49 CFR Appendix B to Part 242 - Procedures for Submission and Approval of Conductor Certification Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... are voluntary or mandatory. Time and circumstances have the capacity to diminish both abstract knowledge and the proper application of that knowledge to discrete events. Time and circumstances also have.... In formulating how it will use the discretion being afforded, each railroad must design its program...

49 CFR Appendix B to Part 242 - Procedures for Submission and Approval of Conductor Certification Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... are voluntary or mandatory. Time and circumstances have the capacity to diminish both abstract knowledge and the proper application of that knowledge to discrete events. Time and circumstances also have.... In formulating how it will use the discretion being afforded, each railroad must design its program...

49 CFR Appendix B to Part 242 - Procedures for Submission and Approval of Conductor Certification Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... are voluntary or mandatory. Time and circumstances have the capacity to diminish both abstract knowledge and the proper application of that knowledge to discrete events. Time and circumstances also have.... In formulating how it will use the discretion being afforded, each railroad must design its program...

22 CFR Appendix B to Part 62 - Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) 13. I certify that information given in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I have completed appropriate information on reverse of this form. Signature of... prior to filling out this data). 6-7. Complete information on program sponsor. 8-11. Complete...

22 CFR Appendix B to Part 62 - Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) 13. I certify that information given in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I have completed appropriate information on reverse of this form. Signature of... prior to filling out this data). 6-7. Complete information on program sponsor. 8-11. Complete...

22 CFR Appendix B to Part 62 - Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) 13. I certify that information given in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I have completed appropriate information on reverse of this form. Signature of... prior to filling out this data). 6-7. Complete information on program sponsor. 8-11. Complete...

22 CFR Appendix B to Part 62 - Exchange Visitor Program Services, Exchange-Visitor Program Application

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) 13. I certify that information given in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I have completed appropriate information on reverse of this form. Signature of... prior to filling out this data). 6-7. Complete information on program sponsor. 8-11. Complete...

49 CFR 1548.11 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...; (2) Applicable Security Directives and Information Circulars; (3) The approved airport security... Directives and Information Circulars; (4) The approved airport security program(s) applicable to their... security-related duties. 1548.11 Section 1548.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to...

49 CFR 1548.11 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...; (2) Applicable Security Directives and Information Circulars; (3) The approved airport security... Directives and Information Circulars; (4) The approved airport security program(s) applicable to their... security-related duties. 1548.11 Section 1548.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to...

49 CFR 1548.11 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...; (2) Applicable Security Directives and Information Circulars; (3) The approved airport security... Directives and Information Circulars; (4) The approved airport security program(s) applicable to their... security-related duties. 1548.11 Section 1548.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to...

49 CFR 1548.11 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...; (2) Applicable Security Directives and Information Circulars; (3) The approved airport security... Directives and Information Circulars; (4) The approved airport security program(s) applicable to their... security-related duties. 1548.11 Section 1548.11 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to...

Can We Get Faculty Interviewers on the Same Page? An Examination of a Structured Interview Course for Surgeons.

PubMed

Gardner, Aimee K; D'Onofrio, Brenna C; Dunkin, Brian J

Guidance on how to train faculty to conduct structured interviews and implement them into current screening processes is lacking. The goal of this study is to describe a structured interview training program designed specifically for surgeons and examine its effectiveness. Faculty involved in advanced surgical fellowship interviews completed a 20-item knowledge assessment and video-based applicant interview ratings before taking a half-day course on conducting structured interviews. The course consisted of evidence-based strategies and methods for conducting structured interviews, asking questions, and rating applicants in a highly interactive format. After the course, faculty again completed the knowledge assessment and provided ratings for 3 video-based applicant interviews. All faculty members (N = 5) responsible for selecting fellows in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery completed the training. Faculty had an average of 15.8 ± 9.12 years in practice. Average performance on the precourse knowledge assessment was 35% ± 6.12% and the group was unable to achieve acceptable agreement for applicant interview scores for any of the competencies assessed. After the course, faculty demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.01) on the knowledge assessment, more than doubling their scores on the pretest with average scores of 80% ± 9.35%. Faculty also improved their interrater agreement of applicant competency, with 80% of the applicant interview ratings within 2 points of each other. Implementation of a half-day course designed to teach principles and skills around structured interviewing and assessment demonstrated significant improvements in both interviewing knowledge and interrater agreement. These findings support the time and resources required to develop and implement a structured interview training program for surgeons for the postgraduate admissions process. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

49 CFR Appendix to Subpart G of... - Required Knowledge and Skills-Sample Guidelines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... knowledge and skills tests that it administers to CDL applicants. This appendix closely follows the... discretion provided their CDL program tests for the general areas of knowledge and skill specified in §§ 383.111 and 383.113. Examples of specific knowledge elements (a) Safe operations regulations. Driver...

Reuse: A knowledge-based approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iscoe, Neil; Liu, Zheng-Yang; Feng, Guohui

1992-01-01

This paper describes our research in automating the reuse process through the use of application domain models. Application domain models are explicit formal representations of the application knowledge necessary to understand, specify, and generate application programs. Furthermore, they provide a unified repository for the operational structure, rules, policies, and constraints of a specific application area. In our approach, domain models are expressed in terms of a transaction-based meta-modeling language. This paper has described in detail the creation and maintenance of hierarchical structures. These structures are created through a process that includes reverse engineering of data models with supplementary enhancement from application experts. Source code is also reverse engineered but is not a major source of domain model instantiation at this time. In the second phase of the software synthesis process, program specifications are interactively synthesized from an instantiated domain model. These specifications are currently integrated into a manual programming process but will eventually be used to derive executable code with mechanically assisted transformations. This research is performed within the context of programming-in-the-large types of systems. Although our goals are ambitious, we are implementing the synthesis system in an incremental manner through which we can realize tangible results. The client/server architecture is capable of supporting 16 simultaneous X/Motif users and tens of thousands of attributes and classes. Domain models have been partially synthesized from five different application areas. As additional domain models are synthesized and additional knowledge is gathered, we will inevitably add to and modify our representation. However, our current experience indicates that it will scale and expand to meet our modeling needs.

PCK: How Teachers Transform Subject Matter Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veal, William R.; van Driel, Jan; Hulshof, Hans

2001-01-01

Review of book on the concept of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), including chapters reviewing an extensive body of research on the knowledge base for teaching, especially science, and the application of PCK to the design of elementary and secondary school science teacher-education programs. (PKP)

Transfer Entails Communication: The Public Understanding of (Social) Science as a Stage and a Play for Implementing Evidence-Based Prevention Knowledge and Programs.

PubMed

Bromme, Rainer; Beelmann, Andreas

2018-04-01

Many social science-based interventions entail the transfer of evidence-based knowledge to the "target population," because the acquisition and the acceptance of that knowledge are necessary for the intended improvement of behavior or development. Furthermore, the application of a certain prevention program is often legitimated by a reference to science-based reasons such as an evaluation according to scientific standards. Hence, any implementation of evidence-based knowledge and programs is embedded in the public understanding of (social) science. Based on recent research on such public understanding of science, we shall discuss transfer as a process of science communication.

The Compubus Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klimko, Ivan P.

The Computer Bus Program (Compubus Program) of the Modesto City Schools (California) was evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the computer literacy program for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students at eight elementary compensatory education schools. The program provided instruction on computer vocabulary, knowledge, and applications in a…

WisDOT research program : 2012 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

WisDOT manages a $3.9 million program for research, library and technology transfer services. The program provides applied research solutions and knowledge transfer to support the wide array of topics, modes and applications across the department. : ...

Perceptions of Transition into College through Acquisition, Transfer and Application of Knowledge Gained in Youth Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheder, Catherine M.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored lived experiences of eight youth-camp alumni who were enrolled in colleges. This study was grounded in four paradigms: knowledge application, positive youth development (PYD), personal skills, and social integration. The key findings of this study were transfer of learning between skills learned in youth programs…

Construction of dynamic stochastic simulation models using knowledge-based techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. Douglas; Shiva, Sajjan G.

1990-01-01

Over the past three decades, computer-based simulation models have proven themselves to be cost-effective alternatives to the more structured deterministic methods of systems analysis. During this time, many techniques, tools and languages for constructing computer-based simulation models have been developed. More recently, advances in knowledge-based system technology have led many researchers to note the similarities between knowledge-based programming and simulation technologies and to investigate the potential application of knowledge-based programming techniques to simulation modeling. The integration of conventional simulation techniques with knowledge-based programming techniques is discussed to provide a development environment for constructing knowledge-based simulation models. A comparison of the techniques used in the construction of dynamic stochastic simulation models and those used in the construction of knowledge-based systems provides the requirements for the environment. This leads to the design and implementation of a knowledge-based simulation development environment. These techniques were used in the construction of several knowledge-based simulation models including the Advanced Launch System Model (ALSYM).

A study of mapping exogenous knowledge representations into CONFIG

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayfield, Blayne E.

1992-01-01

Qualitative reasoning is reasoning with a small set of qualitative values that is an abstraction of a larger and perhaps infinite set of quantitative values. The use of qualitative and quantitative reasoning together holds great promise for performance improvement in applications that suffer from large and/or imprecise knowledge domains. Included among these applications are the modeling, simulation, analysis, and fault diagnosis of physical systems. Several research groups continue to discover and experiment with new qualitative representations and reasoning techniques. However, due to the diversity of these techniques, it is difficult for the programs produced to exchange system models easily. The availability of mappings to transform knowledge from the form used by one of these programs to that used by another would open the doors for comparative analysis of these programs in areas such as completeness, correctness, and performance. A group at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) is working to develop CONFIG, a prototype qualitative modeling, simulation, and analysis tool for fault diagnosis applications in the U.S. space program. The availability of knowledge mappings from the programs produced by other research groups to CONFIG may provide savings in CONFIG's development costs and time, and may improve CONFIG's performance. The study of such mappings is the purpose of the research described in this paper. Two other research groups that have worked with the JSC group in the past are the Northwest University Group and the University of Texas at Austin Group. The former has produced a qualitative reasoning tool named SIMGEN, and the latter has produced one named QSIM. Another program produced by the Austin group is CC, a preprocessor that permits users to develop input for eventual use by QSIM, but in a more natural format. CONFIG and CC are both based on a component-connection ontology, so a mapping from CC's knowledge representation to CONFIG's knowledge representation was chosen as the focus of this study. A mapping from CC to CONFIG was developed. Due to differences between the two programs, however, the mapping transforms some of the CC knowledge to CONFIG as documentation rather than as knowledge in a form useful to computation. The study suggests that it may be worthwhile to pursue the mappings further. By implementing the mapping as a program, actual comparisons of computational efficiency and quality of results can be made between the QSIM and CONFIG programs. A secondary study may reveal that the results of the two programs augment one another, contradict one another, or differ only slightly. If the latter, the qualitative reasoning techniques may be compared in other areas, such as computational efficiency.

Lessons learned and their application to program development and cultural issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Gilbert L.

1991-01-01

The knowledge used today is contained in an untold number of technical and managerial handbooks. This knowledge is derived from the known strengths and weaknesses experienced during the execution of programs and projects that are being used today. The purpose is to stir up thought, not on specific experiences, but on implementation of lessons learned from these experiences.

Applications of artificial intelligence V; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, May 18-20, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilmore, John F. (Editor)

1987-01-01

The papers contained in this volume focus on current trends in applications of artificial intelligence. Topics discussed include expert systems, image understanding, artificial intelligence tools, knowledge-based systems, heuristic systems, manufacturing applications, and image analysis. Papers are presented on expert system issues in automated, autonomous space vehicle rendezvous; traditional versus rule-based programming techniques; applications to the control of optional flight information; methodology for evaluating knowledge-based systems; and real-time advisory system for airborne early warning.

Creating an AI modeling application for designers and developers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houlette, Ryan; Fu, Daniel; Jensen, Randy

2003-09-01

Simulation developers often realize an entity's AI by writing a program that exhibits the intended behavior. These behaviors are often the product of design documents written by designers. These individuals, while possessing a vast knowledge of the subject matter, might not have any programming knowledge whatsoever. To address this disconnect between design and subsequent development, we have created an AI application whereby a designer or developer sketches an entity's AI using a graphical "drag and drop" interface to quickly articulate behavior using a UML-like representation of state charts. Aside from the design-level benefits, the application also features a runtime engine that takes the application's data as input along with a simulation or game interface, and makes the AI operational. We discuss our experience in creating such an application for both designer and developer.

Narrative Reproduction in Preschoolers after the Application of an Inductive Reasoning Training Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manavopoulos, Konstantin; Tzouriadou, Maria

1998-01-01

Investigated whether preschoolers had acquired event knowledge schemata, and the impact of an inductive reasoning training program on knowledge transfer in story recall tasks. Found that inductive reasoning training led to knowledge transfer in kindergartners but had only minor influence on prekindergartners. (Author/KB)

77 FR 71822 - Notice of Invitation-Coal Exploration License Application MTM 103852, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-04

...] Notice of Invitation--Coal Exploration License Application MTM 103852, MT AGENCY: Bureau of Land... Ambre Energy on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by... program is to gain additional geologic knowledge of the coal underlying the exploration area for the...

Use of e-learning in clinical clerkships: effects on acquisition of dermatological knowledge and learning processes.

PubMed

Fransen, Frederike; Martens, Herm; Nagtzaam, Ivo; Heeneman, Sylvia

2018-01-17

To obtain a deeper understanding of how the e-learning program, Education in Dermatology (ED), affects the acquisition of dermatological knowledge and the underlying learning processes of medical students in their clinical phase. The study used a mixed method design with a convergent parallel collection of data. Medical students (n=62) from Maastricht University (The Netherlands) were randomized to either a conventional teaching group (control group n=30) or conventional teaching plus the e-learning program (application on smartphone) group (e-learning group n=32). Pre- and post-intervention knowledge test results were analysed using an independent t-test. Individual semi-structured interviews (n=9) were conducted and verbatim-transcribed recordings were analysed using King's template analysis. The e-learning program positively influenced students' level of knowledge and their process of learning. A significant difference was found in the post-test scores for the control group (M=51.4, SD=6.43) and the e-learning group (M=73.09, SD=5.12); t(60)=-14.75, p<0.000). Interview data showed that the e-learning program stimulated students' learning as the application promoted the identification and recognition of skin disorders, the use of references, creation of documents and sharing information with colleagues. This study demonstrated that use of the e-learning program led to a significant improvement in basic dermatological knowledge. The underlying learning processes indicated that e-learning programs in dermatology filled a vital gap in the understanding of clinical reasoning in dermatology. These results might be useful when developing (clinical) teaching formats with a special focus on visual disciplines.

A knowledge-based approach to automated flow-field zoning for computational fluid dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogel, Alison Andrews

1989-01-01

An automated three-dimensional zonal grid generation capability for computational fluid dynamics is shown through the development of a demonstration computer program capable of automatically zoning the flow field of representative two-dimensional (2-D) aerodynamic configurations. The applicability of a knowledge-based programming approach to the domain of flow-field zoning is examined. Several aspects of flow-field zoning make the application of knowledge-based techniques challenging: the need for perceptual information, the role of individual bias in the design and evaluation of zonings, and the fact that the zoning process is modeled as a constructive, design-type task (for which there are relatively few examples of successful knowledge-based systems in any domain). Engineering solutions to the problems arising from these aspects are developed, and a demonstration system is implemented which can design, generate, and output flow-field zonings for representative 2-D aerodynamic configurations.

Machine intelligence and autonomy for aerospace systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heer, Ewald (Editor); Lum, Henry (Editor)

1988-01-01

The present volume discusses progress toward intelligent robot systems in aerospace applications, NASA Space Program automation and robotics efforts, the supervisory control of telerobotics in space, machine intelligence and crew/vehicle interfaces, expert-system terms and building tools, and knowledge-acquisition for autonomous systems. Also discussed are methods for validation of knowledge-based systems, a design methodology for knowledge-based management systems, knowledge-based simulation for aerospace systems, knowledge-based diagnosis, planning and scheduling methods in AI, the treatment of uncertainty in AI, vision-sensing techniques in aerospace applications, image-understanding techniques, tactile sensing for robots, distributed sensor integration, and the control of articulated and deformable space structures.

Design knowledge capture for the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crouse, K. R.; Wechsler, D. B.

1987-01-01

The benefits of design knowledge availability are identifiable and pervasive. The implementation of design knowledge capture and storage using current technology increases the probability for success, while providing for a degree of access compatibility with future applications. The space station design definition should be expanded to include design knowledge. Design knowledge should be captured. A critical timing relationship exists between the space station development program, and the implementation of this project.

Advances in the NASA Earth Science Division Applied Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.; Bonniksen, C. K.; Escobar, V. M.

2016-12-01

The NASA Earth Science Division's Applied Science Program advances the understanding of and ability to used remote sensing data in support of socio-economic needs. The integration of socio-economic considerations in to NASA Earth Science projects has advanced significantly. The large variety of acquisition methods used has required innovative implementation options. The integration of application themes and the implementation of application science activities in flight project is continuing to evolve. The creation of the recently released Earth Science Division, Directive on Project Applications Program and the addition of an application science requirement in the recent EVM-2 solicitation document NASA's current intent. Continuing improvement in the Earth Science Applications Science Program are expected in the areas of thematic integration, Project Applications Program tailoring for Class D missions and transfer of knowledge between scientists and projects.

An Introduction to X Window Application Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-23

Acquisition and Policy Evaluation program using Cognitive Feed- back ( ESKAPE /CF) from the SunView windowing system to X Window. The new application...the generic X Window System. This thesis converts an Expert System Knowledge Acquisition and Policy Evaluation program using Cognitive Feedback ( ESKAPE ...15 IV. XESKAPE/CF: THE X WINDOW VERSION OF ESKAPE /CF ........................ 16 A. FUNCTIONAL COMPARISON TO

Cervical cancer screening in adolescents: an evidence-based internet education program for practice improvement among advanced practice nurses.

PubMed

Choma, Kim; McKeever, Amy E

2015-02-01

The literature reports great variation in the knowledge levels and application of the recent changes of cervical cancer screening guidelines into clinical practice. Evidence-based screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer offers healthcare providers the opportunity to improve practice patterns among female adolescents by decreasing psychological distress as well as reducing healthcare costs and morbidities associated with over-screening. The purpose of this pilot intervention study was to determine the effects of a Web-based continuing education unit (CEU) program on advanced practice nurses' (APNs) knowledge of current cervical cancer screening evidence-based recommendations and their application in practice. This paper presents a process improvement project as an example of a way to disseminate updated evidence-based practice guidelines among busy healthcare providers. This Web-based CEU program was developed, piloted, and evaluated specifically for APNs. The program addressed their knowledge level of cervical cancer and its relationship with high-risk human papillomavirus. It also addressed the new cervical cancer screening guidelines and the application of those guidelines into clinical practice. Results of the study indicated that knowledge gaps exist among APNs about cervical cancer screening in adolescents. However, when provided with a CEU educational intervention, APNs' knowledge levels increased and their self-reported clinical practice behaviors changed in accordance with the new cervical cancer screening guidelines. Providing convenient and readily accessible up-to-date electronic content that provides CEU enhances the adoption of clinical practice guidelines, thereby decreasing the potential of the morbidities associated with over-screening for cervical cancer in adolescents and young women. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Global knowledge, local implications: a community college's response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentin, Marjorie R.; Stroup, Margaret H.; Donnelly, Judith F.

