survey. Impact of technology methods needs to be explored in other areas of graduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. 1+1 Gaudin Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zotov, Andrei V.

    2011-07-01

    We study 1+1 field-generalizations of the rational and elliptic Gaudin models. For sl(N) case we introduce equations of motion and L-A pair with spectral parameter on the Riemann sphere and elliptic curve. In sl(2) case we study the equations in detail and find the corresponding Hamiltonian densities. The n-site model describes n interacting Landau-Lifshitz models of magnets. The interaction depends on position of the sites (marked points on the curve). We also analyze the 2-site case in its own right and describe its relation to the principal chiral model. We emphasize that 1+1 version impose a restriction on a choice of flows on the level of the corresponding 0+1 classical mechanics.

  5. Statistical interactions and Bayes estimation of log odds in case-control studies.

    PubMed

    Satagopan, Jaya M; Olson, Sara H; Elston, Robert C

    2017-04-01

    This paper is concerned with the estimation of the logarithm of disease odds (log odds) when evaluating two risk factors, whether or not interactions are present. Statisticians define interaction as a departure from an additive model on a certain scale of measurement of the outcome. Certain interactions, known as removable interactions, may be eliminated by fitting an additive model under an invertible transformation of the outcome. This can potentially provide more precise estimates of log odds than fitting a model with interaction terms. In practice, we may also encounter nonremovable interactions. The model must then include interaction terms, regardless of the choice of the scale of the outcome. However, in practical settings, we do not know at the outset whether an interaction exists, and if so whether it is removable or nonremovable. Rather than trying to decide on significance levels to test for the existence of removable and nonremovable interactions, we develop a Bayes estimator based on a squared error loss function. We demonstrate the favorable bias-variance trade-offs of our approach using simulations, and provide empirical illustrations using data from three published endometrial cancer case-control studies. The methods are implemented in an R program, and available freely at http://www.mskcc.org/biostatistics/~satagopj .

  6. Teaching Groups as Midlevel Sociocultural Contexts for Developing Teaching and Learning: A Case Study and Comparison to Microcultures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heinrich, Eva

    2017-01-01

    Using a case-study approach, the structures, interactions and cultures in four teaching groups at a New Zealand university are explored. The aim of the research is to better understand the potential of teaching groups for assisting academic development. To contextualize this work, the case-study outcomes are compared to research on microcultures.…

  7. Social Interaction and the Formation of Entrepreneurial Characteristics: A Case Study in Authentic Enterprise Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Christina W. M.; Man, Thomas W. Y.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: This paper is an empirical study which aims to investigate the development of social interaction and their impacts on developing learners' entrepreneurial characteristics throughout their participation in an authentic enterprise activity. Design/methodology/approach: The sample of this study was drawn from the participants of an…

  8. Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions of Interactive Whiteboard Training Workshops: A Case Study from Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Horng-Ji

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore secondary school teachers' perceptions of interactive whiteboard (IWB) training workshops in Taiwan. This study also sought to identify potential problems associated with the design of IWB training workshops in order to improve their effectiveness. This research employed observations and interviews to…

  9. Characteristics of Interactive Learning Environments in Business Management Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicastro, Mary L.

    This study sought to develop theoretical propositions for the institutional, course, instructor, and student characteristics of the learning environment where interactive learning techniques are used in college-level business courses. Using an interpretive case study method with examination of documents, observations of instructors and students,…

  10. Investigating Science Collaboratively: A Case Study of Group Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zinicola, Debra A.

    2009-01-01

    Discussions of one urban middle school group of students who were investigating scientific phenomena were analyzed; this study was conducted to discern if and how peer interaction contributes to learning. Through a social constructivist lens, case study methodology, we examined conceptual change among group members. Data about science talk was…

  11. The Shock and Vibration Bulletin. Part 3: Structure Medium Interaction, Case Studies in Dynamics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1979-01-01

    Structure and medium interactions topics are addressed. Topics include: a failure analysis of underground concrete structures subjected to blast loadings, an optimization design procedure for concrete slabs, and a discussion of the transient response of a cylindrical shell submerged in a fluid. Case studies in dynamics are presented which include an examination of a shock isolation platform for a seasparrow launcher, a discussion of hydrofoil fatigue load environments, and an investigation of the dynamic characteristics of turbine generators and low tuned foundations.

  12. Use of standardised patients to assess antibiotic dispensing for tuberculosis by pharmacies in urban India: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Satyanarayana, Srinath; Kwan, Ada; Daniels, Benjamin; Subbaraman, Ramnath; McDowell, Andrew; Bergkvist, Sofi; Das, Ranendra K; Das, Veena; Das, Jishnu; Pai, Madhukar

    2016-11-01

    India's total antibiotic use is the highest of any country. Patients often receive prescription-only drugs directly from pharmacies. Here we aimed to assess the medical advice and drug dispensing practices of pharmacies for standardised patients with presumed and confirmed tuberculosis in India. In this cross-sectional study in the three Indian cities Delhi, Mumbai, and Patna, we developed two standardised patient cases: first, a patient presenting with 2-3 weeks of pulmonary tuberculosis symptoms (Case 1); and second, a patient with microbiologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (Case 2). Standardised patients were scheduled to present each case once to sampled pharmacies. We defined ideal management for both cases a priori as referral to a health-care provider without dispensing antibiotics or steroids or both. Between April 1, 2014, and Nov 29, 2015, we sampled 622 pharmacies in Delhi, Mumbai, and Patna. Standardised patients completed 1200 (96%) of 1244 interactions. We recorded ideal management (defined as referrals without the use of antibiotics or steroids) in 80 (13%) of 599 Case 1 interactions (95% CI 11-16) and 372 (62%) of 601 Case 2 interactions (95% CI 58-66). Antibiotic use was significantly lower in Case 2 interactions (98 [16%] of 601, 95% CI 13-19) than in Case 1 (221 [37%] of 599, 95% CI 33-41). First-line anti-tuberculosis drugs were not dispensed in any city. The differences in antibiotic or steroid use and number of medicines dispensed between Case 1 and Case 2 were almost entirely attributable to the difference in referral behaviour. Only some urban Indian pharmacies correctly managed patients with presumed tuberculosis, but most correctly managed a case of confirmed tuberculosis. No pharmacy dispensed anti-tuberculosis drugs for either case. Absence of a confirmed diagnosis is a key driver of antibiotic misuse and could inform antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Grand Challenges Canada, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Knowledge for Change Program, and World Bank Development Research Group. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Robust Tests for Additive Gene-Environment Interaction in Case-Control Studies Using Gene-Environment Independence.

    PubMed

    Liu, Gang; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Lee, Seunggeun; Lee, Alice W; Wu, Anna H; Bandera, Elisa V; Jensen, Allan; Rossing, Mary Anne; Moysich, Kirsten B; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Doherty, Jennifer A; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Kiemeney, Lambertus; Gayther, Simon A; Modugno, Francesmary; Massuger, Leon; Goode, Ellen L; Fridley, Brooke L; Terry, Kathryn L; Cramer, Daniel W; Ramus, Susan J; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Ziogas, Argyrios; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Kjaer, Susanne K; Webb, Penelope M; Ness, Roberta B; Menon, Usha; Berchuck, Andrew; Pharoah, Paul D; Risch, Harvey; Pearce, Celeste Leigh

    2018-02-01

    There have been recent proposals advocating the use of additive gene-environment interaction instead of the widely used multiplicative scale, as a more relevant public health measure. Using gene-environment independence enhances statistical power for testing multiplicative interaction in case-control studies. However, under departure from this assumption, substantial bias in the estimates and inflated type I error in the corresponding tests can occur. In this paper, we extend the empirical Bayes (EB) approach previously developed for multiplicative interaction, which trades off between bias and efficiency in a data-adaptive way, to the additive scale. An EB estimator of the relative excess risk due to interaction is derived, and the corresponding Wald test is proposed with a general regression setting under a retrospective likelihood framework. We study the impact of gene-environment association on the resultant test with case-control data. Our simulation studies suggest that the EB approach uses the gene-environment independence assumption in a data-adaptive way and provides a gain in power compared with the standard logistic regression analysis and better control of type I error when compared with the analysis assuming gene-environment independence. We illustrate the methods with data from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Harsh humour: a therapeutic discourse.

    PubMed

    McCreaddie, May

    2010-11-01

    Humour research in healthcare has tended to focus on rehearsed as opposed to spontaneous humour. This paper reports an empirical example of spontaneous humour in healthcare interactions: a negative case analysis from a constructivist grounded theory study. Twenty Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)-patient interactions and CNS pre- and postinteraction audio diaries provided the baseline data corpus. Follow-up interviews, field notes, focus groups and observations serviced theory generation with a constant comparison approach to data collection and analyses. Interpretative and illustrative frameworks incorporating humour theories, non-laughter humour support, discursive features and prosodical features of speech were applied to all data. This paper is based upon the negative case comprising a 90-minute follow-up interview and 10 hours of field note observations. The negative case - a CNS working with female drug users' sexual and reproductive health needs - contradicted emerging findings from the baseline data corpus. First, the negative case had greater awareness of humour, deliberately initiated humour and recognised parameters and exclusion zones. Second, a good patient personal was evident in the baseline data corpus but the negative case worked with 'bad' patients. Accordingly, a specific type of humour - harsh humour - was evident in the negative case. Harsh humour used areas of potential discord (e.g. drug use) as a focus of humour creation and maintenance. The deliberate initiation of harsh humour enabled the negative case and her colleagues to achieve their aims by engaging effectively with unpredictable, reluctant and recalcitrant patients. The negative case demonstrates how humour can be used to therapeutically enhance healthcare interactions with disenfranchised individuals. Humour is not superficial but integral to the accomplishment of key aspects of interactions. Health and social care workers should consider the potential for therapeutic humour to engage and maintain all patients - disenfranchised or otherwise - in healthcare interactions. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Socio-Cultural Factors in Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Adventurous Adult Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozfidan, Burhan; Machtmes, Krisanna L.; Demir, Husamettin

    2014-01-01

    Sociocultural theories consider language learning as a social practice examines students as active participants in the construction of learning processes. This study investigates sociocultural theories' central concepts, which includes peer interaction and feedback, private speech, and self-efficacy. The present study is a case study of twenty…

  16. A computational study on the interaction between a vortex and a shock wave

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meadows, Kristine R.; Kumar, Ajay; Hussaini, M. Y.

    1989-01-01

    A computational study of two-dimensional shock vortex interaction is discussed in this paper. A second order upwind finite volume method is used to solve the Euler equations in conservation form. In this method, the shock wave is captured rather than fitted so that the cases where shock vortex interaction may cause secondary shocks can also be investigated. The effects of vortex strength on the computed flow and acoustic field generated by the interaction are qualitatively evaluated.

  17. Semi-automatic knee cartilage segmentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dam, Erik B.; Folkesson, Jenny; Pettersen, Paola C.; Christiansen, Claus

    2006-03-01

    Osteo-Arthritis (OA) is a very common age-related cause of pain and reduced range of motion. A central effect of OA is wear-down of the articular cartilage that otherwise ensures smooth joint motion. Quantification of the cartilage breakdown is central in monitoring disease progression and therefore cartilage segmentation is required. Recent advances allow automatic cartilage segmentation with high accuracy in most cases. However, the automatic methods still fail in some problematic cases. For clinical studies, even if a few failing cases will be averaged out in the overall results, this reduces the mean accuracy and precision and thereby necessitates larger/longer studies. Since the severe OA cases are often most problematic for the automatic methods, there is even a risk that the quantification will introduce a bias in the results. Therefore, interactive inspection and correction of these problematic cases is desirable. For diagnosis on individuals, this is even more crucial since the diagnosis will otherwise simply fail. We introduce and evaluate a semi-automatic cartilage segmentation method combining an automatic pre-segmentation with an interactive step that allows inspection and correction. The automatic step consists of voxel classification based on supervised learning. The interactive step combines a watershed transformation of the original scan with the posterior probability map from the classification step at sub-voxel precision. We evaluate the method for the task of segmenting the tibial cartilage sheet from low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of knees. The evaluation shows that the combined method allows accurate and highly reproducible correction of the segmentation of even the worst cases in approximately ten minutes of interaction.

  18. Contagion Shocks in One Dimension

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertozzi, Andrea L.; Rosado, Jesus; Short, Martin B.; Wang, Li

    2015-02-01

    We consider an agent-based model of emotional contagion coupled with motion in one dimension that has recently been studied in the computer science community. The model involves movement with a speed proportional to a "fear" variable that undergoes a temporal consensus averaging based on distance to other agents. We study the effect of Riemann initial data for this problem, leading to shock dynamics that are studied both within the agent-based model as well as in a continuum limit. We examine the behavior of the model under distinguished limits as the characteristic contagion interaction distance and the interaction timescale both approach zero. The limiting behavior is related to a classical model for pressureless gas dynamics with "sticky" particles. In comparison, we observe a threshold for the interaction distance vs. interaction timescale that produce qualitatively different behavior for the system - in one case particle paths do not cross and there is a natural Eulerian limit involving nonlocal interactions and in the other case particle paths can cross and one may consider only a kinetic model in the continuum limit.

  19. Seismic performance of spherical liquid storage tanks: a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fiore, Alessandra; Demartino, Cristoforo; Greco, Rita; Rago, Carlo; Sulpizio, Concetta; Vanzi, Ivo

    2018-02-01

    Spherical storage tanks are widely used for various types of liquids, including hazardous contents, thus requiring suitable and careful design for seismic actions. On this topic, a significant case study is described in this paper, dealing with the dynamic analysis of a spherical storage tank containing butane. The analyses are based on a detailed finite element (FE) model; moreover, a simplified single-degree-of-freedom idealization is also set up and used for verification of the FE results. Particular attention is paid to the influence of sloshing effects and of the soil-structure interaction for which no special provisions are contained in technical codes for this reference case. Sloshing effects are investigated according to the current literature state of the art. An efficient methodology based on an "impulsive-convective" decomposition of the container-fluid motion is adopted for the calculation of the seismic force. With regard to the second point, considering that the tank is founded on piles, soil-structure interaction is taken into account by computing the dynamic impedances. Comparison between seismic action effects, obtained with and without consideration of sloshing and soil-structure interaction, shows a rather important influence of these parameters on the final results. Sloshing effects and soil-structure interaction can produce, for the case at hand, beneficial effects. For soil-structure interaction, this depends on the increase of the fundamental period and of the effective damping of the overall system, which leads to reduced design spectral values.

  20. Resolving components of wind accreting systems: a case study of Mira AB

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karovska, M.

    2004-12-01

    Mass transfer in many systems occurs by wind interaction rather then by tidal interaction, because the primary does not fill its Roche surface. The nearby detached binary Mira AB provides a unique laboratory for studying wind accretion processes because this system can be resolved and the interacting components can be studied individually, which is not possible in most accreting systems. The study of Mira AB wind accretion and mass transfer may therefore help understand the accretion processes in many other astronomical systems.

  1. Coparenting and toddler's interactive styles in family coalitions.

    PubMed

    Fivaz-Depeursinge, Elisabeth; Lopes, Francesco; Python, Maryline; Favez, Nicolas

    2009-12-01

    The current study examined the coparenting and toddler's interactive styles in family coalitions. According to structural family theory, boundaries between generations are clear in alliances, but disturbed in coalitions: the parents look to the child to regulate their conflictual relationship and the child attempts to meet this need. In a normative sample studied longitudinally during the Lausanne Trilogue Play situation (LTP, N=38), 15 coalition cases were detected. Styles of coparenting and of child's interactions were determined and compared in coalition and alliance cases at 18 months. Findings confirm the structural family model by showing the specific ways in which the coparenting and the toddler's interactive styles are associated in 3 different patterns of coalitions: binding, detouring, and triangulation. They illustrate how the child's triangular capacity, or her ability to simultaneously communicate with both parents, is used to regulate the parents' relationship. They suggest that the LTP observational paradigm is a promising assessment method of early family interactions. They point to the importance of assessing early the child's contribution to family coalitions.

  2. A Case Study on the Communication of Older Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Lauren; Spencer, Elizabeth; Ferguson, Alison

    2011-01-01

    This study compared the communication of two older male adolescents (aged 17 and 19 years) with each other (peer interaction) and with a teacher (non-peer interaction) in three different types of activity (casual conversation, providing/listening to a recount and collaborative problem-solving). Conversation analysis, selected analyses from the…

  3. Exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction and risk of digoxin toxicity: a population-based nested case-control study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Meng-Ting; Li, I-Hsun; Lee, Wan-Ju; Huang, Tien-Yu; Leu, Hsin-Bang; Chan, Agnes L F

    2011-11-01

    Digoxin is an important medication for heart failure (HF) patients and sennosides are widely used to treat constipation. Recently, safety concerns have been raised about a possible interaction between sennosides and digoxin, an issue that has not been studied empirically. This study therefore aimed to evaluate whether exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction is associated with an increased risk of digoxin toxicity. This was a population-based nested case-control study that analysed data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2004. All HF patients treated with digoxin for the first time were included as the study cohort. Of these, cases were identified as subjects hospitalized for digoxin toxicity (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, ICD-9-CM 972.1), and matched to randomly selected controls. Use of sennosides was compared between the two groups. Odds ratios (ORs) were employed to quantify the risk associated with exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction by conditional logistic regression. The study cohort comprised 222,527 HF patients, of whom 524 were identified as cases and 2,502 as matched controls. Use of sennosides during the 14 days preceding the index date was found to be associated with a 1.61-fold increased risk of digoxin toxicity [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15, 2.25]. Additionally, a greater risk was observed for sennosides prescribed at an average daily dose ≥ 24 mg (adjusted OR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.27, 2.94). The combined use of sennosides and digoxin was found to be associated with a modest increased risk of digoxin toxicity in HF patients.

  4. Studying Interaction in Undergraduate Tutorials: Results from a Small-Scale Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Lorraine; Carey, Phil; Mair, Michael

    2008-01-01

    This article reports on an observation-based evaluation of student-tutor interaction in first-year undergraduate tutorials. Using a single case analysis, the paper looks at how tutors and students built and maintained relationships through two different though interlinked forms of interaction--storytelling and the use of classroom space for…

  5. Learning English through Social Interaction: The Case of "Big Brother 2006," Finland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaanta, Leila; Jauni, Heidi; Leppanen, Sirpa; Peuronen, Saija; Paakkinen, Terhi

    2013-01-01

    In line with recent Conversation Analytic work on language learning as situated practice, this article investigates how interactants can create language learning opportunities for themselves and others in and through social interaction. The study shows how the participants of "Big Brother Finland," a reality TV show, whose main…

  6. Understanding the Symbolic Capital of Intercultural Interactions: A Case Study of International Students in Australia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pham, Lien; Tran, Ly

    2015-01-01

    Intercultural interaction plays an important role in contributing to international students' learning and wellbeing in the host country. While research on international students' intercultural interactions reveals multifaceted aspects of personal and social factors, there is a tendency to consider language barrier and cultural differences as…

  7. Interactive Videoconference Supported Teaching in Undergraduate Nursing: A Case Study for ECG

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celikkan, Ufuk; Senuzun, Fisun; Sari, Dilek; Sahin, Yasar Guneri

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes how interactive videoconference can benefit the Electrocardiography (ECG) skills of undergraduate nursing students. We have implemented a learning system that interactively transfers the visual and practical aspects of ECG from a nursing skills lab into a classroom where the theoretical part of the course is taught. The…

  8. Case Study: Teaching Nature of Science through Scientific Models--The Geocentric vs. Heliocentric Cosmology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Price, Matthew; Rogers, Michael

    2016-01-01

    In the nonmajor science classroom, case studies--when used as learning tools--should help students build the necessary framework to understand the nature of science. For most students, the nonmajor science course (in this case, Astronomy 101) may be the last time that they interact with science in a formal learning setting. A National Science…

  9. Local disease–ecosystem–livelihood dynamics: reflections from comparative case studies in Africa

    PubMed Central

    Bett, Bernard; Said, M.; Bukachi, Salome; Sang, Rosemary; Anderson, Neil; Machila, Noreen; Kuleszo, Joanna; Schaten, Kathryn; Mangwanya, Lindiwe; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Yaa; Lawson, Elaine; Amponsah-Mensah, Kofi; Moses, Lina M.; Grant, Donald S.; Koninga, James

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the implications for human health of local interactions between disease, ecosystems and livelihoods. Five interdisciplinary case studies addressed zoonotic diseases in African settings: Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Kenya, human African trypanosomiasis in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Lassa fever in Sierra Leone and henipaviruses in Ghana. Each explored how ecological changes and human–ecosystem interactions affect pathogen dynamics and hence the likelihood of zoonotic spillover and transmission, and how socially differentiated peoples’ interactions with ecosystems and animals affect their exposure to disease. Cross-case analysis highlights how these dynamics vary by ecosystem type, across a range from humid forest to semi-arid savannah; the significance of interacting temporal and spatial scales; and the importance of mosaic and patch dynamics. Ecosystem interactions and services central to different people's livelihoods and well-being include pastoralism and agro-pastoralism, commercial and subsistence crop farming, hunting, collecting food, fuelwood and medicines, and cultural practices. There are synergies, but also tensions and trade-offs, between ecosystem changes that benefit livelihoods and affect disease. Understanding these can inform ‘One Health’ approaches towards managing ecosystems in ways that reduce disease risks and burdens. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’. PMID:28584171

  10. Local disease-ecosystem-livelihood dynamics: reflections from comparative case studies in Africa.

    PubMed

    Leach, Melissa; Bett, Bernard; Said, M; Bukachi, Salome; Sang, Rosemary; Anderson, Neil; Machila, Noreen; Kuleszo, Joanna; Schaten, Kathryn; Dzingirai, Vupenyu; Mangwanya, Lindiwe; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Yaa; Lawson, Elaine; Amponsah-Mensah, Kofi; Moses, Lina M; Wilkinson, Annie; Grant, Donald S; Koninga, James

    2017-07-19

    This article explores the implications for human health of local interactions between disease, ecosystems and livelihoods. Five interdisciplinary case studies addressed zoonotic diseases in African settings: Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Kenya, human African trypanosomiasis in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Lassa fever in Sierra Leone and henipaviruses in Ghana. Each explored how ecological changes and human-ecosystem interactions affect pathogen dynamics and hence the likelihood of zoonotic spillover and transmission, and how socially differentiated peoples' interactions with ecosystems and animals affect their exposure to disease. Cross-case analysis highlights how these dynamics vary by ecosystem type, across a range from humid forest to semi-arid savannah; the significance of interacting temporal and spatial scales; and the importance of mosaic and patch dynamics. Ecosystem interactions and services central to different people's livelihoods and well-being include pastoralism and agro-pastoralism, commercial and subsistence crop farming, hunting, collecting food, fuelwood and medicines, and cultural practices. There are synergies, but also tensions and trade-offs, between ecosystem changes that benefit livelihoods and affect disease. Understanding these can inform 'One Health' approaches towards managing ecosystems in ways that reduce disease risks and burdens.This article is part of the themed issue 'One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being'. © 2017 The Authors.

  11. The role of protein-protein interactions in the intracellular traffic of the potassium channels TASK-1 and TASK-3.

    PubMed

    Kilisch, Markus; Lytovchenko, Olga; Schwappach, Blanche; Renigunta, Vijay; Daut, Jürgen

    2015-05-01

    The intracellular transport of membrane proteins is controlled by trafficking signals: Short peptide motifs that mediate the contact with COPI, COPII or various clathrin-associated coat proteins. In addition, many membrane proteins interact with accessory proteins that are involved in the sorting of these proteins to different intracellular compartments. In the K2P channels, TASK-1 and TASK-3, the influence of protein-protein interactions on sorting decisions has been studied in some detail. Both TASK paralogues interact with the adaptor protein 14-3-3; TASK-1 interacts, in addition, with the adaptor protein p11 (S100A10) and the endosomal SNARE protein syntaxin-8. The role of these interacting proteins in controlling the intracellular traffic of the channels and the underlying molecular mechanisms are summarised in this review. In the case of 14-3-3, the interacting protein masks a retention signal in the C-terminus of the channel; in the case of p11, the interacting protein carries a retention signal that localises the channel to the endoplasmic reticulum; and in the case of syntaxin-8, the interacting protein carries an endocytosis signal that complements an endocytosis signal of the channel. These examples illustrate some of the mechanisms by which interacting proteins may determine the itinerary of a membrane protein within a cell and suggest that the intracellular traffic of membrane proteins may be adapted to the specific functions of that protein by multiple protein-protein interactions.

  12. Interactive Video: Why Trainers Are Tuning In.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broderick, Richard

    1982-01-01

    The uses of interactive video are explored through various case studies. They include cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for the Dallas American Heart Association, Ford Motor Company dealership training, employee training at the Los Angeles Plutonium Facility, and others. (CT)

  13. Case Study: Videogame Distraction Reduces Behavioral Distress in a Preschool-Aged Child Undergoing Repeated Burn Dressing Changes: A Single-Subject Design

    PubMed Central

    Sil, Soumitri; Burns, Andrew J.

    2013-01-01

    Objective This single-subject design study evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of passive and interactive videogame distraction on behavioral distress for a preschool-aged child receiving repeated burn dressing changes. Method A 4-year-old girl underwent 3 baseline and 10 videogame distraction sessions (5 passive and 5 interactive) using a restricted alternating treatments design. Observed behavioral distress was coded, and parents and nurses rated the child’s distress and cooperative behavior. Results Relative to baseline, behavioral distress decreased and cooperative behavior increased immediately after the onset of videogame distraction. Single Case Randomization Tests revealed significantly lower behavioral distress and greater cooperation during interactive videogame distraction relative to passive videogame distraction. Conclusions Interactive videogame distraction appears to be a feasible and effective pain management strategy for a preschool-aged child undergoing repeated painful medical procedures. PMID:23248343

  14. The growth and breakdown of a vortex-pair in a stably stratified fluid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Advaith, S.; Tinaikar, Aashay; Manu, K. V.; Basu, Saptarshi

    2017-11-01

    Vortex interaction with density stratification is ubiquitous in nature and applied to various engineering applications. Present study have characterized the spatial and temporal dynamics of the interaction between a vortex and a density stratified interface. The present work is prompted by our research on single tank Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system used in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants where hot and cold fluids are separated by means of density stratification. Rigorous qualitative (High speed Shadowgraph) and quantitative (high speed PIV) studies enable us to have great understanding about vortex formation, propagation, interaction dynamics with density stratified interface, resulted plume characteristics and so on. We have categorized this interaction phenomena in to three different cases based on its nature as non-penetrative, partial penetrative and extensively penetrative. Along with that we have proposed a regime map consisting non-dimensional parameters like Reynolds, Richardson and Atwood numbers which predicts the occurrence above mentioned cases.

  15. Implementing case study methodology in critical care nursing: a discourse analysis.

    PubMed

    Henning, John E; Nielsen, Lynn E; Hauschildt, James A

    2006-01-01

    The authors provide a description of the classroom interactions as one nursing education professor transformed his teaching from a lecture format to a case study approach. This description serves as a road map for nursing educators who are interested in making the transition to a case study approach by showing how, when, and to what degree they can maximize both student participation and content acquisition.

  16. Pre-orbital gland opening during aggressive interactions in rusa deer (Rusa timorensis).

    PubMed

    Ceacero, Francisco; Pluháček, Jan; Komárková, Martina; Zábranský, Martin

    2015-02-01

    The opening of the preorbital gland in cervids has a visual meaning and is frequently associated with agonistic and/or stress related situations. Apart from in red deer, this behaviour has scarcely been studied and the range of situations when it may occur remains unclear. In this study we report the unusual case of preorbital gland opening in rusa deer, Rusa timorensis, associated to direct aggressive agonistic interaction (biting/kicking) between two adult hinds. This case observed in Tierpark Berlin (Germany) is the first one ever recorded in female-female interactions in cervids. Preorbital gland opening was also studied in 116 social interactions in Plzeň Zoo (Czech Republic). Preorbital gland opening by the dominant adult male was twice observed with relation to alert behaviour, which is also rare. In order to contextualise our observations we summarise the current knowledge about the behaviour associated with preorbital gland opening in R. timorensis and in cervids in general. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. African genetic ancestry interacts with body mass index to modify risk for uterine fibroids

    PubMed Central

    Hartmann, Katherine E.; Torstenson, Eric S.; Wellons, Melissa; Schreiner, Pamela J.; Velez Edwards, Digna R.

    2017-01-01

    Race, specifically African ancestry, and obesity are important risk factors for uterine fibroids, and likely interact to provide the right conditions for fibroid growth. However, existing studies largely focus on the main-effects rather than their interaction. Here, we firstly provide evidence for interaction between categories of body mass index (BMI) and reported-race in relation to uterine fibroids. We then investigate whether the association between inferred local European ancestry and fibroid risk is modified by BMI in African American (AA) women in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center bio-repository (BioVU) (539 cases and 794 controls) and the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study (CARDIA, 264 cases and 173 controls). We used multiple logistic regression to evaluate interactions between local European ancestry and BMI in relation to fibroid risk, then performed fixed effects meta-analysis. Statistical significance threshold for local-ancestry and BMI interactions was empirically estimated with 10,000 permutations (p-value = 1.18x10-4). Admixture mapping detected an association between European ancestry and fibroid risk which was modified by BMI (continuous-interaction p-value = 3.75x10-5) around ADTRP (chromosome 6p24); the strongest association was found in the obese category (ancestry odds ratio (AOR) = 0.51, p-value = 2.23x10-5). Evaluation of interaction between genotyped/imputed variants and BMI in this targeted region suggested race-specific interaction, present in AAs only; strongest evidence was found for insertion/deletion variant (6:11946435), again in the obese category (OR = 1.66, p-value = 1.72x10-6). We found nominal evidence for interaction between local ancestry and BMI at a previously reported region in chromosome 2q31-32, which includes COL5A2, and TFPI, an immediate downstream target of ADTRP. Interactions between BMI and SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) found in this region in AA women were also detected in an independent European American population of 1,195 cases and 1,164 controls. Findings from our study provide an example of how modifiable and non-modifiable factors may interact to influence fibroid risk and suggest a biological role for BMI in fibroid etiology. PMID:28715450

  18. Warfarin monitoring in nursing homes assessed by case histories. Do recommendations and electronic alerts affect judgements?

    PubMed

    Teruel, Reyes Serrano; Thue, Geir; Fylkesnes, Svein Ivar; Sandberg, Sverre; Kristoffersen, Ann Helen

    2017-09-01

    Older adults treated with warfarin are prone to complications, and high-quality monitoring is essential. The aim of this case history based study was to assess the quality of warfarin monitoring in a routine situation, and in a situation with an antibiotic-warfarin interaction, before and after receiving an electronic alert. In April 2014, a national web-based survey with two case histories was distributed among Norwegian nursing home physicians and general practitioners working part-time in nursing homes. Case A represented a patient on stable warfarin treatment, but with a substantial INR increase within the therapeutic interval. Case B represented a more challenging patient with trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (TMS) treatment due to pyelonephritis. In both cases, the physicians were asked to state the next warfarin dose and the INR recall interval. In case B, the physicians could change their suggestions after receiving an electronic alert on the TMS-warfarin interaction. Three hundred and ninety eight physicians in 292 nursing homes responded. Suggested INR recall intervals and warfarin doses varied substantially in both cases. In case A, 61% gave acceptable answers according to published recommendations, while only 9% did so for case B. Regarding the TMS-warfarin interaction in case history B, the electronic alert increased the percentage of respondents correctly suggesting a dose reduction from 29% to 53%. Having an INR instrument in the nursing home was associated with shortened INR recall times. Practical advice on handling of warfarin treatment and drug interactions is needed. Electronic alerts as presented in electronic medical records seem insufficient to change practice. Availability of INR instruments may be important regarding recall time.

  19. Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity.

    PubMed

    Hogenelst, Koen; Schoevers, Robert A; aan het Rot, Marije

    2015-01-01

    With this commentary we make the case for an increased focus on the ecological validity of the measures used to assess aspects of human social functioning. Impairments in social functioning are seen in many types of psychopathology, negatively affecting the lives of psychiatric patients and those around them. Yet the neurobiology underlying abnormal social interaction remains unclear. As an example of human social neuroscience research with relevance to biological psychiatry and clinical psychopharmacology, this commentary discusses published experimental studies involving manipulation of the human brain serotonin system that included assessments of social behavior. To date, these studies have mostly been laboratory-based and included computer tasks, observations by others, or single-administration self-report measures. Most laboratory measures used so far inform about the role of serotonin in aspects of social interaction, but the relevance for real-life interaction is often unclear. Few studies have used naturalistic assessments in real life. We suggest several laboratory methods with high ecological validity as well as ecological momentary assessment, which involves intensive repeated measures in naturalistic settings. In sum, this commentary intends to stimulate experimental research on the neurobiology of human social interaction as it occurs in real life.

  20. Influence of the four-photon parametric processes and cross-phase modulation on the relative motion of optical filaments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovachev, L. M.; Georgieva, D. A.; Dakova, A. M.

    2015-10-01

    We investigate two types of nonlinear interaction between collinear femtosecond laser pulses with power slightly above the critical for self-focusing {{P}\\text{cr}} . In the first case we study energy exchange between filaments. The model describes this process through a degenerate four-photon parametric mixing (FPPM) scheme and requests initial phase difference between the waves. When there is no initial phase difference between the pulses, the FPPM process does not work. In this case the second type of interaction is obtained as merging between two, three or four filaments in a single filament with higher power. It is found that in the second case the interflow between the filaments has the potential for interaction due to cross-phase modulation (CPM).

  1. Types of Interaction in Online Discussion Forums: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khlaif, Zuheir; Nadiruzzaman, Hamid; Kwon, Kyungbin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to identify the types of students' interaction, as well as their discussion patterns in an online course. The study took place in a large Midwestern University and 17 graduate students participated in the study. The primary data was obtained from students' discussion forum postings. The researchers used both…

  2. A Case Study: Implementing an Interactive Video Instruction System in Teaching Electronics and Industrial Maintenance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shipe, Ron; And Others

    A study examined the development and implementation of an interactive video instruction system for teaching electronics and industrial maintenance at the University of Tennessee. The specific purposes of the study were to document unusual problems that may be encountered when this new technology is implemented, suggest corrective actions, and…

  3. Student-Faculty Interaction, Faculty Caring, and Black Students Attending a Predominantly White Institution: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Brenda LaJoyce

    2014-01-01

    This study explored the issues of student-faculty interaction and faculty caring as experienced by Black students attending a Predominantly White Institution in a Mid-western urban city. Specifically, the study reviewed the questions related to student-faculty engagement as posed on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). This study used…

  4. Interactions between occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and chemicals for brain tumour risk in the INTEROCC study.

