V-TECS Criterion-Referenced Test Item Bank for Radiologic Technology Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reneau, Fred; And Others

This Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States (V-TECS) criterion-referenced test item bank provides 696 multiple-choice items and 33 matching items for radiologic technology occupations. These job titles are included: radiologic technologist, chief; radiologic technologist; nuclear medicine technologist; radiation therapy technologist;…

Strategic assessment of the availability of pediatric trauma care equipment, technology and supplies in Ghana.

PubMed

Ankomah, James; Stewart, Barclay T; Oppong-Nketia, Victor; Koranteng, Adofo; Gyedu, Adam; Quansah, Robert; Donkor, Peter; Abantanga, Francis; Mock, Charles

2015-11-01

This study aimed to assess the availability of pediatric trauma care items (i.e. equipment, supplies, technology) and factors contributing to deficiencies in Ghana. Ten universal and 9 pediatric-sized items were selected from the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care. Direct inspection and structured interviews with administrative, clinical and biomedical engineering staff were used to assess item availability at 40 purposively sampled district, regional and tertiary hospitals in Ghana. Hospital assessments demonstrated marked deficiencies for a number of essential items (e.g. basic airway supplies, chest tubes, blood pressure cuffs, electrolyte determination, portable X-ray). Lack of pediatric-sized items resulting from equipment absence, lack of training, frequent stock-outs and technology breakage were common. Pediatric items were consistently less available than adult-sized items at each hospital level. This study identified several successes and problems with pediatric trauma care item availability in Ghana. Item availability could be improved, both affordably and reliably, by better organization and planning (e.g. regular assessment of demand and inventory, reliable financing for essential trauma care items). In addition, technology items were often broken. Developing local service and biomedical engineering capability was highlighted as a priority to avoid long periods of equipment breakage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategic assessment of the availability of pediatric trauma care equipment, technology and supplies in Ghana

PubMed Central

Ankomah, James; Stewart, Barclay T; Oppong-Nketia, Victor; Koranteng, Adofo; Gyedu, Adam; Quansah, Robert; Donkor, Peter; Abantanga, Francis; Mock, Charles

2015-01-01

Background This study aimed to assess the availability of pediatric trauma care items (i.e. equipment, supplies, technology) and factors contributing to deficiencies in Ghana. Methods Ten universal and 9 pediatric-sized items were selected from the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care. Direct inspection and structured interviews with administrative, clinical and biomedical engineering staff were used to assess item availability at 40 purposively sampled district, regional and tertiary hospitals in Ghana. Results Hospital assessments demonstrated marked deficiencies for a number of essential items (e.g. basic airway supplies, chest tubes, blood pressure cuffs, electrolyte determination, portable Xray). Lack of pediatric-sized items resulting from equipment absence, lack of training, frequent stock-outs and technology breakage were common. Pediatric items were consistently less available than adult-sized items at each hospital level. Conclusion This study identified several successes and problems with pediatric trauma care item availability in Ghana. Item availability could be improved, both affordably and reliably, by better organization and planning (e.g. regular assessment of demand and inventory, reliable financing for essential trauma care items). In addition, technology items were often broken. Developing local service and biomedical engineering capability was highlighted as a priority to avoid long periods of equipment breakage. PMID:25841284

Key Items to Get Right When Conducting a Randomized Controlled Trial in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, 2005

2005-01-01

This is a checklist of key items to get right when conducting a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an educational program or practice ("intervention"). It is intended as a practical resource for researchers and sponsors of research, describing items that are often critical to the success of a randomized controlled trial. A significant…

Developing a Strategy for Using Technology-Enhanced Items in Large-Scale Standardized Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, William

2017-01-01

As large-scale standardized tests move from paper-based to computer-based delivery, opportunities arise for test developers to make use of items beyond traditional selected and constructed response types. Technology-enhanced items (TEIs) have the potential to provide advantages over conventional items, including broadening construct measurement,…

Detecting unexpected variables in the MMPI 2 Social Introversion scale.

PubMed

Chang, C H; Wright, B D

2001-01-01

The standard scoring structure of the revised Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) Social Introversion (Si) scale was reexamined with Rasch Measurement. The 69-item Si scale split into two distinct dimensions when their standardized residuals were factor analyzed. Items keyed "true" to Si defined one dimension and items keyed "false" defined another. Relationships between Lexile values (an index of reading difficulty and comprehension) and item difficulties were also explored. The article shows how to use Rasch Measurement to understand and improve personality assessment.

Life cycle costing of waste management systems: overview, calculation principles and case studies.

PubMed

Martinez-Sanchez, Veronica; Kromann, Mikkel A; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2015-02-01

This paper provides a detailed and comprehensive cost model for the economic assessment of solid waste management systems. The model was based on the principles of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and followed a bottom-up calculation approach providing detailed cost items for all key technologies within modern waste systems. All technologies were defined per tonne of waste input, and each cost item within a technology was characterised by both a technical and an economic parameter (for example amount and cost of fuel related to waste collection), to ensure transparency, applicability and reproducibility. Cost items were classified as: (1) budget costs, (2) transfers (for example taxes, subsidies and fees) and (3) externality costs (for example damage or abatement costs related to emissions and disamenities). Technology costs were obtained as the sum of all cost items (of the same type) within a specific technology, while scenario costs were the sum of all technologies involved in a scenario. The cost model allows for the completion of three types of LCC: a Conventional LCC, for the assessment of financial costs, an Environmental LCC, for the assessment of financial costs whose results are complemented by a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the same system, and a Societal LCC, for socio-economic assessments. Conventional and Environmental LCCs includes budget costs and transfers, while Societal LCCs includes budget and externality costs. Critical aspects were found in the existing literature regarding the cost assessment of waste management, namely system boundary equivalency, accounting for temporally distributed emissions and impacts, inclusions of transfers, the internalisation of environmental impacts and the coverage of shadow prices, and there was also significant confusion regarding terminology. The presented cost model was implemented in two case study scenarios assessing the costs involved in the source segregation of organic waste from 100,000 Danish households and the subsequent co-digestion of organic waste with animal manure. Overall, source segregation resulted in higher financial costs than the alternative of incinerating the organic waste with the residual waste: 1.6 M€/year, of which 0.9 M€/year was costs for extra bins and bags used by the households, 1.0 M€/year for extra collections and -0.3 M€/year saved on incineration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keys to a drug-free workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortuna, Joseph J.; Fortuna, Patricia B.

1997-01-01

What does it take to establish a drug free work place. Are technologies available other than urine testing for pre- employment screening and monitoring of employees. Various methods are now available to screen for illicit drug residues on items handled by individuals. The residues can be acquired from the surfaces of items such as telephones, door knobs, steering wheels, lockers, clothing, identification cards, etc. Test kits are also available for urine testing at NIDA threshold levels. Analysis of hair, saliva, and sweat is now possible. How good ar these methods and kits. What value are they to the public. What are the legal concerns facing employers. What do the screening test show. These questions and others are addressed in this paper. The authors review for the reader how drug abuse by US workers costs businesses. The paper then addresses the various aspects of the DOT regulations to determine why urine analysis (UA) is insufficient to eliminate drug abuse. The authors present applications of screening technologies in addition to UA. Finally, the authors provide a conclusion of findings and recommendations for businesses that truly want or need drug free work places.

Exploration Mission Benefits From Logistics Reduction Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.; Schlesinger, Thilini; Ewert, Michael K.

2016-01-01

Technologies that reduce logistical mass, volume, and the crew time dedicated to logistics management become more important as exploration missions extend further from the Earth. Even modest reductions in logical mass can have a significant impact because it also reduces the packing burden. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems' Logistics Reduction Project is developing technologies that can directly reduce the mass and volume of crew clothing and metabolic waste collection. Also, cargo bags have been developed that can be reconfigured for crew outfitting and trash processing technologies to increase habitable volume and improve protection against solar storm events are under development. Additionally, Mars class missions are sufficiently distant that even logistics management without resupply can be problematic due to the communication time delay with Earth. Although exploration vehicles are launched with all consumables and logistics in a defined configuration, the configuration continually changes as the mission progresses. Traditionally significant ground and crew time has been required to understand the evolving configuration and locate misplaced items. For key mission events and unplanned contingencies, the crew will not be able to rely on the ground for logistics localization assistance. NASA has been developing a radio frequency identification autonomous logistics management system to reduce crew time for general inventory and enable greater crew self-response to unplanned events when a wide range of items may need to be located in a very short time period. This paper provides a status of the technologies being developed and there mission benefits for exploration missions.

Exploration Mission Benefits From Logistics Reduction Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.; Ewert, Michael K.; Schlesinger, Thilini

2016-01-01

Technologies that reduce logistical mass, volume, and the crew time dedicated to logistics management become more important as exploration missions extend further from the Earth. Even modest reductions in logistical mass can have a significant impact because it also reduces the packaging burden. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems' Logistics Reduction Project is developing technologies that can directly reduce the mass and volume of crew clothing and metabolic waste collection. Also, cargo bags have been developed that can be reconfigured for crew outfitting, and trash processing technologies are under development to increase habitable volume and improve protection against solar storm events. Additionally, Mars class missions are sufficiently distant that even logistics management without resupply can be problematic due to the communication time delay with Earth. Although exploration vehicles are launched with all consumables and logistics in a defined configuration, the configuration continually changes as the mission progresses. Traditionally significant ground and crew time has been required to understand the evolving configuration and to help locate misplaced items. For key mission events and unplanned contingencies, the crew will not be able to rely on the ground for logistics localization assistance. NASA has been developing a radio-frequency-identification autonomous logistics management system to reduce crew time for general inventory and enable greater crew self-response to unplanned events when a wide range of items may need to be located in a very short time period. This paper provides a status of the technologies being developed and their mission benefits for exploration missions.

Payload software technology: Software technology development plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Programmatic requirements for the advancement of software technology are identified for meeting the space flight requirements in the 1980 to 1990 time period. The development items are described, and software technology item derivation worksheets are presented along with the cost/time/priority assessments.

Logistics Reduction Technologies for Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James L., Jr.; Ewert, Michael K.; Fink, Patrick W.

2014-01-01

Human exploration missions under study are very limited by the launch mass capacity of existing and planned vehicles. The logistical mass of crew items is typically considered separate from the vehicle structure, habitat outfitting, and life support systems. Consequently, crew item logistical mass is typically competing with vehicle systems for mass allocation. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) Project is developing five logistics technologies guided by a systems engineering cradle-to-grave approach to enable used crew items to augment vehicle systems. Specifically, AES LRR is investigating the direct reduction of clothing mass, the repurposing of logistical packaging, the use of autonomous logistics management technologies, the processing of spent crew items to benefit radiation shielding and water recovery, and the conversion of trash to propulsion gases. The systematic implementation of these types of technologies will increase launch mass efficiency by enabling items to be used for secondary purposes and improve the habitability of the vehicle as the mission duration increases. This paper provides a description and the challenges of the five technologies under development and the estimated overall mission benefits of each technology.

Telesat Canada's mobile satellite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertenyi, E.; Wachira, M.

1987-10-01

Telesat Canada plans to begin instituting mobile satellite ('Msat') services in the early 1990s, in order to permit voice and data communications between land vehicles, aircraft, and ships throughout the remote northern regions and the 200-mile offshore regions of Canada and any other point on Canadian territory. An account is presently given of Msat's overall configuration and projected capacity, together with the design features and performance capabilities of the constituent ground, space, and network control segments. Key technology items are the spacecraft high power RF amplifier and its large deployable antenna.

ACER Chemistry Test Item Collection. ACER Chemtic Year 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Council for Educational Research, Hawthorn.

The chemistry test item banks contains 225 multiple-choice questions suitable for diagnostic and achievement testing; a three-page teacher's guide; answer key with item facilities; an answer sheet; and a 45-item sample achievement test. Although written for the new grade 12 chemistry course in Victoria, Australia, the items are widely applicable.…

Air cushion landing gear applications study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Earl, T. D.

1979-01-01

A series of air cushion landing gear (ACLG) applications was studied and potential benefits analyzed in order to identify the most attractive of these. The selected applications are new integrated designs (not retrofits) and employ a modified design approach with improved characteristics and performance. To aid the study, a survey of potential users was made. Applications were evaluated in the light of comments received. A technology scenario is developed, with discussion of problem areas, current technology level and future needs. Feasible development timetables are suggested. It is concluded that near-term development of small-size ACLG trunks, exploration of flight effects and braking are key items. The most attractive applications are amphibious with very large cargo aircraft and small general aviation having the greatest potential.

14 CFR 1216.203 - Definition of key terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Floodplain and Wetlands Management § 1216.203 Definition of key terms. (a) Action—any NASA activity including... buildings, structures and utility items, marine structures, bridges and other land development items, such... wetlands. (i) Floodproofing—the modification of individual structures and facilities, their sites, and...

15 CFR 734.3 - Items subject to the EAR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., and foreign-made technology that is commingled with controlled U.S.-origin technology: (i) In any....S. origin technology or software, as described in § 736.2(b)(3) of the EAR. The term “direct product... technology or software; and Note to paragraph (a)(4): Certain foreign-manufactured items developed or...

15 CFR 734.3 - Items subject to the EAR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., and foreign-made technology that is commingled with controlled U.S.-origin technology: (i) In any....S. origin technology or software, as described in § 736.2(b)(3) of the EAR. The term “direct product... technology or software; and Note to paragraph (a)(4): Certain foreign-manufactured items developed or...

15 CFR 734.3 - Items subject to the EAR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., and foreign-made technology that is commingled with controlled U.S.-origin technology: (i) In any....S. origin technology or software, as described in § 736.2(b)(3) of the EAR. The term “direct product... technology or software; and Note to paragraph (a)(4): Certain foreign-manufactured items developed or...

15 CFR 734.3 - Items subject to the EAR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., and foreign-made technology that is commingled with controlled U.S.-origin technology: (i) In any....S. origin technology or software, as described in § 736.2(b)(3) of the EAR. The term “direct product... technology or software; and Note to paragraph (a)(4): Certain foreign-manufactured items developed or...

15 CFR 734.3 - Items subject to the EAR.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., and foreign-made technology that is commingled with controlled U.S.-origin technology: (i) In any....S. origin technology or software, as described in § 736.2(b)(3) of the EAR. The term “direct product... technology or software; and Note to paragraph (a)(4): Certain foreign-manufactured items developed or...

75 FR 60266 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Buy American Exemption for Commercial Information Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

...). Section 615 authorizes exemption from the Buy American Act for acquisition of information technology that... acquisition of information technology that is a commercial item. This same exemption has appeared every year... applies. ``Information technology'' and ``Commercial item'' are already defined in FAR part 2. This is a...

Newsletter on Science, Technology & Human Values, Number 22.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelanski, Vivien B., Ed.

This publication contains many news items such as meeting and conference descriptions and dates, proposed and current legislative action, publication descriptions, and topical articles. The items all pertain to the impact on humanity of science and technology. In this issue, news items include NSF, NEH, and AAAS meeting and seminar notices,…

Maximising profits for an EPQ model with unreliable machine and rework of random defective items

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Brojeswar; Sankar Sana, Shib; Chaudhuri, Kripasindhu

2013-03-01

This article deals with an economic production quantity (EPQ) model in an imperfect production system. The production system may undergo in 'out-of-control' state from 'in-control' state, after a certain time that follows a probability density function. The density function varies with reliability of the machinery system that may be controlled by new technologies, investing more costs. The defective items produced in 'out-of-control' state are reworked at a cost just after the regular production time. Occurrence of the 'out-of-control' state during or after regular production-run time is analysed and also graphically illustrated separately. Finally, an expected profit function regarding the inventory cost, unit production cost and selling price is maximised analytically. Sensitivity analysis of the model with respect to key parameters of the system is carried out. Two numerical examples are considered to test the model and one of them is illustrated graphically.

Life cycle costing of waste management systems: Overview, calculation principles and case studies

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

Martinez-Sanchez, Veronica, E-mail: vems@env.dtu.dk; Kromann, Mikkel A.; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2015-02-15

Highlights: • We propose a comprehensive model for cost assessment of waste management systems. • The model includes three types of LCC: Conventional, Environmental and Societal LCCs. • The applicability of the proposed model is tested with two case studies. - Abstract: This paper provides a detailed and comprehensive cost model for the economic assessment of solid waste management systems. The model was based on the principles of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and followed a bottom-up calculation approach providing detailed cost items for all key technologies within modern waste systems. All technologies were defined per tonne of waste input, andmore » each cost item within a technology was characterised by both a technical and an economic parameter (for example amount and cost of fuel related to waste collection), to ensure transparency, applicability and reproducibility. Cost items were classified as: (1) budget costs, (2) transfers (for example taxes, subsidies and fees) and (3) externality costs (for example damage or abatement costs related to emissions and disamenities). Technology costs were obtained as the sum of all cost items (of the same type) within a specific technology, while scenario costs were the sum of all technologies involved in a scenario. The cost model allows for the completion of three types of LCC: a Conventional LCC, for the assessment of financial costs, an Environmental LCC, for the assessment of financial costs whose results are complemented by a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the same system, and a Societal LCC, for socio-economic assessments. Conventional and Environmental LCCs includes budget costs and transfers, while Societal LCCs includes budget and externality costs. Critical aspects were found in the existing literature regarding the cost assessment of waste management, namely system boundary equivalency, accounting for temporally distributed emissions and impacts, inclusions of transfers, the internalisation of environmental impacts and the coverage of shadow prices, and there was also significant confusion regarding terminology. The presented cost model was implemented in two case study scenarios assessing the costs involved in the source segregation of organic waste from 100,000 Danish households and the subsequent co-digestion of organic waste with animal manure. Overall, source segregation resulted in higher financial costs than the alternative of incinerating the organic waste with the residual waste: 1.6 M€/year, of which 0.9 M€/year was costs for extra bins and bags used by the households, 1.0 M€/year for extra collections and −0.3 M€/year saved on incineration.« less

Criterion-Referenced Test Items for Welding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Diane, Ed.

This test item bank on welding contains test questions based upon competencies found in the Missouri Welding Competency Profile. Some test items are keyed for multiple competencies. These criterion-referenced test items are designed to work with the Vocational Instructional Management System. Questions have been statistically sampled and validated…

Item Difficulty Modeling of Paragraph Comprehension Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorin, Joanna S.; Embretson, Susan E.

2006-01-01

Recent assessment research joining cognitive psychology and psychometric theory has introduced a new technology, item generation. In algorithmic item generation, items are systematically created based on specific combinations of features that underlie the processing required to correctly solve a problem. Reading comprehension items have been more…

Evaluating the influence of perceived organizational learning capability on user acceptance of information technology among operating room nurse staff.

PubMed

Lee, Chien-Ching; Lin, Shih-Pin; Yang, Shu-Ling; Tsou, Mei-Yung; Chang, Kuang-Yi

2013-03-01

Medical institutions are eager to introduce new information technology to improve patient safety and clinical efficiency. However, the acceptance of new information technology by medical personnel plays a key role in its adoption and application. This study aims to investigate whether perceived organizational learning capability (OLC) is associated with user acceptance of information technology among operating room nurse staff. Nurse anesthetists and operating room nurses were recruited in this questionnaire survey. A pilot study was performed to ensure the reliability and validity of the translated questionnaire, which consisted of 14 items from the four dimensions of OLC, and 16 items from the four constructs of user acceptance of information technology, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and behavioral intention. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied in the main survey to evaluate the construct validity of the questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothetical relationships between the four dimensions of user acceptance of information technology and the second-ordered OLC. Goodness of fit of the hypothetic model was also assessed. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence positively influenced behavioral intention of users of the clinical information system (all p < 0.001) and accounted for 75% of its variation. The second-ordered OLC was positively associated with performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence (all p < 0.001). However, the hypothetic relationship between perceived OLC and behavioral intention was not significant (p = 0.87). The fit statistical analysis indicated reasonable model fit to data (root mean square error of approximation = 0.07 and comparative fit index = 0.91). Perceived OLC indirectly affects user behavioral intention through the mediation of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence in the operating room setting. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

15 CFR 752.3 - Eligible items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... identified in § 744.5 of the EAR; (7) Communications intercepting devices and related software and technology... section technology for the development, production or overhaul of commercial aircraft engines controlled...) Items controlled for missile technology reasons that are identified by the letters MT in the applicable...

15 CFR 752.3 - Eligible items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... identified in § 744.5 of the EAR; (7) Communications intercepting devices and related software and technology...) Hot section technology for the development, production or overhaul of commercial aircraft engines...) Items controlled for missile technology reasons that are identified by the letters MT in the applicable...

Science and Applications Space Platform (SASP) End-to-End Data System Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crawford, P. R.; Kasulka, L. H.

1981-01-01

The capability of present technology and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) to accommodate Science and Applications Space Platforms (SASP) payload user's requirements, maximum service to the user through optimization of the SASP Onboard Command and Data Management System, and the ability and availability of new technology to accommodate the evolution of SASP payloads were assessed. Key technology items identified to accommodate payloads on a SASP were onboard storage devices, multiplexers, and onboard data processors. The primary driver is the limited access to TDRSS for single access channels due to sharing with all the low Earth orbit spacecraft plus shuttle. Advantages of onboard data processing include long term storage of processed data until TRDSS is accessible, thus reducing the loss of data, eliminating large data processing tasks at the ground stations, and providing a more timely access to the data.

Advanced teleoperation: Technology innovations and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenker, Paul S.; Bejczy, Antal K.; Kim, Won S.

1994-01-01

The capability to remotely, robotically perform space assembly, inspection, servicing, and science functions would rapidly expand our presence in space, and the cost efficiency of being there. There is considerable interest in developing 'telerobotic' technologies, which also have comparably important terrestrial applications to health care, underwater salvage, nuclear waste remediation and other. Such tasks, both space and terrestrial, require both a robot and operator interface that is highly flexible and adaptive, i.e., capable of efficiently working in changing and often casually structured environments. One systems approach to this requirement is to augment traditional teleoperation with computer assists -- advanced teleoperation. We have spent a number of years pursuing this approach, and highlight some key technology developments and their potential commercial impact. This paper is an illustrative summary rather than self-contained presentation; for completeness, we include representative technical references to our work which will allow the reader to follow up items of particular interest.

Low Energy Accelerators for Cargo Inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Chuanxiang

Cargo inspection by X-rays has become essential for seaports and airports. With the emphasis on homeland security issues, the identification of dangerous things, such as explosive items and nuclear materials, is the key feature of a cargo inspection system. And new technologies based on dual energy X-rays, neutrons and monoenergetic X-rays have been studied to achieve sufficiently good material identification. An interpretation of the principle of X-ray cargo inspection technology and the features of X-ray sources are presented in this article. As most of the X-ray sources are based on RF electron linear accelerators (linacs), we give a relatively detailed description of the principle and characteristics of linacs. Cargo inspection technologies based on neutron imaging, neutron analysis, nuclear resonance fluorescence and computer tomography are also mentioned here. The main vendors and their products are summarized at the end of the article.

Machine Shop. Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) Item Bank.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Diane, Ed.

This drafting criterion-referenced test item bank is keyed to the machine shop competency profile developed by industry and education professionals in Missouri. The 16 references used for drafting the test items are listed. Test items are arranged under these categories: orientation to machine shop; performing mathematical calculations; performing…

The Role of Item Models in Automatic Item Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gierl, Mark J.; Lai, Hollis

2012-01-01

Automatic item generation represents a relatively new but rapidly evolving research area where cognitive and psychometric theories are used to produce tests that include items generated using computer technology. Automatic item generation requires two steps. First, test development specialists create item models, which are comparable to templates…

15 CFR 750.3 - Review of license applications by BIS and other government agencies and departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... items controlled for national security, missile technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and chemical and... primarily with items controlled for national security, nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology...

15 CFR 750.3 - Review of license applications by BIS and other government agencies and departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... items controlled for national security, missile technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and chemical and... primarily with items controlled for national security, nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology...

15 CFR 750.3 - Review of license applications by BIS and other government agencies and departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... items controlled for national security, missile technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and chemical and... primarily with items controlled for national security, nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology...

Shallow Water UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record No. 1. Technology Type/Platform: GEN-3 Array

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

Clutter items fit into one of three categories: ferrous, nonferrous , and mixed metals . The ferrous and nonferrous items have been further divided into...that have both a ferrous and nonferrous component and could reasonably be encountered in a range area. The mixed- metals clutter was placed in the...however, there are also industrial scrap metal and cultural items as well. The mixed- metals clutter is comprised of scrap ordnance items or fragments

Using Automatic Item Generation to Meet the Increasing Item Demands of High-Stakes Educational and Occupational Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendasy, Martin E.; Sommer, Markus

2012-01-01

The use of new test administration technologies such as computerized adaptive testing in high-stakes educational and occupational assessments demands large item pools. Classic item construction processes and previous approaches to automatic item generation faced the problems of a considerable loss of items after the item calibration phase. In this…

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Primary Health Care Engagement (PHCE) Scale: a pilot survey of rural and remote nurses.

PubMed

Kosteniuk, Julie G; Wilson, Erin C; Penz, Kelly L; MacLeod, Martha L P; Stewart, Norma J; Kulig, Judith C; Karunanayake, Chandima P; Kilpatrick, Kelley

2016-01-01

To report the development and psychometric evaluation of a scale to measure rural and remote (rural/remote) nurses' perceptions of the engagement of their workplaces in key dimensions of primary health care (PHC). Amidst ongoing PHC reforms, a comprehensive instrument is needed to evaluate the degree to which rural/remote health care settings are involved in the key dimensions that characterize PHC delivery, particularly from the perspective of professionals delivering care. This study followed a three-phase process of instrument development and psychometric evaluation. A literature review and expert consultation informed instrument development in the first phase, followed by an iterative process of content evaluation in the second phase. In the final phase, a pilot survey was undertaken and item discrimination analysis employed to evaluate the internal consistency reliability of each subscale in the preliminary 60-item Primary Health Care Engagement (PHCE) Scale. The 60-item scale was subsequently refined to a 40-item instrument. The pilot survey sample included 89 nurses in current practice who had experience in rural/remote practice settings. Participants completed either a web-based or paper survey from September to December, 2013. Following item discrimination analysis, the 60-item instrument was refined to a 40-item PHCE Scale consisting of 10 subscales, each including three to five items. Alpha estimates of the 10 refined subscales ranged from 0.61 to 0.83, with seven of the subscales demonstrating acceptable reliability (α ⩾ 0.70). The refined 40-item instrument exhibited good internal consistency reliability (α=0.91). The 40-item PHCE Scale may be considered for use in future studies regardless of locale, to measure the extent to which health care professionals perceive their workplaces to be engaged in key dimensions of PHC.

Development of a measure of asthma-specific quality of life among adults.

PubMed

Eberhart, Nicole K; Sherbourne, Cathy D; Edelen, Maria Orlando; Stucky, Brian D; Sin, Nancy L; Lara, Marielena

2014-04-01

A key goal in asthma treatment is improvement in quality of life (QoL), but existing measures often confound QoL with symptoms and functional impairment. The current study addresses these limitations and the need for valid patient-reported outcome measures by using state-of-the-art methods to develop an item bank assessing QoL in adults with asthma. This article describes the process for developing an initial item pool for field testing. Five focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 50 asthmatic adults. We used "pile sorting/binning" and "winnowing" methods to identify key QoL dimensions and develop a pool of items based on statements made in the focus group interviews. We then conducted a literature review and consulted with an expert panel to ensure that no key concepts were omitted. Finally, we conducted individual cognitive interviews to ensure that items were well understood and inform final item refinement. Six hundred and sixty-one QoL statements were identified from focus group interview transcripts and subsequently used to generate a pool of 112 items in 16 different content areas. Items covering a broad range of content were developed that can serve as a valid gauge of individuals' perceptions of the effects of asthma and its treatment on their lives. These items do not directly measure symptoms or functional impairment, yet they include a broader range of content than most existent measures of asthma-specific QoL.

Development of a Measure of Asthma-Specific Quality of Life among Adults

PubMed Central

Eberhart, Nicole K.; Sherbourne, Cathy D.; Edelen, Maria Orlando; Stucky, Brian D.; Sin, Nancy L.; Lara, Marielena

2014-01-01

Purpose A key goal in asthma treatment is improvement in quality of life (QoL), but existing measures often confound QoL with symptoms and functional impairment. The current study addresses these limitations and the need for valid patient-reported outcome measures by using state-of-the-art methods to develop an item bank assessing QoL in adults with asthma. This article describes the process for developing an initial item pool for field testing. Methods Five focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 50 asthmatic adults. We used “pile sorting/binning” and “winnowing” methods to identify key QoL dimensions and develop a pool of items based on statements made in the focus group interviews. We then conducted a literature review and consulted with an expert panel to ensure that no key concepts were omitted. Finally, we conducted individual cognitive interviews to ensure that items were well understood and inform final item refinement. Results 661 QoL statements were identified from focus group interview transcripts and subsequently used to generate a pool of 112 items in 16 different content areas. Conclusions Items covering a broad range of content were developed that can serve as a valid gauge of individuals’ perceptions of the effects of asthma and its treatment on their lives. These items do not directly measure symptoms or functional impairment, yet they include a broader range of content than most existent measures of asthma-specific QoL. PMID:24062237

An Efficiency Balanced Information Criterion for Item Selection in Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Kyung T.

2012-01-01

Successful administration of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) programs in educational settings requires that test security and item exposure control issues be taken seriously. Developing an item selection algorithm that strikes the right balance between test precision and level of item pool utilization is the key to successful implementation…

Spatial Paradigm for Information Retrieval and Exploration

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

The SPIRE system consists of software for visual analysis of primarily text based information sources. This technology enables the content analysis of text documents without reading all the documents. It employs several algorithms for text and word proximity analysis. It identifies the key themes within the text documents. From this analysis, it projects the results onto a visual spatial proximity display (Galaxies or Themescape) where items (documents and/or themes) visually close to each other are known to have content which is close to each other. Innovative interaction techniques then allow for dynamic visual analysis of large text based information spaces.

SPIRE1.03. Spatial Paradigm for Information Retrieval and Exploration

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

Adams, K.J.; Bohn, S.; Crow, V.

The SPIRE system consists of software for visual analysis of primarily text based information sources. This technology enables the content analysis of text documents without reading all the documents. It employs several algorithms for text and word proximity analysis. It identifies the key themes within the text documents. From this analysis, it projects the results onto a visual spatial proximity display (Galaxies or Themescape) where items (documents and/or themes) visually close to each other are known to have content which is close to each other. Innovative interaction techniques then allow for dynamic visual analysis of large text based information spaces.

Evaluating the Psychometric Characteristics of Generated Multiple-Choice Test Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gierl, Mark J.; Lai, Hollis; Pugh, Debra; Touchie, Claire; Boulais, André-Philippe; De Champlain, André

2016-01-01

Item development is a time- and resource-intensive process. Automatic item generation integrates cognitive modeling with computer technology to systematically generate test items. To date, however, items generated using cognitive modeling procedures have received limited use in operational testing situations. As a result, the psychometric…

Making physiology learning memorable: a mobile phone-assisted case-based instructional strategy.

PubMed

Kukolja Taradi, S; Taradi, M

2016-09-01

The goal of the present study was to determine whether an active learning/teaching strategy facilitated with mobile technologies can improve students' levels of memory retention of key physiological concepts. We used a quasiexperimental pretest/posttest nonequivalent group design to compare the test performances of second-year medical students (n = 311) taught by conventional didactic methods (traditional group) with those involved in a case-based problem-solving learning approach facilitated with mobile phones as web-based "clickers" (experimental group). Using their cell phones, students answered the same questions about the key physiological concepts three times. A pretest to determine their baseline knowledge was followed by two followup tests after 1 wk and 2 mo, respectively. The experimental group scored a mean of 93.2% correct items after 1 wk and 84.8% correct items after 2 mo [95% confidence intervals: (89.4, 97.0) and (79.4, 90.3), respectively]. Compared with their colleagues in the traditional group who scored 33.3% [95% confidence interval: (18.9, 47.8)] and 38.5% [95% confidence interval: (23.6, 53.4)] correct items, respectively, this was a significant increase of ∼50% (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, for the experimental group, Cohen's effect size (d) values of d = 1.67 (1-wk posttest) and d = 1.38 (2-mo posttest) suggested a very high practical significance. In contrast, in the traditional group, Cohen's d values of d = 0.04 (1-wk posttest) and d = 0.15 (2-mo posttest) assumed a very low practical significance. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Citizenship and Education in Twenty-Eight Countries: Civic Knowledge and Engagement at Age Fourteen.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torney-Purta, Judith; Lehmann, Rainer; Oswald, Hans; Schulz, Wolfram

In 1994 the General Assembly of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) decided to undertake a study on civic education. This volume reports on Phase 2 of the project, which consisted of a test (keyed cognitive items) and a survey (un-keyed attitudinal and behavioral items) administered in each…

The study of precision measurement of pelvis spatial structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiang; Ouyang, Jianfei; Qu, Xinghua

2010-03-01

Osteometry is fundamental for anthropometry. It provides the key technology and value to the study of palaeoanthropology, medicine, and criminal investigation. The traditional osteometry that has been widely accepted and used since 18th century has no longer met the information demand for modern research and application. It is significant and necessary to create an advanced 3-dimensional osteometry technique for anthropometry. This paper presents a new quick and accurate method to measure human pelvis through mathematical modeling. The pelvis is a complex combination of bones, which consists of three connected parts: hipbones, sacrum, and coccyx. There are over 40 items to be measured for the 1-dimension characteristics. In this paper, a combined measuring technology is developed for pelvis measurement. It uses machine vision systems and a portable measuring arm to obtain key geometry parameters of the pelvis. The mathematics models of the pelvis spatial structure and its parts are created through the process of data collecting, digging, assembling, and modeling. The experiment shows that the proposed technology can meet traditional osteometry and obtain entire 1D geometric parameters of the pelvis, such as maximum breadth and height, diameter of obstetric conjugata, inclination angle, and sakralneigungswinkel, etc. at the same time after modeling. Besides making the measurements above, the proposed technology can measure the geometry characteristics of pelvis and its parts, such as volume, surface area, curvature, and spatial structure, which are almost impossible for traditional technology. The overall measuring error is less than 0.1mm.

Evaluting the Validity of Technology-Enhanced Educational Assessment Items and Tasks: An Emprical Approach to Studying Item Features and Scoring Rubrics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ally

2016-01-01

With the advent of the newly developed Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, innovative assessments, including technology-enhanced items and tasks, will be needed to meet the challenges of developing valid and reliable assessments in a world of computer-based testing. In a recent critique of the next generation…

Cradle-to-Grave Logistic Technologies for Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James L.; Ewert, Michael K.; Shull, Sarah

2013-01-01

Human exploration missions under study are very limited by the launch mass capacity of exiting and planned vehicles. The logistical mass of crew items is typically considered separate from the vehicle structure, habitat outfitting, and life support systems. Consequently, crew item logistical mass is typically competing with vehicle systems for mass allocation. NASA is Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) Project is developing four logistics technologies guided by a systems engineering cradle-to-grave approach to enable used crew items to augment vehicle systems. Specifically, AES LRR is investigating the direct reduction of clothing mass, the repurposing of logistical packaging, the processing of spent crew items to benefit radiation shielding and water recovery, and the conversion of trash to propulsion supply gases. The systematic implementation of these types of technologies will increase launch mass efficiency by enabling items to be used for secondary purposes and improve the habitability of the vehicle as the mission duration increases. This paper provides a description, benefits, and challenges of the four technologies under development and a status of progress at the mid ]point of the three year AES project.

Norovirus Illness: Key Facts

MedlinePlus

... should— • handle soiled items carefully without agitating them, • wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling soiled items and wash your hands after, and wash the items with detergent at the maximum available cycle length then machine dry them. Visit CDC’s Norovirus Web site at ...

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation

PubMed Central

Rosen, L.D.; Whaling, K.; Carrier, L.M.; Cheever, N.A.; Rokkum, J.

2015-01-01

Current approaches to measuring people’s everyday usage of technology-based media and other computer-related activities have proved to be problematic as they use varied outcome measures, fail to measure behavior in a broad range of technology-related domains and do not take into account recently developed types of technology including smartphones. In the present study, a wide variety of items, covering a range of up-to-date technology and media usage behaviors. Sixty-six items concerning technology and media usage, along with 18 additional items assessing attitudes toward technology, were administered to two independent samples of individuals, comprising 942 participants. Factor analyses were used to create 11 usage subscales representing smartphone usage, general social media usage, Internet searching, e-mailing, media sharing, text messaging, video gaming, online friendships, Facebook friendships, phone calling, and watching television in addition to four attitude-based subscales: positive attitudes, negative attitudes, technological anxiety/dependence, and attitudes toward task-switching. All subscales showed strong reliabilities and relationships between the subscales and pre-existing measures of daily media usage and Internet addiction were as predicted. Given the reliability and validity results, the new Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale was suggested as a method of measuring media and technology involvement across a variety of types of research studies either as a single 60-item scale or any subset of the 15 subscales. PMID:25722534

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation.

PubMed

Rosen, L D; Whaling, K; Carrier, L M; Cheever, N A; Rokkum, J

2013-11-01

Current approaches to measuring people's everyday usage of technology-based media and other computer-related activities have proved to be problematic as they use varied outcome measures, fail to measure behavior in a broad range of technology-related domains and do not take into account recently developed types of technology including smartphones. In the present study, a wide variety of items, covering a range of up-to-date technology and media usage behaviors. Sixty-six items concerning technology and media usage, along with 18 additional items assessing attitudes toward technology, were administered to two independent samples of individuals, comprising 942 participants. Factor analyses were used to create 11 usage subscales representing smartphone usage, general social media usage, Internet searching, e-mailing, media sharing, text messaging, video gaming, online friendships, Facebook friendships, phone calling, and watching television in addition to four attitude-based subscales: positive attitudes, negative attitudes, technological anxiety/dependence, and attitudes toward task-switching. All subscales showed strong reliabilities and relationships between the subscales and pre-existing measures of daily media usage and Internet addiction were as predicted. Given the reliability and validity results, the new Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale was suggested as a method of measuring media and technology involvement across a variety of types of research studies either as a single 60-item scale or any subset of the 15 subscales.

Measuring ability to assess claims about treatment effects: a latent trait analysis of items from the ‘Claim Evaluation Tools’ database using Rasch modelling

PubMed Central

Austvoll-Dahlgren, Astrid; Guttersrud, Øystein; Nsangi, Allen; Semakula, Daniel; Oxman, Andrew D

2017-01-01

Background The Claim Evaluation Tools database contains multiple-choice items for measuring people’s ability to apply the key concepts they need to know to be able to assess treatment claims. We assessed items from the database using Rasch analysis to develop an outcome measure to be used in two randomised trials in Uganda. Rasch analysis is a form of psychometric testing relying on Item Response Theory. It is a dynamic way of developing outcome measures that are valid and reliable. Objectives To assess the validity, reliability and responsiveness of 88 items addressing 22 key concepts using Rasch analysis. Participants We administrated four sets of multiple-choice items in English to 1114 people in Uganda and Norway, of which 685 were children and 429 were adults (including 171 health professionals). We scored all items dichotomously. We explored summary and individual fit statistics using the RUMM2030 analysis package. We used SPSS to perform distractor analysis. Results Most items conformed well to the Rasch model, but some items needed revision. Overall, the four item sets had satisfactory reliability. We did not identify significant response dependence between any pairs of items and, overall, the magnitude of multidimensionality in the data was acceptable. The items had a high level of difficulty. Conclusion Most of the items conformed well to the Rasch model’s expectations. Following revision of some items, we concluded that most of the items were suitable for use in an outcome measure for evaluating the ability of children or adults to assess treatment claims. PMID:28550019

Assessing the Intention to Use Technology among Pre-Service Teachers in Singapore and Malaysia: A Multigroup Invariance Analysis of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy; Lee, Chwee Beng; Chai, Ching Sing; Wong, Su Luan

2009-01-01

This study assesses the pre-service teachers' self-reported future intentions to use technology in Singapore and Malaysia. A survey was employed to validate items from past research. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a research framework, 495 pre-service teachers from Singapore and Malaysia responded to an 11-item questionnaires…

Database of Industrial Technological Information in Kanagawa : Networks for Technology Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Akira; Shindo, Tadashi

This system is one of the databases which require participation by its members and of which premise is to open all the data in it. Aiming at free technological cooperation and exchange among industries it was constructed by Kanagawa Prefecture in collaboration with enterprises located in it. The input data is 36 items such as major product, special and advantageous technology, technolagy to be wanted for cooperation, facility and equipment, which technologically characterize each enterprise. They are expressed in 2,000 characters and written by natural language including Kanji except for some coded items. 24 search items are accessed by natural language so that in addition to interactive searching procedures including menu-type it enables extensive searching. The information service started in Oct., 1986 covering data from 2,000 enterprisen.

Physics 30 Program Machine-Scorable Open-Ended Questions: Unit 2: Electric and Magnetic Forces. Diploma Examinations Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton.

This document outlines the use of machine-scorable open-ended questions for the evaluation of Physics 30 in Alberta. Contents include: (1) an introduction to the questions; (2) sample instruction sheet; (3) fifteen sample items; (4) item information including the key, difficulty, and source of each item; (5) solutions to items having multiple…

Key interventions and quality indicators for quality improvement of STEMI care: a RAND Delphi survey.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2017-12-13

Identification, selection and validation of key interventions and quality indicators for improvement of in hospital quality of care for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. A structured literature review was followed by a RAND Delphi Survey. A purposively selected multidisciplinary expert panel of cardiologists, nurse managers and quality managers selected and validated key interventions and quality indicators prior for quality improvement for STEMI. First, 34 experts (76% response rate) individually assessed the appropriateness of items to quality improvement on a nine point Likert scale. Twenty-seven key interventions, 16 quality indicators at patient level and 27 quality indicators at STEMI care programme level were selected. Eighteen additional items were suggested. Experts received personal feedback, benchmarking their score with group results (response rate, mean, median and content validity index). Consequently, 32 experts (71% response rate) openly discussed items with an item-content validity index above 75%. By consensus, the expert panel validated a final set of 25 key interventions, 13 quality indicators at patient level and 20 quality indicators at care programme level prior for improvement of in hospital care for STEMI. A structured literature review and multidisciplinary expertise was combined to validate a set of key interventions and quality indicators prior for improvement of care for STEMI. The results allow researchers and hospital staff to evaluate and support quality improvement interventions in a large cohort within the context of a health care system.

The future point-of-care detection of disease and its data capture and handling.

PubMed

Lopez-Barbosa, Natalia; Gamarra, Jorge D; Osma, Johann F

2016-04-01

Point-of-care detection is a widely studied area that attracts effort and interest from a large number of fields and companies. However, there is also increased interest from the general public in this type of device, which has driven enormous changes in the design and conception of these developments and the way data is handled. Therefore, future point-of-care detection has to include communication with front-end technology, such as smartphones and networks, automation of manufacture, and the incorporation of concepts like the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing. Three key examples, based on different sensing technology, are analyzed in detail on the basis of these items to highlight a route for the future design and development of point-of-care detection devices and their data capture and handling.

7 CFR 2902.5 - Item designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., USDA will use life cycle cost information only from tests using the BEES analytical method. (c... availability of such items and the economic and technological feasibility of using such items, including life cycle costs. USDA will gather information on individual products within an item and extrapolate that...

The Usefulness of Differential Item Functioning Methodology in Longitudinal Intervention Studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perceived self-efficacy (SE) for engaging in physical activity (PA) is a key variable mediating PA change in interventions. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of item response modeling-based (IRM) differential item functioning (DIF) in the investigation of group differences ...

Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) Items for Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Diane, Ed.

These criterion-referenced test (CRT) items for air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration are keyed to the Missouri Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Competency Profile. The items are designed to work with both the Vocational Instructional Management System and Vocational Administrative Management System. For word processing and…

Measuring ability to assess claims about treatment effects: a latent trait analysis of items from the 'Claim Evaluation Tools' database using Rasch modelling.

PubMed

Austvoll-Dahlgren, Astrid; Guttersrud, Øystein; Nsangi, Allen; Semakula, Daniel; Oxman, Andrew D

2017-05-25

The Claim Evaluation Tools database contains multiple-choice items for measuring people's ability to apply the key concepts they need to know to be able to assess treatment claims. We assessed items from the database using Rasch analysis to develop an outcome measure to be used in two randomised trials in Uganda. Rasch analysis is a form of psychometric testing relying on Item Response Theory. It is a dynamic way of developing outcome measures that are valid and reliable. To assess the validity, reliability and responsiveness of 88 items addressing 22 key concepts using Rasch analysis. We administrated four sets of multiple-choice items in English to 1114 people in Uganda and Norway, of which 685 were children and 429 were adults (including 171 health professionals). We scored all items dichotomously. We explored summary and individual fit statistics using the RUMM2030 analysis package. We used SPSS to perform distractor analysis. Most items conformed well to the Rasch model, but some items needed revision. Overall, the four item sets had satisfactory reliability. We did not identify significant response dependence between any pairs of items and, overall, the magnitude of multidimensionality in the data was acceptable. The items had a high level of difficulty. Most of the items conformed well to the Rasch model's expectations. Following revision of some items, we concluded that most of the items were suitable for use in an outcome measure for evaluating the ability of children or adults to assess treatment claims. © 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.

Web Cast on Arsenic Demonstration Program: Lessons Learned

EPA Science Inventory

Web cast presentation covered 10 Lessons Learned items selected from the Arsenic Demonstration Program with supporting information. The major items discussed include system design and performance items and the cost of the technologies.