2005-10-01

Three Rivers Community College (TRCC), with federal funding, provided a customized laser program for Joining Technologies in Connecticut, which offers world-class resources for welding and joining applications. This program addresses the shortage of skilled labor in the laser arena, lack of knowledge of fundamental science of applied light, and an increase in nonperforming product. Hiring and retraining a skilled workforce are important and costly issues facing today's small manufacturing companies.

TAP into Learning, Fall-Winter 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Mary; Dimock, Vicki; Martinez, Danny

2000-01-01

This document consists of the final three issues of "TAP into Learning" (Technology Assistance Program). The double fall issue focuses on knowledge construction and on using multimedia applications in the classroom. Contents include: "Knowledge Under Construction"; "Hegel and the Dialectic"; "Implications for…

Fifth Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odell, Steve L. (Compiler)

1990-01-01

The Fifth Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Space Applications brings together diverse technical and scientific work in order to help those who employ AI methods in space applications to identify common goals and to address issues of general interest in the AI community. Topics include the following: automation for Space Station; intelligent control, testing, and fault diagnosis; robotics and vision; planning and scheduling; simulation, modeling, and tutoring; development tools and automatic programming; knowledge representation and acquisition; and knowledge base/data base integration.

Evaluating community-based public health leadership training.

PubMed

Ceraso, Marion; Gruebling, Kirsten; Layde, Peter; Remington, Patrick; Hill, Barbara; Morzinski, Jeffrey; Ore, Peggy

2011-01-01

Addressing the nation's increasingly complex public health challenges will require more effective multisector collaboration and stronger public health leadership. In 2005, the Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute launched an annual, year-long intensive "community teams" program. The goal of this program is to develop collaborative leadership and public health skills among Wisconsin-based multisectoral teams mobilizing their communities to improve public health. To measure the scope of participation and program impacts on individual learning and practice, including application of new knowledge and collective achievements of teams on coalition and short-term community outcomes. End-of-year participant program evaluations and follow-up telephone interviews with participants 20 months after program completion. Community-based public health leadership training program. Sixty-eight participants in the Community Teams Program during the years 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008. Professional diversity of program participants; individual learning and practice, including application of new knowledge; and collective achievements of teams, including coalition and short-term community outcomes. Participants in the Community Teams Program represent a diversity of sectors, including nonprofit, governmental, academic, business, and local public health. Participation increased knowledge across all public health and leadership competency areas covered in the program. Participating teams reported outcomes, including increased engagement of community leadership, expansion of preventive services, increased media coverage, strengthened community coalitions, and increased grant funding. Evaluation of this community-based approach to public health leadership training has shown it to be a promising model for building collaborative and public health leadership skills and initiating sustained community change for health improvement.

Knowledge management: An abstraction of knowledge base and database management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riedesel, Joel D.

1990-01-01

Artificial intelligence application requirements demand powerful representation capabilities as well as efficiency for real-time domains. Many tools exist, the most prevalent being expert systems tools such as ART, KEE, OPS5, and CLIPS. Other tools just emerging from the research environment are truth maintenance systems for representing non-monotonic knowledge, constraint systems, object oriented programming, and qualitative reasoning. Unfortunately, as many knowledge engineers have experienced, simply applying a tool to an application requires a large amount of effort to bend the application to fit. Much work goes into supporting work to make the tool integrate effectively. A Knowledge Management Design System (KNOMAD), is described which is a collection of tools built in layers. The layered architecture provides two major benefits; the ability to flexibly apply only those tools that are necessary for an application, and the ability to keep overhead, and thus inefficiency, to a minimum. KNOMAD is designed to manage many knowledge bases in a distributed environment providing maximum flexibility and expressivity to the knowledge engineer while also providing support for efficiency.

Use of e-learning in clinical clerkships: effects on acquisition of dermatological knowledge and learning processes

PubMed Central

Martens, Herm; Nagtzaam, Ivo; Heeneman, Sylvia

2018-01-01

Objectives To obtain a deeper understanding of how the e-learning program, Education in Dermatology (ED), affects the acquisition of dermatological knowledge and the underlying learning processes of medical students in their clinical phase. Methods The study used a mixed method design with a convergent parallel collection of data. Medical students (n=62) from Maastricht University (The Netherlands) were randomized to either a conventional teaching group (control group n=30) or conventional teaching plus the e-learning program (application on smartphone) group (e-learning group n=32). Pre- and post-intervention knowledge test results were analysed using an independent t-test. Individual semi-structured interviews (n=9) were conducted and verbatim-transcribed recordings were analysed using King’s template analysis. Results The e-learning program positively influenced students’ level of knowledge and their process of learning. A significant difference was found in the post-test scores for the control group (M=51.4, SD=6.43) and the e-learning group (M=73.09, SD=5.12); t(60)=-14.75, p<0.000). Interview data showed that the e-learning program stimulated students’ learning as the application promoted the identification and recognition of skin disorders, the use of references, creation of documents and sharing information with colleagues. Conclusions This study demonstrated that use of the e-learning program led to a significant improvement in basic dermatological knowledge. The underlying learning processes indicated that e-learning programs in dermatology filled a vital gap in the understanding of clinical reasoning in dermatology. These results might be useful when developing (clinical) teaching formats with a special focus on visual disciplines.  PMID:29352748

Tailoring an Honors Program to Your Institution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrill, Marty

The first step in developing the honors program at North Arkansas Community College (NACC) involved establishing the following four program objectives: (1) to develop students' skills in critical thinking, research, and the application of knowledge; (2) to explore the historical, philosophical, and cultural backgrounds of disciplines; (3) to…

Functional specifications for AI software tools for electric power applications. Final report

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

Faught, W.S.

1985-08-01

The principle barrier to the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the electric power industry has not been a lack of interest or appropriate problems, for the industry abounds in both. Like most others, however, the electric power industry lacks the personnel - knowledge engineers - with the special combination of training and skills AI programming demands. Conversely, very few AI specialists are conversant with electric power industry problems and applications. The recent availability of sophisticated AI programming environments is doing much to alleviate this shortage. These products provide a set of powerful and usable software tools that enablemore » even non-AI scientists to rapidly develop AI applications. The purpose of this project was to develop functional specifications for programming tools that, when integrated with existing general-purpose knowledge engineering tools, would expedite the production of AI applications for the electric power industry. Twelve potential applications, representative of major problem domains within the nuclear power industry, were analyzed in order to identify those tools that would be of greatest value in application development. Eight tools were specified, including facilities for power plant modeling, data base inquiry, simulation and machine-machine interface.« less

Representing Medical Knowledge in a Terminological Language is Difficult1

PubMed Central

Haimowits, Ira J.; Patil, Ramesh S.; Szolovits, Peter

1988-01-01

We report on an experiment to use a modern knowledge representation language, NIKL, to express the knowledge of a sophisticated medical reasoning program, ABEL. We are attempting to put the development of more capable medical programs on firmer representational grounds by moving from the ad hoc representations typical of current programs toward more principled representation languages now in use or under construction. Our experience with the project reported here suggests caution, however. Attempts at cleanliness and efficiency in the design of representation languages lead to a poverty of expressiveness that makes it difficult if not impossible to say in such languages what needs to be stated to support the application.

Career Exploration by Adults. Practice Application Brief No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerka, Sandra

In an era of rapid social and economic changes, the demand for adult career exploration services is growing in career-tech and one-stop centers and community college and university reentry programs. Career exploration is a process of acquiring self-knowledge and career knowledge and using this knowledge to formulate plans and prepare for a career.…

Improving Medical Students' Application of Knowledge and Clinical Decision-Making Through a Porcine-Based Integrated Cardiac Basic Science Program.

PubMed

Stott, Martyn Charles; Gooseman, Michael Richard; Briffa, Norman Paul

2016-01-01

Despite the concerted effort of modern undergraduate curriculum designers, the ability to integrate basic sciences in clinical rotations is an ongoing problem in medical education. Students and newly qualified doctors themselves report worry about the effect this has on their clinical performance. There are examples in the literature to support development of attempts at integrating such aspects, but this "vertical integration" has proven to be difficult. We designed an expert-led integrated program using dissection of porcine hearts to improve the use of cardiac basic sciences in clinical medical students' decision-making processes. To our knowledge, this is the first time in the United Kingdom that an animal model has been used to teach undergraduate clinical anatomy to medical students to direct wider application of knowledge. Action research methodology was used to evaluate the local curriculum and assess learners needs, and the agreed teaching outcomes, methods, and delivery outline were established. A total of 18 students in the clinical years of their degree program attended, completing precourse and postcourse multichoice questions examinations and questionnaires to assess learners' development. Student's knowledge scores improved by 17.5% (p = 0.01; students t-test). Students also felt more confident at applying underlying knowledge to decision-making and diagnosis in clinical medicine. An expert teacher (consultant surgeon) was seen as beneficial to students' understanding and appreciation. This study outlines how the development of a teaching intervention using porcine-based methods successfully improved both student's knowledge and application of cardiac basic sciences. We recommend that clinicians fully engage with integrating previously learnt underlying sciences to aid students in developing decision-making and diagnostic skills as well as a deeper approach to learning. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Software Application for Assessing Readability in the Japanese EFL Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozasa, Toshiaki; Weir, George R. S.; Fukui, Masayasu

2010-01-01

We have been engaged in developing a readability index and its application software attuned for Japanese EFL learners. The index program, Ozasa-Fukui Year Level Program, Ver. 1.0, was used in developing the readability metric Ozasa-Fukui Year Level Index but tended to assume a high level of computer knowledge in its users. As a result, the…

A learning apprentice for software parts composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1987-01-01

An overview of the knowledge acquisition component of the Bauhaus, a prototype computer aided software engineering (CASE) workstation for the development of domain-specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPS) is given. D-SAPS use domain knowledge in the refinement of a description of an application program into a compilable implementation. The approach to the construction of D-SAPS was to automate the process of refining a description of a program, expressed in an object-oriented domain language, into a configuration of software parts that implement the behavior of the domain objects.

Tri-Lab Co-Design Milestone: In-Depth Performance Portability Analysis of Improved Integrated Codes on Advanced Architecture.

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

Hoekstra, Robert J.; Hammond, Simon David; Richards, David

2017-09-01

This milestone is a tri-lab deliverable supporting ongoing Co-Design efforts impacting applications in the Integrated Codes (IC) program element Advanced Technology Development and Mitigation (ATDM) program element. In FY14, the trilabs looked at porting proxy application to technologies of interest for ATS procurements. In FY15, a milestone was completed evaluating proxy applications in multiple programming models and in FY16, a milestone was completed focusing on the migration of lessons learned back into production code development. This year, the co-design milestone focuses on extracting the knowledge gained and/or code revisions back into production applications.

76 FR 69242 - Application for New Awards; College Assistance Migrant Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-08

... Program: The purpose of CAMP is to provide academic and financial support to help migrant and seasonal... work study, exposure to academic programs and careers in STEM-related fields, and providing support services. These could include services to improve participants' academic skills and knowledge so that they...

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Education--A Personal View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richer, Mark H.

1985-01-01

Discusses: how artificial intelligence (AI) can advance education; if the future of software lies in AI; the roots of intelligent computer-assisted instruction; protocol analysis; reactive environments; LOGO programming language; student modeling and coaching; and knowledge-based instructional programs. Numerous examples of AI programs are cited.…

Future applications of artificial intelligence to Mission Control Centers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedland, Peter

1991-01-01

Future applications of artificial intelligence to Mission Control Centers are presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: basic objectives of the NASA-wide AI program; inhouse research program; constraint-based scheduling; learning and performance improvement for scheduling; GEMPLAN multi-agent planner; planning, scheduling, and control; Bayesian learning; efficient learning algorithms; ICARUS (an integrated architecture for learning); design knowledge acquisition and retention; computer-integrated documentation; and some speculation on future applications.

Arthritis Education: Opportunities and State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daltroy, Lawren H.; Liang, Matthew H.

1993-01-01

A variety of programs have produced changes in knowledge, behavior, and health for arthritis patients. National dissemination of patient education programs is in progress. Research needs center on new populations, delivery methods, and arthritis-specific applications of theory. (SK)

Tribal CCDF Guide to "Financial Management, Grants Administration, and Program Accountability"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Child Care Bureau, 2009

2009-01-01

Tribal managers and staff working with Federal grants must be fully knowledgeable of all applicable Federal requirements and skilled in applying these requirements to the daily operation of their programs, whether starting a new program or striving to maintain a quality program which meets the intent of the enacting legislation. It is the…

Software Analyzes Complex Systems in Real Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Expert system software programs, also known as knowledge-based systems, are computer programs that emulate the knowledge and analytical skills of one or more human experts, related to a specific subject. SHINE (Spacecraft Health Inference Engine) is one such program, a software inference engine (expert system) designed by NASA for the purpose of monitoring, analyzing, and diagnosing both real-time and non-real-time systems. It was developed to meet many of the Agency s demanding and rigorous artificial intelligence goals for current and future needs. NASA developed the sophisticated and reusable software based on the experience and requirements of its Jet Propulsion Laboratory s (JPL) Artificial Intelligence Research Group in developing expert systems for space flight operations specifically, the diagnosis of spacecraft health. It was designed to be efficient enough to operate in demanding real time and in limited hardware environments, and to be utilized by non-expert systems applications written in conventional programming languages. The technology is currently used in several ongoing NASA applications, including the Mars Exploration Rovers and the Spacecraft Health Automatic Reasoning Pilot (SHARP) program for the diagnosis of telecommunication anomalies during the Neptune Voyager Encounter. It is also finding applications outside of the Space Agency.

Constraint-based component-modeling for knowledge-based design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolb, Mark A.

1992-01-01

The paper describes the application of various advanced programming techniques derived from artificial intelligence research to the development of flexible design tools for conceptual design. Special attention is given to two techniques which appear to be readily applicable to such design tools: the constraint propagation technique and the object-oriented programming. The implementation of these techniques in a prototype computer tool, Rubber Airplane, is described.

Transforming schools into communities of thinking and learning about serious matters.

PubMed

Brown, A L

1997-04-01

In this article, a program of research known as Fostering Communities of Learners is described. This program is in place in several schools and classrooms serving inner-city students from 6 to 12 years of age. Based on theoretical advances in cognitive and developmental psychology, the program is successful at improving both literacy skills and domain-area subject matter knowledge (e.g., environmental science and biology). Building on young children's emergent strategic and metacognitive knowledge, together with their skeletal biological theories, the program leads children to discover the deep principles of the domain and to develop flexible learning and inquiry strategies of wide applicability.

Development and Validation of an Online Program for Promoting Self-Management among Korean Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.

PubMed

Yang, Jinhyang

2013-01-01

The hepatitis B virus is second only to tobacco as a known human carcinogen. However, chronic hepatitis B usually does not produce symptoms and people feel healthy even in the early stages of live cancer. Therefore, chronically infected people should perceive it as a serious health problem and move on to appropriate health behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an online program for promoting self-management among Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B. The online program was developed using a prototyping approach and system developing life cycle method, evaluated by users for their satisfaction with the website and experts for the quality of the site. To evaluate the application of the online program, knowledge and self-management compliance of the subjects were measured and compared before and after the application of the online program. There were statistically significant increases in knowledge and self-management compliance in the user group. An online program with high accessibility and applicability including information, motivation, and behavior skill factors can promote self-management of the patient with chronic hepatitis B. Findings from this study allow Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B to engage in proactive and effective health management in the community or clinical practice.

Health Occupations Cluster Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

Intended to assist the vocational teacher in designing and implementing a cluster program in health occupations, this guide suggests ideas for teaching the specific knowledge and skills that qualify students for entry-level employment in the health occupations field. The knowledge and skills are applicable to 12 occupations: dental assistant;…

Knowledge management: an application to wildfire prevention planning

Treesearch

Daniel L Schmoldt

1989-01-01

Residential encroachment into wildland areas places an additional burden on fire management activities. Prevention programs, fuel management efforts, and suppression strategies, previously employed in wildland areas, require modification for protection of increased values at risk in this interface area. Knowledge-based computer systems are being investigated as...

Advanced software development workstation project ACCESS user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

ACCESS is a knowledge based software information system designed to assist the user in modifying retrieved software to satisfy user specifications. A user's guide is presented for the knowledge engineer who wishes to create for ACCESS a knowledge base consisting of representations of objects in some software system. This knowledge is accessible to an end user who wishes to use the catalogued software objects to create a new application program or an input stream for an existing system. The application specific portion of an ACCESS knowledge base consists of a taxonomy of object classes, as well as instances of these classes. All objects in the knowledge base are stored in an associative memory. ACCESS provides a standard interface for the end user to browse and modify objects. In addition, the interface can be customized by the addition of application specific data entry forms and by specification of display order for the taxonomy and object attributes. These customization options are described.

Graduate Attributes for Master's Programs in Health Services and Policy Research: Results of a National Consultation

PubMed Central

Morgan, Steve; Orr, Karen; Mah, Catherine

2010-01-01

Objective: Our objective was to identify desirable attributes to be developed through graduate training in health services and policy research (HSPR) by identifying the knowledge, skills and abilities thought to be keys to success in HSPR-related careers. We aimed for a framework clear enough to serve as a touchstone for HSPR training programs across Canada yet flexible enough to permit diversity of specialization across and within those programs. Methods: Our approach involved several stages of data collection and analysis: a review of literature; telephone interviews with opinion leaders; online surveys of HSPR students, recent graduates and employers; an invitational workshop; and an interactive panel at a national conference. Our final framework was arrived at through an iterative process of thematic analysis, reflection on invited feedback from consultation participants and triangulation with existing competency frameworks. Results: Our final result was a framework that identifies traits, knowledge and abilities of master's-level graduates who are capable of fostering health system improvement through planning, management, analysis or monitoring that is informed by credible evidence and relevant theory. These attributes are organized into three levels: generic graduate attributes, knowledge related to health and health systems and, finally, attributes related to the application of knowledge for health system improvement. The HSPR-specific attributes include not only an understanding of HSPR theories and methods but also the skills related to the practical application of knowledge in the complex environments of health system decision-making and healthcare policy. Conclusion: Master's-level HSPR training programs should prepare students to pose and seek answers to important questions and provide them with the skills necessary to apply their knowledge within complex decision-making environments. PMID:21804839

The contributions and future direction of Program Science in HIV/STI prevention.