    PubMed

    Turner, Michelle C; Benke, Geza; Bowman, Joseph D; Figuerola, Jordi; Fleming, Sarah; Hours, Martine; Kincl, Laurel; Krewski, Daniel; McLean, Dave; Parent, Marie-Elise; Richardson, Lesley; Sadetzki, Siegal; Schlaefer, Klaus; Schlehofer, Brigitte; Schüz, Joachim; Siemiatycki, Jack; Tongeren, Martie van; Cardis, Elisabeth

    2017-11-01

    In absence of clear evidence regarding possible effects of occupational chemical exposures on brain tumour aetiology, it is worthwhile to explore the hypothesis that such exposures might act on brain tumour risk in interaction with occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF). INTEROCC is a seven-country (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, New Zealand and UK), population-based, case-control study, based on the larger INTERPHONE study. Incident cases of primary glioma and meningioma were ascertained from 2000 to 2004. Job titles were coded into standard international occupational classifications and estimates of ELF and chemical exposures were assigned based on job-exposure matrices. Dichotomous indicators of cumulative ELF (≥50th vs <50th percentile, 1-4 year exposure time window) and chemical exposures (ever vs never, 5-year lag) were created. Interaction was assessed on both the additive and multiplicative scales. A total of 1939 glioma cases, 1822 meningioma cases and 5404 controls were included in the analysis, using conditional logistic regression. There was no clear evidence for interactions between ELF and any of the chemical exposures assessed for either glioma or meningioma risk. For glioma, subjects in the low ELF/metal exposed group had a lower risk than would be predicted from marginal effects. Results were similar according to different exposure time windows, to cut-points of exposure or in exposed-only analyses. There was no clear evidence for interactions between occupational ELF and chemical exposures in relation to glioma or meningioma risk observed. Further research with more refined estimates of occupational exposures is recommended. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  5. A comparison of estimators from self-controlled case series, case-crossover design, and sequence symmetry analysis for pharmacoepidemiological studies.

    PubMed

    Takeuchi, Yoshinori; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Matsuyama, Yutaka

    2018-01-08

    Despite the frequent use of self-controlled methods in pharmacoepidemiological studies, the factors that may bias the estimates from these methods have not been adequately compared in real-world settings. Here, we comparatively examined the impact of a time-varying confounder and its interactions with time-invariant confounders, time trends in exposures and events, restrictions, and misspecification of risk period durations on the estimators from three self-controlled methods. This study analyzed self-controlled case series (SCCS), case-crossover (CCO) design, and sequence symmetry analysis (SSA) using simulated and actual electronic medical records datasets. We evaluated the performance of the three self-controlled methods in simulated cohorts for the following scenarios: 1) time-invariant confounding with interactions between the confounders, 2) time-invariant and time-varying confounding without interactions, 3) time-invariant and time-varying confounding with interactions among the confounders, 4) time trends in exposures and events, 5) restricted follow-up time based on event occurrence, and 6) patient restriction based on event history. The sensitivity of the estimators to misspecified risk period durations was also evaluated. As a case study, we applied these methods to evaluate the risk of macrolides on liver injury using electronic medical records. In the simulation analysis, time-varying confounding produced bias in the SCCS and CCO design estimates, which aggravated in the presence of interactions between the time-invariant and time-varying confounders. The SCCS estimates were biased by time trends in both exposures and events. Erroneously short risk periods introduced bias to the CCO design estimate, whereas erroneously long risk periods introduced bias to the estimates of all three methods. Restricting the follow-up time led to severe bias in the SSA estimates. The SCCS estimates were sensitive to patient restriction. The case study showed that although macrolide use was significantly associated with increased liver injury occurrence in all methods, the value of the estimates varied. The estimations of the three self-controlled methods depended on various underlying assumptions, and the violation of these assumptions may cause non-negligible bias in the resulting estimates. Pharmacoepidemiologists should select the appropriate self-controlled method based on how well the relevant key assumptions are satisfied with respect to the available data.

  6. A formulation to analyze system-of-systems problems: A case study of airport metroplex operations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ayyalasomayajula, Sricharan Kishore

    A system-of-systems (SoS) can be described as a collection of multiple, heterogeneous, distributed, independent components interacting to achieve a range of objectives. A generic formulation was developed to model component interactions in an SoS to understand their influence on overall SoS performance. The formulation employs a lexicon to aggregate components into hierarchical interaction networks and understand how their topological properties affect the performance of the aggregations. Overall SoS performance is evaluated by monitoring the changes in stakeholder profitability due to changes in component interactions. The formulation was applied to a case study in air transportation focusing on operations at airport metroplexes. Metroplexes are geographical regions with two or more airports in close proximity to one another. The case study explored how metroplex airports interact with one another, what dependencies drive these interactions, and how these dependencies affect metroplex throughput and capacity. Metrics were developed to quantify runway dependencies at a metroplex and were correlated with its throughput and capacity. Operations at the New York/New Jersey metroplex (NYNJ) airports were simulated to explore the feasibility of operating very large aircraft (VLA), such as the Airbus A380, as a delay-mitigation strategy at these airports. The proposed formulation was employed to analyze the impact of this strategy on different stakeholders in the national air transportation system (ATS), such as airlines and airports. The analysis results and their implications were used to compare the pros and cons of operating VLAs at NYNJ from the perspectives of airline profitability, and flight delays at NYNJ and across the ATS.

  7. Influence of nuclear interactions in body tissues on tumor dose in carbon-ion radiotherapy

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

    Inaniwa, T., E-mail: taku@nirs.go.jp; Kanematsu, N.; Tsuji, H.

    2015-12-15

    Purpose: In carbon-ion radiotherapy treatment planning, the planar integrated dose (PID) measured in water is applied to the patient dose calculation with density scaling using the stopping power ratio. Since body tissues are chemically different from water, this dose calculation can be subject to errors, particularly due to differences in inelastic nuclear interactions. In recent studies, the authors proposed and validated a PID correction method for these errors. In the present study, the authors used this correction method to assess the influence of these nuclear interactions in body tissues on tumor dose in various clinical cases. Methods: Using 10–20 casesmore » each of prostate, head and neck (HN), bone and soft tissue (BS), lung, liver, pancreas, and uterine neoplasms, the authors first used treatment plans for carbon-ion radiotherapy without nuclear interaction correction to derive uncorrected dose distributions. The authors then compared these distributions with recalculated distributions using the nuclear interaction correction (corrected dose distributions). Results: Median (25%/75% quartiles) differences between the target mean uncorrected doses and corrected doses were 0.2% (0.1%/0.2%), 0.0% (0.0%/0.0%), −0.3% (−0.4%/−0.2%), −0.1% (−0.2%/−0.1%), −0.1% (−0.2%/0.0%), −0.4% (−0.5%/−0.1%), and −0.3% (−0.4%/0.0%) for the prostate, HN, BS, lung, liver, pancreas, and uterine cases, respectively. The largest difference of −1.6% in target mean and −2.5% at maximum were observed in a uterine case. Conclusions: For most clinical cases, dose calculation errors due to the water nonequivalence of the tissues in nuclear interactions would be marginal compared to intrinsic uncertainties in treatment planning, patient setup, beam delivery, and clinical response. In some extreme cases, however, these errors can be substantial. Accordingly, this correction method should be routinely applied to treatment planning in clinical practice.« less

  8. A genome-wide gene–environment interaction analysis for tobacco smoke and lung cancer susceptibility

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Ruyang; Chu, Minjie; Zhao, Yang; Wu, Chen; Guo, Huan; Shi, Yongyong; Dai, Juncheng; Wei, Yongyue; Jin, Guangfu; Ma, Hongxia; Dong, Jing; Yi, Honggang; Bai, Jianling; Gong, Jianhang; Sun, Chongqi; Zhu, Meng; Wu, Tangchun; Hu, Zhibin; Lin, Dongxin; Shen, Hongbing; Chen, Feng

    2014-01-01

    Tobacco smoke is the major environmental risk factor underlying lung carcinogenesis. However, approximately one-tenth smokers develop lung cancer in their lifetime indicating there is significant individual variation in susceptibility to lung cancer. And, the reasons for this are largely unknown. In particular, the genetic variants discovered in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) account for only a small fraction of the phenotypic variations for lung cancer, and gene–environment interactions are thought to explain the missing fraction of disease heritability. The ability to identify smokers at high risk of developing cancer has substantial preventive implications. Thus, we undertook a gene–smoking interaction analysis in a GWAS of lung cancer in Han Chinese population using a two-phase designed case–control study. In the discovery phase, we evaluated all pair-wise (591 370) gene–smoking interactions in 5408 subjects (2331 cases and 3077 controls) using a logistic regression model with covariate adjustment. In the replication phase, promising interactions were validated in an independent population of 3023 subjects (1534 cases and 1489 controls). We identified interactions between two single nucleotide polymorphisms and smoking. The interaction P values are 6.73 × 10− 6 and 3.84 × 10− 6 for rs1316298 and rs4589502, respectively, in the combined dataset from the two phases. An antagonistic interaction (rs1316298–smoking) and a synergetic interaction (rs4589502–smoking) were observed. The two interactions identified in our study may help explain some of the missing heritability in lung cancer susceptibility and present strong evidence for further study of these gene–smoking interactions, which are benefit to intensive screening and smoking cessation interventions. PMID:24658283

  9. Dealing with Gender in the Classroom: A Portrayed Case Study of Four Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giraldo, Elida; Colyar, Julia

    2012-01-01

    This paper emerges from a qualitative case study that takes place in a US preschool setting and explores teachers' influences on the construction of children's gender identities. According to postmodern theories of gender, identity is constructed and constituted through social interactions and performances. This study focuses on the gender…

  10. The Bureaucratising of Lesson Study: A Javanese Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kusanagi, Kanako N.

    2014-01-01

    Lesson study developed organically in Japan over a period of 140 years, whereas in Indonesia, lesson study was introduced as a top-down initiative. This research explores beyond general cultural differences by illustrating how the daily concerns of teachers and their social interactions differ in Japan and in the case of an Indonesian school, the…

  11. Potentially harmful drug-drug interactions in the elderly: a review.

    PubMed

    Hines, Lisa E; Murphy, John E

    2011-12-01

    Elderly patients are vulnerable to drug interactions because of age-related physiologic changes, an increased risk for disease associated with aging, and the consequent increase in medication use. The purpose of this narrative review was to describe findings from rigorously designed observational cohort and case-control studies that have assessed specific drug interactions in elderly patients. The PubMed and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts databases were searched for studies published in English over the past 10 years (December 2000-December 2010) using relevant Medical Subject Headings terms (aged; aged, 80 and over; and drug interactions) and search terms (drug interaction and elderly). Search strategies were saved and repeated through September 2011 to ensure that the most recent relevant published articles were identified. Additional articles were found using a search of review articles and reference lists of the identified studies. Studies were included if they were observational cohort or case-control studies that reported specific adverse drug interactions, included patients aged ≥65 years, and evaluated clinically meaningful end points. Studies were excluded if they used less rigorous observational designs, assessed pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties, evaluated drug-nutrient or drug-disease interactions or interactions of drug combinations used for therapeutic benefit (eg, dual antiplatelet therapy), or had inconclusive evidence. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies reported an elevated risk for hospitalization in older adults associated with adverse drug interactions. The drug interactions included: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, benzodiazepines or zolpidem and interacting medications, calcium channel blockers and macrolide antibiotics, digoxin and macrolide antibiotics, lithium and loop diuretics or ACE inhibitors, phenytoin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, sulfonylureas and antimicrobial agents, theophylline and ciprofloxacin, and warfarin and antimicrobial agents or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. One study reported the risk for breast cancer-related death as a function of paroxetine exposure among women treated with tamoxifen. Several population-based studies have reported significant harm associated drug interactions in elderly patients. Increased awareness and interventions aimed at reducing exposure and minimizing the risks associated with potentially harmful drug combinations are needed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Interactive Land-Use Optimization Using Laguerre Voronoi Diagram with Dynamic Generating Point Allocation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaidee, S.; Pakawanwong, P.; Suppakitpaisarn, V.; Teerasawat, P.

    2017-09-01

    In this work, we devise an efficient method for the land-use optimization problem based on Laguerre Voronoi diagram. Previous Voronoi diagram-based methods are more efficient and more suitable for interactive design than discrete optimization-based method, but, in many cases, their outputs do not satisfy area constraints. To cope with the problem, we propose a force-directed graph drawing algorithm, which automatically allocates generating points of Voronoi diagram to appropriate positions. Then, we construct a Laguerre Voronoi diagram based on these generating points, use linear programs to adjust each cell, and reconstruct the diagram based on the adjustment. We adopt the proposed method to the practical case study of Chiang Mai University's allocated land for a mixed-use complex. For this case study, compared to other Voronoi diagram-based method, we decrease the land allocation error by 62.557 %. Although our computation time is larger than the previous Voronoi-diagram-based method, it is still suitable for interactive design.

  13. Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports.

    PubMed

    Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

    2014-01-01

    Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners.

  14. Do little interactions get lost in dark random forests?

    PubMed

    Wright, Marvin N; Ziegler, Andreas; König, Inke R

    2016-03-31

    Random forests have often been claimed to uncover interaction effects. However, if and how interaction effects can be differentiated from marginal effects remains unclear. In extensive simulation studies, we investigate whether random forest variable importance measures capture or detect gene-gene interactions. With capturing interactions, we define the ability to identify a variable that acts through an interaction with another one, while detection is the ability to identify an interaction effect as such. Of the single importance measures, the Gini importance captured interaction effects in most of the simulated scenarios, however, they were masked by marginal effects in other variables. With the permutation importance, the proportion of captured interactions was lower in all cases. Pairwise importance measures performed about equal, with a slight advantage for the joint variable importance method. However, the overall fraction of detected interactions was low. In almost all scenarios the detection fraction in a model with only marginal effects was larger than in a model with an interaction effect only. Random forests are generally capable of capturing gene-gene interactions, but current variable importance measures are unable to detect them as interactions. In most of the cases, interactions are masked by marginal effects and interactions cannot be differentiated from marginal effects. Consequently, caution is warranted when claiming that random forests uncover interactions.

  15. Sensitive detection of cyclophosphamide using DNA-modified carbon paste, pencil graphite and hanging mercury drop electrodes.

    PubMed

    Palaska, P; Aritzoglou, E; Girousi, S

    2007-05-15

    The interaction of cyclophosphamide (CP) with calf thymus double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and thermally denatured single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) immobilized at the carbon paste (CPE) and pencil graphite electrodes (PGE), was studied electrochemically based on oxidation signals of guanine and adenine using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). As a result of the interaction of CP with DNA, the voltammetric signals of guanine and adenine increased in the case of dsDNA while a slight increase was observed in ssDNA. The effect of experimental parameters such as the interaction time between CP and DNA forms and the concentration of CP, were studied using DPV with CPE and PGE. Additionally, reproducibility and detection limits were determined using both electrodes. A comparison of the analytical performance between CPE and PGE was done. Our results showed that these two different DNA biosensors could be used for the sensitive, rapid and cost effective detection of CP itself as well as of CP-DNA interaction. Furthermore, the interaction of CP with dsDNA and ssDNA was studied in solution and at the electrode surface by means of alternating current voltammetry (ACV) in 0.3M NaCl and 50mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 8.5) supporting electrolyte, using a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) as working electrode. The conclusions of this study were mainly based on tensammetric peaks I (at -1.183V) and II (-1.419V) of DNA. This study involved the interaction of CP with surface-confined and solution phase DNA where experimental parameters, such as the concentration of CP and the interaction time, were studied. By increasing the concentration of CP, an increase of peak II was observed in both ds and ssDNA, while an increase of peak I was observed only in the case of dsDNA. An overall conclusion of the study using HMDE was that the interaction of CP with surface-confined DNA significantly differed from that with solution phase DNA. The increase of peaks I and II was lower in the case of interaction of CP with surface-confined DNA, probably due to steric positioning of DNA at the electrode surface.

  16. Case-Based Learning for Orofacial Pain and Temporomandibular Disorders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Glenn T.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    The use of interactive computer-based simulation of cases of chronic orofacial pain and temporomandibular joint disfunction patients for clinical dental education is described. Its application as a voluntary study aid in a third-year dental course is evaluated for effectiveness and for time factors in case completion. (MSE)

  17. Non-invasive determination of external forces in vortex-pair-cylinder interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hartmann, D.; Schröder, W.; Shashikanth, B. N.

    2012-06-01

    Expressions for the conserved linear and angular momenta of a dynamically coupled fluid + solid system are derived. Based on the knowledge of the flow velocity field, these expressions allow the determination of the external forces exerted on a body moving in the fluid such as, e.g., swimming fish. The verification of the derived conserved quantities is done numerically. The interaction of a vortex pair with a circular cylinder in various configurations of motions representing a generic test case for a dynamically coupled fluid + solid system is investigated in a weakly compressible Navier-Stokes setting using a Cartesian cut-cell method, i.e., the moving circular cylinder is represented by cut cells on a moving mesh. The objectives of this study are twofold. The first objective is to show the robustness of the derived expressions for the conserved linear and angular momenta with respect to bounded and discrete data sets. The second objective is to study the coupled dynamics of the vortex pair and a neutrally buoyant cylinder free to move in response to the fluid stresses exerted on its surface. A comparison of the vortex-body interaction with the case of a fixed circular cylinder evidences significant differences in the vortex dynamics. When the cylinder is fixed strong secondary vorticity is generated resulting in a repeating process between the primary vortex pair and the cylinder. In the neutrally buoyant cylinder case, a stable structure consisting of the primary vortex pair and secondary vorticity shear layers stays attached to the moving cylinder. In addition to these fundamental cases, the vortex-pair-cylinder interaction is studied for locomotion at constant speed and locomotion at constant thrust. It is shown that a similar vortex structure like in the neutrally buoyant cylinder case is obtained when the cylinder moves away from the approaching vortex pair at a constant speed smaller than the vortex pair translational velocity. Finally, the idealized symmetric settings are complemented by an asymmetric interaction of a vortex pair and a cylinder. This case is discussed for a fixed and a neutrally buoyant cylinder to show the validity of the derived relations for multi-dimensional body dynamics.

  18. A Case Study of Cultural Misinterpretations of Behavior in One Preservice Teacher's Lesson.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corrigan, Stephanie Zweig

    This exploratory study examined the interactions of preservice teachers with their pupils to determine if differences in interaction were seen. Explorations of teacher thinking, particularly the social cognitive process of trait attribution and the role of cultural background experiences, were key areas of analysis. The literature reviews…

  19. Interactive Whiteboards and Implications for Use in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, Danita C.

    2013-01-01

    Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have increasingly become a technology tool used in the educational field. IWBs are touch-sensitive screens that work in conjunction with a computer and a projector, and which are used to display information from a computer. As a qualitative case study, this study investigated the SMART Board-infused instructional…

  20. Interaction between Science Teaching Orientation and Pedagogical Content Knowledge Components

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demirdögen, Betül

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this case study is to delve into the complexities of how preservice science teachers' science teaching orientations, viewed as an interrelated set of beliefs, interact with the other components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Eight preservice science teachers participated in the study. Qualitative data were collected in the…

  1. The Role of Peer Relationships and Interactions in Preschool Bilingual Children's Responses to Picture Books

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, So Jung

    2016-01-01

    In spite of the emphasis on the importance of social contexts in children's literacy development, there is still a startling scarcity of studies examining the role of peer relationships in preschool bilinguals' literary practices. This qualitative case study investigates how peer relationships and interactions among preschool, Korean-English…

  2. Interacting dark energy: Dynamical system analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Golchin, Hanif; Jamali, Sara; Ebrahimi, Esmaeil

    We investigate the impacts of interaction between dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE) in the context of two DE models, holographic (HDE) and ghost dark energy (GDE). In fact, using the dynamical system analysis, we obtain the cosmological consequence of several interactions, considering all relevant component of universe, i.e. matter (dark and luminous), radiation and DE. Studying the phase space for all interactions in detail, we show the existence of unstable matter-dominated and stable DE-dominated phases. We also show that linear interactions suffer from the absence of standard radiation-dominated epoch. Interestingly, this failure resolved by adding the nonlinear interactions to the models. We find an upper bound for the value of the coupling constant of the interaction between DM and DE as b < 0.57in the case of holographic model, and b < 0.61 in the case of GDE model, to result in a cosmological viable matter-dominated epoch. More specifically, this bound is vital to satisfy instability and deceleration of matter-dominated epoch.

  3. SciEthics Interactive: Science and Ethics Learning in a Virtual Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nadolny, Larysa; Woolfrey, Joan; Pierlott, Matthew; Kahn, Seth

    2013-01-01

    Learning in immersive 3D environments allows students to collaborate, build, and interact with difficult course concepts. This case study examines the design and development of the TransGen Island within the SciEthics Interactive project, a National Science Foundation-funded, 3D virtual world emphasizing learning science content in the context of…

  4. Interaction in Group Oral Assessment: A Case Study of Higher- and Lower-Scoring Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gan, Zhengdong

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the interactional work in which two groups of secondary ESL students engaged to achieve and sustain participation in group oral assessment, which is designed to assess a student's interactive communication skills in a school-based assessment context. The in-depth observation of the ways in which participants co-constructed…

  5. Self-Injurious Behavior in Rett Syndrome: Interactions between Features of Rett Syndrome and Operant Conditioning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliver, Chris; And Others

    1993-01-01

    In this case study, interactions were examined between features of Rett syndrome and operant conditioning as determinants of self-injurious behavior (SIB). Analysis suggested different functions for two forms of SIB: automatic reinforcement by sensory stimulation and escape from social interactions. Features of Rett syndrome tended to maximize the…

  6. Improving Information Extraction and Translation Using Component Interactions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    74 7. CASE STUDY ON MONOLINGUAL INTERACTION.....................................................................76 7.1 IMPROVING NAME TAGGING BY...interactions described above focused on the monolingual analysis pipeline. (Huang and Vogel, 2002) presented a cross-lingual joint inference example to...improve the extracted named entity translation dictionary and the entity annotation in a bilingual 22 training corpus. They used a more

  7. Creative Multimodal Learning Environments and Blended Interaction for Problem-Based Activity in HCI Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ioannou, Andri; Vasiliou, Christina; Zaphiris, Panayiotis; Arh, Tanja; Klobucar, Tomaž; Pipan, Matija

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory case study aims to examine how students benefit from a multimodal learning environment while they engage in collaborative problem-based activity in a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) university course. For 12 weeks, 30 students, in groups of 5-7 each, participated in weekly face-to-face meetings and online interactions.…

  8. Using Performance Analysis for Training in an Organization Implementing ISO-9000 Manufacturing Practices: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kunneman, Dale E.; Sleezer, Catherine M.

    2000-01-01

    This case study examines the application of the Performance Analysis for Training (PAT) Model in an organization that was implementing ISO-9000 (International Standards Organization) processes for manufacturing practices. Discusses the interaction of organization characteristics, decision maker characteristics, and analyst characteristics to…

  9. A Case Study of International Students' Social Adjustment, Friendship Development, and Physical Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Shuang; Zizzi, Sam

    2018-01-01

    Previous literature has focused on international student's social transition and monocultural and bicultural ties. Little research has explored international students' multicultural friendship development and the role that physical activity plays in their social interaction. The current case study explored a group of international students'…

  10. Mediating Meaning for Individuals with Down Syndrome: A Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCullough, Michelle J.

    2012-01-01

    The current phenomenological case study, based in part on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, set out to examine the lived experiences of individuals sharing and mediating meaningful communication with individuals who have Down syndrome. To accomplish this, the researcher interviewed several categories of caregivers who regularly interact with…

  11. Clinical Use of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Two Case Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wills, Robert M.; Snyder, Douglas K.

    1982-01-01

    Describes the clinical use of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI), a multidimensional self-report measure of marital interaction. Two case studies of couples in marital therapy are presented. The MSI is presented as a cost-efficient procedure, permitting objective assessment across multiple areas of a couple's relationship. (Author/JAC)

  12. A Case Study: To Internet or Not To Internet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carman, Jared; Boynton, Doug

    1997-01-01

    Interactive multimedia training can be delivered via CD-ROM, hard drive, local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Intranet, Internet and hybrid systems. This article presents a case study of how two companies (Los Angeles Times and Allen Communication) evaluated alternative delivery systems, chose one, and implemented multimedia…

  13. Influence of ROBO1 and RORA on risk of age-related macular degeneration reveals genetically distinct phenotypes in disease pathophysiology.

    PubMed

    Jun, Gyungah; Nicolaou, Michael; Morrison, Margaux A; Buros, Jacqueline; Morgan, Denise J; Radeke, Monte J; Yonekawa, Yoshihiro; Tsironi, Evangelia E; Kotoula, Maria G; Zacharaki, Fani; Mollema, Nissa; Yuan, Yang; Miller, Joan W; Haider, Neena B; Hageman, Gregory S; Kim, Ivana K; Schaumberg, Debra A; Farrer, Lindsay A; DeAngelis, Margaret M

    2011-01-01

    ROBO1 is a strong candidate gene for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) based upon its location under a linkage peak on chromosome 3p12, its expression pattern, and its purported function in a pathway that includes RORA, a gene previously associated with risk for neovascular AMD. Previously, we observed that expression of ROBO1 and RORA is down-regulated among wet AMD cases, as compared to their unaffected siblings. Thus, we hypothesized that contribution of association signals in ROBO1, and interaction between these two genes may be important for both wet and dry AMD. We evaluated association of 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ROBO1 with wet and dry stages of AMD in a sibling cohort and a Greek case-control cohort containing 491 wet AMD cases, 174 dry AMD cases and 411 controls. Association signals and interaction results were replicated in an independent prospective cohort (1070 controls, 164 wet AMD cases, 293 dry AMD cases). The most significantly associated ROBO1 SNPs were rs1387665 under an additive model (meta P = 0.028) for wet AMD and rs9309833 under a recessive model (meta P = 6 × 10(-4)) for dry AMD. Further analyses revealed interaction between ROBO1 rs9309833 and RORA rs8034864 for both wet and dry AMD (interaction P<0.05). These studies were further supported by whole transcriptome expression profile studies from 66 human donor eyes and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays from mouse retinas. These findings suggest that distinct ROBO1 variants may influence the risk of wet and dry AMD, and the effects of ROBO1 on AMD risk may be modulated by RORA variants.

  14. Learning Gene Expression Through Modelling and Argumentation. A Case Study Exploring the Connections Between the Worlds of Knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Puig, Blanca; Ageitos, Noa; Jiménez-Aleixandre, María Pilar

    2017-12-01

    There is emerging interest on the interactions between modelling and argumentation in specific contexts, such as genetics learning. It has been suggested that modelling might help students understand and argue on genetics. We propose modelling gene expression as a way to learn molecular genetics and diseases with a genetic component. The study is framed in Tiberghien's (2000) two worlds of knowledge, the world of "theories & models" and the world of "objects & events", adding a third component, the world of representations. We seek to examine how modelling and argumentation interact and connect the three worlds of knowledge while modelling gene expression. It is a case study of 10th graders learning about diseases with a genetic component. The research questions are as follows: (1) What argumentative and modelling operations do students enact in the process of modelling gene expression? Specifically, which operations allow connecting the three worlds of knowledge? (2) What are the interactions between modelling and argumentation in modelling gene expression? To what extent do these interactions help students connect the three worlds of knowledge and modelling gene expression? The argumentative operation of using evidence helps students to relate the three worlds of knowledge, enacted in all the connections. It seems to be a relationship among the number of interactions between modelling and argumentation, the connections between world of knowledge and students' capacity to develop a more sophisticated representation. Despite this is a case study, this approach of analysis reveals potentialities for a deeper understanding of learning genetics though scientific practices.

  15. Accumulating Evidence for a Drug–Drug Interaction Between Methotrexate and Proton Pump Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    Mackey, Ann Corken; Kluetz, Paul; Jappar, Dilara; Korvick, Joyce

    2012-01-01

    Background. A number of medications are known to interact with methotrexate through various mechanisms. The aim of this article is to apprise practitioners of a new labeling change based on the accumulating evidence for a possible drug–drug interaction between methotrexate (primarily at high doses) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Methods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database of spontaneous adverse event reports and the published literature were searched for cases reporting an interaction between methotrexate and PPIs. Results. A search of the AERS database and existing literature found several individual case reports of drug–drug interactions and three additional supportive studies that suggest potential underlying mechanisms for the interaction. Conclusion. There is evidence to suggest that concomitant use of methotrexate (primarily at high doses) with PPIs such as omeprazole, esomeprazole, and pantoprazole may decrease methotrexate clearance, leading to elevated serum levels of methotrexate and/or its metabolite hydroxymethotrexate, possibly leading to methotrexate toxicities. In several case reports, no methotrexate toxicity was found when a histamine H2 blocker was substituted for a PPI. Based on the reviewed data, the FDA updated the methotrexate label to include the possible drug–drug interaction between high-dose methotrexate and PPIs. Physicians should be alerted to this potential drug–drug interaction in patients receiving concomitant high-dose methotrexate and PPIs. PMID:22477728

  16. Analysis of protein targets in pathogen-host interaction in infectious diseases: a case study on Plasmodium falciparum and Homo sapiens interaction network.

    PubMed

    Saha, Sovan; Sengupta, Kaustav; Chatterjee, Piyali; Basu, Subhadip; Nasipuri, Mita

    2017-09-23

    Infection and disease progression is the outcome of protein interactions between pathogen and host. Pathogen, the role player of Infection, is becoming a severe threat to life as because of its adaptability toward drugs and evolutionary dynamism in nature. Identifying protein targets by analyzing protein interactions between host and pathogen is the key point. Proteins with higher degree and possessing some topologically significant graph theoretical measures are found to be drug targets. On the other hand, exceptional nodes may be involved in infection mechanism because of some pathway process and biologically unknown factors. In this article, we attempt to investigate characteristics of host-pathogen protein interactions by presenting a comprehensive review of computational approaches applied on different infectious diseases. As an illustration, we have analyzed a case study on infectious disease malaria, with its causative agent Plasmodium falciparum acting as 'Bait' and host, Homo sapiens/human acting as 'Prey'. In this pathogen-host interaction network based on some interconnectivity and centrality properties, proteins are viewed as central, peripheral, hub and non-hub nodes and their significance on infection process. Besides, it is observed that because of sparseness of the pathogen and host interaction network, there may be some topologically unimportant but biologically significant proteins, which can also act as Bait/Prey. So, functional similarity or gene ontology mapping can help us in this case to identify these proteins. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Kinetics of aggregation in charged nanoparticle solutions driven by different mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbas, S.; Yadav, I.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K.; Kohlbrecher, J.

    2017-05-01

    The structure and kinetics during aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different mechanisms have been studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Three different additives, namely an electrolyte (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) were used to initiate nanoparticle aggregation. Electrolyte induced aggregation can be explained by DLVO interaction, whereas depletion interaction (non-DLVO interaction) is found responsible for nanoparticle aggregation in case of non-ionic surfactant. Unlike these two cases, strong electrostatic attraction between nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein results into protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. The electrolyte induced aggregation show quite slow aggregation rate whereas protein mediated as well as surfactant induced aggregation takes place almost instantaneously. The significant differences observed in the kinetics are explained based on range of interactions responsible for the aggregation. In spite of differences in mechanism and kinetics, the nanoparticle clusters are found to have similar fractal morphology (fractal dimension ˜ 2.5) in all the three cases.

  18. Mode of action from dose-response microarray data: case study using 10 environmental chemicals

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ligand-activated nuclear receptors regulate many biological processes through complex interactions with biological macromolecules. Certain xenobiotics alter nuclear receptor signaling through direct or indirect interactions. Defining the mode of action of such xenobiotics is di...

  19. Collaborative Reflection Under the Microscope: Using Conversation Analysis to Study the Transition From Case Presentation to Discussion in GP Residents' Experience Sharing Sessions.

    PubMed

    Veen, Mario; de la Croix, Anne

    2016-01-01

    PHENOMENON: In higher education, reflection sessions are often used when participants learn in the workplace. In the Netherlands, all General Practitioner training programs include regular meetings called Exchange of Experiences, in which General Practitioner trainees are expected to learn collaboratively from their own and one another's experiences. Despite this being common practice, we found little research into the structure and process of these sessions. The purpose of this study is to describe the structure and characteristics of group reflection by describing transitions in interactions. We aim to describe the tutor's role in some detail, as this could lead to faculty development. In medical education, reflection is often approached from a cognitive perspective. However, learning in a group is also an interactional achievement. It is therefore relevant to study the sequential nature of group interaction in collaborative reflective practice. We have used conversation analysis to study the reflection meetings, zooming in on the transition between case presentation and discussion, focusing on the role of each of the participants in these transitions. The transitions were conversationally complex. Three interactional aspects recurred in the meetings. First, the transitions can be characterized as ambiguous, as there is ambiguity about what will happen next and the floor is open. Second, transitions are an arena for negotiations between case presenter, participants, and tutors, in which knowledge and the right to take the floor (epistemics) play an important part. Third, the tutor can have different interactional roles, namely, that of teacher, expert, facilitator, and active participant. The role of the tutor is important as the tutor's interactional behavior is part of the hidden curriculum. Insights: Conversation analysis focuses on the interaction in group learning and shows how the interaction is part of what is learned and how learning takes place. Transitions are the "messy" moments in interaction yet can tell a lot about the way in which group participants relate to one another. Being conscious of how the floor is taken, the tutor's roles, and the way negotiations take place could help medical educators in the way they shape collaborative learning sessions.

  20. Improving safety culture through the health and safety organization: a case study.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Kent J

    2014-02-01

    International research indicates that internal health and safety organizations (HSO) and health and safety committees (HSC) do not have the intended impact on companies' safety performance. The aim of this case study at an industrial plant was to test whether the HSO can improve company safety culture by creating more and better safety-related interactions both within the HSO and between HSO members and the shop-floor. A quasi-experimental single case study design based on action research with both quantitative and qualitative measures was used. Based on baseline mapping of safety culture and the efficiency of the HSO three developmental processes were started aimed at the HSC, the whole HSO, and the safety representatives, respectively. Results at follow-up indicated a marked improvement in HSO performance, interaction patterns concerning safety, safety culture indicators, and a changed trend in injury rates. These improvements are interpreted as cultural change because an organizational double-loop learning process leading to modification of the basic assumptions could be identified. The study provides evidence that the HSO can improve company safety culture by focusing on safety-related interactions. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council.

  1. Organizational Learning from Cross-Cultural Experiences: An Ethnomethodological Case Study Examining the Relative Importance of Social Structure and Cultural Values during Dynamic Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waldecker, Gary T.

    2011-01-01

    This study explored how social structure and cultural values dynamically interact in collective learning between two religious organizations cooperating in a joint project. It further explored the enablers of and impediments to collective learning in this context. The study employed the theoretical framework provided by the Organizational Learning…

  2. Re-reading "Little Hans": Freud's case study and the question of competing paradigms in psychoanalysis.

    PubMed

    Midgley, Nicholas

    2006-01-01

    Psychoanalysts have long recognized the complex interaction between clinical data and formal psychoanalytic theories. While clinical data are often used to provide "evidence" for psychoanalytic paradigms, the theoretical model used by the analyst also structures what can and cannot be seen in the data. This delicate interaction between theory and clinical data can be seen in the history of interpretations of Freud's "Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-Year-Old Boy" ("Little Hans"). Freud's himself revised his reading of the case in 1926, after which a number of psychoanalysts--including Melanie Klein, Jacques Lacan, and John Bowlby--reinterpreted the case in the light of their particular models of the mind. These analysts each found "evidence" for their theoretical model within this classic case study, and in doing so they illuminated aspects of the case that had previously been obscured, while also revealing a great deal about the shifting preoccupations of psychoanalysis as a field.

  3. On the direct detection of multi-component dark matter: sensitivity studies and parameter estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrero-Garcia, Juan; Scaffidi, Andre; White, Martin; Williams, Anthony G.