15 CFR 740.12 - Gift parcels and humanitarian donations (GFT).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., and nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology or crime control reasons (see supplement No. 1 to... destinations, no items controlled for chemical and biological weapons (CB), missile technology (MT), national security (NS), nuclear proliferation (NP) or encryption items (EI) reasons on the Commerce Control List...

15 CFR 740.12 - Gift parcels and humanitarian donations (GFT).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., and nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology or crime control reasons (see Supplement No. 1 to... destinations, no items controlled for chemical and biological weapons (CB), missile technology (MT), national security (NS), nuclear proliferation (NP) or encryption items (EI) reasons on the Commerce Control List...

Development of the PRE-HIT instrument: patient readiness to engage in health information technology.

PubMed

Koopman, Richelle J; Petroski, Gregory F; Canfield, Shannon M; Stuppy, Julie A; Mehr, David R

2014-01-28

Technology-based aids for lifestyle change are becoming more prevalent for chronic conditions. Important "digital divides" remain, as well as concerns about privacy, data security, and lack of motivation. Researchers need a way to characterize participants' readiness to use health technologies. To address this need, we created an instrument to measure patient readiness to engage with health technologies among adult patients with chronic conditions. Initial focus groups to determine domains, followed by item development and refinement, and exploratory factor analysis to determine final items and factor structure. The development sample included 200 patients with chronic conditions from 6 family medicine clinics. From 98 potential items, 53 best candidate items were examined using exploratory factor analysis. Pearson's Correlation for Test/Retest reliability at 3 months. The final instrument had 28 items that sorted into 8 factors with associated Cronbach's alpha: 1) Health Information Need (0.84), 2) Computer/Internet Experience (0.87), 3) Computer Anxiety (0.82), 4) Preferred Mode of Interaction (0.73), 5) Relationship with Doctor (0.65), 6) Cell Phone Expertise (0.75), 7) Internet Privacy (0.71), and 8) No News is Good News (0.57). Test-retest reliability for the 8 subscales ranged from (0.60 to 0.85). The Patient Readiness to Engage in Health Internet Technology (PRE-HIT) instrument has good psychometric properties and will be an aid to researchers investigating technology-based health interventions. Future work will examine predictive validity.

Development of the PRE-HIT instrument: patient readiness to engage in health information technology

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Technology-based aids for lifestyle change are becoming more prevalent for chronic conditions. Important “digital divides” remain, as well as concerns about privacy, data security, and lack of motivation. Researchers need a way to characterize participants’ readiness to use health technologies. To address this need, we created an instrument to measure patient readiness to engage with health technologies among adult patients with chronic conditions. Methods Initial focus groups to determine domains, followed by item development and refinement, and exploratory factor analysis to determine final items and factor structure. The development sample included 200 patients with chronic conditions from 6 family medicine clinics. From 98 potential items, 53 best candidate items were examined using exploratory factor analysis. Pearson’s Correlation for Test/Retest reliability at 3 months. Results The final instrument had 28 items that sorted into 8 factors with associated Cronbach’s alpha: 1) Health Information Need (0.84), 2) Computer/Internet Experience (0.87), 3) Computer Anxiety (0.82), 4) Preferred Mode of Interaction (0.73), 5) Relationship with Doctor (0.65), 6) Cell Phone Expertise (0.75), 7) Internet Privacy (0.71), and 8) No News is Good News (0.57). Test-retest reliability for the 8 subscales ranged from (0.60 to 0.85). Conclusion The Patient Readiness to Engage in Health Internet Technology (PRE-HIT) instrument has good psychometric properties and will be an aid to researchers investigating technology-based health interventions. Future work will examine predictive validity. PMID:24472182

A Survey of Equipment in the Singing Voice Studio and Its Perceived Effectiveness by Vocologists and Student Singers.

PubMed

Gerhard, Julia; Rosow, David E

2016-05-01

Speech-language pathologists have long used technology for the clinical measurement of the speaking voice, but present research shows that vocal pedagogues and voice students are becoming more accepting of technology in the studio. As a result, the equipment and technology used in singing voice studios by speech-language pathologists and vocal pedagogues are changing. Although guides exist regarding equipment and technology necessary for developing a voice laboratory and private voice studio, there are no data documenting the current implementation of these items and their perceived effectiveness. This study seeks to document current trends in equipment used in voice laboratories and studios. Two separate surveys were distributed to 60 vocologists and approximately 300 student singers representative of the general singing student population. The surveys contained questions about the inventory of items found in voice studios and perceived effectiveness of these items. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses and statistical analyses when applicable. Twenty-six of 60 potential vocologists responded, and 66 student singers responded. The vocologists reported highly uniform inventories and ratings of studio items. There were wide-ranging differences between the inventories reported by the vocologist and student singer groups. Statistically significant differences between ratings of effectiveness of studio items were found for 11 of the 17 items. In all significant cases, vocologists rated usefulness to be higher than student singers. Although the order of rankings of vocologists and student singers was similar, a much higher percentage of vocologists report the items as being efficient and effective than students. The historically typical studio items, including the keyboard and mirror, were ranked as most effective by both vocologists and student singers. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0): the development of the Taiwanese version.

PubMed

Mao, Hui-Fen; Chen, Wan-Yin; Yao, Grace; Huang, Sheau-Ling; Lin, Chia-Chi; Huang, Wen-Ni Wennie

2010-05-01

To develop and validate a cross-cultural version of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) for users of assistive technology devices in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey. The standard cultural adaptation procedure was used for questionnaire translation and cultural item design. A field test was then conducted for item selection and psychometric properties testing. One hundred and five volunteer assistive device users in community. A questionnaire comprising 12 items of the QUEST 2.0 and 16 culture-specific items. One culture-specific item, 'Cost', was selected based on eight criteria and added to the QUEST 2.0 (12 items) to formulate the Taiwanese version of QUEST 2.0 (T-QUEST). The T-QUEST consisted of 13 items which were classified into two domains: device (8 items) and service (5 items). The internal consistencies of the device, service and total T-QUEST scores were 0.87, 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. The device, services and total T-QUEST scores achieved good test-retest stability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.90, 0.97, 0.95). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that T-QUEST had a two-factor structure for device and service in the construct of user satisfaction (53.42% of the variance explained). Users of assistive device in different culture may have different concerns regarding satisfaction. T-QUEST is the first published version of QUEST with culture-specific items added to the original translated items of QUEST 2.0. T-QUEST was a valid and reliable tool for measuring user satisfaction among Mandarin-speaking individuals using various kinds of assistive devices.

Evaluation of the automatic optical authentication technologies for control systems of objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Averkin, Vladimir V.; Volegov, Peter L.; Podgornov, Vladimir A.

2000-03-01

The report considers the evaluation of the automatic optical authentication technologies for the automated integrated system of physical protection, control and accounting of nuclear materials at RFNC-VNIITF, and for providing of the nuclear materials nonproliferation regime. The report presents the nuclear object authentication objectives and strategies, the methodology of the automatic optical authentication and results of the development of pattern recognition techniques carried out under the ISTC project #772 with the purpose of identification of unique features of surface structure of a controlled object and effects of its random treatment. The current decision of following functional control tasks is described in the report: confirmation of the item authenticity (proof of the absence of its substitution by an item of similar shape), control over unforeseen change of item state, control over unauthorized access to the item. The most important distinctive feature of all techniques is not comprehensive description of some properties of controlled item, but unique identification of item using minimum necessary set of parameters, properly comprising identification attribute of the item. The main emphasis in the technical approach is made on the development of rather simple technological methods for the first time intended for use in the systems of physical protection, control and accounting of nuclear materials. The developed authentication devices and system are described.

Safety and Traceability in Patient Healthcare through the Integration of RFID Technology for Intravenous Mixtures in the Prescription-Validation-Elaboration-Dispensation-Administration Circuit to Day Hospital Patients.

PubMed

Martínez Pérez, María; Vázquez González, Guillermo; Dafonte, Carlos

2016-07-28

This work presents the integration of the RFID technology with the aim of ensuring the traceability of patients and minimization of adverse events during the process of prescription-validation-elaboration-dispensation-administration of medication by means of the implementation of various passive and active WIFI RFID systems in the Pharmacy and Day Hospital services of the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña. Obtaining patient traceability and using the patient/drug binomial during this process allows us to minimize the occurrence of adverse events. The key points in this work are the unmistakably unique identification and accurate real time location of the controlled items (patients and medication). RFID technology has proved to be invaluable in assisting with the everyday clinical practice of a hospital, and has been successfully implemented in this environment and others. In services such as the day hospital, the implementation of said technology is further justified by the high costs of the service and the high risk to the patient.

Safety and Traceability in Patient Healthcare through the Integration of RFID Technology for Intravenous Mixtures in the Prescription-Validation-Elaboration-Dispensation-Administration Circuit to Day Hospital Patients

PubMed Central

Martínez Pérez, María; Vázquez González, Guillermo; Dafonte, Carlos

2016-01-01

This work presents the integration of the RFID technology with the aim of ensuring the traceability of patients and minimization of adverse events during the process of prescription-validation-elaboration-dispensation-administration of medication by means of the implementation of various passive and active WIFI RFID systems in the Pharmacy and Day Hospital services of the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña. Obtaining patient traceability and using the patient/drug binomial during this process allows us to minimize the occurrence of adverse events. The key points in this work are the unmistakably unique identification and accurate real time location of the controlled items (patients and medication). RFID technology has proved to be invaluable in assisting with the everyday clinical practice of a hospital, and has been successfully implemented in this environment and others. In services such as the day hospital, the implementation of said technology is further justified by the high costs of the service and the high risk to the patient. PMID:27483269

Achieving Continuous Manufacturing for Final Dosage Formation: Challenges and How to Meet Them May 20-21 2014 Continuous Manufacturing Symposium.

PubMed

Byrn, Stephen; Futran, Maricio; Thomas, Hayden; Jayjock, Eric; Maron, Nicola; Meyer, Robert F; Myerson, Allan S; Thien, Michael P; Trout, Bernhardt L

2015-03-01

We describe the key issues and possibilities for continuous final dosage formation, otherwise known as downstream processing or drug product manufacturing. A distinction is made between heterogeneous processing and homogeneous processing, the latter of which is expected to add more value to continuous manufacturing. We also give the key motivations for moving to continuous manufacturing, some of the exciting new technologies, and the barriers to implementation of continuous manufacturing. Continuous processing of heterogeneous blends is the natural first step in converting existing batch processes to continuous. In heterogeneous processing, there are discrete particles that can segregate, versus in homogeneous processing, components are blended and homogenized such that they do not segregate. Heterogeneous processing can incorporate technologies that are closer to existing technologies, where homogeneous processing necessitates the development and incorporation of new technologies. Homogeneous processing has the greatest potential for reaping the full rewards of continuous manufacturing, but it takes long-term vision and a more significant change in process development than heterogeneous processing. Heterogeneous processing has the detriment that, as the technologies are adopted rather than developed, there is a strong tendency to incorporate correction steps, what we call below "The Rube Goldberg Problem." Thus, although heterogeneous processing will likely play a major role in the near-term transformation of heterogeneous to continuous processing, it is expected that homogeneous processing is the next step that will follow. Specific action items for industry leaders are. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Australian Biology Test Item Bank, Years 11 and 12. Volume II: Year 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Sewell, Jeffrey J., Ed.

This document consists of test items which are applicable to biology courses throughout Australia (irrespective of course materials used); assess key concepts within course statement (for both core and optional studies); assess a wide range of cognitive processes; and are relevant to current biological concepts. These items are arranged under…

Criterion-Referenced Test Items for Auto Body.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannehill, Dana, Ed.

This test item bank on auto body repair contains criterion-referenced test questions based upon competencies found in the Missouri Auto Body Competency Profile. Some test items are keyed for multiple competencies. The tests cover the following 26 competency areas in the auto body curriculum: auto body careers; measuring and mixing; tools and…

Australian Biology Test Item Bank, Years 11 and 12. Volume I: Year 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David W., Ed.; Sewell, Jeffrey J., Ed.

This document consists of test items which are applicable to biology courses throughout Australia (irrespective of course materials used); assess key concepts within course statement (for both core and optional studies); assess a wide range of cognitive processes; and are relevant to current biological concepts. These items are arranged under…

15 CFR 750.3 - Review of license applications by BIS and other government agencies and departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... items controlled for national security, missile technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and chemical and... primarily with items controlled for national security, nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Review of license applications by BIS...

15 CFR 750.3 - Review of license applications by BIS and other government agencies and departments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... items controlled for national security, missile technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and chemical and... primarily with items controlled for national security, nuclear nonproliferation, missile technology... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Review of license applications by BIS...

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record No. 931 Technology Type/Platform: Magnetometer MTADS/Towed

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

of the 2 acre site was cleared of all metallic items. This clearing of the metallic anomalies from the 2 acre Active Response Demonstration Site... metallic items. Once the NRL MTADS surveyed the site, ATC collected their data and conducted another intrusive operation in order to remove any additional...anomalies. During each clearance operation, the exact placement of all the metallic items was carefully measured in order to create a GT for each

A practical guide to assessing clinical decision-making skills using the key features approach.

PubMed

Farmer, Elizabeth A; Page, Gordon

2005-12-01

This paper in the series on professional assessment provides a practical guide to writing key features problems (KFPs). Key features problems test clinical decision-making skills in written or computer-based formats. They are based on the concept of critical steps or 'key features' in decision making and represent an advance on the older, less reliable patient management problem (PMP) formats. The practical steps in writing these problems are discussed and illustrated by examples. Steps include assembling problem-writing groups, selecting a suitable clinical scenario or problem and defining its key features, writing the questions, selecting question response formats, preparing scoring keys, reviewing item quality and item banking. The KFP format provides educators with a flexible approach to testing clinical decision-making skills with demonstrated validity and reliability when constructed according to the guidelines provided.

Is home health technology adequate for proactive self-care?

PubMed

Horwitz, C M; Mueller, M; Wiley, D; Tentler, A; Bocko, M; Chen, L; Leibovici, A; Quinn, J; Shar, A; Pentland, A P

2008-01-01

To understand whether home health technology in the market and in development can satisfy the needs of patients and their non-professional caregivers for proactive support in managing health and chronic conditions in the home. A panel of clinical providers and technology researchers was assembled to examine whether home health technology addresses consumer-defined requirements for self-care devices. A lexicon of home care and self-care technology terms was then created. A global survey of home health technology for patients with heart disease and dementia was conducted. The 254 items identified were categorized by conditions treated, primary user, function, and purpose. A focus group of patients and caregivers was convened to describe their expectations of self-care technology. Items identified in the database were then assessed for these attributes. Patients and family caregivers indicated a need for intelligent self-care technology which supports early diagnosis of health changes, intervention enablement, and improvement of communication quality among patients and the health care system. Of these, only intervention enablement was commonly found in the home health technology items identified. An opportunity exists to meet consumer self-care needs through increased research and development in intelligent self-care technology.

Virtual reality and interactive gaming technology for obese and diabetic children: is military medical technology applicable?

PubMed

Talbot, Thomas Brett

2011-03-01

The Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center has pursued a number of technologies that may have application to the problems of obesity and diabetes management in children. Children are getting fatter because of increased caloric intake and less physical activity. Furthermore, technology advances have failed to significantly improve metabolic control of type 1 diabetes. Behavioral strategies should target video games, mobile phones, and other popular items used by children and seen by them as necessities. Exergaming is considerably more active than traditional video gaming and can be equivalent to moderate-intensity exercise. Diabetes equipment such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps lack integration and live connectivity and suffer from a poor user interface. In contrast, mobile phones offer wireless connectivity, an excellent voice-enabled interface, and cloud connectivity that could possibly serve as a motivational and compliance tool for diabetes patients through text messaging to the patient, parents, and physician. Mobile phones have the potential to motivate and educate obese children as well. Exergaming for obese children could also be integrated into award systems of game consoles and game play time. The key to successful implementation of these strategies depends on the ability to integrate and connect the various technologies. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

A Balance Sheet for Educational Item Banking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiscox, Michael D.

Educational item banking presents observers with a considerable paradox. The development of test items from scratch is viewed as wasteful, a luxury in times of declining resources. On the other hand, item banking has failed to become a mature technology despite large amounts of money and the efforts of talented professionals. The question of which…

Meat analog: a review.

PubMed

Malav, O P; Talukder, S; Gokulakrishnan, P; Chand, S

2015-01-01

The health-conscious consumers are in search of nutritious and convenient food item which can be best suited in their busy life. The vegetarianism is the key for the search of such food which resembles the meat in respect of nutrition and sensory characters, but not of animal origin and contains vegetable or its modified form, this is the point when meat analog evolved out and gets shape. The consumers gets full satisfaction by consumption of meat analog due to its typical meaty texture, appearance and the flavor which are being imparted during the skilled production of meat analog. The supplement of protein in vegetarian diet through meat alike food can be fulfilled by incorporating protein-rich vegetative food grade materials in meat analog and by adopting proper technological process which can promote the proper fabrication of meat analog with acceptable meat like texture, appearance, flavor, etc. The easily available vegetables, cereals, and pulses in India have great advantages and prospects to be used in food products and it can improve the nutritional and functional characters of the food items. The various form and functional characters of food items are available world over and attracts the meat technologists and the food processors to bring some innovativeness in meat analog and its presentation and marketability so that the acceptability of meat analog can be overgrown by the consumers.

Space-based solar power conversion and delivery systems study. Volume 5: Economic analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Space-based solar power conversion and delivery systems are studied along with a variety of economic and programmatic issues relevant to their development and deployment. The costs, uncertainties and risks associated with the current photovoltaic Satellite Solar Power System (SSPS) configuration, and issues affecting the development of an economically viable SSPS development program are addressed. In particular, the desirability of low earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) test satellites is examined and critical technology areas are identified. The development of SSPS unit production (nth item), and operation and maintenance cost models suitable for incorporation into a risk assessment (Monte Carlo) model (RAM) are reported. The RAM was then used to evaluate the current SSPS configuration expected costs and cost-risk associated with this configuration. By examining differential costs and cost-risk as a function of postulated technology developments, the critical technologies, that is, those which drive costs and/or cost-risk, are identified. It is shown that the key technology area deals with productivity in space, that is, the ability to fabricate and assemble large structures in space, not, as might be expected, with some hardware component technology.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Impact of Health Information Technology (I-HIT) scale.

PubMed

Dykes, Patricia C; Hurley, Ann; Cashen, Margaret; Bakken, Suzanne; Duffy, Mary E

2007-01-01

The use of health information technology (HIT) for the support of communication processes and data and information access in acute care settings is a relatively new phenomenon. A means of evaluating the impact of HIT in hospital settings is needed. The purpose of this research was to design and psychometrically evaluate the Impact of Health Information Technology scale (I-HIT). I-HIT was designed to measure the perception of nurses regarding the ways in which HIT influences interdisciplinary communication and workflow patterns and nurses' satisfaction with HIT applications and tools. Content for a 43-item tool was derived from the literature, and supported theoretically by the Coiera model and by nurse informaticists. Internal consistency reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha was conducted on the 43-item scale to initiate the item reduction process. Items with an item total correlation of less than 0.35 were removed, leaving a total of 29 items. Item analysis, exploratory principal component analysis and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha were used to confirm the 29-item scale. Principal components analysis with Varimax rotation produced a four-factor solution that explained 58.5% of total variance (general advantages, information tools to support information needs, information tools to support communication needs, and workflow implications). Internal consistency of the total scale was 0.95 and ranged from 0.80-0.89 for four subscales. I-HIT demonstrated psychometric adequacy and is recommended to measure the impact of HIT on nursing practice in acute care settings.

Technology Use in Science Instruction (TUSI): Aligning the Integration of Technology in Science Instruction in Ways Supportive of Science Education Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Todd; Abd-Hamid, Nor Hashidah

2013-08-01

This study describes the development of an instrument to investigate the extent to which technology is integrated in science instruction in ways aligned to science reform outlined in standards documents. The instrument was developed by: (a) creating items consistent with the five dimensions identified in science education literature, (b) establishing content validity with both national and international content experts, (c) refining the item pool based on content expert feedback, (d) piloting testing of the instrument, (e) checking statistical reliability and item analysis, and (f) subsequently refining and finalization of the instrument. The TUSI was administered in a field test across eleven classrooms by three observers, with a total of 33 TUSI ratings completed. The finalized instrument was found to have acceptable inter-rater intraclass correlation reliability estimates. After the final stage of development, the TUSI instrument consisted of 26-items separated into the original five categories, which aligned with the exploratory factor analysis clustering of the items. Additionally, concurrent validity of the TUSI was established with the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol. Finally, a subsequent set of 17 different classrooms were observed during the spring of 2011, and for the 9 classrooms where technology integration was observed, an overall Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.913 was found. Based on the analyses completed, the TUSI appears to be a useful instrument for measuring how technology is integrated into science classrooms and is seen as one mechanism for measuring the intersection of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge in science classrooms.

Pricing policy for declining demand using item preservation technology.

PubMed

Khedlekar, Uttam Kumar; Shukla, Diwakar; Namdeo, Anubhav

2016-01-01

We have designed an inventory model for seasonal products in which deterioration can be controlled by item preservation technology investment. Demand for the product is considered price sensitive and decreases linearly. This study has shown that the profit is a concave function of optimal selling price, replenishment time and preservation cost parameter. We simultaneously determined the optimal selling price of the product, the replenishment cycle and the cost of item preservation technology. Additionally, this study has shown that there exists an optimal selling price and optimal preservation investment to maximize the profit for every business set-up. Finally, the model is illustrated by numerical examples and sensitive analysis of the optimal solution with respect to major parameters.

Immunologic contact urticaria--the human touch.

PubMed

Wang, Christina Y; Maibach, Howard I

2013-06-01

To review immunologic contact urticaria (ICU) in the occupational and environmental context, and describe its continued relevance in light of the ever-increasing onslaught of new chemicals and products, as well as new technology placing novel interactions, such as nanoparticles, within reach of the population at home and work. Publications were searched via PubMed, using key words: Occupational, immunologic, contact urticaria, nanoparticle. ICU remains an important diagnosis to make and treat because it has widespread health and social morbidity, including job and income loss, persistent life-long allergies, and progression from self-limiting skin eruptions to multi-systemic, sometimes life-threatening, illnesses. There is no short supply of known ICU causing allergens, but it is equally important to be ever vigilant in recognizing, and even adding to, items in the constantly expanding list of novel allergenic agents provided to us by the advances of modern chemistry and technology, and by the changing social structure and lifestyle dynamics.

Item Response Modeling: An Evaluation of the Children's Fruit and Vegetable Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Tom; Thompson, Debbe

2006-01-01

Perceived self-efficacy (SE) for eating fruit and vegetables (FV) is a key variable mediating FV change in interventions. This study applies item response modeling (IRM) to a fruit, juice and vegetable self-efficacy questionnaire (FVSEQ) previously validated with classical test theory (CTT) procedures. The 24-item (five-point Likert scale) FVSEQ…

Examining the Invariance of Rater and Project Calibrations Using a Multi-facet Rasch Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Thomas R.; Lunz, Mary E.

To generalize test results beyond the particular test administration, an examinee's ability estimate must be independent of the particular items attempted, and the item difficulty calibrations must be independent of the particular sample of people attempting the items. This stability is a key concept of the Rasch model, a latent trait model of…

Classification Scheme for Items in CAAT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Marion G.

In planning the development of the system for computer assisted assembly of tests, it was agreed at the outset that one of the basic requirements for the successful initiation of any such system would be the development of a detailed item content classification system. The design of the system for classifying item content is a key element in…

78 FR 9768 - Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Imposition of Nonproliferation Measures...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-11

... technology controlled under multilateral control lists (Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group... or ballistic missile sytems. The latter category includes (a) items of the same kind as those on... potential of making a material contribution to WMD or cruise or ballistic missile systems, (b) items on U.S...

Measuring Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Education: An Item Response Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peeraer, Jef; Van Petegem, Peter

2012-01-01

This research describes the development and validation of an instrument to measure integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. After literature research on definitions of integration of ICT in education, a comparison is made between the classical test theory and the item response modeling approach for the…

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge. Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) presents a bibliography of more than 350 reports, theses, and papers from its artificial intelligence laboratory. Title, author, and identification number are given for all items, and most also have a date and contract number. Some items are no longer available, and others may be obtained from National…

Assessing the Equivalence of Paper, Mobile Phone, and Tablet Survey Responses at a Community Mental Health Center Using Equivalent Halves of a 'Gold-Standard' Depression Item Bank.

PubMed

Brodey, Benjamin B; Gonzalez, Nicole L; Elkin, Kathryn Ann; Sasiela, W Jordan; Brodey, Inger S

2017-09-06

The computerized administration of self-report psychiatric diagnostic and outcomes assessments has risen in popularity. If results are similar enough across different administration modalities, then new administration technologies can be used interchangeably and the choice of technology can be based on other factors, such as convenience in the study design. An assessment based on item response theory (IRT), such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression item bank, offers new possibilities for assessing the effect of technology choice upon results. To create equivalent halves of the PROMIS depression item bank and to use these halves to compare survey responses and user satisfaction among administration modalities-paper, mobile phone, or tablet-with a community mental health care population. The 28 PROMIS depression items were divided into 2 halves based on content and simulations with an established PROMIS response data set. A total of 129 participants were recruited from an outpatient public sector mental health clinic based in Memphis. All participants took both nonoverlapping halves of the PROMIS IRT-based depression items (Part A and Part B): once using paper and pencil, and once using either a mobile phone or tablet. An 8-cell randomization was done on technology used, order of technologies used, and order of PROMIS Parts A and B. Both Parts A and B were administered as fixed-length assessments and both were scored using published PROMIS IRT parameters and algorithms. All 129 participants received either Part A or B via paper assessment. Participants were also administered the opposite assessment, 63 using a mobile phone and 66 using a tablet. There was no significant difference in item response scores for Part A versus B. All 3 of the technologies yielded essentially identical assessment results and equivalent satisfaction levels. Our findings show that the PROMIS depression assessment can be divided into 2 equivalent halves, with the potential to simplify future experimental methodologies. Among community mental health care recipients, the PROMIS items function similarly whether administered via paper, tablet, or mobile phone. User satisfaction across modalities was also similar. Because paper, tablet, and mobile phone administrations yielded similar results, the choice of technology should be based on factors such as convenience and can even be changed during a study without adversely affecting the comparability of results. ©Benjamin B Brodey, Nicole L Gonzalez, Kathryn Ann Elkin, W Jordan Sasiela, Inger S Brodey. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 06.09.2017.

Methodological reviews of economic evaluations in health care: what do they target?

PubMed

Hutter, Maria-Florencia; Rodríguez-Ibeas, Roberto; Antonanzas, Fernando

2014-11-01

An increasing number of published studies of economic evaluations of health technologies have been reviewed and summarized with different purposes, among them to facilitate decision-making processes. These reviews have covered different aspects of economic evaluations, using a variety of methodological approaches. The aim of this study is to analyze the methodological characteristics of the reviews of economic evaluations in health care, published during the period 1990-2010, to identify their main features and the potential missing elements. This may help to develop a common procedure for elaborating these kinds of reviews. We performed systematic searches in electronic databases (Scopus, Medline and PubMed) of methodological reviews published in English, period 1990-2010. We selected the articles whose main purpose was to review and assess the methodology applied in the economic evaluation studies. We classified the data according to the study objectives, period of the review, number of reviewed studies, methodological and non-methodological items assessed, medical specialty, type of disease and technology, databases used for the review and their main conclusions. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis and checked how generalizability issues were considered in the reviews. We identified 76 methodological reviews, 42 published in the period 1990-2001 and 34 during 2002-2010. The items assessed most frequently (by 70% of the reviews) were perspective, type of economic study, uncertainty and discounting. The reviews also described the type of intervention and disease, funding sources, country in which the evaluation took place, type of journal and author's characteristics. Regarding the intertemporal comparison, higher frequencies were found in the second period for two key methodological items: the source of effectiveness data and the models used in the studies. However, the generalizability issues that apparently are creating a growing interest in the economic evaluation literature did not receive as much attention in the reviews of the second period. The remaining items showed similar frequencies in both periods. Increasingly more reviews of economic evaluation studies aim to analyze the application of methodological principles, and offer summaries of papers classified by either diseases or health technologies. These reviews are useful for finding literature trends, aims of studies and possible deficiencies in the implementation of methods of specific health interventions. As no significant methodological improvement was clearly detected in the two periods analyzed, it would be convenient to pay more attention to the methodological aspects of the reviews.

Psychometric properties of DAPonDEN: definitions, attitudes and practices in relation to diarrhea during enteral nutrition questionnaire.

PubMed

Majid, Hazreen A; Bin Sidek, Muhamad Adam; Chinna, Karuthan

2013-01-01

To investigate the psychometric properties of the developed 21 item questionnaire to measure definitions, attitudes and management practices in relation to diarrhea during enteral nutrition (DAPonDEN). Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis from a cross sectional study of 102 nurses aged 18 and over, conducted from December 2011 to February 2012 in Malaysia. Face and content validity of DAPonDEN were first evaluated by few expert panels and patients. For this study, adult nurses were recruited from the adult wards. In the final model, three items in DAPonDEN were dropped. In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted that explained a total of 55% of the variation in the remaining 18 items. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.723. For definition, there were two underlying factors: 'Key items in defining diarrhea' and 'non-key items in defining diarrhea'. For attitude there was a single factor. For practice, there were two underlying factors: 'enteral nutrition (EN) related' and 'awareness related'. The items in each of the underlying dimensions seem to measure the respective concepts for definition, attitude and practices adequately. The 18-items DAPonDEN instrument can be a suitable education tool to be used in relation to diarrhea during EN. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bandwidth and Fidelity on the NEO-Five Factor Inventory: Replicability and Reliability of Saucier’s (1998) Item Cluster Subcomponents

PubMed Central

Chapman, Benjamin P.

2012-01-01

Many users of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992) are unaware that Saucier (1998) developed item cluster subcomponents for each broad domain of the instrument similar to the facets of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992). In this study, I examined the following: the replicability of the subcomponents in young adult university and middle-aged community samples; whether item keying accounted for additional covariance among items; subcomponent correlations with a measure of socially desirable responding; subcomponent reliabilities; and subcomponent discriminant validity with respect to age-relevant criterion items expected to reflect varying associations with broad and narrow traits. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that all subcomponents were recoverable across samples and that the addition of method factors representing positive and negative item keying improved model fit. The subcomponents correlated no more with a measure of socially desirable responding than their parent domains and showed good average reliability. Correlations with criterion items suggested that subcomponents may prove useful in specifying which elements of NEO-FFI domains are more or less related to variables of interest. I discuss their use for enhancing the precision of findings obtained with NEO-FFI domain scores. PMID:17437386

Baseline Bone Mineral Density Measurements Key to Future Testing Intervals

MedlinePlus

... Roundtable Focuses on Psoriatic Arthritis Research (scroll to fourth item) Spotlight on Research | April 7, 2017 Socially ... 2017 NIAMS Hosts Fellows for Symposium (scroll to fourth item) Spotlight on Research | March 24, 2017 Sex- ...

Cognitive Abilities Explain Wording Effects in the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

PubMed

Gnambs, Timo; Schroeders, Ulrich

2017-12-01

There is consensus that the 10 items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) reflect wording effects resulting from positively and negatively keyed items. The present study examined the effects of cognitive abilities on the factor structure of the RSES with a novel, nonparametric latent variable technique called local structural equation models. In a nationally representative German large-scale assessment including 12,437 students competing measurement models for the RSES were compared: a bifactor model with a common factor and a specific factor for all negatively worded items had an optimal fit. Local structural equation models showed that the unidimensionality of the scale increased with higher levels of reading competence and reasoning, while the proportion of variance attributed to the negatively keyed items declined. Wording effects on the factor structure of the RSES seem to represent a response style artifact associated with cognitive abilities.

Virtual Reality and Interactive Gaming Technology for Obese and Diabetic Children: Is Military Medical Technology Applicable?

PubMed Central

Talbot, Major Thomas “Brett”

2011-01-01

The Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center has pursued a number of technologies that may have application to the problems of obesity and diabetes management in children. Children are getting fatter because of increased caloric intake and less physical activity. Furthermore, technology advances have failed to significantly improve metabolic control of type 1 diabetes. Behavioral strategies should target video games, mobile phones, and other popular items used by children and seen by them as necessities. Exergaming is considerably more active than traditional video gaming and can be equivalent to moderate-intensity exercise. Diabetes equipment such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps lack integration and live connectivity and suffer from a poor user interface. In contrast, mobile phones offer wireless connectivity, an excellent voice-enabled interface, and cloud connectivity that could possibly serve as a motivational and compliance tool for diabetes patients through text messaging to the patient, parents, and physician. Mobile phones have the potential to motivate and educate obese children as well. Exergaming for obese children could also be integrated into award systems of game consoles and game play time. The key to successful implementation of these strategies depends on the ability to integrate and connect the various technologies. PMID:21527087

Person Response Functions and the Definition of Units in the Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelhard, George, Jr.; Perkins, Aminah F.

2011-01-01

Humphry (this issue) has written a thought-provoking piece on the interpretation of item discrimination parameters as scale units in item response theory. One of the key features of his work is the description of an item response theory (IRT) model that he calls the logistic measurement function that combines aspects of two traditions in IRT that…

48 CFR 252.211-7003 - Item identification and valuation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., used to retrieve data encoded on machine-readable media. Concatenated unique item identifier means— (1... (or controlling) authority for the enterprise identifier. Item means a single hardware article or a...-readable means an automatic identification technology media, such as bar codes, contact memory buttons...

48 CFR 252.211-7003 - Item identification and valuation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., used to retrieve data encoded on machine-readable media. Concatenated unique item identifier means— (1... (or controlling) authority for the enterprise identifier. Item means a single hardware article or a...-readable means an automatic identification technology media, such as bar codes, contact memory buttons...

48 CFR 252.211-7003 - Item identification and valuation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., used to retrieve data encoded on machine-readable media. Concatenated unique item identifier means— (1... (or controlling) authority for the enterprise identifier. Item means a single hardware article or a...-readable means an automatic identification technology media, such as bar codes, contact memory buttons...

From theory to 'measurement' in complex interventions: methodological lessons from the development of an e-health normalisation instrument.

PubMed

Finch, Tracy L; Mair, Frances S; O'Donnell, Catherine; Murray, Elizabeth; May, Carl R

2012-05-17

Although empirical and theoretical understanding of processes of implementation in health care is advancing, translation of theory into structured measures that capture the complex interplay between interventions, individuals and context remain limited. This paper aimed to (1) describe the process and outcome of a project to develop a theory-based instrument for measuring implementation processes relating to e-health interventions; and (2) identify key issues and methodological challenges for advancing work in this field. A 30-item instrument (Technology Adoption Readiness Scale (TARS)) for measuring normalisation processes in the context of e-health service interventions was developed on the basis on Normalization Process Theory (NPT). NPT focuses on how new practices become routinely embedded within social contexts. The instrument was pre-tested in two health care settings in which e-health (electronic facilitation of healthcare decision-making and practice) was used by health care professionals. The developed instrument was pre-tested in two professional samples (N=46; N=231). Ratings of items representing normalisation 'processes' were significantly related to staff members' perceptions of whether or not e-health had become 'routine'. Key methodological challenges are discussed in relation to: translating multi-component theoretical constructs into simple questions; developing and choosing appropriate outcome measures; conducting multiple-stakeholder assessments; instrument and question framing; and more general issues for instrument development in practice contexts. To develop theory-derived measures of implementation process for progressing research in this field, four key recommendations are made relating to (1) greater attention to underlying theoretical assumptions and extent of translation work required; (2) the need for appropriate but flexible approaches to outcomes measurement; (3) representation of multiple perspectives and collaborative nature of work; and (4) emphasis on generic measurement approaches that can be flexibly tailored to particular contexts of study.

Measuring organizational effectiveness in information and communication technology companies using item response theory.

PubMed

Trierweiller, Andréa Cristina; Peixe, Blênio César Severo; Tezza, Rafael; Pereira, Vera Lúcia Duarte do Valle; Pacheco, Waldemar; Bornia, Antonio Cezar; de Andrade, Dalton Francisco

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to measure the effectiveness of the organizations Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from the point of view of the manager, using Item Response Theory (IRT). There is a need to verify the effectiveness of these organizations which are normally associated to complex, dynamic, and competitive environments. In academic literature, there is disagreement surrounding the concept of organizational effectiveness and its measurement. A construct was elaborated based on dimensions of effectiveness towards the construction of the items of the questionnaire which submitted to specialists for evaluation. It demonstrated itself to be viable in measuring organizational effectiveness of ICT companies under the point of view of a manager through using Two-Parameter Logistic Model (2PLM) of the IRT. This modeling permits us to evaluate the quality and property of each item placed within a single scale: items and respondents, which is not possible when using other similar tools.

48 CFR 252.211-7003 - Item unique identification and valuation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... reader or interrogator, used to retrieve data encoded on machine-readable media. Concatenated unique item... identifier. Item means a single hardware article or a single unit formed by a grouping of subassemblies... manufactured under identical conditions. Machine-readable means an automatic identification technology media...

Lazy collaborative filtering for data sets with missing values.

PubMed

Ren, Yongli; Li, Gang; Zhang, Jun; Zhou, Wanlei

2013-12-01

As one of the biggest challenges in research on recommender systems, the data sparsity issue is mainly caused by the fact that users tend to rate a small proportion of items from the huge number of available items. This issue becomes even more problematic for the neighborhood-based collaborative filtering (CF) methods, as there are even lower numbers of ratings available in the neighborhood of the query item. In this paper, we aim to address the data sparsity issue in the context of neighborhood-based CF. For a given query (user, item), a set of key ratings is first identified by taking the historical information of both the user and the item into account. Then, an auto-adaptive imputation (AutAI) method is proposed to impute the missing values in the set of key ratings. We present a theoretical analysis to show that the proposed imputation method effectively improves the performance of the conventional neighborhood-based CF methods. The experimental results show that our new method of CF with AutAI outperforms six existing recommendation methods in terms of accuracy.

Research on the Technology of Item Writing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

research contract, Drs. Roid and Haladyna were . invited by Academic Press towrite a book intended for educational research- ers on the technology of...STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION MONMOUTH UNCLSSIFED 6 ROWD ET AL. JUN 79 MDA983-77-C-O9 FG /2 N ;1.3 ~~ 10 1 Z:1.0 °°11U 11111.25 ,.1. :: liii...11111--- 1111- ~MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUR[AU OF STANDARDS i96 A %* 9 "... ;- .. RESEARCH ON THE TECHNOLOGY OF ITEM WRITING 0 Gale Roid

Evaluating the content of the communication items in the CAHPS(®) clinician and group survey and supplemental items with what high-performing physicians say they do.

PubMed

Quigley, Denise D; Martino, Steven C; Brown, Julie A; Hays, Ron D

2013-01-01

A doctor's ability to communicate effectively is key to establishing and maintaining positive doctor-patient relationships. The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System (CAHPS(®)) Clinician and Group Survey is the standard for collecting and reporting information about patients' experiences of care in the USA. To evaluate how well CAHPS(®) Clinician and Group 2.0 core and supplemental survey items (CG-CAHPS) with a 12-month reference capture doctor-patient communication. Eleven of the 40 highest-rated physicians on the CG-CAHPS survey treating patients in a Midwest commercial health plan. Data were obtained via semi-structured interviews. Specific behaviors, practices, and opinions about doctor communication were coded and compared to the CG-CAHPS items. CG-CAHPS fully captures six of the nine behaviors most commonly mentioned by high-performing physicians: employing office staff with good people skills; involving office staff in communication with patients; spending enough time with patients; listening carefully; providing clear, simple explanations; and devising an action plan with each patient. Three physician behaviors identified as key were not captured in CG-CAHPS items: use of nonverbal communication; greeting patients and introducing oneself; and tracking personal information about patients. CG-CAHPS survey items capture many of the most commonly mentioned doctor-patient communication behaviors and practices identified by high-performing physicians. Nonverbal communication, greeting patients, and tracking personal information about patients were identified as key aspects of doctor-patient communication, but are not captured by the current CG-CAHPS. We recommend further research to assess patients' perceptions of specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors (such as leaning forward in a chair, casually asking about other family members), followed by the development of new items (if needed) that aim to capture what these specific behaviors represent to patients (e.g., listens attentively, seems to care about me as a person, empathy). We also recommend including items about greeting and tracking personal information about patients in future CAHPS item sets addressing doctor-patient communication. Enriching the content of the CAHPS communication measure can help health-care organizations improve doctor-patient communication and interactions.

Mental and Emotional Self-Help Technology Apps: Cross-Sectional Study of Theory, Technology, and Mental Health Behaviors.

PubMed

Crookston, Benjamin T; West, Joshua H; Hall, P Cougar; Dahle, Kaitana Martinez; Heaton, Thomas L; Beck, Robin N; Muralidharan, Chandni

2017-10-17

Mental and emotional self-help apps have emerged as potential mental illness prevention and treatment tools. The health behavior theory mechanisms by which these apps influence mental health-related behavior change have not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this study was to examine the association between theoretical behavior change mechanisms and use of mental and emotional self-help apps and whether the use of such apps is associated with mental health behaviors. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of 150 users of mental or emotional health apps in the past 6 months. Survey questions included theory-based items, app engagement and likeability items, and behavior change items. Stata version 14 was used to calculate all statistics. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the demographic, theory, engagement, and behavior variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with reported changes in theory and separately for reported changes in actual behavior after controlling for potentially confounding variables. Participants reported that app use increased their motivation, desire to set goals, confidence, control, and intentions to be mentally and emotionally healthy. Engagement (P<.001) was positively associated with the reported changes in theory items, whereas perceived behavior change was positively associated with theory (P<.001), engagement (P=.004), frequency of use of apps (P=.01), and income (P=.049). Participants reported that app use increased their motivation, desire to set goals, confidence, control, and intentions to be mentally and emotionally healthy. This increase in perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding their mental and emotional health was considerably associated with perceived change in behavior. There was a positive association between the level of engagement with the app and the impact on theory items. Future efforts should consider the value of impacting key theoretical constructs when designing mental and emotional health apps. As apps are evaluated and additional theory-based apps are created, cost-effective self-help apps may become common preventative and treatment tools in the mental health field. ©Benjamin T Crookston, Joshua H West, P Cougar Hall, Kaitana Martinez Dahle, Thomas L Heaton, Robin N Beck, Chandni Muralidharan. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 17.10.2017.

In Situ Manufacturing is a Necessary Part of Any Planetary Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edmunson, Jennifer E.; McLemore, Carole A.

2012-01-01

The key to any sustainable presence in space is the ability to manufacture necessary tools, parts, structures, spares, etc. in situ and on demand. Cost, volume, and up-mass constraints prohibit launching everything needed for long-duration or long-distance missions from Earth, including spare parts and replacement systems. There are many benefits to building items as-needed in situ using computer aided drafting (CAD) models and additive manufacturing technology: (1) Cost, up-mass, and volume savings for launch due to the ability to manufacture specific parts when needed. (2) CAD models can be generated on Earth and transmitted to the station or spacecraft, or they can be designed in situ for any task. Thus, multiple people in many locations can work on a single problem. (3) Items can be produced that will enhance the safety of crew and vehicles (e.g., latches or guards). (4) Items can be produced on-demand in a small amount of time (i.e., hours or days) compared to traditional manufacturing methods and, therefore, would not require the lengthy amount of time needed to machine the part from a solid block of material nor the wait time required if the part had to be launched from Earth. (5) Used and obsolete parts can be recycled into powder or wire feedstock for use in later manufacturing. (6) Ultimately, the ability to produce items as-needed will reduce mission risk, as one will have everything they need to fix a broken system or fashion a new part making it available on a more timely basis.

Capturing, Codifying and Scoring Complex Data for Innovative, Computer-Based Items.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luecht, Richard M.

The Microsoft Certification Program (MCP) includes many new computer-based item types, based on complex cases involving the Windows 2000 (registered) operating system. This Innovative Item Technology (IIT) has presented challenges beyond traditional psychometric considerations such as capturing and storing the relevant response data from…

48 CFR 234.005-1 - Competition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... development or prototype of technology developed under the contract or the delivery of initial or additional prototype items if the item or a prototype thereof is created as the result of work performed under the... shall be limited to the minimal amount of initial or additional prototype items that will allow for...

Logistics Reduction and Repurposing Technology for Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.; Chu, Andrew; Ewert, Michael K.

2014-01-01

One of NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) projects is the Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project, which has the goal of reducing logistics resupply items through direct and indirect means. Various technologies under development in the project will reduce the launch mass of consumables and their packaging, enable reuse and repurposing of items, and make logistics tracking more efficient. Repurposing also reduces the trash burden onboard spacecraft and indirectly reduces launch mass by one manifest item having two purposes rather than two manifest items each having only one purpose. This paper provides the status of each of the LRR technologies in their third year of development under AES. Advanced clothing systems (ACSs) are being developed to enable clothing to be worn longer, directly reducing launch mass. ACS has completed a ground exercise clothing study in preparation for an International Space Station technology demonstration in 2014. Development of launch packaging containers and other items that can be repurposed on-orbit as part of habitation outfitting has resulted in a logistics-to-living (L2L) concept. L2L has fabricated and evaluated several multi-purpose cargo transfer bags for potential reuse on-orbit. Autonomous logistics management is using radio frequency identification (RFID) to track items and thus reduce crew time for logistics functions. An RFID dense reader prototype is under construction and plans for integrated testing are being made. A heat melt compactor (HMC) second generation unit for processing trash into compact and stable tiles is nearing completion. The HMC prototype compaction chamber has been completed and system development testing is under way. Research has been conducted on the conversion of trash-to-gas (TtG) for high levels of volume reduction and for use in propulsion systems. A steam reformation system was selected for further system definition of the TtG technology.