PubMed

Becker, Marissa; Mishra, Sharmistha; Aral, Sevgi; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Lorway, Rob; Green, Kalada; Anthony, John; Isac, Shajy; Emmanuel, Faran; Musyoki, Helgar; Lazarus, Lisa; Thompson, Laura H; Cheuk, Eve; Blanchard, James F

2018-01-01

Program Science is an iterative, multi-phase research and program framework where programs drive the scientific inquiry, and both program and science are aligned towards a collective goal of improving population health. To achieve this, Program Science involves the systematic application of theoretical and empirical knowledge to optimize the scale, quality and impact of public health programs. Program Science tools and approaches developed for strategic planning, program implementation, and program management and evaluation have been incorporated into HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention programs in Kenya, Nigeria, India, and the United States. In this paper, we highlight key scientific contributions that emerged from the growing application of Program Science in the field of HIV and STI prevention, and conclude by proposing future directions for Program Science.

Application of artificial intelligence to pharmacy and medicine.

PubMed

Dasta, J F

1992-04-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science dealing with solving problems using symbolic programming. It has evolved into a problem solving science with applications in business, engineering, and health care. One application of AI is expert system development. An expert system consists of a knowledge base and inference engine, coupled with a user interface. A crucial aspect of expert system development is knowledge acquisition and implementing computable ways to solve problems. There have been several expert systems developed in medicine to assist physicians with medical diagnosis. Recently, several programs focusing on drug therapy have been described. They provide guidance on drug interactions, drug therapy monitoring, and drug formulary selection. There are many aspects of pharmacy that AI can have an impact on and the reader is challenged to consider these possibilities because they may some day become a reality in pharmacy.

7 CFR 3405.6 - Scope of program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... new subjects, or new applications of knowledge, pertaining to the food and agricultural sciences. (2... new ideas and techniques. (v) Expand competence with new methods of information delivery, such as... and agricultural sciences higher education programs. A proposal may request support for acquiring new...

Preparing Teachers of Students with Severe Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Lise; Williams, Donna Gilles

1992-01-01

This paper examines issues related to preparing teachers to instruct students with severe disabilities, focusing on the values that drive best practices, the content knowledge that should exist within teacher training programs, and processes that may impart and support the continued application of both values and knowledge. (Author/JDD)

Behavioral Science Elementary Teacher Education Program. Final Report. Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan State Univ., East Lansing.

Volume II separately details two model components: Scholarly Modes of Knowledge, in which problem-solving techniques and the applicability of subject content to teaching are emphasized, and Professional Use of Knowledge, in which the student translates what he knows about various disciplines and human learning into instructional strategies. Each…

Integrating scientific knowledge into large-scale restoration programs: the CALFED Bay-Delta Program experience

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, Kimberly A.; Short, A.

2009-01-01

Integrating science into resource management activities is a goal of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, a multi-agency effort to address water supply reliability, ecological condition, drinking water quality, and levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of northern California. Under CALFED, many different strategies were used to integrate science, including interaction between the research and management communities, public dialogues about scientific work, and peer review. This paper explores ways science was (and was not) integrated into CALFED's management actions and decision systems through three narratives describing different patterns of scientific integration and application in CALFED. Though a collaborative process and certain organizational conditions may be necessary for developing new understandings of the system of interest, we find that those factors are not sufficient for translating that knowledge into management actions and decision systems. We suggest that the application of knowledge may be facilitated or hindered by (1) differences in the objectives, approaches, and cultures of scientists operating in the research community and those operating in the management community and (2) other factors external to the collaborative process and organization.

Comparison of LISP and MUMPS as implementation languages for knowledge-based systems

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

Curtis, A.C.

1984-01-01

Major components of knowledge-based systems are summarized, along with the programming language features generally useful in their implementation. LISP and MUMPS are briefly described and compared as vehicles for building knowledge-based systems. The paper concludes with suggestions for extensions to MUMPS which might increase its usefulness in artificial intelligence applications without affecting the essential nature of the language. 8 references.

77 FR 13297 - Applications for New Awards; Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

... national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of developmental and school..., Management, and Leadership Mathematics and Science Education Postsecondary and Adult Education Reading and...: Policies, Organization, Management, and Leadership. [ssquf] Early Learning Programs and Policies. [ssquf...

49 CFR 1544.235 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... airport security program applicable to their location, and the aircraft operator's security program to the... security-related duties. 1544.235 Section 1544.235 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION...

49 CFR 1544.235 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... airport security program applicable to their location, and the aircraft operator's security program to the... security-related duties. 1544.235 Section 1544.235 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION...

49 CFR 1544.235 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... airport security program applicable to their location, and the aircraft operator's security program to the... security-related duties. 1544.235 Section 1544.235 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION...

49 CFR 1544.235 - Training and knowledge for individuals with security-related duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... airport security program applicable to their location, and the aircraft operator's security program to the... security-related duties. 1544.235 Section 1544.235 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION...

Applicant Characteristics Associated With Selection for Ranking at Independent Surgery Residency Programs.

PubMed

Dort, Jonathan M; Trickey, Amber W; Kallies, Kara J; Joshi, Amit R T; Sidwell, Richard A; Jarman, Benjamin T

2015-01-01

This study evaluated characteristics of applicants selected for interview and ranked by independent general surgery residency programs and assessed independent program application volumes, interview selection, rank list formation, and match success. Demographic and academic information was analyzed for 2014-2015 applicants. Applicant characteristics were compared by ranking status using univariate and multivariable statistical techniques. Characteristics independently associated with whether or not an applicant was ranked were identified using multivariable logistic regression modeling with backward stepwise variable selection and cluster-correlated robust variance estimates to account for correlations among individuals who applied to multiple programs. The Electronic Residency Application Service was used to obtain applicant data and program match outcomes at 33 independent surgery programs. All applicants selected to interview at 33 participating independent general surgery residency programs were included in the study. Applicants were 60% male with median age of 26 years. Birthplace was well distributed. Most applicants (73%) had ≥1 academic publication. Median United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE) Step 1 score was 228 (interquartile range: 218-240), and median USMLE Step 2 clinical knowledge score was 241 (interquartile range: 231-250). Residency programs in some regions more often ranked applicants who attended medical school within the same region. On multivariable analysis, significant predictors of ranking by an independent residency program were: USMLE scores, medical school region, and birth region. Independent programs received an average of 764 applications (range: 307-1704). On average, 12% interviews, and 81% of interviewed applicants were ranked. Most programs (84%) matched at least 1 applicant ranked in their top 10. Participating independent programs attract a large volume of applicants and have high standards in the selection process. This information can be used by surgery residency applicants to gauge their candidacy at independent programs. Independent programs offer a select number of interviews, rank most applicants that they interview, and successfully match competitive applicants. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building capacity for knowledge translation in occupational therapy: learning through participatory action research.

PubMed

Bennett, Sally; Whitehead, Mary; Eames, Sally; Fleming, Jennifer; Low, Shanling; Caldwell, Elizabeth

2016-10-01

There has been widespread acknowledgement of the need to build capacity in knowledge translation however much of the existing work focuses on building capacity amongst researchers rather than with clinicians directly. This paper's aim is to describe a research project for developing a knowledge translation capacity building program for occupational therapy clinicians. Participatory action research methods were used to both develop and evaluate the knowledge translation capacity-building program. Participants were occupational therapists from a large metropolitan hospital in Australia. Researchers and clinicians worked together to use the action cycle of the Knowledge to Action Framework to increase use of knowledge translation itself within the department in general, within their clinical teams, and to facilitate knowledge translation becoming part of the department's culture. Barriers and enablers to using knowledge translation were identified through a survey based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and through focus groups. Multiple interventions were used to develop a knowledge translation capacity-building program. Fifty-two occupational therapists participated initially, but only 20 across the first 18 months of the project. Barriers and enablers were identified across all domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework. Interventions selected to address these barriers or facilitate enablers were categorised into ten different categories: educational outreach; teams working on clinical knowledge translation case studies; identifying time blocks for knowledge translation; mentoring; leadership strategies; communication strategies; documentation and resources to support knowledge translation; funding a knowledge translation champion one day per week; setting goals for knowledge translation; and knowledge translation reporting strategies. Use of these strategies was, and continues to be monitored. Participants continue to be actively involved in learning and shaping the knowledge translation program across the department and within their specific clinical areas. To build capacity for knowledge translation, it is important to involve clinicians. The action cycle of the Knowledge to Action framework is a useful guide to introduce the knowledge translation process to clinicians. It may be used to engage the department as a whole, and facilitate the learning and application of knowledge translation within specific clinical areas. Research evaluating this knowledge translation program is being conducted.

Knowledge-based simulation using object-oriented programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidoran, Karen M.

1993-01-01

Simulations have become a powerful mechanism for understanding and modeling complex phenomena. Their results have had substantial impact on a broad range of decisions in the military, government, and industry. Because of this, new techniques are continually being explored and developed to make them even more useful, understandable, extendable, and efficient. One such area of research is the application of the knowledge-based methods of artificial intelligence (AI) to the computer simulation field. The goal of knowledge-based simulation is to facilitate building simulations of greatly increased power and comprehensibility by making use of deeper knowledge about the behavior of the simulated world. One technique for representing and manipulating knowledge that has been enhanced by the AI community is object-oriented programming. Using this technique, the entities of a discrete-event simulation can be viewed as objects in an object-oriented formulation. Knowledge can be factual (i.e., attributes of an entity) or behavioral (i.e., how the entity is to behave in certain circumstances). Rome Laboratory's Advanced Simulation Environment (RASE) was developed as a research vehicle to provide an enhanced simulation development environment for building more intelligent, interactive, flexible, and realistic simulations. This capability will support current and future battle management research and provide a test of the object-oriented paradigm for use in large scale military applications.

Electronic Continuous Professional Development (E-CPD) for Teachers: Bridging the Gap between Knowledge and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Yusop, Farah Dina; Halili, Siti Hajar; Chukumaran, Sri Raman

2015-01-01

The continuing professional development (CPD) is a concerted effort to ensure the educational service officers equip themselves with professional knowledge, skill, values and practices of teachers through in-service training programs organized based on competency development, lifelong learning and career path. Nonetheless, educators do not only…

Knowledge Management Model: Practical Application for Competency Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lustri, Denise; Miura, Irene; Takahashi, Sergio

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to present a knowledge management (KM) conceptual model for competency development and a case study in a law service firm, which implemented the KM model in a competencies development program. Design/methodology/approach: The case study method was applied according to Yin (2003) concepts, focusing a six-professional group…

Simulation for Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology: The First Two Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIvor, William; Burden, Amanda; Weinger, Matthew B.; Steadman, Randolph

2012-01-01

The ultimate goal of physician education is the application of knowledge and skills to patient care. The Maintenance of Certification (MOC) for Anesthesiologists program incorporates mannequin-based simulation to help realize this goal. Results from the first 2 years of experience suggest that 583 physician participants transferred knowledge and…

Penicillin for Education: How Cognitive Science Can Contribute to Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruer, John T.

1995-01-01

Education can benefit from knowledge derived from cognitive and developmental psychology. Family demographics have actually improved between 1970 and 90 and so have NAEP scores. Three innovative programs demonstrating cognitive science applications include the Teaching Number Sense elementary math program, reciprocal teaching (reading strategy),…

Social Studies Course of Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, John E.; Murphy, Terrence A.

This K-12 sequential course of study is the result of one school district's efforts to improve continuity in the social studies curriculum. Following an introduction and statement of philosophy, the program is organized around four basic educational areas--knowledge, application, valuing, and participation. Specific program goals include promoting…

A suicide awareness and intervention program for health professional students.

PubMed

De Silva, Eve; Bowerman, Lisa; Zimitat, Craig

2015-01-01

Many emergency service professionals and health professionals play important roles in the assessment and management of suicide risk but often receive inadequate mental health training in this area. A 'Suicide Awareness and Intervention Program' (SAIP) was developed for first year medical, paramedical and pharmacy students at the University of Tasmania, Australia. The program aimed to increase students' knowledge and awareness about suicide-related issues, develop interpersonal skills around suicide screening and increase awareness of available support services. A 5-hour experiential SAIP was embedded within the curriculum. A pre and post evaluation of knowledge, skills and attitudes was conducted, with an open-ended follow-up survey regarding use of what was learned in the program. Pre and post SAIP surveys showed significant improvement inknowledge and practical skills. Feedback from students and the counselling service indicated enduring impact of the program. Participation in the SAIP increased knowledge, skills and attitudes related to the assessment and management of individuals at risk for suicide, and the application of this ability to students' personal and professional lives.

Knowledge sifters in MDA technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravchenko, Yuri; Kursitys, Ilona; Bova, Victoria

2018-05-01

The article considers a new approach to efficient management of information processes on the basis of object models. With the help of special design tools, a generic and application-independent application model is created, and then the program is implemented in a specific development environment. At the same time, the development process is completely based on a model that must contain all the information necessary for programming. The presence of a detailed model provides the automatic creation of typical parts of the application, the development of which is amenable to automation.

Project MAC Progress Report 11

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-01

whether a subroutine would be useful as a part of some larger program , and, if so, how to use it [8]. The programming methodology employed by CALICO...7. Seriff, Marc, How to Write Programs for the CALICO Environment. SYS. 14.04 (unpublished). 8. Reeve, Chris, Marty Draper, D. E. Burmaster, and J...Introduction Automatic Programming Group A. Introduction B. Understanding How a User Might Interact with a Knowledge-Based Application System C

Effective Prototype Costing Policies in Research Universities: Are They Possible?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Maureen W.; Abu-Duhou, Ibtisam

Policy problems of prototype costing at research universities are discussed, based on a case study of a clinical treatment prototype program at a research university hospital. Prototypes programs generate reproducible knowledge with useful applications and are primarily developed in professional schools. The potential of using costing prototypes…

Computer Programming and Biomolecular Structure Studies: A Step beyond Internet Bioinformatics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Likic, Vladimir A.

2006-01-01

This article describes the experience of teaching structural bioinformatics to third year undergraduate students in a subject titled "Biomolecular Structure and Bioinformatics." Students were introduced to computer programming and used this knowledge in a practical application as an alternative to the well established Internet bioinformatics…

Learning Teamwork Skills in University Programming Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sancho-Thomas, Pilar; Fuentes-Fernandez, Ruben; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

2009-01-01

University courses about computer programming usually seek to provide students not only with technical knowledge, but also with the skills required to work in real-life software projects. Nowadays, the development of software applications requires the coordinated efforts of the members of one or more teams. Therefore, it is important for software…

Computer Assisted Multi-Center Creation of Medical Knowledge Bases

PubMed Central

Giuse, Nunzia Bettinsoli; Giuse, Dario A.; Miller, Randolph A.

1988-01-01

Computer programs which support different aspects of medical care have been developed in recent years. Their capabilities range from diagnosis to medical imaging, and include hospital management systems and therapy prescription. In spite of their diversity these systems have one commonality: their reliance on a large body of medical knowledge in computer-readable form. This knowledge enables such programs to draw inferences, validate hypotheses, and in general to perform their intended task. As has been clear to developers of such systems, however, the creation and maintenance of medical knowledge bases are very expensive. Practical and economical difficulties encountered during this long-term process have discouraged most attempts. This paper discusses knowledge base creation and maintenance, with special emphasis on medical applications. We first describe the methods currently used and their limitations. We then present our recent work on developing tools and methodologies which will assist in the process of creating a medical knowledge base. We focus, in particular, on the possibility of multi-center creation of the knowledge base.

Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stufflebeam, Daniel L.; Shinkfield, Anthony J.

2007-01-01

"Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications" is designed for evaluators and students who need to develop a commanding knowledge of the evaluation field: its history, theory and standards, models and approaches, procedures, and inclusion of personnel as well as program evaluation. This important book shows how to choose from a growing…

American Psychiatric Nurses Association-Transitions in Practice Certificate Program: Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Caring for Psychiatric Patients Within the General Nursing Workforce.

PubMed

Adams, Susie M; Black, Patricia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to publicize an important new Web-based educational program. Recognizing the growing gap in psychiatric-mental health knowledge and the need to better prepare new graduates and nurses transitioning from other service lines into psychiatric inpatient nursing settings, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association developed a 15-hour, modularized curriculum to provide foundational psychiatric-mental health knowledge. This modularized curriculum, called American Psychiatric Nurses Association Transitions in Practice (ATP) focuses on the knowledge and skills to insure the success of nurses new to psychiatric-mental health nursing settings and to improve the overall care for persons with mental health and substance use disorders. The ATP program is also proving to be useful content for nurses in emergency departments, hospitals, and other health settings to improve their care of patients with psychiatric and mental health needs. A summary of the program modules and a toolkit with suggested measures for nurses, patients, and agency outcomes is described. Feedback from participants completing the ATP program within the first 6 months is overwhelmingly positive and holds promise for widespread application across a variety of health care settings.

Cooperative analysis expert situation assessment research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccown, Michael G.

1987-01-01

For the past few decades, Rome Air Development Center (RADC) has been conducting research in Artificial Intelligence (AI). When the recent advances in hardware technology made many AI techniques practical, the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Directorate of RADC initiated an applications program entitled Knowledge Based Intelligence Systems (KBIS). The goal of the program is the development of a generic Intelligent Analyst System, an open machine with the framework for intelligence analysis, natural language processing, and man-machine interface techniques, needing only the specific problem domain knowledge to be operationally useful. The development of KBIS is described.

Knowledge Management and Information Technology in Customer Support: A Quantitative Assessment of the U.S. Navy's Distance Support Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley, Kevin Dermit

2010-01-01

Centralized customer support is an established industry method used to improve revenue and profitability. What remains unknown is whether this cost-saving commercial business practice is similarly applicable to the unique, often isolated military environment. This research study statistically tested a theoretical framework for knowledge management…

Enhancing Learning Environments through Solution-based Knowledge Discovery Tools: Forecasting for Self-Perpetuating Systemic Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsantis, Linda; Castellani, John

2001-01-01

This article explores how knowledge-discovery applications can empower educators with the information they need to provide anticipatory guidance for teaching and learning, forecast school and district needs, and find critical markers for making the best program decisions for children and youth with disabilities. Data mining for schools is…

Teaching Physics at Preschool Level for Mexican Students in Order to Achieve the National Scientific Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramírez Díaz, Mario H.; Nieto Betance, Gabriela; García Trujillo, Luís Antonio; Chávez-Campos, David A.