    2017-11-01

    We study the case of multi-component dark matter, in particular how direct detection signals are modified in the presence of several stable weakly-interacting-massive particles. Assuming a positive signal in a future direct detection experiment, stemming from two dark matter components, we study the region in parameter space where it is possible to distinguish a one from a two-component dark matter spectrum. First, we leave as free parameters the two dark matter masses and show that the two hypotheses can be significantly discriminated for a range of dark matter masses with their splitting being the critical factor. We then investigate how including the effects of different interaction strengths, local densities or velocity dispersions for the two components modifies these conclusions. We also consider the case of isospin-violating couplings. In all scenarios, we show results for various types of nuclei both for elastic spin-independent and spin-dependent interactions. Finally, assuming that the two-component hypothesis is confirmed, we quantify the accuracy with which the parameters can be extracted and discuss the different degeneracies that occur. This includes studying the case in which only a single experiment observes a signal, and also the scenario of having two signals from two different experiments, in which case the ratios of the couplings to neutrons and protons may also be extracted.

  4. EPIBLASTER-fast exhaustive two-locus epistasis detection strategy using graphical processing units

    PubMed Central

    Kam-Thong, Tony; Czamara, Darina; Tsuda, Koji; Borgwardt, Karsten; Lewis, Cathryn M; Erhardt-Lehmann, Angelika; Hemmer, Bernhard; Rieckmann, Peter; Daake, Markus; Weber, Frank; Wolf, Christiane; Ziegler, Andreas; Pütz, Benno; Holsboer, Florian; Schölkopf, Bernhard; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram

    2011-01-01

    Detection of epistatic interaction between loci has been postulated to provide a more in-depth understanding of the complex biological and biochemical pathways underlying human diseases. Studying the interaction between two loci is the natural progression following traditional and well-established single locus analysis. However, the added costs and time duration required for the computation involved have thus far deterred researchers from pursuing a genome-wide analysis of epistasis. In this paper, we propose a method allowing such analysis to be conducted very rapidly. The method, dubbed EPIBLASTER, is applicable to case–control studies and consists of a two-step process in which the difference in Pearson's correlation coefficients is computed between controls and cases across all possible SNP pairs as an indication of significant interaction warranting further analysis. For the subset of interactions deemed potentially significant, a second-stage analysis is performed using the likelihood ratio test from the logistic regression to obtain the P-value for the estimated coefficients of the individual effects and the interaction term. The algorithm is implemented using the parallel computational capability of commercially available graphical processing units to greatly reduce the computation time involved. In the current setup and example data sets (211 cases, 222 controls, 299468 SNPs; and 601 cases, 825 controls, 291095 SNPs), this coefficient evaluation stage can be completed in roughly 1 day. Our method allows for exhaustive and rapid detection of significant SNP pair interactions without imposing significant marginal effects of the single loci involved in the pair. PMID:21150885

  5. LBQ2D, Extending the Line Broadened Quasilinear Model to TAE-EP Interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghantous, Katy; Gorelenkov, Nikolai; Berk, Herbert

    2012-10-01

    The line broadened quasilinear model was proposed and tested on the one dimensional electrostatic case of the bump on tailfootnotetextH.L Berk, B. Breizman and J. Fitzpatrick, Nucl. Fusion, 35:1661, 1995 to study the wave particle interaction. In conventional quasilinear theory, the sea of overlapping modes evolve with time as the particle distribution function self consistently undergo diffusion in phase space. The line broadened quasilinear model is an extension to the conventional theory in a way that allows treatment of isolated modes as well as overlapping modes by broadening the resonant line in phase space. This makes it possible to treat the evolution of modes self consistently from onset to saturation in either case. We describe here the model denoted by LBQ2D which is an extension of the proposed one dimensional line broadened quasilinear model to the case of TAEs interacting with energetic particles in two dimensional phase space, energy as well as canonical angular momentum. We study the saturation of isolated modes in various regimes and present the analytical derivation and numerical results. Finally, we present, using ITER parameters, the case where multiple modes overlap and describe the techniques used for the numerical treatment.

  6. Challenges for Cloud Modeling in the Context of Aerosol–Cloud–Precipitation Interactions

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

    Lebo, Zachary J.; Shipway, Ben J.; Fan, Jiwen

    The International Cloud Modeling Workshop (CMW) has been a longstanding tradition in the cloud microphysics modeling community and is typically held the week prior to the International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation (ICCP). For the Ninth CMW, more than 40 participants from 10 countries convened at the Met Office in Exeter, United Kingdom. The workshop included 4 detailed case studies (described in more detail below) rooted in recent field campaigns. The overarching objective of these cases was to utilize new observations to better understand inter-model differences and model deficiencies, explore new modeling techniques, and gain physical insight into the behaviormore » of clouds. As was the case at the Eighth CMW, there was a general theme of understanding the role of aerosol impacts in the context of cloud-precipitation interactions. However, an additional objective was the focal point of several cases at the most recent workshop: microphysical-dynamical interactions. Many of the cases focused less on idealized small-domain simulations (as was the general focus of previous workshops) and more on large-scale nested configurations examining effects at various scales.« less

  7. Selected pharmacokinetic issues of the use of antiepileptic drugs and parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Objectives To conduct a systematic review for the evidence supporting or disproving the reality of parenteral nutrition- antiepileptic drugs interaction, especially with respect to the plasma protein-binding of the drug. Methods The articles related to the topic were identified through Medline and PubMed search (1968-Feburary 2010) for English language on the interaction between parenteral nutrition and antiepileptic drugs; the search terms used were anti-epileptic drugs, parenteral nutrition, and/or interaction, and/or in vitro. The search looked for prospective randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies; prospective nonrandomized uncontrolled studies; retrospective studies; case reports; and in vitro studies. Full text of the articles were then traced from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) library subscribed databases, including Wiley-Blackwell Library, Cochrane Library, EBSCOHost, OVID, ScienceDirect, SAGE Premier, Scopus, SpringerLINK, and Wiley InterScience. The articles from journals not listed by USM library were traced through inter library loan. Results There were interactions between parenteral nutrition and drugs, including antiepileptics. Several guidelines were designed for the management of illnesses such as traumatic brain injuries or cancer patients, involving the use of parenteral nutrition and antiepileptics. Moreover, many studies demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo parenteral nutrition -drugs interactions, especially with antiepileptics. Conclusions There was no evidence supporting the existence of parenteral nutrition-antiepileptic drugs interaction. The issue has not been studied in formal researches, but several case reports and anecdotes demonstrate this drug-nutrition interaction. However, alteration in the drug-free fraction result from parenteral nutrition-drug (i.e. antiepileptics) interactions may necessitate scrupulous reassessment of drug dosages in patients receiving these therapies. This reassessment may be particularly imperative in certain clinical situations characterized by hypoalbuminemia (e.g., burn patients). PMID:21194458

  8. Comparison between Smoluchowski and Boltzmann approaches for self-propelled rods.

    PubMed

    Bertin, Eric; Baskaran, Aparna; Chaté, Hugues; Marchetti, M Cristina

    2015-10-01

    Considering systems of self-propelled polar particles with nematic interactions ("rods"), we compare the continuum equations describing the evolution of polar and nematic order parameters, derived either from Smoluchowski or Boltzmann equations. Our main goal is to understand the discrepancies between the continuum equations obtained so far in both frameworks. We first show that, in the simple case of point-like particles with only alignment interactions, the continuum equations obtained have the same structure in both cases. We further study, in the Smoluchowski framework, the case where an interaction force is added on top of the aligning torque. This clarifies the origin of the additional terms obtained in previous works. Our observations lead us to emphasize the need for a more involved closure scheme than the standard normal form of the distribution when dealing with active systems.

  9. Proteins interacting with cloning scars: a source of false positive protein-protein interactions.

    PubMed

    Banks, Charles A S; Boanca, Gina; Lee, Zachary T; Florens, Laurence; Washburn, Michael P

    2015-02-23

    A common approach for exploring the interactome, the network of protein-protein interactions in cells, uses a commercially available ORF library to express affinity tagged bait proteins; these can be expressed in cells and endogenous cellular proteins that copurify with the bait can be identified as putative interacting proteins using mass spectrometry. Control experiments can be used to limit false-positive results, but in many cases, there are still a surprising number of prey proteins that appear to copurify specifically with the bait. Here, we have identified one source of false-positive interactions in such studies. We have found that a combination of: 1) the variable sequence of the C-terminus of the bait with 2) a C-terminal valine "cloning scar" present in a commercially available ORF library, can in some cases create a peptide motif that results in the aberrant co-purification of endogenous cellular proteins. Control experiments may not identify false positives resulting from such artificial motifs, as aberrant binding depends on sequences that vary from one bait to another. It is possible that such cryptic protein binding might occur in other systems using affinity tagged proteins; this study highlights the importance of conducting careful follow-up studies where novel protein-protein interactions are suspected.

  10. Proteins interacting with cloning scars: a source of false positive protein-protein interactions

    PubMed Central

    Banks, Charles A. S.; Boanca, Gina; Lee, Zachary T.; Florens, Laurence; Washburn, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    A common approach for exploring the interactome, the network of protein-protein interactions in cells, uses a commercially available ORF library to express affinity tagged bait proteins; these can be expressed in cells and endogenous cellular proteins that copurify with the bait can be identified as putative interacting proteins using mass spectrometry. Control experiments can be used to limit false-positive results, but in many cases, there are still a surprising number of prey proteins that appear to copurify specifically with the bait. Here, we have identified one source of false-positive interactions in such studies. We have found that a combination of: 1) the variable sequence of the C-terminus of the bait with 2) a C-terminal valine “cloning scar” present in a commercially available ORF library, can in some cases create a peptide motif that results in the aberrant co-purification of endogenous cellular proteins. Control experiments may not identify false positives resulting from such artificial motifs, as aberrant binding depends on sequences that vary from one bait to another. It is possible that such cryptic protein binding might occur in other systems using affinity tagged proteins; this study highlights the importance of conducting careful follow-up studies where novel protein-protein interactions are suspected. PMID:25704442

  11. Lack of Gene-Diuretic Interactions on the Risk of Incident Gout: the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

    PubMed Central

    Bao, Ying; Curhan, Gary; Merriman, Tony; Plenge, Robert; Kraft, Peter; Choi, Hyon K.

    2015-01-01

    Background Diuretic-induced gout might occur only among those with a genetic predisposition to hyperuricemia, as suggested by a recent study with 108 self-reported gout cases. Methods We examined the role of urate genes on the risk of diuretic-induced incident gout in 6850 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and in 4,223 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Two published genetic risk scores (GRS) were calculated using urate-associated SNPs for eight genes (GRS8) and for 29 genes (GRS29). Results Our analyses included 727 and 354 confirmed incident gout cases in the HPFS and NHS, respectively. The multivariate RR for diuretic use was 2.20 and 1.69 among those with a GRS8 < and ≥ the median (p for interaction=0.27). The corresponding RRs using GRS29 were 2.19 and 1.88 (p for interaction=0.40). The lack of interaction persisted in the NHS (all p values >0.20) and in our analyses limited to those with hypertension in both cohorts. SLC22A11 (OAT4) showed a significant interaction only among women but in the opposite direction to the recent study. Conclusion In these large prospective studies, individuals with a genetic predisposition for hyperuricemia are not at a higher risk of developing diuretic-induced gout than those without. PMID:25667207

  12. The Impact of School Design and Arrangement on Learning Experiences: A Case Study of an Architecturally Significant Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Churchill, Deirdre Lyne

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study examined the impact of architectural design and arrangement on the learning experiences of students. Specifically, it examined how school design and arrangement foster interactions and relationships among students and adults relevant to integral learning experiences. This case study was limited to the breadth of knowledge…

  13. Achievement of Joint Perception in a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Afacan Adanir, Gulgun

    2017-01-01

    The case study focuses on the interactional mechanisms through which online collaborative teams co-construct a shared understanding of an analytical geometry problem by using dynamic geometry representations. The collaborative study consisted of an assignment on which the learners worked together in groups to solve a ship navigation problem as…

  14. School-Nongovernmental Organization Engagement as an Entrepreneurial Venture: A Case Study of Sunlight's Engagement with Israeli Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yemini, Miri; Sagie, Netta

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study examines the objectives, nature, and perceived outcomes of school-nongovernmental organization (school-NGO) engagements in the Israeli education system, focusing on a single case study of a school-NGO interaction. We aim to characterize the conflicting motivations of each stakeholder involved in the creation and formulation of…

  15. Tracing the Knowledge Building Process through Discussions Mediated by a CSCL Environment: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adanir, Gülgün Afacan

    2017-01-01

    This case study demonstrates the use of interaction analysis techniques to explore students' knowledge building process evidenced in time-stamped logs of a CSCL environment that consists of chat, shared whiteboard, and wiki features. The study was performed in a graduate level course, which covers online assignments that expect students to…

  16. Case Studies of Interactive Whole-Class Teaching in Primary Science: Communicative Approach and Pedagogic Purposes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMahon, Kendra

    2012-01-01

    By developing two case studies of expert teaching in action, this study aimed to develop knowledge of talk in whole-class teaching in UK primary science lessons and understand this in relation to both the teachers' interpretations and sociocultural theoretical frameworks. Lessons were observed and video-recorded and the teachers engaged in…

  17. Benefits of a Teacher and Coach Collaboration: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neuberger, Jim

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes a case study of a math teacher working with a math coach and the effects of their interaction. A guiding question was whether the coaching intervention had affected the teacher's classroom practices and, if so, in what way. The study utilized data from teacher/coach planning sessions, classroom lessons, follow-up debriefing…

  18. The Asset-Burden Paradox of Giftedness: A 15-Year Phenomenological, Longitudinal Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Jean Sunde

    2012-01-01

    A 15-year phenomenological case study of an exceptional female from age 15 through 30 was focused on exploring the subjective experience of development during adolescence and young adulthood, with attention to how giftedness and context interacted. The main focus became her response to trauma, which was revealed early in the study. Data, including…

  19. Therapist strategies early in therapy associated with good or poor outcomes among clients with low proactive agency.

    PubMed

    von der Lippe, Anna Louise; Oddli, Hanne Weie; Halvorsen, Margrethe Seeger

    2017-09-10

    Within a mixed methods program of research the present study aimed at expanding knowledge about interactions in the initial therapeutic collaboration by combining focus on client interpersonal style and therapist contribution. The study involves in-depth analyses of therapist-client interactions in the initial two sessions of good and poor outcome therapies. Based on interpersonal theory and previous research, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-64-C) was used to define poor outcome cases, that is, low proactive agency cases. To compare good and poor outcome cases matched on this interpersonal pattern, cases were drawn from two different samples; nine poor outcome cases from a large multi-site outpatient clinic study and nine good outcome cases from a process-outcome study of highly experienced therapists. Qualitative analysis of therapist behaviors resulted in 2 main categories, fostering client's proactive agentic involvement in change work and discouraging client's proactive agentic involvement in change work, 8 categories and 22 sub-categories. The findings revealed distinct and cohesive differences in therapist behaviors between the two outcome groups, and point to the particular therapist role of fostering client agency through engagement in a shared work on change when clients display strong unassertiveness and low readiness for change. Clinical or Methodological Significance Summary: The present analysis combines focus on client interpersonal style, therapist strategies/process and outcome. The categories generated from the present grounded theory analysis may serve as a foundation for identifying interactions that are associated with agentic involvement in future process research and practice, and hence we have formulated principles/strategies that were identified by the analysis.

  20. Social interaction in management group meetings: a case study of Finnish hospital.

    PubMed

    Laapotti, Tomi; Mikkola, Leena

    2016-06-20

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of management group meetings (MGMs) in hospital organization by examining the social interaction in these meetings. Design/methodology/approach - This case study approaches social interaction from a structuration point of view. Social network analysis and qualitative content analysis are applied. Findings - The findings show that MGMs are mainly forums for information sharing. Meetings are not held for problem solving or decision making, and operational coordinating is limited. Meeting interaction is very much focused on the chair, and most of the discussion takes place between the chair and one other member, not between members. The organizational structures are maintained and reproduced in the meeting interaction, and they appear to limit discussion. Meetings appear to fulfil their goals as a part of the organization's information structure and to some extent as an instrument for management. The significance of the relational side of MGMs was recognized. Research limitations/implications - The results of this study provide a basis for future research on hospital MGMs with wider datasets and other methodologies. Especially the relational role of MGMs needs more attention. Practical implications - The goals of MGMs should be reviewed and MG members should be made aware of meeting interaction structures. Originality/value - The paper provides new knowledge about interaction networks in hospital MGMs, and describes the complexity of the importance of MGMs for hospitals.

  1. Assessing interactions between the associations of common genetic susceptibility variants, reproductive history and body mass index with breast cancer risk in the breast cancer association consortium: a combined case-control study

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Introduction Several common breast cancer genetic susceptibility variants have recently been identified. We aimed to determine how these variants combine with a subset of other known risk factors to influence breast cancer risk in white women of European ancestry using case-control studies participating in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Methods We evaluated two-way interactions between each of age at menarche, ever having had a live birth, number of live births, age at first birth and body mass index (BMI) and each of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (10q26-rs2981582 (FGFR2), 8q24-rs13281615, 11p15-rs3817198 (LSP1), 5q11-rs889312 (MAP3K1), 16q12-rs3803662 (TOX3), 2q35-rs13387042, 5p12-rs10941679 (MRPS30), 17q23-rs6504950 (COX11), 3p24-rs4973768 (SLC4A7), CASP8-rs17468277, TGFB1-rs1982073 and ESR1-rs3020314). Interactions were tested for by fitting logistic regression models including per-allele and linear trend main effects for SNPs and risk factors, respectively, and single-parameter interaction terms for linear departure from independent multiplicative effects. Results These analyses were applied to data for up to 26,349 invasive breast cancer cases and up to 32,208 controls from 21 case-control studies. No statistical evidence of interaction was observed beyond that expected by chance. Analyses were repeated using data from 11 population-based studies, and results were very similar. Conclusions The relative risks for breast cancer associated with the common susceptibility variants identified to date do not appear to vary across women with different reproductive histories or body mass index (BMI). The assumption of multiplicative combined effects for these established genetic and other risk factors in risk prediction models appears justified. PMID:21194473

  2. Sonic Onyx: Case Study of an Interactive Artwork

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, Salah Uddin; Jaccheri, Letizia; M'kadmi, Samir

    Software supported art projects are increasing in numbers in recent years as artists are exploring how computing can be used to create new forms of live art. Interactive sound installation is one kind of art in this genre. In this article we present the development process and functional description of Sonic Onyx, an interactive sound installation. The objective is to show, through the life cycle of Sonic Onyx, how a software dependent interactive artwork involves its users and raises issues related to its interaction and functionalities.

  3. Impact of nonlinear effective interactions on group field theory quantum gravity condensates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pithis, Andreas G. A.; Sakellariadou, Mairi; Tomov, Petar

    2016-09-01

    We present the numerical analysis of effectively interacting group field theory models in the context of the group field theory quantum gravity condensate analog of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation for real Bose-Einstein condensates including combinatorially local interaction terms. Thus, we go beyond the usually considered construction for free models. More precisely, considering such interactions in a weak regime, we find solutions for which the expectation value of the number operator N is finite, as in the free case. When tuning the interaction to the strongly nonlinear regime, however, we obtain solutions for which N grows and eventually blows up, which is reminiscent of what one observes for real Bose-Einstein condensates, where a strong interaction regime can only be realized at high density. This behavior suggests the breakdown of the Bogoliubov ansatz for quantum gravity condensates and the need for non-Fock representations to describe the system when the condensate constituents are strongly correlated. Furthermore, we study the expectation values of certain geometric operators imported from loop quantum gravity in the free and interacting cases. In particular, computing solutions around the nontrivial minima of the interaction potentials, one finds, already in the weakly interacting case, a nonvanishing condensate population for which the spectra are dominated by the lowest nontrivial configuration of the quantum geometry. This result indicates that the condensate may indeed consist of many smallest building blocks giving rise to an effectively continuous geometry, thus suggesting the interpretation of the condensate phase to correspond to a geometric phase.

  4. A method for creating interactive content for the iPod, and its potential use as a learning tool: Technical Advances

    PubMed Central

    Palmer, Edward J; Devitt, Peter G

    2007-01-01

    Background Podcasting is currently a popular means of delivery of information with a large number of podcasts specifically tailored for educational purposes. It can be argued that the passive nature of this teaching methodology limits the educational benefit that can be derived from podcasts. This paper describes the development and construction of interactive material for the iPod, and a survey of student attitudes towards this type of learning material. Methods The development of interactive material for an iPod is described in detail. This material was developed and demonstrated to 50 medical students. These students completed a paper-based survey on the potential uses of this technology, before and after a 20 minute presentation in class of an interactive case-study on an iPod. Results A technical description of how to develop interactive content for the iPod was created. The results of the student survey indicate a favourable shift in student attitudes after viewing the interactive case. Despite only 15% of the students owning an iPod, 57% of the students were positive about having access to interactive iPod content and 59% believed they would use it whilst travelling. The percentage of students who felt podcasting was a useful means of learning increased from 9% to 41%. Conclusion The development of interactive content for the iPod is feasible. There are indications that students view interactive iPod cases as having value as an additional learning resource. PMID:17888168

  5. Comparison between Free and Immobilized Ion Effects on Hydrophobic Interactions: A Molecular Dynamics Study.

    PubMed

    Huang, Kai; Gast, Sebastian; Ma, C Derek; Abbott, Nicholas L; Szlufarska, Izabela

    2015-10-15

    Fundamental studies of the effect of specific ions on hydrophobic interactions are driven by the need to understand phenomena such as hydrophobically driven self-assembly or protein folding. Using β-peptide-inspired nanorods, we investigate the effects of both free ions (dissolved salts) and proximally immobilized ions on hydrophobic interactions. We find that the free ion effect is correlated with the water density fluctuation near a nonpolar molecular surface, showing that such fluctuation can be an indicator of hydrophobic interactions in the case of solution additives. In the case of immobilized ion, our results demonstrate that hydrophobic interactions can be switched on and off by choosing different spatial arrangements of proximal ions on a nanorod. For globally amphiphilic nanorods, we find that the magnitude of the interaction can be further tuned using proximal ions with varying ionic sizes. In general, univalent proximal anions are found to weaken hydrophobic interactions. This is in contrast to the effect of free ions, which according to our simulations strengthen hydrophobic interactions. In addition, immobilized anions of increasing ionic size do not follow the same ordering (Hofmeister-like ranking) as free ions when it comes to their impact on hydrophobic interactions. The immobilized ion effect is not simply correlated with the water density fluctuation near the nonpolar side of the amphiphilic nanorod. We propose a molecular picture that explains the contrasting effects of immobilized versus free ions.

  6. Study on Collaborative Object Manipulation in Virtual Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayangsari, Maria Niken; Yong-Moo, Kwon

    This paper presents comparative study on network collaboration performance in different immersion. Especially, the relationship between user collaboration performance and degree of immersion provided by the system is addressed and compared based on several experiments. The user tests on our system include several cases: 1) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over LAN, 2) Comparison between non-haptics and haptics collaborative interaction over Internet, and 3) Analysis of collaborative interaction between non-immersive and immersive display environments.

  7. Examining Preservice Teachers' Decision Behaviors and Individual Differences in Three Online Case-Based Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cevik, Yasemin Demiraslan; Andre, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    This study compared the impact of three types of case-based methods (case-based reasoning, worked example, and faded worked example) on preservice teachers' (n = 71) interaction with decision tasks and whether decision related measures (task difficulty, mental effort, decision making performance) were associated with the differences in student…

  8. Effective Writing Content Conferences in a Sixth Grade Classroom: A Cross-Case Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ricks, Paul H.; Morrison, Timothy G.; Wilcox, Brad; Cutri, Ramona

    2017-01-01

    Conferencing gives teachers and students opportunities to discuss student writing and provide feedback in individual settings. Practitioner guides offer suggestions on how conferences can be conducted, but little is known about what types of interactions occur. Two case studies, including a cross-case analysis, were conducted to describe key…

  9. Nonverbal Communication, Music Therapy, and Autism: A Review of Literature and Case Example

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silverman, Michael J.

    2008-01-01

    This article presents a review of nonverbal literature relating to therapy, music, autism, and music therapy. Included is a case study of a woman with autism who was nonverbal. The case highlights and analyzes behaviors contextually. Interpretations of communication through the music therapy, musical interactions, and the rapport that developed…

  10. Administrators in Action--Managing Public Monies and Processing Emotion in School Activities: A Teaching Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tenuto, Penny L.; Gardiner, Mary E.; Yamamoto, Julie K.

    2015-01-01

    This teaching case describes school administrators in action performing day-to-day leadership tasks, managing public funds in school activities, and interacting with others appropriately. The case focuses on administrative challenges in handling and managing school activity funds. A method for processing emotion is discussed to assist…

  11. Group Process: A Systematic Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roark, Albert E.; Radl, Myrna C.

    1984-01-01

    Identifies components of group process and describes leader functions. Discusses personal elements, focus of interaction/psychological distance, group development, content, quality of interaction, and self-reflective/meaning attribution, illustrated by a case study of a group of persons (N=5) arrested for drunk driving. (JAC)

  12. Stability and generalization in seed dispersal networks: a case study of frugivorous fish in Neotropical wetlands.

    PubMed

    Correa, Sandra Bibiana; Arujo, Joisiane K; Penha, Jerry; Nunes da Cunha, Catia; Bobier, Karen E; Anderson, Jill T

    2016-08-31

    When species within guilds perform similar ecological roles, functional redundancy can buffer ecosystems against species loss. Using data on the frequency of interactions between fish and fruit, we assessed whether co-occurring frugivores provide redundant seed dispersal services in three species-rich Neotropical wetlands. Our study revealed that frugivorous fishes have generalized diets; however, large-bodied fishes had greater seed dispersal breadth than small species, in some cases, providing seed dispersal services not achieved by smaller fish species. As overfishing disproportionately affects big fishes, the extirpation of these species could cause larger secondary extinctions of plant species than the loss of small specialist frugivores. To evaluate the consequences of frugivore specialization for network stability, we extracted data from 39 published seed dispersal networks of frugivorous birds, mammals and fish (our networks) across ecosystems. Our analysis of interaction frequencies revealed low frugivore specialization and lower nestedness than analyses based on binary data (presence-absence of interactions). In that case, ecosystems may be resilient to loss of any given frugivore. However, robustness to frugivore extinction declines with specialization, such that networks composed primarily of specialist frugivores are highly susceptible to the loss of generalists. In contrast with analyses of binary data, recently developed algorithms capable of modelling interaction strengths provide opportunities to enhance our understanding of complex ecological networks by accounting for heterogeneity of frugivore-fruit interactions. © 2016 The Author(s).

  13. Stability and generalization in seed dispersal networks: a case study of frugivorous fish in Neotropical wetlands

    PubMed Central

    Arujo, Joisiane K.; Penha, Jerry; Nunes da Cunha, Catia

    2016-01-01

    When species within guilds perform similar ecological roles, functional redundancy can buffer ecosystems against species loss. Using data on the frequency of interactions between fish and fruit, we assessed whether co-occurring frugivores provide redundant seed dispersal services in three species-rich Neotropical wetlands. Our study revealed that frugivorous fishes have generalized diets; however, large-bodied fishes had greater seed dispersal breadth than small species, in some cases, providing seed dispersal services not achieved by smaller fish species. As overfishing disproportionately affects big fishes, the extirpation of these species could cause larger secondary extinctions of plant species than the loss of small specialist frugivores. To evaluate the consequences of frugivore specialization for network stability, we extracted data from 39 published seed dispersal networks of frugivorous birds, mammals and fish (our networks) across ecosystems. Our analysis of interaction frequencies revealed low frugivore specialization and lower nestedness than analyses based on binary data (presence–absence of interactions). In that case, ecosystems may be resilient to loss of any given frugivore. However, robustness to frugivore extinction declines with specialization, such that networks composed primarily of specialist frugivores are highly susceptible to the loss of generalists. In contrast with analyses of binary data, recently developed algorithms capable of modelling interaction strengths provide opportunities to enhance our understanding of complex ecological networks by accounting for heterogeneity of frugivore–fruit interactions. PMID:27581879

  14. Factors affecting interactions between sulphonate-terminated dendrimers and proteins: A three case study.

    PubMed

    González-García, Estefanía; Maly, Marek; de la Mata, Francisco Javier; Gómez, Rafael; Marina, María Luisa; García, María Concepción

    2017-01-01

    This work proposes a deep study on the interactions between sulphonate-terminated carbosilane dendrimers and proteins. Three different proteins with different molecular weights and isoelectric points were employed and different pHs, dendrimer concentrations and generations were tested. Variations in fluorescence intensity and emission wavelength were used as protein-dendrimer interaction probes. Interaction between dendrimers and proteins greatly depended on the protein itself and pH. Other important issues were the dendrimer concentration and generation. Protein-dendrimer interactions were favored under acidic working conditions when proteins were positively charged. Moreover, in general, high dendrimer generations promoted these interactions. Modeling of protein-dendrimer interactions allowed to understand the different behaviors observed for every protein. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and magnetic anisotropies in Uranium compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandratskii, L. M.

    2018-05-01

    We report on the first-principles study of complex noncollinear magnetic structures in Uranium compounds. We contrast two cases. The first is the periodic magnetic structure of U2Pd2In with exactly orthogonal atomic moments, the second is an incommensurate plane spiral structure of UPtGe where the angle between atomic moments of nearest neighbors is also close to 90°. We demonstrate that the hierarchy of magnetic interactions leading to the formation of the magnetic structure is opposite in the two cases. In U2Pd2In, the magnetic anisotropy plays the leading role, followed by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) interaction specifying the chirality of the structure. Here, the interatomic exchange interaction does not play important role. In UPtGe the hierarchy of the interactions is opposite. The leading interaction is the interatomic exchange interaction responsible for the formation of the incommensurate spiral structure followed by the DMI responsible for the selected chirality of the helix. The magnetic anisotropy is very weak that is a prerequisite for keeping the distortion of the helical structure weak.

  16. [Public interactions, private censorship: the case of Facebook].

    PubMed

    Silveira, Sergio Amadeu da

    2015-12-01

    Facebook is examined as a transnational online social networking platform where public discussions and interactions take place. The study surveys the private control of cultural and political expressions exercised by the platform's managers, which can be defined as private censorship. Cases of removal of content are presented and Facebook's political control policies discussed. The article also shows how Facebook rules display highly discretionary components and an aesthetic that can be portrayed as a kind of biopolitics of the information-age society.

  17. A system dynamics model of human-water interaction in anthropogenic droughts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blair, Peter; Buytaert, Wouter

    2016-04-01

    Modelling is set to be a key part of socio-hydrology's quest to understand the dynamics and long-term consequences of human-water interactions. As a subject in its infancy, still learning the questions to ask, conceptual models are of particular use in trying to understand the general nature of human-water systems. The conceptual model of Di Baldassarre et al. (2013), which investigates human-flood interactions, has been widely discussed, prompting great steps forward in understanding and coverage of socio-hydrology. The development of further conceptual models could generate further discussion and understanding. Flooding is one archetypal example of a system of human-water interaction; another is the case of water stress and drought. There has been a call to recognise and understand anthropogenic drought (Aghakouchak et al. 2015), and so this study investigates the nature of the socio-hydrological dynamics involved in these situations. Here we present a system dynamics model to simulate human-water interactions in the context of water-stressed areas, where drought is induced via a combination of lower than usual water availability and relatively high water use. It is designed based on an analysis of several case-studies where recent droughts have occurred, or where the prospect of drought looms. The locations investigated are Spain, Southeast Brazil, Northeast China and California. The numerical system dynamics model is based on causal loop, and stocks and flows diagrams, which are in turn developed from the qualitative analysis of the different cases studied. The study uses a comparative approach, which has the advantage of eliciting general system characteristics from the similarities between cases, while using the differences to determine the important factors which lead to different system behaviours. References: Aghakouchak, A., Feldman, D., Hoerling, M., Huxman, T., Lund, J., 2015. Recognize anthropogenic drought. Nature, 524, pp.409-411. Di Baldassarre, G., Viglione, A., Carr, G., Kuil, L., Salinas, J. L., Blöschl, G., 2013. Socio-hydrology: conceptualising human-flood interactions. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 17(8), pp.3295-3303. Available at: http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/17/3295/2013/ [Accessed August 8, 2014].

  18. Power and sample size for multivariate logistic modeling of unmatched case-control studies.

    PubMed

    Gail, Mitchell H; Haneuse, Sebastien

    2017-01-01

    Sample size calculations are needed to design and assess the feasibility of case-control studies. Although such calculations are readily available for simple case-control designs and univariate analyses, there is limited theory and software for multivariate unconditional logistic analysis of case-control data. Here we outline the theory needed to detect scalar exposure effects or scalar interactions while controlling for other covariates in logistic regression. Both analytical and simulation methods are presented, together with links to the corresponding software.

  19. Interactive effect of genetic susceptibility with height, body mass index, and hormone replacement therapy on the risk of breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Harlid, Sophia; Butt, Salma; Ivarsson, Malin I L; Eyfjörd, Jorunn Erla; Lenner, Per; Manjer, Jonas; Dillner, Joakim; Carlson, Joyce

    2012-06-22

    Breast cancer today has many established risk factors, both genetic and environmental, but these risk factors by themselves explain only part of the total cancer incidence. We have investigated potential interactions between certain known genetic and phenotypic risk factors, specifically nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and height, body mass index (BMI) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We analyzed samples from three different study populations: two prospectively followed Swedish cohorts and one Icelandic case-control study. Totally 2884 invasive breast cancer cases and 4508 controls were analysed in the study. Genotypes were determined using Mass spectrometry-Maldi-TOF and phenotypic variables were derived from measurements and/or questionnaires. Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using unconditional logistic regression with the inclusion of an interaction term in the logistic regression model. One SNP (rs851987 in ESR1) tended to interact with height, with an increasingly protective effect of the major allele in taller women (p = 0.007) and rs13281615 (on 8q24) tended to confer risk only in non users of HRT (p-for interaction = 0.03). There were no significant interactions after correction for multiple testing. We conclude that much larger sample sets would be necessary to demonstrate interactions between low-risk genetic polymorphisms and the phenotypic variables height, BMI and HRT on the risk for breast cancer. However the present hypothesis-generating study has identified tendencies that would be of interest to evaluate for gene-environment interactions in independent materials.

  20. Creating an Interactive Virtual Community of Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Content Teacher-Learners to Serve English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Sujin; Song, Kim; Coppersmith, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative case study was framed by an experiential learning approach organized around video resources and linguistically and culturally responsive content teaching. The study explored an overarching research question: How did teacher-learners in a grant project interact with a multimedia learning platform that combined teaching video and…

  1. Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages via System of "Voice over Internet Protocol" and Language Interactions Case Study: Skype

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wahid, Wazira Ali Abdul; Ahmed, Eqbal Sulaiman; Wahid, Muntaha Ali Abdul

    2015-01-01

    This issue expresses a research study based on the online interactions of English teaching specially conversation through utilizing VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and cosmopolitan online theme. Data has been achieved by interviews. Simplifiers indicate how oral tasks require to be planned upon to facilitate engagement models propitious to…

  2. Instructional Design to Measure the Efficacy of Interactive E-Books in a High School Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pabrua Batoon, Maria Victoria; Glasserman Morales, Leonardo David; Yanez Figueroa, Jose Antonio

    2018-01-01

    This article describes a qualitative research analysis on the implementation of interactive ebooks in high school courses using a case study approach. The subjects of the study included seven professors and 16 freshmen who were surveyed and interviewed with a questionnaire designed according to the Kemp Model of Instructional Design. The study…

  3. An Examination of Instructional Interactions between Volunteer-Tutors and Students Who Show Differential Gains in Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newcomer, Laurie J.