Lost and misplaced items and assistive devices in nursing homes: Identifying problems and technological opportunities through participatory design research.

PubMed

Oude Weernink, C E; Sweegers, L; Relou, L; van der Zijpp, T J; van Hoof, J

2018-02-06

Modern healthcare, including nursing home care, goes together with the use of technologies to support treatment, the provision of care and daily activities. The challenges concerning the implementation of such technologies are numerous. One of these emerging technologies are location technologies (RTLS or Real-Time Location Systems). that can be utilized in the nursing home for monitoring the use and location of assets. This paper describes a participatory design study of RTLS based on context mapping, conducted in two nursing home organizations. Rather than investigating the technological possibilities, this study investigates the needs and wishes from the perspective of the care professional. The study identified semantic themes that relate to the practicalities of lost and misplaced items in the nursing home, as well as latent themes that cover the wishes regarding technology in the nursing homes. The organizational culture and building typology may play a role in losing items. The participants in this study indicated that RTLS can provide a solution to some of the challenges that they encounter in the workplace. However, the implementation of new technologies should be done with care and should be integrated into existing ICT systems in order to minimize additional training and posing a burden on the workload.

Lost and misplaced items and assistive devices in nursing homes: Identifying problems and technological opportunities through participatory design research

PubMed Central

Oude Weernink, C.E.; Sweegers, L.; Relou, L.; van der Zijpp, T.J.; van Hoof, J.

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Modern healthcare, including nursing home care, goes together with the use of technologies to support treatment, the provision of care and daily activities. The challenges concerning the implementation of such technologies are numerous. One of these emerging technologies are location technologies (RTLS or Real-Time Location Systems). that can be utilized in the nursing home for monitoring the use and location of assets. METHODOLOGY: This paper describes a participatory design study of RTLS based on context mapping, conducted in two nursing home organizations. Rather than investigating the technological possibilities, this study investigates the needs and wishes from the perspective of the care professional. RESULTS: The study identified semantic themes that relate to the practicalities of lost and misplaced items in the nursing home, as well as latent themes that cover the wishes regarding technology in the nursing homes. The organizational culture and building typology may play a role in losing items. CONCLUSION: The participants in this study indicated that RTLS can provide a solution to some of the challenges that they encounter in the workplace. However, the implementation of new technologies should be done with care and should be integrated into existing ICT systems in order to minimize additional training and posing a burden on the workload. PMID:29527110

Technology in the OR: AORN Members' Perceptions of the Effects on Workflow Efficiency and Quality Patient Care.

PubMed

Sipes, Carolyn; Baker, Joy Don

2015-09-01

This collaborative study sought to describe technology used by AORN members at work, inclusive of radio-frequency identification or barcode scanning (RFID), data collection tools (DATA), workflow or dashboard management tools (DASHBOARD), and environmental services/room decontamination technologies (ENVIRON), and to identify the perceived effects of each technology on workflow efficiency (WFE) and quality patient care (QPC). The 462 respondents to the AORN Technology in the OR survey reported use of technology (USE) in all categories. Eleven of 17 RFID items had a strong positive correlation between the designated USE item and the perceived effect on WFE and QPC. Five of the most-used technology items were found in the DATA category. Two of the five related to Intraoperative Nursing Documentation and the use of the Perioperative Nursing Data Set. The other three related to Imaging Integration for Radiology Equipment, Video Camera Systems, and Fiber-optic Systems. All three elements explored in the DASHBOARD category (ie, Patient Update, OR Case, OR Efficiency) demonstrated approximately 50% or greater perceived effectiveness in WFE and QPC. There was a low reported use of ENVIRON technologies, resulting in limited WFE and QPC data for this category. Copyright © 2015 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review of routinely collected data studies in urology: Methodological considerations, reporting quality, and future directions.

PubMed

Welk, Blayne; Kwong, Justin

2017-01-01

Studies using routinely collected data (RCD) are common in the urological literature; however, there are important considerations in the creation and review of RCD discoveries. A recent reporting guideline (REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely-collected health Data, RECORD) was developed to improve the reporting of these studies. This narrative review examines important considerations for RCD studies. To assess the current level of reporting in the urological literature, we reviewed all the original research articles published in Journal of Urology and European Urology in 2014, and determined the proportion of the RECORD checklist items that were reported for RCD studies. There were 56 RCD studies identified among the 608 articles. When the RECORD items were considered applicable to the specific study, they were reported in 52.5% of cases. Studies most consistently (>80% of them) reported the names of the data sources, the study time frame, the extent to which the authors could access the database source, the patient selection, and discussed missing data. Few studies (<25%) discussed validation of key coding elements, details on data-linkage, data-cleaning, the impact of changing eligibility over time, or provided the complete list of coding elements used to define key study variables. Reporting factors specifically relevant in RCD studies may serve to increase the quality of these studies in the urological literature. With increased technological integration in healthcare and the proliferation of electronic medical records, RCD will continue to be an important source for urological research.

Science Library of Test Items. Volume Eight. Mastery Testing Program. Series 3 & 4 Supplements to Introduction and Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New South Wales Dept. of Education, Sydney (Australia).

Continuing a series of short tests aimed at measuring student mastery of specific skills in the natural sciences, this supplementary volume includes teachers' notes, a users' guide and inspection copies of test items 27 to 50. Answer keys and test scoring statistics are provided. The items are designed for grades 7 through 10, and a list of the…

Barriers to vocational effectiveness in ACT: staff perspectives.

PubMed

Waynor, William R; Pratt, Carlos W

2011-01-01

Assertive community treatment (ACT), for persons with serious mental illness, includes a vocational focus as an important aspect of community integration. Nevertheless, research suggests that ACT does not assist significant numbers of consumers in achieving employment goals. A two-step survey of New Jersey ACT team members was designed to identify the key issues that hinder ACT staff members in assisting consumers with obtaining employment. Survey items were categorized into three sections: (a) staff attitudes, (b) consumer barriers, and (c) staff barriers to working on employment. The initial survey asked staff members to rate items in each of these categories. Highly rated items were used in a subsequent paired comparison survey to determine the relative importance of each. This method highlighted the following issues: four staff attitude items-(a) returning to work is positive, (b) employment is key to recovery, (c) abstinence from substance abuse is needed to work, and (d) consumers are too ill to work; four consumer barrier items-(a) fear of loss of Social Security Administration benefits, (b) symptoms related to the illness, (c) lack of motivation, and (d) poor social skills; and three barriers to working on employment issues items-(a) clinical issues take priority, (b) other case management issues takes priority, and (c) too many emergencies. The implications for staff training are discussed.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordin, P. M.

1977-01-01

Bibliography, assembled from computer search of NASA Aerospace Safety Data Bank, including title of report, author, abstract, source, description of figures, key references, and key words or subject terms. Publication is indexed by key subjects and by authors. Items are relevant to design engineers and safety specialists.

Predictors of Patient Satisfaction in Pediatric Oncology.

PubMed

Davis, Josh; Burrows, James F; Ben Khallouq, Bertha; Rosen, Paul

To understand key drivers of patient satisfaction in pediatric hematology/oncology. The "top-box" scores of patient satisfaction surveys from 4 pediatric hematology/oncology practices were collected from 2012 to 2014 at an integrated Children's Health Network. One item, "Likelihood of recommending practice," was used as the surrogate for overall patient satisfaction, and all other items were correlated to this item. A total of 1244 satisfaction surveys were included in this analysis. The most important predictors of overall patient satisfaction were cheerfulness of practice ( r = .69), wait time ( r = .60), and staff working together ( r = .60). The lowest scoring items were getting clinic on phone, information about delays, and wait time at clinic. Families bringing their children for outpatient care in a hematology/oncology practice want to experience a cheerful and collaborative medical team. Wait time at clinic may be a key driver in the overall experience for families with children with cancer. Future work should be directed at using this evidence to drive patient experience improvement processes in pediatric hematology/oncology.

Achieving continuous manufacturing for final dosage formation: challenges and how to meet them. May 20-21, 2014 Continuous Manufacturing Symposium.

PubMed

Byrn, Stephen; Futran, Maricio; Thomas, Hayden; Jayjock, Eric; Maron, Nicola; Meyer, Robert F; Myerson, Allan S; Thien, Michael P; Trout, Bernhardt L

2015-03-01

We describe the key issues and possibilities for continuous final dosage formation, otherwise known as downstream processing or drug product manufacturing. A distinction is made between heterogeneous processing and homogeneous processing, the latter of which is expected to add more value to continuous manufacturing. We also give the key motivations for moving to continuous manufacturing, some of the exciting new technologies, and the barriers to implementation of continuous manufacturing. Continuous processing of heterogeneous blends is the natural first step in converting existing batch processes to continuous. In heterogeneous processing, there are discrete particles that can segregate, versus in homogeneous processing, components are blended and homogenized such that they do not segregate. Heterogeneous processing can incorporate technologies that are closer to existing technologies, where homogeneous processing necessitates the development and incorporation of new technologies. Homogeneous processing has the greatest potential for reaping the full rewards of continuous manufacturing, but it takes long-term vision and a more significant change in process development than heterogeneous processing. Heterogeneous processing has the detriment that, as the technologies are adopted rather than developed, there is a strong tendency to incorporate correction steps, what we call below "The Rube Goldberg Problem." Thus, although heterogeneous processing will likely play a major role in the near-term transformation of heterogeneous to continuous processing, it is expected that homogeneous processing is the next step that will follow. Specific action items for industry leaders are: Form precompetitive partnerships, including industry (pharmaceutical companies and equipment manufacturers), government, and universities. These precompetitive partnerships would develop case studies of continuous manufacturing and ideally perform joint-technology development, including development of small-scale equipment and processes. Develop ways to invest internally in continuous manufacturing. How best to do this will depend on the specifics of a given organization, in particular the current development projects. Upper managers will need to energize their process developers to incorporate continuous manufacturing in at least part of their processes to gain experience and demonstrate directly the benefits. Training of continuous manufacturing technologies, organizational approaches, and regulatory approaches is a key area that industrial leaders should pursue together. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

SMART-1 Technology and Science Experiments in Preparation of Future Missions and ESA Cornerstones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marini, A. E.; Racca, G. D.; Foing, B. H.; SMART-1 Project

1999-12-01

SMART-1 is the first ESA Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology, aimed at the demonstration of enabling technologies for future scientific missions. SMART-1's prime technology objective is the demonstration of the solar primary electric propulsion, a key for future interplanetary missions. SMART-1 will use a Stationary Plasma Thruster engine, cruising 15 months to capture a Moon polar orbit. A gallery of images of the spacecraft is available at the web site: http://www.estec.esa.nl/spdwww/smart1/html/11742.html SMART-1 payload aims at monitoring the electric propulsion and its spacecraft environment and to test novel instrument technologies. The Diagnostic Instruments include SPEDE, a spacecraft potential plasma and charged particles detector, to characterise both spacecraft and planetary environment, together with EPDP, a suite of sensors monitoring secondary thrust-ions, charging and deposition effects. Innovative spacecraft technologies will be tested on SMART-1 : Lithium batteries and KATE, an experimental X/Ka-band deep-space transponder, to support radio-science, to monitor the accelerations of the electric propulsion and to test turbo-code technique, enhancing the return of scientific data. The scientific instruments for imaging and spectrometry are: \\begin{itemize} D-CIXS, a compact X-ray spectrometer based on novel SCD detectors and micro-structure optics, to observe X-ray celectial objects and to perform lunar chemistry measurements. SIR, a miniaturised quasi-monolithic point-spectrometer, operating in the Near-IR (0.9 ÷ 2.4 micron), to survey the lunar crust in previously uncovered optical regions. AMIE, a miniature camera based on 3-D integrated electronics, imaging the Moon, and other bodies and supporting LASER-LINK and RSIS. RSIS and LASER-LINK are investigations performed with the SMART-1 Payload: \\begin{itemize} RSIS: A radio-science Experiment to validate in-orbit determination of the libration of the celestial target, based on high-accuracy tracking in Ka-band and imaging of a surface landmark LASER-LINK: a demonstration of acquisition of a deep-space laser-link from the ESA Optical Ground Station at Tenerife, validating also the novel sub-apertured telescope designed for the mitigation of atmospheric scintillation disturbances.

Coal gasification systems engineering and analysis. Appendix F: Critical technology items/issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Critical technology items and issues are defined in which there is a need for developmental research in order to assure technical and economic success for the state of the art of coal gasification in the United States. Technology development needs for the main processing units and the supporting units are discussed. While development needs are shown for a large number of systems, the most critical areas are associated with the gasifier itself and those systems which either feed the gasifier or directly receive products form the gasifier.

Health Information National Trends Survey in American Sign Language (HINTS-ASL): Protocol for the Cultural Adaptation and Linguistic Validation of a National Survey.

PubMed

Kushalnagar, Poorna; Harris, Raychelle; Paludneviciene, Raylene; Hoglind, TraciAnn

2017-09-13

The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) collects nationally representative data about the American's public use of health-related information. This survey is available in English and Spanish, but not in American Sign Language (ASL). Thus, the exclusion of ASL users from these national health information survey studies has led to a significant gap in knowledge of Internet usage for health information access in this underserved and understudied population. The objectives of this study are (1) to culturally adapt and linguistically translate the HINTS items to ASL (HINTS-ASL); and (2) to gather information about deaf people's health information seeking behaviors across technology-mediated platforms. We modified the standard procedures developed at the US National Center for Health Statistics Cognitive Survey Laboratory to culturally adapt and translate HINTS items to ASL. Cognitive interviews were conducted to assess clarity and delivery of these HINTS-ASL items. Final ASL video items were uploaded to a protected online survey website. The HINTS-ASL online survey has been administered to over 1350 deaf adults (ages 18 to 90 and up) who use ASL. Data collection is ongoing and includes deaf adult signers across the United States. Some items from HINTS item bank required cultural adaptation for use with deaf people who use accessible services or technology. A separate item bank for deaf-related experiences was created, reflecting deaf-specific technology such as sharing health-related ASL videos through social network sites and using video remote interpreting services in health settings. After data collection is complete, we will conduct a series of analyses on deaf people's health information seeking behaviors across technology-mediated platforms. HINTS-ASL is an accessible health information national trends survey, which includes a culturally appropriate set of items that are relevant to the experiences of deaf people who use ASL. The final HINTS-ASL product will be available for public use upon completion of this study. ©Poorna Kushalnagar. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 13.09.2017.

Healthcare technologies, quality improvement programs and hospital organizational culture in Canadian hospitals

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Healthcare technology and quality improvement programs have been identified as a means to influence healthcare costs and healthcare quality in Canada. This study seeks to identify whether the ability to implement healthcare technology by a hospital was related to usage of quality improvement programs within the hospital and whether the culture within a hospital plays a role in the adoption of quality improvement programs. Methods A cross-sectional study of Canadian hospitals was conducted in 2010. The sample consisted of hospital administrators that were selected by provincial review boards. The questionnaire consisted of 3 sections: 20 healthcare technology items, 16 quality improvement program items and 63 culture items. Results Rasch model analysis revealed that a hierarchy existed among the healthcare technologies based upon the difficulty of implementation. The results also showed a significant relationship existed between the ability to implement healthcare technologies and the number of quality improvement programs adopted. In addition, culture within a hospital served a mediating role in quality improvement programs adoption. Conclusions Healthcare technologies each have different levels of difficulty. As a consequence, hospitals need to understand their current level of capability before selecting a particular technology in order to assess the level of resources needed. Further the usage of quality improvement programs is related to the ability to implement technology and the culture within a hospital. PMID:24119419

Shallow Water UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record Number 5 (NAEVA/XTECH, EM61 MKII)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Clutter items fit into one of three categories: ferrous, nonferrous , and mixed metals . The ferrous and nonferrous items have been further...fragments that have both a ferrous and nonferrous component and could reasonably be encountered in a range area. The mixed- metals clutter was placed...components; however, industrial scrap metal and cultural items are present as well. The mixed- metals clutter is composed of scrap ordnance items or

A Review of ETS Differential Item Functioning Assessment Procedures: Flagging Rules, Minimum Sample Size Requirements, and Criterion Refinement. Research Report. ETS RR-12-08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwick, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis is a key component in the evaluation of the fairness and validity of educational tests. The goal of this project was to review the status of ETS DIF analysis procedures, focusing on three aspects: (a) the nature and stringency of the statistical rules used to flag items, (b) the minimum sample size…

Dust control technology usage patterns in the drywall finishing industry.

PubMed

Young-Corbett, Deborah E; Nussbaum, Maury A

2009-06-01

A telephone survey was conducted to quantify drywall finishing industry usage rates of dust control technology, identify barriers to technology adoption, and explore firm owner perception of risk. Industry use of the following technologies was described: wet methods, respiratory protection, pole sanders, ventilated sanders, and low-dust joint compound. A survey instrument composed of both Likert-type scaled items and open-ended items was developed and administered by telephone to the census population of the owners of member firms of trade associations: Finishing Contractors Association and Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industries. Of 857 firms, 264 interviews were completed. Along with descriptive statistics, results were analyzed to examine effects of firm size and union affiliation on responses. Responses to open-ended items were analyzed using content analysis procedures. Firm owners rated the risk of dust to productivity and customer satisfaction as low-moderate. Half rated the dust as having some impact on worker health, with higher impacts indicated by owners of small firms. Among the available control technologies, respiratory protection was used most frequently. Several barriers to implementation of the more effective control technologies were identified. Barriers associated with technology usability, productivity, and cost, as well as misperceptions of risk, should be addressed to improve dust control in the drywall finishing industry.

Involving vendors in continuous quality improvement efforts.

PubMed

McDevitt, M C

1995-03-01

In the hospital environment, vendors supply a wide range of items, from surgical sutures to the latest in high-cost technological equipment. Also, many clinical and support services, such as respiratory therapy, transcription, and computer databanks are now outsourced to commercial vendors. Interaction with such vendors is often less than satisfactory, with prolonged timelines and disruption of an important process that is being computerized. Although hospitals deal with very few vendors in long-term relationships, such as those seen in manufacturing, this should not preclude the formation of a supplier-customer relationship that goes beyond management's interaction with the sales representative in response to a request for proposal. This is especially true when a process improvement team has studied an internal process and defined a key quality characteristic.

Survey of equipment in general practice.

PubMed Central

Bradley, N.; Watkins, S.

1989-01-01

Partners in general practice have to buy any equipment they want themselves. As a result partners in high investing practices have lower net incomes. Of the 297 practices in Devon and Cornwall, 265 responded to a questionnaire listing 115 possible items of practice equipment. Overall, practices seemed to be fairly well equipped. Key findings were that 193 of those who responded had an electrocardiograph, 206 had a kit for minor operations, 119 owned a computer, and less than one third owned a microscope. Most of these practices were high investors. There seems to be a shift away from some traditional instruments towards expensive information technology. Government policies are encouraging the use of computers and such equipment, though funds are not necessarily being made available for this purpose. PMID:2507005

Logistics Reduction and Repurposing Technology for Long Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James L.; Chu, Andrew; Ewert, Michael K.

2014-01-01

One of NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) projects is the Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project, which has the goal of reducing logistics resupply items through direct and indirect means. Various technologies under development in the project will reduce the launch mass of consumables and their packaging, enable reuse and repurposing of items and make logistics tracking more efficient. Repurposing also reduces the trash burden onboard spacecraft and indirectly reduces launch mass by replacing some items on the manifest. Examples include reuse of trash as radiation shielding or propellant. This paper provides the status of the LRR technologies in their third year of development under AES. Advanced clothing systems (ACS) are being developed to enable clothing to be worn longer, directly reducing launch mass. ACS has completed a ground exercise clothing study in preparation for an International Space Station (ISS) technology demonstration in 2014. Development of launch packaging containers and other items that can be repurposed on-orbit as part of habitation outfitting has resulted in a logistics-to-living (L2L) concept. L2L has fabricated and evaluated several multi-purpose cargo transfer bags (MCTBs) for potential reuse on orbit. Autonomous logistics management (ALM) is using radio frequency identification (RFID) to track items and thus reduce crew requirements for logistics functions. An RFID dense reader prototype is under construction and plans for integrated testing are being made. Development of a heat melt compactor (HMC) second generation unit for processing trash into compact and stable tiles is nearing completion. The HMC prototype compaction chamber has been completed and system development testing is underway. Research has been conducted on the conversion of trash-to-gas (TtG) for high levels of volume reduction and for use in propulsion systems. A steam reformation system was selected for further system definition of the TtG technology. And benefits analysis of all LRR technologies have been updated with the latest test and analysis results.

48 CFR 252.204-7008 - Export-Controlled Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Defense items, defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR part 120. (2) Items, defined in the EAR as “commodities, software, and technology,” terms that are also defined in the EAR, 15...

48 CFR 252.204-7008 - Export-Controlled Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Defense items, defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR part 120. (2) Items, defined in the EAR as “commodities, software, and technology,” terms that are also defined in the EAR, 15...

48 CFR 252.204-7008 - Export-Controlled Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Defense items, defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR part 120. (2) Items, defined in the EAR as “commodities, software, and technology,” terms that are also defined in the EAR, 15...

Construction and Analysis of Educational Tests Using Abductive Machine Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Alfy, El-Sayed M.; Abdel-Aal, Radwan E.

2008-01-01

Recent advances in educational technologies and the wide-spread use of computers in schools have fueled innovations in test construction and analysis. As the measurement accuracy of a test depends on the quality of the items it includes, item selection procedures play a central role in this process. Mathematical programming and the item response…

International learning on increasing the value and effectiveness of primary care (I LIVE PC) New Zealand.

PubMed

Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Gauld, Robin; Cumming, Jacqueline; O'Keefe, Bev; Pert, Harry; McCormack, Paul

2012-03-01

New Zealand (NZ) has a central government-driven, tax-funded health system with the state as dominant payer. The NZ experience precedes and endorses the US concept of patient-centered medical homes providing population-based, nonepisodic care supported by network organizations. These networks provide administration, budget holding, incentivized programs, data feedback, peer review, education, human relations, and health information technology support and resources. Key elements include enrolled populations; an interdisciplinary team approach; health information technology interoperability and access between all providers as well as patients; devolution of hospital-based services into the community; intersectorial integration; blended payments (a combination of universal capitated funding, patient copayments, and targeted fee-for-service for specific items); and a balance of clinical, corporate, and community governance. In this article, we discuss reforms to NZ's primary care arrangements over the past 2 decades and reflect on the lessons learned, their relevance to the United States, and issues that remain to be resolved.

Potential Application of NASA Aerospace Technology to Ground-Based Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.; Welch, Gerard E.; Bakhle, Milind A.; Brown, Gerald V.

2000-01-01

A review of some of the basic gas turbine technology being developed at the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, which may have the potential to be applied to ground-based systems, is presented in this paper. Only a sampling of the large number of research activities underway at the Glenn Research Center can be represented here. The items selected for presentation are those that may lead to increased power and efficiency, reduced cycle design time and cost, improved thermal design, reduced fatigue and fracture, reduced mechanical friction and increased operating margin. The topic of improved material will be presented in this conference and shall not be discussed here. The topics selected for presentation are key research activities at the Glenn Center of Excellence on Turbo-machinery. These activities should be of interest and utility to this ISABE (International Symposium on Air Breathing Engines) Special Forum on Aero-Derivative Land-Based Gas Turbines and to the power industry.

Incorporating Experimental Technologies in the Middle Level Technology Education Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, C. J.; Rogers, George E.

2005-01-01

This paper offers some concrete ideas and suggestions for incorporating discussions of experimental technologies in the middle level technology education classroom. Technology education students should be aware of experimental technologies. They should understand the ramifications of items such as hybrid vehicles, photovoltaic solar panels,…

Guide to Mathematics Released Items: Understanding Scoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, 2017

2017-01-01

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) mathematics items measure critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and the ability to apply skills and knowledge to real-world problems. Students are asked to solve problems involving the key knowledge and skills for their grade level as identified by the Common Core…

Mission Architecture and Technology Options for a Flagship Class Venus In Situ Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balint, Tibor S.; Kwok, Johnny H.; Kolawa, Elizabeth A.; Cutts, James A.; Senske, David A.

2008-01-01

Venus, as part of the inner triad with Earth and Mars, represents an important exploration target if we want to learn more about solar system formation and evolution. Comparative planetology could also elucidate the differences between the past, present, and future of these three planets, and can help with the characterization of potential habitable zones in our solar system and, by extension, extrasolar systems. A long lived in situ Venus mission concept, called the Venus Mobile Explorer, was prominently featured in NASA's 2006 SSE Roadmap and supported in the community White Paper by the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG). Long-lived in situ missions are expected to belong to the largest (Flagship) mission class, which would require both enabling and enhancing technologies beside mission architecture options. Furthermore, extreme environment mitigation technologies for Venus are considered long lead development items and are expected to require technology development through a dedicated program. To better understand programmatic and technology needs and the motivating science behind them, in this fiscal year (FY08) NASA is funding a Venus Flaghip class mission study, based on key science and technology drivers identified by a NASA appointed Venus Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT). These mission drivers are then assembled around a suitable mission architecture to further refine technology and cost elements. In this paper we will discuss the connection between the final mission architecture and the connected technology drivers from this NASA funded study, which - if funded - could enable a future Flagship class Venus mission and potentially drive a proposed Venus technology development program.

Distribution and Availability of Essential Tuberculosis Diagnostic Items in Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Sinishaw, Mulusew Alemneh; Gebregergs, Gebremedhin Berhe; Shiferaw, Melashu Balew

2015-01-01

Adequate supplies of tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables are necessary for tuberculosis diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response. This study assessed the distribution and stock levels of laboratory commodities used in tuberculosis control in health centers of Amhara region, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 82 health centers, among 801, providing sputum microscopy services. Stock levels were calculated, and distribution of reagents and consumables assessed. Thirty three (40.2%) health centers were under stocked for at least one of the key items for tuberculosis diagnosis at the time of visit. Fifteen (18.3%) health centers had no stocks of at least one of the key items (methylene blue (11%), carbol fuchsin (11%), acid alcohol (8.5%) and sputum cups (3.7%)). Of the 82 health centers, 77 (93.9%) did not fulfill the criteria for effective distribution of tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables. There were many health centers that had no or only low stocks of key tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables as a result of ineffective distribution system. It is necessary to strengthen supply chain management to ensure uninterrupted TB diagnostic service.

Distribution and Availability of Essential Tuberculosis Diagnostic Items in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Adequate supplies of tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables are necessary for tuberculosis diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response. This study assessed the distribution and stock levels of laboratory commodities used in tuberculosis control in health centers of Amhara region, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 82 health centers, among 801, providing sputum microscopy services. Stock levels were calculated, and distribution of reagents and consumables assessed. Thirty three (40.2%) health centers were under stocked for at least one of the key items for tuberculosis diagnosis at the time of visit. Fifteen (18.3%) health centers had no stocks of at least one of the key items (methylene blue (11%), carbol fuchsin (11%), acid alcohol (8.5%) and sputum cups (3.7%)). Of the 82 health centers, 77 (93.9%) did not fulfill the criteria for effective distribution of tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables. There were many health centers that had no or only low stocks of key tuberculosis laboratory reagents and consumables as a result of ineffective distribution system. It is necessary to strengthen supply chain management to ensure uninterrupted TB diagnostic service. PMID:26641097

Logistics Reduction Technologies for Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James L., Jr.; Ewert, Michael K.; Fink, Patrick W.

2014-01-01

Human exploration missions under study are limited by the launch mass capacity of existing and planned launch vehicles. The logistical mass of crew items is typically considered separate from the vehicle structure, habitat outfitting, and life support systems. Although mass is typically the focus of exploration missions, due to its strong impact on launch vehicle and habitable volume for the crew, logistics volume also needs to be considered. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) Project is developing six logistics technologies guided by a systems engineering cradle-to-grave approach to enable after-use crew items to augment vehicle systems. Specifically, AES LRR is investigating the direct reduction of clothing mass, the repurposing of logistical packaging, the use of autonomous logistics management technologies, the processing of spent crew items to benefit radiation shielding and water recovery, and the conversion of trash to propulsion gases. Reduction of mass has a corresponding and significant impact to logistical volume. The reduction of logistical volume can reduce the overall pressurized vehicle mass directly, or indirectly benefit the mission by allowing for an increase in habitable volume during the mission. The systematic implementation of these types of technologies will increase launch mass efficiency by enabling items to be used for secondary purposes and improve the habitability of the vehicle as mission durations increase. Early studies have shown that the use of advanced logistics technologies can save approximately 20 m(sup 3) of volume during transit alone for a six-person Mars conjunction class mission.

1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel: Administration, Datasets, and Codebook

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-12-01

but left key items blank. These surveys were treated as nonrespondents when at least one item in each of the Questions 39, 50, and 52 were not...be useable, a questionnaire had to have at least one item in each of the questions 39, 50 and 52 answered. 27 These two subgroups of records are...1988). Mail survey response rate: A meta-analysis of selected techniques for inducing response. Public Opinion Quarterly, 52 , 467-491. Francisco, C

Explanation and elaboration of the Standards for UNiversal reporting of patient Decision Aid Evaluations (SUNDAE) guidelines: examples of reporting SUNDAE items from patient decision aid evaluation literature

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Aubri S; Abhyankar, Purva; Sheridan, Stacey; Bekker, Hilary; LeBlanc, Annie; Levin, Carrie; Ropka, Mary; Shaffer, Victoria; Stacey, Dawn; Stalmeier, Peep; Vo, Ha; Wills, Celia; Thomson, Richard

2018-01-01

This Explanation and Elaboration (E&E) article expands on the 26 items in the Standards for UNiversal reporting of Decision Aid Evaluations guidelines. The E&E provides a rationale for each item and includes examples for how each item has been reported in published papers evaluating patient decision aids. The E&E focuses on items key to reporting studies evaluating patient decision aids and is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Authors and reviewers may wish to use the E&E broadly to inform structuring of patient decision aid evaluation reports, or use it as a reference to obtain details about how to report individual checklist items. PMID:29467235

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record NO. 934 Technology Type/Platform: EM61 MKII/Towed

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

nonferrous metallic objects. The applicability of the instrument for ordnance and explosives (OE) detection has been widely demonstrated at sites...was cleared of all metallic items. This clearing of the metallic anomalies from the 2 acre Active Response Demonstration Site was broken into three...with their Multiple Towed Array Detection System (MTADS). This system is known for its effectiveness and ability to detect metallic items. Once the

Information sensing and interactive technology of Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Zhiliang

2017-11-01

With the rapid development of economic, the Internet of Things based on Internet technology is more and more concerned by all circles of society, and the Internet of Things begins to penetrate into various fields of society. The Internet of things is an extension of the Internet, the difference between the Internet and the Internet of Things is that the purpose of things aims to achieve the exchange and exchange of information and data, contract the people and goods through a variety of technologies and equipment from items to items. Information perception and interaction technology are two very important technologies in the development of things, but also is the important technology in the history of the development of network technology. This paper briefly analyzes the characteristics of the original information perception, and the difference between the interactive technology of the Internet of Things and the human-computer interaction technology. On this basis, this paper mainly elaborates from the two aspects of information perception and interactive technology.

Towards a Standard for Provenance and Context for Preservation of Data for Earth System Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramaprian, Hampapuram K.; Moses, John F.

2011-01-01

Long-term data sets with data from many missions are needed to study trends and validate model results that are typical in Earth System Science research. Data and derived products originate from multiple missions (spaceborne, airborne and/or in situ) and from multiple organizations. During the missions as well as well past their termination, it is essential to preserve the data and products to support future studies. Key aspects of preservation are: preserving bits and ensuring data are uncorrupted, preserving understandability with appropriate documentation, and preserving reproducibility of science with appropriate documentation and other artifacts. Computer technology provides adequate standards to ensure that, with proper engineering, bits are preserved as hardware evolves. However, to ensure understandability and reproducibility, it is essential to plan ahead to preserve all the relevant data and information. There are currently no standards to identify the content that needs to be preserved, leading to non-uniformity in content and users not being sure of whether preserved content is comprehensive. Each project, program or agency can specify the items to be preserved as a part of its data management requirements. However, broader community consensus that cuts across organizational or national boundaries would be needed to ensure comprehensiveness, uniformity and long-term utility of archived data. The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), a diverse network of scientists, data stewards and technology developers, has a forum for ESIP members to collaborate on data preservation issues. During early 2011, members discussed the importance of developing a Provenance and Context Content Standard (PCCS) and developed an initial list of content items. This list is based on the outcome of a NASA and NOAA meeting held in 1998 under the auspices of the USGCRP, documentation requirements from NOAA and our experience with some of the NASA Earth science missions. The items are categorized into the following 8 high level categories: Preflight/Pre-Operations, Products (Data), Product Documentation, Mission Calibration, Product Software, Algorithm Input, Validation, Software Tools.

TOPICAL REVIEW: Microsystem technologies for implantable applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Receveur, Rogier A. M.; Lindemans, Fred W.; de Rooij, Nicolaas F.

2007-05-01

Microsystem technologies (MST) have become the basis of a large industry. The advantages of MST compared to other technologies provide opportunities for application in implantable biomedical devices. This paper presents a general and broad literature review of MST for implantable applications focused on the technical domain. A classification scheme is introduced to order the examples, basic technological building blocks relevant for implantable applications are described and finally a case study on the role of microsystems for one clinical condition is presented. We observe that the microfabricated parts span a wide range for implantable applications in various clinical areas. There are 94 active and 67 commercial 'end items' out of a total of 142. End item refers to the total concept, of which the microsystem may only be a part. From the 105 active end items 18 (13% of total number of end items) are classified as products. From these 18 products, there are only two for chronic use. The number of active end items in clinical, animal and proto phase for chronic use is 17, 13 and 20, respectively. The average year of first publication of chronic end items that are still in the animal or clinical phase is 1994 (n = 7) and 1993 (n = 11), respectively. The major technology market combinations are sensors for cardiovascular, drug delivery for drug delivery and electrodes for neurology and ophthalmology. Together these form 51% of all end items. Pressure sensors form the majority of sensors and there is just one product (considered to be an implantable microsystem) in the neurological area. Micro-machined ceramic packages, glass sealed packages and polymer encapsulations are used. Glass to metal seals are used for feedthroughs. Interconnection techniques such as flip chip, wirebonding or conductive epoxy as used in the semiconductor packaging and assembly industry are also used for manufacturing of implantable devices. Coatings are polymers or metal. As an alternative to implantable primary batteries, rechargeable batteries were introduced or concepts in which energy is provided from the outside based on inductive coupling. Long-term developments aiming at autonomous power are, for example, based on electrostatic conversion of mechanical vibrations. Communication with the implantable device is usually done using an inductive link. A large range of materials commonly used in microfabrication are also used for implantable microsystems.

Technology development status at McDonnell Douglas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, W. T.

1981-01-01

The significant technology items of the Concorde and the conceptual MCD baseline advanced supersonic transport are compared. The four major improvements are in the areas of range performance, structures (materials), aerodynamics, and in community noise. Presentation charts show aerodynamic efficiency; the reoptimized wing; low scale lift/drag ratio; control systems; structural modeling and analysis; weight and cost comparisons for superplasticity diffusion bonded titanium sandwich structures and for aluminum brazed titanium honeycomb structures; operating cost reduction; suppressor nozzles; noise reduction and range; the bicone inlet; a market summary; environmental issues; high priority items; the titanium wing and fuselage test components; and technology validation.

48 CFR 252.225-7048 - Export-Controlled Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) “Defense items,” defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR Part 120; and (2) “Items,” defined in the EAR as “commodities”, “software”, and “technology,” terms that are also defined...

48 CFR 252.225-7048 - Export-Controlled Items.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) “Defense items,” defined in the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778(j)(4)(A), as defense articles, defense services, and related technical data, and further defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR Part 120; and (2) “Items,” defined in the EAR as “commodities”, “software”, and “technology,” terms that are also defined...

ACTTive Technology, 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutinger, Patricia L., Ed.

1998-01-01

Four issues of "ACTTive Technology" include major articles, editorials, suggested curriculum activities, reviews of software and educational media, early childhood and technology news items, and conference calendars. Major articles include: "Teaching and Learning with Technology" (Joyce Johanson); "Use Switches and Alternate Keyboards To Add Music…

Organization of project works in Industry 4.0 digital item designing companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurjanov, A. V.; Zakoldaev, D. A.; Shukalov, A. V.; Zharinov, I. O.

2018-05-01

The task of the project works organization in the Industry 4.0 item designing digital factories is being studied. There is a scheme of the item designing component life cycle. There is also a scheme how to develop and confirm the quality of the item designing component documentation using the mathematical modelling. There is a description of the self-organization principles for the cyber and physical technological equipment in the Industry 4.0 «smart factory» company during the manufacturing process.

Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

in Cancun , Mexico, November 29-December 10, 2010, expectations of reaching agreement for a post-Kyoto greenhouse gas emissions treaty are low...and analysis of this report. Expanded details for some items are in the Appendix beginning on page 13. Item 1. NATO’s New Strategic Concept...by Diminishing Low-Cost Phosphorus…………………..2 Item 4. Renewed Protection for Refugees in Latin America………………………………….2 Item 5. Technological Advances

Early blindness alters the spatial organization of verbal working memory.

PubMed

Bottini, Roberto; Mattioni, Stefania; Collignon, Olivier

2016-10-01

Several studies suggest that serial order in working memory (WM) is grounded on space. For a list of ordered items held in WM, items at the beginning of the list are associated with the left side of space and items at the end of the list with the right side. This suggests that maintaining items in verbal WM is performed in strong analogy to writing these items down on a physical whiteboard for later consultation (The Mental Whiteboard Hypothesis). What drives this spatial mapping of ordered series in WM remains poorly understood. In the present study we tested whether visual experience is instrumental in establishing the link between serial order in WM and spatial processing. We tested early blind (EB), late blind (LB) and sighted individuals in an auditory WM task. Replicating previous studies, left-key responses were faster for early items in the list whereas later items facilitated right-key responses in the sighted group. The same effect was observed in LB individuals. In contrast, EB participants did not show any association between space and serial position in WM. These results suggest that early visual experience plays a critical role in linking ordered items in WM and spatial representations. The analogical spatial structure of WM may depend in part on the actual experience of using spatially organized devices (e.g., notes, whiteboards) to offload WM. These practices are largely precluded to EB individuals, who instead rely to mnemonic devices that are less spatially organized (e.g., recordings, vocal notes). The way we habitually organize information in the external world may bias the way we organize information in our WM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three controversies over item disclosure in medical licensure examinations.

PubMed

Park, Yoon Soo; Yang, Eunbae B

2015-01-01

In response to views on public's right to know, there is growing attention to item disclosure - release of items, answer keys, and performance data to the public - in medical licensure examinations and their potential impact on the test's ability to measure competence and select qualified candidates. Recent debates on this issue have sparked legislative action internationally, including South Korea, with prior discussions among North American countries dating over three decades. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze three issues associated with item disclosure in medical licensure examinations - 1) fairness and validity, 2) impact on passing levels, and 3) utility of item disclosure - by synthesizing existing literature in relation to standards in testing. Historically, the controversy over item disclosure has centered on fairness and validity. Proponents of item disclosure stress test takers' right to know, while opponents argue from a validity perspective. Item disclosure may bias item characteristics, such as difficulty and discrimination, and has consequences on setting passing levels. To date, there has been limited research on the utility of item disclosure for large scale testing. These issues requires ongoing and careful consideration.

Historical Views of Invariance: Evidence from the Measurement Theories of Thorndike, Thurstone, and Rasch.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelhard, George, Jr.

1992-01-01

A historical perspective is provided of the concept of invariance in measurement theory, describing sample-invariant item calibration and item-invariant measurement of individuals. Invariance as a key measurement concept is illustrated through the measurement theories of E. L. Thorndike, L. L. Thurstone, and G. Rasch. (SLD)

PSSA Released Reading Items, 2000-2001. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg. Bureau of Curriculum and Academic Services.

This document contains materials directly related to the actual reading test of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), including the reading rubric, released passages, selected-response questions with answer keys, performance tasks, and scored samples of students' responses to the tasks. All of these items may be duplicated to…

78 FR 3899 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-17

... methodological tests) to improve communication with key CMS audiences. As new information resources and... referred to as the Social Marketing and Consumer Testing Item Bank. This item bank is designed to establish... telephone surveys. The other set is less structured and is designed for use in qualitative one-on-one and...

How Task Features Impact Evidence from Assessments Embedded in Simulations and Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almond, Russell G.; Kim, Yoon Jeon; Velasquez, Gertrudes; Shute, Valerie J.

2014-01-01

One of the key ideas of evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) is that task features can be deliberately manipulated to change the psychometric properties of items. ECD identifies a number of roles that task-feature variables can play, including determining the focus of evidence, guiding form creation, determining item difficulty and…

A Formal Model of Capacity Limits in Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberauer, Klaus; Kliegl, Reinhold

2006-01-01

A mathematical model of working-memory capacity limits is proposed on the key assumption of mutual interference between items in working memory. Interference is assumed to arise from overwriting of features shared by these items. The model was fit to time-accuracy data of memory-updating tasks from four experiments using nonlinear mixed effect…

Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) Items for Building Trades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Diane, Ed.

This test item bank is intended to help instructors construct criterion-referenced tests for secondary-level courses in building trades. The bank is keyed to the Missouri Building Trades Competency Profile, which was developed by industry and education professionals in Missouri, and is designed to be used in conjunction with the Vocational…

Recursive Partitioning to Identify Potential Causes of Differential Item Functioning in Cross-National Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, W. Holmes; Hernández Finch, Maria E.; French, Brian F.

2016-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) assessment is key in score validation. When DIF is present scores may not accurately reflect the construct of interest for some groups of examinees, leading to incorrect conclusions from the scores. Given rising immigration, and the increased reliance of educational policymakers on cross-national assessments…

An Empirically Keyed Scale for Measuring Managerial Attitudes toward Women Executives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubno, Peter; And Others

1979-01-01

A scale (Managerial Attitudes toward Women Executives Scale -- MATWES) provides reliability and validity measures regarding managerial attitudes toward women executives. It employs a projective test for item generation and uses a panel of women executives as Q-sorters to select items. The Scale and its value in minimizing researcher bias in its…

Research and Development of Target Recognition and Location Crawling Platform based on Binocular Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Weidong; Lei, Zhu; Yuan, Zhang; Gao, Zhenqing

2018-03-01

The application of visual recognition technology in industrial robot crawling and placing operation is one of the key tasks in the field of robot research. In order to improve the efficiency and intelligence of the material sorting in the production line, especially to realize the sorting of the scattered items, the robot target recognition and positioning crawling platform based on binocular vision is researched and developed. The images were collected by binocular camera, and the images were pretreated. Harris operator was used to identify the corners of the images. The Canny operator was used to identify the images. Hough-chain code recognition was used to identify the images. The target image in the image, obtain the coordinates of each vertex of the image, calculate the spatial position and posture of the target item, and determine the information needed to capture the movement and transmit it to the robot control crawling operation. Finally, In this paper, we use this method to experiment the wrapping problem in the express sorting process The experimental results show that the platform can effectively solve the problem of sorting of loose parts, so as to achieve the purpose of efficient and intelligent sorting.

Using PROMs to guide patients and practitioners through the head and neck cancer journey

PubMed Central

Rogers, Simon N; Barber, Brittany

2017-01-01

The measurement of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following head and neck cancer (HNC) has the capacity to substantially enhance the care of patients and their care-givers following the diagnosis and treatment of HNC. Literature concerning PROMs has increased exponentially in the past 2 decades, producing a vast array of data upon which the multidisciplinary team can reflect. For this review, “Handle On QOL” has been used as a source of references to illustrate the points raised. PROMs are contextualized by considering the clinically-distinct key stages that cancer patients endure: diagnosis, treatment, acute toxicity, early recovery, late effects, recurrence, and palliation. The PROMs are considered in six main categories: 1) those addressing cornucopia of issues not specific to cancer; 2) those addressing issues common to all cancers; 3) questionnaires with items specific to HNC; 4) questionnaires that focus on a particular aspect of head and neck function; 5) those measuring psychological concerns, such as depression, anxiety, or self-esteem; and 6) item prompt lists. Potential benefits of PROMs in clinical practice are discussed, as are barriers to use. The way forward in integrating PROMs into routine HNC care is discussed with an emphasis on information technology. PMID:29184455

Writing Multiple Choice Outcome Questions to Assess Knowledge and Competence.

PubMed

Brady, Erik D

2015-11-01

Few articles contemplate the need for good guidance in question item-writing in the continuing education (CE) space. Although many of the core principles of sound item design translate to the CE health education team, the need exists for specific examples for nurse educators that clearly describe how to measure changes in competence and knowledge using multiple choice items. In this article, some keys points and specific examples for nursing CE providers are shared. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Emotional perception of music in children with unilateral cochlear implants.