2015-01-01

In its program of studies for preschool level, the Secretary of Public Education of Mexico promoted development of four standards of science: Scientific knowledge, applications of scientific knowledge and technology, skills associated to science, and attitudes associated to science. However, to develop this skills and reach out the standards there…

Atmospheric/Space Environment Support Lessons Learned Regarding Aerospace Vehicle Design and Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughan, William W.; Anderson, B. Jeffrey

2005-01-01

In modern government and aerospace industry institutions the necessity of controlling current year costs often leads to high mobility in the technical workforce, "one-deep" technical capabilities, and minimal mentoring for young engineers. Thus, formal recording, use, and teaching of lessons learned are especially important in the maintenance and improvement of current knowledge and development of new technologies, regardless of the discipline area. Within the NASA Technical Standards Program Website http://standards.nasa.gov there is a menu item entitled "Lessons Learned/Best Practices". It contains links to a large number of engineering and technical disciplines related data sets that contain a wealth of lessons learned information based on past experiences. This paper has provided a small sample of lessons learned relative to the atmospheric and space environment. There are many more whose subsequent applications have improved our knowledge of the atmosphere and space environment, and the application of this knowledge to the engineering and operations for a variety of aerospace programs.

34 CFR 350.55 - What are the additional considerations for selecting Field-Initiated Project applications for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... knowledge to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. (2) The proposed project complements... Field-Initiated Project applications for funding? 350.55 Section 350.55 Education Regulations of the..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH PROJECTS AND CENTERS PROGRAM How Does the...

Enhancing Systems Engineering Education Through Case Study Writing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Jennifer Stenger

2016-01-01

Developing and refining methods for teaching systems engineering is part of Systems Engineering grand challenges and agenda for research in the SE research community. Retention of systems engineering knowledge is a growing concern in the United States as the baby boom generation continues to retire and the faster pace of technology development does not allow for younger generations to gain experiential knowledge through years of practice. Government agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), develop their own curricula and SE leadership development programs to "grow their own" systems engineers. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) conducts its own Center-focused Marshall Systems Engineering Leadership Development Program (MSELDP), a competitive program consisting of coursework, a guest lecture series, and a rotational assignment into an unfamiliar organization engaged in systems engineering. Independently, MSFC developed two courses to address knowledge retention and sharing concerns: Real World Marshall Mission Success course and its Case Study Writers Workshop and Writers Experience. Teaching case study writing and leading students through a hands-on experience at writing a case study on an SE topic can enhance SE training and has the potential to accelerate the transfer of experiential knowledge. This paper is an overview of the pilot experiences with teaching case study writing, its application in case study-based learning, and identifies potential areas of research and application for case study writing in systems engineering education.

Executive control systems in the engineering design environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurst, P. W.; Pratt, T. W.

1985-01-01

Executive Control Systems (ECSs) are software structures for the unification of various engineering design application programs into comprehensive systems with a central user interface (uniform access) method and a data management facility. Attention is presently given to the most significant determinations of a research program conducted for 24 ECSs, used in government and industry engineering design environments to integrate CAD/CAE applications programs. Characterizations are given for the systems' major architectural components and the alternative design approaches considered in their development. Attention is given to ECS development prospects in the areas of interdisciplinary usage, standardization, knowledge utilization, and computer science technology transfer.

Using Digital Devices in a First Year Classroom: A Focus on the Design and Use of Phonics Software Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, Maria; McKenzie, Sophie; Wells, Muriel A.

2017-01-01

When integrated within a holistic literacy program, phonics applications can be used in classrooms to facilitate students' self-directed learning of letter-sound knowledge; but are they designed to allow for such a purpose? With most phonics software applications making heavy use of image cues, this project has more specifically investigated…

AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INSTITUTE TRAINING PROGRAM TO RETRAIN OFFICE EDUCATION TEACHERS FOR TEACHING BUSINESS ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CARTER, FOREST C.

AN 8-WEEK SEMINAR WAS HELD TO RETRAIN TEACHERS WITH A MINIMUM OF 3-YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS OR OFFICE EDUCATION TO TEACH BUSINESS DATA PROCESSING AND PROGRAMING TECHNIQUES. THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO ASSIST IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT NECESSARY FOR PREPARING COMPUTER PROGRAMERS AND APPLICATION ANALYSTS, AND TO DEVELOP COURSE MATERIAL,…

Testing Algorithmic Skills in Traditional and Non-Traditional Programming Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Csernoch, Mária; Biró, Piroska; Máth, János; Abari, Kálmán

2015-01-01

The Testing Algorithmic and Application Skills (TAaAS) project was launched in the 2011/2012 academic year to test first year students of Informatics, focusing on their algorithmic skills in traditional and non-traditional programming environments, and on the transference of their knowledge of Informatics from secondary to tertiary education. The…

CORE Knowledge Domain C.4 Employment and Career Development: Application for Rehabilitation Counselor Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Hergenrather, Kenneth C.

2008-01-01

The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) CORE revised the standards for rehabilitation counseling master's degree program accreditation in 2004. These standards seek to promote effective rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities in both private and public programs (CORE, 2008). This article focuses on the new CORE standard…

Currency Arbitrage Detection Using a Binary Integer Programming Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soon, Wanmei; Ye, Heng-Qing

2011-01-01

In this article, we examine the use of a new binary integer programming (BIP) model to detect arbitrage opportunities in currency exchanges. This model showcases an excellent application of mathematics to the real world. The concepts involved are easily accessible to undergraduate students with basic knowledge in Operations Research. Through this…

Parallel processing for scientific computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alkhatib, Hasan S.

1991-01-01

The main contribution of the effort in the last two years is the introduction of the MOPPS system. After doing extensive literature search, we introduced the system which is described next. MOPPS employs a new solution to the problem of managing programs which solve scientific and engineering applications on a distributed processing environment. Autonomous computers cooperate efficiently in solving large scientific problems with this solution. MOPPS has the advantage of not assuming the presence of any particular network topology or configuration, computer architecture, or operating system. It imposes little overhead on network and processor resources while efficiently managing programs concurrently. The core of MOPPS is an intelligent program manager that builds a knowledge base of the execution performance of the parallel programs it is managing under various conditions. The manager applies this knowledge to improve the performance of future runs. The program manager learns from experience.

The potential impact of microgravity science and technology on education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wargo, M. J.

1992-01-01

The development of educational support materials by NASA's Microgravity Science and Applications Division is discussed in the light of two programs. Descriptions of the inception and application possibilities are given for the Microgravity-Science Teacher's Guide and the program of Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Microgravity Science and Technology. The guide is intended to introduce students to the principles and research efforts related to microgravity, and the undergraduate program is intended to reinforce interest in the space program. The use of computers and electronic communications is shown to be an important catalyst for the educational efforts. It is suggested that student and teacher access to these programs be enhanced so that they can have a broader impact on the educational development of space-related knowledge.

Knowledge-based environment for optical system design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. Barry

1991-01-01

Optical systems are extensively utilized by industry government and military organizations. The conceptual design engineering design fabrication and testing of these systems presently requires significant time typically on the order of 3-5 years. The Knowledge-Based Environment for Optical System Design (KB-OSD) Program has as its principal objectives the development of a methodology and tool(s) that will make a notable reduction in the development time of optical system projects reduce technical risk and overall cost. KB-OSD can be considered as a computer-based optical design associate for system engineers and design engineers. By utilizing artificial intelligence technology coupled with extensive design/evaluation computer application programs and knowledge bases the KB-OSD will provide the user with assistance and guidance to accomplish such activities as (i) develop system level and hardware level requirements from mission requirements (ii) formulate conceptual designs (iii) construct a statement of work for an RFP (iv) develop engineering level designs (v) evaluate an existing design and (vi) explore the sensitivity of a system to changing scenarios. The KB-OSD comprises a variety of computer platforms including a Stardent Titan supercomputer numerous design programs (lens design coating design thermal materials structural atmospherics etc. ) data bases and heuristic knowledge bases. An important element of the KB-OSD Program is the inclusion of the knowledge of individual experts in various areas of optics and optical system engineering. This knowledge is obtained by KB-OSD knowledge engineers performing

Artificial Intelligence Controls Tape-Recording Sequence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwuttke, Ursula M.; Otamura, Roy M.; Zottarelli, Lawrence J.

1989-01-01

Developmental expert-system computer program intended to schedule recording of large amounts of data on limited amount of magnetic tape. Schedules recording using two sets of rules. First set incorporates knowledge of locations for recording of new data. Second set incorporates knowledge about issuing commands to recorder. Designed primarily for use on Voyager Spacecraft, also applicable to planning and sequencing in industry.

ATOS-1: Designing the infrastructure for an advanced spacecraft operations system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poulter, K. J.; Smith, H. N.

1993-01-01

The space industry has identified the need to use artificial intelligence and knowledge based system techniques as integrated, central, symbolic processing components of future mission design, support and operations systems. Various practical and commercial constraints require that off-the-shelf applications, and their knowledge bases, are reused where appropriate and that different mission contractors, potentially using different KBS technologies, can provide application and knowledge sub-modules of an overall integrated system. In order to achieve this integration, which we call knowledge sharing and distributed reasoning, there needs to be agreement on knowledge representations, knowledge interchange-formats, knowledge level communications protocols, and ontology. Research indicates that the latter is most important, providing the applications with a common conceptualization of the domain, in our case spacecraft operations, mission design, and planning. Agreement on ontology permits applications that employ different knowledge representations to interwork through mediators which we refer to as knowledge agents. This creates the illusion of a shared model without the constraints, both technical and commercial, that occur in centralized or uniform architectures. This paper explains how these matters are being addressed within the ATOS program at ESOC, using techniques which draw upon ideas and standards emerging from the DARPA Knowledge Sharing Effort. In particular, we explain how the project is developing an electronic Ontology of Spacecraft Operations and how this can be used as an enabling component within space support systems that employ advanced software engineering. We indicate our hope and expectation that the core ontology developed in ATOS, will permit the full development of standards for such systems throughout the space industry.

76 FR 38680 - Notice of Invitation-Coal Exploration License Application COC-74817

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-01

...] Notice of Invitation--Coal Exploration License Application COC- 74817 AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management... Mountain Energy, Inc. on a pro rata cost-sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits... is to gain additional geologic knowledge of the coal underlying the exploration area for the purpose...

Comparative development of knowledge-based bioeconomy in the European Union and Turkey.

PubMed

Celikkanat Ozan, Didem; Baran, Yusuf

2014-09-01

Biotechnology, defined as the technological application that uses biological systems and living organisms, or their derivatives, to create or modify diverse products or processes, is widely used for healthcare, agricultural and environmental applications. The continuity in industrial applications of biotechnology enables the rise and development of the bioeconomy concept. Bioeconomy, including all applications of biotechnology, is defined as translation of knowledge received from life sciences into new, sustainable, environment friendly and competitive products. With the advanced research and eco-efficient processes in the scope of bioeconomy, more healthy and sustainable life is promised. Knowledge-based bioeconomy with its economic, social and environmental potential has already been brought to the research agendas of European Union (EU) countries. The aim of this study is to summarize the development of knowledge-based bioeconomy in EU countries and to evaluate Turkey's current situation compared to them. EU-funded biotechnology research projects under FP6 and FP7 and nationally-funded biotechnology projects under The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Academic Research Funding Program Directorate (ARDEB) and Technology and Innovation Funding Programs Directorate (TEYDEB) were examined. In the context of this study, the main research areas and subfields which have been funded, the budget spent and the number of projects funded since 2003 both nationally and EU-wide and the gaps and overlapping topics were analyzed. In consideration of the results, detailed suggestions for Turkey have been proposed. The research results are expected to be used as a roadmap for coordinating the stakeholders of bioeconomy and integrating Turkish Research Areas into European Research Areas.

77 FR 21084 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-09

... under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research program is intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications and related...

The Digital Anatomist Distributed Framework and Its Applications to Knowledge-based Medical Imaging

PubMed Central

Brinkley, James F.; Rosse, Cornelius

1997-01-01

Abstract The domain of medical imaging is anatomy. Therefore, anatomic knowledge should be a rational basis for organizing and analyzing images. The goals of the Digital Anatomist Program at the University of Washington include the development of an anatomically based software framework for organizing, analyzing, visualizing and utilizing biomedical information. The framework is based on representations for both spatial and symbolic anatomic knowledge, and is being implemented in a distributed architecture in which multiple client programs on the Internet are used to update and access an expanding set of anatomical information resources. The development of this framework is driven by several practical applications, including symbolic anatomic reasoning, knowledge based image segmentation, anatomy information retrieval, and functional brain mapping. Since each of these areas involves many difficult image processing issues, our research strategy is an evolutionary one, in which applications are developed somewhat independently, and partial solutions are integrated in a piecemeal fashion, using the network as the substrate. This approach assumes that networks of interacting components can synergistically work together to solve problems larger than either could solve on its own. Each of the individual projects is described, along with evaluations that show that the individual components are solving the problems they were designed for, and are beginning to interact with each other in a synergistic manner. We argue that this synergy will increase, not only within our own group, but also among groups as the Internet matures, and that an anatomic knowledge base will be a useful means for fostering these interactions. PMID:9147337

CLIPS application user interface for the PC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Jim; Holbrook, Rebecca; Shewhart, Mark; Crouse, Joey; Yarost, Stuart

1991-01-01

The majority of applications that utilize expert system development programs for their knowledge representation and inferencing capability require some form of interface with the end user. This interface is more than likely an interaction through the computer screen. When building an application the user interface can prove to be the most difficult and time consuming aspect to program. Commercial products currently exist which address this issue. To keep pace C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) will need to find a solution for their lack of an easy to use Application User Interface (AUI). This paper represents a survey of the DoD CLIPS' user community and provides the backbone of a possible solution.

Research and Development wildland fire and fuels accomplishments and outcomes

Treesearch

Matthew Rollins; Carlos Rodriguez-Franco; Tara Haan; Susan Conard

2017-01-01

The Research and Development (R&D) Wildland Fire and Fuels program at the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, continues to be an internationally renowned program for generating critical and essential data, knowledge, and applications for all phases of wildland fire management and response. This report provides a primer on the...

A Case Study to Explore the Impact of Knowledge Management Systems on Workplace Diversity Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gautier, Michael

2012-01-01

The ongoing debate over the definition and application of workplace diversity policies results in a wide range of viewpoints. There are a number of theoreticians who feel that if diversity is more than avoidance of discrimination, that the traditional body of anti-discrimination programs such as the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) efforts…

Telling the story of tree species’ range shifts in a complex landscape

Treesearch

Sharon M. Stanton; Vicente J. Monleon; Heather E. Lintz; Joel Thompson

2015-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis Program is the unrivaled source for long-term, spatially balanced, publicly available data. FIA will continue to be providers of data, but the program is growing and adapting, including a shift in how we communicate information and knowledge derived from those data. Online applications, interactive mapping, and infographics provide...

A knowledge authoring tool for clinical decision support.

PubMed

Dunsmuir, Dustin; Daniels, Jeremy; Brouse, Christopher; Ford, Simon; Ansermino, J Mark

2008-06-01

Anesthesiologists in the operating room are unable to constantly monitor all data generated by physiological monitors. They are further distracted by clinical and educational tasks. An expert system would ideally provide assistance to the anesthesiologist in this data-rich environment. Clinical monitoring expert systems have not been widely adopted, as traditional methods of knowledge encoding require both expert medical and programming skills, making knowledge acquisition difficult. A software application was developed for use as a knowledge authoring tool for physiological monitoring. This application enables clinicians to create knowledge rules without the need of a knowledge engineer or programmer. These rules are designed to provide clinical diagnosis, explanations and treatment advice for optimal patient care to the clinician in real time. By intelligently combining data from physiological monitors and demographical data sources the expert system can use these rules to assist in monitoring the patient. The knowledge authoring process is simplified by limiting connective relationships between rules. The application is designed to allow open collaboration between communities of clinicians to build a library of rules for clinical use. This design provides clinicians with a system for parameter surveillance and expert advice with a transparent pathway of reasoning. A usability evaluation demonstrated that anesthesiologists can rapidly develop useful rules for use in a predefined clinical scenario.

Spinoff, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1990-01-01

This publication is intended to foster the aim of the NASA Technology Utilization Program by heightening awareness of the NASA technology available for transfer and its potential for benefits realized by secondary applications. Spinoff 1990 is organized in three main sections. Section 1 outlines NASA's mainline effort, the major programs that generate new technology and therefore replenish and expand the bank of knowledge available for transfer. Section 2 contains a representative sampling of spinoff products that resulted from secondary application of technology originally developed to meet mainline goals. Section 3 describes the various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology transfer and lists, in an appendix, contact sources for further information about the Technology Utilization Program.

Effects of Combining Case-Based Instruction and Mindfulness Activities on the Acquisition, Application, and Transfer of Complex Knowledge: An Experimental Comparison of Two Multiple-Case Treatments on Videodisc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Thomas H.; Thorkildsen, Ron J.

Two multiple-case instructional treatments were compared to determine their relative effectiveness for helping program participants acquire, apply, and transfer complex knowledge about Assistive Technology (AT) available to help people with impaired vision. Thirty-eight college students were randomly assigned to two conditions. Both treatments…

Clips as a knowledge based language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrington, James B.

1987-01-01

CLIPS is a language for writing expert systems applications on a personal or small computer. Here, the CLIPS programming language is described and compared to three other artificial intelligence (AI) languages (LISP, Prolog, and OPS5) with regard to the processing they provide for the implementation of a knowledge based system (KBS). A discussion is given on how CLIPS would be used in a control system.

Need for and Interest in a Sports Nutrition Mobile Device Application Among Division I Collegiate Athletes.

PubMed

Zuniga, Krystle E; Downey, Darcy L; McCluskey, Ryan; Rivers, Carley

2017-02-01

The majority of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) programs do not have a sports nutritionist, leaving athletes to gather information from resources that vary in reputability. The objective of this study was to identify a need for the development of accessible and reputable resources of nutrition information by assessing the current use of nutrition information resources, dietary habits, and sports nutrition knowledge among Division I collegiate athletes. Seventy-two athletes across eight sports completed questionnaires concerning nutrition resources used, dietary habits, and sports nutrition knowledge. In addition, interest levels in a mobile device application for delivery of nutrition information and tools were assessed. Primary sources for nutrition information included parents and family, athletic trainers (AT), and the internet/media, and athletes felt most comfortable discussing nutrition with parents and family, ATs, and strength and conditioning specialists. Performance on a sports nutrition knowledge questionnaire indicated a general lack of nutrition knowledge, and the high frequency of "unsure" responses suggested a lack of confidence in nutrition knowledge. Athletes conveyed a high likelihood that they would use a mobile device application as a nutrition resource, but were more interested in access to nutrition topics than tools such as a food log. We found that college athletes possess minimal sports nutrition knowledge, obtain nutrition information from nonprofessional resources, and were interested in utilizing a mobile device application as a resource. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative resources, such as a mobile device application, to deliver nutrition information and improve nutrition knowledge.