    2010-01-01

    It is essential to provide high quality interventions designed to improve struggling readers' reading comprehension while making use of limited resources. This study explored, through an holistic, multiple-case study design, volunteer-student interactions and activities in an after school reading program utilizing minimally-trained volunteers. The…

  4. Pedagogic Effectiveness of Print, Interactive Multimedia, and Online Resources: A Case Study of IGNOU

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dikshit, Jyotsna; Garg, Suresh; Panda, Santosh

    2013-01-01

    In the present paper, the authors report on a comparative study on the pedagogic effectiveness of printed self-learning text with face-to-face tutorial support, interactive multimedia CD-ROM and online learning in an introductory computing module at the certificate level offered at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), India. The study…

  5. The Interaction between Intuitive and Formal Mathematical Thinking: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmaki, V.; Paschos, T.

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports studies of the interaction between the intuitive, the formal and the procedural aspects in the processes of mathematical understanding of Peter, a first-year undergraduate of Mathematics. Using an activity and an interview, an attempt is made to analyse his mental operations. The way in which he handles visual-graphic…

  6. Participation and Power: Reflections on the Role of Government in Land Use Planning and Rural Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aarts, Noelle; Leeuwis, Cees

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To examine the role of power in interactive policymaking settings. Design/Methodology/Approach: A literature study is combined with four case studies relating to citizen participation in natural resource management and rural development in the Netherlands. Findings: Many of the identified problems and dilemmas of interactive policymaking…

  7. Online Project-Based Learning: How Collaborative Strategies and Problem Solving Processes Impact Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, W. Randall; Macgregor, S. Kim

    2005-01-01

    The goal of this study was to gain insights into the interactions that occur in online communications in a project-based learning activity implemented in an undergraduate course. A multi-case study was conducted of six collaborative groups, focusing on the types and frequencies of interactions that occurred within each group and the perceptions…

  8. The Influence of Positive Mother-Child Verbal Interactions on Adolescent Mothers' Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baron, Heather-Lee M.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this six-month qualitative microethnographic case study was to determine what influence a family literacy program based on positive mother-child verbal interactions would have on the participating adolescent mothers' literacy skills. The design of the program was founded on the Hart and Risley study (1995) and their findings…

  9. The Effect of Interactive Technology on Informal Learning and Performance in a Social Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boileau, Timothy

    2011-01-01

    This study is based on a qualitative multiple case study research design using a mixed methods approach to provide insight into the effect of interactive technology on informal learning and performance in a social business setting inhabited by knowledge workers. The central phenomenon examined is the variance in behavioral intention towards…

  10. Quantitative Research Methods, Study Quality, and Outcomes: The Case of Interaction Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plonsky, Luke; Gass, Susan

    2011-01-01

    This article constitutes the first empirical assessment of methodological quality in second language acquisition (SLA). We surveyed a corpus of 174 studies (N = 7,951) within the tradition of research on second-language interaction, one of the longest and most influential traditions of inquiry in SLA. Each report was coded for methodological…

  11. Instructor Interaction and Immediacy Behaviors in a Multipoint Videoconferenced Instructional Environment: A Descriptive Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohnstedt, Kathy D.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of professors teaching in a multi-point videoconferencing instructional environment and how they interacted with students in proximate and remote classrooms. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed to gain an understanding of the teaching experience and to examine differences between…

  12. Learner Agency and Its Effect on Spoken Interaction Time in the Target Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knight, Janine; Barberà, Elena

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the results of how four dyads in an online task-based synchronous computer-mediated (TB-SCMC) interaction event use their agency to carry out speaking tasks, and how their choices and actions affect time spent interacting in the target language. A case study approach was employed to analyse the language functions and cognitive…

  13. Evolution of the Students' Conceptual Understanding in the Case of a Teaching Sequence in Mechanics: Concept of Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Küçüközer, Asuman

    2006-01-01

    This study aims to better understand the construction of the meaning of physics concepts in mechanics during a teaching sequence at the upper secondary school level. In the teaching sessions, students were introduced to the concepts of interaction and force. During this teaching sequence the models called "interactions" and "laws of…

  14. A New Way of Using the Interactive Whiteboard in a High School Physics Classroom: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gregorcic, Bor; Etkina, Eugenia; Planinsic, Gorazd

    2018-01-01

    In recent decades, the interactive whiteboard (IWB) has become a relatively common educational tool in Western schools. The IWB is essentially a large touch screen, that enables the user to interact with digital content in ways that are not possible with an ordinary computer-projector-canvas setup. However, the unique possibilities of IWBs are…

  15. Dietary choline and betaine intake, choline-metabolising genetic polymorphisms and breast cancer risk: a case-control study in China.

    PubMed

    Du, Yu-Feng; Luo, Wei-Ping; Lin, Fang-Yu; Lian, Zhen-Qiang; Mo, Xiong-Fei; Yan, Bo; Xu, Ming; Huang, Wu-Qing; Huang, Jing; Zhang, Cai-Xia

    2016-09-01

    Choline and betaine are essential nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism and have been hypothesised to affect breast cancer risk. Functional polymorphisms in genes encoding choline-related one-carbon metabolism enzymes, including phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT), choline dehydrogenase (CHDH) and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), have important roles in choline metabolism and may thus interact with dietary choline and betaine intake to modify breast cancer risk. This study aimed to investigate the interactive effect of polymorphisms in PEMT, BHMT and CHDH genes with choline/betaine intake on breast cancer risk among Chinese women. This hospital-based case-control study consecutively recruited 570 cases with histologically confirmed breast cancer and 576 age-matched (5-year interval) controls. Choline and betaine intakes were assessed by a validated FFQ, and genotyping was conducted for PEMT rs7946, CHDH rs9001 and BHMT rs3733890. OR and 95 % CI were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. Compared with the highest quartile of choline intake, the lowest intake quartile showed a significant increased risk of breast cancer. The SNP PEMT rs7946, CHDH rs9001 and BHMT rs3733890 had no overall association with breast cancer, but a significant risk reduction was observed among postmenopausal women with AA genotype of BHMT rs3733890 (OR 0·49; 95 % CI 0·25, 0·98). Significant interactions were observed between choline intake and SNP PEMT rs7946 (P interaction=0·029) and BHMT rs3733890 (P interaction=0·006) in relation to breast cancer risk. Our results suggest that SNP PEMT rs7946 and BHMT rs3733890 may interact with choline intake on breast cancer risk.

  16. Gene-Environment Interaction in Parkinson's Disease: Coffee, ADORA2A, and CYP1A2.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Yu-Hsuan; Lill, Christina M; Lee, Pei-Chen; Hansen, Johnni; Lassen, Christina F; Bertram, Lars; Greene, Naomi; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Ritz, Beate

    2016-01-01

    Drinking caffeinated coffee has been reported to provide protection against Parkinson's disease (PD). Caffeine is an adenosine A2A receptor (encoded by the gene ADORA2A) antagonist that increases dopaminergic neurotransmission and Cytochrome P450 1A2 (gene: CYP1A2) metabolizes caffeine; thus, gene polymorphisms in ADORA2A and CYP1A2 may influence the effect coffee consumption has on PD risk. In a population-based case-control study (PASIDA) in Denmark (1,556 PD patients and 1,606 birth year- and gender-matched controls), we assessed interactions between lifetime coffee consumption and 3 polymorphisms in ADORA2A and CYP1A2 for all subjects, and incident and prevalent PD cases separately using logistic regression models. We also conducted a meta-analysis combining our results with those from previous studies. We estimated statistically significant interactions for ADORA2A rs5760423 and heavy vs. light coffee consumption in incident (OR interaction = 0.66 [95% CI 0.46-0.94], p = 0.02) but not prevalent PD. We did not observe interactions for CYP1A2 rs762551 and rs2472304 in incident or prevalent PD. In meta-analyses, PD associations with daily coffee consumption were strongest among carriers of variant alleles in both ADORA2A and CYP1A2. We corroborated results from a previous report that described interactions between ADORA2A and CYP1A2 polymorphisms and coffee consumption. Our results also suggest that survivor bias may affect results of studies that enroll prevalent PD cases. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  17. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-DNA adducts and breast cancer: modification by gene promoter methylation in a population-based study.

    PubMed

    White, Alexandra J; Chen, Jia; McCullough, Lauren E; Xu, Xinran; Cho, Yoon Hee; Teitelbaum, Susan L; Neugut, Alfred I; Terry, Mary Beth; Hibshoosh, Hanina; Santella, Regina M; Gammon, Marilie D

    2015-12-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-DNA adducts have been associated with breast cancer incidence. Aberrant changes in DNA methylation may be an early event in carcinogenesis. However, possible relations between PAH-DNA adducts, methylation, and breast cancer are unknown. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess associations between PAH-DNA adducts, and breast cancer, stratified by DNA methylation markers and (2) examine interactions between adducts and DNA methylation in association with breast cancer and tumor subtype. In a population-based case-control study, promoter methylation of 13 breast cancer-related genes was measured in tumor tissue (n = 765-851 cases). Blood DNA from breast cancer cases (n = 873) and controls (n = 941) was used to assess PAH-DNA adducts and global methylation. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI); and the ratio of the OR (ROR) was used to assess heterogeneity. Women with detectable PAH-DNA adducts and methylated RARβ (ROR 2.69, 95% CI 1.02-7.12; p for interaction = 0.03) or APC (ROR 1.76, 95% CI 0.87-3.58; p for interaction = 0.09) genes were more likely to have hormone receptor-positive tumors than other subtypes. Interactions with other methylation markers were not apparent (p ≥ 0.10). The association between adducts and breast cancer did not vary by methylation status of the tumor nor did adducts associate with global methylation in the controls. Gene-specific methylation of RARβ, and perhaps APC, may interact with PAH-DNA adducts to increase risk of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. There was little evidence that adducts were associated with or interacted with other methylation markers of interest.

  18. Undertaking an Ecological Approach to Advance Game-Based Learning: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shah, Mamta; Foster, Aroutis

    2014-01-01

    Systematic incorporation of digital games in schools is largely unexplored. This case study explored the ecological conditions necessary for implementing a game-based learning course by examining the interaction between three domains (the innovator, the innovation, and the context). From January-April 2012, one in-service teacher learned and…

  19. Transformation and Stasis: Two Case Studies of Critical Teacher Education in TESOL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuske, Kyle

    2015-01-01

    Considering the prominent position of critical work in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, there is a need for detailed investigations of apprentice practitioners' formative interactions with critical ideas in graduate programs and how these affect their willingness to cultivate their own critical pedagogical repertories. Adopting a case study design,…

  20. Learning "Rules" of Practice within the Context of the Practicum Triad: A Case Study of Learning to Teach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chalies, Sebastien; Escalie, Guillaume; Stefano, Bertone; Clarke, Anthony

    2012-01-01

    This case study sought to determine the professional development circumstances in which a preservice teacher learned rules of practice (Wittgenstein, 1996) on practicum while interacting with a cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Borrowing from a theoretical conceptualization of teacher professional development based on the postulates…

  1. One or Two-Way Communication: A Case Study on Offender Counseling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guo, Jing-Ying

    2012-01-01

    Offender counseling has been booming in China with typical Chinese characteristics, one of the most prominent of which is the possession of dual identities by both parties during the counseling interaction. This article, based on conversation analysis, focuses on one case study and examines "what is actually going on" between the police…

  2. How Macromedia Used Blogs to Build Its Developers' Communities: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Jingli

    2008-01-01

    Business organizations are using blogs as a conversational technology to help build a community of practice where knowledge exchange and sharing actively take place. This case study examines how Macromedia used blogs to build its developers' communities and become more organizationally effective. Four major types of interactions between the…

  3. Mentoring Postsecondary Tenure-Track Faculty: A Theory-Building Case Study and Implications for Institutional Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Dannielle Joy; Boyer, Patricia; Russell, Isela

    2011-01-01

    The featured research uses theory-building case study to understand the experiences of junior faculty in a mentoring program. Findings suggest the importance of professional interaction for faculty members' integration into their campus communities. An explanatory model illustrates the findings and supplements discussion of the implications for…

  4. Does Online Game-Based Learning Work in Formal Education at School? A Case Study of VISOLE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jong, Morris S. Y.

    2015-01-01

    VISOLE (Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Environment) is a teacher-facilitated pedagogical approach to integrating constructivist online game-based learning into formal curriculum teaching in school education. This paper reports a case study on the implementation of VISOLE in secondary Geography education. We compared the pedagogical…

  5. French-Algonquian Interaction in Canada: A Michif Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosen, Nicole

    2008-01-01

    This paper discusses the language contact situation between Algonquian languages and French in Canada. Michif, a French-Plains Cree mixed language, is used as a case study for linguistic results of language contact. The paper describes the phonological, morphological, and syntactic conflict sites between the grammars of Plains Cree and French, as…

  6. Preparing Preservice Teachers in a Virtual Space: A Case Study of a Literacy Methods Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fayne, Harriet R.

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a case study of an online literacy methods course offered at a small, midwestern university. Formal and informal instruments were used to assess students' backgrounds, interests, and dispositions. Archival course data were analyzed to examine interactions among content, course design, and student characteristics. Despite…

  7. Constructing Affective Security in Children: Case Study in Educational Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Margenat, Montserrat; Dalmau, Mariona; Vendrell, Roser; Ibarz, Lidia

    2016-01-01

    In line with Bowlby's theoretical approach, where he established a relationship between the quality of experiences lived in the first relationships and subsequent behaviours, we are carrying out a case study research project. The objectives are as follows: (1) To describe interactive patterns as observed in natural contexts and focusing on the…

  8. ESL and Digital Video Integration: Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, J., Ed.; Gromik, N., Ed.; Edwards, N., Ed.

    2013-01-01

    It should come as no surprise that digital video technology is of particular interest to English language learners; students are drawn to its visual appeal and vibrant creative potential. The seven original case studies in this book demonstrate how video can be an effective and powerful tool to create fluid, fun, interactive, and collaborative…

  9. [Nurses and clientele with anorexia and bulimia: a case study].

    PubMed

    Martins, Claudia Regina Carvalho; Caccavo, Paulo Vaccari

    2012-01-01

    The research aimed to identify the interaction of nurses and clients suffering from bulimia and anorexia. We use the case study as a resource in which we collect clinical data and did interviews with eight of fourteen nurses, who have been our subject-object. According to the nurses, clients are isolated from the world living in a world without hunger and mirrors reflecting a body always above the "ideal weight", they were lonely people, personnel who have lost their shine, sending signals that could extinguish their lives at any time. In the study, was possible to identify the manner in which nurses interacted and perceived customers and, as a result, we elucidate a peculiar practice in nursing.

  10. Using a Complexity Approach to Study the Interpersonal Dynamics in Teacher-­Student Interactions: A Case Study of Two Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pennings, Helena J. M.

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, complex dynamic systems theory and interpersonal theory are combined to describe the teacher-student interactions of two teachers with different interpersonal styles. The aim was to show and explain the added value of looking at different steps in the analysis of behavioral time-series data (i.e., observations of teacher and…

  11. Human factors and ergonomics assessment of food pantry work: A case study.

    PubMed

    Higgins, Nicholas A; Talone, Andrew B; Fraulini, Nicholas W; Smither, Janan A

    2017-01-01

    Research assessing work processes in food pantries has been limited to the client's experience and aspects of food donations [3-5]. Research on food pantries has yet to focus on understanding and evaluating worker-environment interaction. The present case study examined the interaction between workers and their work environment while performing common tasks in a food pantry. Data were collected through naturalistic observations and structured interviews. A task analysis was performed on the data. Several potential issues in the pantry were identified including with the workspace layout, environmental conditions, and signage. Human factors and ergonomics principles were then utilized to provide insights and recommendations (e.g., use of numbered rather than color-coded signage). Recommendations were provided to the case study food pantry for enhancing safety and productivity. Further research is needed to assess the generalizability of our findings to other food pantries.

  12. Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports

    PubMed Central

    Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

    2014-01-01

    Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners. PMID:24809980

  13. Numerical Study of a Three Dimensional Interaction between two bow Shock Waves and the Aerodynamic Heating on a Wedge Shaped Nose Cone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, N.; Wang, J. H.; Shen, L.

    2017-03-01

    This paper presents a numerical investigation on the three-dimensional interaction between two bow shock waves in two environments, i.e. ground high-enthalpy wind tunnel test and real space flight, using Fluent 15.0. The first bow shock wave, also called induced shock wave, which is generated by the leading edge of a hypersonic vehicle. The other bow shock wave can be deemed objective shock wave, which is generated by the cowl clip of hypersonic inlet, and in this paper the inlet is represented by a wedge shaped nose cone. The interaction performances including flow field structures, aerodynamic pressure and heating are analyzed and compared between the ground test and the real space flight. Through the analysis and comparison, we can find the following important phenomena: 1) Three-dimensional complicated flow structures appear in both cases, but only in the real space flight condition, a local two-dimensional type IV interaction appears; 2) The heat flux and pressure in the interaction region are much larger than those in the no-interaction region in both cases, but the peak values of the heat flux and pressure in real space flight are smaller than those in ground test. 3) The interaction region on the objective surface are different in the two cases, and there is a peak value displacement of 3 mm along the stagnation line.

  14. Genetic modifiers of menopausal hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer risk: A genome-wide interaction study

    PubMed Central

    Rudolph, Anja; Hein, Rebecca; Lindström, Sara; Beckmann, Lars; Behrens, Sabine; Liu, Jianjun; Aschard, Hugues; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Wang, Jean; Truong, Thérèse; Cordina-Duverger, Emilie; Menegaux, Florence; Brüning, Thomas; Harth, Volker; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Southey, Melissa; Chanock, Stephen J.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Figueroa, Jonine D.; Eriksson, Mikael; Humpreys, Keith; Darabi, Hatef; Olson, Janet E.; Stevens, Kristen N.; Vachon, Celine M.; Knight, Julia A.; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Ashworth, Alan; Orr, Nicholas; Schoemaker, Minouk; Webb, Penny M.; Guénel, Pascal; Brauch, Hiltrud; Giles, Graham; García-Closas, Montserrat; Czene, Kamila; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Couch, Fergus J.; Andrulis, Irene L.; Swerdlow, Anthony; Hunter, David J.; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Easton, Douglas F.; Hall, Per; Nevanlinna, Heli; Kraft, Peter; Chang-Claude, Jenny

    2013-01-01

    Women using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) are at increased risk to develop breast cancer (BC). To detect genetic modifiers of the association between current use of MHT and BC risk, we conducted a meta-analysis of four genome-wide case-only studies followed by replication in eleven case-control studies. We used a case-only design to assess interactions between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and current MHT use on risk of overall and lobular BC. The discovery stage included 2,920 cases (541 lobular) from four genome-wide association studies. The top 1,391 SNPs showing P-values for interaction (Pint) <3.0×10−03 were selected for replication using pooled case-control data from eleven studies of the Breast Cancer Association Consortium, including 7,689 cases (676 lobular) and 9,266 controls. Fixed effects meta-analysis was used to derive combined Pint. No SNP reached genome-wide significance in either the discovery or combined stage. We observed effect modification of current MHT use on overall BC risk by two SNPs on chr13 near POMP (combined Pint≤8.9×10−06), two SNPs in SLC25A21 (combined Pint≤4.8×10−05), and three SNPs in PLCG2 (combined Pint≤4.5×10−05). The association between lobular BC risk was potentially modified by one SNP in TMEFF2 (combined Pint≤2.7×10−05), one SNP in CD80 (combined Pint≤8.2×10−06), three SNPs on chr17 near TMEM132E (combined Pint≤2.2×10−06), and two SNPs on chr18 near SLC25A52 (combined Pint≤4.6×10−05). In conclusion, polymorphisms in genes related to solute transportation in mitochondria, transmembrane signaling and immune cell activation are potentially modifying BC risk associated with current use of MHT. These findings warrant replication in independent studies. PMID:24080446

  15. A Case Study of Teacher Reflection: Examining Teacher Participation in a Video-Based Professional Learning Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steeg, Susanna M.

    2016-01-01

    Professional learning communities (PLCs) constitute worthwhile spaces in which to study teacher participation in the reflective practices that have potential to shift their teaching. This qualitative case study details the interactions between dual-language and ELL teachers in a grade-level PLC as they met together to confer over video-clips of…

  16. A Framework for NGO-Military Collaboration

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    from scholarly literature and inductively from case studies and practitioner interviews , I theorize that the efficacy of NGO-military collaboration...studies and practitioner interviews , I theorize that the efficacy of NGO-military collaboration varies with the type of NGO (INGO or LNGO) and the...scholarly literature on NGO-military interactions, and inductively from illustrative case studies from both civilian and military sources and interviews

  17. School and Community, Community and School: A Case Study of a Rural Missouri Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franklin, Melia K.

    2011-01-01

    How do a school and a community interact? This question guided this dissertation examining one rural school and community. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the relationship between the rural Marceline R-V School District (a K-12 school system) and its community, Marceline, Missouri. The framework for this study included the…

  18. Vicious Cycles of Identifying and Mathematizing: A Case Study of the Development of Mathematical Failure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heyd-Metzuyanim, Einat

    2015-01-01

    This study uses a new communicational lens that conceptualizes the activity of learning mathematics as interplay between mathematizing and identifying in order to study how the emotional, social, and cognitive aspects of learning mathematics interact with one another. The proposed framework is used to analyze the case of Idit, a girl who started…

  19. Managing Criticism in Ph.D. Supervision: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Sarah; Seale, Clive

    2007-01-01

    This article is part of a larger study which presents findings from an in-depth longitudinal case study of a student's Ph.D. journey. It shows how criticism is produced and managed in the supervisory relationship. As well as an overview of types of criticism produced across a range of supervisory interactions, the article presents a micro-analysis…

  20. Student perceptions of a virtual learning environment for a problem-based learning undergraduate medical curriculum.

    PubMed

    de Leng, Bas A; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Muijtjens, Arno M M; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2006-06-01

    To investigate the effects of a virtual learning environment (VLE) on group interaction and consultation of information resources during the preliminary phase, self-study phase and reporting phase of the problem-based learning process in an undergraduate medical curriculum. A questionnaire was administered to 355 medical students in Years 1 and 2 to ask them about the perceived usefulness of a virtual learning environment that was created with Blackboard for group interaction and the use of learning resources. The students indicated that the VLE supported face-to-face interaction in the preliminary discussion and in the reporting phase but did not stimulate computer-mediated distance interaction during the self-study phase. They perceived that the use of multimedia in case presentations led to a better quality of group discussion than if case presentations were exclusively text-based. They also indicated that the information resources that were hyperlinked in the VLE stimulated the consultation of these resources during self-study, but not during the reporting phase. Students indicated that the use of a VLE in the tutorial room and the inclusion of multimedia in case presentations supported processes of active learning in the tutorial groups. However, if we want to exploit the full potential of asynchronous computer-mediated communication to initiate in-depth discussion during the self-study phase, its application will have to be selective and deliberate. Students indicated that the links in the VLE to selected information in library repositories supported their learning.

  1. Interweaving interactions in virtual worlds: a case study.

    PubMed

    Cantamesse, Matteo; Galimberti, Carlo; Giacoma, Gianandrea

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of playing the online game World of Warcraft (WoW), both on adolescent's (effective) social interaction and on the competence they developed on it. Social interactions within the game environment have been investigated by integrating qualitative and quantitative methods: conversation analysis and social network analysis (SNA). From a psychosocial point of view, the in-game interactions, and in particular conversational exchanges, turn out to be a collaborative path of the joint definition of identities and social ties, with reflection on in-game processes and out-game relationship.

  2. Interaction between CYP1A2-T2467DELT polymorphism and smoking in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Sofia; B'chir, Fatma; Pulliero, Alessandra; Saguem, Saâd; Ben Fraj, Radhia; El Aziz Hayouni, Abed; Clonfero, Erminio; Mastrangelo, Giuseppe

    2007-09-01

    This study aimed to identify new genetic characteristics contributing to individual susceptibility to smoke-induced lung cancer. Despite functional evidence of a possible role of cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) in lung cancer susceptibility, no studies have evaluated the influence of CYP1A2 genotypes on lung cancer risk. We investigated the interaction between CYP1A2-T2467delT (allele*1D) polymorphism and smoking in Tunisian lung cancer cases (n=101 male smokers) separately for the histological types squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n=60) and adenocarcinoma (n=41), and in controls (n=98 male smokers) using a case-only study design. A significant interaction between CYP1A2-T/delT or delT/delT genotypes and tobacco consumption (pack-years) adjusted for age was evident (OR (95% CI) 7.78 (1.52-42.8)) in the SCC cases who smoked relatively less (< or =33 pack-years, I quartile value), but not in adenocarcinoma and controls. Our results suggest that CYP1A2-T2467delT polymorphism has an important role in lung carcinogenesis, especially SCC, among smokers.

  3. Quantum thermodynamics with local control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lekscha, J.; Wilming, H.; Eisert, J.; Gallego, R.

    2018-02-01

    We investigate the limitations that emerge in thermodynamic tasks as a result of having local control only over the components of a thermal machine. These limitations are particularly relevant for devices composed of interacting many-body systems. Specifically, we study protocols of work extraction that employ a many-body system as a working medium whose evolution can be driven by tuning the on-site Hamiltonian terms. This provides a restricted set of thermodynamic operations, giving rise to alternative bounds for the performance of engines. Our findings show that those limitations in control render it, in general, impossible to reach Carnot efficiency; in its extreme ramification it can even forbid to reach a finite efficiency or finite work per particle. We focus on the one-dimensional Ising model in the thermodynamic limit as a case study. We show that in the limit of strong interactions the ferromagnetic case becomes useless for work extraction, while the antiferromagnetic case improves its performance with the strength of the couplings, reaching Carnot in the limit of arbitrary strong interactions. Our results provide a promising connection between the study of quantum control and thermodynamics and introduce a more realistic set of physical operations well suited to capture current experimental scenarios.

  4. Bibliography on Cold Regions Science and Technology Volume 53, Part 2

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-12-01

    A.T. Claud, C. 53-1504 Interaction of ice floes with ships on offshore structures Case study of antarctic mesolow [1995, eng] 53-329 Coffey, M.T. [1992...in a dry-snow Dethloff, K Biogeochemistry of antarctic sea ice: a case study on avalanche [1998, eng] 53-2018 Climate variability in a nonlinear...concrete with respect to Effect of the Endicott Causeway on the population of Ferguson, M.E. frost resistance: a case study [1998, eng] 53-952 broad

  5. Indications of a late-time interaction in the dark sector.

    PubMed

    Salvatelli, Valentina; Said, Najla; Bruni, Marco; Melchiorri, Alessandro; Wands, David

    2014-10-31

    We show that a general late-time interaction between cold dark matter and vacuum energy is favored by current cosmological data sets. We characterize the strength of the coupling by a dimensionless parameter q(V) that is free to take different values in four redshift bins from the primordial epoch up to today. This interacting scenario is in agreement with measurements of cosmic microwave background temperature anisotropies from the Planck satellite, supernovae Ia from Union 2.1 and redshift space distortions from a number of surveys, as well as with combinations of these different data sets. Our analysis of the 4-bin interaction shows that a nonzero interaction is likely at late times. We then focus on the case q(V)≠0 in a single low-redshift bin, obtaining a nested one parameter extension of the standard ΛCDM model. We study the Bayesian evidence, with respect to ΛCDM, of this late-time interaction model, finding moderate evidence for an interaction starting at z=0.9, dependent upon the prior range chosen for the interaction strength parameter q(V). For this case the null interaction (q(V)=0, i.e., ΛCDM) is excluded at 99% C.L.

  6. Role of CYP1A2 polymorphisms in breast cancer risk in women.

    PubMed

    Ayari, Imene; Fedeli, Ugo; Saguem, Saad; Hidar, Samir; Khlifi, Saida; Pavanello, Sofia

    2013-01-01

    Cytochrome P4501A2 (CYP1A2) is a key enzyme in the etiology of breast cancer (BC). It is involved in breast carcinogen activation [aromatic (AAs) and heterocyclic amines (HAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)], in the production of beneficial oestrogen [2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1)] and in converting arachidonic acid (AAc) to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which have anti-inflammatory properties. Within a hospital-based case-control study, the effect of functional CYP1A2 variants [-3860G/A (rs2069514), -2467T/delT (rs3569413), -163C/A (rs762551)] and their interactions with environmental factors in BC risk was investigated. The study population included 125 BC cases and 43 non-cancer controls. Genotyping was performed in RT-PCR using Taqman assays. The gene-environment interaction was appraised using a case-only study design. We found that the -3860A variant, independently from environmental factors, as well as by interacting with fried foods (p=0.025) and indoor exposure to pollutants (p=0.050), reduced the risk of BC (p=0.025), whereas its interaction with coffee (p=0.045) increased the BC risk. This is the first study indicating that the -3860A variant, by decreasing CYP1A2 activity, modifies BC risk by interacting with environmental factors, thereby supporting the hypothesis that reduced CYP1A2 activity contributes to BC risk in different ways, for example, it may be protective by reducing the activation of pro-carcinogens such as AAs, HAs and PAHs, but would increase risk by reducing the beneficial formation of 2-OHE1 and EETs.

  7. GIMDA: Graphlet interaction-based MiRNA-disease association prediction.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xing; Guan, Na-Na; Li, Jian-Qiang; Yan, Gui-Ying

    2018-03-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been confirmed to be closely related to various human complex diseases by many experimental studies. It is necessary and valuable to develop powerful and effective computational models to predict potential associations between miRNAs and diseases. In this work, we presented a prediction model of Graphlet Interaction for MiRNA-Disease Association prediction (GIMDA) by integrating the disease semantic similarity, miRNA functional similarity, Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity and the experimentally confirmed miRNA-disease associations. The related score of a miRNA to a disease was calculated by measuring the graphlet interactions between two miRNAs or two diseases. The novelty of GIMDA lies in that we used graphlet interaction to analyse the complex relationships between two nodes in a graph. The AUCs of GIMDA in global and local leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) turned out to be 0.9006 and 0.8455, respectively. The average result of five-fold cross-validation reached to 0.8927 ± 0.0012. In case study for colon neoplasms, kidney neoplasms and prostate neoplasms based on the database of HMDD V2.0, 45, 45, 41 of the top 50 potential miRNAs predicted by GIMDA were validated by dbDEMC and miR2Disease. Additionally, in the case study of new diseases without any known associated miRNAs and the case study of predicting potential miRNA-disease associations using HMDD V1.0, there were also high percentages of top 50 miRNAs verified by the experimental literatures. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

  8. Genome-wide association studies suggest that APOL1-environment interactions more likely trigger kidney disease in African Americans with nondiabetic nephropathy than strong APOL1-second gene interactions.

    PubMed

    Langefeld, Carl D; Comeau, Mary E; Ng, Maggie C Y; Guan, Meijian; Dimitrov, Latchezar; Mudgal, Poorva; Spainhour, Mitzie H; Julian, Bruce A; Edberg, Jeffrey C; Croker, Jennifer A; Divers, Jasmin; Hicks, Pamela J; Bowden, Donald W; Chan, Gary C; Ma, Lijun; Palmer, Nicholette D; Kimberly, Robert P; Freedman, Barry I

    2018-06-06

    African Americans carrying two apolipoprotein L1 gene (APOL1) renal risk variants have a high risk for nephropathy. However, only a minority develops end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Hence, modifying factors likely contribute to initiation of kidney disease such as endogenous (HIV infection) or exogenous (interferon treatment) environmental modifiers. In this report, genome-wide association studies and a meta-analysis were performed to identify novel loci for nondiabetic ESRD in African Americans and to detect genetic modifiers in APOL1-associated nephropathy. Two African American cohorts were analyzed, 1749 nondiabetic ESRD cases and 1136 controls from Wake Forest and 901 lupus nephritis (LN)-ESRD cases and 520 controls with systemic lupus erythematosus but lacking nephropathy from the LN-ESRD Consortium. Association analyses adjusting for APOL1 G1/G2 renal-risk variants were completed and stratified by APOL1 risk genotype status. Individual genome-wide association studies and meta-analysis results of all 2650 ESRD cases and 1656 controls did not detect significant genome-wide associations with ESRD beyond APOL1. Similarly, no single nucleotide polymorphism showed significant genome-wide evidence of an interaction with APOL1 risk variants. Thus, although variants with small individual effects cannot be ruled out and are likely to exist, our results suggest that APOL1-environment interactions may be of greater clinical importance in triggering nephropathy in African Americans than APOL1 interactions with other single nucleotide polymorphisms. Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Reversing the Academic Trend for Rural Students: The Case of Michelle Opbroek

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Barbara L.; Adam, Shehenaz; Opbroek, Michelle

    2005-01-01

    This case study explores the interactions between a teacher, her students, and a culturally based math curriculum in a fifth and sixth grade classroom in rural Alaska. The case attempts to identify and illuminate factors that created a rich learning environment while implementing Star Navigation: Explorations into Angles and Measurement, a module…

  10. A Real-Life Case Study of Audit Interactions--Resolving Messy, Complex Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beattie, Vivien; Fearnley, Stella; Hines, Tony

    2012-01-01

    Real-life accounting and auditing problems are often complex and messy, requiring the synthesis of technical knowledge in addition to the application of generic skills. To help students acquire the necessary skills to deal with these problems effectively, educators have called for the use of case-based methods. Cases based on real situations (such…

  11. Case-Only Gene–Environment Interaction Between ALAD tagSNPs and Occupational Lead Exposure in Prostate Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Neslund-Dudas, Christine; Levin, Albert M.; Rundle, Andrew; Beebe-Dimmer, Jennifer; Bock, Cathryn H.; Nock, Nora L.; Jankowski, Michelle; Datta, Indrani; Krajenta, Richard; Dou, Q. Ping; Mitra, Bharati; Tang, Deliang; Rybicki, Benjamin A.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND Black men have historically had higher blood lead levels than white men in the U.S. and have the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world. Inorganic lead has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. Lead (Pb) inhibits delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), a gene recently implicated in other genitourinary cancers. The ALAD enzyme is involved in the second step of heme biosynthesis and is an endogenous inhibitor of the 26S proteasome, a master system for protein degradation and a current target of cancer therapy. METHODS Using a case-only study design, we assessed potential gene–environment (G × E) interactions between lifetime occupational Pb exposure and 11 tagSNPs within ALAD in black (N = 260) and white (N = 343) prostate cancer cases. RESULTS Two ALAD tagSNPs in high linkage disequilibrium showed significant interaction with high Pb exposure among black cases (rs818684 interaction odds ratio or IOR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.43–5.22, P = 0.002; rs818689 IOR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.15–4.21, P = 0.017) and an additional tagSNP, rs2761016, showed G × E interaction with low Pb exposure (IOR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.13– 3.84, P = 0.019). Further, the variant allele of rs818684 was associated with a higher Gleason grade in those with high Pb exposure among both blacks (OR 3.96, 95% CI 1.01–15.46, P = 0.048) and whites (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.18–7.39, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Genetic variation in ALAD may modify associations between Pb and prostate cancer. Additional studies of ALAD, Pb, and prostate cancer are warranted and should include black men. PMID:24500903

  12. Constraints on new physics from K → π ν {\\bar{ν }}

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Xiao-Gang; Valencia, German; Wong, Keith

    2018-06-01

    We study generic effects of new physics on the rare decay modes K_L → π ^0 ν {\\bar{ν }} and K^+ → π ^+ ν {\\bar{ν }}. We discuss several cases: left-handed neutrino couplings; right handed neutrino couplings; neutrino lepton flavour violating (LFV) interactions; and Δ I =3/2 interactions. The first of these cases has been studied before as it covers many new physics extensions of the standard model; the second one requires the existence of a new light (sterile) right-handed neutrino and its contribution to both branching ratios is always additive to the SM. The case of neutrino LFV couplings introduces a CP conserving contribution to K_L → π ^0 ν {\\bar{ν }} which affects the rates in a similar manner as a right handed neutrino as neither one of these interferes with the standard model amplitudes. Finally, we consider new physics with Δ I =3/2 interactions to go beyond the Grossman-Nir bound. We find that the rare kaon rates are only sensitive to new physics scales up to a few GeV for this scenario.