PubMed

Shirvani, Sareh; Jafari, Zahra; Sheibanizadeh, Abdolreza; Motasaddi Zarandy, Masoud; Jalaie, Shohre

2014-10-01

Cochlear implantation (CI) improves language skills among children with hearing loss. However, children with CIs still fall short of fulfilling some other needs, including musical perception. This is often attributed to the biological, technological, and acoustic limitations of CIs. Emotions play a key role in the understanding and enjoyment of music. The present study aimed to investigate the emotional perception of music in children with bilaterally severe-to-profound hearing loss and unilateral CIs. Twenty-five children with congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss and unilateral CIs and 30 children with normal hearing participated in the study. The children's emotional perceptions of music, as defined by Peretz (1998), were measured. Children were instructed to indicate happy or sad feelings fostered in them by the music by pointing to pictures of faces showing these emotions. Children with CI obtained significantly lower scores than children with normal hearing, for both happy and sad items of music as well as in overall test scores (P<0.001). Furthermore, both in CI group (P=0.49) and the control one (P<0.001), the happy items were more often recognized correctly than the sad items. Hearing-impaired children with CIs had poorer emotional perception of music than their normal peers. Due to the importance of music in the development of language, cognitive and social interaction skills, aural rehabilitation programs for children with CIs should focus particularly on music. Furthermore, it is essential to enhance the quality of musical perception by improving the quality of implant prostheses.

Engineering Technology Education: Bibliography, 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrud, Marilyn A.

1989-01-01

Lists articles and books related to engineering technology education published in 1988. Items are grouped administration, aeronautical, architectural, CAD/CAM, civil, computers, curriculum, electrical/electronics, industrial, industry/government/employers, instructional technology, laboratories, lasers, liberal studies, manufacturing, mechanical,…

Development of Saudi e-health literacy scale for chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia: using integrated health literacy dimensions.

PubMed

Zakaria, Nasriah; AlFakhry, Ohoud; Matbuli, Abeer; Alzahrani, Asma; Arab, Noha Samir Sadiq; Madani, Alaa; Alshehri, Noura; Albarrak, Ahmed I

2018-05-01

Health literacy has become a global issue, and it is important that patients and individuals are able to use information technology to access health information and educational services. The research objective is to develop a Saudi e-health literacy scale (SeHL) for measuring e-health literacy among Saudis suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCD). Overall, 14 relevant papers in related interdisciplinary fields were reviewed to select the most useful literacy dimensions. From these articles, we extracted the most common dimensions used to measure e-health literacy across the disciplines. Multiple workshops with multidisciplinary team members reviewed and evaluated items for SeHL. Four key aspects of e-health literacy-use of technology/media, information-seeking, usefulness and confidence-were identified and integrated as e-health literacy dimensions. These will be used to measure e-health literacy among Saudi patients with NCDs. A translation from Arabic to English was performed in order to ensure that translation process was accurate. A SeHL scale was developed to measure e-health literacy among Saudi patients. By understanding e-health literacy levels, we will be able to create a patient-education system to be used by patients in Saudi Arabia. As information technology is increasingly used by people of all ages all over the world, e-health literacy has been identified as a key factor in determining health outcomes. To date, no comprehensive scale exists to assess e-health literacy levels among speakers of Arabic, particularly among people with NCD such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

French Health Technology Assessment of Antineoplastic Drugs Indicated in the Treatment of Solid Tumours: Perspective for Future Trends.

PubMed

Chouaid, Christos; Borget, Isabelle; Braun, Eric; Bazil, Marie-Laure; Schaetz, Dominique; Rémuzat, Cécile; Toumi, Mondher

2016-08-01

France is one of the European countries that spend the most on oncology drugs. To keep pharmaceutical expenditure under control, Health Authorities highly scrutinize market access of costly medicines. To assess current and future trends in French health technology assessment (HTA) of antineoplastic drugs indicated in the treatment of solid tumours. A review of the SMR and ASMR drivers of the Transparency Committee (CT) opinions issued for antineoplastic drugs indicated in the treatment of solid tumours and approved between 2009 and 2014 was performed to assess current trends in French health technology assessment (HTA), complemented by an expert board consultation to capture the critical issues on the future of antineoplastic drugs HTA. Thirty-one drugs indicated for the treatment of solid tumours were identified (77 % targeted therapies). Initial CT assessments were available for 26 drugs. Four key items in the CT assessment were identified: 1) Clinical trial methodology; 2) Acceptance of progression-free survival (PFS) as a valuable endpoint; 3) Transferability of clinical trials in clinical practice; 4) Unpredictability of CT decisions. Experts raised the important development of personalised medicines in oncology and key challenges for oncology products to generate information expected from HTA perspective. The French system remains committed to its values and philosophy (access of all innovations for everybody) which are threatened by the increasing launch of innovative therapies and budget constraint. Both HTA decision framework evolution and revision of the current pricing process should be considered in France to cope with these new challenges.

ADSORPTIVE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES: MEDIA SELECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation provides information on six items to be considered when selecting an adsorptive media for removing arsenic from drinking water; performance, EBCT, pre-treatment, regeneration, residuals, and cost. Each item is discussed in general and data and photographs from th...

On the dynamic nature of response criterion in recognition memory: effects of base rate, awareness, and feedback.

PubMed

Rhodes, Matthew G; Jacoby, Larry L

2007-03-01

The authors examined whether participants can shift their criterion for recognition decisions in response to the probability that an item was previously studied. Participants in 3 experiments were given recognition tests in which the probability that an item was studied was correlated with its location during the test. Results from all 3 experiments indicated that participants' response criteria were sensitive to the probability that an item was previously studied and that shifts in criterion were robust. In addition, awareness of the bases for criterion shifts and feedback on performance were key factors contributing to the observed shifts in decision criteria. These data suggest that decision processes can operate in a dynamic fashion, shifting from item to item.

Worklist handling in workflow-enabled radiological application systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendler, Thomas; Meetz, Kirsten; Schmidt, Joachim; von Berg, Jens

2000-05-01

For the next generation integrated information systems for health care applications, more emphasis has to be put on systems which, by design, support the reduction of cost, the increase inefficiency and the improvement of the quality of services. A substantial contribution to this will be the modeling. optimization, automation and enactment of processes in health care institutions. One of the perceived key success factors for the system integration of processes will be the application of workflow management, with workflow management systems as key technology components. In this paper we address workflow management in radiology. We focus on an important aspect of workflow management, the generation and handling of worklists, which provide workflow participants automatically with work items that reflect tasks to be performed. The display of worklists and the functions associated with work items are the visible part for the end-users of an information system using a workflow management approach. Appropriate worklist design and implementation will influence user friendliness of a system and will largely influence work efficiency. Technically, in current imaging department information system environments (modality-PACS-RIS installations), a data-driven approach has been taken: Worklist -- if present at all -- are generated from filtered views on application data bases. In a future workflow-based approach, worklists will be generated by autonomous workflow services based on explicit process models and organizational models. This process-oriented approach will provide us with an integral view of entire health care processes or sub- processes. The paper describes the basic mechanisms of this approach and summarizes its benefits.

Renewing the New Environmental Paradigm Scale: The Underlying Diversity of Contemporary Environmental Worldviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, Jennifer M.

This dissertation explored the attitudes, values, and beliefs underlying the contemporary environmental movement. At present, the most widely used means of measuring environmental attitudes is the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) Scale. This dissertation chronicles the development and establishment of the NEP and the important role it has played in social science research. It also reviews key empirical and theoretical critiques of the scale, arguing that the worldview embodied by the NEP is representative of a narrow understanding of pro-environmental thought and that there remains the need for a new scale built using the core dimensions underlying contemporary environmentalism's diversity. Based on an assessment of contemporary environmental discourse, it was theorized that the key areas in which environmentalists diverge are with respect to nature, technology, and scale of societal response. To test this assertion, this project deeply explored a small sample of carefully selected participants with strong environmental identities and diverse attitudes and values. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected using survey question items and in-depth Repertory Grid interviews. Foremost, analysis showed that the sample of environmentalists studied were far from ideologically homogenous. While they agreed with respect to certain issues, such as the seriousness of environmental problems and the inability of the earth to accommodate unlimited resource demands, they also disagreed in key areas, such as the ability of technology to solve environmental problems and the scale at which effective change occurs. With respect to effective environmental problem solving, respondents mentioned green technologies, reducing resource consumption, and policy changes, and they differentiated between these solutions based on cost, the type of social change needed to bring these solutions to fruition, and how difficult they would be to enact. Demographic differences were also assessed: younger respondents were more likely to mention green technology and alternative transportation while older respondents discussed individual political engagement and education and awareness. Respondents were also clustered on the basis of their shared worldviews, which suggested that participants formed four key ideologically coherent groups. Analysis of the attitudes, values, and worldviews of each group and its members showed both internal cohesiveness as well as heterogeneity. The conclusion suggests the components of the NEP that should be retained, points to topical and theoretical additions, and establishes a framework for future research at the population level.

Strategic Assessment of Trauma Care Capacity in Ghana.

PubMed

Stewart, Barclay T; Quansah, Robert; Gyedu, Adam; Ankomah, James; Donkor, Peter; Mock, Charles

2015-10-01

This study aimed to assess availability of trauma care technology in Ghana. In addition, factors contributing to deficiencies were evaluated. By doing so, potential solutions to inefficient aspects of health systems management and maladapted technology for trauma care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could be identified. Thirty-two items were selected from the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care. Direct inspection and structured interviews with administrative, clinical, and biomedical engineering staff were used to assess the challenges and successes of item availability at 40 purposively sampled district, regional, and tertiary hospitals. Hospital assessments demonstrated marked deficiencies. Some of these were low cost, such as basic airway supplies, chest tubes, and cervical collars. Item non-availability resulted from several contributing factors, namely equipment absence, lack of training, frequent stock-outs, and technology breakage. A number of root causes for these factors were identified, including ineffective healthcare financing by way of untimely national insurance reimbursements, procurement and stock-management practices, and critical gaps in local biomedical engineering and trauma care training. Nonetheless, local examples of successfully overcoming deficiencies were identified (e.g., public-private partnering, ensuring company engineers trained technicians on-the-job during technology installation or servicing). While availability of several low-cost items could be better supplied by improvements in stock-management and procurement policies, there is a critical need for redress of the national insurance reimbursement system and trauma care training of district hospital staff. Further, developing local service and technical support capabilities is more and more pressing as technology plays an increasingly important role in LMIC healthcare systems.

The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program - NASA Items of Interest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

2017-01-01

This presentation provides a background summary of the NEPP Program, its origins and operating principles followed by examples of issues and opportunities that NEPP is currently pursuing. These examples include Electrostatic Discharge protection procedures that are not being properly applied, one reason for which is the confusion caused by the numerous, different standards covering this topic. Updates are provided for key activities in radiation hardness assurance, and the evaluation of automotive grade electronic parts for use in space applications. Some recent examples of part problems experienced by NASA are briefly described and the latest trending of incidences of counterfeit electronic parts is shown graphically. Finally some forward actions are identified and the time, place and typical topics is provided for the next NEPP Electronic Technology Workshop (ETW).

Management of medical technology: case study of a major acute hospital.

PubMed

Brown, Ian; Smale, Andrew

2007-01-01

This paper presents results of a Capital Equipment Management Plan undertaken at a major acute hospital in Australia. By classifying existing equipment using a threshold replacement value into Major and Minor items, detailed planning information was collected for 527 items of Major equipment representing 80% of the hospital's total equipment stock. A number of meaningful views of this significant asset base are presented, and a prioritisation method used to provide recommendations for future equipment replacement and acquisition for a 5 year planning period. The survey work to identify and document actual equipment items provides a convincing argument for the funding levels required for capital equipment replacement and acquisition, and evidence for the extent of technology reliance in modern health care facilities.

Development and validation of competencies for return to work coordinators.

PubMed

Pransky, Glenn; Shaw, William S; Loisel, Patrick; Hong, Quan Nha; Désorcy, Bruno

2010-03-01

Return to work (RTW) coordinators are a key element in programs that facilitate RTW of injured or ill workers, yet little research documents the competencies required for success in this role. Competencies were defined as knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors. Eight focus groups were conducted with 75 experienced RTW coordinators to identify 904 individual competencies. These were subsequently reduced to 234 unique items through affinity mapping, and sorted into eight groups: administration, individual personal attributes, information gathering, communication, professional credibility, evaluation, problem-solving, and conflict management. A subset of 100 items, including 88 items most often cited, were incorporated in an Internet-based survey that sampled a broad range of RTW coordinators from three countries. Eighty-three of the questionnaire items were rated 4 or 5 (very important or essential) by over half of the 148 respondents. There were no differences in affinity group mean ratings by country, employer, profession, or type of clients. The highest-rated items reflect general personal characteristics, or specific skills related to coordinating among all involved with the RTW process. RTW coordinators with nursing backgrounds provided slightly higher ratings for items related to medical knowledge, but otherwise their ratings were similar to non-nurses. These findings indicate a consensus across a wide range of RTW coordinators, and results can be applied to improve coordinator selection, training, and development. Certain key competencies may be well-established individual attributes, and others may be best developed through mentorship. Most of these competencies are probably best evaluated by direct observation.

There’s more to food store choice than proximity: a questionnaire development study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Proximity of food stores is associated with dietary intake and obesity; however, individuals frequently shop at stores that are not the most proximal. Little is known about other factors that influence food store choice. The current research describes the development of the Food Store Selection Questionnaire (FSSQ) and describes preliminary results of field testing the questionnaire. Methods Development of the FSSQ involved a multidisciplinary literature review, qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts, and expert and community reviews. Field testing consisted of 100 primary household food shoppers (93% female, 64% African American), in rural and urban Arkansas communities, rating FSSQ items as to their importance in store choice and indicating their top two reasons. After eliminating 14 items due to low mean importance scores and high correlations with other items, the final FSSQ questionnaire consists of 49 items. Results Items rated highest in importance were: meat freshness; store maintenance; store cleanliness; meat varieties; and store safety. Items most commonly rated as top reasons were: low prices; proximity to home; fruit/vegetable freshness; fruit/vegetable variety; and store cleanliness. Conclusions The FSSQ is a comprehensive questionnaire for detailing key reasons in food store choice. Although proximity to home was a consideration for participants, there were clearly other key factors in their choice of a food store. Understanding the relative importance of these different dimensions driving food store choice in specific communities may be beneficial in informing policies and programs designed to support healthy dietary intake and obesity prevention. PMID:23773428

There's more to food store choice than proximity: a questionnaire development study.

PubMed

Krukowski, Rebecca A; Sparks, Carla; DiCarlo, Marisha; McSweeney, Jean; West, Delia Smith

2013-06-17

Proximity of food stores is associated with dietary intake and obesity; however, individuals frequently shop at stores that are not the most proximal. Little is known about other factors that influence food store choice. The current research describes the development of the Food Store Selection Questionnaire (FSSQ) and describes preliminary results of field testing the questionnaire. Development of the FSSQ involved a multidisciplinary literature review, qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts, and expert and community reviews. Field testing consisted of 100 primary household food shoppers (93% female, 64% African American), in rural and urban Arkansas communities, rating FSSQ items as to their importance in store choice and indicating their top two reasons. After eliminating 14 items due to low mean importance scores and high correlations with other items, the final FSSQ questionnaire consists of 49 items. Items rated highest in importance were: meat freshness; store maintenance; store cleanliness; meat varieties; and store safety. Items most commonly rated as top reasons were: low prices; proximity to home; fruit/vegetable freshness; fruit/vegetable variety; and store cleanliness. The FSSQ is a comprehensive questionnaire for detailing key reasons in food store choice. Although proximity to home was a consideration for participants, there were clearly other key factors in their choice of a food store. Understanding the relative importance of these different dimensions driving food store choice in specific communities may be beneficial in informing policies and programs designed to support healthy dietary intake and obesity prevention.

Refinement of the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire (LTCQ): patient and expert stakeholder opinion.

PubMed

Kelly, Laura; Potter, Caroline M; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Fitzpatrick, Ray; Jenkinson, Crispin; Peters, Michele

2016-01-01

It is a key UK government priority to assess and improve outcomes in people with long-term conditions (LTCs). We are developing a new patient-reported outcome measure, the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire (LTCQ), for use among people with single or multiple LTCs. This study aimed to refine candidate LTCQ items that had previously been informed through literature reviews, interviews with professional stakeholders, and interviews with people with LTCs. Cognitive interviews (n=32) with people living with LTCs and consultations with professional stakeholders (n=13) and public representatives (n=5) were conducted to assess the suitability of 23 candidate items. Items were tested for content and comprehensibility and underwent a translatability assessment. Four rounds of revisions took place, due to amendments to item structure, improvements to item clarity, item duplication, and recommendations for future translations. Twenty items were confirmed as relevant to living with LTCs and understandable to patients and professionals. This study supports the content validity of the LTCQ items among people with LTCs and professional stakeholders. The final items are suitable to enter the next stage of psychometric refinement.

Assessment of Competence in EVAR Procedures: A Novel Rating Scale Developed by the Delphi Technique.

PubMed

Strøm, M; Lönn, L; Bech, B; Schroeder, T V; Konge, L

2017-07-01

To develop a procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of operator competence in endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). A Delphi approach was used to achieve expert consensus. A panel of 32 international experts (median 300 EVAR procedures, range 200-3000) from vascular surgery (n = 21) and radiology (n = 11) was established. The first Delphi round was based on a review of endovascular skills assessment papers, stent graft instructions for use, and structured interviews. It led to a primary pool of 83 items that were formulated as global rating scale items with tentative anchors. Iterative Delphi rounds were executed. The panellists rated the importance of each item on a 5 point Likert scale. Consensus was defined as 80% of the panel rating an item 4 or 5 in the primary round and 90% in subsequent rounds. Consensus on the final assessment tool was defined as Cronbach's alpha > .8 after a minimum of three rounds. Thirty-two of 35 invited experts participated. Three rounds of surveys were completed with a completion rate of 100% in the first two rounds and 91% in round three. The 83 primary assessment items were supplemented with five items suggested by the panel and reduced to seven pivotal assessment items that reached consensus, Cronbach's alpha = 0.82. The seven item rating scale covers key elements of competence in EVAR stent placement and deployment. Each item has well defined grades with explicit anchors at unacceptable, acceptable, and superior performance on a 5 point Likert scale. The Delphi methodology allowed for international consensus on a new procedure specific global rating scale for assessment of competence in EVAR. The resulting scale, EndoVascular Aortic Repair Assessment of Technical Expertise (EVARATE), represents key elements in the procedure. EVARATE constitutes an assessment tool for providing structured feedback to endovascular operators in training. Copyright © 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 40063 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-06

... research studies and methodological tests) to improve communication with key CMS audiences. As new... referred to as the Social Marketing and Consumer Testing Item Bank. This item bank is designed to establish... telephone surveys. The other set is less structured and is designed for use in qualitative one-on-one and...

What Form of Mathematics Are Assessments Assessing? The Case of Multiplication and Division in Fourth Grade NAEP Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosko Karl W.; Singh, Rashmi

2018-01-01

Multiplicative reasoning is a key concept in elementary school mathematics. Item statistics reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment provide the best current indicator for how well elementary students across the U.S. understand this, and other concepts. However, beyond expert reviews and statistical analysis,…

Differential Item Functioning Analysis of High-Stakes Test in Terms of Gender: A Rasch Model Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alavi, Seyed Mohammad; Bordbar, Soodeh

2017-01-01

Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis is a key element in evaluating educational test fairness and validity. One of the frequently cited sources of construct-irrelevant variance is gender which has an important role in the university entrance exam; therefore, it causes bias and consequently undermines test validity. The present study aims…

Measuring Constructs in Family Science: How Can Item Response Theory Improve Precision and Validity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Rachel A.

2015-01-01

This article provides family scientists with an understanding of contemporary measurement perspectives and the ways in which item response theory (IRT) can be used to develop measures with desired evidence of precision and validity for research uses. The article offers a nontechnical introduction to some key features of IRT, including its…

Human Resources Research Office Bibliography of Publications as of 30 June 1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George Washington Univ., Alexandria, VA. Human Resources Research Office.

A bibliography has been compiled to provide as complete information as is feasible about research publications and by-products from the Human Resources Research Office (HumRRO). It includes abstracts for many items; key word out of context indexing; author indexes; and AD numbers, indicating items available to qualified users through the Defense…

34 CFR 300.5 - Assistive technology device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.5 Assistive technology device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired... 34 Education 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Assistive technology device. 300.5 Section 300.5...

34 CFR 300.5 - Assistive technology device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.5 Assistive technology device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired... 34 Education 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Assistive technology device. 300.5 Section 300.5...

34 CFR 300.5 - Assistive technology device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.5 Assistive technology device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired... 34 Education 2 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Assistive technology device. 300.5 Section 300.5...

34 CFR 300.5 - Assistive technology device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.5 Assistive technology device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Assistive technology device. 300.5 Section 300.5...

34 CFR 300.5 - Assistive technology device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Assistive technology device. 300.5 Section 300.5... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.5 Assistive technology device. Assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired...

Tech-Savvy Science Education? Understanding Teacher Pedagogical Practices for Integrating Technology in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechter, Richard; Vermette, Laurie Anne

2014-01-01

This paper examines the technology integration practices of Manitoban K-12 inservice science educators based on the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Science teachers (n = 433) completed a 10-item online survey regarding pedagogical beliefs about technology integration, types of technology used, and how often…

Shallow Water UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record No. 6

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

ferrous, nonferrous , and mixed metals . The ferrous and nonferrous items have been further divided into three weight zones as presented in Table 1...items are present as well. The mixed- metals clutter is composed of scrap ordnance items or fragments that have both a ferrous and nonferrous ...underwater system using Geonics EM61 High Power (underwater coils) electromagnetic metal detectors (one transmitter coil, three receiver coils). The

15 CFR 740.12 - Gift parcels and humanitarian donations (GFT).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... destinations, no items controlled for chemical and biological weapons (CB), missile technology (MT), national... (including vitamins); medicines, medical supplies and devices (including hospital supplies and equipment and... hygiene items; seeds; veterinary medicines and supplies; fishing equipment and supplies; soap-making...

15 CFR 740.12 - Gift parcels and humanitarian donations (GFT).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... destinations, no items controlled for chemical and biological weapons (CB), missile technology (MT), national... (including vitamins); medicines, medical supplies and devices (including hospital supplies and equipment and... hygiene items; seeds; veterinary medicines and supplies; fishing equipment and supplies; soap-making...

Organizational Communication in Health Care Settings: A Selected Annotated Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, James A.; And Others

This annotated bibliography on health related subjects lists more than 300 items emphasizing the relationships between communication, occupational role, technology, organizational design, and institutional policy. Items are classified (and cross-indexed) according to the following variables: organizational design, policy, communication,…

Implementing AORN recommended practices for prevention of retained surgical items.

PubMed

Goldberg, Judith L; Feldman, David L

2012-02-01

Retention of a surgical item is a preventable event that can result in patient injury. AORN's "Recommended practices for prevention of retained surgical items" emphasizes the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach for prevention. Procedures should include counts of soft goods, needles, miscellaneous items, and instruments, and efforts should be made to prevent retention of fragments of broken devices. If a count discrepancy occurs, the perioperative team should follow procedures to locate the missing item. Perioperative leaders may consider the use of adjunct technologies such as bar-code scanning, radio-frequency detection, and radio-frequency identification. Ambulatory and hospital patient scenarios are included to exemplify appropriate strategies for preventing retained surgical items. Copyright © 2012 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Essential elements of professional nursing environments in Primary Care and their influence on the quality of care.

PubMed

Gea-Caballero, Vicente; Castro-Sánchez, Enrique; Júarez-Vela, Raúl; Díaz-Herrera, Miguel Ángel; de Miguel-Montoya, Isabel; Martínez-Riera, José Ramón

Nursing work environments are key determinants of care quality. Our study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of nursing environments in primary care settings in the Canary Islands, and identify crucial components of such environments to improve quality. We conducted a cross-sectional study in primary care organisations using the Practice Environment Scale - Nursing Work Index tool. We collected sociodemographic variables, scores, and selected the essential items conducive to optimal care. Appropriate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were used to analyse relations between variables (CI = 95%, error = 5%). One hundred and forty-four nurses participated. The mean total score was 81.6. The results for the five dimensions included in the Practice Environment Scale - Nursing Work Index ranged from 2.25 - 2.92 (Mean). Twelve key items for quality of care were selected; six were positive in the Canary Islands, two were mixed, and four negative. 7/12 items were included in Dimension 2 (fundamentals of nursing). Being a manager was statistically associated with higher scores (p<.000). Years of experience was inversely associated with scores in the 12 items (p<.021). Nursing work environments in primary care settings in the Canary Islands are comparable to others previously studied in Spain. Areas to improve were human resources and participation of nurses in management decisions. Nurse managers must be knowledgeable about their working environments so they can focus on improvements in key dimensions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Optimal Cycle Time and Preservation Technology Investment for Deteriorating Items with Price-sensitive Stock-dependent Demand Under Inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Nita H.; Shah, Arpan D.

2014-04-01

The article analyzes economic order quantity for the retailer who has to handle imperfect quality of the product and the units are subject to deteriorate at a constant rate. To control deterioration of the units in inventory, the retailer has to deploy advanced preservation technology. Another challenge for the retailer is to have perfect quality product. This requires mandatory inspection during the production process. This model is developed with the condition of random fraction of defective items. It is assumed that after inspection, the screened defective items are sold at a discounted rate instantly. Demand is considered to be price-sensitive stock-dependent. The model is incorporating effect of inflation which is critical factor globally. The objective is to maximize profit of the retailer with respect to preservation technology investment, order quantity and cycle time. The numerical example is given to validate the proposed model. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to work out managerial issues.

Development and testing of mobile technology for community park improvements: validity and reliability of the eCPAT application with youth.

PubMed

Besenyi, Gina M; Diehl, Paul; Schooley, Benjamin; Turner-McGrievy, Brie M; Wilcox, Sara; Stanis, Sonja A Wilhelm; Kaczynski, Andrew T

2016-12-01

Creation of mobile technology environmental audit tools can provide a more interactive way for youth to engage with communities and facilitate participation in health promotion efforts. This study describes the development and validity and reliability testing of an electronic version of the Community Park Audit Tool (eCPAT). eCPAT consists of 149 items and incorporates a variety of technology benefits. Criterion-related validity and inter-rater reliability were evaluated using data from 52 youth across 47 parks in Greenville County, SC. A large portion of items (>70 %) demonstrated either fair or moderate to perfect validity and reliability. All but six items demonstrated excellent percent agreement. The eCPAT app is a user-friendly tool that provides a comprehensive assessment of park environments. Given the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices among both adolescents and adults, the eCPAT app has potential to be distributed and used widely for a variety of health promotion purposes.

Three controversies over item disclosure in medical licensure examinations

PubMed Central

Park, Yoon Soo; Yang, Eunbae B.

2015-01-01

In response to views on public's right to know, there is growing attention to item disclosure – release of items, answer keys, and performance data to the public – in medical licensure examinations and their potential impact on the test's ability to measure competence and select qualified candidates. Recent debates on this issue have sparked legislative action internationally, including South Korea, with prior discussions among North American countries dating over three decades. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze three issues associated with item disclosure in medical licensure examinations – 1) fairness and validity, 2) impact on passing levels, and 3) utility of item disclosure – by synthesizing existing literature in relation to standards in testing. Historically, the controversy over item disclosure has centered on fairness and validity. Proponents of item disclosure stress test takers’ right to know, while opponents argue from a validity perspective. Item disclosure may bias item characteristics, such as difficulty and discrimination, and has consequences on setting passing levels. To date, there has been limited research on the utility of item disclosure for large scale testing. These issues requires ongoing and careful consideration. PMID:26374693

Measuring Environmental Factors: Unique and Overlapping International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Coverage of 5 Instruments.

PubMed

Heinemann, Allen W; Miskovic, Ana; Semik, Patrick; Wong, Alex; Dashner, Jessica; Baum, Carolyn; Magasi, Susan; Hammel, Joy; Tulsky, David S; Garcia, Sofia F; Jerousek, Sara; Lai, Jin-Shei; Carlozzi, Noelle E; Gray, David B

2016-12-01

To describe the unique and overlapping content of the newly developed Environmental Factors Item Banks (EFIB) and 7 legacy environmental factor instruments, and to evaluate the EFIB's construct validity by examining associations with legacy instruments. Cross-sectional, observational cohort. Community. A sample of community-dwelling adults with stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury (N=568). None. EFIB covering domains of the built and natural environment; systems, services, and policies; social environment; and access to information and technology; the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) short form; the Facilitators and Barriers Survey/Mobility (FABS/M) short form; the Home and Community Environment Instrument (HACE); the Measure of the Quality of the Environment (MQE) short form; and 3 of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System's (PROMIS) Quality of Social Support measures. The EFIB and legacy instruments assess most of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) environmental factors chapters, including chapter 1 (products and technology; 75 items corresponding to 11 codes), chapter 2 (natural environment and human-made changes; 31 items corresponding to 7 codes), chapter 3 (support and relationships; 74 items corresponding to 7 codes), chapter 4 (attitudes; 83 items corresponding to 8 codes), and chapter 5 (services, systems, and policies; 72 items corresponding to 16 codes). Construct validity is provided by moderate correlations between EFIB measures and the CHIEF, MQE barriers, HACE technology mobility, FABS/M community built features, and PROMIS item banks and by small correlations with other legacy instruments. Only 5 of the 66 legacy instrument correlation coefficients are moderate, suggesting they measure unique aspects of the environment, whereas all intra-EFIB correlations were at least moderate. The EFIB measures provide a brief and focused assessment of ICF environmental factor chapters. The pattern of correlations with legacy instruments provides initial evidence of construct validity. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated Data Base Implementation Requirements for the Avionics Planning Baseline - Army

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

PJRQT PJRSG .... PRJR owns PJRQTR Item EFT A32 A26 In record EFR Item ESFT A36 A40 In record ESFR Item EQPOC ALCPOC A20 In record EQR Iten EPHONE LPHONE...USING EF DUPLICATES ARE NOT ALLOWED WITHIN EQSEG. EF TYPE CHARACTER 4. EFT TYPE CHARACTER 32. EG TYPE CHARACTER 4. RECORD NAME IS ESFR LOCATION MODE... ESFR MANDATORY AUTOMATIC LINKED TO OWNER ASCENDING KEY IS ESF DUPLICATES NOT SET SELECTION THRU LOCATION MODE OF OWNER. SET NAME IS ESEQ MODE CHAIN

Optimal ordering quantities for substitutable deteriorating items under joint replenishment with cost of substitution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Vinod Kumar

2017-09-01

In this paper we develop an inventory model, to determine the optimal ordering quantities, for a set of two substitutable deteriorating items. In this inventory model the inventory level of both items depleted due to demands and deterioration and when an item is out of stock, its demands are partially fulfilled by the other item and all unsatisfied demand is lost. Each substituted item incurs a cost of substitution and the demands and deterioration is considered to be deterministic and constant. Items are order jointly in each ordering cycle, to take the advantages of joint replenishment. The problem is formulated and a solution procedure is developed to determine the optimal ordering quantities that minimize the total inventory cost. We provide an extensive numerical and sensitivity analysis to illustrate the effect of different parameter on the model. The key observation on the basis of numerical analysis, there is substantial improvement in the optimal total cost of the inventory model with substitution over without substitution.

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

Power Extension Package (PEP) system definition extension, orbital service module systems analysis study. Volume 10: PEP project plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Contents: project plan summary; project and mission objectives; related studies and technology support activities; technical summary; management; procurement approach; project definition items and schedule; resources; management review; controlled items; and safety, reliability, and quality assurance.

PRISMA-Children (C) and PRISMA-Protocol for Children (P-C) Extensions: a study protocol for the development of guidelines for the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of newborn and child health research.

PubMed

Kapadia, Mufiza Z; Askie, Lisa; Hartling, Lisa; Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Despina; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Soll, Roger; Moher, David; Offringa, Martin

2016-04-18

Paediatric systematic reviews differ from adult systematic reviews in several key aspects such as considerations of child tailored interventions, justifiable comparators, valid outcomes and child sensitive search strategies. Available guidelines, including PRISMA-P (2015) and PRISMA (2009), do not cover all the complexities associated with reporting systematic reviews in the paediatric population. Using a collaborative, multidisciplinary structure, we aim to develop evidence-based and consensus-based PRISMA-P-C (Protocol for Children) and PRISMA-C (Children) Extensions to guide paediatric systematic review protocol and completed review reporting. This project's methodology follows published recommendations for developing reporting guidelines and involves the following six phases; (1) establishment of a steering committee representing key stakeholder groups; (2) a scoping review to identify potential Extension items; (3) three types of consensus activities including meetings of the steering committee to achieve high-level decisions on the content and methodology of the Extensions, a survey of key stakeholders to generate a list of possible items to include in the Extensions and a formal consensus meeting to select the reporting items to add to, or modify for, the Extension; (4) the preliminary checklist items generated in phase III will be evaluated against the existing evidence and reporting practices in paediatric systematic reviews; (5) extension statements and explanation and elaboration documents will provide detailed advice for each item and examples of good reporting; (6) development and implementation of effective knowledge translation of the extension checklist, and an evaluation of the Extensions by key stakeholders. This protocol was considered a quality improvement project by the Hospital for Sick Children's Ethics Committee and did not require ethical review. The resultant checklists, jointly developed with all relevant stakeholders, will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals as well as national and international conference presentations. Endorsement of the checklist will be sought simultaneously in multiple journals. 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/

PRISMA-Children (C) and PRISMA-Protocol for Children (P-C) Extensions: a study protocol for the development of guidelines for the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of newborn and child health research

PubMed Central

Kapadia, Mufiza Z; Askie, Lisa; Hartling, Lisa; Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Despina; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Soll, Roger; Moher, David; Offringa, Martin

2016-01-01

Introduction Paediatric systematic reviews differ from adult systematic reviews in several key aspects such as considerations of child tailored interventions, justifiable comparators, valid outcomes and child sensitive search strategies. Available guidelines, including PRISMA-P (2015) and PRISMA (2009), do not cover all the complexities associated with reporting systematic reviews in the paediatric population. Using a collaborative, multidisciplinary structure, we aim to develop evidence-based and consensus-based PRISMA-P-C (Protocol for Children) and PRISMA-C (Children) Extensions to guide paediatric systematic review protocol and completed review reporting. Methods and analysis This project's methodology follows published recommendations for developing reporting guidelines and involves the following six phases; (1) establishment of a steering committee representing key stakeholder groups; (2) a scoping review to identify potential Extension items; (3) three types of consensus activities including meetings of the steering committee to achieve high-level decisions on the content and methodology of the Extensions, a survey of key stakeholders to generate a list of possible items to include in the Extensions and a formal consensus meeting to select the reporting items to add to, or modify for, the Extension; (4) the preliminary checklist items generated in phase III will be evaluated against the existing evidence and reporting practices in paediatric systematic reviews; (5) extension statements and explanation and elaboration documents will provide detailed advice for each item and examples of good reporting; (6) development and implementation of effective knowledge translation of the extension checklist, and an evaluation of the Extensions by key stakeholders. Ethics and Dissemination This protocol was considered a quality improvement project by the Hospital for Sick Children's Ethics Committee and did not require ethical review. The resultant checklists, jointly developed with all relevant stakeholders, will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals as well as national and international conference presentations. Endorsement of the checklist will be sought simultaneously in multiple journals. PMID:27091820

Self-Report Measures of the Home Learning Environment in Large Scale Research: Measurement Properties and Associations with Key Developmental Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niklas, Frank; Nguyen, Cuc; Cloney, Daniel S.; Tayler, Collette; Adams, Raymond

2016-01-01

Favourable home learning environments (HLEs) support children's literacy, numeracy and social development. In large-scale research, HLE is typically measured by self-report survey, but there is little consistency between studies and many different items and latent constructs are observed. Little is known about the stability of these items and…

Detection of Q-Matrix Misspecification Using Two Criteria for Validation of Cognitive Structures under the Least Squares Distance Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, Sonia J.; Ordoñez, Xavier G.; Ponsoda, Vincente; Revuelta, Javier

2014-01-01

Cognitive Diagnostic Models (CDMs) aim to provide information about the degree to which individuals have mastered specific attributes that underlie the success of these individuals on test items. The Q-matrix is a key element in the application of CDMs, because contains links item-attributes representing the cognitive structure proposed for solve…

A Practitioner's Introduction to Equating with Primers on Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Joseph; Brockmann, Frank

2009-01-01

Equating is an essential tool in educational assessment due the critical role it plays in several key areas: establishing validity across forms and years; fairness; test security; and, increasingly, continuity in programs that release items or require ongoing development. Although the practice of equating is rooted in long standing practices that…

Individual Differences in Incorrect Responding and the Ability to Discriminate the Source of the Products of Retrieval

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonker, Tanya R.

2016-01-01

When memory is tested, researchers are often interested in the items that were correctly recalled or recognized, while ignoring or factoring out trials where one "recalls" or "recognizes" a nonstudied item. However, intrusions and false alarms are more than nuisance data and can provide key insights into the memory system. The…

[Translation and validation of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) into Portuguese].

PubMed

de Carvalho, Karla Emanuelle Cotias; Gois Júnior, Miburge Bolívar; Sá, Katia Nunes

2014-01-01

To translate and validate the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) into Brazilian Portuguese. Certified translators translated and back-translated Quest. Content validity (CVI) was determined by 5 experts and, after the final version of B-Quest, a pre-test was applied to users of manual wheelchairs, walkers and crutches. The psychometric properties were tested to assure the validity of items and the reliability and stability of the scale. Data were obtained from 121 users of the above-mentioned devices. Our study showed a CVI of 91.66% and a satisfactory factor analysis referent to the two-dimensional structure of the instrument that ensured the representativeness of the items. The Cron-bach's alpha of the items device, service and total score of B-Quest were 0.862, 0.717 and 0.826, respectively. Test-retest stability conducted after a time interval of 2 months was analyzed using Spearman's correlation test, which showed high correlation (ρ >0.6) for most items. The study suggests that the B-Quest is a reliable, representative, and valid instrument to measure the satisfaction of users of assistive technology in Brazil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A Probabilistic Palimpsest Model of Visual Short-term Memory

PubMed Central

Matthey, Loic; Bays, Paul M.; Dayan, Peter

2015-01-01

Working memory plays a key role in cognition, and yet its mechanisms remain much debated. Human performance on memory tasks is severely limited; however, the two major classes of theory explaining the limits leave open questions about key issues such as how multiple simultaneously-represented items can be distinguished. We propose a palimpsest model, with the occurrent activity of a single population of neurons coding for several multi-featured items. Using a probabilistic approach to storage and recall, we show how this model can account for many qualitative aspects of existing experimental data. In our account, the underlying nature of a memory item depends entirely on the characteristics of the population representation, and we provide analytical and numerical insights into critical issues such as multiplicity and binding. We consider representations in which information about individual feature values is partially separate from the information about binding that creates single items out of multiple features. An appropriate balance between these two types of information is required to capture fully the different types of error seen in human experimental data. Our model provides the first principled account of misbinding errors. We also suggest a specific set of stimuli designed to elucidate the representations that subjects actually employ. PMID:25611204

A probabilistic palimpsest model of visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Matthey, Loic; Bays, Paul M; Dayan, Peter

2015-01-01

Working memory plays a key role in cognition, and yet its mechanisms remain much debated. Human performance on memory tasks is severely limited; however, the two major classes of theory explaining the limits leave open questions about key issues such as how multiple simultaneously-represented items can be distinguished. We propose a palimpsest model, with the occurrent activity of a single population of neurons coding for several multi-featured items. Using a probabilistic approach to storage and recall, we show how this model can account for many qualitative aspects of existing experimental data. In our account, the underlying nature of a memory item depends entirely on the characteristics of the population representation, and we provide analytical and numerical insights into critical issues such as multiplicity and binding. We consider representations in which information about individual feature values is partially separate from the information about binding that creates single items out of multiple features. An appropriate balance between these two types of information is required to capture fully the different types of error seen in human experimental data. Our model provides the first principled account of misbinding errors. We also suggest a specific set of stimuli designed to elucidate the representations that subjects actually employ.

Export Controls and Nonproliferation Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-01

Export Control Classification Numbers ( ECCNs ). The ECCNs do not correspond one-for-one to single commodity technology, or software items: in some...cases an ECCN covers only a single, narrowly defined item, but in many cases multiple related items fall under the same ECCN . The reason for control of...each ECCN category may be single or multiple (e.g., for both National Security and Nuclear Proliferation) but the reason(s) listed may in fact apply

Standardized UXO Technology Demonstration Site, Blind Grid Scoring Record Number 842

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

collection sessions. Daily: A location identified as having no subsurface metal will be designated as a calibration point. Readings will be... metallic item will be placed below the center of the sensors, and the instrument’s response will be observed. The item will then be removed, and static... nonferrous anomalies. Due to limitations of the magnetometer, the nonferrous items cannot be detected. Therefore, the ROC curves presented in Figures

Initial constructs for patient-centered outcome measures to evaluate brain-computer interfaces

PubMed Central

Andresen, Elena M.; Fried-Oken, Melanie; Peters, Betts; Patrick, Donald L.

2016-01-01

Purpose The authors describe preliminary work toward the creation of patient-centered outcome (PCO) measures to evaluate brain-computer interface (BCI) as an assistive technology for individuals with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Method In Phase 1, 591 items from 15 existing measures were mapped to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In Phase 2, qualitative interviews were conducted with eight people with SSPI and seven caregivers. Resulting text data were coded in an iterative analysis. Results Most items (79%) mapped to the ICF environmental domain; over half (53%) mapped to more than one domain. The ICF framework was well suited for mapping items related to body functions and structures, but less so for items in other areas, including personal factors. Two constructs emerged from qualitative data: Quality of Life (QOL) and Assistive Technology. Component domains and themes were identified for each. Conclusions Preliminary constructs, domains, and themes were generated for future PCO measures relevant to BCI. Existing instruments are sufficient for initial items but do not adequately match the values of people with SSPI and their caregivers. Field methods for interviewing people with SSPI were successful, and support the inclusion of these individuals in PCO research. PMID:25806719

Development of the Contact Lens User Experience: CLUE Scales

PubMed Central

Wirth, R. J.; Edwards, Michael C.; Henderson, Michael; Henderson, Terri; Olivares, Giovanna; Houts, Carrie R.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose The field of optometry has become increasingly interested in patient-reported outcomes, reflecting a common trend occurring across the spectrum of healthcare. This article reviews the development of the Contact Lens User Experience: CLUE system designed to assess patient evaluations of contact lenses. CLUE was built using modern psychometric methods such as factor analysis and item response theory. Methods The qualitative process through which relevant domains were identified is outlined as well as the process of creating initial item banks. Psychometric analyses were conducted on the initial item banks and refinements were made to the domains and items. Following this data-driven refinement phase, a second round of data was collected to further refine the items and obtain final item response theory item parameters estimates. Results Extensive qualitative work identified three key areas patients consider important when describing their experience with contact lenses. Based on item content and psychometric dimensionality assessments, the developing CLUE instruments were ultimately focused around four domains: comfort, vision, handling, and packaging. Item response theory parameters were estimated for the CLUE item banks (377 items), and the resulting scales were found to provide precise and reliable assignment of scores detailing users’ subjective experiences with contact lenses. Conclusions The CLUE family of instruments, as it currently exists, exhibits excellent psychometric properties. PMID:27383257

Application of NASA-developed technology to the automatic control of municipal sewage treatment plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hiser, L. L.; Herrera, W. R.

1973-01-01

A search was made of NASA developed technology and commercial technology for process control sensors and instrumentation which would be applicable to the operation of municipal sewage treatment plants. Several notable items were found from which process control concepts were formulated that incorporated these items into systems to automatically operate municipal sewage treatment plants. A preliminary design of the most promising concept was developed into a process control scheme for an activated sludge treatment plant. This design included process control mechanisms for maintaining constant food to sludge mass (F/M) ratio, and for such unit processes as primary sedimentation, sludge wastage, and underflow control from the final clarifier.

Measuring Access to Information and Technology: Environmental Factors Affecting Persons With Neurologic Disorders.

PubMed

Hahn, Elizabeth A; Garcia, Sofia F; Lai, Jin-Shei; Miskovic, Ana; Jerousek, Sara; Semik, Patrick; Wong, Alex; Heinemann, Allen W

2016-08-01

To develop and validate a patient-reported measure of access to information and technology (AIT) for persons with spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury. A mixed-methods approach was used to develop items, refine them through cognitive interviews, and evaluate their psychometric properties. Item responses were evaluated with the Rasch rating scale model. Correlational and analysis-of-variance methods were used to evaluate construct validity. Community-dwelling individuals participated in telephone interviews or traveled to the academic medical centers where this research took place. Individuals with a diagnosis of spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury (aged ≥18y, English speaking) participated in cognitive interviews (n=12 persons), field testing of the items (n=305 persons), and validation testing of the final set of items (n=604 persons). Not applicable. A set of items to measure AIT for people with disabilities. A user-friendly multimedia touchscreen was used for self-administration of the items. A 23-item AIT measure demonstrated good evidence of internal consistency reliability, and content and construct validity. This new AIT measure will enable researchers and clinicians to determine to what extent environmental factors influence health outcomes and social participation in people with disabilities. The AIT measure could also provide disability advocates with more specific and detailed information about environmental factors to lobby for elimination of barriers. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large Space Systems Technology, 1979. [antenna and space platform systems conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, J. C., Jr. (Compiler)

1980-01-01

Items of technology and developmental efforts in support of the large space systems technology programs are described. The major areas of interest are large antennas systems, large space platform systems, and activities that support both antennas and platform systems.

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at “http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm” and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

48 CFR 23.405 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE...-designated items (available via the Internet at “http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm” and to their agencies... officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www...