The Advanced Technology Operations System: ATOS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufeler, J.-F.; Laue, H. A.; Poulter, K.; Smith, H.

1993-01-01

Mission control systems supporting new space missions face ever-increasing requirements in terms of functionality, performance, reliability and efficiency. Modern data processing technology is providing the means to meet these requirements in new systems under development. During the past few years the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) of the European Space Agency (ESA) has carried out a number of projects to demonstrate the feasibility of using advanced software technology, in particular, knowledge based systems, to support mission operations. A number of advances must be achieved before these techniques can be moved towards operational use in future missions, namely, integration of the applications into a single system framework and generalization of the applications so that they are mission independent. In order to achieve this goal, ESA initiated the Advanced Technology Operations System (ATOS) program, which will develop the infrastructure to support advanced software technology in mission operations, and provide applications modules to initially support: Mission Preparation, Mission Planning, Computer Assisted Operations, and Advanced Training. The first phase of the ATOS program is tasked with the goal of designing and prototyping the necessary system infrastructure to support the rest of the program. The major components of the ATOS architecture is presented. This architecture relies on the concept of a Mission Information Base (MIB) as the repository for all information and knowledge which will be used by the advanced application modules in future mission control systems. The MIB is being designed to exploit the latest in database and knowledge representation technology in an open and distributed system. In conclusion the technological and implementation challenges expected to be encountered, as well as the future plans and time scale of the project, are presented.

Impact of a Computer-assisted Education Program on Factors Related to Asthma Self-management Behavior

PubMed Central

Shegog, Ross; Bartholomew, L. Kay; Parcel, Guy S.; Sockrider, Marianna M.; Mâsse, Louise; Abramson, Stuart L.

2001-01-01

Objective: To evaluate Watch, Discover, Think and Act (WDTA), a theory-based application of CD-ROM educational technology for pediatric asthma self-management education. Design: A prospective pretest posttest randomized intervention trial was used to assess the motivational appeal of the computer-assisted instructional program and evaluate the impact of the program in eliciting change in knowledge, self-efficacy, and attributions of children with asthma. Subjects were recruited from large urban asthma clinics, community clinics, and schools. Seventy-six children 9 to 13 years old were recruited for the evaluation. Results: Repeated-measures analysis of covariance showed that knowledge scores increased significantly for both groups, but no between-group differences were found (P = 0.55); children using the program scored significantly higher (P < 0.01) on questions about steps of self-regulation, prevention strategies, and treatment strategies. These children also demonstrated greater selfefficacy (P < 0.05) and more efficacy building attribution classification of asthma self-management behaviors (P < 0.05) than those children who did not use the program. Conclusion: The WDTA is an intrinsically motivating educational program that has the ability to effect determinants of asthma self-management behavior in 9- to 13-year-old children with asthma. This, coupled with its reported effectiveness in enhancing patient outcomes in clinical settings, indicates that this program has application in pediatric asthma education. PMID:11141512

Using a computer-based simulation with an artificial intelligence component and discovery learning to formulate training needs for a new technology

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

Hillis, D.R.

A computer-based simulation with an artificial intelligence component and discovery learning was investigated as a method to formulate training needs for new or unfamiliar technologies. Specifically, the study examined if this simulation method would provide for the recognition of applications and knowledge/skills which would be the basis for establishing training needs. The study also examined the effect of field-dependence/independence on recognition of applications and knowledge/skills. A pretest-posttest control group experimental design involving fifty-eight college students from an industrial technology program was used. The study concluded that the simulation was effective in developing recognition of applications and the knowledge/skills for amore » new or unfamiliar technology. And, the simulation's effectiveness for providing this recognition was not limited by an individual's field-dependence/independence.« less

Development of program package for investigation and modeling of carbon nanostructures in diamond like carbon films with the help of Raman scattering and infrared absorption spectra line resolving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayrapetyan, David B.; Hovhannisyan, Levon; Mantashyan, Paytsar A.

2013-04-01

The analysis of complex spectra is an actual problem for modern science. The work is devoted to the creation of a software package, which analyzes spectrum in the different formats, possesses by dynamic knowledge database and self-study mechanism, performs automated analysis of the spectra compound based on knowledge database by application of certain algorithms. In the software package as searching systems, hyper-spherical random search algorithms, gradient algorithms and genetic searching algorithms were used. The analysis of Raman and IR spectrum of diamond-like carbon (DLC) samples were performed by elaborated program. After processing the data, the program immediately displays all the calculated parameters of DLC.

Enhancing moral agency: clinical ethics residency for nurses.

PubMed

Robinson, Ellen M; Lee, Susan M; Zollfrank, Angelika; Jurchak, Martha; Frost, Debra; Grace, Pamela

2014-09-01

One antidote to moral distress is stronger moral agency-that is, an enhanced ability to act to bring about change. The Clinical Ethics Residency for Nurses, an educational program developed and run in two large northeastern academic medical centers with funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, intended to strengthen nurses' moral agency. Drawing on Improving Competencies in Clinical Ethics Consultation: An Education Guide, by the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, and on the goals of the nursing profession, CERN sought to change attitudes, increase knowledge, and develop skills to act on one's knowledge. One of the key insights the faculty members brought to the design of this program is that knowledge of clinical ethics is not enough to develop moral agency. In addition to lecture-style classes, CERN employed a variety of methods based in adult learning theory, such as active application of ethics knowledge to patient scenarios in classroom discussion, simulation, and the clinical practicum. Overwhelmingly, the feedback from the participants (sixty-seven over three years of the program) indicated that CERN achieved transformative learning. © 2014 by The Hastings Center.

Perspective on intelligent avionics

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

Jones, H.L.

1987-01-01

Technical issues which could potentially limit the capability and acceptibility of expert systems decision-making for avionics applications are addressed. These issues are: real-time AI, mission-critical software, conventional algorithms, pilot interface, knowledge acquisition, and distributed expert systems. Examples from on-going expert system development programs are presented to illustrate likely architectures and applications of future intelligent avionic systems. 13 references.

Tryon Trekkers: An Evaluation of a STEM Based Afterschool Program for At-Risk Youth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckels Anderson, Chessa

This study contributed to the body of research that supports a holistic model of afterschool learning through the design of an afterschool intervention that benefits elementary school students of low socioeconomic status. This qualitative study evaluated a science focused afterschool curriculum that was designed using principles from Risk and Resiliency Theory, academic motivation theories, science core ideas from the Next Generation Science Standards, and used environmental education philosophy. The research question of this study is: how does an outdoor and STEM based afterschool program impact at-risk students' self-efficacy, belonging and engagement and ability to apply conceptual knowledge of environmental science topics? The study collected information about the participants' affective experiences during the intervention using structured and ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews. Observations and interviews were coded and analyzed to find patterns in participants' responses. Three participant profiles were developed using the structured observations and ethnographic observations to provide an in depth understanding of the participant experience. The study also assessed the participants' abilities to apply conceptual understanding of the program's science topics by integrating an application of conceptual knowledge task into the curriculum. This task in the form of a participant project was assessed using an adapted version of the Portland Metro STEM Partnership's Application of Conceptual Knowledge Rubric. Results in the study showed that participants demonstrated self-efficacy, a sense of belonging and engagement during the program. Over half of the participants in the study demonstrated a proficient understanding of program concepts. Overall, this holistic afterschool program demonstrated that specific instructional practices and a multi-modal science curriculum helped to support the social and emotional needs of at-risk children.

Using program evaluation to support knowledge translation in an interprofessional primary care team: a case study.

PubMed

Donnelly, Catherine; Shulha, Lyn; Klinger, Don; Letts, Lori

2016-10-06

Evaluation is a fundamental component in building quality primary care and is ideally situated to support individual, team and organizational learning by offering an accessible form of participatory inquiry. The evaluation literature has begun to recognize the unique features of KT evaluations and has described attributes to consider when evaluating KT activities. While both disciplines have focused on the evaluation of KT activities neither has explored the role of evaluation in KT. The purpose of the paper is to examine how participation in program evaluation can support KT in a primary care setting. A mixed methods case study design was used, where evaluation was conceptualized as a change process and intervention. A Memory Clinic at an interprofessional primary care clinic was the setting in which the study was conducted. An evaluation framework, Pathways of Influence provided the theoretical foundation to understand how program evaluation can facilitate the translation of knowledge at the level of the individual, inter-personal (Memory Clinic team) and the organization. Data collection included questionnaires, interviews, evaluation log and document analysis. Questionnaires and interviews were administered both before and after the evaluation: Pattern matching was used to analyze the data based on predetermined propositions. Individuals gained program knowledge that resulted in changes to both individual and program practices. One of the key themes was the importance clinicians placed on local, program based knowledge. The evaluation had less influence on the broader health organization. Program evaluation facilitated individual, team and organizational learning. The use of evaluation to support KT is ideally suited to a primary care setting by offering relevant and applicable knowledge to primary care team members while being sensitive to local context.

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

PubMed Central

LYE, Jee Leng; SOON, Lean Keng; WAN AHMAD, Wan Amir Nizam; TAN, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Background: Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. Results: The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Conclusion: Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students. PMID:26715905

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia.

PubMed

Lye, Jee Leng; Soon, Lean Keng; Wan Ahmad, Wan Amir Nizam; Tan, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students.

The genomic applications in practice and prevention network.

PubMed

Khoury, Muin J; Feero, W Gregory; Reyes, Michele; Citrin, Toby; Freedman, Andrew; Leonard, Debra; Burke, Wylie; Coates, Ralph; Croyle, Robert T; Edwards, Karen; Kardia, Sharon; McBride, Colleen; Manolio, Teri; Randhawa, Gurvaneet; Rasooly, Rebekah; St Pierre, Jeannette; Terry, Sharon

2009-07-01

The authors describe the rationale and initial development of a new collaborative initiative, the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network. The network convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health includes multiple stakeholders from academia, government, health care, public health, industry and consumers. The premise of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network is that there is an unaddressed chasm between gene discoveries and demonstration of their clinical validity and utility. This chasm is due to the lack of readily accessible information about the utility of most genomic applications and the lack of necessary knowledge by consumers and providers to implement what is known. The mission of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network is to accelerate and streamline the effective integration of validated genomic knowledge into the practice of medicine and public health, by empowering and sponsoring research, evaluating research findings, and disseminating high quality information on candidate genomic applications in practice and prevention. Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network will develop a process that links ongoing collection of information on candidate genomic applications to four crucial domains: (1) knowledge synthesis and dissemination for new and existing technologies, and the identification of knowledge gaps, (2) a robust evidence-based recommendation development process, (3) translation research to evaluate validity, utility and impact in the real world and how to disseminate and implement recommended genomic applications, and (4) programs to enhance practice, education, and surveillance.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of a Mobile Phone-based Education Program in Educating Mothers as Oral Health Providers in Two Regions of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

AlKlayb, Saleh Ali; Assery, Mansour K; AlQahtani, AlJohara; AlAnazi, Madawy; Pani, Sharat Chandra

2017-01-01

The penetration of mobile phone devices is widespread across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Recently, there has been evidence of the success of phone-based applications in the provision of preventive oral health care to children and their parents. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a mobile phone-based application in educating mothers of children aged below 6 years of age in preventive dental care. A mobile phone-based application (iTeethey™) was developed for iPhone and Android and made freely available on Google Play and App Store. The application was then distributed to 3879 mothers of children below 6 years of age (1989 in Riyadh Region and 1890 in Najran region). The mothers were subjected to a standardized knowledge attitude and practice of oral hygiene questionnaire before being asked to download the application. A total of 1055 mothers who downloaded the application completed 3-month recall process. Significant improvement in the knowledge of the mothers was reported after the use of the application from both regions. The mothers from Najran showed significantly greater improvement in knowledge when compared to the mothers from Riyadh region. The application was also more effective in mothers with more than one child when compared to first-time mothers. Within the limitations of this study, we can state that the mobile phone application used in this study significantly improves the knowledge of mothers toward their child's oral health.

Effects of Work Environment on Transfer of Training: Empirical Evidence from Master of Business Administration Programs in Vietnam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Nga T. P.; Segers, Mien S. R.; Gijselaers, Wim H.

2013-01-01

Practical application of newly gained knowledge and skills, also referred to as transfer of training, is an issue of great concern in training issues generally and in Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs particularly. This empirical study examined the influence of the trainees' work environment on their transfer of training, taking…

Generation of the Dimensional Embryology Application (App) for Visualization of Early Chick and Frog Embryonic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Rebecca L.; Bilitski, James; Zerbee, Alyssa; Symans, Alexandra; Chop, Alexandra; Seitz, Brianne; Tran, Cindy

2015-01-01

The study of embryonic development of multiple organisms, including model organisms such as frogs and chicks, is included in many undergraduate biology programs, as well as in a variety of graduate programs. As our knowledge of biological systems increases and the amount of material to be taught expands, the time spent instructing students about…

Safety and Mission Assurance Knowledge Management Retention: Managing Knowledge for Successful Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Teresa A.

2006-01-01

Knowledge Management is a proactive pursuit for the future success of any large organization faced with the imminent possibility that their senior managers/engineers with gained experiences and lessons learned plan to retire in the near term. Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) is proactively pursuing unique mechanism to ensure knowledge learned is retained and lessons learned captured and documented. Knowledge Capture Event/Activities/Management helps to provide a gateway between future retirees and our next generation of managers/engineers. S&MA hosted two Knowledge Capture Events during 2005 featuring three of its retiring fellows (Axel Larsen, Dave Whittle and Gary Johnson). The first Knowledge Capture Event February 24, 2005 focused on two Safety and Mission Assurance Safety Panels (Space Shuttle System Safety Review Panel (SSRP); Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP) and the latter event December 15, 2005 featured lessons learned during Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle which could be applicable in the newly created Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV)/Constellation development program. Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and the Space Shuttle promised and delivered exciting human advances in space and benefits of space in people s everyday lives on earth. Johnson Space Center's Safety & Mission Assurance team work over the last 20 years has been mostly focused on operations we are now beginning the Exploration development program. S&MA will promote an atmosphere of knowledge sharing in its formal and informal cultures and work processes, and reward the open dissemination and sharing of information; we are asking "Why embrace relearning the "lessons learned" in the past?" On the Exploration program the focus will be on Design, Development, Test, & Evaluation (DDT&E); therefore, it is critical to understand the lessons from these past programs during the DDT&E phase.

Meta-tools for software development and knowledge acquisition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eriksson, Henrik; Musen, Mark A.

1992-01-01

The effectiveness of tools that provide support for software development is highly dependent on the match between the tools and their task. Knowledge-acquisition (KA) tools constitute a class of development tools targeted at knowledge-based systems. Generally, KA tools that are custom-tailored for particular application domains are more effective than are general KA tools that cover a large class of domains. The high cost of custom-tailoring KA tools manually has encouraged researchers to develop meta-tools for KA tools. Current research issues in meta-tools for knowledge acquisition are the specification styles, or meta-views, for target KA tools used, and the relationships between the specification entered in the meta-tool and other specifications for the target program under development. We examine different types of meta-views and meta-tools. Our current project is to provide meta-tools that produce KA tools from multiple specification sources--for instance, from a task analysis of the target application.

Preparing beginning reading teachers: An experimental comparison of initial early literacy field experiences.

PubMed

Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Lake, Vickie E; Greulich, Luana; Folsom, Jessica S; Guidry, Lisa

2012-01-01

This randomized-control trial examined the learning of preservice teachers taking an initial Early Literacy course in an early childhood education program and of the kindergarten or first grade students they tutored in their field experience. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of two tutoring programs: Book Buddies and Tutor Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS), which provided identical meaning-focused instruction (shared book reading), but differed in the presentation of code-focused skills. TAILS used explicit, scripted lessons, and the Book Buddies required that code-focused instruction take place during shared book reading. Our research goal was to understand which tutoring program would be most effective in improving knowledge about reading, lead to broad and deep language and preparedness of the novice preservice teachers, and yield the most successful student reading outcomes. Findings indicate that all pre-service teachers demonstrated similar gains in knowledge, but preservice teachers in the TAILS program demonstrated broader and deeper application of knowledge and higher self-ratings of preparedness to teach reading. Students in both conditions made similar comprehension gains, but students tutored with TAILS showed significantly stronger decoding gains.

Researcher development program of the primary health care research, evaluation and development strategy.

PubMed

McIntyre, Ellen; Brun, Lyn; Cameron, Helen

2011-01-01

The Research Development Program (RDP) was initiated in 2004 under the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy to increase the number and range of people with knowledge and skills in primary health care research and evaluation. RDP Fellows were invited to participate in an online survey about the effect the program had on their research knowledge, attitudes and practice. The response rate was 42% (105/248). Most were female (88%) with 66% aged between 31 and 50 years. Over two-thirds (72%) were health practitioners. Activities undertaken during the RDP ranged from literature reviews, developing a research question, preparing ethics submissions, attending and presenting at conferences and seminars, preparing papers and reports, and submitting grant applications. Despite the fact that only 52% agreed that the RDP time was adequate, 94% agreed that the RDP was a valuable experience, with 89% expressing interest in undertaking further research. These results indicate that this program has had a positive effect on the RDP Fellows in terms of their knowledge about research, their attitude to research, and the way they use research in their work.

Practices, perceptions, and implications of fertilizer use in East-Central China.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoying; Fang, Shubo

2015-11-01

Face-to-face interviews (n = 553) were conducted in five counties in East-Central China to study farmers' fertilizer application behaviors, decision-making processes, attitudes towards adopting better fertilizer application technologies, and environmental consciousness. The survey results revealed widespread fertilizer misapplication and highly variable application behaviors in the study regions. The lack of scientific knowledge on fertilizers and the absence of guidance from agricultural extension services have forced the farmers to rely on personal judgment and advice from fertilizer dealers and friends to make decisions in fertilizer application. Overall, farmers have been idiosyncratic in fertilizer application with limited adoption of better fertilizer application technologies. There are great potentials for reducing pollutant load from agricultural runoff through promoting scientific fertilizer application in the regions. However, farmers' diverse preferences over agricultural extension programs necessitate an integrated approach emphasizing farmer involvement throughout the development of such programs for promoting better fertilizer application practices.

Trace Analysis and Spatial Reasoning: An Example of Intensive Cognitive Diagnosis and Its Implications for Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

of Intensive Cognitive Diagnosis and Its Implications for Testing Stellan Ohisson Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh...7a. NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION Learning Research & Development (if applicable) Cognitive Science Program Center, University of Pittsburg Office of...GAGE All other eaitions are obolSete. UN CLASS " UNLASSI FIED Ohlsson 1 Trace Analysis Knowledge and Understanding in Human Learning Knowledge and

Instructional multimedia program versus standard lecture: a comparison of two methods for teaching the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum.