  13. Using Interactive Data Visualizations for Exploratory Analysis in Undergraduate Genomics Coursework: Field Study Findings and Guidelines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirel, Barbara; Kumar, Anuj; Nong, Paige; Su, Gang; Meng, Fan

    2016-02-01

    Life scientists increasingly use visual analytics to explore large data sets and generate hypotheses. Undergraduate biology majors should be learning these same methods. Yet visual analytics is one of the most underdeveloped areas of undergraduate biology education. This study sought to determine the feasibility of undergraduate biology majors conducting exploratory analysis using the same interactive data visualizations as practicing scientists. We examined 22 upper level undergraduates in a genomics course as they engaged in a case-based inquiry with an interactive heat map. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed students' visual analytic behaviors, reasoning and outcomes to identify student performance patterns, commonly shared efficiencies and task completion. We analyzed students' successes and difficulties in applying knowledge and skills relevant to the visual analytics case and related gaps in knowledge and skill to associated tool designs. Findings show that undergraduate engagement in visual analytics is feasible and could be further strengthened through tool usability improvements. We identify these improvements. We speculate, as well, on instructional considerations that our findings suggested may also enhance visual analytics in case-based modules.

  14. Using Interactive Data Visualizations for Exploratory Analysis in Undergraduate Genomics Coursework: Field Study Findings and Guidelines

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Anuj; Nong, Paige; Su, Gang; Meng, Fan

    2016-01-01

    Life scientists increasingly use visual analytics to explore large data sets and generate hypotheses. Undergraduate biology majors should be learning these same methods. Yet visual analytics is one of the most underdeveloped areas of undergraduate biology education. This study sought to determine the feasibility of undergraduate biology majors conducting exploratory analysis using the same interactive data visualizations as practicing scientists. We examined 22 upper level undergraduates in a genomics course as they engaged in a case-based inquiry with an interactive heat map. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed students’ visual analytic behaviors, reasoning and outcomes to identify student performance patterns, commonly shared efficiencies and task completion. We analyzed students’ successes and difficulties in applying knowledge and skills relevant to the visual analytics case and related gaps in knowledge and skill to associated tool designs. Findings show that undergraduate engagement in visual analytics is feasible and could be further strengthened through tool usability improvements. We identify these improvements. We speculate, as well, on instructional considerations that our findings suggested may also enhance visual analytics in case-based modules. PMID:26877625

  15. Effect of Interaction Between Noise and A1166C Site of AT1R Gene Polymorphism on Essential Hypertension in an Iron and Steel Enterprise Workers.

    PubMed

    Tong, Junwang; Wang, Ying; Yuan, Juxiang; Yang, Jingbo; Wang, Zhaoyang; Zheng, Yao; Chai, Feng; Li, Xiangwen

    2017-04-01

    This study aimed to analyze the interaction of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) gene polymorphism and occupational noise on the occurrence of essential hypertension (EH) in steel and iron enterprise men workers. A case control study of 935 iron and steel enterprise men workers was conducted, which included 312 cases of hypertension and 623 cases without hypertension. The noise at the workplace was assessed. Polymorphism of AT1R of the workers was examined using polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism. Polymorphism of AT1R (AC+CC vs. AA, odds ratio [OR] = 1.760, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.061∼2.920) and noise (greater than or equal to 85 dB(A),OR = 1.641, 95%CI: 1.225∼2.198) were independent determinants of EH using multivariate Logistic regression. Compared with AA carriers without noise, AC+CC interacted with noise (OR = 2.519, 95%CI: 1.254∼5.062) based on the multiplied model. AC+CC genotype of AT1R and noise were the risky factors of EH. These factors also interacted with each other.

  16. Effect of Interaction Between Noise and A1166C Site of AT1R Gene Polymorphism on Essential Hypertension in an Iron and Steel Enterprise Workers

    PubMed Central

    Tong, Junwang; Wang, Ying; Yuan, Juxiang; Yang, Jingbo; Wang, Zhaoyang; Zheng, Yao; Chai, Feng; Li, Xiangwen

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study aimed to analyze the interaction of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) gene polymorphism and occupational noise on the occurrence of essential hypertension (EH) in steel and iron enterprise men workers. Methods: A case control study of 935 iron and steel enterprise men workers was conducted, which included 312 cases of hypertension and 623 cases without hypertension. The noise at the workplace was assessed. Polymorphism of AT1R of the workers was examined using polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: Polymorphism of AT1R (AC+CC vs. AA, odds ratio [OR] = 1.760, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.061∼2.920) and noise (greater than or equal to 85 dB(A),OR = 1.641, 95%CI: 1.225∼2.198) were independent determinants of EH using multivariate Logistic regression. Compared with AA carriers without noise, AC+CC interacted with noise (OR = 2.519, 95%CI: 1.254∼5.062) based on the multiplied model. Conclusions: AC+CC genotype of AT1R and noise were the risky factors of EH. These factors also interacted with each other. PMID:28157766

  17. A facility to search for hidden particles at the CERN SPS: the SHiP physics case.

    PubMed

    Alekhin, Sergey; Altmannshofer, Wolfgang; Asaka, Takehiko; Batell, Brian; Bezrukov, Fedor; Bondarenko, Kyrylo; Boyarsky, Alexey; Choi, Ki-Young; Corral, Cristóbal; Craig, Nathaniel; Curtin, David; Davidson, Sacha; de Gouvêa, André; Dell'Oro, Stefano; deNiverville, Patrick; Bhupal Dev, P S; Dreiner, Herbi; Drewes, Marco; Eijima, Shintaro; Essig, Rouven; Fradette, Anthony; Garbrecht, Björn; Gavela, Belen; Giudice, Gian F; Goodsell, Mark D; Gorbunov, Dmitry; Gori, Stefania; Grojean, Christophe; Guffanti, Alberto; Hambye, Thomas; Hansen, Steen H; Helo, Juan Carlos; Hernandez, Pilar; Ibarra, Alejandro; Ivashko, Artem; Izaguirre, Eder; Jaeckel, Joerg; Jeong, Yu Seon; Kahlhoefer, Felix; Kahn, Yonatan; Katz, Andrey; Kim, Choong Sun; Kovalenko, Sergey; Krnjaic, Gordan; Lyubovitskij, Valery E; Marcocci, Simone; Mccullough, Matthew; McKeen, David; Mitselmakher, Guenakh; Moch, Sven-Olaf; Mohapatra, Rabindra N; Morrissey, David E; Ovchynnikov, Maksym; Paschos, Emmanuel; Pilaftsis, Apostolos; Pospelov, Maxim; Reno, Mary Hall; Ringwald, Andreas; Ritz, Adam; Roszkowski, Leszek; Rubakov, Valery; Ruchayskiy, Oleg; Schienbein, Ingo; Schmeier, Daniel; Schmidt-Hoberg, Kai; Schwaller, Pedro; Senjanovic, Goran; Seto, Osamu; Shaposhnikov, Mikhail; Shchutska, Lesya; Shelton, Jessie; Shrock, Robert; Shuve, Brian; Spannowsky, Michael; Spray, Andy; Staub, Florian; Stolarski, Daniel; Strassler, Matt; Tello, Vladimir; Tramontano, Francesco; Tripathi, Anurag; Tulin, Sean; Vissani, Francesco; Winkler, Martin W; Zurek, Kathryn M

    2016-12-01

    This paper describes the physics case for a new fixed target facility at CERN SPS. The SHiP (search for hidden particles) experiment is intended to hunt for new physics in the largely unexplored domain of very weakly interacting particles with masses below the Fermi scale, inaccessible to the LHC experiments, and to study tau neutrino physics. The same proton beam setup can be used later to look for decays of tau-leptons with lepton flavour number non-conservation, [Formula: see text] and to search for weakly-interacting sub-GeV dark matter candidates. We discuss the evidence for physics beyond the standard model and describe interactions between new particles and four different portals-scalars, vectors, fermions or axion-like particles. We discuss motivations for different models, manifesting themselves via these interactions, and how they can be probed with the SHiP experiment and present several case studies. The prospects to search for relatively light SUSY and composite particles at SHiP are also discussed. We demonstrate that the SHiP experiment has a unique potential to discover new physics and can directly probe a number of solutions of beyond the standard model puzzles, such as neutrino masses, baryon asymmetry of the Universe, dark matter, and inflation.

  18. Children's Responses to the Interactivity of Storybook Apps in Family Shared Reading Events Involving the iPad

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aliagas, Cristina; Margallo, Ana María

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on some data on the effects of screen-based interactivity on children's engagement with storybook apps during family shared book reading that were gathered in a 2-year, small-scale ethnographic case study in Spain. Data analysis focuses on the complex interplay between the storybook app's interactive features and the children's…

  19. A large-scale assessment of two-way SNP interactions in breast cancer susceptibility using 46 450 cases and 42 461 controls from the breast cancer association consortium

    PubMed Central

    Milne, Roger L.; Herranz, Jesús; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Dennis, Joe; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Zamora, M. Pilar; Arias-Perez, José Ignacio; González-Neira, Anna; Pita, Guillermo; Alonso, M. Rosario; Wang, Qin; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Czene, Kamila; Eriksson, Mikael; Humphreys, Keith; Darabi, Hatef; Li, Jingmei; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Ziogas, Argyrios; Clarke, Christina A.; Hopper, John L.; Dite, Gillian S.; Apicella, Carmel; Southey, Melissa C.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Swerdlow, Anthony; Ashworth, Alan; Orr, Nicholas; Schoemaker, Minouk; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubinski, Jan; Jaworska-Bieniek, Katarzyna; Durda, Katarzyna; Andrulis, Irene L.; Knight, Julia A.; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Bojesen, Stig E.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Flyger, Henrik; Nevanlinna, Heli; Muranen, Taru A.; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Blomqvist, Carl; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Rudolph, Anja; Seibold, Petra; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Wang, Xianshu; Olson, Janet E.; Vachon, Celine; Purrington, Kristen; Winqvist, Robert; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Grip, Mervi; Dunning, Alison M.; Shah, Mitul; Guénel, Pascal; Truong, Thérèse; Sanchez, Marie; Mulot, Claire; Brenner, Hermann; Dieffenbach, Aida Karina; Arndt, Volker; Stegmaier, Christa; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hooning, Maartje J.; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Collée, J. Margriet; Jager, Agnes; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian W.; Reed, Malcolm W.R.; Devilee, Peter; Tollenaar, Robert A.E.M.; Seynaeve, Caroline; Haiman, Christopher A.; Henderson, Brian E.; Schumacher, Fredrick; Le Marchand, Loic; Simard, Jacques; Dumont, Martine; Soucy, Penny; Dörk, Thilo; Bogdanova, Natalia V.; Hamann, Ute; Försti, Asta; Rüdiger, Thomas; Ulmer, Hans-Ulrich; Fasching, Peter A.; Häberle, Lothar; Ekici, Arif B.; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Fletcher, Olivia; Johnson, Nichola; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Peto, Julian; Radice, Paolo; Peterlongo, Paolo; Peissel, Bernard; Mariani, Paolo; Giles, Graham G.; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Sawyer, Elinor; Tomlinson, Ian; Kerin, Michael; Miller, Nicola; Marme, Federik; Burwinkel, Barbara; Mannermaa, Arto; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Hartikainen, Jaana M.; Lambrechts, Diether; Yesilyurt, Betul T.; Floris, Giuseppe; Leunen, Karin; Alnæs, Grethe Grenaker; Kristensen, Vessela; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; García-Closas, Montserrat; Chanock, Stephen J.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Figueroa, Jonine D.; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Broeks, Annegien; Verhoef, Senno; Rutgers, Emiel J.; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brüning, Thomas; Ko, Yon-Dschun; Couch, Fergus J.; Toland, Amanda E.; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Hall, Per; Benítez, Javier; Malats, Núria; Easton, Douglas F.

    2014-01-01

    Part of the substantial unexplained familial aggregation of breast cancer may be due to interactions between common variants, but few studies have had adequate statistical power to detect interactions of realistic magnitude. We aimed to assess all two-way interactions in breast cancer susceptibility between 70 917 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected primarily based on prior evidence of a marginal effect. Thirty-eight international studies contributed data for 46 450 breast cancer cases and 42 461 controls of European origin as part of a multi-consortium project (COGS). First, SNPs were preselected based on evidence (P < 0.01) of a per-allele main effect, and all two-way combinations of those were evaluated by a per-allele (1 d.f.) test for interaction using logistic regression. Second, all 2.5 billion possible two-SNP combinations were evaluated using Boolean operation-based screening and testing, and SNP pairs with the strongest evidence of interaction (P < 10−4) were selected for more careful assessment by logistic regression. Under the first approach, 3277 SNPs were preselected, but an evaluation of all possible two-SNP combinations (1 d.f.) identified no interactions at P < 10−8. Results from the second analytic approach were consistent with those from the first (P > 10−10). In summary, we observed little evidence of two-way SNP interactions in breast cancer susceptibility, despite the large number of SNPs with potential marginal effects considered and the very large sample size. This finding may have important implications for risk prediction, simplifying the modelling required. Further comprehensive, large-scale genome-wide interaction studies may identify novel interacting loci if the inherent logistic and computational challenges can be overcome. PMID:24242184

  20. A large-scale assessment of two-way SNP interactions in breast cancer susceptibility using 46,450 cases and 42,461 controls from the breast cancer association consortium.

    PubMed

    Milne, Roger L; Herranz, Jesús; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Dennis, Joe; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Zamora, M Pilar; Arias-Perez, José Ignacio; González-Neira, Anna; Pita, Guillermo; Alonso, M Rosario; Wang, Qin; Bolla, Manjeet K; Czene, Kamila; Eriksson, Mikael; Humphreys, Keith; Darabi, Hatef; Li, Jingmei; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Neuhausen, Susan L; Ziogas, Argyrios; Clarke, Christina A; Hopper, John L; Dite, Gillian S; Apicella, Carmel; Southey, Melissa C; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Swerdlow, Anthony; Ashworth, Alan; Orr, Nicholas; Schoemaker, Minouk; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubinski, Jan; Jaworska-Bieniek, Katarzyna; Durda, Katarzyna; Andrulis, Irene L; Knight, Julia A; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Bojesen, Stig E; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Flyger, Henrik; Nevanlinna, Heli; Muranen, Taru A; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Blomqvist, Carl; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Rudolph, Anja; Seibold, Petra; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Wang, Xianshu; Olson, Janet E; Vachon, Celine; Purrington, Kristen; Winqvist, Robert; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Grip, Mervi; Dunning, Alison M; Shah, Mitul; Guénel, Pascal; Truong, Thérèse; Sanchez, Marie; Mulot, Claire; Brenner, Hermann; Dieffenbach, Aida Karina; Arndt, Volker; Stegmaier, Christa; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hooning, Maartje J; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Collée, J Margriet; Jager, Agnes; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian W; Reed, Malcolm W R; Devilee, Peter; Tollenaar, Robert A E M; Seynaeve, Caroline; Haiman, Christopher A; Henderson, Brian E; Schumacher, Fredrick; Le Marchand, Loic; Simard, Jacques; Dumont, Martine; Soucy, Penny; Dörk, Thilo; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Hamann, Ute; Försti, Asta; Rüdiger, Thomas; Ulmer, Hans-Ulrich; Fasching, Peter A; Häberle, Lothar; Ekici, Arif B; Beckmann, Matthias W; Fletcher, Olivia; Johnson, Nichola; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Peto, Julian; Radice, Paolo; Peterlongo, Paolo; Peissel, Bernard; Mariani, Paolo; Giles, Graham G; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Sawyer, Elinor; Tomlinson, Ian; Kerin, Michael; Miller, Nicola; Marme, Federik; Burwinkel, Barbara; Mannermaa, Arto; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Hartikainen, Jaana M; Lambrechts, Diether; Yesilyurt, Betul T; Floris, Giuseppe; Leunen, Karin; Alnæs, Grethe Grenaker; Kristensen, Vessela; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; García-Closas, Montserrat; Chanock, Stephen J; Lissowska, Jolanta; Figueroa, Jonine D; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Broeks, Annegien; Verhoef, Senno; Rutgers, Emiel J; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brüning, Thomas; Ko, Yon-Dschun; Couch, Fergus J; Toland, Amanda E; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Pharoah, Paul D P; Hall, Per; Benítez, Javier; Malats, Núria; Easton, Douglas F

    2014-04-01

    Part of the substantial unexplained familial aggregation of breast cancer may be due to interactions between common variants, but few studies have had adequate statistical power to detect interactions of realistic magnitude. We aimed to assess all two-way interactions in breast cancer susceptibility between 70,917 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected primarily based on prior evidence of a marginal effect. Thirty-eight international studies contributed data for 46,450 breast cancer cases and 42,461 controls of European origin as part of a multi-consortium project (COGS). First, SNPs were preselected based on evidence (P < 0.01) of a per-allele main effect, and all two-way combinations of those were evaluated by a per-allele (1 d.f.) test for interaction using logistic regression. Second, all 2.5 billion possible two-SNP combinations were evaluated using Boolean operation-based screening and testing, and SNP pairs with the strongest evidence of interaction (P < 10(-4)) were selected for more careful assessment by logistic regression. Under the first approach, 3277 SNPs were preselected, but an evaluation of all possible two-SNP combinations (1 d.f.) identified no interactions at P < 10(-8). Results from the second analytic approach were consistent with those from the first (P > 10(-10)). In summary, we observed little evidence of two-way SNP interactions in breast cancer susceptibility, despite the large number of SNPs with potential marginal effects considered and the very large sample size. This finding may have important implications for risk prediction, simplifying the modelling required. Further comprehensive, large-scale genome-wide interaction studies may identify novel interacting loci if the inherent logistic and computational challenges can be overcome.

  1. An Investigation of Technological Innovation: Interactive Television.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Rhonda S.

    A 5-year case study was implemented to evaluate the two-way Carroll Instructional Television Consortium, which utilizes a cable television network serving four school districts in Illinois. This network permits simultaneous video and audio interactive communication among four high schools. The naturalistic inquiry method employed included…

  2. INTERACTIONS OF CHANGING CLIMATE AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION IN AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

    EPA Science Inventory

    During the past decade interest has developed in the interactive effects of climate change and UV radiation on aquatic and terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. This talk used selected case studies to illustrate approaches that are being used to investigate these intriguing processe...

  3. Student Interactions, Attitudes, and Engagement during Literacy Events in a Second Grade Classroom: A Case Study of Five Struggling Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lehman, Margaret A.

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the student-student interactions, attitudes toward reading and engagement during literacy events in a second grade classroom. The literacy environment and the teacher's conceptualization of her role as a reading instructor were also part of this investigation. Five second grade struggling readers and their teacher,…

  4. The Quality of Mediational Teaching Practiced by Teachers in Special Education: An Observational Study in Norwegian Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nyborg, Geir

    2011-01-01

    In this case study the quality of mediational teaching was evaluated for interactions between teachers and pupils in special education in regular Norwegian primary schools. Mediational teaching is interpreted as a process by which a teacher mediates a given curriculum using certain categories in interactions with a pupil. The categories are…

  5. Social Networking Sites and Cyberdemocracy: A New Model of Dialogic Interactivity and Political Moblization in the Case of South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chun, Heasun

    2013-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study is to test whether dialogic interactions via SNSs can help revive political participation and help citizens to become involved in real-world politics. In a Tocquevillian sense, this study assumes a positive relationship between virtual associational life and political participation and therefore argues that SNSs…

  6. A Case Study of Collaboration with Multi-Robots and Its Effect on Children's Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Wu, Sheng-Yi

    2014-01-01

    Learning how to carry out collaborative tasks is critical to the development of a student's capacity for social interaction. In this study, a multi-robot system was designed for students. In three different scenarios, students controlled robots in order to move dice; we then examined their collaborative strategies and their behavioral…

  7. A Qualitative Study of Student and Teacher Perceptions Utilizing Interactive Whiteboards in Middle School Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbo, Donna Cirillo

    2014-01-01

    Since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have become a reality and a popular concept in addressed technology use in elementary and secondary schools and the importance of 21st century skills, integrating classrooms across the United States and abroad. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the…

  8. Genotype * environment interaction: a case study for Douglas-fir in western Oregon.

    Treesearch

    Robert K. Campbell

    1992-01-01

    Unrecognized genotype x environment interactions (g,e) can bias genetic-gain predictions and models for predicting growth dynamics or species perturbations by global climate change. This study tested six sets of families in 10 plantation sites in a 78-thousand-hectare breeding zone. Plantation differences accounted for 71 percent of sums of squares (15-year heights),...

  9. Aggregation in charged nanoparticles solutions induced by different interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbas, S.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K.; Kohlbrecher, J.

    2016-05-01

    Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different interactions. The nanoparticle aggregation is induced by addition of salt (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) employing different kind of interactions. The results show that the interaction in presence of salt can be explained using DLVO theory whereas non-DLVO forces play important role for interaction of nanoparticles with protein and surfactant. The presence of salt screens the repulsion between charged nanoparticles giving rise to a net attraction in the DLVO potential. On the other hand, strong electrostatic attraction between nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein leads to protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. In case of non-ionic surfactant, the relatively long-range attractive depletion interaction is found to be responsible for the particle aggregation. Interestingly, the completely different interactions lead to similar kind of aggregate morphology. The nanoparticle aggregates formed are found to have mass fractal nature having a fractal dimension (~2.5) consistent with diffusion limited type of fractal morphology in all three cases.

  10. Aggregation in charged nanoparticles solutions induced by different interactions

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

    Abbas, S.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K., E-mail: vkaswal@barc.gov.in

    2016-05-23

    Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different interactions. The nanoparticle aggregation is induced by addition of salt (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) employing different kind of interactions. The results show that the interaction in presence of salt can be explained using DLVO theory whereas non-DLVO forces play important role for interaction of nanoparticles with protein and surfactant. The presence of salt screens the repulsion between charged nanoparticles giving rise to a net attraction in the DLVO potential. On the other hand, strong electrostatic attraction betweenmore » nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein leads to protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. In case of non-ionic surfactant, the relatively long-range attractive depletion interaction is found to be responsible for the particle aggregation. Interestingly, the completely different interactions lead to similar kind of aggregate morphology. The nanoparticle aggregates formed are found to have mass fractal nature having a fractal dimension (~2.5) consistent with diffusion limited type of fractal morphology in all three cases.« less

  11. Interactions between natural organic ligands and trace metals studied by fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence quenching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nouhi, Ayoub; Hajjoul, Houssam; Redon, Roland; Gagné, Jean-Pierre; Mounier, Stéphane

    2017-04-01

    Improved insight on the interactions between natural organic ligands and trace metals is of paramount importance for better understanding transport and toxicity pathways of metal ions in the environment. Fluorescence spectroscopy allows introspecting ligands-metals interactions. Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measures fluorophore lifetime probing the local molecular environment. Excitation Emission Fluorescence Matrices (EEFMs) and their statistical treatment : parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) using PROGMEEF Matlab homemade program, can give insight on the number or nature of organic fluorophores involved in the interactions. Quenching of fluorescence by metals can occur following two processes: dynamic and static quenching (Lakowicz, 2013). In the first case, quenching is caused by physical collisions among molecules and in the second case fluorophores can form nonfluorescent complexes with quenchers. It is possible to identify the different mechanisms because each type of quenching corresponds to a different mathematical model (Lakowicz, 2013; Valeur and Berberan-Santos, 2012). In TRLFS, the study of fluorescence decay's laws induced by nanosecond pulsed laser will allow to exactly qualify the type of interaction. The crucial point of the temporal deconvolution will be the evaluation of the best fitting between the different physical models and the decays measured. From the most suitable time decay model, it will be possible to deduce the quenching which modifies the fluorescence. The aim of this study was to characterize interactions between natural organic ligands and trace metals using fluorescence tools to evaluate the fluorescence lifetime of the fluorophore, the occurrence of quenching in presence of metal, discuss its mechanism and estimate conditional stability constants if a complex organic ligand-metal is formed. This study has been done in two steps. First, we have examined the interactions between salicylic acid and copper in order to calibrate our assays and compare our results with literature. Several studies have shown that static quenching occurs in that case (Brun and Schröder, 1975; Lavrik and Mulloev, 2010; Ventry et al., 1991; Babko, 1968). Indeed, after processing the EEFMs and TRLFS data, we found a fluorescence intensity decay by about 50% and a constant lifetime for the fluorophore suggesting a static quenching, in agreement with the literature. In the second step, we have studied the interactions between metal and different types of natural organic matters. In this case, EEMFs and TRLFS experiments were done on samples prepared by dissolving copper in four different fractions of organic matter extracted from estuarine water (St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada). Organic matter was obtained using DAX-8 and XAD-4 resins in series. Humic and fulvic acids are obtained following the IHSS protocol. The results of interaction between humic substances and copper gathered after processing data on PROGMEEF have shown a fluorescence intensity decay by about 57% for the first component and 88% for the second component. The fluorescence lifetime for both components were close to 2 ns and 6 ns respectively and the pH range was stable and close to 6. This means that a static quenching takes place in this case in agreement with the literature. Our study also focused on the investigation of complexation of organic matter by other metals in particular Aluminum, Arsenic, Europium and Uranium.

  12. The Development of Case Studies to Evaluate the Usefulness of Teaching Interactions in One-to-One Teaching of Early Number

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ewing, Bronwyn

    2016-01-01

    This research paper reports on phase two of an Australian study that examined video-recorded intensive one-to-one teaching interactions with 6-7-year-old students who were in their second year of schooling and identified by the their class teacher as low attaining in early number. The two-phased study from which this paper emerges was originally…

  13. Simulation of the weakly interacting Bose gas relaxation for cases of various interaction types

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kartsev, P. F.; Kuznetsov, I. O.

    2017-12-01

    In this work, we investigate the role of interactions in the process of thermalization of a weakly interacting Bose gas. The system of kinetic equations based on the ‘Fermi’s golden rule’ is solved numerically using special transformation for calculation efficiency. We study the distribution function for particles in various conditions, including interaction with phonon subsystem, i.e. energy exchange with thermal bath. The possibility to achieve the state of Bose-Einstein condensation with specific values of parameters, is also discussed.

  14. Entanglement and teleportation through a two-qubit Heisenberg XXZ model with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, J. L.; Song, H. S.

    2010-01-01

    We study the thermal entanglement in the two-qubit Heisenberg XXZ model with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction, and teleport an unknown state using the model in thermal equilibrium state as a quantum channel. The effects of DM interaction, including Dx and Dz interaction, the anisotropy and temperature on the entanglement and fully entangled fraction are considered. What deserves mentioning here is that for the antiferromagnetic case, the Dx interaction can be more helpful for increasing the entanglement and critical temperature than Dz, but this cannot for teleportation.

  15. Case Designs for Ill-Structured Problems: Analysis and Implications for Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dabbagh, Nada; Blijd, Cecily Williams

    2009-01-01

    This study is a third in a series of studies that examined students' information seeking and problem solving behaviors while interacting with one of two types of web-based representations of an ill-structured instructional design case: hierarchical (tree-like) and heterarchical (network-like). A Java program was used to track students' hypermedia…

  16. Women Leaders in Student Affairs: A Case Study Exploring Career Choices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor-Costello, Julie

    2009-01-01

    This qualitative, multiple case study explored what women working in student affairs reported as influences on their career choices and the impact that the type and level of student interaction has on their careers. Data from semi-structured interviews and journal entries were obtained from ten women working in student affairs at private,…

  17. Task-Based Interaction and Incidental Vocabulary Learning: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newton, Jonathan

    1995-01-01

    This case study examined the vocabulary gains made by an adult learner of English as a Second Language as a result of performing four communication tasks. It found that explicit negotiation of word meaning appeared less deterministic of posttest improvements than use of words in the process of completing the task. (13 references) (MDM)

  18. Bringing the Community Along: A Case Study of a School District's Information Technology Rural Development Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schafft, Kai A.; Alter, Theodore R.; Bridger, Jeffrey C.

    2006-01-01

    We draw on interactional community theory to analyze the relationship between information technology and local development through a case study of a geographically isolated and economically disadvantaged rural school district. This district has used state-of-the-art information technology infrastructure in a broad-based community and economic…

  19. Mitigating Challenges of Using Virtual Reality in Online Courses: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Barbara; Hutchins, Holly M.; Ezell, Shirley; De Martino, Darrell; Bobba, Anil

    2010-01-01

    Case study methodology was used to describe the challenges experienced in the development of a virtual component for a freshman-level undergraduate course. The purpose of the project was to use a virtual environment component to provide an interactive and engaging learning environment. While some student and faculty feedback was positive, this…

  20. Case Study on the Impact of Technology on Incivility in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bartlett, Michelle E.; Bartlett, James E.

    2016-01-01

    A qualitative case study research design provided an in-depth perspective of the participants in relation to understanding the holistic impact technology has on the incivility of student-to-student and student-to-faculty interactions in higher education. The conceptual framework by Twale and Deluca (2008), based upon Salin's (2003) proposed model…

  1. Investigating the Affective Learning in a 3D Virtual Learning Environment: The Case Study of the Chatterdale Mystery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molka-Danielsen, Judith; Hadjistassou, Stella; Messl-Egghart, Gerhilde

    2016-01-01

    This research is motivated by the emergence of virtual technologies and their potential as engaging pedagogical tools for facilitating comprehension, interactions and collaborations for learning; and in particular as applied to learning second languages (L2). This paper provides a descriptive analysis of a case study that examines affective…

  2. The Informal Curriculum: A Case Study on Tutor Reflexivity, Corporate Agency and Medical Professionalism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahn, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Professionalism is a focus for student learning in many disciplines. It is known, furthermore, that interpersonal interactions between staff and students constitute an informal curriculum that has a significant influence on students. But the origins of this informal curriculum are not fully apparent. This article offers a multiple case study that…

  3. Implementing an Audience-Specific Small-Group Gatekeeper Training Program to Respond to Suicide Risk among College Students: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cimini, M. Dolores; Rivero, Estela M.; Bernier, Joseph E.; Stanley, Judith A.; Murray, Andrea D.; Anderson, Drew A.; Wright, Heidi R.; Bapat, Mona

    2014-01-01

    Objective: This case study evaluated the effectiveness of an audience-specific, single-session, small-group interactive gatekeeper training program conducted at a large northeastern public university. Participants: Participants were 335 faculty, staff, and students completing gatekeeper training programs tailored to their group needs. Methods:…

  4. Technology Integration in a One-to-One Laptop Initiative: A Multiple Case Study Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Marsha B.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this multiple case study analysis was to examine teachers' experiences and perceptions in order to understand what actions and interactions supported or inhibited technology integration during a one-to-one laptop initiative. This research sought to gain teachers' perspectives on the challenges and successes they faced as classroom…

  5. A Case Study of Israeli Higher-Education Institutes Sharing Scholarly Information with the Community via Social Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forkosh-Baruch, Alona; Hershkovitz, Arnon

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to empirically examine cases in which Social Networking Sites (SNS) are being utilized for scholarly purposes by higher-education institutes in Israel. The research addresses questions regarding content patterns, activity patterns, and interactivity within Facebook and Twitter accounts of these institutes. Research…

  6. Making the Instructional Curriculum as an Interactive, Contextualized Process: Case Studies of Seven ESOL Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wette, Rosemary

    2009-01-01

    This article reports on data from interpretive case studies of seven well-qualified, experienced teachers of adult ESOL, collected through weekly interviews and analysis of documents and materials produced over the duration of a whole course for each teacher. Teachers' knowledge and experience was apparent in their ability to conceptualize and…

  7. The Impact of Learner's Prior Knowledge on Their Use of Chemistry Computer Simulations: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Han-Chin; Andre, Thomas; Greenbowe, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    It is complicated to design a computer simulation that adapts to students with different characteristics. This study documented cases that show how college students' prior chemistry knowledge level affected their interaction with peers and their approach to solving problems with the use of computer simulations that were designed to learn…

  8. The Impact of Different Scoring Rubrics for Grading Virtual Patient-Based Exams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fors, Uno G. H.; Gunning, William T.

    2014-01-01

    Virtual patient cases (VPs) are used for healthcare education and assessment. Most VP systems track user interactions to be used for assessment. Few studies have investigated how virtual exam cases should be scored and graded. We have applied eight different scoring models on a data set from 154 students. Issues studied included the impact of…

  9. An Impact Analysis of Regional Industry-University Interactions: The Case of Industrial PhD Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gustavsson, Linda; Nuur, Cali; Söderlind, Johan

    2016-01-01

    The authors discuss Triple Helix collaborations in the context of regional competitiveness. Through an exploratory case study, they identify and analyse the impact of the establishment of industrial PhD schools for participating industry and universities. The study was conducted in Sweden in 2014 and focuses on three industry-university…

  10. An Impact Analysis of Regional Industry--University Interactions: The Case of Industrial PhD Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gustavsson, Linda; Nuur, Cali; Söderlind, Johan

    2016-01-01

    The authors discuss Triple Helix collaborations in the context of regional competitiveness. Through an exploratory case study, they identify and analyse the impact of the establishment of industrial PhD schools for participating industry and universities. The study was conducted in Sweden in 2014 and focuses on three industry--university…

  11. A Case Study of Undergraduate Women in a Leadership Development Program at a Coeducational Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haight, Lori P.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this interpretive case study was to explore the collegiate experiences of undergraduate women participating in a cohort women's-only leadership development program at a coeducational institution. Using a framework based on Kurt Lewin's psycho-social model of behavior being the function of a person interacting with the environment…

  12. The Pragmatics of Making Requests in the L2 Workplace: A Case Study of Language Socialization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Duanduan

    2000-01-01

    An ethnographic case study focuses on the pragmatics of higher-stakes social communications. Illustrates how, through exposure to social interactions and assistance from more competent peers, an immigrant woman came to internalize target language and cultural norms and develop communicative competence in English as a Second Language in the…

  13. Supporting More Inclusive Learning with Social Networking: A Case Study of Blended Socialised Design Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodrigo, Russell; Nguyen, Tam

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a qualitative case study of socialised blended learning, using a social network platform to investigate the level of literacies and interactions of students in a blended learning environment of traditional face-to-face design studio and online participatory teaching. Using student and staff feedback, the paper examines the use…

  14. Mixed Methods Case Study of Generational Patterns in Responses to Shame and Guilt

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ng, Tony

    2013-01-01

    Moral socialization and moral learning are antecedents of moral motivation. As many as 4 generations interact in workplace and education settings; hence, a deeper understanding of the moral motivation of members of those generations is needed. The purpose of this convergent mixed methods case study was to understand the moral motivation of 5…

  15. Bilingual Children in the Nursery: A Case Study of Samia at Home and at School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drury, Rose

    2000-01-01

    Presents case study of 4.5-year-old to highlight aspects of socialization for young bilingual children learning English as a second language. Identifies social rules/routines, child-adult interaction, and the stage of English language development as areas providing important educational insights. Highlights how children in early stages of second…

  16. Pair interactions in polyelectrolyte-nanoparticle systems: Influence of dielectric inhomogeneities and the partial dissociation of polymers and nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Pryamitsyn, Victor; Ganesan, Venkat

    2015-10-28

    We study the effective pair interactions between two charged spherical particles in polyelectrolyte solutions using polymer self-consistent field theory. In a recent study [V. Pryamitsyn and V. Ganesan, Macromolecules 47, 6095 (2015)], we considered a model in which the particles possess fixed charge density, the polymers contain a prespecified amount of dissociated charges and, the dielectric constant of the solution was assumed to be homogeneous in space and independent of the polymer concentration. In this article, we present results extending our earlier model to study situations in which either or both the particle and the polymers possess partially dissociable groups. Additionally, we also consider the case when the dielectric constant of the solution depends on the local concentration of the polymers and when the particle's dielectric constant is lower than that of the solvent. For each case, we quantify the polymer-mediated interactions between the particles as a function of the polymer concentrations and the degree of dissociation of the polymer and particles. Consistent with the results of our previous study, we observe that the polymer-mediated interparticle interactions consist of a short-range attraction and a long-range repulsion. The partial dissociablity of the polymer and particles was seen to have a strong influence on the strength of the repulsive portion of the interactions. Rendering the dielectric permittivity to be inhomogeneous has an even stronger effect on the repulsive interactions and results in changes to the qualitative nature of interactions in some parametric ranges.