Net-Centric Sensors and Data Sources (N-CSDS) GEODSS Sidecar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richmond, D.

2012-09-01

Vast amounts of Space Situational Sensor data is collected each day on closed, legacy systems. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) developed a Net-Centric approach to expose this data under the Extended Space Sensors Architecture (ESSA) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The Net-Centric Sensors and Data Sources (N-CSDS) Ground-based Electro Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) Sidecar is the next generation that moves the ESSA ACTD engineering tools to an operational baseline. The N-CSDS GEODSS sidecar high level architecture will be presented, highlighting the features that supports deployment at multiple diverse sensor sites. Other key items that will be covered include: 1) The Web Browser interface to perform searches of historical data 2) The capabilities of the deployed Web Services and example service request/responses 3) Example data and potential user applications will be highlighted 4) Specifics regarding the process to gain access to the N-CSDS GEODSS sensor data in near real time 5) Current status and future deployment plans (Including plans for deployment to the Maui GEODSS Site)

Effects of technology on nursing care and caring attributes of a sample of Iranian critical care nurses.

PubMed

Bagherian, Behnaz; Sabzevari, Sakineh; Mirzaei, Tayebeh; Ravari, Ali

2017-04-01

To examine the association between attitudes of critical care nurses about influences of technology and their caring attributes. In a cross-sectional study, firstly the psychometric properties of caring attributes questionnaire, which was developed to examine caring attributes of a sample of international nurses, was refined in a sample of 200 critical care nurses working in educational hospitals of a city in the southwest of Iran. Results of factor analysis with Varimax rotation decreased 60 items of caring attributes to 47 items which loaded under five subscales of caring negation, caring compassionate, caring advocacy, caring essence and caring communication. Secondly, attitudes of these nurses toward influences of technology on nursing care were assessed using a 22-item questionnaire, developed by the study researchers. Finally, the association between scores of caring attributes and attitudes toward influences of technology of this sample was determined. There was a positive association between caring attributes and influences of technology among our study nurses. Caring attributes scores were higher in female single nurses. Although caring attributes' scores had decreased along with age and work experience, caring commitment was higher in older more experienced nurses. Furthermore, female nurses had a better attitude toward influences of technology on their care. In contrast, younger and less experienced nurses had negative views on the effects of technology on nursing care. Continuing education and life-long learning on application of new technological equipment in nursing care and harmonising their use with caring values are necessary for nursing students and registered nurses to ensure delivering a patient-centred care, in a technologically driven environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Science-Technology-Society literacy in college non-majors biology: Comparing problem/case studies based learning and traditional expository methods of instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, John S.

This study used a multiple response model (MRM) on selected items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) survey to examine science-technology-society (STS) literacy among college non-science majors' taught using Problem/Case Studies Based Learning (PBL/CSBL) and traditional expository methods of instruction. An initial pilot investigation of 15 VOSTS items produced a valid and reliable scoring model which can be used to quantitatively assess student literacy on a variety of STS topics deemed important for informed civic engagement in science related social and environmental issues. The new scoring model allows for the use of parametric inferential statistics to test hypotheses about factors influencing STS literacy. The follow-up cross-institutional study comparing teaching methods employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to model the efficiency and equitability of instructional methods on STS literacy. A cluster analysis was also used to compare pre and post course patterns of student views on the set of positions expressed within VOSTS items. HLM analysis revealed significantly higher instructional efficiency in the PBL/CSBL study group for 4 of the 35 STS attitude indices (characterization of media vs. school science; tentativeness of scientific models; cultural influences on scientific research), and more equitable effects of traditional instruction on one attitude index (interdependence of science and technology). Cluster analysis revealed generally stable patterns of pre to post course views across study groups, but also revealed possible teaching method effects on the relationship between the views expressed within VOSTS items with respect to (1) interdependency of science and technology; (2) anti-technology; (3) socioscientific decision-making; (4) scientific/technological solutions to environmental problems; (5) usefulness of school vs. media characterizations of science; (6) social constructivist vs. objectivist views of theories; (7) impact of cultural religious/ethical views on science; (8) tentativeness of scientific models, evidence and predictions; (9) civic control of technological developments. This analysis also revealed common relationships between student views which would not have been revealed under the original unique response model (URM) of VOSTS and also common viewpoint patterns that warrant further qualitative exploration.

Pediatric Cancer Patients' Important End-of-Life Issues, Including Quality of Life: A Survey of Pediatric Oncologists and Nurses in Japan.

PubMed

Nagoya, Yuko; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Shiwaku, Hitoshi

2017-05-01

Research into the key themes and concepts of quality of life (QOL) relevant to the end-of-life (EOL) care of pediatric cancer patients in the Japanese context is imperative. This study aimed at identifying the key items and constructive concepts of QOL at EOL of pediatric cancer patients. In 2015, pediatricians and nurses were recruited from 163 pediatric oncology treatment facilities in Japan. The questionnaire was developed on the basis of a previous qualitative study. Items that were rated as "very important" or "important" by at least 80% of the respondents were considered as "common and important" QOL items. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to conceptualize QOL of the pediatric cancer patients during EOL care. A total of 157 pediatricians and 270 nurses participated in this study. Fifty-five items were refined to 35 "common and important" QOL items. On factor analysis, 12 domains (containing 29 items) were identified: playing and learning; fulfilling wishes; spending time with family; receiving relief from physical and psychological suffering; making many wonderful memories; having a good relationship with the medical staff; having a peaceful death in the presence of family; spending time with a minimum of medical treatment; living one's life as usual; spending time in a calm hospital environment; being oneself; and having a close family. Although the respondents in this study were medical care providers rather than the patients or their family members, findings should help medical staff provide better palliative care to Japanese pediatric cancer patients.

Popularity and Novelty Dynamics in Evolving Networks.

PubMed

Abbas, Khushnood; Shang, Mingsheng; Abbasi, Alireza; Luo, Xin; Xu, Jian Jun; Zhang, Yu-Xia

2018-04-20

Network science plays a big role in the representation of real-world phenomena such as user-item bipartite networks presented in e-commerce or social media platforms. It provides researchers with tools and techniques to solve complex real-world problems. Identifying and predicting future popularity and importance of items in e-commerce or social media platform is a challenging task. Some items gain popularity repeatedly over time while some become popular and novel only once. This work aims to identify the key-factors: popularity and novelty. To do so, we consider two types of novelty predictions: items appearing in the popular ranking list for the first time; and items which were not in the popular list in the past time window, but might have been popular before the recent past time window. In order to identify the popular items, a careful consideration of macro-level analysis is needed. In this work we propose a model, which exploits item level information over a span of time to rank the importance of the item. We considered ageing or decay effect along with the recent link-gain of the items. We test our proposed model on four various real-world datasets using four information retrieval based metrics.

Ensuring Equal Access to Technology: Providing Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hwa; Templeton, Rosalyn

2008-01-01

With the passage of landmark federal laws, equal access to technology for all students, regardless of their abilities, has been getting increasing attention in the field of education. Although considering a continuum of assistive technology (AT) items and services for individuals with disabilities is a mandated practice, education and…

Assessment of the availability of technology for trauma care in Nepal.

PubMed

Shah, Mihir Tejanshu; Bhattarai, Suraj; Lamichhane, Norman; Joshi, Arpita; LaBarre, Paul; Joshipura, Manjul; Mock, Charles

2015-09-01

We sought to assess the availability of technology-related equipment for trauma care in Nepal and to identify factors leading to optimal availability as well as deficiencies. We also sought to identify potential solutions addressing the deficits in terms of health systems management and product development. Thirty-two items for large hospitals and sixteen items for small hospitals related to the technological aspect of trauma care were selected from the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care for the current study. Fifty-six small and 29 large hospitals were assessed for availability of these items in the study area. Site visits included direct inspection and interviews with administrative, clinical, and bioengineering staff. Deficiencies of many specific items were noted, including many that were inexpensive and which could have been easily supplied. Shortage of electricity was identified as a major infrastructural deficiency present in all parts of the country. Deficiencies of pulse oximetry and ventilators were observed in most hospitals, attributed in most part to frequent breakdowns and long downtimes because of lack of vendor-based service contracts or in-house maintenance staff. Sub-optimal oxygen supply was identified as a major and frequent deficiency contributing to disruption of services. All equipment was imported except for a small percent of suction machines and haemoglobinometers. The study identified a range of items which were deficient and whose availability could be improved cost-effectively and sustainably by better planning and organisation. The electricity deficit has been dealt with successfully in a few hospitals via direct feeder lines and installation of solar panels; wider implementation of these methods would help solve a large portion of the technological deficiencies. From a health systems management view-point, strengthening procurement and stocking of low cost items especially in remote parts of the country is needed. From a product development view-point, there is a need for robust pulse-oximeters and ventilators that are lower cost and which have longer durability and less need for repairs. Increasing capabilities for local manufacture is another potential method to increase availability of a range of equipment and spare parts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional Perception of Music in Children with Unilateral Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Shirvani, Sareh; Jafari, Zahra; Sheibanizadeh, Abdolreza; Motasaddi Zarandy, Masoud; Jalaie, Shohre

2014-01-01

Introduction: Cochlear implantation (CI) improves language skills among children with hearing loss. However, children with CIs still fall short of fulfilling some other needs, including musical perception. This is often attributed to the biological, technological, and acoustic limitations of CIs. Emotions play a key role in the understanding and enjoyment of music. The present study aimed to investigate the emotional perception of music in children with bilaterally severe-to-profound hearing loss and unilateral CIs. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five children with congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss and unilateral CIs and 30 children with normal hearing participated in the study. The children’s emotional perceptions of music, as defined by Peretz (1998), were measured. Children were instructed to indicate happy or sad feelings fostered in them by the music by pointing to pictures of faces showing these emotions. Results: Children with CI obtained significantly lower scores than children with normal hearing, for both happy and sad items of music as well as in overall test scores (P<0.001). Furthermore, both in CI group (P=0.49) and the control one (P<0.001), the happy items were more often recognized correctly than the sad items. Conclusion: Hearing-impaired children with CIs had poorer emotional perception of music than their normal peers. Due to the importance of music in the development of language, cognitive and social interaction skills, aural rehabilitation programs for children with CIs should focus particularly on music. Furthermore, it is essential to enhance the quality of musical perception by improving the quality of implant prostheses. PMID:25320700

NASA Johnson Space Center Medical Licensing Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hernandez-Moya, Sonia

2009-01-01

This presentation reviews patented medical items that are available for licensing in the areas of Laboratory Technologies, Medical Devices, Medical Equipment and other technologies that are of interest to the medical community.

Online Calibration of Polytomous Items Under the Generalized Partial Credit Model

PubMed Central

Zheng, Yi

2016-01-01

Online calibration is a technology-enhanced architecture for item calibration in computerized adaptive tests (CATs). Many CATs are administered continuously over a long term and rely on large item banks. To ensure test validity, these item banks need to be frequently replenished with new items, and these new items need to be pretested before being used operationally. Online calibration dynamically embeds pretest items in operational tests and calibrates their parameters as response data are gradually obtained through the continuous test administration. This study extends existing formulas, procedures, and algorithms for dichotomous item response theory models to the generalized partial credit model, a popular model for items scored in more than two categories. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the developed algorithms and procedures under a variety of conditions, including two estimation algorithms, three pretest item selection methods, three seeding locations, two numbers of score categories, and three calibration sample sizes. Results demonstrated acceptable estimation accuracy of the two estimation algorithms in some of the simulated conditions. A variety of findings were also revealed for the interacted effects of included factors, and recommendations were made respectively. PMID:29881063

34 CFR 303.12 - Early intervention services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off... capabilities of children with disabilities. Assistive technology service means a service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device...

MTA Computer Based Evaluation System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Lisa P.; And Others

The MTA PLATO-based evaluation system, which has been implemented by a consortium of schools of medical technology, is designed to be general-purpose, modular, data-driven, and interactive, and to accommodate other national and local item banks. The system provides a comprehensive interactive item-banking system in conjunction with online student…

76 FR 31393 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-52; Introduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

... 2010-017 Robinson. Ethics Programs. VI Technical Amendments... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summaries for... technology that is a commercial item. Item V--Oversight of Contractor Ethics Programs (FAR Case 2010-017... Code of Business Ethics and Conduct. Contracting officers may ask to see a contractor's code of ethics...

Validation of Automated Scoring of Science Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ou Lydia; Rios, Joseph A.; Heilman, Michael; Gerard, Libby; Linn, Marcia C.

2016-01-01

Constructed response items can both measure the coherence of student ideas and serve as reflective experiences to strengthen instruction. We report on new automated scoring technologies that can reduce the cost and complexity of scoring constructed-response items. This study explored the accuracy of c-rater-ML, an automated scoring engine…

Program on Public Conceptions of Science, Newsletter 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanpied, William A., Ed.; Shelanski, Vivien, Ed.

This newsletter is divided into six sections: an introduction; general news items and communications from readers; news items and communications more specifically in the ethical and human values areas; an annotated, selective checklist of imaginative literature concerning the relationship between science, technology and human values; and a general…

Computerized Adaptive Testing: Some Issues in Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orcutt, Venetia L.

The emergence of enhanced capabilities in computer technology coupled with the growing body of knowledge regarding item response theory has resulted in the expansion of computerized adaptive test (CAT) utilization in a variety of venues. Newcomers to the field need a more thorough understanding of item response theory (IRT) principles, their…

75 FR 21621 - National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... Mathematics Achievement Levels Descriptions for Grade 12 and the Technology and Engineering Literacy... closed session to review NAEP mathematics items for grades 4 and 8 for the 2011 operational assessment... performance results for 12th grade NAEP mathematics items administered in 2009. The Committee will also get an...

75 FR 82407 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Testing Successful Health Communications Surrounding...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-30

... surrounding aging-related issues from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Type of Information Collection... information technology. Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s...; Comment Request; Testing Successful Health Communications Surrounding Aging-Related Issues From the...

SPIRIT 2013 Statement: defining standard protocol items for clinical trials.

PubMed

Chan, An-Wen; Tetzlaff, Jennifer M; Altman, Douglas G; Laupacis, Andreas; Gøtzsche, Peter C; Krle A-Jerić, Karmela; Hrobjartsson, Asbjørn; Mann, Howard; Dickersin, Kay; Berlin, Jesse A; Dore, Caroline J; Parulekar, Wendy R; Summerskill, William S M; Groves, Trish; Schulz, Kenneth F; Sox, Harold C; Rockhold, Frank W; Rennie, Drummond; Moher, David

2015-12-01

The protocol of a clinical trial serves as the foundation for study planning, conduct, reporting, and appraisal. However, trial protocols and existing protocol guidelines vary greatly in content and quality. This article describes the systematic development and scope of SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) 2013, a guideline for the minimum content of a clinical trial protocol. The 33-item SPIRIT checklist applies to protocols for all clinical trials and focuses on content rather than format. The checklist recommends a full description of what is planned; it does not prescribe how to design or conduct a trial. By providing guidance for key content, the SPIRIT recommendations aim to facilitate the drafting of high-quality protocols. Adherence to SPIRIT would also enhance the transparency and completeness of trial protocols for the benefit of investigators, trial participants, patients, sponsors, funders, research ethics committees or institutional review boards, peer reviewers, journals, trial registries, policymakers, regulators, and other key stakeholders.

SPIRIT 2013 Statement: Defining Standard Protocol Items for Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Chan, An-Wen; Tetzlaff, Jennifer M.; Altman, Douglas G.; Laupacis, Andreas; Gøtzsche, Peter C.; Krleža-Jerić, Karmela; Hróbjartsson, Asbjørn; Mann, Howard; Dickersin, Kay; Berlin, Jesse A.; Doré, Caroline J.; Parulekar, Wendy R.; Summerskill, William S.M.; Groves, Trish; Schulz, Kenneth F.; Sox, Harold C.; Rockhold, Frank W.; Rennie, Drummond; Moher, David

2016-01-01

The protocol of a clinical trial serves as the foundation for study planning, conduct, reporting, and appraisal. However, trial protocols and existing protocol guidelines vary greatly in content and quality. This article describes the systematic development and scope of SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) 2013, a guideline for the minimum content of a clinical trial protocol. The 33-item SPIRIT checklist applies to protocols for all clinical trials and focuses on content rather than format. The checklist recommends a full description of what is planned; it does not prescribe how to design or conduct a trial. By providing guidance for key content, the SPIRIT recommendations aim to facilitate the drafting of high-quality protocols. Adherence to SPIRIT would also enhance the transparency and completeness of trial protocols for the benefit of investigators, trial participants, patients, sponsors, funders, research ethics committees or institutional review boards, peer reviewers, journals, trial registries, policymakers, regulators, and other key stakeholders. PMID:23295957

SPIRIT 2013 statement: defining standard protocol items for clinical trials.

PubMed

Chan, An-Wen; Tetzlaff, Jennifer M; Altman, Douglas G; Laupacis, Andreas; Gøtzsche, Peter C; Krleža-Jerić, Karmela; Hróbjartsson, Asbjørn; Mann, Howard; Dickersin, Kay; Berlin, Jesse A; Doré, Caroline J; Parulekar, Wendy R; Summerskill, William S M; Groves, Trish; Schulz, Kenneth F; Sox, Harold C; Rockhold, Frank W; Rennie, Drummond; Moher, David

2013-02-05

The protocol of a clinical trial serves as the foundation for study planning, conduct, reporting, and appraisal. However, trial protocols and existing protocol guidelines vary greatly in content and quality. This article describes the systematic development and scope of SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) 2013, a guideline for the minimum content of a clinical trial protocol.The 33-item SPIRIT checklist applies to protocols for all clinical trials and focuses on content rather than format. The checklist recommends a full description of what is planned; it does not prescribe how to design or conduct a trial. By providing guidance for key content, the SPIRIT recommendations aim to facilitate the drafting of high-quality protocols. Adherence to SPIRIT would also enhance the transparency and completeness of trial protocols for the benefit of investigators, trial participants, patients, sponsors, funders, research ethics committees or institutional review boards, peer reviewers, journals, trial registries, policymakers, regulators, and other key stakeholders.

Dimensional structure of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale according to the analysis of data obtained with a German version.

PubMed

Eidecker, Judith; Glöckner-Rist, Angelika; Gerlach, Alexander L

2010-08-01

The Social Interaction and Anxiety Scale (SIAS) is widely used to assess social interaction anxiety. Yet its dimensional structure is still not well-defined. Especially, the conceptual pertinence of three negatively keyed items has been challenged. In this study, dimensionality of the answers of a student sample to a German SIAS version was first analyzed exploratorily. Subsequently, we tested confirmatorily several measurement models specifying different SIAS dimensions, and investigated how these relate to extraversion. The most reasonable model was cross-validated relying on data from healthy controls and social phobia sufferers. All analyses involved methods suited for an adequate handling of ordinal data. The findings confirm that three negatively keyed items are dubious indicators of social interaction anxiety. Thus, only the remaining 17 items should be used for this purpose in future studies. Analyses of their psychometric properties show, in addition, that they apparently tap three different facets of social interaction anxiety. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RFID-Based Asset Management for Space Habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick W.

2013-01-01

Remote habitats are often densely packed - items necessary to sustain life - items necessary to conduct work center dot Inhabitant's time is often quite valuable, if not priceless. Resupply shipments can be infrequent and expensive. Inaccurate inventory knowledge can lead to unnecessary overstocking, which can lead to insufficient work and/or living volume. Not being able to find items when they are needed can present: - safety issues - morale issues. RFID technology has the potential solve a lot of these issues.

Parts on Demand: Evaluation of Approaches to Achieve Flexible Manufacturing Systems for Navy Partson Demand. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

measurable impact if changed. The following items were included in the sample: * Mark Zero Items -Low demand insurance items which represent about three...R&D efforts reviewed. The resulting assessment highlighted the generic enabling technologies and cross- cutting R&D projects required to focus current...supplied by spot buys, and which may generate Navy Inventory Control Numbers (NICN). Random samples of data were extracted from the Master Data File ( MDF

Shallow Water UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record Number 4 (CTC, FEREX, DLG-GPS, MAG)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

into one of three categories: ferrous, nonferrous , and mixed- metals . The ferrous and nonferrous items have been further divided into three weight...ferrous and nonferrous component and could reasonably be encountered in a range area. The mixed- metals clutter was placed in the open water area...also industrial scrap metal and cultural items as well. The mixed- metals clutter is comprised of scrap ordnance items or fragments that have both a

Assessing Competencies Needed to Engage With Digital Health Services: Development of the eHealth Literacy Assessment Toolkit.

PubMed

Karnoe, Astrid; Furstrand, Dorthe; Christensen, Karl Bang; Norgaard, Ole; Kayser, Lars

2018-05-10

To achieve full potential in user-oriented eHealth projects, we need to ensure a match between the eHealth technology and the user's eHealth literacy, described as knowledge and skills. However, there is a lack of multifaceted eHealth literacy assessment tools suitable for screening purposes. The objective of our study was to develop and validate an eHealth literacy assessment toolkit (eHLA) that assesses individuals' health literacy and digital literacy using a mix of existing and newly developed scales. From 2011 to 2015, scales were continuously tested and developed in an iterative process, which led to 7 tools being included in the validation study. The eHLA validation version consisted of 4 health-related tools (tool 1: "functional health literacy," tool 2: "health literacy self-assessment," tool 3: "familiarity with health and health care," and tool 4: "knowledge of health and disease") and 3 digitally-related tools (tool 5: "technology familiarity," tool 6: "technology confidence," and tool 7: "incentives for engaging with technology") that were tested in 475 respondents from a general population sample and an outpatient clinic. Statistical analyses examined floor and ceiling effects, interitem correlations, item-total correlations, and Cronbach coefficient alpha (CCA). Rasch models (RM) examined the fit of data. Tools were reduced in items to secure robust tools fit for screening purposes. Reductions were made based on psychometrics, face validity, and content validity. Tool 1 was not reduced in items; it consequently consists of 10 items. The overall fit to the RM was acceptable (Anderson conditional likelihood ratio, CLR=10.8; df=9; P=.29), and CCA was .67. Tool 2 was reduced from 20 to 9 items. The overall fit to a log-linear RM was acceptable (Anderson CLR=78.4, df=45, P=.002), and CCA was .85. Tool 3 was reduced from 23 to 5 items. The final version showed excellent fit to a log-linear RM (Anderson CLR=47.7, df=40, P=.19), and CCA was .90. Tool 4 was reduced from 12 to 6 items. The fit to a log-linear RM was acceptable (Anderson CLR=42.1, df=18, P=.001), and CCA was .59. Tool 5 was reduced from 20 to 6 items. The fit to the RM was acceptable (Anderson CLR=30.3, df=17, P=.02), and CCA was .94. Tool 6 was reduced from 5 to 4 items. The fit to a log-linear RM taking local dependency (LD) into account was acceptable (Anderson CLR=26.1, df=21, P=.20), and CCA was .91. Tool 7 was reduced from 6 to 4 items. The fit to a log-linear RM taking LD and differential item functioning into account was acceptable (Anderson CLR=23.0, df=29, P=.78), and CCA was .90. The eHLA consists of 7 short, robust scales that assess individual's knowledge and skills related to digital literacy and health literacy. ©Astrid Karnoe, Dorthe Furstrand, Karl Bang Christensen, Ole Norgaard, Lars Kayser. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 10.05.2018.

Toward a More Systematic Assessment of Smoking: Development of a Smoking Module for PROMIS®

PubMed Central

Tucker, Joan S.; Shadel, William G.; Stucky, Brian D.; Cai, Li

2012-01-01

Introduction The aim of the PROMIS® Smoking Initiative is to develop, evaluate, and standardize item banks to assess cigarette smoking behavior and biopsychosocial constructs associated with smoking for both daily and non-daily smokers. Methods We used qualitative methods to develop the item pool (following the PROMIS® approach: e.g., literature search, “binning and winnowing” of items, and focus groups and cognitive interviews to finalize wording and format), and quantitative methods (e.g., factor analysis) to develop the item banks. Results We considered a total of 1622 extant items, and 44 new items for inclusion in the smoking item banks. A final set of 277 items representing 11 conceptual domains was selected for field testing in a national sample of smokers. Using data from 3021 daily smokers in the field test, an iterative series of exploratory factor analyses and project team discussions resulted in six item banks: Positive Consequences of Smoking (40 items), Smoking Dependence/Craving (55 items), Health Consequences of Smoking (26 items), Psychosocial Consequences of Smoking (37 items), Coping Aspects of Smoking (30 items), and Social Factors of Smoking (23 items). Conclusions Inclusion of a smoking domain in the PROMIS® framework will standardize measurement of key smoking constructs using state-of-the-art psychometric methods, and make them widely accessible to health care providers, smoking researchers and the large community of researchers using PROMIS® who might not otherwise include an assessment of smoking in their design. Next steps include reducing the number of items in each domain, conducting confirmatory analyses, and duplicating the process for non-daily smokers. PMID:22770824

Toward a more systematic assessment of smoking: development of a smoking module for PROMIS®.

PubMed

Edelen, Maria O; Tucker, Joan S; Shadel, William G; Stucky, Brian D; Cai, Li

2012-11-01

The aim of the PROMIS® Smoking Initiative is to develop, evaluate, and standardize item banks to assess cigarette smoking behavior and biopsychosocial constructs associated with smoking for both daily and non-daily smokers. We used qualitative methods to develop the item pool (following the PROMIS® approach: e.g., literature search, "binning and winnowing" of items, and focus groups and cognitive interviews to finalize wording and format), and quantitative methods (e.g., factor analysis) to develop the item banks. We considered a total of 1622 extant items, and 44 new items for inclusion in the smoking item banks. A final set of 277 items representing 11 conceptual domains was selected for field testing in a national sample of smokers. Using data from 3021 daily smokers in the field test, an iterative series of exploratory factor analyses and project team discussions resulted in six item banks: Positive Consequences of Smoking (40 items), Smoking Dependence/Craving (55 items), Health Consequences of Smoking (26 items), Psychosocial Consequences of Smoking (37 items), Coping Aspects of Smoking (30 items), and Social Factors of Smoking (23 items). Inclusion of a smoking domain in the PROMIS® framework will standardize measurement of key smoking constructs using state-of-the-art psychometric methods, and make them widely accessible to health care providers, smoking researchers and the large community of researchers using PROMIS® who might not otherwise include an assessment of smoking in their design. Next steps include reducing the number of items in each domain, conducting confirmatory analyses, and duplicating the process for non-daily smokers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intelligent vibration control of ELTs and large AO hardware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pott, J.-U.; Kürster, M.; Trowitzsch, J.; Borelli, J.; Rohloff, R.-R.; Herbst, T.; Böhm, M.; Keck, A.; Ruppel, T.; Sawodny, O.

2012-07-01

MPIA leads the construction of the LINC-NIRVANA instrument, the MCAO-supported Fizeau imager for the LBT, serves as pathfinder for future ELT-AO imagers in terms of size and technology. In this contribution, we review recent results and significant progress made on the development of key items of our stratgey to achieve a piston stability of up to 100nm during a science exposure. We present an overview of our vibration control strategies for optical path and tip-tilt stabilization, involving accelerometer based real-time vibration measurements, vibration sensitive active control of actuators, and the development of a dynamical model of the LBT. MPIA also co-develops the E-ELT first-light NIR imager MICADO (both SCAO and MCAO assisted). Our experiences, made with LINC-NIRVANA, will be fed into the MICADO structural AO design to reach highest on-sky sensitivity.

Acoustic Shaping: Enabling Technology for a Space-Based Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komerath, N. M.; Matos, C. A.; Coker, A.; Wanis, S.; Hausaman, J.; Ames, R. G.; Tan, X. Y.

1999-01-01

This abstract presents three points for discussion: (1) Key to the development of civilization in space, is a space-based marketplace, where the need to compete in earth-based markets is removed, along with the constraint of launch costs from Earth. (2) A body of technical results, obtained by the authors' team, indicates promise for non-contact manufacturing in space, of low-cost items required for human presence in space. This is presented along with various other techniques which hold promise. (3) The economics of starting a space-based production company are heavily dependent on the presence of a rudimentary infrastructure. A national-level investment in space-based infrastructure, would be an essential catalyst for the development of a space-based economy. Some suggestions for the beginnings of this infrastructure are repeated from the literature.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Revisited in a French-Speaking Population: Proposition of a Reduced Version of the Parent SDQ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauvin, Bruno; Leonova, Tamara

2016-01-01

Key concerns about the psychometric properties of the 25-item version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) have consistently been raised in the literature. The present study aimed at examining the meaningfulness of an alternative model to the SDQ in which 7 problematic items are excluded. French-speaking parents of 262 boys and…

Assessment of the availability of technology for trauma care in India.

PubMed

Shah, Mihir Tejanshu; Joshipura, Manjul; Singleton, Jered; LaBarre, Paul; Desai, Hem; Sharma, Eliza; Mock, Charles

2015-02-01

We sought to assess the status of availability of technology for trauma care in a state in India and to identify factors contributing to both adequate levels of availability and to deficiencies. We also sought to identify potential solutions to deficiencies in terms of health system management and product development. Thirty-two technology-related items were selected from the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care. The status of these items was assessed at 43 small and large hospitals in Gujarat State. Site visits utilized direct inspection and interviews with administrative, clinical, and bioengineering staff. Many specific individual items could be better supplied, including many that were very low cost (e.g., chest tubes). Many deficiencies arose because of mismatch of resources, such as availability of equipment in the absence of personnel trained to use it. Several locally manufactured items were fairly well supplied: pulse oximetry, image intensification, and X-ray machines. Ventilators were often deficient because of inadequate numbers of units and frequent breakdowns. Availability of a range of lower-cost items could be improved by better organization and planning, such as: better procurement and stock management; eliminating mismatch of resources, including optimizing training for use of existing resources; and by strengthening service contracts and in-house repair capabilities. From a product development viewpoint, there is a need for lower cost, more durable, and easier to repair ventilators. Promoting increased capacity for local manufacturing should also be considered as a potential method to decrease cost and increase availability of a range of equipment.

Information needs of patients with whiplash associated disorders: A Delphi study of patient beliefs.

PubMed

Sterling, Joanna; Maujean, Annick; Sterling, Michele

2018-02-01

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) result in significant personal and economic costs. Patient education and reassurance are recommended treatments for acute WAD but the information needs of patients have not been investigated. To determine what information whiplash-injured patients believe is important to help recovery in the acute stage of injury. A Delphi design survey series with three rounds. Thirty-three participants who had sustained a whiplash injury within the last three years were invited to participate. Participants were asked to provide five statements, in response to an open-ended question, regarding what they believed was the most important information to provide to patients following a whiplash injury. Nineteen patients responded and 85 statements were collected and reviewed independently by two of the authors to remove duplicates. The importance of the remaining items was rated by the participants in the second survey round. Items rated by >50% of participants as important were included in the third survey round. To be deemed key information, >80% of participants had to rate an item as important in this final round. Eighteen items met the criteria for key information. These points addressed four areas: assessment and treatment, recovery and symptoms, patient attitudes during treatment and relationships with health practitioners. The key information points endorsed by patients in this study may provide useful information to constitute a basis for reassurance and education provided to patients with WAD. The results also suggest that improved relationships between patients with whiplash and health practitioners is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Young children with cerebral palsy: families self-reported equipment needs and out-of-pocket expenditure.

PubMed

Bourke-Taylor, H; Cotter, C; Stephan, R

2014-09-01

Costs to families raising a child with cerebral palsy and complex needs are direct and indirect. This study investigated the self-reported real-life costs, equipment needs, and associated characteristics of children who had the highest equipment and care needs. The purposive sample (n = 29) were families with a child with cerebral palsy: gross motor function levels 5 (n = 20), level 4 (n = 5), level 3 (n = 4); complex communication needs (n = 21); medical needs (n = 14); hearing impairment (n = 5) and visual impairment (n = 9). Participants completed a specifically designed survey that included the Assistance to Participate Scale. Equipment and technology purchases were recorded in the areas of positioning, mobility, transport, home modifications, communication, splinting and orthoses, self-care, technology, communication devices, medical, adapted toys/leisure items and privately hired babysitters/carers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Families had purchased up to 25 items within the areas described. The highest median number of items were recorded for positioning (15 items), mobility devices (9 items) and adapted toys/leisure items (9 items). Median costs were highest for home modifications (AUD$23000), transport (AUD$15000), splints and orthoses (AUD$3145), paid carers (AUD$3080), equipment for toileting/dressing/bathing (AUD$2900) and technical/medical items ($2380). Children who needed more parental assistance to participate in play and recreation also required significantly more equipment overall for positioning, communication, self-care and toys/leisure. The equipment needs of young children with complex disability are extensive and out-of-pocket expenses and parental time to support participation in play/recreation excessive. Substantial financial support to offset costs are crucial to better support families in this life situation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Composition of key offensive odorants released from fresh food materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Yong-Hyun

2014-06-01

A refrigerator loaded with a variety of foods without sealed packaging can create quite an olfactory nuisance, and it may come as a surprise that fresh foods emit unpleasant odorants just as those that are decaying. To learn more about nuisance sources in our daily lives, we measured a list of 22 compounds designated as the key offensive odorants (e.g., reduced sulfur, nitrogenous, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and carbonyls) from nine types of common food items consumed in S. Korea: raw beef, raw fish, spam, yolks and albumin of boiled eggs (analyzed separately), milk, cheese, onions, and strawberries. The odor intensity (OI) of each food item was computed initially with the aid of previously used empirical equations. This indicates that the malodor properties of target foods tend to be governed by a few key odorants such as VFA, S, and N compounds. The extent of odorant mixing of a given food was then evaluated by exploring the correlation between the human olfaction (e.g., dilution-to-threshold (D/T) ratio) and the odor potential determined indirectly (instrumentally) such as odor activity value (OAV) or sum of odor intensity (SOI). The overall results of our study confirm the existence of malodorant compounds released from common food items and their contribution to their odor characteristics to a certain degree.

Less approach, more avoidance: Response inhibition has motivational consequences for sexual stimuli that reflect changes in affective value not a lingering global brake on behavior.

PubMed

Driscoll, Rachel L; de Launay, Keelia Quinn; Fenske, Mark J

2018-02-01

Response inhibition negatively impacts subsequent hedonic evaluations of motivationally relevant stimuli and reduces the behavioral incentive to seek and obtain such items. Here we expand the investigation of the motivational consequences of inhibition by presenting sexually appealing and nonappealing images in a go/no-go task and a subsequent image-viewing task. Each initially obscured image in the viewing task could either be made more visible or less visible by repeatedly pressing different keys. Fewer key presses were made to obtain better views of preferred-sex images when such images had previously been inhibited as no-go items than when previously encountered as noninhibited go items. This finding replicates prior results and is consistent with the possibility that motor-response suppression has lingering effects that include global reductions in all behavioral expression. However, for nonpreferred images, prior inhibition resulted in more key presses to obscure their visibility than when such images had not been inhibited. This novel finding suggests that the motivational consequences of response inhibition are not due to a global brake on action but are instead linked to negative changes in stimulus value that induce corresponding increases in avoidance and decreases in approach.

34 CFR 385.4 - What definitions apply to these programs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off... capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology...

34 CFR 385.4 - What definitions apply to these programs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off... capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology...

34 CFR 385.4 - What definitions apply to these programs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off... capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology...

34 CFR 385.4 - What definitions apply to these programs?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off... capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology...

Preservice Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Andrea M.; Giles, Rebecca M.

2017-01-01

Since efficacy of experienced teachers is difficult to change (Hoy, 2000), preservice teachers' technology self-efficacy is a creditable indicator of graduates' likelihood to use instructional technology throughout their careers. A study was conducted with elementary preservice teachers (n = 62) who completed a 5-item, Likert-type survey measuring…

Science Teachers' Thinking About the Nature of Science: A New Methodological Approach to Its Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Alonso, Ángel; García-Carmona, Antonio; Manassero-Mas, María Antonia; Bennàssar-Roig, Antoni

2013-04-01

This paper describes Spanish science teachers' thinking about issues concerning the nature of science (NOS) and the relationships connecting science, technology, and society (STS). The sample consisted of 774 in-service and pre-service teachers. The participants responded to a selection of items from the Questionnaire of Opinions on Science, Technology & Society in a multiple response model. These data were processed to generate the invariant indices that are used as the bases for subsequent quantitative and qualitative analyses. The overall results reflect moderately informed conceptions, and a detailed analysis by items, categories, and positions reveals a range of positive and negative conceptions about the topics of NOS dealt with in the questionnaire items. The implications of the findings for teaching and teacher training on the themes of NOS are discussed.

Holograms and authentication: meeting future demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lancaster, Ian M.

2004-06-01

The use of holograms as authentication or security devices is the most valuable application of holograms yet devised. In 20 years, this has developed from the first use of a hologram on credit cards, to the situation today where governments turn to holograms as a key security feature on the protected documents they issue, including banknotes, identity documents and tax banderols. At the same time, holograms (and related devices) are the most recognised visible feature used to authenticate and protect branded and OEM products; this sector covers the gamut from CD jewel-box seals to the protection of safety-related items such as medicines and vehicle replacement parts. There has been creative synergy between the commercial suppliers of such holograms and the practical holography community. But new technologies are coming forward to challenge the role of holograms, a challenge that is aided by the counterfeiting of security holograms. What are the characteristics of those technologies and can holograms provide similar resources to users? Examples of collaboration between hologram producers and producers of other technologies to create combination devices suggest a possible route forward for holography to maintain its role in authentication and security. By scrutinising and adapting to needs, often by combination with other techniques, holographers may be able to retain their role in this important application.

An assessment of monitoring requirements and costs of 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation'

PubMed Central

Böttcher, Hannes; Eisbrenner, Katja; Fritz, Steffen; Kindermann, Georg; Kraxner, Florian; McCallum, Ian; Obersteiner, Michael

2009-01-01

Background Negotiations on a future climate policy framework addressing Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) are ongoing. Regardless of how such a framework will be designed, many technical solutions of estimating forest cover and forest carbon stock change exist to support policy in monitoring and accounting. These technologies typically combine remotely sensed data with ground-based inventories. In this article we assess the costs of monitoring REDD based on available technologies and requirements associated with key elements of REDD policy. Results We find that the design of a REDD policy framework (and specifically its rules) can have a significant impact on monitoring costs. Costs may vary from 0.5 to 550 US$ per square kilometre depending on the required precision of carbon stock and area change detection. Moreover, they follow economies of scale, i.e. single country or project solutions will face relatively higher monitoring costs. Conclusion Although monitoring costs are relatively small compared to other cost items within a REDD system, they should be shared not only among countries but also among sectors, because an integrated monitoring system would have multiple benefits for non-REDD management. Overcoming initialization costs and unequal access to monitoring technologies is crucial for implementation of an integrated monitoring system, and demands for international cooperation. PMID:19709413

Physician attitudes regarding pregnancy, fertility care, and assisted reproductive technologies for HIV-infected individuals and couples.

PubMed

Yudin, Mark H; Money, Deborah M; Cheung, Matthew C; Loutfy, Mona R

2012-01-01

Family and pregnancy planning are important for HIV-infected individuals and couples. There is a paucity of data regarding physician attitudes with respect to reproduction in this population, but some evidence suggests that attitudes can influence the information, advice, and services they will provide. To determine physician attitudes toward pregnancy, fertility care, and access to assisted reproductive technologies for HIV-infected individuals, and to determine whether attitudes differed based on specific physician characteristics. A survey was sent electronically to obstetrician/gynecologists and infectious disease specialists in Canada. Items were grouped into 5 key domains: physician demographics, physician attitudes toward pregnancy and adoption, physician attitudes toward fertility care, physician attitudes toward assisted reproductive technology, and challenges for an HIV-infected population. Attitudes were determined based on answers to individual questions and also for each domain. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the influence of specific physician characteristics on attitudes. Completed surveys were received from 165 physicians. Most had positive attitudes regarding pregnancy or adoption (89%), fertility care (72%), and assisted reproductive technology (79%). In multivariate analyses, having cared for HIV-infected patients was significantly associated with having a positive attitude toward fertility care or assisted reproductive technology. In this national survey of Canadian physicians, most had positive attitudes toward pregnancy, adoption, fertility care, and use of assisted reproductive technology among HIV-infected persons. Physicians who had cared for HIV-infected individuals in the past were more likely to have positive attitudes than those who had not.

Ka-band SAR interferometry studies for the SWOT mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, D. E.; Fu, L.; Rodriguez, E.; Hodges, R.; Brown, S.

2008-12-01

The primary objective of the NRC Decadal Survey recommended SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) Mission is to measure the water elevation of the global oceans, as well as terrestrial water bodies (such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands), to answer key scientific questions on the kinetic energy of ocean circulation, the spatial and temporal variability of the world's surface freshwater storage and discharge, and to provide societal benefits on predicting climate change, coastal zone management, flood prediction, and water resources management. The SWOT mission plans to carry the following suite of microwave instruments: a Ka-band interferometer, a dual-frequency nadir altimeter, and a multi-frequency water-vapor radiometer dedicated to measuring wet tropospheric path delay to correct the radar measurements. We are currently funded by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) to reduce the risk of the main technological drivers of SWOT, by addressing the following technologies: the Ka-band radar interferometric antenna design, the on-board interferometric SAR processor, and the internally calibrated high-frequency radiometer. The goal is to significantly enhance the readiness level of the new technologies required for SWOT, while laying the foundations for the next-generation missions to map water elevation for studying Earth. The first two technologies address the challenges of the Ka-band SAR interferometry, while the high- frequency radiometer addresses the requirement for small-scale wet tropospheric corrections for coastal zone applications. In this paper, we present the scientific rational, need and objectives behind these technology items currently under development.

Evaluation of item candidates for a diabetic retinopathy quality of life item bank.

PubMed

Fenwick, Eva K; Pesudovs, Konrad; Khadka, Jyoti; Rees, Gwyn; Wong, Tien Y; Lamoureux, Ecosse L

2013-09-01

We are developing an item bank assessing the impact of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on quality of life (QoL) using a rigorous multi-staged process combining qualitative and quantitative methods. We describe here the first two qualitative phases: content development and item evaluation. After a comprehensive literature review, items were generated from four sources: (1) 34 previously validated patient-reported outcome measures; (2) five published qualitative articles; (3) eight focus groups and 18 semi-structured interviews with 57 DR patients; and (4) seven semi-structured interviews with diabetes or ophthalmic experts. Items were then evaluated during 3 stages, namely binning (grouping) and winnowing (reduction) based on key criteria and panel consensus; development of item stems and response options; and pre-testing of items via cognitive interviews with patients. The content development phase yielded 1,165 unique items across 7 QoL domains. After 3 sessions of binning and winnowing, items were reduced to a minimally representative set (n = 312) across 9 domains of QoL: visual symptoms; ocular surface symptoms; activity limitation; mobility; emotional; health concerns; social; convenience; and economic. After 8 cognitive interviews, 42 items were amended resulting in a final set of 314 items. We have employed a systematic approach to develop items for a DR-specific QoL item bank. The psychometric properties of the nine QoL subscales will be assessed using Rasch analysis. The resulting validated item bank will allow clinicians and researchers to better understand the QoL impact of DR and DR therapies from the patient's perspective.

22 CFR 121.2 - Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. 121.2 Section 121.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE... Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. The following... Munitions List which are Missile Technology Control Regime Annex items in accordance with section 71(a) of...

22 CFR 121.2 - Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. 121.2 Section 121.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE... Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. The following... Munitions List which are Missile Technology Control Regime Annex items in accordance with section 71(a) of...

22 CFR 121.2 - Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. 121.2 Section 121.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE... Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. The following... Munitions List which are Missile Technology Control Regime Annex items in accordance with section 71(a) of...

22 CFR 121.2 - Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. 121.2 Section 121.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE... Interpretations of the U.S. Munitions List and the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex. The following... Munitions List which are Missile Technology Control Regime Annex items in accordance with section 71(a) of...

Clinical Issues-May 2016.

PubMed

Van Wicklin, Sharon A

2016-05-01

Variations in documenting surgical wound classification Key words: surgical wound classification, clean, clean-contaminated, contaminated, dirty. Wearing long-sleeved jackets while preparing and packaging items for sterilization Key words: long-sleeved jackets, organic material, sterile processing. Endoscopic transmission of prions Key words: prions, high-risk tissue, low-risk tissue, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Wearing gloves when handling flexible endoscopes Key words: gloves, low-protein, powder-free, natural rubber latex gloves, latex-free gloves. Copyright © 2016 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The importance of full graphic display in a graphic organizer to facilitate discourse comprehension].

PubMed

Akio, Suzuki; Shunji, Awazu

2010-04-01

In order to examine the importance of fully representing graphic information items in graphic aids to facilitate comprehension of explanatory texts, we established and randomly assigned fifty university students into the following four groups: (a) participants who study the text without the aid, (b) participants who study the text with the aid, whose literal (key words) and graphic (arrows, boxes, etc.) information items are fully displayed, (c) participants who study the text with the aid, whose graphic information items are fully displayed but whose literal information items are partially displayed, and (d) participants who study the text with the aid, whose literal and graphic information items are partially displayed. The results of two kinds of comprehension tests "textbase and situation model" revealed that groups (b) and (c) outperformed groups (a) and (d). These findings suggest that graphic aids can facilitate students' text comprehension when graphic information items are fully displayed and literal information items are displayed either fully or partially; however, the aid cannot facilitate comprehension when both literal and graphic elements are displayed partially.

Feasibility of using touch screen technology for early cognitive assessment in children.