PubMed

Aly, M; Elen, J; Willems, G

2004-02-01

To compare the effectiveness of an interactive multimedia courseware package versus standard lectures regarding knowledge, understanding, and transfer of content, as well as problem-solving skills in orthodontics. Pre- and post-test assessments of final-year dental students (n = 26), who either used an interactive multimedia courseware package (n = 15) or attended standard lectures (n = 11) on equivalent material of the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum were carried out. Both groups were tested by written and multiple-choice questions covering knowledge, understanding, and application areas in the curriculum. A one-way anova was carried out in order to check statistical difference between the two groups. The P-value was set at 0.05. There was no difference in prior knowledge between the groups at baseline. Generally, no significant difference was seen between the two groups in relation to answers to questions about knowledge, understanding, and application in the orthodontic curriculum. However, both groups improved their scores after the course. In one question investigating the extent of understanding the instructional content of the multidisciplinary orthodontic treatment, the multimedia courseware package group scored significantly better. In this study, the instructional interactive multimedia program was found to be at least as effective as the standard lecture of the orthodontic curriculum for undergraduate training in orthodontics.

Using athletic training clinical education standards in radiography.

PubMed

Giordano, Shelley; Harris, Katherine

2012-01-01

The selection of clinical education sites for radiography students is based on availability, access to radiographic examinations, and appropriate student-to-technologist ratio. Radiography program directors are not required to evaluate sites based on their educational validity (eg, the clinical instructor's knowledge of basic teaching and learning principles, how well the site communicates with the program, or the clinical instructor's involvement in professional organizations). The purpose of this study was to determine if a set of 12 clinical education standards used in athletic training would be applicable and beneficial to radiography program directors when selecting clinical sites for students. A survey concerning the applicability of the athletic training standards to radiography site selection was completed by 270 directors of radiography programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. The survey results indicated the athletic training clinical education standards were considered applicable to the selection of clinical sites for radiography students and would be beneficial to radiography program directors when selecting sites.

Integrated neuroscience program: an alternative approach to teaching neurosciences to chiropractic students.

PubMed

He, Xiaohua; La Rose, James; Zhang, Niu

2009-01-01

Most chiropractic colleges do not offer independent neuroscience courses because of an already crowded curriculum. The Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida has developed and implemented an integrated neuroscience program that incorporates neurosciences into different courses. The goals of the program have been to bring neurosciences to students, excite students about the interrelationship of neuroscience and chiropractic, improve students' understanding of neuroscience, and help the students understand the mechanisms underpinning the chiropractic practice. This study provides a descriptive analysis on how the integrated neuroscience program is taught via students' attitudes toward neuroscience and the comparison of students' perceptions of neuroscience content knowledge at different points in the program. A questionnaire consisting of 58 questions regarding the neuroscience courses was conducted among 339 students. The questionnaire was developed by faculty members who were involved in teaching neuroscience and administered in the classroom by faculty members who were not involved in the study. Student perceptions of their neuroscience knowledge, self-confidence, learning strategies, and knowledge application increased considerably through the quarters, especially among the 2nd-year students. The integrated neuroscience program achieved several of its goals, including an increase in students' confidence, positive attitude, ability to learn, and perception of neuroscience content knowledge. The authors believe that such gains can expand student ability to interpret clinical cases and inspire students to become excited about chiropractic research. The survey provides valuable information for teaching faculty to make the course content more relevant to chiropractic students.

Spinoff 1995

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1995-01-01

Recognizing the great potential of the technology bank, Congress charged NASA with stimulating the widest possible use of this valuable resource in the national interest. NASA's instrument of that purpose is the Technology Transfer Program, which seeks to broaden and accelerate the spinoff process. Its intent is to spur expanded national benefit, in terms of new products and new jobs, by facilitating the commercial application of the technology; it encourages greater use of the storehouse of knowledge by providing a channel linking the technology and those who might be able to put it to advantageous use. In July 1994, NASA implemented an Agenda for Change - a new way of doing business in partnership with the private sector. This Agenda marks the beginning of a new focus to further improve our contributions to America's economic security through the pursuit of aeronautics and space missions. This publication is an implement of the Technology Transfer Program intended to heighten awareness among potential users of the technology available for transfer and the economic and social benefits that might be realized by applications of NASA technology to US commercial interests. Spinoff 1995 is organized in three sections. Section 1 outlines NASA's mainline effort, the major programs that generate new technology and therefore replenish and expand the bank of technical knowledge available for application. Section 2, the focal point of this volume, contains a representative sampling of spinoff products and processes that resulted from applications of technology originally developed to meet NASA aerospace goals. Section 3, describes the various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology transfer and lists, in an appendix, contact sources for further information about the Technology Transfer Program.

Computer sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Paul H.

1988-01-01

The Computer Science Program provides advanced concepts, techniques, system architectures, algorithms, and software for both space and aeronautics information sciences and computer systems. The overall goal is to provide the technical foundation within NASA for the advancement of computing technology in aerospace applications. The research program is improving the state of knowledge of fundamental aerospace computing principles and advancing computing technology in space applications such as software engineering and information extraction from data collected by scientific instruments in space. The program includes the development of special algorithms and techniques to exploit the computing power provided by high performance parallel processors and special purpose architectures. Research is being conducted in the fundamentals of data base logic and improvement techniques for producing reliable computing systems.

Lessons learned and their application to program development and cultural issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Gilbert L.

1991-01-01

The main objectives of space product assurance are, in effect, the same as those of Total Quality Management (TQM) or its many variants. The most significant ingredients are the lessons learned and their application to ongoing and future programs as they are affected by changes in the cultural environment. The cultural issues which affect almost everything done in technical programs and projects are considered. Understanding the lessons learned and the synergism which results from this combination of knowledge, culture, and lessons learned is identified as crucial. A brief discussion of the closed loop linkage that should exist between the world of hands on activities and that of educational institutions is presented.

30 CFR 1229.123 - Standards for audit activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... professional proficiency for the tasks required, including a knowledge of accounting, auditing, agency... shall maintain an independent attitude and appearance. (iii) Due professional care. Due professional... accordance with the generally accepted program audit standards (including the applicable General Accounting...

Organization Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huse, Edgar F.

1978-01-01

Organization Development (OD) is the application of behavioral-science knowledge to enhance an organization's effectiveness and efficiency. This article discusses the evolution of organization development, the basic components of an OD program, typologies of OD interventions, problems with organization development, and organization development in…

75 FR 63517 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-15

... days a year (including Federal holidays). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Major Research... applicable. Abstract The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) catalyzes new knowledge and discoveries by providing the Nation's scientists and engineers with state-of-the-art research instrumentation...

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming techniques to tactical guidance for fighter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John W.; Goodrich, Kenneth H.

1989-01-01

A research program investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming techniques to aid in the development of a Tactical Decision Generator (TDG) for Within-Visual-Range (WVR) air combat engagements is discussed. The application of AI methods for development and implementation of the TDG is presented. The history of the Adaptive Maneuvering Logic (AML) program is traced and current versions of the (AML) program is traced and current versions of the AML program are compared and contrasted with the TDG system. The Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS) used by the TDG to aid in the decision-making process are outlined and example rules are presented. The results of tests to evaluate the performance of the TDG against a version of AML and against human pilots in the Langley Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS) are presented. To date, these results have shown significant performance gains in one-versus-one air combat engagements.

Exploratory research for the development of a computer aided software design environment with the software technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardwick, Charles

1991-01-01

Field studies were conducted by MCC to determine areas of research of mutual interest to MCC and JSC. NASA personnel from the Information Systems Directorate and research faculty from UHCL/RICIS visited MCC in Austin, Texas to examine tools and applications under development in the MCC Software Technology Program. MCC personnel presented workshops in hypermedia, design knowledge capture, and design recovery on site at JSC for ISD personnel. The following programs were installed on workstations in the Software Technology Lab, NASA/JSC: (1) GERM (Graphic Entity Relations Modeler); (2) gIBIS (Graphic Issues Based Information System); and (3) DESIRE (Design Recovery tool). These applications were made available to NASA for inspection and evaluation. Programs developed in the MCC Software Technology Program run on the SUN workstation. The programs do not require special configuration, but they will require larger than usual amounts of disk space and RAM to operate properly.

Impact of a scholarly track on quality of residency program applicants.

PubMed

Celebi, Julie M; Nguyen, Cathina T; Sattler, Amelia L; Stevens, Michael B; Lin, Steven Y

2016-11-01

It is generally believed that residency programs offering scholarly tracks attract higher quality applicants, although there is little evidence of this in the literature. We explored the impact of a clinician-educator track on the quality of applicants to our residency program by comparing the volume and characteristics of applicants before (2008-2011) and after (2012-2015) the track was introduced. The total number of applications received was compared between the pre-track and post-track years. Among interviewees, data on United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores, Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) scores, and proportion of candidates with an advanced degree (e.g. MPH, PhD) were compared. An online survey was administered to all interviewees in 2014-2015 to measure interest in the track. The total number of applications to the residency program increased significantly from the pre-track to the post-track years. Compared to the pre-track years, interviewees during the post-track years had statistically higher USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, better MSPE scores, and were more likely to have an advanced degree. Two-thirds of survey respondents reported that the track increased their interest in the residency program. A residency clinician-educator track may be associated with increased overall interest from applicants, higher application volume, and better measures of applicant quality based on USMLE scores, MSPE scores, and proportion of candidates with an advanced degree. Residency programs may consider a potential increase in the quality of their applicants as an added benefit of offering a scholarly track.

Simplifying the construction of domain-specific automatic programming systems: The NASA automated software development workstation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1987-01-01

An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.

Simplifying the construction of domain-specific automatic programming systems: The NASA automated software development workstation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1988-01-01

An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Flight Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.

Approaches to dog health education programs in Australian rural and remote Indigenous communities: four case studies.

PubMed

Constable, S E; Dixon, R M; Dixon, R J; Toribio, J-A

2013-09-01

Dog health in rural and remote Australian Indigenous communities is below urban averages in numerous respects. Many Indigenous communities have called for knowledge sharing in this area. However, dog health education programs are in their infancy, and lack data on effective practices. Without this core knowledge, health promotion efforts cannot progress effectively. This paper discusses a strategy that draws from successful approaches in human health and indigenous education, such as dadirri, and culturally respectful community engagement and development. Negotiating an appropriate education program is explored in its practical application through four case studies. Though each case was unique, the comparison of the four illustrated the importance of listening (community consultation), developing and maintaining relationships, community involvement and employment. The most successful case studies were those that could fully implement all four areas. Outcomes included improved local dog health capacity, local employment and engagement with the program and significantly improved dog health.

U.S. Air Force Scientific and Technical Information Program - The STINFO Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blados, Walter R.

1991-01-01

The U.S. Air Force STINFO (Scientific and Technical Information) program has as its main goal the proper use of all available scientific and technical information in the development of programs. The organization of STINFO databases, the use of STINFO in the development and advancement of aerospace science and technology and the acquisition of superior systems at lowest cost, and the application to public and private sectors of technologies developed for military uses are examined. STINFO user training is addressed. A project for aerospace knowledge diffusion is discussed.

Proceedings of the International Meteorological Satellite Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1962-01-01

International Meteorological Satellite Workshop, November 13-22, 1961, presented the results of the meteorological satellite program of the United States and the possibilities for the future, so that-- the weather services of other nations may acquire a working knowledge of meteorological satellite data for assistance in their future analysis programs both in research and in daily synoptic application and guidance in their national observational support efforts; the world meteorological community may become more familiar with the TIROS program.; and the present activity may be put in proper perspective relative to future operational programs.

Orthopedic Surgery Applicants: What They Want in an Interview and How They Are Influenced by Post-Interview Contact.

PubMed

Camp, Christopher L; Sousa, Paul L; Hanssen, Arlen D; Karam, Matthew D; Haidukewych, George J; Oakes, Daniel A; Turner, Norman S

2016-01-01

Common strategies for orthopedic residency programs to attract competitive applicants include optimizing the interview day and contacting favorably ranked applicants postinterview. The purpose of this work was to determine (1) applicants' perspectives on the ideal interview day, (2) how frequently applicants are contacted postinterview, and (3) the influence of this contact on rank order lists (ROL). Prospective Comparative Survey Mayo Clinic Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rochester, MN, USA PARTICIPANTS: A survey was completed by 312 successfully matched orthopedic surgery residency applicants following the 2015 match regarding their views of the ideal interview day, components they valued most, post-interview contact, and how that contact influenced their ROL. Applicants stated they preferred interviews that lasted 15 (55%) minutes, a mean of 1.7 (range: 1-5) interviewers present per interview, 5 total interviews (range: 1-10) in a day, an interview with residents (96%), and interviews days lasting only a half day (88%). The majority (94%) desire a social event attended by only residents (54%) or staff and residents (46%). Few wanted an assessment of surgical skills (36%) or orthopedic knowledge (23%). The interview day was rated very valuable in determining their ROL (4.4 out of 5.0). Applicants told a mean of 1.7 (range: 0-11) programs they were "ranking the program highly" and 0.8 (range: 0-5) programs they were "going to rank them #1." Of the 116 (40%) applicants contacted by programs following interviews, 24 (21%) moved programs higher and 3 (3%) moved programs lower on their ROL. Orthopedic Surgery applicants have clear preferences for what they consider to be the ideal interview day and many alter their ROL following post-interview contact. These data may be beneficial to programs looking to optimize the interview experience for applicants. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the applicability of a functional programming model to fault-tolerant parallel processing for knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, Richard

1989-01-01

In a fault-tolerant parallel computer, a functional programming model can facilitate distributed checkpointing, error recovery, load balancing, and graceful degradation. Such a model has been implemented on the Draper Fault-Tolerant Parallel Processor (FTPP). When used in conjunction with the FTPP's fault detection and masking capabilities, this implementation results in a graceful degradation of system performance after faults. Three graceful degradation algorithms have been implemented and are presented. A user interface has been implemented which requires minimal cognitive overhead by the application programmer, masking such complexities as the system's redundancy, distributed nature, variable complement of processing resources, load balancing, fault occurrence and recovery. This user interface is described and its use demonstrated. The applicability of the functional programming style to the Activation Framework, a paradigm for intelligent systems, is then briefly described.

NASA's Current Earth Science Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charles, Leslie Bermann

1998-01-01

NASA's Earth science program is a scientific endeavor whose goal is to provide long-term understanding of the Earth as an integrated system of land, water, air and life. A highly developed scientific knowledge of the Earth system is necessary to understand how the environment affects humanity, and how humanity may be affecting the environment. The remote sensing technologies used to gather the global environmental data used in such research also have numerous practical applications. Current applications of remote sensing data demonstrate their practical benefits in areas such as the monitoring of crop conditions and yields, natural disasters and forest fires; hazardous waste clean up; and tracking of vector-borne diseases. The long-term availability of environmental data is essential for the continuity of important research and applications efforts. NASA's Earth observation program has undergone many changes in the recent past.

Global Environmental Change: Modifying Human Contributions Through Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Lynne M.

1998-12-01

The 1995 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1996) Science report concludes that evidence now available "points toward a discernible human influence on global climate" (p. 439). Reductions in emissions will require changes in human behavior. This study assessed whether gains in global environmental change knowledge would lead to changes in human behaviors that could be deemed environmentally responsible. The study assessed the impact on participant behavior of a two-and-one-half day National Informal Educators Workshop and Videoconference held November 14-16, 1994. The workshops were located in seven down-link sites around the continental U.S. and Hawaii. The program utilized a variety of pedagogical techniques during five hours of satellite programming with national expertise on global change topics (natural variability, greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, ecosystem response, and population and resource distribution) and applications of that information with local experts in regional workshops. Participants implemented many personal and professional behavior changes after participation in this program. Six behavior change scales were created from assessment of survey responses (four coefficient alphas were above .7, one was .68, and one was .58). Personal behavior changes grouped into three categories: Use of Fewer Resources (acts of everyday life generally under volitional control), Purchasing Choices/Options (less frequent acts, not under total volitional control, with significant environmental effect over the lifetime of the decision, e.g., an automobile) and Increased Awareness and Discussion (indicating changes in "habits of mind"). The professional behavior changes also grouped into three categories: Curriculum Development (developing/revising curricula including new knowledge); Networking (with colleagues from the program); and Office Procedures (reflecting environmentally responsible behavior). The statistically significant behavior changes implemented correspond with increases in content knowledge, confidence, a developing national network, regional applications, and satisfaction with the program.

Improving program documentation quality through the application of continuous improvement processes.

PubMed

Lovlien, Cheryl A; Johansen, Martha; Timm, Sandra; Eversman, Shari; Gusa, Dorothy; Twedell, Diane

2007-01-01

Maintaining the integrity of record keeping and retrievable information related to the provision of continuing education credit creates challenges for a large organization. Accurate educational program documentation is vital to support the knowledge and professional development of nursing staff. Quality review and accurate documentation of programs for nursing staff development occurred at one institution through the use of continuous improvement principles. Integration of the new process into the current system maintains the process of providing quality record keeping.

Science, society and the space program.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stafford, T. P.

1972-01-01

Exposition of the contributions the space program can make toward improving the quality of life. The contribution involves both short-range application of space technology and the long-range search for knowledge. Large land areas can be surveyed from spacecraft to determine not only whether land is tillable, but what kind of crops will flourish. The space communications program can reach many millions of people more economically than other methods. The long-range aspects are concerned with the effect of modification of the environment.

Dairy calving management: description and assessment of a training program for dairy personnel.

PubMed

Schuenemann, G M; Bas, S; Gordon, E; Workman, J D

2013-04-01

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive calving management program designed to enhance the flow of applied, research-based, calving information to dairy personnel. Calving personnel (n=70), serving an estimated 18,100 cows from 18 Ohio dairies, attended the calving management program (∼1h of training and ∼2h of demonstration). Description of the birth canal, behavioral signs of normal parturition (stages I to III), dystocia (presentations, positions, and postures), hygiene practices during the assistance procedure, strategies for intervention (when and how to intervene), record-keeping, communication (when to call for help), and newborn care were discussed. Posttraining follow-ups (2/yr) were available for participating personnel. Educational materials were delivered through lectures followed by group discussions and hands-on demonstrations. Attendees were assessed using pre- and posttests of knowledge to determine the level of knowledge gained during the training program. Participants evaluated the program and provided feedback at the conclusion of the program. Dairy personnel reported that the overall program, presentations, and discussions were useful. The presented materials and demonstrations substantially increased the knowledge level of the attendees by 20.9 percentage points from pre- to posttest scores. Importance of open communication within the farm team, recognizing the landmarks for parturition, signs of calving progress, reference times for intervention, hygiene practices at calving, and strategies to correct abnormal presentation, position, or posture were listed as learned concepts with immediate field application. The follow-up assessment with participant personnel revealed that they were able to implement and apply their learned skills, communicate calving records with the farm team, and follow written calving protocols. Results indicated that the workshop was relevant and effective, offering information with immediate field application. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the state of health programming by using diffusion theory.