  17. Select host cell proteins coelute with monoclonal antibodies in protein A chromatography.

    PubMed

    Nogal, Bartek; Chhiba, Krishan; Emery, Jefferson C

    2012-01-01

    The most significant factor contributing to the presence of host cell protein (HCP) impurities in Protein A chromatography eluates is their association with the product monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been reported previously, and it has been suggested that more efficacious column washes may be developed by targeting the disruption of the mAbs-HCP interaction. However, characterization of this interaction is not straight forward as it is likely to involve multiple proteins and/or types of interaction. This work is an attempt to begin to understand the contribution of HCP subpopulations and/or mAb interaction propensity to the variability in HCP levels in the Protein A eluate. We performed a flowthrough (FT) recycling study with product respiking using two antibody molecules of apparently different HCP interaction propensities. In each case, the ELISA assay showed depletion of select subpopulations of HCP in Protein A eluates in subsequent column runs, while the feedstock HCP in the FTs remained unchanged from its native harvested cell culture fluid (HCCF) levels. In a separate study, the final FT from each molecule's recycling study was cross-spiked with various mAbs. In this case, Protein A eluate levels remained low for all but two molecules which were known as having high apparent HCP interaction propensity. The results of these studies suggest that mAbs may preferentially bind to select subsets of HCPs, and the degree of interaction and/or identity of the associated HCPs may vary depending on the mAb. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

  18. A prospective study of XRCC1 haplotypes and their interaction with plasma carotenoids on breast cancer risk

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

    Mohrenweiser, H W; Han, J; Hankinson, S E

    2004-01-15

    The XRCC1 protein is involved in the base excision repair pathway through interactions with other proteins. Polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene may lead to variation in repair proficiency and confer inherited predisposition to cancer. We prospectively assessed the associations between polymorphisms and haplotypes in XRCC1 and breast cancer risk in a nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study (incident cases, n 1004; controls, n 1385). We further investigated gene-environment interactions between the XRCC1 variations and plasma carotenoids on breast cancer risk. We genotyped four haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms Arg {sup 194}Trp, C26602T, Arg{sup 399}Gln, and Gln{sup 632}Gln in themore » XRCC1 gene. Five common haplotypes accounted for 99% of the chromosomes in the present study population of mostly Caucasian women. We observed a marginally significant reduction in the risk of breast cancer among {sup 194}Trp carriers. As compared with no-carriers, women with at least one {sup 194}Trp allele had a multivariate odds ratio of 0.79 (95% of the confidence interval, 0.60 -1.04). The inferred haplotype harboring the {sup 194}Trp allele was more common in controls than in cases (6.6 versus 5.3%, P 0.07). We observed that the Arg {sup 194}Trp modified the inverse associations of plasma -carotene level (P, ordinal test for interaction 0.02) and plasma -carotene level (P, ordinal test for interaction 0.003) with breast cancer risk. No suggestion of an interaction was observed between the Arg {sup 194}Trp and cigarette smoking. Our results suggest an inverse association between XRCC1 {sup 194}Trp allele and breast cancer risk. The findings of the effect modification of the Arg {sup 194}Trp on the relations of plasma -and -carotene levels with breast cancer risk suggest a potential protective effect of carotenoids in breast carcinogenesis by preventing oxidative DNA damage.« less

  19. Factors influencing flow steadiness in laminar boundary layer shock interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tumuklu, Ozgur; Levin, Deborah A.; Gimelshein, Sergey F.; Austin, Joanna M.

    2016-11-01

    The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method has been used to model laminar shock wave boundary interactions of hypersonic flow over a 30/55-deg double-wedge and "tick-shaped" model configurations studied in the Hypervelocity Expansion Tube facility and T-ADFA free-piston shock tunnel, respectively. The impact of thermochemical effects on these interactions by changing the chemical composition from nitrogen to air as well as argon for a stagnation enthalpy of 8.0 MJ/kg flow are investigated using the 2-D wedge model. The simulations are found to reproduce many of the classic features related to Edney Type V strong shock interactions that include the attached, oblique shock formed over the first wedge, the detached bow shock from the second wedge, the separation zone, and the separation and reattachment shocks that cause complex features such as the triple point for both cases. However, results of a reacting air flow case indicate that the size of the separation length, and the movement of the triple point toward to the leading edge is much less than the nitrogen case.

  20. Effective interaction of electroweak-interacting dark matter with Higgs boson and its phenomenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hisano, Junji; Kobayashi, Daiki; Mori, Naoya; Senaha, Eibun

    2015-03-01

    We study phenomenology of electroweak-interacting fermionic dark matter (DM) with a mass of O (100) GeV. Constructing the effective Lagrangian that describes the interactions between the Higgs boson and the SU (2)L isospin multiplet fermion, we evaluate the electric dipole moment (EDM) of electron, the signal strength of Higgs boson decay to two photons and the spin-independent elastic-scattering cross section with proton. As representative cases, we consider the SU (2)L triplet fermions with zero/nonzero hypercharges and SU (2)L doublet fermion. It is found that the electron EDM gives stringent constraints on those model parameter spaces. In the cases of the triplet fermion with zero hypercharge and the doublet fermion, the Higgs signal strength does not deviate from the standard model prediction by more than a few % once the current DM direct detection constraint is taken into account, even if the CP violation is suppressed. On the contrary, O (10- 20)% deviation may occur in the case of the triplet fermion with nonzero hypercharge. Our representative scenarios may be tested by the future experiments.

  1. Upward magnetic relaxation in self organizing Fe nanoparticle system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pal, Satyendra Prakash; Sharma, Gyaneshwar; Sen, P.

    2018-04-01

    Study of the thermoremanent magnetic relaxation behavior of Fe nanoparticles and its nanocomposite with activated carbon has been systematically performed. Magnetic relaxation data shows the spontaneous collective periodic oscillations of the spins superimposed on the magnetic decay curves. At sufficiently high temperature, due to thermal noise induced ordering of the magnetic moment an inflexion with an increase in the absolute value of the magnetization takes place. Due to insufficient interaction on account of dilution in the case of nanocomposite, the spin - spin interaction which was responsible for magnetic ordering in the case of bare Fe nanoparticles, collective oscillations of the system do not sustain upto longer times in the case of carbon diluted system.

  2. A Model for Student Adoption of Online Interactivity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karamanos, Neophytos; Gibbs, Paul

    2012-01-01

    Acknowledging the general difficulty of new e-learning pedagogical approaches in achieving wide acceptance and use, the study described in this article examines a class of MBA students' adoption of a proposed online interactive learning environment. To this end, a web-based, case-based constructivist learning environment was developed, embedding…

  3. Learning Difficulty and Learner Identity: A Symbiotic Relationship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirano, Eliana

    2009-01-01

    This paper reports on a longitudinal case study of an adult EFL learner who perceived himself as having difficulty learning English. Both learning difficulty and learner identity are viewed as being constructed in discursive interactions throughout one's life and, hence, amenable to reconstruction. Data collected from classroom interactions,…

  4. Experiential Learning and Learning Environments: The Case of Active Listening Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huerta-Wong, Juan Enrique; Schoech, Richard

    2010-01-01

    Social work education research frequently has suggested an interaction between teaching techniques and learning environments. However, this interaction has never been tested. This study compared virtual and face-to-face learning environments and included active listening concepts to test whether the effectiveness of learning environments depends…

  5. Learning Is Moving in New Ways: The Ecological Dynamics of Mathematics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrahamson, Dor; Sánchez-García, Raúl

    2016-01-01

    Whereas emerging technologies, such as touchscreen tablets, are bringing sensorimotor interaction back into mathematics learning activities, existing educational theory is not geared to inform or analyze passages from action to concept. We present case studies of tutor-student behaviors in an embodied-interaction learning environment, the…

  6. A Suggested Model for a Working Cyberschool.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Javid, Mahnaz A.

    2000-01-01

    Suggests a model for a working cyberschool based on a case study of Kamiak Cyberschool (Washington), a technology-driven public high school. Topics include flexible hours; one-to-one interaction with teachers; a supportive school environment; use of computers, interactive media, and online resources; and self-paced, project-based learning.…

  7. Formulating qualitative features using interactive visualization for analysis of multivariate spatiotemporal data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Porter, M.; Hill, M. C.; Pierce, S. A.; Gil, Y.; Pennington, D. D.

    2017-12-01

    DiscoverWater is a web-based visualization tool developed to enable the visual representation of data, and thus, aid scientific and societal understanding of hydrologic systems. Open data sources are coalesced to, for example, illustrate the impacts on streamflow of irrigation withdrawals. Scientists and stakeholders are informed through synchronized time-series data plots that correlate multiple spatiotemporal datasets and an interactive time-evolving map that provides a spatial analytical context. Together, these components elucidate trends so that the user can try to envision the relations between groundwater-surface water interactions, the impacts of pumping on these interactions, and the interplay of climate. Aligning data in this manner has the capacity for interdisciplinary knowledge discovery and motivates dialogue about system processes that we seek to enhance through qualitative features informed through quantitative models. DiscoverWater and its connection is demonstrated using two field cases. First, it is used to visualize data sets from the High Plains aquifer, where reservoir- and groundwater-supported irrigation has affected the Arkansas River in western Kansas. Second, data and model results from Barton Springs segment of the Edwards aquifer in Texas reveal the effects of regional pumping on this important urbanizing aquifer system. Identifying what is interesting about the data and the modeled system in the two different case studies is a step towards moving typically static visualization capabilities to an adaptive framework. Additionally, the dashboard interface incorporates both quantitative and qualitative information about distinctive case studies in a machine-readable form, such that a catalog of qualitative models can capture subject matter expertise alongside associated datasets. As the catalog is expanded to include other case studies, the collection has potential to establish a standard framework able to inform intelligent system reasoning.

  8. Exploring gene-culture interactions: insights from handedness, sexual selection and niche-construction case studies.

    PubMed

    Laland, Kevin N

    2008-11-12

    Genes and culture represent two streams of inheritance that for millions of years have flowed down the generations and interacted. Genetic propensities, expressed throughout development, influence what cultural organisms learn. Culturally transmitted information, expressed in behaviour and artefacts, spreads through populations, modifying selection acting back on populations. Drawing on three case studies, I will illustrate how this gene-culture coevolution has played a critical role in human evolution. These studies explore (i) the evolution of handedness, (ii) sexual selection with a culturally transmitted mating preference, and (iii) cultural niche construction and human evolution. These analyses shed light on how genes and culture shape each other, and on the significance of feedback mechanisms between biological and cultural processes.

  9. The Multiscale Interaction of Vibrational Energy Transfer and Turbulent Combustion in Supersonic Flows

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-04-04

    cases for this study were subsonic. For all cases the stoichiometric mixture fraction, Zstoich, is relatively small and so the flame resides mainly on ...spectra rapidly collected at one location near the center of the shear layer. Samples were taken first with the air-air mixing case presented above and...has the same vibrationally participating species on both sides of the layer. High-speed jet flame experiments In the following study , the same

  10. Multidimensional joint coupling: a case study visualisation approach to movement coordination and variability.

    PubMed

    Irwin, Gareth; Kerwin, David G; Williams, Genevieve; Van Emmerik, Richard E A; Newell, Karl M; Hamill, Joseph

    2018-06-18

    A case study visualisation approach to examining the coordination and variability of multiple interacting segments is presented using a whole-body gymnastic skill as the task example. One elite male gymnast performed 10 trials of 10 longswings whilst three-dimensional locations of joint centres were tracked using a motion analysis system. Segment angles were used to define coupling between the arms and trunk, trunk and thighs and thighs and shanks. Rectified continuous relative phase profiles for each interacting couple for 80 longswings were produced. Graphical representations of coordination couplings are presented that include the traditional single coupling, followed by the relational dynamics of two couplings and finally three couplings simultaneously plotted. This method highlights the power of visualisation of movement dynamics and identifies properties of the global interacting segmental couplings that a more formal analysis may not reveal. Visualisation precedes and informs the appropriate qualitative and quantitative analysis of the dynamics.

  11. Birth weight and later life adherence to unhealthy lifestyles in predicting type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Li, Yanping; Ley, Sylvia H; Tobias, Deirdre K; Chiuve, Stephanie E; VanderWeele, Tyler J; Rich-Edwards, Janet W; Curhan, Gary C; Willett, Walter C; Manson, JoAnn E; Hu, Frank B; Qi, Lu

    2015-07-21

    To prospectively assess the joint association of birth weight and established lifestyle risk factors in adulthood with incident type 2 diabetes and to quantitatively decompose the attributing effects to birth weight only, to adulthood lifestyle only, and to their interaction. Prospective cohort study. Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2010), Nurses' Health Study (1980-2010), and Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2011). 149,794 men and women without diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at baseline. Incident cases of type 2 diabetes, identified through self report and validated by a supplementary questionnaire. Unhealthy lifestyle was defined on the basis of body mass index, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and the alternate healthy eating index. During 20-30 years of follow-up, 11,709 new cases of type 2 diabetes were documented. The multivariate adjusted relative risk of type 2 diabetes was 1.45 (95% confidence interval 1.32 to 1.59) per kg lower birth weight and 2.10 (1.71 to 2.58) per unhealthy lifestyle factor. The relative risk of type 2 diabetes associated with a combination of per kg lower birth weight and per unhealthy lifestyle factor was 2.86 (2.26 to 3.63), which was more than the addition of the risk associated with each individual factor, indicating a significant interaction on an additive scale (P for interaction < 0.001). The attributable proportions of joint effect were 22% (95% confidence interval 18.3% to 26.4%) to lower birth weight alone, 59% (57.1% to 61.5%) to unhealthy lifestyle alone, and 18% (13.9% to 21.3%) to their interaction. Most cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented by the adoption of a healthier lifestyle, but simultaneous improvement of both prenatal and postnatal factors could further prevent additional cases. © Li et al 2015.

  12. Birth weight and later life adherence to unhealthy lifestyles in predicting type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Ley, Sylvia H; Tobias, Deirdre K; Chiuve, Stephanie E; VanderWeele, Tyler J; Rich-Edwards, Janet W; Curhan, Gary C; Willett, Walter C; Manson, JoAnn E; Hu, Frank B

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To prospectively assess the joint association of birth weight and established lifestyle risk factors in adulthood with incident type 2 diabetes and to quantitatively decompose the attributing effects to birth weight only, to adulthood lifestyle only, and to their interaction. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2010), Nurses’ Health Study (1980-2010), and Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-2011). Participants 149 794 men and women without diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at baseline. Main outcome measure Incident cases of type 2 diabetes, identified through self report and validated by a supplementary questionnaire. Unhealthy lifestyle was defined on the basis of body mass index, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and the alternate healthy eating index. Results During 20-30 years of follow-up, 11 709 new cases of type 2 diabetes were documented. The multivariate adjusted relative risk of type 2 diabetes was 1.45 (95% confidence interval 1.32 to 1.59) per kg lower birth weight and 2.10 (1.71 to 2.58) per unhealthy lifestyle factor. The relative risk of type 2 diabetes associated with a combination of per kg lower birth weight and per unhealthy lifestyle factor was 2.86 (2.26 to 3.63), which was more than the addition of the risk associated with each individual factor, indicating a significant interaction on an additive scale (P for interaction<0.001). The attributable proportions of joint effect were 22% (95% confidence interval 18.3% to 26.4%) to lower birth weight alone, 59% (57.1% to 61.5%) to unhealthy lifestyle alone, and 18% (13.9% to 21.3%) to their interaction. Conclusion Most cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented by the adoption of a healthier lifestyle, but simultaneous improvement of both prenatal and postnatal factors could further prevent additional cases. PMID:26199273

  13. In vivo versus simulation training: an interactional analysis of range and type of training exemplars.

    PubMed Central

    Neef, N A; Lensbower, J; Hockersmith, I; DePalma, V; Gray, K

    1990-01-01

    We analyzed the role of the range of variation in training exemplars as a contextual variable influencing the effects of in vivo versus simulation training in producing generalized responding. Four mentally retarded adults received single case instruction, followed by general case instruction, on washing machine and dryer use; one task was taught using actual appliances (in vivo) and the other using simulation. In vivo and simulation training were counterbalanced across the two tasks for the 2 subject pairs, using a within-subjects Latin square design. With both paradigms, more errors were made after single case than after general case instruction during probe sessions with untrained washing machines and dryers. These results suggest that generalization errors were affected by the range of training exemplars and not by the use of simulated versus natural training stimuli. Although both general case simulation and general case in vivo training facilitated generalized performance of laundry skills, an analysis of training time and costs indicated that the former approach was more efficient. The study illustrates a methodology for studying complex interactions and guiding decisions on the optimal use of instructional alternatives. PMID:2074236

  14. Building Interactional Space in an ESL Classroom to Foster Bilingual Identity and Linguistic Repertoires

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Irene

    2015-01-01

    This article draws on data from a yearlong case study of a Mexican American ESL teacher's practice in a K-5 school in the southeastern United States. The study examines how the teacher established bilingual interactional space in her ESL pullout class consisting of six 9- to 11-year old students of Mexican descent. The analysis shows the ways in…

  15. The Role of Different Types of Feedback in the Reciprocal Interaction of Teaching Performance and Self-Efficacy Belief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akkuzu, Nalan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the role of feedback based on self-efficacy belief sources in the reciprocal interaction of teaching performance and self-efficacy beliefs. A single case study design was employed to address and began to bridge the gap in our understanding of the relationship between feedback, self-efficacy belief and…

  16. Flexible Parsing.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-06-30

    Machine Studies .. 14. Minton, S. N., Hayes, P. J., and Fain, J. E. Controlling Search in Flexible Parsing. Proc. Ninth Int. Jt. Conf. on Artificial...interaction through the COUSIN command interface", International Journal of Man- Machine Studies , Vol. 19, No. 3, September 1983, pp. 285-305. 8...in a gracefully interacting user interface," "Dynamic strategy selection in flexible parsing," and "Parsing spoken language: a semantic case frame

  17. The Impact of Ideology on the Interaction between Tutors and Students in the Education of Industrial Design: A Case Study in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsiao, Hsi-Chi; Cheng, Yung-Shin

    2006-01-01

    This paper applies the concept of ideology to the field of design education. Specifically, this study explores the potential impact of ideology on the interaction between tutors and students involved in the education of industrial design in Taiwan. Particular emphasis is placed upon the instruction of the core curriculum. The present investigation…

  18. Musical Learning in a Cross-Cultural Setting: A Case Study of Gambian and Swedish Adolescents in Interaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mars, Annette; Saether, Eva; Folkestad, Göran

    2015-01-01

    This article presents a study investigating how adolescents from Sweden and the Gambia learned music while interacting with each other in a concert project conducted in the Gambia. The main aim is to explore in what ways adolescents acquire music and to analyse it in a context of cultural identity. A sociocultural and ethnomusicological approach…

  19. Contact interaction between a layered foundation and a system of annular punches with complex base shapes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kazakov, K. E.; Kurdina, S. P.

    2018-04-01

    We study the contact interaction between a system of rigid annular punches and a viscoelastic two-layer foundation. The upper layer is thin compared with the punch width. We study the case where the punch shapes are described by a rapidly varying functions. We use special methods for constructing the solutions, because the standard methods are inefficient.

  20. Managing Discourse in Intercultural Business Email Interactions: A Case Study of a British and Italian Business Transaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Incelli, Ersilia

    2013-01-01

    This paper investigates native speaker (NS) and non-native speaker (NNS) interaction in the workplace in computer-mediated communication (CMC). Based on empirical data from a 10-month email exchange between a medium-sized British company and a small-sized Italian company, the general aim of this study is to explore the nature of the intercultural…

  1. Gene-Gene and Gene-Environment Interactions in Ulcerative Colitis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Ming-Hsi; Fiocchi, Claudio; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Ripke, Stephan; Kamboh, M. Ilyas; Rebert, Nancy; Duerr, Richard H.; Achkar, Jean-Paul

    2014-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified at least 133 ulcerative colitis (UC) associated loci. The role of genetic factors in clinical practice is not clearly defined. The relevance of genetic variants to disease pathogenesis is still uncertain because of not characterized gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. We examined the predictive value of combining the 133 UC risk loci with genetic interactions in an ongoing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) GWAS. The Wellcome Trust Case-Control Consortium (WTCCC) IBD GWAS was used as a replication cohort. We applied logic regression (LR), a novel adaptive regression methodology, to search for high order interactions. Exploratory genotype correlations with UC sub-phenotypes (extent of disease, need of surgery, age of onset, extra-intestinal manifestations and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)) were conducted. The combination of 133 UC loci yielded good UC risk predictability (area under the curve [AUC] of 0.86). A higher cumulative allele score predicted higher UC risk. Through LR, several lines of evidence for genetic interactions were identified and successfully replicated in the WTCCC cohort. The genetic interactions combined with the gene-smoking interaction significantly improved predictability in the model (AUC, from 0.86 to 0.89, P=3.26E-05). Explained UC variance increased from 37% to 42% after adding the interaction terms. A within case analysis found suggested genetic association with PSC. Our study demonstrates that the LR methodology allows the identification and replication of high order genetic interactions in UC GWAS datasets. UC risk can be predicted by a 133 loci and improved by adding gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. PMID:24241240

  2. Supporting High School Student Accomplishment of Biology Content Using Interactive Computer-Based Curricular Case Studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliver, Joseph Steve; Hodges, Georgia W.; Moore, James N.; Cohen, Allan; Jang, Yoonsun; Brown, Scott A.; Kwon, Kyung A.; Jeong, Sophia; Raven, Sara P.; Jurkiewicz, Melissa; Robertson, Tom P.

    2017-11-01

    Research into the efficacy of modules featuring dynamic visualizations, case studies, and interactive learning environments is reported here. This quasi-experimental 2-year study examined the implementation of three interactive computer-based instructional modules within a curricular unit covering cellular biology concepts in an introductory high school biology course. The modules featured dynamic visualizations and focused on three processes that underlie much of cellular biology: diffusion, osmosis, and filtration. Pre-tests and post-tests were used to assess knowledge growth across the unit. A mixture Rasch model analysis of the post-test data revealed two groups of students. In both years of the study, a large proportion of the students were classified as low-achieving based on their pre-test scores. The use of the modules in the Cell Unit in year 2 was associated with a much larger proportion of the students having transitioned to the high-achieving group than in year 1. In year 2, the same teachers taught the same concepts as year 1 but incorporated the interactive computer-based modules into the cell biology unit of the curriculum. In year 2, 67% of students initially classified as low-achieving were classified as high-achieving at the end of the unit. Examination of responses to assessments embedded within the modules as well as post-test items linked transition to the high-achieving group with correct responses to items that both referenced the visualization and the contextualization of that visualization within the module. This study points to the importance of dynamic visualization within contextualized case studies as a means to support student knowledge acquisition in biology.

  3. Susceptibility based upon Chemical Interaction with Disease ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    One of the challenges facing toxicology and risk assessment is that numerous host and environmental factors may modulate vulnerability and risk. An area of increasing interest is the potential for chemicals to interact with background aging and disease processes, an interaction that may yield cumulative damage, altered chemical potency, and increased disease incidence. This review outlines the interactions possible between chemicals and background disease and identifies the type of information needed to evaluate such interactions. Key among these is the existence of a clinically relevant and easy to measure biomarker of disease risk which allows the identification of vulnerable individuals based upon the level of risk biomarker. The impact of toxic chemicals on this biomarker can then be used to predict how the chemical modifies disease risk as long as related mechanistic and toxicological data are consistent with toxicant effect on the disease process. Several case studies are briefly presented which describe the toxic chemical, the clinical biomarker and the impacted disease including: fine particulate matter/decreased heart rate variability/increased cardiopulmonary events; cadmium/decreased glomerular filtration rate/increased chronic kidney disease; methyl mercury/decreased paraoxonase-1/increased cardiovascular risk; trichloroethylene/increased anti-nuclear antibody/autoimmunity; dioxin/increased CYP1A1/hypertension. These case studies point o

  4. Inflammasomes make the case for littermate-controlled experimental design in studying host-microbiota interactions.

    PubMed

    Mamantopoulos, Michail; Ronchi, Francesca; McCoy, Kathy D; Wullaert, Andy

    2018-04-19

    Several human diseases are thought to evolve due to a combination of host genetic mutations and environmental factors that include alterations in intestinal microbiota composition termed dysbiosis. Although in some cases, host genetics may shape the gut microbiota and enable it to provoke disease, experimentally disentangling cause and consequence in such host-microbe interactions requires strict control over non-genetic confounding factors. Mouse genetic studies previously proposed Nlrp6/ASC inflammasomes as innate immunity regulators of the intestinal ecosystem. In contrast, using littermate-controlled experimental setups, we recently showed that Nlrp6/ASC inflammasomes do not alter the gut microbiota composition. Our analyses indicated that maternal inheritance and long-term separate housing are non-genetic confounders that preclude the use of non-littermate mice when analyzing host genetic effects on intestinal ecology. Here, we summarize and discuss our gut microbiota analyses in inflammasome-deficient mice for illustrating the importance of littermate experimental design in studying host-microbiota interactions.

  5. Socio-Scientific Issues in Health Contexts: Treading a rugged terrain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung Lee, Yeung

    2012-02-01

    The science-technology-society agenda has evolved over time to meet emerging educational aims in the light of changes in society and the environment. There is increasing emphasis on students' decision-making on socio-scientific issues (SSIs) not only to highlight the intricate relationships between science, technology, society, and the environment, but also to allow students to incorporate multiple viewpoints into the development of critical reasoning and responsible citizenship. Most research emphases have been on the rationality of reasoning rather than on the internal psychological context that underpins reasoning. This paper explores how these various aspects of reasoning interact in decision-making on SSIs in health contexts through case studies of recent issues in this field. The case studies reveal the negotiation of multiple influences in addressing SSIs in health contexts and the potential interactions between the psychological processes of individuals, science, and sociocultural perspectives. A tentative model to address these interactions emerges from this explorative study and has implications for the use of health-related issues in promoting SSI education.

  6. Modeling the formation of cell-matrix adhesions on a single 3D matrix fiber.

    PubMed

    Escribano, J; Sánchez, M T; García-Aznar, J M

    2015-11-07

    Cell-matrix adhesions are crucial in different biological processes like tissue morphogenesis, cell motility, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These interactions that link cell cytoskeleton and matrix fibers are built through protein clutches, generally known as adhesion complexes. The adhesion formation process has been deeply studied in two-dimensional (2D) cases; however, the knowledge is limited for three-dimensional (3D) cases. In this work, we simulate different local extracellular matrix properties in order to unravel the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the formation of cell-matrix adhesions in 3D. We aim to study the mechanical interaction of these biological structures through a three dimensional discrete approach, reproducing the transmission pattern force between the cytoskeleton and a single extracellular matrix fiber. This numerical model provides a discrete analysis of the proteins involved including spatial distribution, interaction between them, and study of the different phenomena, such as protein clutches unbinding or protein unfolding. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Quantitative Radiology: Automated CT Liver Volumetry Compared With Interactive Volumetry and Manual Volumetry

    PubMed Central

    Suzuki, Kenji; Epstein, Mark L.; Kohlbrenner, Ryan; Garg, Shailesh; Hori, Masatoshi; Oto, Aytekin; Baron, Richard L.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate automated CT volumetry in the assessment of living-donor livers for transplant and to compare this technique with software-aided interactive volumetry and manual volumetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hepatic CT scans of 18 consecutively registered prospective liver donors were obtained under a liver transplant protocol. Automated liver volumetry was developed on the basis of 3D active-contour segmentation. To establish reference standard liver volumes, a radiologist manually traced the contour of the liver on each CT slice. We compared the results obtained with automated and interactive volumetry with those obtained with the reference standard for this study, manual volumetry. RESULTS The average interactive liver volume was 1553 ± 343 cm3, and the average automated liver volume was 1520 ± 378 cm3. The average manual volume was 1486 ± 343 cm3. Both interactive and automated volumetric results had excellent agreement with manual volumetric results (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.96 and 0.94). The average user time for automated volumetry was 0.57 ± 0.06 min/case, whereas those for interactive and manual volumetry were 27.3 ± 4.6 and 39.4 ± 5.5 min/case, the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Both interactive and automated volumetry are accurate for measuring liver volume with CT, but automated volumetry is substantially more efficient. PMID:21940543

  8. Quantitative radiology: automated CT liver volumetry compared with interactive volumetry and manual volumetry.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Kenji; Epstein, Mark L; Kohlbrenner, Ryan; Garg, Shailesh; Hori, Masatoshi; Oto, Aytekin; Baron, Richard L

    2011-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate automated CT volumetry in the assessment of living-donor livers for transplant and to compare this technique with software-aided interactive volumetry and manual volumetry. Hepatic CT scans of 18 consecutively registered prospective liver donors were obtained under a liver transplant protocol. Automated liver volumetry was developed on the basis of 3D active-contour segmentation. To establish reference standard liver volumes, a radiologist manually traced the contour of the liver on each CT slice. We compared the results obtained with automated and interactive volumetry with those obtained with the reference standard for this study, manual volumetry. The average interactive liver volume was 1553 ± 343 cm(3), and the average automated liver volume was 1520 ± 378 cm(3). The average manual volume was 1486 ± 343 cm(3). Both interactive and automated volumetric results had excellent agreement with manual volumetric results (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.96 and 0.94). The average user time for automated volumetry was 0.57 ± 0.06 min/case, whereas those for interactive and manual volumetry were 27.3 ± 4.6 and 39.4 ± 5.5 min/case, the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Both interactive and automated volumetry are accurate for measuring liver volume with CT, but automated volumetry is substantially more efficient.

  9. CASE STUDY RESEARCH: THE VIEW FROM COMPLEXITY SCIENCE

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Ruth; Crabtree, Benjamin F.; Steele, David J.; McDaniel, Reuben R.

    2005-01-01

    Many wonder why there has been so little change in care quality, despite substantial quality improvement efforts. Questioning why current approaches are not making true changes draws attention to the organization as a source of answers. We bring together the case study method and complexity science to suggest new ways to study health care organizations. The case study provides a method for studying systems. Complexity theory suggests that keys to understanding the system are contained in patterns of relationships and interactions among the system’s agents. We propose some of the “objects” of study that are implicated by complexity theory and discuss how studying these using case methods may provide useful maps of the system. We offer complexity theory, partnered with case study method, as a place to begin the daunting task of studying a system as an integrated whole. PMID:15802542

  10. Validation of High-Speed Turbulent Boundary Layer and Shock-Boundary Layer Interaction Computations with the OVERFLOW Code

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oliver, A. B.; Lillard, R. P.; Blaisdell, G. A.; Lyrintizis, A. S.

    2006-01-01

    The capability of the OVERFLOW code to accurately compute high-speed turbulent boundary layers and turbulent shock-boundary layer interactions is being evaluated. Configurations being investigated include a Mach 2.87 flat plate to compare experimental velocity profiles and boundary layer growth, a Mach 6 flat plate to compare experimental surface heat transfer,a direct numerical simulation (DNS) at Mach 2.25 for turbulent quantities, and several Mach 3 compression ramps to compare computations of shock-boundary layer interactions to experimental laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) data and hot-wire data. The present paper describes outlines the study and presents preliminary results for two of the flat plate cases and two small-angle compression corner test cases.

  11. Computer and laboratory simulation of interactions between spacecraft surfaces and charged-particle environments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stevens, N. J.

    1979-01-01

    Cases where the charged-particle environment acts on the spacecraft (e.g., spacecraft charging phenomena) and cases where a system on the spacecraft causes the interaction (e.g., high voltage space power systems) are considered. Both categories were studied in ground simulation facilities to understand the processes involved and to measure the pertinent parameters. Computer simulations are based on the NASA Charging Analyzer Program (NASCAP) code. Analytical models are developed in this code and verified against the experimental data. Extrapolation from the small test samples to space conditions are made with this code. Typical results from laboratory and computer simulations are presented for both types of interactions. Extrapolations from these simulations to performance in space environments are discussed.

  12. Interactional synchrony and the origins of infant-mother attachment: a replication study.

    PubMed

    Isabella, R A; Belsky, J

    1991-04-01

    This study sought to replicate previous work in testing the hypothesis that interactions of dyads developing secure attachment relationships would be characterized by disproportionately synchronous and those of dyads developing insecure relationships by disproportionately asynchronous exchanges. Additionally, a priori hypotheses were tested regarding expected differences in the interactional histories of dyads developing insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant attachments. Results supported the study's predictions in all cases. Dyads developing secure attachments were observed at 3 and 9 months to interact in a disproportionately well-timed, reciprocal, and mutually rewarding manner; dyads developing insecure relationships were disproportionately characterized by interactions in which mothers were minimally involved, unresponsive to infant signals, or intrusive. Within the insecure group, as predicted, 3- and 9-month interactions of avoidant dyads were characterized by maternal intrusiveness and overstimulation; resistant dyads were characterized at both ages by poorly coordinated interactions in which mothers were underinvolved and inconsistent. These findings are discussed as they lend to a growing body of evidence concerning associations between differential interactional histories and attachment quality.

  13. A study of the vortex structures around circular cylinder mounted on vertical heated plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malah, Hamid; Chumakov, Yurii S.; Levchenya, Alexander M.

    2018-05-01

    In recent years, studies of natural convection boundary layer interacting with obstacles draw much of attention, because of its practical applications. Pressure gradient resulting from this interaction leads to separation of the boundary layer. The formation of vortex structure around obstacle is characteristic to any kind of convection flow. In this paper, we describe the formation of three-dimensional vortex structure for the case of natural convection flow around the circular cylinder mounted on vertical heated plate. Navier-Stokes equations were used for numerical computations. The results proved the presence of a horseshoe vortex system in the case of natural convection flow as in the forced convection flow.

  14. Non-verbal Full Body Emotional and Social Interaction: A Case Study on Multimedia Systems for Active Music Listening

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Camurri, Antonio

    Research on HCI and multimedia systems for art and entertainment based on non-verbal, full-body, emotional and social interaction is the main topic of this paper. A short review of previous research projects in this area at our centre are presented, to introduce the main issues discussed in the paper. In particular, a case study based on novel paradigms of social active music listening is presented. Active music listening experience enables users to dynamically mould expressive performance of music and of audiovisual content. This research is partially supported by the 7FP EU-ICT Project SAME (Sound and Music for Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere, Every Way, www.sameproject.eu).

  15. Systems engineering interfaces: A model based approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fosse, E.; Delp, C. L.