PubMed

Twomey, Deirdre M; Wrigley, Conal; Ahearne, Caroline; Murphy, Raegan; De Haan, Michelle; Marlow, Neil; Murray, Deirdre M

2018-03-13

To explore the feasibility of using a touch screen assessment tool to measure cognitive capacity in toddlers. 112 typically developing children with a median age of 31 months (IQR: 26-34) interacted with a touch screen cognitive assessment tool. We examined the sensitivity of the tool to age-related changes in cognition by comparing the number of items completed, speed of task completion and accuracy in two age groups; 24-29 months versus 30-36 months. Children aged 30-36 months completed more tasks (median: 18, IQR: 18-18) than those aged 24-29 months (median: 17, IQR: 15-18). Older children also completed two of the three working memory tasks and an object permanence task faster than their younger peers. Children became faster at completing the working memory items with each exposure and registered similar completion times on the hidden object retrieval items, despite task demands being twofold on the second exposure. A novel item required children to integrate what they had learnt on preceding items. The older group was more likely to complete this item and to do so faster than the younger group. Children as young as 24 months can complete items requiring cognitive engagement on a touch screen device, with no verbal instruction and minimal child-administrator interaction. This paves the way for using touch screen technology for language and administrator independent developmental assessment in toddlers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

I should not recommend it to you even if you will like it: the ethics of recommender systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Tiffany Ya; Winoto, Pinata

2016-01-01

In this paper, we extend the current research in the recommendation system community by showing that users did attach ethical consideration to items. In an experiment (N = 111) that manipulated several moral factors regarding the potentially harmful content in movies, books, and games, users were asked to evaluate the appropriateness of recommending these items to teenagers and adult couples. Results agreed with previous studies in that gender plays a key role in making moral judgment, especially regarding the ethical appropriateness of an item. The pilot study further identifies degrees of aversion regarding the appeal of these elements in media for ethical recommendations. Based on the study, we propose a user-initiated ethical recommender system to help users pick up morally appropriate items during the post-recommendation process. We believe that the ethical appropriateness of items perceived by end users could predict the trust and credibility of the system.

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Secondary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handal, Boris; Campbell, Chris; Cavanagh, Michael; Petocz, Peter; Kelly, Nick

2013-01-01

The integration of technology, pedagogy, and content in the teaching of secondary mathematics was explored among 280 secondary mathematics teachers in the State of New South Wales, Australia. The study adopted the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) model through the administration of a 30-item instrument called TPCK-M. The…

15 CFR 742.5 - Missile technology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Missile technology. 742.5 Section 742... BASED CONTROLS § 742.5 Missile technology. (a) License requirements. (1) In support of U.S. foreign policy to limit the proliferation of missiles, a license is required to export and reexport items related...

15 CFR 742.5 - Missile technology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Missile technology. 742.5 Section 742... BASED CONTROLS § 742.5 Missile technology. (a) License requirements. (1) In support of U.S. foreign policy to limit the proliferation of missiles, a license is required to export and reexport items related...

15 CFR 742.5 - Missile technology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Missile technology. 742.5 Section 742... BASED CONTROLS § 742.5 Missile technology. (a) License requirements. (1) In support of U.S. foreign policy to limit the proliferation of missiles, a license is required to export and reexport items related...

76 FR 31415 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Buy American Exemption for Commercial Information Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

... 9000-AL62 Federal Acquisition Regulation; Buy American Exemption for Commercial Information Technology... from the Buy American Act for acquisition of information technology that is a commercial item. DATES: Effective Date: May 31, 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cecelia L. Davis, Procurement Analyst, at...

Technology Transfer: A Selected Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sovel, M. Terry

This bibliography of 428 items, a product of the NASA-sponsored Project for the Analysis of Technology Transfer (PATT) at the University of Denver's Research Institute (DRI), is the initial attempt at compiling a comprehensive listing on the subject of technology transfer. The bibliography is further concerned with information which leads to a…

Undergraduate Teacher Candidate Perceptions Integrating Technology in Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Charlise Askew

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze undergraduate teacher candidates' perceptions on integrating technology in the classroom. The study was embedded in the "Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge" theoretical model. A sample of 143 undergraduate teacher candidates participated in the study. They were asked to address items on a…

Fourteen years of progress testing in radiology residency training: experiences from The Netherlands.

PubMed

Rutgers, D R; van Raamt, F; van Lankeren, W; Ravesloot, C J; van der Gijp, A; Ten Cate, Th J; van Schaik, J P J

2018-05-01

To describe the development of the Dutch Radiology Progress Test (DRPT) for knowledge testing in radiology residency training in The Netherlands from its start in 2003 up to 2016. We reviewed all DRPTs conducted since 2003. We assessed key changes and events in the test throughout the years, as well as resident participation and dispensation for the DRPT, test reliability and discriminative power of test items. The DRPT has been conducted semi-annually since 2003, except for 2015 when one digital DRPT failed. Key changes in these years were improvements in test analysis and feedback, test digitalization (2013) and inclusion of test items on nuclear medicine (2016). From 2003 to 2016, resident dispensation rates increased (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.74, P-value <0.01) to maximally 16 %. Cronbach´s alpha for test reliability varied between 0.83 and 0.93. The percentage of DRPT test items with negative item-rest-correlations, indicating relatively poor discriminative power, varied between 4 % and 11 %. Progress testing has proven feasible and sustainable in Dutch radiology residency training, keeping up with innovations in the radiological profession. Test reliability and discriminative power of test items have remained fair over the years, while resident dispensation rates have increased. • Progress testing allows for monitoring knowledge development from novice to senior trainee. • In postgraduate medical training, progress testing is used infrequently. • Progress testing is feasible and sustainable in radiology residency training.

Diagnosing Conceptions about the Epistemology of Science: Contributions of a Quantitative Assessment Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vázquez-Alonso, Ángel; Manassero-Mas, María-Antonia; García-Carmona, Antonio; Montesano de Talavera, Marisa

2016-01-01

This study applies a new quantitative methodological approach to diagnose epistemology conceptions in a large sample. The analyses use seven multiple-rating items on the epistemology of science drawn from the item pool Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS). The bases of the new methodological diagnostic approach are the empirical…

Item Response Theory: A Basic Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahmud, Jumailiyah

2017-01-01

With the development in computing technology, item response theory (IRT) develops rapidly, and has become a user friendly application in psychometrics world. Limitation in classical theory is one aspect that encourages the use of IRT. In this study, the basic concept of IRT will be discussed. In addition, it will briefly review the ability…

Soviet Cybernetics: Recent News Items, Number Thirteen.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Wade B.

An issue of "Soviet Cybernetics: Recent News Items" consists of English translations of the leading recent Soviet contributions to the study of cybernetics. Articles deal with cybernetics in the 21st Century; the Soviet State Committee on Science and Technology; economic reforms in Rudnev's ministry; an interview with Rudnev; Dnepr-2; Dnepr-2…

48 CFR 225.7008 - Waiver of restrictions of 10 U.S.C. 2534.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) (USD(AT&L)), without power of delegation, may...) United States producers of the item would not be jeopardized by competition from a foreign country, and that country does not discriminate against defense items produced in the United States to a greater...

Black and White Women Managers: Access to Opportunity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hite, Linda M.

2004-01-01

This study explores the differing views of Black and White female managers regarding access to key career opportunities for White women and women of color. Items addressed include access to hiring, promotions, key assignments, salary increases, acknowledgment for work, and mentors. Access to each is described by comparing White women and women of…

Refining a self-assessment of informatics competency scale using Mokken scaling analysis.

PubMed

Yoon, Sunmoo; Shaffer, Jonathan A; Bakken, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Healthcare environments are increasingly implementing health information technology (HIT) and those from various professions must be competent to use HIT in meaningful ways. In addition, HIT has been shown to enable interprofessional approaches to health care. The purpose of this article is to describe the refinement of the Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies Scale (SANICS) using analytic techniques based upon item response theory (IRT) and discuss its relevance to interprofessional education and practice. In a sample of 604 nursing students, the 93-item version of SANICS was examined using non-parametric IRT. The iterative modeling procedure included 31 steps comprising: (1) assessing scalability, (2) assessing monotonicity, (3) assessing invariant item ordering, and (4) expert input. SANICS was reduced to an 18-item hierarchical scale with excellent reliability. Fundamental skills for team functioning and shared decision making among team members (e.g. "using monitoring systems appropriately," "describing general systems to support clinical care") had the highest level of difficulty, and "demonstrating basic technology skills" had the lowest difficulty level. Most items reflect informatics competencies relevant to all health professionals. Further, the approaches can be applied to construct a new hierarchical scale or refine an existing scale related to informatics attitudes or competencies for various health professions.

Key Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) items associated with DSM-IV depressive and anxiety disorder 12-months post traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

McKenzie, Dean P; Downing, Marina G; Ponsford, Jennie L

2018-08-15

Anxiety and depression are common problems following traumatic brain injury (TBI), warranting routine screening. Self-report rating scales including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) are associated with depression and anxiety diagnoses in individuals with TBI. The relationship between individual HADS symptoms and structured clinical interview methods (SCID) requires further investigation, particularly in regard to identifying a small number of key items that can potentially be recognised by clinicians and carers of individuals with TBI. 138 individuals sustaining a complicated-mild to severe TBI completed the HADS, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Research Version (SCID) at 12-months post-injury. The associations between individual HADS items, separately and in combination, as well as overall depression and anxiety subscale scores, and SCID-diagnosed depressive and anxiety disorders were analysed. CART (Classification and Regression Tree) analysis found HADS depression item 2 "I still enjoy the things I used to enjoy" and a combination of two anxiety items, 3 "I get a sort of frightened feeling as if something awful is about to happen" and 5 "worrying thoughts go through my mind", performed similarly to total depression and anxiety subscales in terms of their association with depressive and anxiety disorders respectively, at 12-months post-injury. Patients were predominantly injured in motor vehicle accidents and received comprehensive care within a no-fault accident compensation system and so may not be representative of the wider TBI population. Although validation is required, a small number of self-report items are highly associated with 12-month post-injury diagnoses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contemporary management of paraesophaegeal hernias: establishing a European expert consensus.

PubMed

Bonrath, E M; Grantcharov, T P

2015-08-01

The surgical treatment of paraesophageal hernias remains a challenge due to the lack of consensus regarding principles of operative treatment. The objectives of this study were to achieve consensus on key topics through expert opinion using a Delphi methodology. A Delphi survey combined with a face-to-face meeting was conducted. A panel of European experts in foregut surgery from high-volume centres generated items in the first survey round. In subsequent rounds, the panel rated agreement with statements on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Internal consistency (consensus) was predefined as Cronbach's α > .80. Items that >70 % of the panel either rated as irrelevant/unimportant, or relevant/important were selected as consensus items, while topics that did not reach this cut-off were termed "undecided/controversial". Three survey rounds were completed: 19 experts from 10 countries completed round one, 18 continued through rounds two and three. Internal consistency was high in rounds two and three (α > .90). Fifty-eight additional/revised items derived from comments and free-text entries were included in round three. In total, 118 items were rated; consensus agreement was achieved for 70 of these. Examples of consensus topics are the relevance of the disease profile for assessing surgical urgency and complexity, the role of clinical history as the mainstay of patient follow-up, indications for revision surgery, and training and credentialing recommendations. Topics with the most "undecided/controversial" items were follow-up, postoperative care and surgical technique. This Delphi study achieved expert consensus on key topics in the operative management of paraesophageal hernias, providing an overview of the current opinion among European foregut surgeons. Moreover, areas with substantial variability in opinions were identified reflecting the current lack of empirical evidence and opportunities for future research.

Standard NIM Instrumentation System

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

Costrell, Louis; Lenkszus, Frank R.; Rudnick, Stanley J.

NIM is a standard modular instrumentation system that is in wide use throughout the world. As the NIM system developed and accommodations were made to a dynamic instrumentation field and a rapidly advancing technology, additions, revisions and clarifications were made. These were incorporated into the standard in the form of addenda and errata. This standard is a revision of the NIM document, AEC Report TID-20893 (Rev 4) dated July 1974. It includes all the addenda and errata items that were previously issued as well as numerous additional items to make the standard current with modern technology and manufacturing practice.

Principles of designing cyber-physical system of producing mechanical assembly components at Industry 4.0 enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurjanov, A. V.; Zakoldaev, D. A.; Shukalov, A. V.; Zharinov, I. O.

2018-03-01

The task of developing principles of cyber-physical system constitution at the Industry 4.0 company of the item designing components of mechanical assembly production is being studied. The task has been solved by analyzing the components and technologies, which have some practical application in the digital production organization. The list of components has been defined and the authors proposed the scheme of the components and technologies interconnection in the Industry 4.0 of mechanical assembly production to make an uninterrupted manufacturing route of the item designing components with application of some cyber-physical systems.

Computer programs: Electronic circuit design criteria: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A Technology Utilization Program for the dissemination of information on technological developments which have potential utility outside the aerospace community is presented. The 21 items reported herein describe programs that are applicable to electronic circuit design procedures.

Identification and assessment of professional competencies for implementation of nanotechnology in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jean, Ming-Der; Jiang, Ji-Bin; Chien, Jia-Yi

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to construct the indicators of professional competencies of the nanotechnology-based sputtering system industry based on industry requirements and analyse the core competencies of the industry for promoting the human resource of physical vapour deposition technology. The document analysis, expert interview, and Delphi technique surveys were considered and the survey items with 32 items divided into 7 domains were selected according to consensus opinions of 10 experts by the Delphi survey technique. Through three questionnaire surveys' analysis, the professional competence scales for the K-S tests showed a good internal consistency. The findings of this study provide guidelines for professional competence for nanotechnology-based sputtering technology by applying surface heat-treatment industry. These guidelines can also reveal the practical competency requirements of nanotechnology-based sputtering technology to deal with any subsequent challenges, future developments, and invisible services for students in a technology institute programme.

A Comparison of the Perceptions of Laboratory Directors and Medical Technology Educators Toward Career-Entry Competencies for Associate and Baccalaureate Degree Laboratory Technology Graduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buccelli, Pamela

A study compared the perceptions of Pennsylvania laboratory directors and medical technology educators relative to career-entry competencies for associate degree medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) and baccalaureate medical technology (MT) graduates. A 55-item competency questionnaire was administered to 265 hospital laboratory directors and 40…

What Makes Teachers Use Technology in the Classroom? Exploring the Factors Affecting Facilitation of Technology with a Korean Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baek, Youngkyun; Jung, Jaeyeob; Kim, Bokyeong

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing teachers' decisions about using technology in the classroom setting and examine the degree to which teaching experience affects these decisions. Specifically, the items employed in this study were derived from the teachers' perceptions of technology use. We discovered six factors which…

Development of an item bank and computer adaptive test for role functioning.

PubMed

Anatchkova, Milena D; Rose, Matthias; Ware, John E; Bjorner, Jakob B

2012-11-01

Role functioning (RF) is a key component of health and well-being and an important outcome in health research. The aim of this study was to develop an item bank to measure impact of health on role functioning. A set of different instruments including 75 newly developed items asking about the impact of health on role functioning was completed by 2,500 participants. Established item response theory methods were used to develop an item bank based on the generalized partial credit model. Comparison of group mean bank scores of participants with different self-reported general health status and chronic conditions was used to test the external validity of the bank. After excluding items that did not meet established requirements, the final item bank consisted of a total of 64 items covering three areas of role functioning (family, social, and occupational). Slopes in the bank ranged between .93 and 4.37; the mean threshold range was -1.09 to -2.25. Item bank-based scores were significantly different for participants with and without chronic conditions and with different levels of self-reported general health. An item bank assessing health impact on RF across three content areas has been successfully developed. The bank can be used for development of short forms or computerized adaptive tests to be applied in the assessment of role functioning as one of the common denominators across applications of generic health assessment.

An evaluation of computerized adaptive testing for general psychological distress: combining GHQ-12 and Affectometer-2 in an item bank for public mental health research.

PubMed

Stochl, Jan; Böhnke, Jan R; Pickett, Kate E; Croudace, Tim J

2016-05-20

Recent developments in psychometric modeling and technology allow pooling well-validated items from existing instruments into larger item banks and their deployment through methods of computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Use of item response theory-based bifactor methods and integrative data analysis overcomes barriers in cross-instrument comparison. This paper presents the joint calibration of an item bank for researchers keen to investigate population variations in general psychological distress (GPD). Multidimensional item response theory was used on existing health survey data from the Scottish Health Education Population Survey (n = 766) to calibrate an item bank consisting of pooled items from the short common mental disorder screen (GHQ-12) and the Affectometer-2 (a measure of "general happiness"). Computer simulation was used to evaluate usefulness and efficacy of its adaptive administration. A bifactor model capturing variation across a continuum of population distress (while controlling for artefacts due to item wording) was supported. The numbers of items for different required reliabilities in adaptive administration demonstrated promising efficacy of the proposed item bank. Psychometric modeling of the common dimension captured by more than one instrument offers the potential of adaptive testing for GPD using individually sequenced combinations of existing survey items. The potential for linking other item sets with alternative candidate measures of positive mental health is discussed since an optimal item bank may require even more items than these.

Trends in Technology Planning and Funding in Florida K-12 Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritzhaupt, Albert Dieter; Hohlfeld, Tina N; Barron, Ann E.; Kemker, Kate

2008-01-01

This empirical research investigates trends in technology planning and funding in Florida's K-12 public schools between the 2003-04 and 2005-06 academic years. Survey items that focused on funding and planning issues on Florida's statewide school technology integration survey were analyzed using logistic models. Results indicate a significant…

An Instrument to Determine the Technological Literacy Levels of Upper Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luckay, Melanie B.; Collier-Reed, Brandon I.

2014-01-01

In this article, an instrument for assessing upper secondary school students' levels of technological literacy is presented. The items making up the instrument emerged from a previous study that employed a phenomenographic research approach to explore students' conceptions of technology in terms of their understanding of the "nature…

NASA communications technology research and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durham, A. F.; Stankiewicz, N.

1979-01-01

The development of a 1978 NASA study to identify technology requirements is surveyed, and its principal conclusions, recommendations, and priorities are summarized. In addition, antenna, traveling wave tube, and solid state amplifier developments representing selected items from the current communications technology development programs at the NASA Lewis Research and Goddard Space Flight Centers are described.

Technology Integration in K-12 Science Classrooms: An Analysis of Barriers and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechter, Richard P.; Vermette, Laurie Anne

2013-01-01

This paper examines the barriers to technology integration for Manitoban K-12 inservice science educators (n = 430) based on a 10-item online survey; results are analyzed according to teaching stream using the Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. Quantitative descriptive statistics indicated that the leading barriers…

Assistive and Instructional Technology: Understanding the Differences to Enhance Programming and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepley, Collin; Lane, Justin D.; Ayres, Kevin; Douglas, Karen H.

2017-01-01

The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 (29 U.S.C. Sec 2202(2)) defines AT as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." Instructional Technology (IT), a term not…

48 CFR 252.211-7007 - Reporting of Government-Furnished Equipment in the DoD Item Unique Identification (IUID) Registry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Organization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Standard 16022: Information Technology... for sale, and does not ordinarily lose its identity or become a component part of another article when... code (for items too small to individually tag or mark). (ii) Contents (the type of information recorded...

75 FR 33891 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for REG 209446-82 (TD 8852)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-15

... to take into account their pro rata share of separately stated items of the S corporation and non... pro rata share, whether or not distributed, of the S corporation's items of income, loss, deduction... forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation...

78 FR 48771 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for REG 209446-82 (TD 8852)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

... corporation to take into account their pro rata share of separately stated items of the S corporation and non... pro rata share, whether or not distributed, of the S corporation's items of income, loss, deduction... forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation...

75 FR 38868 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for REG 209446-82 (TD 8852)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-06

... to take into account their pro rata share of separately stated items of the S corporation and non... pro rata share, whether or not distributed, of the S corporation's items of income, loss, deduction... forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation...

Summary results from the NASA Tech House one year live-in

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamlet, I. L.

1979-01-01

The NASA Tech House was designed and constructed at the Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., to demonstrate and evaluate new technology potentially applicable for conservation of energy and resources and for improvements in safety and security in a single-family residence. All technology items, including solar energy systems and a waste water reuse system, were evaluated under actual living conditions for a one-year period with a family of four living in the house in their normal life style. Results are presented which show overall savings in energy and resources compared to requirements for a defined similar conventional house under the same conditions. Also included are general operational experience and performance data for all the various items and systems of technology incorporated into the house design.

An evaluation of the NASA Tech House, including live-in test results, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, I. H. A.; Hopping, K. A.; Hypes, W. D.

1979-01-01

The NASA Tech House was designed and constructed at the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, to demonstrate and evaluate new technology potentially applicable for conservation of energy and resources and for improvements in safety and security in a single-family residence. All technology items, including solar-energy systems and a waste-water-reuse system, were evaluated under actual living conditions for a 1 year period with a family of four living in the house in their normal lifestyle. Results are presented which show overall savings in energy and resources compared with requirements for a defined similar conventional house under the same conditions. General operational experience and performance data are also included for all the various items and systems of technology incorporated into the house design.

Contraband detection using acoustic technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, Robert D.; Gauthier, Ronald D.; Denslow, Kayte D.; Cinson, Anthony M.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Griffin, Molly

2008-03-01

Maritime security personnel have a need for advanced technologies to address issues such as identification, confirmation or classification of substances and materials in sealed containers, both non-invasively and nondestructively in field and first response operations. Such substances include items such as hazardous/flammable liquids, drugs, contraband, and precursor chemicals used in the fabrication of illicit materials. Our initial efforts focused specifically on a commercial portable acoustic detector technology that was evaluated under operational conditions in a maritime environment. Technical/operational limitations were identified and enhancements were incorporated that would address these limitations. In this paper, application-specific improvements and performance testing/evaluation results will be described. Such enhancements will provide personnel/users of the detector a significantly more reliable method of screening materials for contraband items that might be hidden in cargo containers.

Development and initial evaluation of the SCI-FI/AT

PubMed Central

Jette, Alan M.; Slavin, Mary D.; Ni, Pengsheng; Kisala, Pamela A.; Tulsky, David S.; Heinemann, Allen W.; Charlifue, Susie; Tate, Denise G.; Fyffe, Denise; Morse, Leslie; Marino, Ralph; Smith, Ian; Williams, Steve

2015-01-01

Objectives To describe the domain structure and calibration of the Spinal Cord Injury Functional Index for samples using Assistive Technology (SCI-FI/AT) and report the initial psychometric properties of each domain. Design Cross sectional survey followed by computerized adaptive test (CAT) simulations. Setting Inpatient and community settings. Participants A sample of 460 adults with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) stratified by level of injury, completeness of injury, and time since injury. Interventions None Main outcome measure SCI-FI/AT Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Item response theory (IRT) analyses identified 4 unidimensional SCI-FI/AT domains: Basic Mobility (41 items) Self-care (71 items), Fine Motor Function (35 items), and Ambulation (29 items). High correlations of full item banks with 10-item simulated CATs indicated high accuracy of each CAT in estimating a person's function, and there was high measurement reliability for the simulated CAT scales compared with the full item bank. SCI-FI/AT item difficulties in the domains of Self-care, Fine Motor Function, and Ambulation were less difficult than the same items in the original SCI-FI item banks. Conclusion With the development of the SCI-FI/AT, clinicians and investigators have available multidimensional assessment scales that evaluate function for users of AT to complement the scales available in the original SCI-FI. PMID:26010975

Development and initial evaluation of the SCI-FI/AT.

PubMed

Jette, Alan M; Slavin, Mary D; Ni, Pengsheng; Kisala, Pamela A; Tulsky, David S; Heinemann, Allen W; Charlifue, Susie; Tate, Denise G; Fyffe, Denise; Morse, Leslie; Marino, Ralph; Smith, Ian; Williams, Steve

2015-05-01

To describe the domain structure and calibration of the Spinal Cord Injury Functional Index for samples using Assistive Technology (SCI-FI/AT) and report the initial psychometric properties of each domain. Cross sectional survey followed by computerized adaptive test (CAT) simulations. Inpatient and community settings. A sample of 460 adults with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) stratified by level of injury, completeness of injury, and time since injury. None SCI-FI/AT RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Item response theory (IRT) analyses identified 4 unidimensional SCI-FI/AT domains: Basic Mobility (41 items) Self-care (71 items), Fine Motor Function (35 items), and Ambulation (29 items). High correlations of full item banks with 10-item simulated CATs indicated high accuracy of each CAT in estimating a person's function, and there was high measurement reliability for the simulated CAT scales compared with the full item bank. SCI-FI/AT item difficulties in the domains of Self-care, Fine Motor Function, and Ambulation were less difficult than the same items in the original SCI-FI item banks. With the development of the SCI-FI/AT, clinicians and investigators have available multidimensional assessment scales that evaluate function for users of AT to complement the scales available in the original SCI-FI.

ISS Asset Tracking Using SAW RFID Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schellhase, Amy; Powers, Annie

2004-01-01

A team at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) is undergoing final preparations to test Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to track assets aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Currently, almost 10,000 U.S. items onboard the ISS are tracked within a database maintained by both the JSC ground teams and crew onboard the ISS. This barcode-based inventory management system has successfully tracked the location of 97% of the items onboard, but its accuracy is dependant on the crew to report hardware movements, taking valuable time away from science and other activities. With the addition of future modules, the volume of inventory to be tracked is expected to increase significantly. The first test of RFID technology on ISS, which will be conducted by the Expedition 16 crew later this year, will evaluate the ability of RFID technology to track consumable items. These consumables, which include office supplies and clothing, are regularly supplied to ISS and can be tagged on the ground. Automation will eliminate line-of-sight auditing requirements, directly saving crew time. This first step in automating an inventory tracking system will pave the way for future uses of RFID for inventory tracking in space. Not only are there immediate benefits for ISS applications, it is a crucial step to ensure efficient logistics support for future vehicles and exploration missions where resupplies are not readily available. Following a successful initial test, the team plans to execute additional tests for new technology, expanded operations concepts, and increased automation.

What impact do anxiety, depression, perceived control and technology capability have on whether patients with chronic heart failure take-up or continue to use home tele-monitoring services? Study design of ADaPT-HF.

PubMed

Crundall-Goode, Amanda; Goode, Kevin M; Clark, Andrew L

2017-04-01

Home tele-monitoring (HTM) is used to monitor the clinical signs and symptoms of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) in order to reduce unplanned hospital admissions. However, not all patients who are referred will agree to use HTM, and some patients choose to withdraw early from its use. ADaPT-HF will investigate whether depression, anxiety, low perceived control, reduced technology capability, level of education, age or the severity or complexity of a patient's illness can predict refusal of, or early withdrawal from, HTM in patients with CHF. The study will recruit 288 patients who have been recently admitted to hospital with heart failure who have been referred for HTM. At the time of referral, patients will complete depression (nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire), anxiety (seven-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder questionnaire), perceived control (eight-item revised Controlled Attitudes Scale) and technology capability (ten-item Technology Readiness Index 2.0) screening questionnaires. In addition, data on demographics, diagnosis, clinical examination, socio-economic status, history of comorbidities, medication, biochemistry and haematology will be recorded. The primary outcome will be a composite of refusal of or early withdrawal from HTM. The principle analysis will be made using logistic regression. By establishing which factors influence a patient's decision to refuse or withdraw early from HTM, it may be possible to redesign HTM referral processes. It may be that patients with CHF who also have depression, anxiety, low control and poor technology skills should not be referred until they receive appropriate support or that they should be managed differently when they do receive HTM. The results of ADAPT-HF may provide a way of making more efficient and cost-effective use of HTM services.

An Assessment of the Dyna-Metric Inventory Model during Initial Provisioning.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

model for computing initial spares levels. Currently, Air Force 3 policy for the provisioning of initial spares and repair parts requires that "all...Force inventory. The key to an effective inventory policy , and a credible defense posture in times of a constrained budget, is to maximize the repair... policy and procedures for deciding which items qualify for stockage, and for computing new requirements for all types of initially provisioned items

Electrophysiological Activity Generated during the Implicit Association Test: A Study Using Event-Related Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Toole, Catriona; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2009-01-01

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) examines the differential association of 2 target concepts with 2 attribute concepts. Responding is predicted to be faster on consistent trials, when concepts that are associated in memory share a response key, than on inconsistent trials, when less associated items share a key. In the current study,…

Evaluating the effect of a clicker in an information literacy course for college nursing students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Kai-Yin

2015-03-01

In this technology era, information literacy is a global imperative. This is true for nursing students as well because they will have to help patients through operating computerized equipment. The key foundation of learning is concentration. The primary objectiveof this research was to explore the effect of clickers on nursing college students' concentration. The research involved 51 student volunteers and was quasi-experimental, with both a pretest and a posttest design. Student concentration was measured by using Student Concentration Scale in a Classroom-Learning Environment. The results showed that students' learning concentration improved, an outcome that could support integrating clickers into classroom teaching activities, and students' concentration level was better after clickers were used in the teaching process as a whole. Items under the "Concentration Capacity and Concentration Consciousness" category reached a significant level. Based on the analysis of the results, suggestions have been made for teaching and future research.

Greider geothermal statement, based on testimony presented to Lt. Gov. Dymally Committee. [Development of geothermal industry

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

Greider, B.

Factors that contribute to the delay of geothermal development by utilities are discussed. These include: the increasingly complex regulations on the Geysers field; low quality and sizes of hot water resources; economics of financing geothermal exploration; professional experience; and lack of faith in the technology of conversion of hot water into electricity. Key issues that must be resolved before geothermal development can significantly penetrate the electricity generation industry are presented. It is pointed out that legislation to stimulate development of California's geothermal resources should be based on consideration of the following items: streamlined controls which allow geothermal exploration and developmentmore » to proceed under a minimum of effective regulation; reasonable tax provisions encouraging exploration, research, development, and production of geothermal energy; and suitable economic incentives for utility companies that will encourage early commitment to construct generating plants. (LBS)« less

Time to face it! Facebook intrusion and the implications for romantic jealousy and relationship satisfaction.

PubMed

Elphinston, Rachel A; Noller, Patricia

2011-11-01

Young people's exposure to social network sites such as Facebook is increasing, along with the potential for such use to complicate romantic relationships. Yet, little is known about the overlaps between the online and offline worlds. We extended previous research by investigating the links between Facebook intrusion, jealousy in romantic relationships, and relationship outcomes in a sample of undergraduates currently in a romantic relationship. A Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire was developed based on key features of technological (behavioral) addictions. An eight-item Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire with a single-factor structure was supported; internal consistency was high. Facebook intrusion was linked to relationship dissatisfaction, via jealous cognitions and surveillance behaviors. The results highlight the possibility of high levels of Facebook intrusion spilling over into romantic relationships, resulting in problems such as jealousy and dissatisfaction. The results have implications for romantic relationships and for Facebook users in general.

Effectiveness of technologies in the treatment of post-stroke anomia: A systematic review.

PubMed

Lavoie, Monica; Macoir, Joël; Bier, Nathalie

Technologies are becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of language disorders and offer numerous possibilities, but little is known about their effectiveness and limitations. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the effectiveness of treatments delivered by technology in the management of post-stroke anomia. As a guideline for conducting this review, we used the PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions. We conducted a systematic search of publications in PubMed, PsycInfo and Current Contents. We also consulted Google Scholar. Without any limitations as to publication date, we selected studies designed to assess the effectiveness of an intervention delivered by a technology, namely computer or smart tablet, to specifically improve anomia in post-stroke participants. The main outcomes studied were improvement in naming skills and generalisation to untreated items and daily communication. We examined 23 studies in this review. To date, computers constitute the most popular technology by far; only a few studies explored the effectiveness of smart tablets. In some studies, technology was used as a therapy tool in a clinical setting, in the presence of the clinician, while in others, therapy with technology was self-administered at home, without the clinician. All studies confirmed the effectiveness of therapy provided by technology to improve naming of trained items. However, generalisation to untrained items is unclear and assessment of generalisation to daily communication is rare. The results of this systematic review confirm that technology is an efficient approach in the management of post-stroke anomia. In future studies, ecological tasks aimed at evaluating therapy's effectiveness with word retrieval in real-life situations should be added since the ultimate goal of improving anomia is to increase the ability to retrieve words more easily in everyday life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Power of Integrators, Financiers, and Insurers to Reduce Proliferation Risks: Nuclear Dual-Use Goods

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

Weise, Rachel A.; Hund, Gretchen

2015-05-01

Globalization of manufacturing supply chains has changed the nature of nuclear proliferation. Before 1991, nonproliferation efforts focused almost exclusively on limiting the spread of materials and equipment specifically designed for nuclear use -- reactors, centrifuges, and fissile material. Dual-use items, those items with both nuclear and non-nuclear applications, were not closely scrutinized or controlled. However, in 1991 the international community discovered that Iraq had developed a fairly sophisticated nuclear weapons program by importing dual-use items; this discovery spurred the international community to increase controls on dual-use technologies. Despite these international efforts, dual-use items are still a challenge for those seekingmore » to limit proliferation.« less

Redstone Scientific Information Center (RSIC) UTS400 Terminal Users Guide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-04

will cause the cursor to be moved to the third space in the second line. Now press the normal keys H and 0 respectively. 7. Completion of Item 5 and 6...the normal keys D and 1. 4. Press Tab Forward key once. This will cause the cursor to be moved to the third space in the second line. Now press the...cause the cursor to be moved to the third space in the second line. Now press the normal keys H and 0. r. Now the cursor should be resting under the

Toward a "smart" nightstand prototype: an examination of nightstand table contents and preferences.

PubMed

Brooks, Johnell O; Smolentzov, Linnea; Dearment, Amy; Logan, William; Green, Keith; Walker, Ian; Honchar, Julia; Guirl, Chris; Beeco, Rebekkah; Blakeney, Carrie; Boggs, Amy; Carroll, Carson; Duckworth, Kenna; Goller, Linda; Ham, Sloan; Healy, Stan; Heaps, Carolyn; Hayden, Caroline; Manganelli, Joe; Mayweather, Lyndsay; Mixon, Hillary; Price, Koty; Reis, Ashley; Yanik, Paul

2011-01-01

Two studies were conducted to obtain an understanding of the types of items seniors keep in their nightstands and to understand how users feel about the possibility of "smart" furniture. To enable aging in place and universal design, it is vital to understand the needs of a broad range of aging individuals, especially since there is little research on nightstand usage and design. Study 1 allowed for the development of a structured inventory of nightstand use today in assisted living and rehabilitation facilities. Study 1 led to Study 2, demonstrating the need to conceptualize new ideas for smart nightstands. Feedback was obtained from intergenerational participants who could discuss their needs and preferences for a smart nightstand. In Study 1, more than 150 items were recorded and categorized into 25 different groups. The authors found that participants utilized the top portion of their nightstand as opposed to the lower sections; most items were found on top of the nightstand or in the top drawer. In Study 2, the authors found that the vast majority of participants are willing to consider the use of a smart nightstand. Participants discussed key functions and design preferences, which included carefully designed storage, the ability to move the nightstand up and down, contemporary design, and interaction through voice activation. Existing nightstands do not meet the needs of current users. This research provides greater understanding of the existing limitations associated with nightstands. Study 2 confirmed that user-centered design and the use of technology can be used to enhance daily living. Smart furniture may play a role in promoting the health and independence of diverse user groups.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the detection, localisation, and characterisation of prostate cancer: recommendations from a European consensus meeting.

PubMed

Dickinson, Louise; Ahmed, Hashim U; Allen, Clare; Barentsz, Jelle O; Carey, Brendan; Futterer, Jurgen J; Heijmink, Stijn W; Hoskin, Peter J; Kirkham, Alex; Padhani, Anwar R; Persad, Raj; Puech, Philippe; Punwani, Shonit; Sohaib, Aslam S; Tombal, Bertrand; Villers, Arnauld; van der Meulen, Jan; Emberton, Mark

2011-04-01

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) may have a role in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer in men with raised serum prostate-specific antigen levels. Variations in technique and the interpretation of images have contributed to inconsistency in its reported performance characteristics. Our aim was to make recommendations on a standardised method for the conduct, interpretation, and reporting of prostate mpMRI for prostate cancer detection and localisation. A consensus meeting of 16 European prostate cancer experts was held that followed the UCLA-RAND Appropriateness Method and facilitated by an independent chair. Before the meeting, 520 items were scored for "appropriateness" by panel members, discussed face to face, and rescored. Agreement was reached in 67% of 260 items related to imaging sequence parameters. T2-weighted, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and diffusion-weighted MRI were the key sequences incorporated into the minimum requirements. Consensus was also reached on 54% of 260 items related to image interpretation and reporting, including features of malignancy on individual sequences. A 5-point scale was agreed on for communicating the probability of malignancy, with a minimum of 16 prostatic regions of interest, to include a pictorial representation of suspicious foci. Limitations relate to consensus methodology. Dominant personalities are known to affect the opinions of the group and were countered by a neutral chairperson. Consensus was reached on a number of areas related to the conduct, interpretation, and reporting of mpMRI for the detection, localisation, and characterisation of prostate cancer. Before optimal dissemination of this technology, these outcomes will require formal validation in prospective trials. Copyright © 2010 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Quality and Safety Competency Curriculum for Radiation Oncology Residency: An International Delphi Study.

PubMed

Adleman, Jenna; Gillan, Caitlin; Caissie, Amanda; Davis, Carol-Anne; Liszewski, Brian; McNiven, Andrea; Giuliani, Meredith

2017-06-01

To develop an entry-to-practice quality and safety competency profile for radiation oncology residency. A comprehensive list of potential quality and safety competency items was generated from public and professional resources and interprofessional focus groups. Redundant or out-of-scope items were eliminated through investigator consensus. Remaining items were subjected to an international 2-round modified Delphi process involving experts in radiation oncology, radiation therapy, and medical physics. During Round 1, each item was scored independently on a 9-point Likert scale indicating appropriateness for inclusion in the competency profile. Items indistinctly ranked for inclusion or exclusion were re-evaluated through web conference discussion and reranked in Round 2. An initial 1211 items were compiled from 32 international sources and distilled to 105 unique potential quality and safety competency items. Fifteen of the 50 invited experts participated in round 1: 10 radiation oncologists, 4 radiation therapists, and 1 medical physicist from 13 centers in 5 countries. Round 1 rankings resulted in 80 items included, 1 item excluded, and 24 items indeterminate. Two areas emerged more prominently within the latter group: change management and human factors. Web conference with 5 participants resulted in 9 of these 24 items edited for content or clarity. In Round 2, 12 participants rescored all indeterminate items resulting in 10 items ranked for inclusion. The final 90 enabling competency items were organized into thematic groups consisting of 18 key competencies under headings adapted from Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. This quality and safety competency profile may inform minimum training standards for radiation oncology residency programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a Quality and Safety Competency Curriculum for Radiation Oncology Residency: An International Delphi Study

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

Adleman, Jenna; Gillan, Caitlin; Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario

Purpose: To develop an entry-to-practice quality and safety competency profile for radiation oncology residency. Methods and Materials: A comprehensive list of potential quality and safety competency items was generated from public and professional resources and interprofessional focus groups. Redundant or out-of-scope items were eliminated through investigator consensus. Remaining items were subjected to an international 2-round modified Delphi process involving experts in radiation oncology, radiation therapy, and medical physics. During Round 1, each item was scored independently on a 9-point Likert scale indicating appropriateness for inclusion in the competency profile. Items indistinctly ranked for inclusion or exclusion were re-evaluated through webmore » conference discussion and reranked in Round 2. Results: An initial 1211 items were compiled from 32 international sources and distilled to 105 unique potential quality and safety competency items. Fifteen of the 50 invited experts participated in round 1: 10 radiation oncologists, 4 radiation therapists, and 1 medical physicist from 13 centers in 5 countries. Round 1 rankings resulted in 80 items included, 1 item excluded, and 24 items indeterminate. Two areas emerged more prominently within the latter group: change management and human factors. Web conference with 5 participants resulted in 9 of these 24 items edited for content or clarity. In Round 2, 12 participants rescored all indeterminate items resulting in 10 items ranked for inclusion. The final 90 enabling competency items were organized into thematic groups consisting of 18 key competencies under headings adapted from Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. Conclusions: This quality and safety competency profile may inform minimum training standards for radiation oncology residency programs.« less

Getting to Grips with Education and Training for Industry. A Development of the Concept of Key Technologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clyde, Albert

"Key technologies" is an umbrella term for appropriate technologies applied to give maximum economic benefit in particular circumstances that may cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. Development of the concept is necessitated by the rate of change of technological development. Key technologies may be classified in three groups related to…

Biomimetics--a review.

PubMed

Vincent, J F V

2009-11-01

Biology can inform technology at all levels (materials, structures, mechanisms, machines, and control) but there is still a gap between biology and technology. This review itemizes examples of biomimetic products and concludes that the Russian system for inventive problem solving (teoriya resheniya izobreatatelskikh zadatch (TRIZ)) is the best system to underpin the technology transfer. Biomimetics also challenges the current paradigm of technology and suggests more sustainable ways to manipulate the world.

Object/Shape Recognition Technology: An Assessment of the Feasibility of Implementation at Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-25

provide efficiency and effectively manufacture or inventory items. The industries that benefit from Cognex technology are automotive, food and beverage ...recognition tedmology, Tedmology Readiness Level, PAGES Cost Benefit Analysis, Tedmology Commercialization, Technology Transition 139 16. PRICE CODE 17...Technology Development & Transition Strategy Guidebook xvii UD Ultimate Disposal U.S. United States USAF United States Air Force xviii THIS

RFID Technology for Inventory Management

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-01

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is leveraging the use and application of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to a variety of markets. Tagging and tracking of individual items for inventory control is revealing rich rewards through increased time efficiency and reduced human intervention.

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

PubMed

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

2012-04-01

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

Everyday technology use among people with mental retardation: relevance, perceived difficulty, and influencing factors.

PubMed

Hällgren, Monica; Nygård, Louise; Kottorp, Anders

2014-05-01

While the development and possibilities of technology today are commonly regarded to be unlimited, knowledge regarding the technological needs of people with mental retardation is fairly limited. The aim of this study was to enhance knowledge of perceived relevance and difficulty in using everyday technology (ET) such as stoves, cell phones, and elevators in adults with mental retardation. 120 participants with different levels of mental retardation were interviewed with the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ) about their use of such technologies in their everyday life. Analyses of variance, post hoc tests, and regression analyses were used to explore the data. Participants with moderate and severe mental retardation differed in mean perceived difficulty from those with mild mental retardation, suggesting that increased perceived difficulty in ET use is related to the level of mental retardation. Differences between groups were also found in the proportion of items that were relevant for each person. The variables Level of Mental Retardation, Additional Disabilities, and Proportional Relevance of ET Items could together predict 67.2% of the variation in perceived difficulty in technology use. The findings also indicate that age, housing, gender, and geographical district do not covariate with perceived difficulty in ET use.

OA Go Away: Development and Preliminary Validation of a Self-Management Tool to Promote Adherence to Exercise and Physical Activity for People with Osteoarthritis of the Hip or Knee

PubMed Central

Toupin April, Karine; Backman, Catherine; Tugwell, Peter

2016-01-01

Purpose: To determine the face and content validity, construct validity, and test–retest reliability of the OA Go Away (OGA), a personalized self-management tool to promote adherence to exercise and physical activity for people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. Methods: The face and content validity of OGA version 1.0 were determined via interviews with 10 people with OA of the hip or knee and 10 clinicians. A revised OGA version 2.0 was then tested for construct validity and test–retest reliability with a new sample of 50 people with OA of the hip or knee by comparing key items in the OGA journal with validated outcome measures assessing similar health outcomes and comparing scores on key items of the journal 4–7 days apart. Face and content validity were then confirmed with a new sample of 5 people with OA of the hip or knee and 5 clinicians. Results: Eighteen of 30 items from the OGA version 1.0 and 41 of 43 items from the OGA version 2.0 journal, goals and action plan, and exercise log had adequate content validity. Construct validity and test–retest reliability were acceptable for the main items of the OGA version 2.0 journal. The OGA underwent modifications based on results and participant feedback. Conclusion: The OGA is a novel self-management intervention and assessment tool for people with OA of the hip or knee that shows adequate preliminary measurement properties. PMID:27909359

Checklists change communication about key elements of patient care.

PubMed

Newkirk, Michelle; Pamplin, Jeremy C; Kuwamoto, Roderick; Allen, David A; Chung, Kevin K

2012-08-01

Combat casualty care is distributed across professions and echelons of care. Communication within it is fragmented, inconsistent, and prone to failure. Daily checklists used during intensive care unit (ICU) rounds have been shown to improve compliance with evidence-based practices, enhance communication, promote consistency of care, and improve outcomes. Checklists are criticized because it is difficult to establish a causal link between them and their effect on outcomes. We investigated how checklists used during ICU rounds affect communication. We conducted this project in two military ICUs (burn and surgical/trauma). Checklists contained up to 21 questions grouped according to patient population. We recorded which checklist items were discussed during rounds before and after implementation of a "must address" checklist and compared the frequency of discussing items before checklist prompting. Patient discussions addressed more checklist items before prompting at the end of the 2-week evaluation compared with the 2-week preimplementation period (surgical trauma ICU, 36% vs. 77%, p < 0.0001; burn ICU, 47% vs. 72 %, p < 0.001). Most items were addressed more frequently in both ICUs after implementation. Key items such as central line removal, reduction of laboratory testing, medication reconciliation, medication interactions, bowel movements, sedation holidays, breathing trials, and lung protective ventilation showed significant improvements. Checklists modify communication patterns. Improved communication facilitated by checklists may be one mechanism behind their effectiveness. Checklists are powerful tools that can rapidly alter patient care delivery. Implementing checklists could facilitate the rapid dissemination of clinical practice changes, improve communication between echelons of care and between individuals involved in patient care, and reduce missed information.