PubMed

Dearing, James W

2004-01-01

Year by year, the gaps between what is known about behavior change and what is actually practiced in social programs grow larger, especially for community-based programs intended to help minority populations, the poor, and those living in inner-city and rural areas. Internationally, such gaps between the state of knowledge and the state of practice lead to disparities in health, education, and development among societal groups, demographic sub-populations, communities, and countries. Data about disparities are used as evidence of inequality. Here, I discuss uses of certain diffusion of innovation theory-based concepts to systematically redress problems of inequality and disparity by reducing the differences between evidence and practice in social programs that are implemented by intermediaries (practitioners) and communicated by them to needy populations. The emphasis here is on the integrated application of knowledge about innovation attributes, opinion leadership, and clustering from diffusion theory to achieve the objective of more extensive and more rapid diffusion of especially effective programs. A set of implementation steps are offered for researchers, funders of international health programs, and the intermediaries who implement health programs.

Advanced Software Development Workstation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Daniel

1989-01-01

The Advanced Software Development Workstation Project, funded by Johnson Space Center, is investigating knowledge-based techniques for software reuse in NASA software development projects. Two prototypes have been demonstrated and a third is now in development. The approach is to build a foundation that provides passive reuse support, add a layer that uses domain-independent programming knowledge, add a layer that supports the acquisition of domain-specific programming knowledge to provide active support, and enhance maintainability and modifiability through an object-oriented approach. The development of new application software would use specification-by-reformulation, based on a cognitive theory of retrieval from very long-term memory in humans, and using an Ada code library and an object base. Current tasks include enhancements to the knowledge representation of Ada packages and abstract data types, extensions to support Ada package instantiation knowledge acquisition, integration with Ada compilers and relational databases, enhancements to the graphical user interface, and demonstration of the system with a NASA contractor-developed trajectory simulation package. Future work will focus on investigating issues involving scale-up and integration.

The role of toxicology in the Apollo space program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rippstein, W. J., Jr.

1975-01-01

Some of the major considerations are presented which governed the formation and application of the toxicology program employed in support of the Apollo program. The overriding concern of the program was the safety of crews exposed to trace contaminant gases for extended periods of time. The materials screening program employed, in conjunction with a well designed spacecraft environmental control system, helped to attain the goals set forth for the Apollo program. The knowledge gained from working with the toxicity problems and the identification of compounds in the space cabin atmosphere are of importance for continued efforts in manned space flight. Tabular data of spacecraft contaminants are presented.

Evaluation of Pharmacy and Therapeutic (P&T) Committee member knowledge, attitudes and ability regarding the use of comparative effectiveness research (CER) in health care decision-making.

PubMed

Tang, D H; Warholak, T L; Hines, L E; Hurwitz, J; Brown, M; Taylor, A M; Brixner, D; Malone, D C

2014-01-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is a constellation of research methods designed to improve health care decision making. Educational programs that improve health care decision makers' CER knowledge and awareness may ultimately lead to more cost-effective use of health care resources. This study was conducted to evaluate changes in CER knowledge, attitudes, and ability among Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee members and support staff after attending a tailored educational program. Physicians and pharmacists from two professional societies and the Indian Health Service who participated in the P&T process were invited via email to participate in this study. Participants completed a questionnaire, designed specifically for this study, prior to and following the 4-hour live, educational program on CER to determine the impact on their related knowledge, attitudes, and ability to use CER in decision-making. Rasch analysis was used to assess validity and reliability of subsections of the questionnaire and regression analysis was used to assess programmatic impact on CER knowledge, attitude, and ability. One hundred and forty of the 199 participants completed both the pre- and post-CER session questionnaires (response rate = 70.4%). Most participants (>75%) correctly answered eight of the ten knowledge items after attending the educational session. More than 60% of the respondents had a positive attitude toward CER both before and after the program. Compared to baseline (pretest), participants reported significant improvements in their perceived ability to use CER after attending the session in these areas: using CER reviews, knowledge of CER methods, identifying problems with randomized controlled trials, identifying threats to validity, understanding of evidence synthesis approaches, and evaluating the quality of CER (all P values < 0.001). The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity evidence (limited evidence of construct under-representation and construct irrelevant variance). The CER educational program was effective in increasing participants' CER knowledge and self-perceived ability to evaluate relevant evidence. Improving knowledge and awareness of CER and its applicability is a critical first step in improving its use in health care decision making. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Closing the gap between knowledge and clinical application: challenges for genomic translation.

PubMed

Burke, Wylie; Korngiebel, Diane M

2015-01-01

Despite early predictions and rapid progress in research, the introduction of personal genomics into clinical practice has been slow. Several factors contribute to this translational gap between knowledge and clinical application. The evidence available to support genetic test use is often limited, and implementation of new testing programs can be challenging. In addition, the heterogeneity of genomic risk information points to the need for strategies to select and deliver the information most appropriate for particular clinical needs. Accomplishing these tasks also requires recognition that some expectations for personal genomics are unrealistic, notably expectations concerning the clinical utility of genomic risk assessment for common complex diseases. Efforts are needed to improve the body of evidence addressing clinical outcomes for genomics, apply implementation science to personal genomics, and develop realistic goals for genomic risk assessment. In addition, translational research should emphasize the broader benefits of genomic knowledge, including applications of genomic research that provide clinical benefit outside the context of personal genomic risk.

The relevance of qualitative research for clinical programs in psychiatry.

PubMed

Goering, Paula; Boydell, Katherine M; Pignatiello, Antonio

2008-03-01

It is time to move beyond education about qualitative research theory and methods to using them to understand and improve psychiatric practice. There is a good fit between this agenda and current thinking about research use that broadens definitions of evidence beyond the results of experiments. This paper describes a qualitative program evaluation to illustrate what kind of useful knowledge is generated and how it can be created through a clinician-researcher partnership. The linkage and exchange model of effective knowledge translation described involves interaction between clinicians and researchers throughout the research process and results in mutual learning through the planning, disseminating, and application of existing or new qualitative research in decision making.

Caring for Kids: Bridging Gaps in Pediatric Emergency Care Through Community Education and Outreach.

PubMed

Luckstead-Gosdin, Ann; Vinson, Lori; Greenwell, Cynthia; Tweed, Jefferson

2017-06-01

The Pediatric Emergency Services Network (PESN) was developed to provide ongoing continuing education on pediatric guidelines and pediatric emergency care to rural and nonpediatric hospitals, physicians, nurses, and emergency personnel. A survey was developed and given to participants attending PESN educational events to determine the perceived benefit and application to practice of the PESN outreach program. Overall, 91% of participants surveyed reported agreement that PESN educational events were beneficial to their clinical practice, provided them with new knowledge, and made them more knowledgeable about pediatric emergency care. Education and outreach programs can be beneficial to health care workers' educational needs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of written driver knowledge tests.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-01-01

Highway Safety Program Standard 5, Driver Licensing, issued by the U. S. Department of Transportation requires, in part, that the states test applicants for a renewal of their operator's license on rules of the road at least once every 4 years. The s...

Determination of Tasks Required by Graduates of Manufacturing Engineering Technology Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirbel, Jay H.

1993-01-01

A Delphi panel of 14 experts identified 37 tasks performed by/qualities needed by manufacturing engineering technologists. Most important were work ethic, performance quality, communication skills, teamwork, computer applications, manufacturing basics, materials knowledge, troubleshooting, supervision, and global issues. (SK)

What Do Value-Added Measures of Teacher Preparation Programs Tell Us? What We Know Series: Value-Added Methods and Applications. Knowledge Brief 12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan

2013-01-01

Teacher training programs are increasingly being held under the microscope. Perhaps the most notable of recent calls to reform was the 2009 declaration by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan that "by almost any standard, many if not most of the nation's 1,450 schools, colleges, and departments of education are doing a mediocre job of…

Key Issues in the Application of Knowledge Management in Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

designed instructional programs are often outdated before they ever leave the design stage (DAF, 1994; DAF, 1993). Such programs are far too rigid...and end up drowning in raw facts and figures (Davenport, Harris, De Long & Jacobson, 2001). Information When relevance or context is applied to...of data to information can be categorized five ways (Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Davenport, Harris, De Long & Jacobson, 2001). 1. Contexualized

Air Force Personalized Medicine Program Panel: Representative Research at the 59th Medical Wing San Antonio Military Medical Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-18

and treatment strategies at the San Antonio Military Health System. Panel members will describe studies in Disease Management providing evidence for...Application in a Clinical CBA: AFMSand MAJCOM Needs (Research Knowledge) Setti g Optimization of Pharmacologic Cardiovascular Personalized Care...Medicine Research Program Development of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Immune System Dysregulation in Neurological & other Diseases

Generation of Test Questions from RDF Files Using PYTHON and SPARQL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omarbekova, Assel; Sharipbay, Altynbek; Barlybaev, Alibek

2017-02-01

This article describes the development of the system for the automatic generation of test questions based on the knowledge base. This work has an applicable nature and provides detailed examples of the development of ontology and implementation the SPARQL queries in RDF-documents. Also it describes implementation of the program generating questions in the Python programming language including the necessary libraries while working with RDF-files.

Application of Gap Analysis to Education: A Case Study of the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Program at the University of Guelph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, C.; Wilcock, A.; Aung, M.

2004-01-01

This study was designed to identify the skills and knowledge deemed important for food safety professionals and the degree to which the Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) program at the Univ. of Guelph helps students to develop these skills. The research included 2 phases: interviews were conducted to identify these skill and knowledge…

A pharmacy business management simulation exercise as a practical application of business management material and principles.

PubMed

Rollins, Brent L; Gunturi, Rahul; Sullivan, Donald

2014-04-17

To implement a pharmacy business management simulation exercise as a practical application of business management material and principles and assess students' perceived value. As part of a pharmacy management and administration course, students made various calculations and management decisions in the global categories of hours of operation, inventory, pricing, and personnel. The students entered the data into simulation software and a realistic community pharmacy marketplace was modeled. Course topics included accounting, economics, finance, human resources, management, marketing, and leadership. An 18-item posttest survey was administered. Students' slightly to moderately agreed the pharmacy simulation program enhanced their knowledge and understanding, particularly of inventory management, cash flow statements, balance sheets, and income statements. Overall attitudes toward the pharmacy simulation program were also slightly positive and students also slightly agreed the pharmacy simulation program enhanced their learning of pharmacy business management. Inventory management was the only area in which students felt they had at least "some" exposure to the assessed business management topics during IPPEs/internship, while all other areas of experience ranged from "not at all" to "a little." The pharmacy simulation program is an effective active-learning exercise and enhanced students' knowledge and understanding of the business management topics covered.

A Pharmacy Business Management Simulation Exercise as a Practical Application of Business Management Material and Principles

PubMed Central

Rollins, Brent L.; Gunturi, Rahul; Sullivan, Donald

2014-01-01

Objective. To implement a pharmacy business management simulation exercise as a practical application of business management material and principles and assess students’ perceived value. Design. As part of a pharmacy management and administration course, students made various calculations and management decisions in the global categories of hours of operation, inventory, pricing, and personnel. The students entered the data into simulation software and a realistic community pharmacy marketplace was modeled. Course topics included accounting, economics, finance, human resources, management, marketing, and leadership. Assessment. An 18-item posttest survey was administered. Students’ slightly to moderately agreed the pharmacy simulation program enhanced their knowledge and understanding, particularly of inventory management, cash flow statements, balance sheets, and income statements. Overall attitudes toward the pharmacy simulation program were also slightly positive and students also slightly agreed the pharmacy simulation program enhanced their learning of pharmacy business management. Inventory management was the only area in which students felt they had at least “some” exposure to the assessed business management topics during IPPEs/internship, while all other areas of experience ranged from “not at all” to “a little.” Conclusion. The pharmacy simulation program is an effective active-learning exercise and enhanced students’ knowledge and understanding of the business management topics covered. PMID:24761023

Use of expert systems for the selection and the design of solar domestic hot water systems

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

Panteliou, S.; Dentsoras, A.; Daskalopoulos, E.

1996-07-01

The aim of this article is the study of the application of expert systems to a mechanical engineering research domain with practical and commercial interest, such as design and manufacturing of Solar Domestic Hot Water (SDHW) Systems. The issues studied were the selection and the design of SDHW systems. The application of an expert system was explored. Frame and class formalism was used for knowledge representation together with forward and backward chaining techniques for drawing conclusions and utilizing the accumulated information present. The appropriate computer program was developed to yield the selection of SDHW systems using the software tool LEONARDOmore » 3.0 (1989), an integrated environment for the development of expert systems. The developed program was tested with data according to the Greek standard ELOT corresponding to the ISO/DIS 9459-2 and it performed successfully for 21 SDHW systems available on the Greek market. Apart from the possibility of selection of a SDHW system, the program also supports the facility for updating its knowledge based with new data so that it can be adapted to changes appearing on the market. The program proved to be functional and user friendly to a high degree. 8 refs., 9 figs.« less

Programming PHREEQC calculations with C++ and Python a comparative study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Charlton, Scott R.; Parkhurst, David L.; Muller, Mike

2011-01-01

The new IPhreeqc module provides an application programming interface (API) to facilitate coupling of other codes with the U.S. Geological Survey geochemical model PHREEQC. Traditionally, loose coupling of PHREEQC with other applications required methods to create PHREEQC input files, start external PHREEQC processes, and process PHREEQC output files. IPhreeqc eliminates most of this effort by providing direct access to PHREEQC capabilities through a component object model (COM), a library, or a dynamically linked library (DLL). Input and calculations can be specified through internally programmed strings, and all data exchange between an application and the module can occur in computer memory. This study compares simulations programmed in C++ and Python that are tightly coupled with IPhreeqc modules to the traditional simulations that are loosely coupled to PHREEQC. The study compares performance, quantifies effort, and evaluates lines of code and the complexity of the design. The comparisons show that IPhreeqc offers a more powerful and simpler approach for incorporating PHREEQC calculations into transport models and other applications that need to perform PHREEQC calculations. The IPhreeqc module facilitates the design of coupled applications and significantly reduces run times. Even a moderate knowledge of one of the supported programming languages allows more efficient use of PHREEQC than the traditional loosely coupled approach.

A Thematic Analysis of Theoretical Models for Translational Science in Nursing: Mapping the Field

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Sandra A.; Fisher, Cheryl A.; Hastings, Clare E.; Silverman, Leanne B.; Wallen, Gwenyth R.

2010-01-01

Background The quantity and diversity of conceptual models in translational science may complicate rather than advance the use of theory. Purpose This paper offers a comparative thematic analysis of the models available to inform knowledge development, transfer, and utilization. Method Literature searches identified 47 models for knowledge translation. Four thematic areas emerged: (1) evidence-based practice and knowledge transformation processes; (2) strategic change to promote adoption of new knowledge; (3) knowledge exchange and synthesis for application and inquiry; (4) designing and interpreting dissemination research. Discussion This analysis distinguishes the contributions made by leaders and researchers at each phase in the process of discovery, development, and service delivery. It also informs the selection of models to guide activities in knowledge translation. Conclusions A flexible theoretical stance is essential to simultaneously develop new knowledge and accelerate the translation of that knowledge into practice behaviors and programs of care that support optimal patient outcomes. PMID:21074646

Artificial Intelligence In Computational Fluid Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogel, Alison Andrews

1991-01-01

Paper compares four first-generation artificial-intelligence (Al) software systems for computational fluid dynamics. Includes: Expert Cooling Fan Design System (EXFAN), PAN AIR Knowledge System (PAKS), grid-adaptation program MITOSIS, and Expert Zonal Grid Generation (EZGrid). Focuses on knowledge-based ("expert") software systems. Analyzes intended tasks, kinds of knowledge possessed, magnitude of effort required to codify knowledge, how quickly constructed, performances, and return on investment. On basis of comparison, concludes Al most successful when applied to well-formulated problems solved by classifying or selecting preenumerated solutions. In contrast, application of Al to poorly understood or poorly formulated problems generally results in long development time and large investment of effort, with no guarantee of success.

NASA'S Water Resources Element Within the Applied Sciences Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toll, David; Doorn, Bradley; Engman, Edwin

2011-01-01

The NASA Earth Systems Division has the primary responsibility for the Applied Science Program and the objective to accelerate the use of NASA science results in applications to help solve problems important to society and the economy. The primary goal of the NASA Applied Science Program is to improve future and current operational systems by infusing them with scientific knowledge of the Earth system gained through space-based observation, assimilation of new observations, and development and deployment of enabling technologies, systems, and capabilities. This paper discusses major problems facing water resources managers, including having timely and accurate data to drive their decision support tools. It then describes how NASA's science and space based satellites may be used to overcome this problem. Opportunities for the water resources community to participate in NASA's Water Resources Applications Program are described.

The interaction of representation and reasoning.

PubMed

Bundy, Alan

2013-09-08

Automated reasoning is an enabling technology for many applications of informatics. These applications include verifying that a computer program meets its specification; enabling a robot to form a plan to achieve a task and answering questions by combining information from diverse sources, e.g. on the Internet, etc. How is automated reasoning possible? Firstly, knowledge of a domain must be stored in a computer, usually in the form of logical formulae. This knowledge might, for instance, have been entered manually, retrieved from the Internet or perceived in the environment via sensors, such as cameras. Secondly, rules of inference are applied to old knowledge to derive new knowledge. Automated reasoning techniques have been adapted from logic, a branch of mathematics that was originally designed to formalize the reasoning of humans, especially mathematicians. My special interest is in the way that representation and reasoning interact. Successful reasoning is dependent on appropriate representation of both knowledge and successful methods of reasoning. Failures of reasoning can suggest changes of representation. This process of representational change can also be automated. We will illustrate the automation of representational change by drawing on recent work in my research group.

The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Label, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

2016-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of the NEPP Program. The NEPP Mission is to provide guidance to NASA for the selection and application of microelectronics technologies; Improve understanding of the risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment; Ensure that appropriate research is performed to meet NASA mission assurance needs. NEPP's Goals are to provide customers with appropriate and cost-effective risk knowledge to aid in: Selection and application of microelectronics technologies; Improved understanding of risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment; Appropriate evaluations to meet NASA mission assurance needs; Guidelines for test and application of parts technologies in space; Assurance infrastructure and support for technologies in use by NASA space systems.

Application for Graduate Experiential Learning Credit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Central Michigan Univ., Mount Pleasant. Inst. for Personal and Career Development.