    The engineering of interfaces is a critical function of the discipline of Systems Engineering. Included in interface engineering are instances of interaction. Interfaces provide the specifications of the relevant properties of a system or component that can be connected to other systems or components while instances of interaction are identified in order to specify the actual integration to other systems or components. Current Systems Engineering practices rely on a variety of documents and diagrams to describe interface specifications and instances of interaction. The SysML[1] specification provides a precise model based representation for interfaces and interface instance integration. This paper will describe interface engineering as implemented by the Operations Revitalization Task using SysML, starting with a generic case and culminating with a focus on a Flight System to Ground Interaction. The reusability of the interface engineering approach presented as well as its extensibility to more complex interfaces and interactions will be shown. Model-derived tables will support the case studies shown and are examples of model-based documentation products.

  16. Problem-Based Learning Spanning Real and Virtual Words: A Case Study in Second Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Good, Judith; Howland, Katherine; Thackray, Liz

    2008-01-01

    There is a growing use of immersive virtual environments for educational purposes. However, much of this activity is not yet documented in the public domain, or is descriptive rather than analytical. This paper presents a case study in which university students were tasked with building an interactive learning experience using Second Life as a…

  17. Breaking Bread and Breaking Boundaries: A Case Study on Increasing Organizational Learning Opportunities and Fostering Communities of Practice through Sharing Meals in an Academic Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watland, Kathleen Hanold; Hallenbeck, Stephen M.; Kresse, William J.

    2008-01-01

    Organizations are increasingly interested in creating learning opportunities for their employees. This article explores and describes how a university planned to increase employee interactions and organizational learning opportunities by fostering emergence of communities of practice. In this case study, Saint Xavier University offered an academic…

  18. Distribution of sediment measurements in Lake Michigan as a case study: Implications for estimating sediment and water interactions in eutrophication and bioaccumulation models

    EPA Science Inventory

    Lake Michigan, the sixth largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, was utilized as a water body for assessment within a case study. Field data collected at 116 sampling sites throughout the lake in an intensive monitoring effort were utilized for evaluation of the di...

  19. On the Diverse Outcome of Communication Partner Training of Significant Others of People with Aphasia: An Experimental Study of Six Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eriksson, Karin; Hartelius, Lena; Saldert, Charlotta

    2016-01-01

    Background: Communication partner training (CPT) has been shown to improve the communicative environment of people with aphasia. Interaction-focused training is one type of training that provides an individualized intervention to participants. Although shown to be effective, outcomes have mostly been evaluated in non-experimental case studies.…

  20. Interethnic Relations: A Case Study of Senior Students at an Australian High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willoughby, Louisa

    2007-01-01

    This article provides a case study of the relevance of ethnicity in senior student's social interactions at an Australian high school where over 90 per cent of the students speak a language other than English (LOTE) at home. Drawing on ethnographic methods it explores students' own views on the role of ethnic background in shaping who they are…

  1. The Use of Scaffolding and Interactive Learning Strategies in Online Courses for Working Nurses: Implications for Adult and Online Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salyers, Vince; Carter, Lorraine; Cairns, Steve; Durrer, Luke

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews the foundational literature of contemporary e-learning, with a focus on scaffolding, instructional design, and engagement. These concepts are then considered in two limited case studies, each involving e-learning and adult learners--in particular, nurse-learners. The first case study describes the use of a scaffolding model…

  2. Voice over Distance: A Case of Podcasting for Learning in Online Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forbes, Dianne; Khoo, Elaine

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on a case study of an online pre-service teacher education course in a New Zealand university aimed at exploring the potential of student-generated podcasts as a form of interactive formative assessment at a distance. The study was part of a wider two-year funded project with the overall goal of documenting, developing, and…

  3. Relationships between First Generation College Students and Faculty: A Case Study of a Small Rural Private University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valdez, Ricardo

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study is to describe the relationships between first-generation college students and faculty through their own experiences at this rural private four-year institution. It is well documented that positive outcomes are linked with faculty-student interaction which include grade point average (Anaya and Cole…

  4. Comments from the Classroom: A Case Study of a Generation-1.5 Student in a University IEP and beyond

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vasquez, Camilla

    2007-01-01

    This case study examines the patterns of participation of one US-educated refugee student in a university intensive English program (IEP). Specifically, I illustrate how the focal student used her advanced oral proficiency and prior experience with US educational norms and practices to engage in various interactional behaviours, such as shifting…

  5. Empowering L2 Tutoring: A Case Study of a Second Language Writer's Vocabulary Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Severino, Carol; Deifell, Elizabeth

    2011-01-01

    Writing center tutors play a key role in advancing L2 writers' language learning because the tutorial interaction involves the introduction of new language and vocabulary at the point of need or interest. This tutor-research case study presents a detailed, complex portrait of how a second language writer in a US writing center learned and used…

  6. A Collective Case Study of Veterans inside an Arts and Crafts Room and Their Perceptions Regarding Empowerment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasio, Cindy Lee

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation is "A Collective Case Study of Veterans Inside an Arts and Crafts Room and Their Perceptions Regarding Empowerment." This research examined to what degree art making, and in what ways a community of learning contributed to veterans' self-worth and empowerment through their creative activities and interactions inside an…

  7. Sharing knowledge with the public during a crisis: NASA's public portal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holm, Jeanne

    2003-01-01

    This case study looks at integrating the web governance policies and procedures, migration to a single content management solution, and integrating best-of-breed technology with high-impact, interactive components. In particular, this case study is interesting in the dynamic scalability of this application to meet the needs of an organization on the front lines during a crisis.

  8. The Interacting Axes of Environmental, Health, and Social Justice Cumulative Impacts: A Case Study of the Blueberry River First Nations

    PubMed Central

    Gislason, Maya K; Andersen, Holly K

    2016-01-01

    We consider the case of intensive resource extractive projects in the Blueberry River First Nations in Northern British Columbia, Canada, as a case study. Drawing on the parallels between concepts of cumulative environmental and cumulative health impacts, we highlight three axes along which to gauge the effects of intensive extraction projects. These are environmental, health, and social justice axes. Using an intersectional analysis highlights the way in which using individual indicators to measure impact, rather than considering cumulative effects, hides the full extent by which the affected First Nations communities are impacted by intensive extraction projects. We use the case study to contemplate several mechanisms at the intersection of these axes whereby the negative effects of each not only add but also amplify through their interactions. For example, direct impact along the environmental axis indirectly amplifies other health and social justice impacts separately from the direct impacts on those axes. We conclude there is significant work still to be done to use cumulative indicators to study the impacts of extractive industry projects—like liquefied natural gas—on peoples, environments, and health. PMID:27763548

  9. [Characteristics of interactions between mentally ill parents and their young children].

    PubMed

    Deneke, Christiane; Lüders, Bettina

    2003-03-01

    Disturbed parent infant interactions are frequently seen in cases of parental mental illness. They are indicating possible risks of the infant's development. Regular and illness-specific patterns are not found. Therefore the interaction has to be observed and classified in each individual case to recognize the relevance of the parental illness to the child. Different interaction patterns and their impact on the child's development are described and illustrated by case vignettes. The importance of preventive intervention is highlighted.

  10. Challenging evidence-based decision-making: a hypothetical case study about return to work.

    PubMed

    Aas, Randi W; Alexanderson, Kristina

    2012-03-01

    A hypothetical case study about return to work was used to explore the process of translating research into practice. The method involved constructing a case study derived from the characteristics of a typical, sick-listed employee with non-specific low back pain in Norway. Next, the five-step evidence-based process, including the Patient, Intervention, Co-Interventions and Outcome framework (PICO), was applied to the case study. An inductive analysis produced 10 technical and more fundamental challenges to incorporate research into intervention decisions for an individual with comorbidity. A more dynamic, interactive approach to the evidence-based practice process is proposed. It is recommended that this plus the 10 challenges are validated with real life cases, as the hypothetical case study may not be replicable. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. A Framework for Spatial Interaction Analysis Based on Large-Scale Mobile Phone Data

    PubMed Central

    Li, Weifeng; Cheng, Xiaoyun; Guo, Gaohua

    2014-01-01

    The overall understanding of spatial interaction and the exact knowledge of its dynamic evolution are required in the urban planning and transportation planning. This study aimed to analyze the spatial interaction based on the large-scale mobile phone data. The newly arisen mass dataset required a new methodology which was compatible with its peculiar characteristics. A three-stage framework was proposed in this paper, including data preprocessing, critical activity identification, and spatial interaction measurement. The proposed framework introduced the frequent pattern mining and measured the spatial interaction by the obtained association. A case study of three communities in Shanghai was carried out as verification of proposed method and demonstration of its practical application. The spatial interaction patterns and the representative features proved the rationality of the proposed framework. PMID:25435865

  12. Modelling Ecological Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapies for Building Virtual Environments in Brain Injury.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Moreno, J M; Sánchez-González, P; Luna, M; Roig, T; Tormos, J M; Gómez, E J

    2016-01-01

    Brain Injury (BI) has become one of the most common causes of neurological disability in developed countries. Cognitive disorders result in a loss of independence and patients' quality of life. Cognitive rehabilitation aims to promote patients' skills to achieve their highest degree of personal autonomy. New technologies such as virtual reality or interactive video allow developing rehabilitation therapies based on reproducible Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), increasing the ecological validity of the therapy. However, the lack of frameworks to formalize and represent the definition of this kind of therapies can be a barrier for widespread use of interactive virtual environments in clinical routine. To provide neuropsychologists with a methodology and an instrument to design and evaluate cognitive rehabilitation therapeutic interventions strategies based on ADLs performed in interactive virtual environments. The proposed methodology is used to model therapeutic interventions during virtual ADLs considering cognitive deficit, expected abnormal interactions and therapeutic hypotheses. It allows identifying abnormal behavioural patterns and designing interventions strategies in order to achieve errorless-based rehabilitation. An ADL case study ('buying bread') is defined according to the guidelines established by the ADL intervention model. This case study is developed, as a proof of principle, using interactive video technology and is used to assess the feasibility of the proposed methodology in the definition of therapeutic intervention procedures. The proposed methodology provides neuropsychologists with an instrument to design and evaluate ADL-based therapeutic intervention strategies, attending to solve actual limitation of virtual scenarios, to be use for ecological rehabilitation of cognitive deficit in daily clinical practice. The developed case study proves the potential of the methodology to design therapeutic interventions strategies; however our current work is devoted to designing more experiments in order to present more evidence about its values.

  13. Role of the noise on the transient dynamics of an ecosystem of interacting species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spagnolo, B.; La Barbera, A.

    2002-11-01

    We analyze the transient dynamics of an ecosystem described by generalized Lotka-Volterra equations in the presence of a multiplicative noise and a random interaction parameter between the species. We consider specifically three cases: (i) two competing species, (ii) three interacting species (one predator-two preys), (iii) n-interacting species. The interaction parameter in case (i) is a stochastic process which obeys a stochastic differential equation. We find noise delayed extinction of one of two species, which is akin to the noise-enhanced stability phenomenon. Other two noise-induced effects found are temporal oscillations and spatial patterns of the two competing species. In case (ii) the noise induces correlated spatial patterns of the predator and of the two preys concentrations. Finally, in case (iii) we find the asymptotic behavior of the time average of the ith population when the ecosystem is composed of a great number of interacting species.

  14. Interactions between MAOA and SYP polymorphisms were associated with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Chinese Han subjects.

    PubMed

    Gao, Qian; Liu, Lu; Li, Hai-Mei; Tang, Yi-Lang; Wu, Zhao-Min; Chen, Yun; Wang, Yu-Feng; Qian, Qiu-Jin

    2015-01-01

    As candidate genes of attention--deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), and synaptophysin (SYP) are both on the X chromosome, and have been suggested to be associated with the predominantly inattentive subtype (ADHD-I). The present study is to investigate the potential gene-gene interaction (G × G) between rs5905859 of MAOA and rs5906754 of SYP for ADHD in Chinese Han subjects. For family-based association study, 177 female trios were included. For case-control study, 1,462 probands and 807 normal controls were recruited. The ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) was used to evaluate ADHD symptoms. Pedigree-based generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (PGMDR) for female ADHD trios indicated significant gene interaction effect of rs5905859 and rs5906754. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) indicated potential gene-gene interplay on ADHD RS-IV scores in female ADHD-I. No associations were observed in male subjects in case-control analysis. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the interaction of MAOA and SYP may be involved in the genetic mechanism of ADHD-I subtype and predict ADHD symptoms. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Living with Bats: The Case of Ve Golokuati Township in the Volta Region of Ghana

    PubMed Central

    Ohemeng, Fidelia; Tweneboah Lawson, Elaine; Waldman, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Transmission of zoonotic pathogens from bats to humans through direct and indirect contact with bats raises public apprehension about living close to bats. In the township of Ve Golokuati in Ghana, several “camps” of Epomophorus gambianus roost in fruit trees that provide ecosystems services for residents. This study explored human-bat interaction in the township and the potential risks of disease transmission from bats to humans. Data were derived through questionnaire administration and participatory appraisal approach involving focus group discussions, participatory landscape mapping, and transect walk. The study found that most human activities within the township, such as petty-trading, domestic chores, and children's outdoor recreation, exposed people to bats. Though there have been no reported cases of disease spillover from bats to humans from the perspective of residents and from medical records, respondents whose activities brought them closer to bats within the township were found to be more likely to experience fevers than those who do not interact with bats frequently. The study recommends education of community members about the potential risks involved in human-bat interactions and makes suggestions for reducing the frequent interactions with and exposure to bats by humans. PMID:29081813

  16. “We Do Science Here”: Underrepresented Students’ Interactions with Faculty in Different College Contexts

    PubMed Central

    Hurtado, Sylvia; Eagan, M. Kevin; Tran, Minh C.; Newman, Christopher B.; Chang, Mitchell J.; Velasco, Paolo

    2011-01-01

    Faculty members play a key role in the identification and training of the next generation of scientific talent. In the face of the need to advance and diversify the scientific workforce, we examine whether and how specific institutional contexts shape student interactions with faculty. We conducted a mixed methods study to understand institutional contextual differences in the experiences of aspiring scientists. Data from a qualitative five-campus case study and a quantitative longitudinal study of students from over 117 higher education institutions were analyzed to determine how aspiring scientists interact with faculty and gain access to resources that will help them achieve their educational goals. Findings indicate that important structural differences exist between institutions in shaping students’ interactions with faculty. For example, students at more selective institutions typically have less frequent, less personal interactions with faculty whereas Black students at HBCUs report having more support and frequent interactions with faculty. PMID:23503924

  17. Multifactor-Dimensionality Reduction Reveals High-Order Interactions among Estrogen-Metabolism Genes in Sporadic Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ritchie, Marylyn D.; Hahn, Lance W.; Roodi, Nady; Bailey, L. Renee; Dupont, William D.; Parl, Fritz F.; Moore, Jason H.

    2001-01-01

    One of the greatest challenges facing human geneticists is the identification and characterization of susceptibility genes for common complex multifactorial human diseases. This challenge is partly due to the limitations of parametric-statistical methods for detection of gene effects that are dependent solely or partially on interactions with other genes and with environmental exposures. We introduce multifactor-dimensionality reduction (MDR) as a method for reducing the dimensionality of multilocus information, to improve the identification of polymorphism combinations associated with disease risk. The MDR method is nonparametric (i.e., no hypothesis about the value of a statistical parameter is made), is model-free (i.e., it assumes no particular inheritance model), and is directly applicable to case-control and discordant-sib-pair studies. Using simulated case-control data, we demonstrate that MDR has reasonable power to identify interactions among two or more loci in relatively small samples. When it was applied to a sporadic breast cancer case-control data set, in the absence of any statistically significant independent main effects, MDR identified a statistically significant high-order interaction among four polymorphisms from three different estrogen-metabolism genes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a four-locus interaction associated with a common complex multifactorial disease. PMID:11404819

  18. A Pedagogical Approach toward Teaching an Information Systems Student How to Conduct a Web Usability Study for an Honors Project: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jesse, Gayle

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide educators with a course model and pedagogy to teach a computer information systems usability course. This paper offers a case study based on an honors student project titled "Web Usability: Phases of Developing an Interactive Event Database." Each individual phase--creating a prototype along with…

  19. A School Growing Roots: The Bank Street Developmental-Interaction Approach at Community Roots Charter School. Teaching for a Changing World: The Graduates of Bank Street College of Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lit, Ira; Intrator, Sam

    2015-01-01

    This case study is one of five publications from the larger study, "Teaching for a Changing World: The Graduates of Bank Street College of Education," that examines the preparation, practices, and effectiveness of graduates of Bank Street College of Education teacher certification programs over the last decade. This case study examines…

  20. A Case Study of the Impact of Quaver's Marvelous World of Music on an Elementary School Music Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Stephen Darryl

    2017-01-01

    This case study examined the impact of Quaver's Marvelous World of Music on an elementary school music program. Quaver's Marvelous World of Music is a software music curriculum designed to be used in Grades K-8. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact on the students' musical self-efficacy, interactive engagement, enjoyment of music…

  1. Splitter target for controlling magnetic reconnection in relativistic laser plasma interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Y. J.; Bulanov, S. S.; Korn, G.; Bulanov, S. V.

    2018-04-01

    The utilization of a conical target irradiated by a high power laser is proposed to study fast magnetic reconnection in relativistic plasma interactions. Such target, placed in front of the near critical density gas jet, splits the laser pulse, forming two parallel laser pulses in the 2D case and a donut shaped pulse in the 3D case. The magnetic annihilation and reconnection occur in the density downramp region of the subsequent gas jet. The magnetic field energy is converted into the particle kinetic energy. As a result, a backward accelerated electron beam is obtained as a signature of reconnection. The above mechanisms are demonstrated using particle-in-cell simulations in both 2D and 3D cases. Facilitating the synchronization of two laser beams, the proposed approach can be used in designing the corresponding experiments on studying fundamental problems of relativistic plasma physics.

  2. How to use case studies: continuity cases vs. one-shot cases.

    PubMed

    Reeves, P N

    1992-01-01

    Cases are a widely used instructional technique in health services administration education. This article discusses the merits of using cases in graduate education and identifies two types of cases, one-shot cases and continuity cases. The continuity case has many advantages for professional education. In particular it requires the students to recognize and cope with the interactions among decisions. Continuity cases are good vehicles both for instruction and for evaluation of students' competence. The supply of good continuity cases, however, is very limited. Consequently, despite the advantages of this type of case, instructors must consider using a blend of continuity and one-shot cases. Suggestions for the mix of cases within a curriculum are presented.

  3. A microphysical pathway analysis to investigate aerosol effects on convective clouds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heikenfeld, Max; White, Bethan; Labbouz, Laurent; Stier, Philip

    2017-04-01

    The impact of aerosols on ice- and mixed-phase processes in convective clouds remains highly uncertain, which has strong implications for estimates of the role of aerosol-cloud interactions in the climate system. The wide range of interacting microphysical processes are still poorly understood and generally not resolved in global climate models. To understand and visualise these processes and to conduct a detailed pathway analysis, we have added diagnostic output of all individual process rates for number and mass mixing ratios to two commonly-used cloud microphysics schemes (Thompson and Morrison) in WRF. This allows us to investigate the response of individual processes to changes in aerosol conditions and the propagation of perturbations throughout the development of convective clouds. Aerosol effects on cloud microphysics could strongly depend on the representation of these interactions in the model. We use different model complexities with regard to aerosol-cloud interactions ranging from simulations with different levels of fixed cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) as a proxy for aerosol, to prognostic CDNC with fixed modal aerosol distributions. Furthermore, we have implemented the HAM aerosol model in WRF-chem to also perform simulations with a fully interactive aerosol scheme. We employ a hierarchy of simulation types to understand the evolution of cloud microphysical perturbations in atmospheric convection. Idealised supercell simulations are chosen to present and test the analysis methods for a strongly confined and well-studied case. We then extend the analysis to large case study simulations of tropical convection over the Amazon rainforest. For both cases we apply our analyses to individually tracked convective cells. Our results show the impact of model uncertainties on the understanding of aerosol-convection interactions and have implications for improving process representation in models.

  4. Prenatal Ultrasound Screening: False Positive Soft Markers May Alter Maternal Representations and Mother-Infant Interaction

    PubMed Central

    Viaux-Savelon, Sylvie; Dommergues, Marc; Rosenblum, Ouriel; Bodeau, Nicolas; Aidane, Elizabeth; Philippon, Odile; Mazet, Philippe; Vibert-Guigue, Claude; Vauthier-Brouzes, Danièle; Feldman, Ruth; Cohen, David

    2012-01-01

    Background In up to 5% of pregnancies, ultrasound screening detects a “soft marker” (SM) that places the foetus at risk for a severe abnormality. In most cases, prenatal diagnostic work-up rules out a severe defect. We aimed to study the effects of false positive SM on maternal emotional status, maternal representations of the infant, and mother-infant interaction. Methodology and Principal Findings Utilizing an extreme-case prospective case control design, we selected from a group of 244 women undergoing ultrasound, 19 pregnant women whose foetus had a positive SM screening and a reassuring diagnostic work up, and 19 controls without SM matched for age and education. In the third trimester of pregnancy, within one week after delivery, and 2 months postpartum, we assessed anxiety, depression, and maternal representations. Mother-infant interactions were videotaped during feeding within one week after delivery and again at 2 months postpartum and coded blindly using the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) scales. Anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher at all assessment points in the SM group. Maternal representations were also different between SM and control groups at all study time. Perturbations to early mother-infant interactions were observed in the SM group. These dyads showed greater dysregulation, lower maternal sensitivity, higher maternal intrusive behaviour and higher infant avoidance. Multivariate analysis showed that maternal representation and depression at third trimester predicted mother-infant interaction. Conclusion False positive ultrasound screenings for SM are not benign and negatively affect the developing maternal-infant attachment. Medical efforts should be directed to minimize as much as possible such false diagnoses, and to limit their psychological adverse consequences. PMID:22292077

  5. A novel environmental exposure index and its interaction with familial susceptibility on oral cancer in non-smokers and non-drinkers: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Yan, Lingjun; Chen, Fa; He, Baochang; Liu, Fengqiong; Liu, Fangping; Huang, Jiangfeng; Wu, Junfeng; Lin, Lisong; Qiu, Yu; Cai, Lin

    2017-04-01

    The objective of this study was to explore the collective effect of environmental factors and its interaction with familial susceptibility on oral cancer among non-smokers and non-drinkers (NSND). A hospital-based case-control study, including 319 oral cancer patients and 994 frequency-matched controls, was conducted in Fujian, China. We raised a weighed environmental exposure index according to nine significant environmental factors obtained from multivariable logistic regression model. And then, the index was classified into three categories according to the tertiles of controls (<1.34, 1.34-2.43, and >2.43). Multiplicative and additive interactions were evaluated between environmental exposure index and family cancer history. Our results showed that environmental exposure index was associated with an increased risk of oral cancer especially for those with family cancer history. Compared to subjects with low environmental exposure index and without family cancer history, those with high index and family cancer history showed the highest magnitude of OR in oral cancer risk (OR 10.40, 95% CI 5.46-19.80). Moreover, there was a multiplicative interaction between environmental exposure index and family cancer history for the risk of oral cancer (P < 0.001). This study puts forward a novel environmental exposure index, which enables a comprehensive evaluation on the overall effect of environmental risk factors on oral cancer among NSND and may interact with family cancer history. Further studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms.

  6. Increasing Reasoning Awareness: Video Analysis of Students' Two-Party Virtual Patient Interactions.

    PubMed

    Edelbring, Samuel; Parodis, Ioannis; Lundberg, Ingrid E

    2018-02-27

    Collaborative reasoning occurs in clinical practice but is rarely developed during education. The computerized virtual patient (VP) cases allow for a stepwise exploration of cases and thus stimulate active learning. Peer settings during VP sessions are believed to have benefits in terms of reasoning but have received scant attention in the literature. The objective of this study was to thoroughly investigate interactions during medical students' clinical reasoning in two-party VP settings. An in-depth exploration of students' interactions in dyad settings of VP sessions was performed. For this purpose, two prerecorded VP sessions lasting 1 hour each were observed, transcribed in full, and analyzed. The transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis, and short clips from the videos were selected for subsequent analysis in relation to clinical reasoning and clinical aspects. Four categories of interactions were identified: (1) task-related dialogue, in which students negotiated a shared understanding of the task and strategies for information gathering; (2) case-related insights and perspectives were gained, and the students consolidated and applied preexisting biomedical knowledge into a clinical setting; (3) clinical reasoning interactions were made explicit. In these, hypotheses were followed up and clinical examples were used. The researchers observed interactions not only between students and the VP but also (4) interactions with other resources, such as textbooks. The interactions are discussed in relation to theories of clinical reasoning and peer learning. The dyad VP setting is conducive to activities that promote analytic clinical reasoning. In this setting, components such as peer interaction, access to different resources, and reduced time constraints provided a productive situation in which the students pursued different lines of reasoning. ©Samuel Edelbring, Ioannis Parodis, Ingrid E Lundberg. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (http://mededu.jmir.org), 27.02.2018.

  7. Increasing Reasoning Awareness: Video Analysis of Students’ Two-Party Virtual Patient Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Parodis, Ioannis; Lundberg, Ingrid E

    2018-01-01

    Background Collaborative reasoning occurs in clinical practice but is rarely developed during education. The computerized virtual patient (VP) cases allow for a stepwise exploration of cases and thus stimulate active learning. Peer settings during VP sessions are believed to have benefits in terms of reasoning but have received scant attention in the literature. Objective The objective of this study was to thoroughly investigate interactions during medical students’ clinical reasoning in two-party VP settings. Methods An in-depth exploration of students’ interactions in dyad settings of VP sessions was performed. For this purpose, two prerecorded VP sessions lasting 1 hour each were observed, transcribed in full, and analyzed. The transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis, and short clips from the videos were selected for subsequent analysis in relation to clinical reasoning and clinical aspects. Results Four categories of interactions were identified: (1) task-related dialogue, in which students negotiated a shared understanding of the task and strategies for information gathering; (2) case-related insights and perspectives were gained, and the students consolidated and applied preexisting biomedical knowledge into a clinical setting; (3) clinical reasoning interactions were made explicit. In these, hypotheses were followed up and clinical examples were used. The researchers observed interactions not only between students and the VP but also (4) interactions with other resources, such as textbooks. The interactions are discussed in relation to theories of clinical reasoning and peer learning. Conclusions The dyad VP setting is conducive to activities that promote analytic clinical reasoning. In this setting, components such as peer interaction, access to different resources, and reduced time constraints provided a productive situation in which the students pursued different lines of reasoning. PMID:29487043

  8. Principal-Teacher Interactions and Teacher Leadership Development: Beginning Teachers' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szeto, Elson; Cheng, Annie Yan-Ni

    2018-01-01

    Teacher leadership lies at the heart of school improvement. Leadership development among beginning teachers, however, is often neglected. This paper examines the role of principal-teacher interactions in the leadership development of a group of beginning teachers. Using a case study design, interviews were conducted and documentary evidence was…

  9. Monitoring Student Progress Using Virtual Appliances: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romero-Zaldivar, Vicente-Arturo; Pardo, Abelardo; Burgos, Daniel; Delgado Kloos, Carlos

    2012-01-01

    The interactions that students have with each other, with the instructors, and with educational resources are valuable indicators of the effectiveness of a learning experience. The increasing use of information and communication technology allows these interactions to be recorded so that analytic or mining techniques are used to gain a deeper…

  10. Classroom Interaction: Potential or Problem? The Case of Karagwe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wedin, Asa

    2010-01-01

    This paper discusses interactional patterns in classrooms in primary school in rural Tanzania, based on an ethnographic study on literacy practices. The paper argues that the official policy of Swahili-only in primary school, together with the huge gap between high expectations on educational outcome and lack of resources, have resulted in the…

  11. A Case Study of Interactive Whiteboard Professional Development for Elementary Mathematics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Essig, Dawn

    2011-01-01

    In a northeastern US state, the higher the grade the level, the more students do not meet the state mathematics standards. Teachers need effective professional development in classroom strategies and tools, such as interactive whiteboards (IWB), to assist them in preparing students to meet state standards. Multimedia learning theory and…

  12. Interactive Drawing Therapy and Chinese Migrants with Gambling Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Wenli; Everts, Hans

    2012-01-01

    Ethnic Chinese migrants in a country like New Zealand face a range of well-documented challenges. A proportion of such migrants find that recreational gambling turns into a pernicious gambling problem. This issue is addressed through illustrated case studies of Interactive Drawing Therapy, a drawing-based modality of therapy that facilitates…

  13. Connections: Facilitating Social Supports for Students with Deaf-Blindness in General Education Classrooms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goetz, Lori; O'Farrell, Nora

    1999-01-01

    This article describes a three-component package to facilitate social supports for students who are deaf-blind in general education classes. The components are: ongoing provision of information, provision of interactive, multiple communication media, and facilitation of social interactions. Case studies of four students with deaf-blindness…

  14. Children, Technology, and Instruction: A Case Study of Elementary School Children Using an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Paul

    1994-01-01

    Examines elementary school students' use of an online public access catalog to investigate the interaction between children, technology, curriculum, instruction, and learning. Highlights include patterns of successes and breakdowns; search strategies; instructional approaches and childrens' interests; structure of interaction; search terms; and…

  15. The Emotional Complexity of Attachment Interactions in Nursery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Jools; Elfer, Peter

    2013-01-01

    In a single intensive nursery case study, using in depth interviews, group discussion and self completed daily diaries, this article reports on staff accounts of the emotional aspects of their interactions with young children. The findings show how much the staff achieved through their empathy for children and families and the establishment of…

  16. Challenges and Opportunities for Teacher Professional Development in Interactive Use of Technology in African Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hennessy, Sara; Haßler, Bjoern; Hofmann, Riikka

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the supporting and constraining factors influencing professional learning about interactive teaching and mobile digital technology use in low-resourced basic schools in sub-Saharan Africa. It draws on a case study of iterative development and refinement of a school-based, peer-facilitated professional learning programme…

  17. Integrating Science and Policy: A Case Study of the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation Science Links Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Driscoll, Charles T.; Lambert, Kathy Fallon; Weathers, Kathleen C.

    2011-01-01

    Scientists, related professionals, and the public have for decades called for greater interaction among scientists, policymakers, and the media to address contemporary environmental challenges. Practical examples of effective "real-world" programs designed to catalyze interactions and provide relevant science are few. Existing successful models…

  18. Transformative Music Invention: Interpretive Redesign through Music Dialogue in Classroom Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomlinson, Michelle

    2012-01-01

    In this thematic case study in a rural primary school, young children of diverse socio-cultural origins use transformative and transmodal redesign in music as they explore new conceptual meanings through self-reflexive interaction in classroom music events. A focus on music dialogue created by interaction between modes is seen to promote…

  19. Dynamic and Interactive Mathematics Learning Environments: The Case of Teaching the Limit Concept

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinovic, Dragana; Karadag, Zekeriya

    2012-01-01

    This theoretical study is an attempt to explore the potential of the dynamic and interactive mathematics learning environments (DIMLE) in relation to the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework. DIMLE are developed with intent to support learning mathematics through free exploration in a less constrained environment. A…

  20. User Interaction Modeling and Profile Extraction in Interactive Systems: A Groupware Application Case Study †

    PubMed Central

    Tîrnăucă, Cristina; Duque, Rafael; Montaña, José L.

    2017-01-01

    A relevant goal in human–computer interaction is to produce applications that are easy to use and well-adjusted to their users’ needs. To address this problem it is important to know how users interact with the system. This work constitutes a methodological contribution capable of identifying the context of use in which users perform interactions with a groupware application (synchronous or asynchronous) and provides, using machine learning techniques, generative models of how users behave. Additionally, these models are transformed into a text that describes in natural language the main characteristics of the interaction of the users with the system. PMID:28726762

  1. GBOOST: a GPU-based tool for detecting gene-gene interactions in genome-wide case control studies.

    PubMed

    Yung, Ling Sing; Yang, Can; Wan, Xiang; Yu, Weichuan

    2011-05-01

    Collecting millions of genetic variations is feasible with the advanced genotyping technology. With a huge amount of genetic variations data in hand, developing efficient algorithms to carry out the gene-gene interaction analysis in a timely manner has become one of the key problems in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Boolean operation-based screening and testing (BOOST), a recent work in GWAS, completes gene-gene interaction analysis in 2.5 days on a desktop computer. Compared with central processing units (CPUs), graphic processing units (GPUs) are highly parallel hardware and provide massive computing resources. We are, therefore, motivated to use GPUs to further speed up the analysis of gene-gene interactions. We implement the BOOST method based on a GPU framework and name it GBOOST. GBOOST achieves a 40-fold speedup compared with BOOST. It completes the analysis of Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium Type 2 Diabetes (WTCCC T2D) genome data within 1.34 h on a desktop computer equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 display card. GBOOST code is available at http://bioinformatics.ust.hk/BOOST.html#GBOOST.

  2. Pluto-Charon solar wind interaction dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hale, J. P. M.; Paty, C. S.

    2017-05-01

    This work studies Charon's effects on the Pluto-solar wind interaction using a multifluid MHD model which simulates the interactions of Pluto and Charon with the solar wind as well as with each other. Specifically, it investigates the ionospheric dynamics of a two body system in which either one or both bodies possess an ionosphere. Configurations in which Charon is directly upstream and directly downstream of Pluto are considered. Depending on ionospheric and solar wind conditions, Charon could periodically pass into the solar wind flow upstream of Pluto. The results of this study demonstrate that in these circumstances Charon modifies the upstream flow, both in the case in which Charon possesses an ionosphere, and in the case in which Charon is without an ionosphere. This modification amounts to a change in the gross structure of the interaction region when Charon possesses an ionosphere but is more localized when Charon lacks an ionosphere. Furthermore, evidence is shown that supports Charon acting to partially shield Pluto from the solar wind when it is upstream of Pluto, resulting in a decrease in ionospheric loss by Pluto.

  3. Electrohydrodynamic interactions of spherical particles under Quincke rotation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, Debasish; Saintillan, David

    2012-11-01

    Quincke rotation denotes the spontaneous rotation of dielectric particles immersed in a slightly dielectric liquid when subjected to a high enough DC electric field. It occurs when the charge relaxation time of the particles is greater than that of the fluid medium, causing the particles to become polarized in a direction opposite to that of the electric field and therefore giving rise to an unstable equilibrium position. When slightly perturbed, the particles start to rotate, and if the electric field exceeds a critical value the perturbations do not decay and the particle rotations reach a steady state with a constant angular velocity. We use a combination of numerical simulations and asymptotic theory to study the effect of electrohydrodynamic interactions between particles under Quincke rotation. We study the prototypical case of two equally charged spheres carrying no net charge and interacting with each other both hydrodynamically and electrically. The case of spherical particles free to roll on a horizontal grounded electrode is also described. We show that Quincke rotation results in self-propulsion of the particles in the plane of the electrode, and interactions between a pair of such ``rollers'' are analyzed.