Intellectual property and information controversy(I)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoyama, Hirokazu

This paper deals with intellectual property as the results of various intellectual activities such as R & D, and intellectual proprietary rights which protect it. New technology, designs, literary works, computer programs, semiconductor chips, new plant breeding, brands, trading secrets, CI and others, and legislations which protect them are described. Then, the background of the fact that intellectual proprietary rights are emphasized as analyzed. The author points out items as follows; movement toward much larger size of R & D, generation of the areas to be newly protected, trend in enforcement of intellectual property protection, commercialization of intellectual property, trend in software evolution, movement in technological protectionism, and the present status on each item.

Additional security features for optically variable foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Allan C.; Russo, Frank

1998-04-01

For thousands of years, man has exploited the attraction and radiance of pure gold to adorn articles of great significance. Today, designers decorate packaging with metallic gold foils to maintain the prestige of luxury items such as perfumes, chocolates, wine and whisky, and to add visible appeal and value to wide range of products. However, today's products do not call for the hand beaten gold leaf of the Ancient Egyptians, instead a rapid production technology exists which makes use of accurately coated thin polymer films and vacuum deposited metallic layers. Stamping Foils Technology is highly versatile since several different layers may be combined into one product, each providing a different function. Not only can a foil bring visual appeal to an article, it can provide physical and chemical resistance properties and also protect an article from human forms of interference, such as counterfeiting, copying or tampering. Stamping foils have proved to be a highly effective vehicle for applying optical devices to items requiring this type of protection. Credit cards, bank notes, personal identification documents and more recently high value packaged items such as software and perfumes are protected by optically variable devices applied using stamping foil technology.

Silent Aircraft Initiative Concept Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nickol, Craig L.

2008-01-01

A risk assessment of the Silent Aircraft Initiative's SAX-40 concept design for extremely low noise has been performed. A NASA team developed a list of 27 risk items, and evaluated the level of risk for each item in terms of the likelihood that the risk would occur and the consequences of the occurrence. The following risk items were identified as high risk, meaning that the combination of likelihood and consequence put them into the top one-fourth of the risk matrix: structures and weight prediction; boundary-layer ingestion (BLI) and inlet design; variable-area exhaust and thrust vectoring; displaced-threshold and continuous descent approach (CDA) operational concepts; cost; human factors; and overall noise performance. Several advanced-technology baseline concepts were created to serve as a basis for comparison to the SAX-40 concept. These comparisons indicate that the SAX-40 would have significantly greater research, development, test, and engineering (RDT&E) and production costs than a conventional aircraft with similar technology levels. Therefore, the cost of obtaining the extremely low noise capability that has been estimated for the SAX-40 is significant. The SAX-40 concept design proved successful in focusing attention toward low noise technologies and in raising public awareness of the issue.

Using Bayesian networks to support decision-focused information retrieval

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

Lehner, P.; Elsaesser, C.; Seligman, L.

This paper has described an approach to controlling the process of pulling data/information from distributed data bases in a way that is specific to a persons specific decision making context. Our prototype implementation of this approach uses a knowledge-based planner to generate a plan, an automatically constructed Bayesian network to evaluate the plan, specialized processing of the network to derive key information items that would substantially impact the evaluation of the plan (e.g., determine that replanning is needed), automated construction of Standing Requests for Information (SRIs) which are automated functions that monitor changes and trends in distributed data base thatmore » are relevant to the key information items. This emphasis of this paper is on how Bayesian networks are used.« less

The Development of a Conceptual Framework and Preliminary Item Bank for Childbirth-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome Measures.

PubMed

Korst, Lisa M; Fridman, Moshe; Saeb, Samia; Greene, Naomi; Fink, Arlene; Gregory, Kimberly D

2018-05-24

To develop a conceptual framework and preliminary item bank for childbirth-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) domains. Women, who were U.S. residents, ≥18 years old, and ≥20 weeks pregnant, were surveyed regarding their childbirth values and preferences (V&P) using online panels. Using community-based research techniques and Patient-Reported Outcomes Management Information System (PROMIS ® ) methodology, we conducted a comprehensive literature review to identify self-reported survey items regarding patient-reported V&P and childbirth experiences and outcomes (PROs). The V&P/PRO domains were validated by focus groups. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study and fitted a multivariable logistic regression model to each V&P item to describe "who" wanted each item. We identified 5,880 V&P/PRO items that mapped to 19 domains and 58 subdomains. We present results for the 2,250 survey respondents who anticipated a vaginal delivery in a hospital. Wide variation existed regarding each V&P item, and personal characteristics, such as maternal confidence and ability to cope well with pain, were frequent predictors in the models. The resulting preliminary item bank consisted of 60 key personal characteristics and 63 V&P/PROs. The conceptual framework and preliminary (PROMIS ® ) item bank presented here provide a foundation for the development of childbirth-specific V&P/PROs. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Development of a Scale to Explore Technology Literacy Skills of Turkish 8th Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misirli, Zeynel A.; Akbulut, Yavuz

2013-01-01

The use of emerging technologies shape learners' knowledge creation and transformation processes. In this regard, this study aimed to develop a scale to investigate 8 th graders' competencies regarding the educational technology standards based on ISTE-NETS. After a review of relevant literature, an item pool was prepared. The pool was improved…

15 CFR 734.2 - Important EAR terms and principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... technology and software not subject to the EAR are described in §§ 734.7 through 734.11 and supplement no. 1... of items subject to the EAR out of the United States, or release of technology or software subject to... source code and object code software subject to the EAR. (2) Export of technology or software. (See...

15 CFR 734.2 - Important EAR terms and principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... technology and software not subject to the EAR are described in §§ 734.7 through 734.11 and supplement no. 1... of items subject to the EAR out of the United States, or release of technology or software subject to... source code and object code software subject to the EAR. (2) Export of technology or software. (See...

15 CFR 734.2 - Important EAR terms and principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... technology and software not subject to the EAR are described in §§ 734.7 through 734.11 and supplement no. 1... of items subject to the EAR out of the United States, or release of technology or software subject to... source code and object code software subject to the EAR. (2) Export of technology or software. (See...

15 CFR 734.2 - Important EAR terms and principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... technology and software not subject to the EAR are described in §§ 734.7 through 734.11 and supplement no. 1... of items subject to the EAR out of the United States, or release of technology or software subject to... source code and object code software subject to the EAR. (2) Export of technology or software. (See...

15 CFR 734.2 - Important EAR terms and principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... technology and software not subject to the EAR are described in §§ 734.7 through 734.11 and supplement no. 1... of items subject to the EAR out of the United States, or release of technology or software subject to... source code and object code software subject to the EAR. (2) Export of technology or software. (See...

Technology Use among College Students: Implications for Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gemmill, Erin; Peterson, Michael

2006-01-01

The purposes of this study were to explore the extent to which technology disrupts and occupies the time of a college student and to determine the degree to which these disruptions contribute to perceived stress. A 71-item survey to assess perceived stress, technology use and disruptions, and social support was administered to 299 undergraduate …

Technology and Values. Harvard University Program on Technology and Society; Research Review Number Three.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taviss, Irene, Ed.; Silverman, Linda, Ed.

Literature dealing with the relationship between technological change and value change is surveyed in this review. The emphasis is on the effect on contemporary American society. Most of the items covered were written since 1966. Topics include the contemporary situation, changing value orientations, social planning and the role of the social…

The Teaching with Technology Instrument: Effectively Measuring Where Teachers Are and Planning for Staff Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkins, Nancy E.; Vasu, Ellen S.

1998-01-01

Presents an instrument for planning for staff development to help identify how much teachers know about technology and its integration into the classroom. The Teaching with Technology Instrument's (TTI's) 46 items are grouped in three areas: writing and communication skills, information access and management, and construction and multimedia. The…

Spanish Secondary-School Science Teachers' Beliefs about Science-Technology-Society (STS) Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez-Alonso, Angel; Garcia-Carmona, Antonio; Manassero-Mas, Maria Antonia; Bennassar-Roig, Antoni

2013-01-01

This study analyzes the beliefs about science-technology-society, and other Nature of Science (NOS) themes, of a large sample (613) of Spanish pre- and in-service secondary education teachers through their responses to 30 items of the Questionnaire of Opinions on Science, Technology and Society. The data were processed by means of a multiple…

Development and Validation of the POSITIVES Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Nguyen, Mai N.; Wolforth, Joan; Budd, Jillian; Barile, Maria; Gaulin, Chris; Martiniello, Natalie; Tibbs, Anthony; Ferraro, Vittoria; Amsel, Rhonda

2009-01-01

Data on how well information and communication technology (ICT) needs of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities are met on and off campus were collected using the newly developed Positives Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which use a 6-point Likert scale (1 =…

Advanced Technologies for Robotic Exploration Leading to Human Exploration: Results from the SpaceOps 2015 Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lupisella, Mark L.; Mueller, Thomas

2016-01-01

This paper will provide a summary and analysis of the SpaceOps 2015 Workshop all-day session on "Advanced Technologies for Robotic Exploration, Leading to Human Exploration", held at Fucino Space Center, Italy on June 12th, 2015. The session was primarily intended to explore how robotic missions and robotics technologies more generally can help lead to human exploration missions. The session included a wide range of presentations that were roughly grouped into (1) broader background, conceptual, and high-level operations concepts presentations such as the International Space Exploration Coordination Group Roadmap, followed by (2) more detailed narrower presentations such as rover autonomy and communications. The broader presentations helped to provide context and specific technical hooks, and helped lay a foundation for the narrower presentations on more specific challenges and technologies, as well as for the discussion that followed. The discussion that followed the presentations touched on key questions, themes, actions and potential international collaboration opportunities. Some of the themes that were touched on were (1) multi-agent systems, (2) decentralized command and control, (3) autonomy, (4) low-latency teleoperations, (5) science operations, (6) communications, (7) technology pull vs. technology push, and (8) the roles and challenges of operations in early human architecture and mission concept formulation. A number of potential action items resulted from the workshop session, including: (1) using CCSDS as a further collaboration mechanism for human mission operations, (2) making further contact with subject matter experts, (3) initiating informal collaborative efforts to allow for rapid and efficient implementation, and (4) exploring how SpaceOps can support collaboration and information exchange with human exploration efforts. This paper will summarize the session and provide an overview of the above subjects as they emerged from the SpaceOps 2015 Workshop session.

Electronic switches and control circuits: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The innovations in this updated series of compilations dealing with electronic technology represents a carefully selected collection of items on electronic switches and control circuits. Most of the items are based on well-known circuit design concepts that have been simplified or refined to meet NASA's demanding requirement for reliability, simplicity, fail-safe characteristics, and the capability of withstanding environmental extremes.

Research on industrial 10kW CO2 laser achieves major breakthrough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-01-01

The industrial 10kW CO2 laser is one of the items which the industrially developed nations are competing to develop. This laser is capable of continuous output power of over 10kW and can operate continuously for more than 6 hours. The 10kW CO2 laser developed as a key task of China's 7th Five-Year Plan and all its technological targets such as output power, electrooptical conversion efficiency and primary charging continuous operating time, have reached the level of world advancement, allowing China to enter the ranks of international advancement in the area of laser technology. The industrial 10kW CO2 laser can have wide application in such areas of industry as heat treating, machining, welding and surface treatment in industries such as steel, automobiles, ship building and aircraft manufacturing. For instance, using the high-efficiency laser beams of this 10kW laser to treat rollers, fan blades and automotive cylinder blocks can increase the life of these parts and produce large economic benefits. At present, industrial tests of gear welding is already being done on this 10kW laser.

[Comment on “Open scientific communication urged” “Technology transfer-A growing problem” and “Update: Science and security”] DOD funds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walder, Joseph

The most significant observation to be made about the recent (Oct. 5, 12, and 19) news items in Eos on ‘technology transfer’ is that several key issues were never even addressed. For example, actual or potential censorship of technical papers is reported to have caused ‘considerable clamor within the scientific community,’ yet never once were directly relevant questions asked. For example: Should academic researchers depend upon military funding for their support? Does acceptance of financial support from military sources make individuals and institutions dependent clients of the Pentagon? In this context it is ironic to note that the Oct. 12 issue of Eos also featured an article entitled ‘DOD to Fund Major Instruments,’ describing the manner in which DOD intends to spend $150 million to equip university laboratories in the next 5 years. This article noted explicitly that ‘For example, computers obtained with the program funds are to be used only for defense-related projects’ (my emphasis). It seems that scientists should reflect a bit about a funding system that channels dollars through the military.

Measuring Constructs in Family Science: How Can Item Response Theory Improve Precision and Validity?

PubMed Central

Gordon, Rachel A.

2014-01-01

This article provides family scientists with an understanding of contemporary measurement perspectives and the ways in which item response theory (IRT) can be used to develop measures with desired evidence of precision and validity for research uses. The article offers a nontechnical introduction to some key features of IRT, including its orientation toward locating items along an underlying dimension and toward estimating precision of measurement for persons with different levels of that same construct. It also offers a didactic example of how the approach can be used to refine conceptualization and operationalization of constructs in the family sciences, using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (n = 2,732). Three basic models are considered: (a) the Rasch and (b) two-parameter logistic models for dichotomous items and (c) the Rating Scale Model for multicategory items. Throughout, the author highlights the potential for researchers to elevate measurement to a level on par with theorizing and testing about relationships among constructs. PMID:25663714

Outcomes of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference for Aeronautical Spectrum and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Jonasson, Loftur

2016-01-01

At the conclusion of a nearly four year study cycle following the closing of the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12), the 2015 WRC in November of 2015 considered a number of agenda items and issues relevant to systems and spectrum allocations supporting communications, navigation and surveillance for the operation of civil aviation. Among a number of WRC-15 agenda items and issues, the key agenda items affecting civil aviation included: unmanned aircraft systems use of the Fixed Satellite Service for command and control communications; global flight tracking; new allocations to International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT); and protection of the Fixed Satellite Service to support safe operation of aircraft. A number of other agenda items affecting or potentially affecting civil aviation were also addressed by WRC-15. In this paper we describe the outcomes of WRC-15 for these civil aeronautical-relevant issues. We then outline the civil aviation-related agenda items and issues that will be considered at the upcoming 2019 WRC.

12 CFR 328.3 - Official advertising statement requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... published by State or Federal law; (2) Insured depository institution supplies such as stationery (except... to, promotional items such as calendars, matchbooks, pens, pencils, and key chains; and (10...

Development of a measure of knowledge use by stakeholders in rehabilitation technology

PubMed Central

Nobrega, Amanda R; Lane, Joseph P; Tomita, Machiko R; Usiak, Douglas J; Lockett, Michelle M

2014-01-01

Objectives: Uptake of new knowledge by diverse and diffuse stakeholders of health-care technology innovations has been a persistent challenge, as has been measurement of this uptake. This article describes the development of the Level of Knowledge Use Survey instrument, a web-based measure of self-reported knowledge use. Methods: The Level of Knowledge Use Survey instrument was developed in the context of assessing effectiveness of knowledge communication strategies in rehabilitation technology. It was validated on samples representing five stakeholder types: researchers, manufacturers, clinician–practitioners, knowledge brokers, and consumers. Its structure is broadly based on Rogers’ stages of innovation adoption. Its item generation was initially guided by Hall et al’s Levels of Use framework. Item selection was based on content validity indices computed from expert ratings (n 1 = 4; n 2 = 3). Five representative stakeholders established usability of the web version. The version included 47 items (content validity index for individual items >0.78; content validity index for a scale or set of items >0.90) in self-reporting format. Psychometrics were then established for the version. Results: Analyses of data from small (n = 69) and large (n = 215) samples using the Level of Knowledge Use Survey instrument suggested a conceptual model of four levels of knowledge use—Non-awareness, Awareness, Interest, and Use. The levels covered eight dimensions and six user action categories. The sequential nature of levels was inconclusive due to low cell frequencies. The Level of Knowledge Use Survey instrument showed adequate content validity (≈ 0.88; n = 3) and excellent test–retest reliability (1.0; n = 69). It also demonstrated good construct validity (n = 215) for differentiating among new knowledge outputs (p < 0.001) and among stakeholder types (0.001 < p ≤ 0.013). It showed strong responsiveness to change between baseline and follow-up testing (0.001 < p ≤ 0.002; n = 215). Conclusion: The Level of Knowledge Use Survey instrument is valid and reliable for measuring uptake of innovations across diffuse stakeholders of rehabilitation technologies and therefore also for tracking changes in knowledge use. PMID:26770743

Joint pricing, inventory, and preservation decisions for deteriorating items with stochastic demand and promotional efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soni, Hardik N.; Chauhan, Ashaba D.

2018-03-01

This study models a joint pricing, inventory, and preservation decision-making problem for deteriorating items subject to stochastic demand and promotional effort. The generalized price-dependent stochastic demand, time proportional deterioration, and partial backlogging rates are used to model the inventory system. The objective is to find the optimal pricing, replenishment, and preservation technology investment strategies while maximizing the total profit per unit time. Based on the partial backlogging and lost sale cases, we first deduce the criterion for optimal replenishment schedules for any given price and technology investment cost. Second, we show that, respectively, total profit per time unit is concave function of price and preservation technology cost. At the end, some numerical examples and the results of a sensitivity analysis are used to illustrate the features of the proposed model.

National Workshop on Astrobiology: The Life Science Involvement of AAS I Laben

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adami, Giorgio

2006-12-01

The search for traces of past and present life is a complex and multidisciplinary research activity involving several scientific heritages and a specific industrial ability for planetary exploration. Laben was established in 1958 to design and manufacture electronic instruments for research in nuclear physics. In the mid 2004 the company was merged with Alenia Spazio. It is now part of Alcatel Alenia Space, a French Italian joint venture. Alcatel Alenia Space Italia SpA is a Finmeccanica Company. Currently the plant of Vimodrone provides a wide heritage in life science oriented to space application. The experience in Space Life Science is consolidated in the following research areas: (1) Physiology: Mouse models related to studies on human physiology Human neuroscience research and dosimetry (2) Animal Adaptation and Behaviour: mice behaviour related to stabling stress (3) Developmental Biology: aquatic microorganisms cultivation (4) Cell culture & Biotechnology: Protein crystal growth General purpose Multiwell Next Biotechnology studies and development: Bio reactor, mainly oriented to tissue engineering Microsensor for tissue control (organ replacement) Multiwell for adherent cell culture or for automated biosensor based on cell culture Experiment Container for organic systems Experiment Container for small animals Instrumentation based on fluorescent Biosensors Sensors for Life science experiments for Biopan capsule and Space Vehicle Ray Shielding Materials Random Positioning Machine specialisation (Support ground equipment) The biological features of this heritage is at disposal for the exobiology multi science. The involvement of industries, from the beginning of the exobiology projects, allows a cost effective technologies closed loop development between Research Centres, Principal Investigators and industry.

Digital Tablet PCs as New Technologies of Writing and Learning: A Survey of Perceptions of Digital Ink Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reins, Kevin

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate effective uses of digital ink technology in an elementary mathematics methods course. A survey methodology was used in the study to examine the participants' perceptions toward this technology for teaching and learning. All of the items on the survey produced response means between 5.0 and 6.0, with a…

A modular approach for item response theory modeling with the R package flirt.

PubMed

Jeon, Minjeong; Rijmen, Frank

2016-06-01

The new R package flirt is introduced for flexible item response theory (IRT) modeling of psychological, educational, and behavior assessment data. flirt integrates a generalized linear and nonlinear mixed modeling framework with graphical model theory. The graphical model framework allows for efficient maximum likelihood estimation. The key feature of flirt is its modular approach to facilitate convenient and flexible model specifications. Researchers can construct customized IRT models by simply selecting various modeling modules, such as parametric forms, number of dimensions, item and person covariates, person groups, link functions, etc. In this paper, we describe major features of flirt and provide examples to illustrate how flirt works in practice.

Method effects: the problem with negatively versus positively keyed items.

PubMed

Lindwall, Magnus; Barkoukis, Vassilis; Grano, Caterina; Lucidi, Fabio; Raudsepp, Lennart; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie

2012-01-01

Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined method effects on Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965) in a sample of older European adults. Nine hundred forty nine community-dwelling adults 60 years of age or older from 5 European countries completed the RSES as well as measures of depression and life satisfaction. The 2 models that had an acceptable fit with the data included method effects. The method effects were associated with both positively and negatively worded items. Method effects models were invariant across gender and age, but not across countries. Both depression and life satisfaction predicted method effects. Individuals with higher depression scores and lower life satisfaction scores were more likely to endorse negatively phrased items.

Intraoperative radiation therapy using mobile electron linear accelerators: report of AAPM Radiation Therapy Committee Task Group No. 72.

PubMed

Beddar, A Sam; Biggs, Peter J; Chang, Sha; Ezzell, Gary A; Faddegon, Bruce A; Hensley, Frank W; Mills, Michael D

2006-05-01

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) has been customarily performed either in a shielded operating suite located in the operating room (OR) or in a shielded treatment room located within the Department of Radiation Oncology. In both cases, this cancer treatment modality uses stationary linear accelerators. With the development of new technology, mobile linear accelerators have recently become available for IORT. Mobility offers flexibility in treatment location and is leading to a renewed interest in IORT. These mobile accelerator units, which can be transported any day of use to almost any location within a hospital setting, are assembled in a nondedicated environment and used to deliver IORT. Numerous aspects of the design of these new units differ from that of conventional linear accelerators. The scope of this Task Group (TG-72) will focus on items that particularly apply to mobile IORT electron systems. More specifically, the charges to this Task Group are to (i) identify the key differences between stationary and mobile electron linear accelerators used for IORT, (ii) describe and recommend the implementation of an IORT program within the OR environment, (iii) present and discuss radiation protection issues and consequences of working within a nondedicated radiotherapy environment, (iv) describe and recommend the acceptance and machine commissioning of items that are specific to mobile electron linear accelerators, and (v) design and recommend an efficient quality assurance program for mobile systems.

Consensus development on the essential competencies for Iranian public health nutritionists.

PubMed

Sadeghi-Ghotbabadi, Farzaneh; Shakibazadeh, Elham; Omidvar, Nasrin; Mortazavi, Fathieh; Kolahdooz, Fariba

2015-03-01

To assess key experts' opinion regarding essential competencies required for effective public health nutrition practice within the health-care system of Iran. Qualitative study using the modified Delphi technique through an email-delivered questionnaire. Iran. Fifty-five experts were contacted through email. The inclusion criterion for the study panel was being in a relevant senior-level position in nutrition science or public health nutrition in Iran. In the first round, forty-two out of fifty-five experts responded to the questionnaire (response rate=76 %). A sixty-five-item questionnaire was designed with nine competency areas, including 'nutrition science', 'planning and implementing nutritional interventions', 'health and nutrition services', 'advocacy and communication', 'assessment and analysis', 'evaluation', 'cultural, social and political aspects', 'using technology' and 'leadership and management'. All experts who had participated in the first round completed a modified version of the questionnaire with seventy-seven items in the second round. The experts scored 'nutrition science' as the most essential competency area, while more applied areas such as 'management and leadership' were less emphasized. In both rounds, the mean difference between the opinions of the necessity of each area was 5.6 %. The Iranian experts had general agreement on most of the core competency areas of public health nutritionists. The results indicated the need for capacity building and revisions to educational curricula for public health nutritionist programmes, with more emphasis on skill-based competency development.

Establishing key components of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions: a Delphi survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Evidence suggests yoga is a safe and effective intervention for the management of physical and psychosocial symptoms associated with musculoskeletal conditions. However, heterogeneity in the components and reporting of clinical yoga trials impedes both the generalization of study results and the replication of study protocols. The aim of this Delphi survey was to address these issues of heterogeneity, by developing a list of recommendations of key components for the design and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions. Methods Recognised experts involved in the design, conduct, and teaching of yoga for musculoskeletal conditions were identified from a systematic review, and invited to contribute to the Delphi survey. Forty-one of the 58 experts contacted, representing six countries, agreed to participate. A three-round Delphi was conducted via electronic surveys. Round 1 presented an open-ended question, allowing panellists to individually identify components they considered key to the design and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions. Thematic analysis of Round 1 identified items for quantitative rating in Round 2; items not reaching consensus were forwarded to Round 3 for re-rating. Results Thirty-six panellists (36/41; 88%) completed the three rounds of the Delphi survey. Panellists provided 348 comments to the Round 1 question. These comments were reduced to 49 items, grouped under five themes, for rating in subsequent rounds. A priori group consensus of ≥80% was reached on 28 items related to five themes concerning defining the yoga intervention, types of yoga practices to include in an intervention, delivery of the yoga protocol, domains of outcome measures, and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions. Additionally, a priori consensus of ≥50% was reached on five items relating to minimum values for intervention parameters. Conclusions Expert consensus has provided a non-prescriptive reference list for the design and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions. It is anticipated future research incorporating the Delphi guidelines will facilitate high quality international research in this field, increase homogeneity of intervention components and parameters, and enhance the comparison and reproducibility of research into the use of yoga for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. PMID:24942270

45 CFR 1624.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., speaking, breathing, learning, and working; (iii) Has a record of such impairment means has a history of... program. (e) Auxiliary aids and/or other assistive technologies means any item, piece of equipment, or.../or other assistive technologies include, but are not limited to, brailled and taped material...

Inspection report: the Department of Energy's export licensing process for dual-use and munitions commodities

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

Friedman, Gregory H.

1999-05-01

Export of commodities, encouraged by both the private sector and the Federal Government, helps to improve our position in the global economy and is in the national interest of the US. However, exports of commodities or technologies, without regard to whether they may significantly contribute to the military potential of individual countries or combination of countries or enhance the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, may adversely affect the national security of the US. The Federal Government, therefore, implements several laws, Executive Orders, and regulations to control the export of certain commodities and technologies. These commodities and technologies require amore » license for export. Some of the controlled items are designated as ''dual-use,'' that is, commodities and technologies that have both civilian and military application. Some dual-use commodities are designated as ''nuclear dual-use''--items controlled for nuclear nonproliferation purposes. Another group of controlled commodities is designated as munitions, which are goods and technologies that have solely military uses. The Department of Energy (Energy) conducts reviews of export license applications for nuclear dual-use items and certain munitions. On August 26, 1998, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs requested that the Inspectors General from the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, State, and Treasury, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), update and expand on a 1993 interagency review conducted by the Inspectors General of the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, and State of the export licensing processes for dual-use and munitions commodities.« less

Concept development of X-ray mass thickness detection for irradiated items upon electron beam irradiation processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Huaili; Yang, Guang; Kuang, Shan; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Jingjing; Zhang, Xiaomin; Li, Cancan; Han, Zhiwei; Li, Yuanjing

2018-02-01

The present project will adopt the principle and technology of X-ray imaging to quickly measure the mass thickness (wherein the mass thickness of the item =density of the item × thickness of the item) of the irradiated items and thus to determine whether the packaging size and inside location of the item will meet the requirements for treating thickness upon electron beam irradiation processing. The development of algorithm of X-ray mass thickness detector as well as the prediction of dose distribution have been completed. The development of the algorithm was based on the X-ray attenuation. 4 standard modules, Al sheet, Al ladders, PMMA sheet and PMMA ladders, were selected for the algorithm development. The algorithm was optimized until the error between tested mass thickness and standard mass thickness was less than 5%. Dose distribution of all energy (1-10 MeV) for each mass thickness was obtained using Monte-carlo method and used for the analysis of dose distribution, which provides the information of whether the item will be penetrated or not, as well as the Max. dose, Min. dose and DUR of the whole item.

Sterilization, high-level disinfection, and environmental cleaning.

PubMed

Rutala, William A; Weber, David J

2011-03-01

Failure to perform proper disinfection and sterilization of medical devices may lead to introduction of pathogens, resulting in infection. New techniques have been developed for achieving high-level disinfection and adequate environmental cleanliness. This article examines new technologies for sterilization and high-level disinfection of critical and semicritical items, respectively, and because semicritical items carry the greatest risk of infection, the authors discuss reprocessing semicritical items such as endoscopes and automated endoscope reprocessors, endocavitary probes, prostate biopsy probes, tonometers, laryngoscopes, and infrared coagulation devices. In addition, current issues and practices associated with environmental cleaning are reviewed. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The measurement artifact in the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire.

PubMed

Caught, K; Shadur, M A; Rodwell, J J

2000-12-01

This study empirically examined the debate in the literature regarding the dimensionality of the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. The sample comprised 803 employees from organizations in the information technology and hospitality industries. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire appears to have a two-factor structure, with one factor consisting of positively worded items and the other factor, negatively worded items. Scores on both factors correlated significantly with job satisfaction, suggesting that both factors appear to be measuring a similar aspect of organizational commitment and that they present as two factors given as measurement artifacts of the item wording.

Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks

PubMed Central

Tulsky, David S.; Kisala, Pamela A.; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W.; Gershon, Richard; Heinemann, Allen W.; Cella, David

2015-01-01

Objective To develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and conceptually grounded patient reported outcomes (PRO) measurement system for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Individual interviews (n = 44) and focus groups (n = 65 individuals with SCI and n = 42 SCI clinicians) were used to select key domains for inclusion and to develop PRO items. Verbatim items from other cutting-edge measurement systems (i.e. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL) were included to facilitate linkage and cross-population comparison. Items were field tested in a large sample of individuals with traumatic SCI (n = 877). Dimensionality was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Local item dependence and differential item functioning were assessed, and items were calibrated using the item response theory (IRT) graded response model. Finally, computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms were administered in a new sample (n = 245) to assess test-retest reliability and stability. Participants and Procedures A calibration sample of 877 individuals with traumatic SCI across five SCI Model Systems sites and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center completed SCI-QOL items in interview format. Results We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains. When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury – Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales. Item banks may be administered as CATs or short forms. Scales may be administered in a fixed-length format only. Conclusions The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM. PMID:26010963

Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks.

PubMed

Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W; Gershon, Richard; Heinemann, Allen W; Cella, David

2015-05-01

To develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and conceptually grounded patient reported outcomes (PRO) measurement system for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individual interviews (n=44) and focus groups (n=65 individuals with SCI and n=42 SCI clinicians) were used to select key domains for inclusion and to develop PRO items. Verbatim items from other cutting-edge measurement systems (i.e. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL) were included to facilitate linkage and cross-population comparison. Items were field tested in a large sample of individuals with traumatic SCI (n=877). Dimensionality was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Local item dependence and differential item functioning were assessed, and items were calibrated using the item response theory (IRT) graded response model. Finally, computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms were administered in a new sample (n=245) to assess test-retest reliability and stability. A calibration sample of 877 individuals with traumatic SCI across five SCI Model Systems sites and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center completed SCI-QOL items in interview format. We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains. When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury--Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales. Item banks may be administered as CATs or short forms. Scales may be administered in a fixed-length format only. The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM.

Technology Use in Science Instruction (TUSI): Aligning the Integration of Technology in Science Instruction in Ways Supportive of Science Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Todd; Abd-Hamid, Nor Hashidah

2013-01-01

This study describes the development of an instrument to investigate the extent to which technology is integrated in science instruction in ways aligned to science reform outlined in standards documents. The instrument was developed by: (a) creating items consistent with the five dimensions identified in science education literature, (b)…

Extensible Adaptive System for STEM Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-16

Copyright 2013 Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. All Rights Reserved ONR STEM Grand Challenge Extensible Adaptive System for STEM Learning ...Contract # N00014-12-C-0535 Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (BBN) Reference # 14217 In partial fulfillment of contract deliverable item # A001...Quarterly Progress Report #2 April 7, 2013 –July 6, 2013 Submitted July 16, 2013 BBN Technical POC: John Makhoul Raytheon BBN Technologies

Technology to Support Writing by Students with Learning and Academic Disabilities: Recent Research Trends and Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson-Karlan, George R.

2011-01-01

The trends and findings from a descriptive analysis of 25 years of research studies examining the effectiveness of technology to support the compositional writing of students with learning and academic disabilities are presented. A corpus of 85 applied research studies of writing technology effectiveness was identified from among 249 items in the…

18 CFR 367.3970 - Account 397, Communication equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... items: (1) Amplifiers. (2) Antennae. (3) Booths. (4) Cables. (5) Carrier terminal equipment. (6...) Remote control equipment and lines. (23) Sending keys. (24) Storage batteries. (25) Switchboards. (26... and cable wires. ...

18 CFR 367.3970 - Account 397, Communication equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... items: (1) Amplifiers. (2) Antennae. (3) Booths. (4) Cables. (5) Carrier terminal equipment. (6...) Remote control equipment and lines. (23) Sending keys. (24) Storage batteries. (25) Switchboards. (26... and cable wires. ...

18 CFR 367.3970 - Account 397, Communication equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... items: (1) Amplifiers. (2) Antennae. (3) Booths. (4) Cables. (5) Carrier terminal equipment. (6...) Remote control equipment and lines. (23) Sending keys. (24) Storage batteries. (25) Switchboards. (26... and cable wires. ...

18 CFR 367.3970 - Account 397, Communication equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... items: (1) Amplifiers. (2) Antennae. (3) Booths. (4) Cables. (5) Carrier terminal equipment. (6...) Remote control equipment and lines. (23) Sending keys. (24) Storage batteries. (25) Switchboards. (26... and cable wires. ...

18 CFR 367.3970 - Account 397, Communication equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... items: (1) Amplifiers. (2) Antennae. (3) Booths. (4) Cables. (5) Carrier terminal equipment. (6...) Remote control equipment and lines. (23) Sending keys. (24) Storage batteries. (25) Switchboards. (26... and cable wires. ...

Teacher Learning of Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, Allan; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2008-02-01

This study examined the integration of technology enhanced formative assessment (FA) into teachers' practice. Participants were high school physics teachers interested in improving their use of a classroom response system (CRS) to promote FA. Data were collected using interviews, direct classroom observations, and collaborative discussions. The physics teachers engaged in collaborative action research (AR) to learn how to use FA and CRS to promote student and teacher learning. Data were analyzed using open coding, cross-case analysis, and content analysis. Results from data analysis allowed researchers to construct a model for knowledge skills necessary for the integration of technology enhanced FA into teachers' practice. The model is as a set of four technologies: hardware and software; methods for constructing FA items; pedagogical methods; and curriculum integration. The model is grounded in the idea that teachers must develop these respective technologies as they interact with the CRS (i.e., hardware and software, item construction) and their existing practice (i.e., pedagogical methods, curriculum). Implications are that for teachers to make FA an integral part of their practice using CRS, they must: 1) engage in the four technologies; 2) understand the nature of FA; and 3) collaborate with other interested teachers through AR.

Japan Report, Science and Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-15

items as working groups of the Space Industry Use Special Council of MITI. Respective committees will be held at a rate of about once a month, and...study by inspection in other relevant items and relevant facilities. 20,143/9599 CSO: 4306/2476 11 BIOTECHNOLOGY STATUS, PROSPECTS FOR PROTEIN ...beyond describing each protein , because the character- istics of proteins vary a lot. Therefore, knowledge on generally applicable principles is

An Annotated List of Historically and Scientifically Important Works Published Before 1900 in the Library of The National Bureau of Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terner, Janet

The purpose of this project was to specifically identify important works within the National Bureau of Standards library collection of approximately 125,000 items that are generally acknowledged to be pertinent to the development of modern science and technology. Presented is an annotated list including 197 items selected from the pre-1900…

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

B. Gardiner; L.Graton; J.Longo

Classified removable electronic media (CREM) are tracked in several different ways at the Laboratory. To ensure greater security for CREM, we are creating a single, Laboratory-wide system to track CREM. We are researching technology that can be used to electronically tag and detect CREM, designing a database to track the movement of CREM, and planning to test the system at several locations around the Laboratory. We focus on affixing ''smart tags'' to items we want to track and installing gates at pedestrian portals to detect the entry or exit of tagged items. By means of an enterprise database, the systemmore » will track the entry and exit of tagged items into and from CREM storage vaults, vault-type rooms, access corridors, or boundaries of secure areas, as well as the identity of the person carrying an item. We are considering several options for tracking items that can give greater security, but at greater expense.« less

Variation by Gender in Abu Dhabi High School Students' Interests in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badri, Masood; Mazroui, Karima Al; Al Rashedi, Asma; Yang, Guang

2016-04-01

Abu Dhabi high school students' interest in physics in different contexts was investigated with a survey conducted in connection with the international project, The Relevance of Science Education (ROSE). The sample consisted of 2248 students in public and private schools. Means of most items that belong to the school physics context for both girls and boys were below the score of (3.0). The most interesting topics for both genders were connected with fantasy items. The least interesting items (particularly for girls) were connected with artifacts and technological processes. Girls assigned the highest scores for "why we dream" and "life and death." Boys assigned the highest scores for "inventions and discoveries" and "life outside of earth." The main message of the study is that new curricular approaches and textbooks can be developed through combining technological and human contexts. The implications for curriculum development, teacher professional development programs, and other education strategies in Abu Dhabi are discussed in light of the ROSE survey.

Proposing Electronic Health Record Usability Requirements Based on Enriched ISO 9241 Metric Usability Model

PubMed Central

Farzandipour, Mehrdad; Riazi, Hossein; Jabali, Monireh Sadeqi

2018-01-01

Introduction: System usability assessment is among the important aspects in assessing the quality of clinical information technology, especially when the end users of the system are concerned. This study aims at providing a comprehensive list of system usability. Methods: This research is a descriptive cross-sectional one conducted using Delphi technique in three phases in 2013. After experts’ ideas were concluded, the final version of the questionnaire including 163 items in three phases was presented to 40 users of information systems in hospitals. The grading ranged from 0-4. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Those requirements with a mean point of three or higher were finally confirmed. Results: The list of system usability requirements for electronic health record was designed and confirmed in nine areas including suitability for the task (24 items), self-descriptiveness (22 items), controllability (19 questions), conformity with user expectations (25 items), error tolerance (21 items), suitability for individualization (7 items), suitability for learning (19 items), visual clarity (18 items) and auditory presentation (8 items). Conclusion: A relatively comprehensive model including useful requirements for using EHR was presented which can increase functionality, effectiveness and users’ satisfaction. Thus, it is suggested that the present model be adopted by system designers and healthcare system institutions to assess those systems. PMID:29719310

Design Guidelines for the User Interface to Computer-Based Information Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

Marshall and Alderman, 1981. See also: Section 3.1.3. -22 Single Keying for Alphabetic Data -22 When alphabetic data entry is required, the user should be...distinction between single and multiple blanks in data entry; in particular, the user should not have to count blanks. Comment: People cannot be relied upon...logically related items should be accomplished by a single , explicit action at the end, rather than by separate entry of each item. Comment: This practice

Improved collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm of similarity measure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baofu; Yuan, Baoping

2017-05-01

The Collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm is one of the most widely used recommendation algorithm in personalized recommender systems. The key is to find the nearest neighbor set of the active user by using similarity measure. However, the methods of traditional similarity measure mainly focus on the similarity of user common rating items, but ignore the relationship between the user common rating items and all items the user rates. And because rating matrix is very sparse, traditional collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm is not high efficiency. In order to obtain better accuracy, based on the consideration of common preference between users, the difference of rating scale and score of common items, this paper presents an improved similarity measure method, and based on this method, a collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm based on similarity improvement is proposed. Experimental results show that the algorithm can effectively improve the quality of recommendation, thus alleviate the impact of data sparseness.

14 CFR 1203.400 - Specific classifying guidance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... (b) Information which, if disclosed, would significantly diminish the technological lead of the... or refine a similar item of defense application; (3) Provide a foreign nation with a base upon which... advantage in terms of technological lead time or an economic advantage relating to national security. (h...

Fundamentals of Solar Heating. Correspondence Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association, Vienna, VA.

This course is designed for the use of employees of the air conditioning industry, and offers supervised correspondence instruction about solar technology. The following aspects of applied solar technology are covered: solar heating and cooling, solar radiation, solar collectors, heat storage control devices and specialty items, sizing solar…

The Future of Access Technology for Blind and Visually Impaired People.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schreier, E. M.

1990-01-01

This article describes potential use of new technological products and services by blind/visually impaired people. Items discussed include computer input devices, public telephones, automatic teller machines, airline and rail arrival/departure displays, ticketing machines, information retrieval systems, order-entry terminals, optical character…

An Investigation of The Use of Global Positioning System (GPS) Technology and Its Augmentations Within State and Local Transportation Departments

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-07-01

This report summarizes Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and its augmentation-related activities within State and local transportation agencies. In general, the following items are addressed for each State that participated in this investiga...

Impact of changes in profile measurement technology on QA testing of pavement smoothness : technical report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

This project aims to establish the impact of recent changes in profiling technology on TxDOTs implementation of the Departments Item 585 and SP247-011 ride specifications. Of particular importance to this research is verification of the ride st...

Applying the revised Chinese Job Content Questionnaire to assess psychosocial work conditions among Taiwan's hospital workers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background For hospital accreditation and health promotion reasons, we examined whether the 22-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) could be applied to evaluate job strain of individual hospital employees and to determine the number of factors extracted from JCQ. Additionally, we developed an Excel module of self-evaluation diagnostic system for consultation with experts. Methods To develop an Excel-based self-evaluation diagnostic system for consultation to experts to make job strain assessment easier and quicker than ever, Rasch rating scale model was used to analyze data from 1,644 hospital employees who enrolled in 2008 for a job strain survey. We determined whether the 22-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) could evaluate job strain of individual employees in work sites. The respective item responding to specific groups' occupational hazards causing job stress was investigated by using skewness coefficient with its 95% CI through item-by-item analyses. Results Each of those 22 items on the questionnaire was examined to have five factors. The prevalence rate of Chinese hospital workers with high job strain was 16.5%. Conclusions Graphical representations of four quadrants, item-by-item bar chart plots and skewness 95% CI comparison generated in Excel can help employers and consultants of an organization focusing on a small number of key areas of concern for each worker in job strain. PMID:21682912

Applying the revised Chinese Job Content Questionnaire to assess psychosocial work conditions among Taiwan's hospital workers.

PubMed

Chien, Tsair-Wei; Lai, Wen-Pin; Wang, Hsien-Yi; Hsu, Sen-Yen; Castillo, Roberto Vasquez; Guo, How-Ran; Chen, Shih-Chung; Su, Shih-Bin

2011-06-18

For hospital accreditation and health promotion reasons, we examined whether the 22-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) could be applied to evaluate job strain of individual hospital employees and to determine the number of factors extracted from JCQ. Additionally, we developed an Excel module of self-evaluation diagnostic system for consultation with experts. To develop an Excel-based self-evaluation diagnostic system for consultation to experts to make job strain assessment easier and quicker than ever, Rasch rating scale model was used to analyze data from 1,644 hospital employees who enrolled in 2008 for a job strain survey. We determined whether the 22-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) could evaluate job strain of individual employees in work sites. The respective item responding to specific groups' occupational hazards causing job stress was investigated by using skewness coefficient with its 95% CI through item-by-item analyses. Each of those 22 items on the questionnaire was examined to have five factors. The prevalence rate of Chinese hospital workers with high job strain was 16.5%. Graphical representations of four quadrants, item-by-item bar chart plots and skewness 95% CI comparison generated in Excel can help employers and consultants of an organization focusing on a small number of key areas of concern for each worker in job strain.

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development.

PubMed

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A'Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey.

12 CFR 740.5 - Requirements for the official advertising statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... advertising statement: (1) Credit union supplies such as stationery (except when used for circular letters..., including but not limited to, promotional items such as calendars, matchbooks, pens, pencils, and key chains...

12 CFR 740.5 - Requirements for the official advertising statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... advertising statement: (1) Credit union supplies such as stationery (except when used for circular letters..., including but not limited to, promotional items such as calendars, matchbooks, pens, pencils, and key chains...

12 CFR 740.5 - Requirements for the official advertising statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... advertising statement: (1) Credit union supplies such as stationery (except when used for circular letters..., including but not limited to, promotional items such as calendars, matchbooks, pens, pencils, and key chains...

77 FR 16802 - Deschutes Provincial Advisory Committee (DPAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-22

..., 2012 to review the annual program of work, finalize key items for the fall field meetings, and listen... open to the public. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Keown, Province Liaison, Sisters Ranger...

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

PubMed

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

2017-10-01

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

Scientific information and the Tongass land management plan: key findings derived from the scientific literature, species assessments, resource analyses, workshops, and risk assessment panels.

Treesearch

Douglas N. Swanston; Charles G. Shaw; Winston P. Smith; Kent R. Julin; Guy A. Cellier; Fred H. Everest

1996-01-01

This document highlights key items of information obtained from the published literature and from specific assessments, workshops, resource analyses, and various risk assessment panels conducted as part of the Tongass land management planning process. None of this information dictates any particular decision; however, it is important to consider during decisionmaking...

Initial development and psychometric testing of an instrument to measure the quality of children's end-of-life care.

PubMed

Widger, Kimberley; Tourangeau, Ann E; Steele, Rose; Streiner, David L

2015-01-01

The field of pediatric palliative care is hindered by the lack of a well-defined, reliable, and valid method for measuring the quality of end-of-life care. The study purpose was to develop and test an instrument to measure mothers' perspectives on the quality of care received before, at the time of, and following a child's death. In Phase 1, key components of quality end-of-life care for children were synthesized through a comprehensive review of research literature. These key components were validated in Phase 2 and then extended through focus groups with bereaved parents. In Phase 3, items were developed to assess structures, processes, and outcomes of quality end-of-life care then tested for content and face validity with health professionals. Cognitive testing was conducted through interviews with bereaved parents. In Phase 4, bereaved mothers were recruited through 10 children's hospitals/hospices in Canada to complete the instrument, and psychometric testing was conducted. Following review of 67 manuscripts and 3 focus groups with 10 parents, 141 items were initially developed. The overall content validity index for these items was 0.84 as rated by 7 health professionals. Based on feedback from health professionals and cognitive testing with 6 parents, a 144-item instrument was finalized for further testing. In Phase 4, 128 mothers completed the instrument, 31 of whom completed it twice. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity were demonstrated for six subscales: Connect With Families, Involve Parents, Share Information With Parents, Share Information Among Health Professionals, Support Parents, and Provide Care at Death. Additional items with content validity were grouped in four domains: Support the Child, Support Siblings, Provide Bereavement Follow-up, and Structures of Care. Forty-eight items were deleted through psychometric testing, leaving a 95-item instrument. There is good initial evidence for the reliability and validity of this new quality of end-of-life care instrument as a mechanism for evaluative feedback to health professionals, health systems, and policy makers to improve children's end-of-life care.

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

Hickerson, Jonathan W; Younkin, James R

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology has revolutionized the concept of asset tracking. By affixing an RFID tag to a valued asset, one can track the item throughout any facility where RIFD readers are in place, thereby alerting inspectors to theft, misuse, and misplacement of the tracked item. While not yet implemented for tracking very high value assets, RFID technology is already widely used in many industries as the standard for asset tracking. A subset of RFID technology exists called Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) RFID. While traditional (sometimes called narrow-band) RFID technology transmits a continuous sine-wave signal of a narrow frequency range, UWB technologymore » works by transmitting signals as short pulses of a broad frequency range. This improves performance in several areas, namely, range, precision, and accuracy of motion detection. Because of the nature of the technology, it also performs well in close proximity to metal, which sets it apart from traditional RFID. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current state of UWB RFID technology and research the areas where it already is being used. This is accomplished through study of publicly known uses of the technology as well as personal exploration of RFID hardware and software. This paper presents the findings in a general manner to facilitate their usefulness for diverse applications.« less

Customers' Precedence for Service Quality Dimensions in Indian Private Healthcare Setting: A Ridit Approach.

PubMed

Panda, Rajeev Kumar; Kondasani, Rama Koteswara Rao

2017-01-01

Changes in demographic and sociocultural environment, improved health awareness, and information technology have considerably changed the outlook of healthcare sector in India. While both the public and the private healthcare sectors have priority of increasing access while minimizing costs, they try hard to achieve goals without letting the quality suffer. Customers with rising disposable income no longer have faith in the public healthcare system and are willing to migrate to the private healthcare sector, which is more professional, technology savvy, and trustworthy. However, there are enough loopholes in the private healthcare sector that are yet to be plugged. The purpose of this research study was to identify and assess the relative importance of the diverse service quality dimensions and prioritize them to draw meaningful conclusions. Survey responses from 370 customers were analyzed using factor analysis to find underlying relationships between the survey items. This allowed the individual items to be placed into related groups. Independently, a ridit analysis was conducted to determine the relative importance of each item to the survey respondents. Based on the ridit analysis a priority ranking was assigned to each item. An analysis was then undertaken of the degree to which the items grouped into each particular factor tended to have high or low priority rankings. The results of the study may be helpful to the managers of the private healthcare sector to focus their strategies and plan their efforts in line with the findings to gain superior customer satisfaction and retention.

Initial constructs for patient-centered outcome measures to evaluate brain-computer interfaces.

PubMed

Andresen, Elena M; Fried-Oken, Melanie; Peters, Betts; Patrick, Donald L

2016-10-01

The authors describe preliminary work toward the creation of patient-centered outcome (PCO) measures to evaluate brain-computer interface (BCI) as an assistive technology (AT) for individuals with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). In Phase 1, 591 items from 15 existing measures were mapped to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In Phase 2, qualitative interviews were conducted with eight people with SSPI and seven caregivers. Resulting text data were coded in an iterative analysis. Most items (79%) were mapped to the ICF environmental domain; over half (53%) were mapped to more than one domain. The ICF framework was well suited for mapping items related to body functions and structures, but less so for items in other areas, including personal factors. Two constructs emerged from qualitative data: quality of life (QOL) and AT. Component domains and themes were identified for each. Preliminary constructs, domains and themes were generated for future PCO measures relevant to BCI. Existing instruments are sufficient for initial items but do not adequately match the values of people with SSPI and their caregivers. Field methods for interviewing people with SSPI were successful, and support the inclusion of these individuals in PCO research. Implications for Rehabilitation Adapted interview methods allow people with severe speech and physical impairments to participate in patient-centered outcomes research. Patient-centered outcome measures are needed to evaluate the clinical implementation of brain-computer interface as an assistive technology.

Lawton IADL scale in dementia: can item response theory make it more informative?

PubMed

McGrory, Sarah; Shenkin, Susan D; Austin, Elizabeth J; Starr, John M

2014-07-01

impairment of functional abilities represents a crucial component of dementia diagnosis. Current functional measures rely on the traditional aggregate method of summing raw scores. While this summary score provides a quick representation of a person's ability, it disregards useful information on the item level. to use item response theory (IRT) methods to increase the interpretive power of the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale by establishing a hierarchy of item 'difficulty' and 'discrimination'. this cross-sectional study applied IRT methods to the analysis of IADL outcomes. Participants were 202 members of the Scottish Dementia Research Interest Register (mean age = 76.39, range = 56-93, SD = 7.89 years) with complete itemised data available. a Mokken scale with good reliability (Molenaar Sijtsama statistic 0.79) was obtained, satisfying the IRT assumption that the items comprise a single unidimensional scale. The eight items in the scale could be placed on a hierarchy of 'difficulty' (H coefficient = 0.55), with 'Shopping' being the most 'difficult' item and 'Telephone use' being the least 'difficult' item. 'Shopping' was the most discriminatory item differentiating well between patients of different levels of ability. IRT methods are capable of providing more information about functional impairment than a summed score. 'Shopping' and 'Telephone use' were identified as items that reveal key information about a patient's level of ability, and could be useful screening questions for clinicians. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@ oup.com.

Clinical instruments: reliability and validity critical appraisal.

PubMed

Brink, Yolandi; Louw, Quinette A

2012-12-01

RATIONALE, AIM AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of health care practitioners using objective clinical tools with sound psychometric properties. There is also a need for researchers to improve their reporting of the validity and reliability results of these clinical tools. Therefore, to promote the use of valid and reliable tools or tests for clinical evaluation, this paper reports on the development of a critical appraisal tool to assess the psychometric properties of objective clinical tools. A five-step process was followed to develop the new critical appraisal tool: (1) preliminary conceptual decisions; (2) defining key concepts; (3) item generation; (4) assessment of face validity; and (5) formulation of the final tool. The new critical appraisal tool consists of 13 items, of which five items relate to both validity and reliability studies, four items to validity studies only and four items to reliability studies. The 13 items could be scored as 'yes', 'no' or 'not applicable'. This critical appraisal tool will aid both the health care practitioner to critically appraise the relevant literature and researchers to improve the quality of reporting of the validity and reliability of objective clinical tools. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Better assessment of physical function: item improvement is neglected but essential

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Introduction Physical function is a key component of patient-reported outcome (PRO) assessment in rheumatology. Modern psychometric methods, such as Item Response Theory (IRT) and Computerized Adaptive Testing, can materially improve measurement precision at the item level. We present the qualitative and quantitative item-evaluation process for developing the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function item bank. Methods The process was stepwise: we searched extensively to identify extant Physical Function items and then classified and selectively reduced the item pool. We evaluated retained items for content, clarity, relevance and comprehension, reading level, and translation ease by experts and patient surveys, focus groups, and cognitive interviews. We then assessed items by using classic test theory and IRT, used confirmatory factor analyses to estimate item parameters, and graded response modeling for parameter estimation. We retained the 20 Legacy (original) Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the 10 SF-36's PF-10 items for comparison. Subjects were from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and healthy aging cohorts (n = 1,100) and a national Internet sample of 21,133 subjects. Results We identified 1,860 items. After qualitative and quantitative evaluation, 124 newly developed PROMIS items composed the PROMIS item bank, which included revised Legacy items with good fit that met IRT model assumptions. Results showed that the clearest and best-understood items were simple, in the present tense, and straightforward. Basic tasks (like dressing) were more relevant and important versus complex ones (like dancing). Revised HAQ-DI and PF-10 items with five response options had higher item-information content than did comparable original Legacy items with fewer response options. IRT analyses showed that the Physical Function domain satisfied general criteria for unidimensionality with one-, two-, three-, and four-factor models having comparable model fits. Correlations between factors in the test data sets were > 0.90. Conclusions Item improvement must underlie attempts to improve outcome assessment. The clear, personally important and relevant, ability-framed items in the PROMIS Physical Function item bank perform well in PRO assessment. They will benefit from further study and application in a wider variety of rheumatic diseases in diverse clinical groups, including those at the extremes of physical functioning, and in different administration modes. PMID:20015354

Better assessment of physical function: item improvement is neglected but essential.

PubMed

Bruce, Bonnie; Fries, James F; Ambrosini, Debbie; Lingala, Bharathi; Gandek, Barbara; Rose, Matthias; Ware, John E

2009-01-01

Physical function is a key component of patient-reported outcome (PRO) assessment in rheumatology. Modern psychometric methods, such as Item Response Theory (IRT) and Computerized Adaptive Testing, can materially improve measurement precision at the item level. We present the qualitative and quantitative item-evaluation process for developing the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function item bank. The process was stepwise: we searched extensively to identify extant Physical Function items and then classified and selectively reduced the item pool. We evaluated retained items for content, clarity, relevance and comprehension, reading level, and translation ease by experts and patient surveys, focus groups, and cognitive interviews. We then assessed items by using classic test theory and IRT, used confirmatory factor analyses to estimate item parameters, and graded response modeling for parameter estimation. We retained the 20 Legacy (original) Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the 10 SF-36's PF-10 items for comparison. Subjects were from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and healthy aging cohorts (n = 1,100) and a national Internet sample of 21,133 subjects. We identified 1,860 items. After qualitative and quantitative evaluation, 124 newly developed PROMIS items composed the PROMIS item bank, which included revised Legacy items with good fit that met IRT model assumptions. Results showed that the clearest and best-understood items were simple, in the present tense, and straightforward. Basic tasks (like dressing) were more relevant and important versus complex ones (like dancing). Revised HAQ-DI and PF-10 items with five response options had higher item-information content than did comparable original Legacy items with fewer response options. IRT analyses showed that the Physical Function domain satisfied general criteria for unidimensionality with one-, two-, three-, and four-factor models having comparable model fits. Correlations between factors in the test data sets were > 0.90. Item improvement must underlie attempts to improve outcome assessment. The clear, personally important and relevant, ability-framed items in the PROMIS Physical Function item bank perform well in PRO assessment. They will benefit from further study and application in a wider variety of rheumatic diseases in diverse clinical groups, including those at the extremes of physical functioning, and in different administration modes.

A Rasch measure of teachers' views of teacher-student relationships in the primary school.

PubMed

Leitao, Natalie; Waugh, Russell F

2012-01-01

This study investigated teacher-student relationships from the teachers' point of view at Perth metropolitan schools in Western Australia. The study identified three key social and emotional aspects that affect teacher-student relationships, namely, Connectedness, Availability and Communication. Data were collected by questionnaire (N = 139) with stem-items answered in three perspectives: (1) Idealistic: this is what I would like to happen; (2) Capability: this is what I am capable of; and (3) Behaviour: this is what actually happens, using four ordered response categories: not at all (score 1), some of the time (score 2), most of the time (score 3), and almost always (score 4). Data were analysed with a Rasch measurement model and a uni-dimensional, linear scale with 24 items, ordered from easy to hard, was created. The data were shown to be highly reliable, so that valid inferences could be made from the scale. The Person Separation Index (akin to a reliability index) was 0.93; there was good global teacher and item fit to the measurement model; there was good item fit; the targeting of the item difficulties against the teacher measures was good, and the response categories were answered consistently and logically. Teachers said that the ideal items were all easier than their corresponding capability items which were in turn easier than the behaviour items (where the items fitted the model), as conceptualized. The easiest ideal items were: I like this child and This child and I get along well together. The hardest ideal item (but still easy) was: I am available for this child. The easiest behaviour item (but still hard) was: This child and I get along well together. The hardest behaviour item (and very hard) was: I am interested to learn about this child's personal thoughts, feelings and experiences. The difficulties of the items supported the conceptual structure of the variable.

Overview and current management of computerized adaptive testing in licensing/certification examinations.

PubMed

Seo, Dong Gi

2017-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has been implemented in high-stakes examinations such as the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses in the United States since 1994. Subsequently, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States adopted CAT for certifying emergency medical technicians in 2007. This was done with the goal of introducing the implementation of CAT for medical health licensing examinations. Most implementations of CAT are based on item response theory, which hypothesizes that both the examinee and items have their own characteristics that do not change. There are 5 steps for implementing CAT: first, determining whether the CAT approach is feasible for a given testing program; second, establishing an item bank; third, pretesting, calibrating, and linking item parameters via statistical analysis; fourth, determining the specification for the final CAT related to the 5 components of the CAT algorithm; and finally, deploying the final CAT after specifying all the necessary components. The 5 components of the CAT algorithm are as follows: item bank, starting item, item selection rule, scoring procedure, and termination criterion. CAT management includes content balancing, item analysis, item scoring, standard setting, practice analysis, and item bank updates. Remaining issues include the cost of constructing CAT platforms and deploying the computer technology required to build an item bank. In conclusion, in order to ensure more accurate estimations of examinees' ability, CAT may be a good option for national licensing examinations. Measurement theory can support its implementation for high-stakes examinations.

Overview and current management of computerized adaptive testing in licensing/certification examinations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) has been implemented in high-stakes examinations such as the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses in the United States since 1994. Subsequently, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States adopted CAT for certifying emergency medical technicians in 2007. This was done with the goal of introducing the implementation of CAT for medical health licensing examinations. Most implementations of CAT are based on item response theory, which hypothesizes that both the examinee and items have their own characteristics that do not change. There are 5 steps for implementing CAT: first, determining whether the CAT approach is feasible for a given testing program; second, establishing an item bank; third, pretesting, calibrating, and linking item parameters via statistical analysis; fourth, determining the specification for the final CAT related to the 5 components of the CAT algorithm; and finally, deploying the final CAT after specifying all the necessary components. The 5 components of the CAT algorithm are as follows: item bank, starting item, item selection rule, scoring procedure, and termination criterion. CAT management includes content balancing, item analysis, item scoring, standard setting, practice analysis, and item bank updates. Remaining issues include the cost of constructing CAT platforms and deploying the computer technology required to build an item bank. In conclusion, in order to ensure more accurate estimations of examinees’ ability, CAT may be a good option for national licensing examinations. Measurement theory can support its implementation for high-stakes examinations. PMID:28811394

Mission Benefits Analysis of Logistics Reduction Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

2013-01-01

Future space exploration missions will need to use less logistical supplies if humans are to live for longer periods away from our home planet. Anything that can be done to reduce initial mass and volume of supplies or reuse or recycle items that have been launched will be very valuable. Reuse and recycling also reduce the trash burden and associated nuisances, such as smell, but require good systems engineering and operations integration to reap the greatest benefits. A systems analysis was conducted to quantify the mass and volume savings of four different technologies currently under development by NASA s Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing project. Advanced clothing systems lead to savings by direct mass reduction and increased wear duration. Reuse of logistical items, such as packaging, for a second purpose allows fewer items to be launched. A device known as a heat melt compactor drastically reduces the volume of trash, recovers water and produces a stable tile that can be used instead of launching additional radiation protection. The fourth technology, called trash-to-gas, can benefit a mission by supplying fuel such as methane to the propulsion system. This systems engineering work will help improve logistics planning and overall mission architectures by determining the most effective use, and reuse, of all resources.

International Space Station (ISS) 3D Printer Performance and Material Characterization Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bean, Q. A.; Cooper, K. G.; Edmunson, J. E.; Johnston, M. M.; Werkheiser, M. J.

2015-01-01

In order for human exploration of the Solar System to be sustainable, manufacturing of necessary items on-demand in space or on planetary surfaces will be a requirement. As a first step towards this goal, the 3D Printing In Zero-G (3D Print) technology demonstration made the first items fabricated in space on the International Space Station. From those items, and comparable prints made on the ground, information about the microgravity effects on the printing process can be determined. Lessons learned from this technology demonstration will be applicable to other in-space manufacturing technologies, and may affect the terrestrial manufacturing industry as well. The flight samples were received at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center on 6 April 2015. These samples will undergo a series of tests designed to not only thoroughly characterize the samples, but to identify microgravity effects manifested during printing by comparing their results to those of samples printed on the ground. Samples will be visually inspected, photographed, scanned with structured light, and analyzed with scanning electron microscopy. Selected samples will be analyzed with computed tomography; some will be assessed using ASTM standard tests. These tests will provide the information required to determine the effects of microgravity on 3D printing in microgravity.

Are We There Yet? Exploring the Impact of Translating Cognitive Tests for Dementia Using Mobile Technology in an Aging Population.

PubMed

Ruggeri, Kai; Maguire, Áine; Andrews, Jack L; Martin, Eric; Menon, Shantanu

2016-01-01

This study examines implications of the expanded use of mobile platforms in testing cognitive function, and generates evidence on the impact utilizing mobile platforms for dementia screen. The Saint Louis University Mental State examination (SLUMS) was ported onto a computerized mobile application named the Cambridge University Pen to Digital Equivalence assessment (CUPDE). CUPDE was piloted and compared to the traditional pen and paper version, with a common comparator test for both groups. Sixty healthy participants (aged 50-79) completed both measurements. Differences were tested between overall outcomes, individual items, and relationship with the comparator. Significant differences in the overall scores between the two testing versions as well as within individual items were observed. Even when groups were matched by cognitive function and age, scores on SLUMS original version (M = 19.75, SD = 3) were significantly higher than those on CUPDE (M = 15.88, SD = 3.5), t (15) = 3.02, p < 0.01. Mobile platforms require the development of new normative standards, even when items can be directly translated. Furthermore, these must fit aging populations with significant variance in familiarity with mobile technology. Greater understanding of the interplay and related mechanisms between auditory and visual systems, which are not well understood yet in the context of mobile technologies, is mandatory.

Mission Benefits Analysis of Logistics Reduction Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Broyan, James L.

2012-01-01

Future space exploration missions will need to use less logistical supplies if humans are to live for longer periods away from our home planet. Anything that can be done to reduce initial mass and volume of supplies or reuse or recycle items that have been launched will be very valuable. Reuse and recycling also reduce the trash burden and associated nuisances, such as smell, but require good systems engineering and operations integration to reap the greatest benefits. A systems analysis was conducted to quantify the mass and volume savings of four different technologies currently under development by NASA fs Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Logistics Reduction and Repurposing project. Advanced clothing systems lead to savings by direct mass reduction and increased wear duration. Reuse of logistical items, such as packaging, for a second purpose allows fewer items to be launched. A device known as a heat melt compactor drastically reduces the volume of trash, recovers water and produces a stable tile that can be used instead of launching additional radiation protection. The fourth technology, called trash ]to ]supply ]gas, can benefit a mission by supplying fuel such as methane to the propulsion system. This systems engineering work will help improve logistics planning and overall mission architectures by determining the most effective use, and reuse, of all resources.

Professional Development Needs of Idaho Technology Teachers: Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, John G.; Kitchel, Allen; Duncan, Dennis W.; Arnett, Sally E.

2011-01-01

This study's purpose was to identify the teaching and learning professional development needs of [state] secondary technology teachers. Teachers' perceived level of importance and competence for 35 teaching and learning items were used to calculate mean weighted discrepancy scores (MWDS). Approximately 63% (n = 46) of [state] secondary technology…

How We Get Our Daily Bread, or the History of Domestic Technology Revealed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Ruth Schwartz

1998-01-01

Presents the process of making, baking, and delivering bread as an interesting example of how the development and application of technology can make a difference in people's lives. Traces the development of this everyday food item from the earliest cultures to the modern-day kitchen. (MJP)

Collective Protection (COLPRO) Novel Closures Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-28

science and technology programs for future ColPro systems may include interfaces such as novel designs using zippers, hook-and-pile closures, and...necessitate new testing procedures. Additionally, stand- ards of performance must be adjusted as technologies advance. Test procedures and parameters...listed in this TOP may require updating to accommodate new technologies in test items or in test instrumentation. Any variation to the TOP procedures

The POSITIVES Scale: Development and Validation of a Measure of How Well the Information and Communication Technology Needs of Students with Disabilities Are Being Met

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Nguyen, Mai N.; Budd, Jillian; Amsel, Rhonda

2010-01-01

Data on perceptions of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities about how well their information and communication technology (ICT) needs are being met on and off campus were collected. These formed the basis for the POSITIVES Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which…

Dipole Models for UXO Discrimination at Live Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

Discriminator CCR Combined Classifier Ranking cm Centimeter(s) EM Electromagnetic EMI Electromagnetic Induction ESTCP Environmental Security Technology...fraction of the anomalies as arising from non-hazardous items that could be safely left in the ground. Of particular note, the contractor EM -61-MK2 cart...use of classification metrics applied to production quality EM - 61 data, it was possible to significantly reduce the number of clutter items excavated

Using Psychometric Technology in Educational Assessment: The Case of a Schema-Based Isomorphic Approach to the Automatic Generation of Quantitative Reasoning Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendasy, Martin; Sommer, Markus

2007-01-01

This article deals with the investigation of the psychometric quality and constructs validity of algebra word problems generated by means of a schema-based version of the automatic min-max approach. Based on review of the research literature in algebra word problem solving and automatic item generation this new approach is introduced as a…

ICT Learning Experience and Research Orientation as Predictors of ICT Skills and the ICT Use of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verhoeven, Jef C.; Heerwegh, Dirk; De Wit, Kurt

2016-01-01

Since our first studies of information and communications technology (ICT) skills and ICT use at universities in 2004, ICT and its use by students has changed greatly. In order to obtain a more detailed picture of ICT skills, we first construct a new instrument to measure the self-perception of ICT skills (49 items) and of ICT use (53 items) by…

Shallow Water UXO Technology Demonstration Site Scoring Record No. 5 (NAEVA/XTECH, EM61 MKII)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

been fired or degaussed. Clutter items fit into one of three categories: ferrous, nonferrous , and mixed metals . The ferrous and nonferrous ...electromagnetic (EM) metal detectors . The system was relatively lightweight, requiring a small aluminum boat for towing. This configuration should...composed of ordnance components; however, industrial scrap metal and cultural items are present as well. The mixed- metals clutter is composed of

Reliability of a computer and Internet survey (Computer User Profile) used by adults with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI).

PubMed

Kilov, Andrea M; Togher, Leanne; Power, Emma

2015-01-01

To determine test-re-test reliability of the 'Computer User Profile' (CUP) in people with and without TBI. The CUP was administered on two occasions to people with and without TBI. The CUP investigated the nature and frequency of participants' computer and Internet use. Intra-class correlation coefficients and kappa coefficients were conducted to measure reliability of individual CUP items. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize content of responses. Sixteen adults with TBI and 40 adults without TBI were included in the study. All participants were reliable in reporting demographic information, frequency of social communication and leisure activities and computer/Internet habits and usage. Adults with TBI were reliable in 77% of their responses to survey items. Adults without TBI were reliable in 88% of their responses to survey items. The CUP was practical and valuable in capturing information about social, leisure, communication and computer/Internet habits of people with and without TBI. Adults without TBI scored more items with satisfactory reliability overall in their surveys. Future studies may include larger samples and could also include an exploration of how people with/without TBI use other digital communication technologies. This may provide further information on determining technology readiness for people with TBI in therapy programmes.

Validation of an instrument to measure students' motivation and self-regulation towards technology learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Pey-Yan; Kuo, Pei-Jung

2014-05-01

Background:Few studies have examined students' attitudinal perceptions of technology. There is no appropriate instrument to measure senior high school students' motivation and self-regulation toward technology learning among the current existing instruments in the field of technology education. Purpose:The present study is to validate an instrument for assessing senior high school students' motivation and self-regulation towards technology learning. Sample:A total of 1822 Taiwanese senior high school students (1020 males and 802 females) responded to the newly developed instrument. Design and method:The Motivation and Self-regulation towards Technology Learning (MSRTL) instrument was developed based on the previous instruments measuring students' motivation and self-regulation towards science learning. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were utilized to investigate the structure of the items. Cronbach's alpha was applied for measuring the internal consistency of each scale. Furthermore, multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine gender differences. Results:Seven scales, including 'Technology learning self-efficacy,' 'Technology learning value,' 'Technology active learning strategies,' 'Technology learning environment stimulation,' 'Technology learning goal-orientation,' 'Technology learning self-regulation-triggering,' and 'Technology learning self-regulation-implementing' were confirmed for the MSRTL instrument. Moreover, the results also showed that male and female students did not present the same degree of preference in all of the scales. Conclusions:The MSRTL instrument composed of seven scales corresponding to 39 items was shown to be valid based on validity and reliability analyses. While male students tended to express more positive and active performance in the motivation scales, no gender differences were found in the self-regulation scales.

[A Terahertz Spectral Database Based on Browser/Server Technique].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhuo-yong; Song, Yue

2015-09-01

With the solution of key scientific and technical problems and development of instrumentation, the application of terahertz technology in various fields has been paid more and more attention. Owing to the unique characteristic advantages, terahertz technology has been showing a broad future in the fields of fast, non-damaging detections, as well as many other fields. Terahertz technology combined with other complementary methods can be used to cope with many difficult practical problems which could not be solved before. One of the critical points for further development of practical terahertz detection methods depends on a good and reliable terahertz spectral database. We developed a BS (browser/server) -based terahertz spectral database recently. We designed the main structure and main functions to fulfill practical requirements. The terahertz spectral database now includes more than 240 items, and the spectral information was collected based on three sources: (1) collection and citation from some other abroad terahertz spectral databases; (2) collected from published literatures; and (3) spectral data measured in our laboratory. The present paper introduced the basic structure and fundament functions of the terahertz spectral database developed in our laboratory. One of the key functions of this THz database is calculation of optical parameters. Some optical parameters including absorption coefficient, refractive index, etc. can be calculated based on the input THz time domain spectra. The other main functions and searching methods of the browser/server-based terahertz spectral database have been discussed. The database search system can provide users convenient functions including user registration, inquiry, displaying spectral figures and molecular structures, spectral matching, etc. The THz database system provides an on-line searching function for registered users. Registered users can compare the input THz spectrum with the spectra of database, according to the obtained correlation coefficient one can perform the searching task very fast and conveniently. Our terahertz spectral database can be accessed at http://www.teralibrary.com. The proposed terahertz spectral database is based on spectral information so far, and will be improved in the future. We hope this terahertz spectral database can provide users powerful, convenient, and high efficient functions, and could promote the broader applications of terahertz technology.

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

23 CFR 636.204 - What items may be included in a phase-one solicitation?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTING Selection Procedures, Award Criteria § 636.204... perform (including key personnel); and (iii) Past performance of the members of the offeror's team...

Implementing a bar-code assisted medication administration system: effects on the dispensing process and user perceptions.

PubMed

Samaranayake, N R; Cheung, S T D; Cheng, K; Lai, K; Chui, W C M; Cheung, B M Y

2014-06-01

We assessed the effects of a bar-code assisted medication administration system used without the support of computerised prescribing (stand-alone BCMA), on the dispensing process and its users. The stand-alone BCMA system was implemented in one ward of a teaching hospital. The number of dispensing steps, dispensing time and potential dispensing errors (PDEs) were directly observed one month before and eight months after the intervention. Attitudes of pharmacy and nursing staff were assessed using a questionnaire (Likert scale) and interviews. Among 1291 and 471 drug items observed before and after the introduction of the technology respectively, the number of dispensing steps increased from five to eight and time (standard deviation) to dispense one drug item by one staff personnel increased from 0.8 (0.09) to 1.5 (0.12) min. Among 2828 and 471 drug items observed before and after the intervention respectively, the number of PDEs increased significantly (P<0.001). 'Procedural errors' and 'missing drug items' were the frequently observed PDEs in the after study. 'Perceived usefulness' and 'job relevance' of the technology decreased significantly (P=0.003 and P=0.004 respectively) among users who participated in the before (N=16) and after (N=16) questionnaires surveys. Among the interviewees, pharmacy staff felt that the system offered less benefit to the dispensing process (9/16). Nursing staff perceived the system as useful in improving the accuracy of drug administration (7/10). Implementing a stand-alone BCMA system may slow down and complicate the dispensing process. Nursing staff believe the stand-alone BCMA system could improve the drug administration process but pharmacy staff believes the technology would be more helpful if supported by computerised prescribing. However, periodical assessments are needed to identify weaknesses in the process after implementation, and all users should be educated on the benefits of using this technology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement errors in voice-key naming latency for Hiragana.

PubMed

Yamada, Jun; Tamaoka, Katsuo

2003-12-01

This study makes explicit the limitations and possibilities of voice-key naming latency research on single hiragana symbols (a Japanese syllabic script) by examining three sets of voice-key naming data against Sakuma, Fushimi, and Tatsumi's 1997 speech-analyzer voice-waveform data. Analysis showed that voice-key measurement errors can be substantial in standard procedures as they may conceal the true effects of significant variables involved in hiragana-naming behavior. While one can avoid voice-key measurement errors to some extent by applying Sakuma, et al.'s deltas and by excluding initial phonemes which induce measurement errors, such errors may be ignored when test items are words and other higher-level linguistic materials.

On determining specifications and selections of alternative technologies for airport checked-baggage security screening.

PubMed

Feng, Qianmei

2007-10-01

Federal law mandates that every checked bag at all commercial airports be screened by explosive detection systems (EDS), explosive trace detection systems (ETD), or alternative technologies. These technologies serve as critical components of airport security systems that strive to reduce security risks at both national and global levels. To improve the operational efficiency and airport security, emerging image-based technologies have been developed, such as dual-energy X-ray (DX), backscatter X-ray (BX), and multiview tomography (MVT). These technologies differ widely in purchasing cost, maintenance cost, operating cost, processing rate, and accuracy. Based on a mathematical framework that takes into account all these factors, this article investigates two critical issues for operating screening devices: setting specifications for continuous security responses by different technologies; and selecting technology or combination of technologies for efficient 100% baggage screening. For continuous security responses, specifications or thresholds are used for classifying threat items from nonthreat items. By investigating the setting of specifications on system security responses, this article assesses the risk and cost effectiveness of various technologies for both single-device and two-device systems. The findings provide the best selection of image-based technologies for both single-device and two-device systems. Our study suggests that two-device systems outperform single-device systems in terms of both cost effectiveness and accuracy. The model can be readily extended to evaluate risk and cost effectiveness of multiple-device systems for airport checked-baggage security screening.

Overview of Megaprogramming Course: Lectures and Exercises. Version 02. 00.03

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

schedule to be presented (e.g., so it looks like a calendar or just a list for each day followed by the time) It might be useftl to have a separate text ...machines, yet enough differences, that it makes sense to study their similarities and differences. "* What would the domain engineer do in this domain...of the item, followed by the ENTER key. If you need help, press the F1 key. You can use the backspace key to remove the last character you typed. When

Item Anomaly Detection Based on Dynamic Partition for Time Series in Recommender Systems

PubMed Central

Gao, Min; Tian, Renli; Wen, Junhao; Xiong, Qingyu; Ling, Bin; Yang, Linda

2015-01-01

In recent years, recommender systems have become an effective method to process information overload. However, recommendation technology still suffers from many problems. One of the problems is shilling attacks-attackers inject spam user profiles to disturb the list of recommendation items. There are two characteristics of all types of shilling attacks: 1) Item abnormality: The rating of target items is always maximum or minimum; and 2) Attack promptness: It takes only a very short period time to inject attack profiles. Some papers have proposed item anomaly detection methods based on these two characteristics, but their detection rate, false alarm rate, and universality need to be further improved. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an item anomaly detection method based on dynamic partitioning for time series. This method first dynamically partitions item-rating time series based on important points. Then, we use chi square distribution (χ2) to detect abnormal intervals. The experimental results on MovieLens 100K and 1M indicate that this approach has a high detection rate and a low false alarm rate and is stable toward different attack models and filler sizes. PMID:26267477

Item Anomaly Detection Based on Dynamic Partition for Time Series in Recommender Systems.

PubMed

Gao, Min; Tian, Renli; Wen, Junhao; Xiong, Qingyu; Ling, Bin; Yang, Linda

2015-01-01

In recent years, recommender systems have become an effective method to process information overload. However, recommendation technology still suffers from many problems. One of the problems is shilling attacks-attackers inject spam user profiles to disturb the list of recommendation items. There are two characteristics of all types of shilling attacks: 1) Item abnormality: The rating of target items is always maximum or minimum; and 2) Attack promptness: It takes only a very short period time to inject attack profiles. Some papers have proposed item anomaly detection methods based on these two characteristics, but their detection rate, false alarm rate, and universality need to be further improved. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an item anomaly detection method based on dynamic partitioning for time series. This method first dynamically partitions item-rating time series based on important points. Then, we use chi square distribution (χ2) to detect abnormal intervals. The experimental results on MovieLens 100K and 1M indicate that this approach has a high detection rate and a low false alarm rate and is stable toward different attack models and filler sizes.

Ontology-Based Multiple Choice Question Generation

PubMed Central

Al-Yahya, Maha

2014-01-01

With recent advancements in Semantic Web technologies, a new trend in MCQ item generation has emerged through the use of ontologies. Ontologies are knowledge representation structures that formally describe entities in a domain and their relationships, thus enabling automated inference and reasoning. Ontology-based MCQ item generation is still in its infancy, but substantial research efforts are being made in the field. However, the applicability of these models for use in an educational setting has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this paper, we present an experimental evaluation of an ontology-based MCQ item generation system known as OntoQue. The evaluation was conducted using two different domain ontologies. The findings of this study show that ontology-based MCQ generation systems produce satisfactory MCQ items to a certain extent. However, the evaluation also revealed a number of shortcomings with current ontology-based MCQ item generation systems with regard to the educational significance of an automatically constructed MCQ item, the knowledge level it addresses, and its language structure. Furthermore, for the task to be successful in producing high-quality MCQ items for learning assessments, this study suggests a novel, holistic view that incorporates learning content, learning objectives, lexical knowledge, and scenarios into a single cohesive framework. PMID:24982937

Evaluating the healthiness of chain-restaurant menu items using crowdsourcing: a new method.

PubMed

Lesser, Lenard I; Wu, Leslie; Matthiessen, Timothy B; Luft, Harold S

2017-01-01

To develop a technology-based method for evaluating the nutritional quality of chain-restaurant menus to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of large-scale data analysis of food items. Using a Modified Nutrient Profiling Index (MNPI), we assessed chain-restaurant items from the MenuStat database with a process involving three steps: (i) testing 'extreme' scores; (ii) crowdsourcing to analyse fruit, nut and vegetable (FNV) amounts; and (iii) analysis of the ambiguous items by a registered dietitian. In applying the approach to assess 22 422 foods, only 3566 could not be scored automatically based on MenuStat data and required further evaluation to determine healthiness. Items for which there was low agreement between trusted crowd workers, or where the FNV amount was estimated to be >40 %, were sent to a registered dietitian. Crowdsourcing was able to evaluate 3199, leaving only 367 to be reviewed by the registered dietitian. Overall, 7 % of items were categorized as healthy. The healthiest category was soups (26 % healthy), while desserts were the least healthy (2 % healthy). An algorithm incorporating crowdsourcing and a dietitian can quickly and efficiently analyse restaurant menus, allowing public health researchers to analyse the healthiness of menu items.

Automated Item Generation with Recurrent Neural Networks.

PubMed

von Davier, Matthias

2018-03-12

Utilizing technology for automated item generation is not a new idea. However, test items used in commercial testing programs or in research are still predominantly written by humans, in most cases by content experts or professional item writers. Human experts are a limited resource and testing agencies incur high costs in the process of continuous renewal of item banks to sustain testing programs. Using algorithms instead holds the promise of providing unlimited resources for this crucial part of assessment development. The approach presented here deviates in several ways from previous attempts to solve this problem. In the past, automatic item generation relied either on generating clones of narrowly defined item types such as those found in language free intelligence tests (e.g., Raven's progressive matrices) or on an extensive analysis of task components and derivation of schemata to produce items with pre-specified variability that are hoped to have predictable levels of difficulty. It is somewhat unlikely that researchers utilizing these previous approaches would look at the proposed approach with favor; however, recent applications of machine learning show success in solving tasks that seemed impossible for machines not too long ago. The proposed approach uses deep learning to implement probabilistic language models, not unlike what Google brain and Amazon Alexa use for language processing and generation.

Innovative testing of spatial ability: interactive responding and the use of complex stimuli material.

PubMed

Jelínek, Martin; Květon, Petr; Vobořil, Dalibor

2015-02-01

Despite initial expectations, which have emerged with the advancement of computer technology over the last decade of the twentieth century, scientific literature does not contain many relevant references regarding the development and use of innovative items in psychological testing. Our study presents and evaluates two novel item types. One item type is derived from a standard schematic test item used for the assessment of the spatial perception aspect of spatial ability, enhanced by an interactive response module. The performance on this item type is correlated with the performance on its paper and pencil counterpart. The other innovative item type used complex stimuli in the form of a short video of a ride through a city presented in an on-route perspective, which is intended to measure navigation skills and the ability to keep oneself oriented in space. In this case, the scores were related to the capacity of visuo-spatial working memory and also to the overall score in the paper/pencil test of spatial ability. The second relationship was moderated by gender.

Assessment of RFID Read Accuracy for ISS Water Kit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Andrew

2011-01-01

The Space Life Sciences Directorate/Medical Informatics and Health Care Systems Branch (SD4) is assessing the benefits Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for tracking items flown onboard the International Space Station (ISS). As an initial study, the Avionic Systems Division Electromagnetic Systems Branch (EV4) is collaborating with SD4 to affix RFID tags to a water kit supplied by SD4 and studying the read success rate of the tagged items. The tagged water kit inside a Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB) was inventoried using three different RFID technologies, including the Johnson Space Center Building 14 Wireless Habitat Test Bed RFID portal, an RFID hand-held reader being targeted for use on board the ISS, and an RFID enclosure designed and prototyped by EV4.

Failure to Rescue, Rescue Surgery and Centralization of Postoperative Complications: A Challenge for General and Acute Care Surgeons.

PubMed

Zago, Mauro; Bozzo, Samantha; Carrara, Giulia; Mariani, Diego

2017-01-01

To explore the current literature on the failure to rescue and rescue surgery concepts, to identify the key items for decreasing the failure to rescue rate and improve outcome, to verify if there is a rationale for centralization of patients suffering postoperative complications. There is a growing awareness about the need to assess and measure the failure to rescue rate, on institutional, regional and national basis. Many factors affect failure to rescue, and all should be individually analyzed and considered. Rescue surgery is one of these factors. Rescue surgery assumes an acute care surgery background. Measurement of failure to rescue rate should become a standard for quality improvement programs. Implementation of all clinical and organizational items involved is the key for better outcomes. Preparedness for rescue surgery is a main pillar in this process. Centralization of management, audit, and communication are important as much as patient centralization. Celsius.

The importance of content and face validity in instrument development: lessons learnt from service users when developing the Recovering Quality of Life measure (ReQoL).

PubMed

Connell, Janice; Carlton, Jill; Grundy, Andrew; Taylor Buck, Elizabeth; Keetharuth, Anju Devianee; Ricketts, Thomas; Barkham, Michael; Robotham, Dan; Rose, Diana; Brazier, John

2018-07-01

Service user involvement in instrument development is increasingly recognised as important, but is often not done and seldom reported. This has adverse implications for the content validity of a measure. The aim of this paper is to identify the types of items that service users felt were important to be included or excluded from a new Recovering Quality of Life measure for people with mental health difficulties. Potential items were presented to service users in face-to-face structured individual interviews and focus groups. The items were primarily taken or adapted from current measures and covered themes identified from earlier qualitative work as being important to quality of life. Content and thematic analysis was undertaken to identify the types of items which were either important or unacceptable to service users. We identified five key themes of the types of items that service users found acceptable or unacceptable; the items should be relevant and meaningful, unambiguous, easy to answer particularly when distressed, do not cause further upset, and be non-judgemental. Importantly, this was from the perspective of the service user. This research has underlined the importance of service users' views on the acceptability and validity of items for use in developing a new measure. Whether or not service users favoured an item was associated with their ability or intention to respond accurately and honestly to the item which will impact on the validity and sensitivity of the measure.

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development

PubMed Central

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A’Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

Purpose To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Materials and methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Results Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. Conclusion The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey. PMID:27621678

Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making.

China Report, Science and Technology, No. 188

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-18

parenthetical notes within the body of an item originate with the source. Times within items are as given by source. The contents of this publication in...the model-oriented algorithm and, especially,.this system does not need the time -consuming work of mathematical statistics during summarization of the...the fact that the users can see the samples at the exibit, several times the number of expected orders have been taken to demon- strate that a

RFID Meets GWOT: Considering a New Technology for a New Kind of War

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

creating a tag that will enable commuters to travel conveniently throughout the city’s subway system. While these items have yet to come, they are... food items that will let your refrigerator know what is missing inside. In turn, your refrigerator will communicate to your cell phone that you need...regular routines. Additionally, businesses reopened and outside investors sought new opportunities as they brought the island’s first franchise

The Pervasiveness and Impact of Electronic Communication Technologies in Organizations: A Survey of Major American Corporations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hellweg, Susan A.; And Others

A survey of the Fortune 500 corporations was conducted to ascertain the pervasiveness and perceived impact of five electronic communication technologies (electronic mail, videotex, interactive computers, video teleconferencing, and word processing). Ninety-four corporations responded to a 53-item questionnaire and follow-up survey. Analysis of the…

22 CFR 121.16 - Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... modified therefor, as follows, except as provided in Note (1) below for those designed for non-weapon... function of time. Item 10—Category II Flight control systems and “technology” as follows; designed or... control equipment, (see § 121.1, Category IV, (c) and (h)); (c) Design technology for integration of air...

22 CFR 121.16 - Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... modified therefor, as follows, except as provided in Note (1) below for those designed for non-weapon... function of time. Item 10—Category II Flight control systems and “technology” as follows; designed or... control equipment, (see § 121.1, Category IV, (c) and (h)); (c) Design technology for integration of air...

22 CFR 121.16 - Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... modified therefor, as follows, except as provided in Note (1) below for those designed for non-weapon... function of time. Item 10—Category II Flight control systems and “technology” as follows; designed or... control equipment, (see § 121.1, Category IV, (c) and (h)); (c) Design technology for integration of air...

22 CFR 121.16 - Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... modified therefor, as follows, except as provided in Note (1) below for those designed for non-weapon... function of time. Item 10—Category II Flight control systems and “technology” as follows; designed or... control equipment, (see § 121.1, Category IV, (c) and (h)); (c) Design technology for integration of air...

22 CFR 121.16 - Missile Technology Control Regime Annex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... modified therefor, as follows, except as provided in Note (1) below for those designed for non-weapon... function of time. Item 10—Category II Flight control systems and “technology” as follows; designed or... control equipment, (see § 121.1, Category IV, (c) and (h)); (c) Design technology for integration of air...

An Investigation of the Relationships among Technology Experiences, Communication Apprehension, Writing Apprehension and Computer Anxiety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDowell, Earl E.; Schuelke, L. David

This study explored the relationships among communication technologies, communication apprehension, writing apprehension, and computer anxiety. Participants were 130 students from a variety of undergraduate oral communication classes in a large midwestern university who completed a modified form, 10 items, of McCroskey's Personal Report of…

76 FR 33166 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS); Warranty Tracking of Serialized Items...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

... Acquisition, Technology and Logistics dated February 6, 2007, which required definition of the requirements to... Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics issued a policy memorandum dated February 6, 2007, which... Changes Required During the final rule development, DoD restructured the layout of the rule to reduce...

TRAPPED: Technology as a Barrier to Leaving an Abusive Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halligan, Caitlin; Knox, David; Brinkley, Jason

2013-01-01

A 42 item Internet questionnaire was completed by 259 undergraduates at a large southeastern university designed to assess the degree to which individuals involved in abusive relationships would report that technology in the form of text messages, email, and Facebook would impair their ability to terminate the relationship. Almost sixty percent…

The Quest for Space--CD-ROM and Capacity Constraints.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, David

1997-01-01

Examines the current status of optical technology, in particular the CD-ROM and its projected obsolescence due to DVD technology. The article focuses on the recent COBUILD release, addressing the rationale for integrating the learning of prefabricated items and collocations into the language learning syllabus. A unifying theme of this article is…

The Promise of NLP and Speech Processing Technologies in Language Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapelle, Carol A.; Chung, Yoo-Ree

2010-01-01

Advances in natural language processing (NLP) and automatic speech recognition and processing technologies offer new opportunities for language testing. Despite their potential uses on a range of language test item types, relatively little work has been done in this area, and it is therefore not well understood by test developers, researchers or…

Self-Service Charge Systems: Current Technological Applications and Their Implications for the Future Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mardikian, Jackie

1995-01-01

Discusses a possible shift to self-service check-out systems for academic library patrons. Provides an annotated bibliography of 51 items that discuss the impact of self-service technology on the quality of service and customer satisfaction in libraries, service sectors, banking, and the vending industry. (LRW)