  4. Macrolide drug interactions: an update.

    PubMed

    Pai, M P; Graci, D M; Amsden, G W

    2000-04-01

    To describe the current drug interaction profiles for the commonly used macrolides in the US and Europe, and to comment on the clinical impact of these interactions. A MEDLINE search (1975-1998) was performed to identify all pertinent studies, review articles, and case reports. When appropriate information was not available in the literature, data were obtained from the product manufacturers. All available data were reviewed to provide an unbiased account of possible drug interactions. Data for some of the interactions were not available from the literature, but were available from abstracts or company-supplied materials. Although the data were not always explicit, the best attempt was made to deliver pertinent information that clinical practitioners would need to formulate practice opinions. When more in-depth information was supplied in the form of a review or study report, a thorough explanation of pertinent methodology was supplied. Several clinically significant drug interactions have been identified since the approval of erythromycin. These interactions usually were related to the inhibition of the cytochrome P450 enzyme systems, which are responsible for the metabolism of many drugs. The decreased metabolism by the macrolides has in some instances resulted in potentially severe adverse events. The development and marketing of newer macrolides are hoped to improve the drug interaction profile associated with this class. However, this has produced variable success. Some of the newer macrolides demonstrated an interaction profile similar to that of erythromycin; others have improved profiles. The most success in avoiding drug interactions related to the inhibition of cytochrome P450 has been through the development of the azalide subclass, of which azithromycin is the first and only to be marketed. Azithromycin has not been demonstrated to inhibit the cytochrome P450 system in studies using a human liver microsome model, and to date has produced none of the classic drug interactions characteristic of the macrolides. Most of the available data regarding macrolide drug interactions are from studies in healthy volunteers and case reports. These data suggest that clarithromycin appears to have an interaction profile similar to that of erythromycin. Given this similarity, it is important to consider the interaction profile of clarithromycin when using erythromycin. This is especially necessary as funds for further studies of a medication available in generic form (e.g., erythromycin) are limited. Azithromycin has produced few clinically significant interactions with any agent cleared through the cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Although the available data are promising, the final test should come from studies conducted in patients who are taking potentially interacting compounds on a chronic basis.

  5. The influence of instructional interactions on students’ mental models about the quantization of physical observables: a modern physics course case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Didiş Körhasan, Nilüfer; Eryılmaz, Ali; Erkoç, Şakir

    2016-01-01

    Mental models are coherently organized knowledge structures used to explain phenomena. They interact with social environments and evolve with the interaction. Lacking daily experience with phenomena, the social interaction gains much more importance. In this part of our multiphase study, we investigate how instructional interactions influenced students’ mental models about the quantization of physical observables. Class observations and interviews were analysed by studying students’ mental models constructed in a modern physics course during an academic semester. The research revealed that students’ mental models were influenced by (1) the manner of teaching, including instructional methodologies and content specific techniques used by the instructor, (2) order of the topics and familiarity with concepts, and (3) peers.

  6. Investigation of Bohr Hamiltonian in presence of Killingbeck potential using bi-confluent Heun functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobhani, Hadi; Hassanabadi, Hassan; Chung, Won Sang

    2018-05-01

    In this study, Bohr Hamiltonian is studied for the triaxial and rotational cases. In both cases, Killingbeck potential is used as interaction. The wave function and energy of these cases are found using bi-confluent Heun functions. The results are examined by reproducing experimental data of some isotopes for each case. Energy levels of the isotopes are shown graphically as well as theoretical results for staggering in γ bands of the isotopes is discussed. In the next step, we argue about B (E 2) transition rates of the isotopes for each case. The results have a good agreement with experimental data.

  7. How will biotic interactions influence climate change-induced range shifts?

    PubMed

    HilleRisLambers, Janneke; Harsch, Melanie A; Ettinger, Ailene K; Ford, Kevin R; Theobald, Elinore J

    2013-09-01

    Biotic interactions present a challenge in determining whether species distributions will track climate change. Interactions with competitors, consumers, mutualists, and facilitators can strongly influence local species distributions, but few studies assess how and whether these interactions will impede or accelerate climate change-induced range shifts. In this paper, we explore how ecologists might move forward on this question. We first outline the conditions under which biotic interactions can result in range shifts that proceed faster or slower than climate velocity and result in ecological surprises. Next, we use our own work to demonstrate that experimental studies documenting the strength of biotic interactions across large environmental gradients are a critical first step for understanding whether they will influence climate change-induced range shifts. Further progress could be made by integrating results from these studies into modeling frameworks to predict how or generalize when biotic interactions mediate how changing climates influence range shifts. Finally, we argue that many more case studies like those described here are needed to explore the importance of biotic interactions during climate change-induced range shifts. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

  8. A case-control study of Parkinson's disease and tobacco use: gene-tobacco interactions.

    PubMed

    De Palma, Giuseppe; Dick, Finlay D; Calzetti, Stefano; Scott, Neil W; Prescott, Gordon J; Osborne, Aileen; Haites, Neva; Mozzoni, Paola; Negrotti, Anna; Scaglioni, Augusto; Mutti, Antonio

    2010-05-15

    A case-control study of genetic, environmental, and occupational risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD) was carried out in five European countries (Italy, Malta, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden) to explore the possible contribution of interactions among host and environmental factors in sporadic PD. Whereas smoking habits confirmed its negative association with PD, a possible modulatory role of genetic polymorphisms was investigated to obtain further mechanistic insights. We recruited 767 cases of PD and 1989 age-matched and gender-matched controls. Participants completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire including the history of smoking habits. The polymorphisms of genes involved either in metabolism of compounds contained in tobacco smoke (CYP2D6, CYP1B1, GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTM3, GSTP1, NQO1, SOD2, EPHX and NAT2) or in dopaminergic neurotransmission (MAOA, MAOB, DAT1 and DRD2) were characterized by PCR based methods on genomic DNA. We found evidence of statistically significant gene-tobacco interaction for GSTM1, NAT2, and GSTP1, the negative association between tobacco smoking and PD being significantly enhanced in subjects expressing GSTM1-1 activity, in NAT2 fast acetylators, and in those with the GSTP1*B*C haplotype. Owing to the retrospective design of the study, these results require confirmation. (c) 2010 Movement Disorder Society.

  9. The Development of an Interactive Computer-Based Training Program for Timely and Humane On-Farm Pig Euthanasia.

    PubMed

    Mullins, Caitlyn R; Pairis-Garcia, Monique D; Campler, Magnus R; Anthony, Raymond; Johnson, Anna K; Coleman, Grahame J; Rault, Jean-Loup

    2018-02-05

    With extensive knowledge and training in the prevention, management, and treatment of disease conditions in animals, veterinarians play a critical role in ensuring good welfare on swine farms by training caretakers on the importance of timely euthanasia. To assist veterinarians and other industry professionals in training new and seasoned caretakers, an interactive computer-based training program was created. It consists of three modules, each containing five case studies, which cover three distinct production stages (breeding stock, piglets, and wean to grower-finisher pigs). Case study development was derived from five specific euthanasia criteria defined in the 2015 Common Swine Industry Audit, a nationally recognized auditing program used in the US. Case studies provide information regarding treatment history, clinical signs, and condition severity of the pig and prompt learners to make management decisions regarding pig treatment and care. Once a decision is made, feedback is provided so learners understand the appropriateness of their decision compared to current industry guidelines. In addition to training farm personnel, this program may also be a valuable resource if incorporated into veterinary, graduate, and continuing education curricula. This innovative tool represents the first interactive euthanasia-specific training program in the US swine industry and offers the potential to improve timely and humane on-farm pig euthanasia.

  10. Sharing health data in Belgium: A home care case study using the Vitalink platform.

    PubMed

    De Backere, Femke; Bonte, Pieter; Verstichel, Stijn; Ongenae, Femke; De Turck, Filip

    2018-01-01

    In 2013, the Flemish Government launched the Vitalink platform. This initiative focuses on the sharing of health and welfare data to support primary healthcare. In this paper, the objectives and mission of the Vitalink initiative are discussed. Security and privacy measures are reviewed, and the technical implementation of the Vitalink platform is presented. Through a case study, the possibility of interaction with cloud solutions for healthcare is also investigated upon; this was initially not the focus of Vitalink. The Vitalink initiative provides support for secure data sharing in primary healthcare, which in the long term will improve the efficiency of care and will decrease costs. Based on the results of the case study, Vitalink allowed cloud solutions or applications not providing end-to-end security to use their system. The most important lesson learned during this research was the need for firm regulations and stipulations for cloud solutions to interact with the Vitalink platform. However, these are currently still vague.

  11. Tailoring Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for Older Children: A Case Study.

    PubMed

    Briegel, Wolfgang

    2017-08-15

    Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based intervention designed for families of 2- to 6-year-old children with disruptive behavior disorders. This article illustrates the application of PCIT in a 10-year-old boy with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Both parents and the patient attended PCIT sessions. The course of therapy included minor changes to the PCIT protocol. After 13 PCIT sessions, the patient displayed disruptive behaviors within normal limits, and 12 months later he no longer met diagnostic criteria for ODD. Results remained stable at a 17-month follow-up assessment. This case study suggests that the use of PCIT in families of children with ODD markedly older than the recommended age range might be a promising approach for improving family functioning and reducing behavior problems. Further research with larger samples of older children with ODD is needed to replicate and elaborate the findings of this case study.

  12. An interactive governance and fish chain approach to fisheries rebuilding: a case study of the Northern Gulf cod in eastern Canada.

    PubMed

    Khan, Ahmed; Chuenpagdee, Ratana

    2014-09-01

    Rebuilding collapsed fisheries is a multifaceted problem, requiring a holistic governance approach rather than technical management fixes. Using the Northern Gulf cod case study in eastern Canada, we illustrate how a "fish chain" framework, drawn from the interactive governance perspective, is particularly helpful in analyzing rebuilding challenges. The analysis demonstrates that factors limiting rebuilding exist along the entire fish chain, i.e., the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages. These challenges are embedded in both the ecological and social systems associated with the Northern Gulf cod fisheries, as well as in the governing systems. A comparative analysis of the pre- and post-collapse of the cod fisheries also reveals governance opportunities in rebuilding, which lie in policy interventions such as integrated and ecosystem-based management, livelihood transitional programs, and cross-scale institutional arrangements. Lessons from the Northern Gulf cod case study, especially the missed opportunities to explore alternative governing options during the transition, are valuable for rebuilding other collapsed fisheries.

  13. "I Don't Know That I've Ever Felt Like I Got the Full Story": A Qualitative Study of Courtroom Interactions Between Judges and Litigants in Domestic Violence Protective Order Cases.

    PubMed

    Person, Cara J; Moracco, Kathryn E Beth; Agnew-Brune, Christine; Bowling, J Michael

    2018-01-01

    One in three U.S. women has experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and many seek domestic violence protective orders (DVPOs) for secondary IPV prevention. Because judges have considerable autonomy making DVPO decisions, there is a need to describe how courtroom interactions and information available to judges may influence DVPO dispositions. We conducted DVPO hearing observations and phone interviews with District Court Judges. Qualitative themes emerged that may influence judges' decision making in DVPO hearings: case information availability, judge engagement level, and litigant credibility. Recommendations include more time for judges to review case files, IPV-related training for judges, and increased court advocate use.

  14. Simplifying Operational Design

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-01

    centuries of historical case studies, tracing the 9 evolution and development of what was then in 1997 operational theory. Naveh called his...major cases against operational design is the IDF’s application of SOD in 2006 against Hezbollah in Lebanon. While many blamed Israel’s lack of success...networked centricity.68 This is not the case . War, like ecosystems and economies, is a complex adaptive system. The interactive complexity that comprises

  15. Mystery of the Toxic Flea Dip: An Interactive Approach to Teaching Aerobic Cellular Respiration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baines, A. T.; McVey, M.; Rybarczyk, B.; Thompson, J. T.; Wilkins, H. R.

    2004-01-01

    We designed an interrupted case study to teach aerobic cellular respiration to major and nonmajor biology students. The case is based loosely on a real-life incident of rotenone poisoning. It places students in the role of a coroner who must determine the cause of death of the victim. The case is presented to the students in four parts. Each part…

  16. Lack of gene-diuretic interactions on the risk of incident gout: the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

    PubMed

    Bao, Ying; Curhan, Gary; Merriman, Tony; Plenge, Robert; Kraft, Peter; Choi, Hyon K

    2015-07-01

    Diuretic-induced gout might occur only among those with a genetic predisposition to hyperuricaemia, as suggested by a recent study with 108 self-reported gout cases. We examined the role of urate genes on the risk of diuretic-induced incident gout in 6850 women from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and in 4223 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Two published genetic risk scores (GRSs) were calculated using urate-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms for 8 (GRS8) and 29 genes (GRS29). Our analyses included 727 and 354 confirmed incident gout cases in HPFS and NHS, respectively. The multivariate relative risk (RR) for diuretic use was 2.20 and 1.69 among those with GRS8 < and ≥ the median (p for interaction=0.27). The corresponding RRs using GRS29 were 2.19 and 1.88 (p for interaction=0.40). The lack of interaction persisted in NHS (all p values >0.20) and in our analyses limited to those with hypertension in both cohorts. SLC22A11 (OAT4) showed a significant interaction only among women but in the opposite direction to the recent study. In these large prospective studies, individuals with a genetic predisposition for hyperuricaemia are not at a higher risk of developing diuretic-induced gout than those without. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  17. Case studies and role play: learning strategies in nursing.

    PubMed

    Cogo, Ana Luísa Petersen; Pai, Daiane Dal; Aliti, Graziella Badin; Hoefel, Heloísa Karnas; Azzolin, Karina de Oliveira; Busin, Lurdes; Unicovsky, Margarita Ana Rubin; Kruse, Maria Henriqueta Luce

    2016-01-01

    to report professors' experience in a public university of Southern region of Brazil using case studies and role play as learning strategies for nursing care of hospitalized adults. learning experience report from the Nursing Care of Adults I class of nursing undergraduate course. the development of case studies and role play considered health care needs from epidemiological profile of chronic noncommunicable diseases morbidity and mortality, nursing as an assisting method, and social aspects of hospitalized individuals. Role play planning was made by creating a stage in laboratory of practices and dialogues comprising students and professors interaction. case studies and role play encouraged students to active search for learning and brought theory closer to real health care situations.

  18. The Co-Construction of Learning Difficulties in Mathematics--Teacher-Student Interactions and Their Role in the Development of a Disabled Mathematical Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heyd-Metzuyanim, Einat

    2013-01-01

    Leaning on a communicational framework for studying social, affective, and cognitive aspects of learning, the present study offers a new look at the construction of an identity of failure in mathematics as it occurs through teaching-learning interactions. Using the case of Dana, an extremely low-achieving student in 7th grade mathematics, I…

  19. An Investigation of the Potential of Interactive Simulations for Developing System Thinking Skills in Elementary School: A Case Study with Fifth-Graders and Sixth-Graders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evagorou, Maria; Korfiatis, Kostas; Nicolaou, Christiana; Constantinou, Costas

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a simulation-based learning environment on elementary school students' (11-12 years old) development of system thinking skills. The learning environment included interactive simulations using the Stagecast Creator software to simulate the ecosystem of a marsh. Simulations are an important…

  20. Interactions of forests, climate, water resources, and humans in a changing environment: research needs

    Treesearch

    Ge Sun; Catalina Segura

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the special issue “Interactions of Forests, Climate, Water Resources, and Humans in a Changing Environment” is to present case studies on the influences of natural and human disturbances on forest water resources under a changing climate. Studies in this collection of six papers cover a wide range of geographic regions from Australia to Nigeria with spatial...

  1. Introducing a novel interaction model structure for the combined effect of temperature and pH on the microbial growth rate.

    PubMed

    Akkermans, Simen; Noriega Fernandez, Estefanía; Logist, Filip; Van Impe, Jan F

    2017-01-02

    Efficient modelling of the microbial growth rate can be performed by combining the effects of individual conditions in a multiplicative way, known as the gamma concept. However, several studies have illustrated that interactions between different effects should be taken into account at stressing environmental conditions to achieve a more accurate description of the growth rate. In this research, a novel approach for modeling the interactions between the effects of environmental conditions on the microbial growth rate is introduced. As a case study, the effect of temperature and pH on the growth rate of Escherichia coli K12 is modeled, based on a set of computer controlled bioreactor experiments performed under static environmental conditions. The models compared in this case study are the gamma model, the model of Augustin and Carlier (2000), the model of Le Marc et al. (2002) and the novel multiplicative interaction model, developed in this paper. This novel model enables the separate identification of interactions between the effects of two (or more) environmental conditions. The comparison of these models focuses on the accuracy, interpretability and compatibility with efficient modeling approaches. Moreover, for the separate effects of temperature and pH, new cardinal parameter model structures are proposed. The novel interaction model contributes to a generic modeling approach, resulting in predictive models that are (i) accurate, (ii) easily identifiable with a limited work load, (iii) modular, and (iv) biologically interpretable. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. The Effect of Interactions of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of APOA1/APOC3 with Food Group Intakes on the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Hosseini-Esfahani, Firoozeh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Daneshpour, Maryam S.; Mottaghi, Azadeh; Azizi, Fereidoun

    2017-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of dietary food groups and genetic variants of APOA1/APOC3, relative to Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) risk in adults. Methods: In this matched nested case-control study, 414 MetS subjects and 414 controls were selected from among participants of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Dietary intake was assessed with the use of a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), APOA1 (rs670, −75G>A and rs5069, +83C>T/APOC3 rs5128 C3238>G) were genotyped by the conventional polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: The mean (SD) of age was 40.7 (13) and 41.2 (13) years in male cases and controls versus 44.0 (11) and 44.0 (12) years in female case and controls. A significant interaction between intake quartiles of the sugar group and APOA1 combined group (GA+AA/CT+TT) SNPs was found; The ORs for these genotype carriers were (1, 0.44, 0.36, 0.23; P trend<0.001) in quartiles of intake, relative to other combined genotypes (P interaction=0.02). MetS risk appeared to be increased significantly in higher quartiles of sweet beverages and fish intakes in the GA+AA/CT+TT/CC genotypes of APOA1/APOC3 SNPs, compared to other genotypes (P interaction=0.01). The combined effect of genotypes of APOC3/APOA1 showed further decrease in MetS risk in higher quartiles of sugar group intakes (OR: 1, 0.24, 0.26, 0.14, P trend=0.001) relative to other combinations (P interaction=0.008). Conclusion: Results obtained demonstrate that some dietary food groups (sugar, fish, and sweet beverages) modulate the effect of APOA1/APOC3 SNPs in relation to MetS risk. PMID:28496949

  3. The Effect of Interactions of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of APOA1/APOC3 with Food Group Intakes on the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Hosseini-Esfahani, Firoozeh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Daneshpour, Maryam S; Mottaghi, Azadeh; Azizi, Fereidoun

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of dietary food groups and genetic variants of APOA1/APOC3, relative to Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) risk in adults. In this matched nested case-control study, 414 MetS subjects and 414 controls were selected from among participants of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Dietary intake was assessed with the use of a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), APOA1 (rs670, -75G>A and rs5069, +83C>T/APOC3 rs5128 C3238>G) were genotyped by the conventional polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The mean (SD) of age was 40.7 (13) and 41.2 (13) years in male cases and controls versus 44.0 (11) and 44.0 (12) years in female case and controls. A significant interaction between intake quartiles of the sugar group and APOA1 combined group (GA+AA/CT+TT) SNPs was found; The ORs for these genotype carriers were (1, 0.44, 0.36, 0.23; P trend<0.001) in quartiles of intake, relative to other combined genotypes (P interaction=0.02). MetS risk appeared to be increased significantly in higher quartiles of sweet beverages and fish intakes in the GA+AA/CT+TT/CC genotypes of APOA1/APOC3 SNPs, compared to other genotypes (P interaction=0.01). The combined effect of genotypes of APOC3/APOA1 showed further decrease in MetS risk in higher quartiles of sugar group intakes (OR: 1, 0.24, 0.26, 0.14, P trend=0.001) relative to other combinations (P interaction=0.008). Results obtained demonstrate that some dietary food groups (sugar, fish, and sweet beverages) modulate the effect of APOA1/APOC3 SNPs in relation to MetS risk.

  4. Oral contraceptives, breastfeeding and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Swedish EIRA study.

    PubMed

    Orellana, Cecilia; Saevarsdottir, Saedis; Klareskog, Lars; Karlson, Elizabeth W; Alfredsson, Lars; Bengtsson, Camilla

    2017-11-01

    To study whether oral contraceptive (OC) use or breastfeeding (BF) influence the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), stratifying the cases by presence/absence of anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), and whether these factors interact with known risk factors in the development of ACPA-positive RA. Women aged ≥18 years, participants in the population-based case-control Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of RA study (2641 cases/4251 controls), completed an extensive questionnaire regarding OC, BF and potential confounders. We calculated ORs, with 95% CIs, adjusted for age, residential area, smoking and alcohol consumption. Attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) was estimated to evaluate presence of interaction. Compared with never users, ever and past OC users had a decreased risk of ACPA-positive RA (OR=0.84 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.96); OR=0.83 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.95), respectively). No significant associations were found for ACPA-negative RA. Long duration of OC use (>7 years vs never use) decreased the risk of both ACPA-positive (p=0.0037) and ACPA-negative RA (p=0.0356).A history of long BF decreased the risk only of ACPA-positive RA in a dose-dependent manner (p=0.0086), but this trend did not remain after adjustments. A significant interaction was observed between the lack of OC use and smoking (AP=0.28 (95% CI 0.14-0.42)) on the risk of ACPA-positive RA. No interactions were found for BF. OC decreased the risk of RA, especially ACPA-positive RA, where an interaction with smoking was observed. A long duration of OC use decreased the risk of both disease subsets. We could not confirm an association between BF and a decreased risk of either ACPA-positive or ACPA-negative RA. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  5. Association between ALDH2 and ADH1B polymorphisms, alcohol drinking and gastric cancer: a replication and mediation analysis.

    PubMed

    Ishioka, Kuka; Masaoka, Hiroyuki; Ito, Hidemi; Oze, Isao; Ito, Seiji; Tajika, Masahiro; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Niwa, Yasumasa; Nakamura, Shigeo; Matsuo, Keitaro

    2018-04-03

    Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2; rs671, Glu504Lys) and alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B; rs1229984, His47Arg) polymorphisms have a strong impact on carcinogenic acetaldehyde accumulation after alcohol drinking. To date, however, evidence for a significant ALDH2-alcohol drinking interaction and a mediation effect of ALDH2/ADH1B through alcohol drinking on gastric cancer have remained unclear. We conducted two case-control studies to validate the interaction and to estimate the mediation effect on gastric cancer. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ALDH2/ADH1B genotypes and alcohol drinking using conditional logistic regression models after adjustment for potential confounding in the HERPACC-2 (697 cases and 1372 controls) and HERPACC-3 studies (678 cases and 678 controls). We also conducted a mediation analysis of the combination of the two studies to assess whether the effects of these polymorphisms operated through alcohol drinking or through other pathways. ALDH2 Lys alleles had a higher risk with increased alcohol consumption compared with ALDH2 Glu/Glu (OR for heavy drinking, 3.57; 95% CI 2.04-6.27; P for trend = 0.007), indicating a significant ALDH2-alcohol drinking interaction (P interaction  = 0.024). The mediation analysis indicated a significant positive direct effect (OR 1.67; 95% CI 1.38-2.03) and a protective indirect effect (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.76-0.92) of the ALDH2 Lys alleles with the ALDH2-alcohol drinking interaction. No significant association of ADH1B with gastric cancer was observed. The observed ALDH2-alcohol drinking interaction and the direct effect of ALDH2 Lys alleles may suggest the involvement of acetaldehyde in the development of gastric cancer.

  6. Computational Analysis of a Pylon-Chevron Core Nozzle Interaction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, Russell H.; Kinzie, Kevin W.; Pao, S. Paul

    2001-01-01

    In typical engine installations, the pylon of an engine creates a flow disturbance that interacts with the engine exhaust flow. This interaction of the pylon with the exhaust flow from a dual stream nozzle was studied computationally. The dual stream nozzle simulates an engine with a bypass ratio of five. A total of five configurations were simulated all at the take-off operating point. All computations were performed using the structured PAB3D code which solves the steady, compressible, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. These configurations included a core nozzle with eight chevron noise reduction devices built into the nozzle trailing edge. Baseline cases had no chevron devices and were run with a pylon and without a pylon. Cases with the chevron were also studied with and without the pylon. Another case was run with the chevron rotated relative to the pylon. The fan nozzle did not have chevron devices attached. Solutions showed that the effect of the pylon is to distort the round Jet plume and to destroy the symmetrical lobed pattern created by the core chevrons. Several overall flow field quantities were calculated that might be used in extensions of this work to find flow field parameters that correlate with changes in noise.

  7. The ethics of pharmaceutical research funding: a social organization approach.

    PubMed

    Gray, Garry C

    2013-01-01

    This paper advances a social organization approach to examining unethical behavior. While unethical behaviors may stem in part from failures in individual morality or psychological blind spots, they are both generated and performed through social interactions among individuals and groups. To illustrate the value of a social organization approach, a case study of a medical school professor's first experience with pharmaceutical-company-sponsored research is provided in order to examine how funding arrangements can constrain research integrity. The case illustrates three significant ways that institutional corruption can occur in the research process. First, conflicts of norms between pharmaceutical companies, universities, and affiliated teaching hospitals can result in compromises and self-censorship. Second, normal behavior is shaped through routine interactions. Unethical behaviors can be (or can become) normal behaviors when they are produced and reproduced through a network of social interactions. Third, funding arrangements can create networks of dependency that structurally distort the independence of the academic researcher in favor of the funder's interests. More broadly, the case study demonstrates how the social organization approach deepens our understanding of the practice of ethics. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  8. Echolalia or functional repetition in conversation--a case study of an individual with Huntington's disease.

    PubMed

    Saldert, Charlotta; Hartelius, Lena

    2011-01-01

    In this case study, we investigated the use of repetition in an individual with a neurogenic communication disorder. We present an analysis of interaction in natural conversations between a woman with advanced Huntington's disease (HD), whose speech had been described as sometimes characterised by echolalia, and her personal assistant. The conversational interaction is analysed on a sequential level, and recurrent patterns are explored. Although the ability of the person with HD to interact is affected by chorea, word retrieval problems and reduced comprehension, she takes an active part in conversation. The conversational partner's contributions are often adapted to her communicative ability as they are formulated as questions or suggestions that can be elaborated on or responded to with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. The person with HD often repeats the words of her conversational partner in a way that extends her contributions and shows listenership, and this use of repetition is also frequent in ordinary conversations between non-brain-damaged individuals. The results show that the conversation partners in this case cooperate in making the conversation proceed and evolve, and that verbal repetition is used in a way that works as a strategy for compensating for the impairment.

  9. Using the Diffusion of Innovation Theory to Explain the Degree of English Teachers' Adoption of Interactive Whiteboards in the Modern Systems School in Jordan: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jwaifell, Mustafa; Gasaymeh, Al-Mothana

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to explain the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) by English female teachers in Modern Systems School in Jordan. Viewed from the lens of Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study examined and reported teachers' use of IWB and its features that have impact on their decisions to adopt it in Modern Systems School . The…

  10. A discontinuous Galerkin method for nonlinear parabolic equations and gradient flow problems with interaction potentials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Zheng; Carrillo, José A.; Shu, Chi-Wang

    2018-01-01

    We consider a class of time-dependent second order partial differential equations governed by a decaying entropy. The solution usually corresponds to a density distribution, hence positivity (non-negativity) is expected. This class of problems covers important cases such as Fokker-Planck type equations and aggregation models, which have been studied intensively in the past decades. In this paper, we design a high order discontinuous Galerkin method for such problems. If the interaction potential is not involved, or the interaction is defined by a smooth kernel, our semi-discrete scheme admits an entropy inequality on the discrete level. Furthermore, by applying the positivity-preserving limiter, our fully discretized scheme produces non-negative solutions for all cases under a time step constraint. Our method also applies to two dimensional problems on Cartesian meshes. Numerical examples are given to confirm the high order accuracy for smooth test cases and to demonstrate the effectiveness for preserving long time asymptotics.

  11. Physiologically Based Absorption Modeling to Impact Biopharmaceutics and Formulation Strategies in Drug Development-Industry Case Studies.

    PubMed

    Kesisoglou, Filippos; Chung, John; van Asperen, Judith; Heimbach, Tycho

    2016-09-01

    In recent years, there has been a significant increase in use of physiologically based pharmacokinetic models in drug development and regulatory applications. Although most of the published examples have focused on aspects such as first-in-human (FIH) dose predictions or drug-drug interactions, several publications have highlighted the application of these models in the biopharmaceutics field and their use to inform formulation development. In this report, we present 5 case studies of use of such models in this biopharmaceutics/formulation space across different pharmaceutical companies. The case studies cover different aspects of biopharmaceutics or formulation questions including (1) prediction of absorption prior to FIH studies; (2) optimization of formulation and dissolution method post-FIH data; (3) early exploration of a modified-release formulation; (4) addressing bridging questions for late-stage formulation changes; and (5) prediction of pharmacokinetics in the fed state for a Biopharmaceutics Classification System class I drug with fasted state data. The discussion of the case studies focuses on how such models can facilitate decisions and biopharmaceutic understanding of drug candidates and the opportunities for increased use and acceptance of such models in drug development and regulatory interactions. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. The Use of Electronic Voting Systems in Lectures within Business and Marketing: A Case Study of Their Impact on Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Masikunas, George; Panayiotidis, Andreas; Burke, Linda

    2007-01-01

    This article presents a case study of the impact on student learning of introducing an electronic voting system (EVS) into large-group lectures for first-year undergraduate students undertaking degrees in marketing and business systems. We discuss the potential for using EVS-style interactive lectures in marketing and business programmes. We then…

  13. A Case Study: A Guide to Working with a Language Impaired Child.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sapir, Selma G.; Rainho, Sergio

    The document presents the case study of the interaction of a graduate student in traning, her supervisor, an 8 year old child with a language learning problem, and the child's mother. It involves a process which entails the careful matching of the child to tutor, the tutor to supervisor, and intensive work with the mother. It also is based on what…

  14. Exploring Interactions of Cultural Capital with Learner and Instructor Expectations: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, Roxanne

    2010-01-01

    In this case study, we are able to take a close look at a situation not often encountered in the literature on ICTs in emerging economies: a private company from an emerging economy provided much-needed funding for a US NASA higher learning consortium through a contract for training and research and development in 3D visualization. This study…

  15. Sample size calculations for case-control studies

    Cancer.gov

    This R package can be used to calculate the required samples size for unconditional multivariate analyses of unmatched case-control studies. The sample sizes are for a scalar exposure effect, such as binary, ordinal or continuous exposures. The sample sizes can also be computed for scalar interaction effects. The analyses account for the effects of potential confounder variables that are also included in the multivariate logistic model.

  16. Socialisation as a Factor in Poverty Identity Formation: A Pilot Case Study of the Poor in Selected Areas of Botswana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raditloaneng, Wapula Nelly

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to illuminate that acquisition of knowledge, positive attitudes, skills and identity formation are by-products of primary socialisation and secondary interaction with people and institutions from all walks of family life, environmental experiences, and lifestyles. Based on the first phase of a qualitative case study on…

  17. Studies of aerothermal loads generated in regions of shock/shock interaction in hypersonic flow

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holden, Michael S.; Moselle, John R.; Lee, Jinho

    1991-01-01

    Experimental studies were conducted to examine the aerothermal characteristics of shock/shock/boundary layer interaction regions generated by single and multiple incident shocks. The presented experimental studies were conducted over a Mach number range from 6 to 19 for a range of Reynolds numbers to obtain both laminar and turbulent interaction regions. Detailed heat transfer and pressure measurements were made for a range of interaction types and incident shock strengths over a transverse cylinder, with emphasis on the 3 and 4 type interaction regions. The measurements were compared with the simple Edney, Keyes, and Hains models for a range of interaction configurations and freestream conditions. The complex flowfields and aerothermal loads generated by multiple-shock impingement, while not generating as large peak loads, provide important test cases for code prediction. The detailed heat transfer and pressure measurements proved a good basis for evaluating the accuracy of simple prediction methods and detailed numerical solutions for laminar and transitional regions or shock/shock interactions.

  18. Drug interactions and risk of acute bleeding leading to hospitalisation or death in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin.

    PubMed

    Gasse, Christiane; Hollowell, Jennifer; Meier, Christoph R; Haefeli, Walter E

    2005-09-01

    Although drug interactions with warfarin are an important cause of excessive anticoagulation, their impact on the risk of serious bleeding is unknown. We therefore performed a cohort study and a nested case-control analysis to determine the risk of serious bleeding in 4152 patients (aged 40-84 years) with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) taking long-term warfarin (> 3 months). The study population was drawn from the UK General Practice Research Database. More than half (58%) of eligible patients used potentially interacting drugs during continuous warfarin treatment. Among 45 identified cases of incident idiopathic bleeds (resulting in hospitalisation within 30 days or death within 7 days) and 143 matched controls, more cases than controls took > or = 1 potentially interacting drug within the preceding 30 days (62.2% vs. 35.7%) and used > 4 drugs (polypharmacy) within the preceding 90 days (80.0% vs. 66.4%). Conditional logistic regression analysis yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-8.5) for the risk of serious bleeding in patients treated with warfarin and > or = 1 drugs potentially increasing the effect of warfarin vs. warfarin alone adjusted for polypharmacy, diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and thyroid disease; the adjusted OR for the combined use of warfarin and aspirin vs. warfarin alone was 4.5 (95% CI: 1.1-18.1). We conclude that concurrent use of potentially interacting drugs with warfarin is associated with a 3 to 4.5-fold increased risk of serious bleeding in long-term warfarin users.

  19. Piloting case-based instruction in a didactic clinical immunology course.

    PubMed

    Hoag, Kathleen; Lillie, Janet; Hoppe, Ruth

    2005-01-01

    To assess (1) the effect of case-based instructional modules on student critical thinking, class attendance, and satisfaction and (2) student opinion of case formats. University-based upper division course in clinical immunology and serology. The course was taught by the same instructor for two consecutive semesters with the intervention introduced in the second semester. Sixty-seven students experienced the intervention and 56 students were in the baseline cohort. Nine cases were interspersed between lectures during the semester. Each case took one 50-minute class in which students worked in groups of five or six. Student performance on five critical thinking multiple-choice examination questions and percent student attendance on case days versus lecture days were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Student ratings on course evaluations were analyzed using t-test comparing semesters with and without intervention. Student opinion of cases was obtained through surveys and a focus group. Student performance on critical thinking exam questions was similar in the two groups. Student attendance was significantly higher on case days (95.6%) versus lecture days (80.3%; p < 0.0001). Only composite ratings for instructor involvement, student-instructor interaction, and course organization were significantly improved in the semester with cases compared to the semester with lecture only (p < 0.0001 for all indices). Although case studies did not significantly improve student performance on critical thinking questions, they still proved to be a valuable instructional method. Student attendance, student-instructor interaction, and instructor involvement in the course were all positively affected by incorporation of case studies. Discussion of cases also helped to uncover student misconceptions of course material.

  20. Casimir forces between defects in one-dimensional quantum liquids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Recati, A.; Fuchs, J. N.; Peça, C. S.; Zwerger, W.

    2005-08-01

    We discuss the effective interactions between two localized perturbations in one-dimensional quantum liquids. For noninteracting fermions, the interactions exhibit Friedel oscillations, giving rise to a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida-type interaction familiar from impurity spins in metals. In the interacting case, at low energies, a Luttinger-liquid description applies. In the case of repulsive fermions, the Friedel oscillations of the interacting system are replaced, at long distances, by a universal Casimir-type interaction which depends only on the sound velocity and decays inversely with the separation. The Casimir-type interaction between localized perturbations embedded in a fermionic environment gives rise to a long-range coupling between quantum dots in ultracold Fermi gases, opening an alternative to couple qubits with neutral atoms. We also briefly discuss the case of bosonic quantum liquids in which the interaction between weak impurities turns out to be short ranged, decaying exponentially on the scale of the healing length.

Top