Experiential Learning graduate credits are awarded to students enrolled in the Institute for Personal and Career Development (IPCD) graduate programs for knowledge acquired from on-the-job training, on-the-job experiences, non-university workshops, other vocation-related experiences, or avocational achievemnts. These experiences and achievements…

Evaluating Technology Transfer and Diffusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozeman, Barry; And Others

1988-01-01

Four articles discuss the evaluation of technology transfer and diffusion: (1) "Technology Transfer at the U.S. National Laboratories: A Framework for Evaluation"; (2) "Application of Social Psychological and Evaluation Research: Lessons from Energy Information Programs"; (3) "Technology and Knowledge Transfer in Energy R and D Laboratories: An…

The short-term effectiveness of written driver knowledge tests.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-01-01

Highway Safety Program Standard 5, Driver Licensing, issued by the U. S. Department of Transportation requires the states to test applicants for a renewal of their operator's license on rules of the road at least once every four years. The cost of ad...

Sensitivity of some tests for alcohol abuse : findings in nonalcoholics recovering from intoxication.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

A variety of measurements are sensitive to alcoholism; some may be applicable to screening programs, but more precise knowledge of sensitivity and specificity would help to select a minimal test battery. This study assessed the sensitivity of some te...

Behavior determinants among cardiac rehabilitation patients receiving educational interventions: an application of the health action process approach.

PubMed

Ghisi, Gabriela Lima de Melo; Grace, Sherry L; Thomas, Scott; Oh, Paul

2015-05-01

To (1) test the effect of a health action process approach (HAPA) theory-based education program in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) compared to traditional education on patient knowledge and HAPA constructs; and, (2) investigate the theoretical correlates of exercise behavior among CR patients receiving theory-based education. CR patients were exposed to an existing or HAPA-based 6 month education curriculum in this quasi-experimental study. Participants completed a survey assessing exercise behavior, HAPA constructs, and knowledge pre and post-program. 306 patients consented to participate, of which 146 (47.7%) were exposed to the theory-based educational curriculum. There was a significant improvement in patients' overall knowledge pre- to post-CR, as well as in some HAPA constructs and exercise behavior, regardless of curriculum (p < 0.05). Path analysis revealed that knowledge was significantly related to intention formation, and intentions to engage in exercise were not directly related to behavior, which required action planning. The theoretically-informed education curriculum was not associated with greater knowledge or exercise behavior as expected. Education in CR improves knowledge, and theoretical constructs related to exercise behavior. Educational curricula should be designed to not only increase patients' knowledge, but also enhance intentions, self-efficacy, and action planning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship of learning motivation, achievement and satisfaction for nurses learning simple excel VBA information systems programming.

PubMed

Lee, Ying Li; Chien, Tsai Feng; Kuo, Ming Chuan; Chang, Polun

2014-01-01

This study aims to understand the relationship between participating nurses' motivation, achievement and satisfaction before and after they learned to program in Excel Visual Basic for Applications (Excel VBA). We held a workshop to train nurses in developing simple Excel VBA information systems to support their clinical or administrative practices. Before and after the workshop, the participants were evaluated on their knowledge of Excel VBA, and a questionnaire was given to survey their learning motivation and satisfaction. Statistics softwares Winsteps and SPSS were used for data analysis. Results show that the participants are more knowledgeable about VBA as well as more motivated in learning VBA after the workshop. Participants were highly satisfied with the overall arrangement of the workshop and instructors, but didn't have enough confidence in promoting the application of Excel VBA themselves. In addition, we were unable to predict the participants' achievement by their demographic characteristics or pre-test motivation level.

Implementing best practice in hospital multidisciplinary nutritional care: an example of using the knowledge-to-action process for a research program.

PubMed

Laur, Celia; Keller, Heather H

2015-01-01

Prospective use of knowledge translation and implementation science frameworks can increase the likelihood of meaningful improvements in health care practices. An example of this creation and application of knowledge is the series of studies conducted by and with the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF). Following a cohort study and synthesis of evidence regarding best practice for identification, treatment, and prevention of malnutrition in hospitals, CMTF created an evidence-informed, consensus-based pathway for nutritional care in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to detail the steps taken in this research program, through four studies, as an example of the knowledge-to-action (KTA) process. The KTA process includes knowledge creation and action cycles. The steps of the action cycle within this program of research are iterative, and up to this point have been informed by three studies, with a fourth underway. The first study identified the magnitude of the malnutrition problem upon admission to hospital and how it is undetected and undertreated (study 1). Knowledge creation resulted in an evidence-based pathway established to address care gaps (study 2) and the development of monitoring tools (study 3). The study was then adapted to local context: focus groups validated face validate the evidence-based pathway; during the final phase, study site implementation teams will continue to adapt the pathway (studies 2 and 4). Barriers to implementation were also assessed; focus groups and interviews were conducted to inform the pathway implementation (studies 1, 2, and 4). In the next step, specific interventions were selected, tailored, and implemented. In the final study in this research program, plan-do-study-act cycles will be used to make changes and to implement the pathway (study 4). To monitor knowledge use and to evaluate outcomes, audits, staff surveys, patient outcomes, etc will be used to record process evaluations (studies 3 and 4). Finally, a sustainability plan will be incorporated into the final study of the program (study 4) to sustain knowledge use. Use of frameworks can increase the likelihood of meaningful and sustainable improvements in health care practice. The example of this program of research demonstrates how existing evidence has been used to identify, create, and adapt knowledge, and how multidisciplinary teams have been used to effect changes in the hospital setting. Effective implementation is essential in nutritional health care, and this multidisciplinary program of research provides an example of how the KTA process can facilitate implementation and promote sustainability.

A review of European applications of artificial intelligence to space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, Mark (Editor); Stewart, Helen (Editor)

1993-01-01

The purpose is to describe the applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the European Space program that are being developed or have been developed. The results of a study sponsored by the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development program of NASA's Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology (OACT) are described. The report is divided into two sections. The first consists of site reports, which are descriptions of the AI applications seen at each place visited. The second section consists of two summaries which synthesize the information in the site reports by organizing this information in two different ways. The first organizes the material in terms of the type of application, e.g., data analysis, planning and scheduling, and procedure management. The second organizes the material in terms of the component technologies of Artificial Intelligence which the applications used, e.g., knowledge based systems, model based reasoning, procedural reasoning, etc.

A New Framework and Practice Center for Adapting, Translating, and Scaling Evidence-Based Health/Wellness Programs for People With Disabilities.

PubMed

Rimmer, James H; Vanderbom, Kerri A; Graham, Ian D

2016-04-01

Supporting the transition of people with newly acquired and existing disability from rehabilitation into community-based health/wellness programs, services, and venues requires rehabilitation professionals to build evidence by capturing successful strategies at the local level, finding innovative ways to translate successful practices to other communities, and ultimately to upgrade and maintain their applicability and currency for future scale-up. This article describes a knowledge-to-practice framework housed in a national resource and practice center that will support therapists and other rehabilitation professionals in building and maintaining a database of successful health/wellness guidelines, recommendations, and adaptations to promote community health inclusion for people with disabilities. A framework was developed in the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) to systematically build and advance the evidence base of health/wellness programs, practices, and services applicable to people with disabilities. N-KATS (NCHPAD Knowledge Adaptation, Translation, and Scale-up) has 4 sequencing strategies: strategy 1-new evidence- and practice-based knowledge is collected and adapted for the local context (ie, community); strategy 2-customized resources are effectively disseminated to key stakeholders including rehabilitation professionals with appropriate training tools; strategy 3-NCHPAD staff serve as facilitators assisting key stakeholders in implementing recommendations; strategy 4-successful elements of practice (eg, guideline, recommendation, adaptation) are archived and scaled to other rehabilitation providers. The N-KATS framework supports the role of rehabilitation professionals as knowledge brokers, facilitators, and users in a collaborative, dynamic structure that will grow and be sustained over time through the NCHPAD.Video abstract available for additional insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A130).

Designing and Developing a NASA Research Projects Knowledge Base and Implementing Knowledge Management and Discovery Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabiru, L.; O'Hara, C. G.; Shaw, D.; Katragadda, S.; Anderson, D.; Kim, S.; Shrestha, B.; Aanstoos, J.; Frisbie, T.; Policelli, F.; Keblawi, N.

2006-12-01

The Research Project Knowledge Base (RPKB) is currently being designed and will be implemented in a manner that is fully compatible and interoperable with enterprise architecture tools developed to support NASA's Applied Sciences Program. Through user needs assessment, collaboration with Stennis Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and NASA's DEVELOP Staff personnel insight to information needs for the RPKB were gathered from across NASA scientific communities of practice. To enable efficient, consistent, standard, structured, and managed data entry and research results compilation a prototype RPKB has been designed and fully integrated with the existing NASA Earth Science Systems Components database. The RPKB will compile research project and keyword information of relevance to the six major science focus areas, 12 national applications, and the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). The RPKB will include information about projects awarded from NASA research solicitations, project investigator information, research publications, NASA data products employed, and model or decision support tools used or developed as well as new data product information. The RPKB will be developed in a multi-tier architecture that will include a SQL Server relational database backend, middleware, and front end client interfaces for data entry. The purpose of this project is to intelligently harvest the results of research sponsored by the NASA Applied Sciences Program and related research program results. We present various approaches for a wide spectrum of knowledge discovery of research results, publications, projects, etc. from the NASA Systems Components database and global information systems and show how this is implemented in SQL Server database. The application of knowledge discovery is useful for intelligent query answering and multiple-layered database construction. Using advanced EA tools such as the Earth Science Architecture Tool (ESAT), RPKB will enable NASA and partner agencies to efficiently identify the significant results for new experiment directions and principle investigators to formulate experiment directions for new proposals.

Rural Energy Options Analysis Training Development and Implementation at NREL

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

Gilman, P.

2005-01-01

NREL has developed a rural energy options analysis training program for rural energy decision makers that provides knowledge, skills and tools for the evaluation of technologies, including renewables, for rural energy applications. Through the Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP), NREL has refined materials for the program and developed a module that offers hands-on training in the preparation of data for options analysis using HOMER, NREL's micropower optimization model. NREL has used the materials for training in Brazil, the Maldives, Mexico, and Sri Lanka.

Natural hazards research and response; international decade for reducing loss from natural disasters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hays, W.W.

1992-01-01

IDNDR offers an unprecedented opportunity to apply new knowledge and technology to minimize losses in regions at high risks. The program is very challenging because full implementation requires a multidisciplinary effort on a global scale, an undertaking never before attempted. In concert with the other signatory nations, the Untied States is carrying out a balanced and comprehensive program of research and applications as a contribution to the IDNDR. The U.S program is designed to reduce both loss of life and property damage from natural disasters.  

Special Education and Programs for Disadvantaged Children and Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannenbaum, Abraham J. Ed.

Nine conference papers consider the application of knowledge and methods known to special education to the instruction of disadvantaged children. Edmund W. Gordon views the disadvantaged population; Frank B. Wilderson discusses behavior disorders in children from deprived backgrounds; Harriet Green Kopp describes problems of perception and…

Designing an eMap to Teach Multimedia Applications Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffini, Michael F.

2004-01-01

Teachers and students use multimedia software to create interactive presentations and content projects. Popular multimedia programs include: Microsoft's PowerPoint[R], Knowledge Adventure's HyperStudio[R], and Macromedia's Director MX 2004[R]. Creating multimedia projects engage students in active learning and thinking as they complete projects…

STEMMING the Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahler, Jim; Valentine, Nancy

2011-01-01

America has a gap when it comes to youth pursuing science and technology careers. In an effort to improve the knowledge and application of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), after-school programs can work in conjunction with formal in-school curriculum to improve science education. One organization that actively addresses this…

Development of the CODER System: A Testbed for Artificial Intelligence Methods in Information Retrieval.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Edward A.

1987-01-01

Discusses the CODER system, which was developed to investigate the application of artificial intelligence methods to increase the effectiveness of information retrieval systems, particularly those involving heterogeneous documents. Highlights include the use of PROLOG programing, blackboard-based designs, knowledge engineering, lexicological…

Co-Teaching in Student Teaching of an Elementary Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Sau Hou

2014-01-01

Successful co-teaching relies on essential elements, such as collaborative planning, communication skills, partnership relationship, classroom application, knowledge base, and co-teaching approaches. The objective of this study is to examine if teacher candidates and cooperating teachers use different essential co-teaching elements to implement…

The development and application of bioinformatics core competencies to improve bioinformatics training and education.

PubMed

Mulder, Nicola; Schwartz, Russell; Brazas, Michelle D; Brooksbank, Cath; Gaeta, Bruno; Morgan, Sarah L; Pauley, Mark A; Rosenwald, Anne; Rustici, Gabriella; Sierk, Michael; Warnow, Tandy; Welch, Lonnie

2018-02-01

Bioinformatics is recognized as part of the essential knowledge base of numerous career paths in biomedical research and healthcare. However, there is little agreement in the field over what that knowledge entails or how best to provide it. These disagreements are compounded by the wide range of populations in need of bioinformatics training, with divergent prior backgrounds and intended application areas. The Curriculum Task Force of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB) Education Committee has sought to provide a framework for training needs and curricula in terms of a set of bioinformatics core competencies that cut across many user personas and training programs. The initial competencies developed based on surveys of employers and training programs have since been refined through a multiyear process of community engagement. This report describes the current status of the competencies and presents a series of use cases illustrating how they are being applied in diverse training contexts. These use cases are intended to demonstrate how others can make use of the competencies and engage in the process of their continuing refinement and application. The report concludes with a consideration of remaining challenges and future plans.

The development and application of bioinformatics core competencies to improve bioinformatics training and education

PubMed Central

Brooksbank, Cath; Morgan, Sarah L.; Rosenwald, Anne; Warnow, Tandy; Welch, Lonnie

2018-01-01

Bioinformatics is recognized as part of the essential knowledge base of numerous career paths in biomedical research and healthcare. However, there is little agreement in the field over what that knowledge entails or how best to provide it. These disagreements are compounded by the wide range of populations in need of bioinformatics training, with divergent prior backgrounds and intended application areas. The Curriculum Task Force of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB) Education Committee has sought to provide a framework for training needs and curricula in terms of a set of bioinformatics core competencies that cut across many user personas and training programs. The initial competencies developed based on surveys of employers and training programs have since been refined through a multiyear process of community engagement. This report describes the current status of the competencies and presents a series of use cases illustrating how they are being applied in diverse training contexts. These use cases are intended to demonstrate how others can make use of the competencies and engage in the process of their continuing refinement and application. The report concludes with a consideration of remaining challenges and future plans. PMID:29390004

Examining the Effectiveness of the Smoking Prevention Program "I Do Not Smoke, I Exercise" in Elementary and Secondary School Settings.

PubMed

Kolovelonis, Athanasios; Goudas, Marios; Theodorakis, Yannis

2016-11-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the smoking prevention program "I do not smoke, I exercise" implemented with elementary and secondary school students. "I do not smoke, I exercise" is a theory-based smoking prevention program that promotes exercise as an alternative of smoking. The program consists of eight sessions implemented weekly. Participants were 338 Greek students (135 elementary and 203 secondary students) who were pre- and posttested in smoking, program, and exercise-related measures. The results showed that the program had significant effects on elementary students' attitudes toward smoking, intention to smoke, subjective norms, attitudes toward the application of the program, and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking. For secondary students, significant effects were found on students' perceived behavioral control and knowledge about the health consequences of smoking, while very few students reported a smoking experience before and after the intervention. Therefore the program "I do not smoke, I exercise" may have positive effects on variables related with smoking behavior. Differences in the program's impact on elementary and secondary students were identified. All these are discussed with reference to the need of implementing smoking prevention programs in schools contexts. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Spinoff 1979

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1979-01-01

Technology is knowledge, the technical "know-how" employed by a society to produce things that improve the quality of human life. Like other forms of knowledge, it is transferable; once developed, technology can be applied to uses different-and often remote-from the original application. Thus, the technology that NASA has developed in more than two decades of space and aeronautical research constitutes a valuable national resource, a bank of knowledge available for secondary utilization, or "spinoff." NASA mainline programs, by their challenging nature, are particularly demanding of technological advance; meeting their goals has forced extraordinary advancements in virtually every scientific and technological discipline. For that reason, the wealth of aerospace-generated knowledge available for transfer is exceptionally diverse, and much of it is readily applicable to secondary use over a broad spectrum of public needs and conveniences. Through its Congressionally mandated Technology Utilization Program, NASA seeks to promote wider use of this technological resource. The program provides a link between the technology bank and those in either the private or public sectors who might be able to re-use the technology productively. Its aim is to accelerate the transfer process, to bring to the marketplace sooner those spinoffs which might eventually occur in the normal course of events, and to gain thereby more immediate economic benefit in terms of new products and new jobs. The program has been remarkably successful. Since its inception 17 years ago, thousands of spinoff products and processes have emerged. Some of these innovations bring only moderate increments of economic gain or lifestyle improvement, but many others amount to significant public benefits, with economic values often running to millions of dollars. Collectively, spinoffs provide a substantial bonus return on the funds invested in aerospace research. This publication is intended to increase public awareness of the resource that is NASA's technology bank and its potential for further public benefit. It is devoted primarily to the NASA technology transfer process, but in the interests of perspective it also describes related areas of NASA endeavor. Section 1 consists of a resume of NASA's current mainline programs. These programs are producing direct public benefit through direct application of technology; at the same time, they are contributing to indirect benefit-spinoff-by generating new technology which may find secondary application in the future. Section 2 is the focal point of this volume. It contains a representative sampling of spinoff products and processes employed in various avenues of everyday life, and it describes briefly the NASA technology from which these transfers derived. Section 3 details the mechanisms of the technology transfer process, including the means by which NASA seeks to stimulate technology utilization. Also described are NASA's activities in a related area of technology transfer: provision of assistance to agencies interested in exploiting the benefit potential of satellite remote sensing technology.

Students' perceptions of the admissions process for a program for internationally-trained dentists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Patricia Ann

This study is designed to analyze the students' perceptions of the application process for a foreign-trained dental program. The goal was to add to the knowledge base the views of students who have experienced the application process of this type of program. Using a quantitative approach, the method of data collection was through a link to an online Likert survey which was emailed to graduates, first-year and second-year current students of the International Dental Studies (IDS) program at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Respondents were students who had experienced the IDS application process and had been accepted into the program. The study identified three topics: background, motivation and perception of fairness. The background information identified whether the participant was male/female and whether they were a current first-/second-year student or a graduate of the program. Motivation for applying was identified through questions about knowing someone who was in or had completed the program, and/or applied because of the program's reputation. Perception of fairness was determined by asking how the student felt about each required element of the process. By using structure based upon construct, which provides the researcher with a methodical review and configuration of the information, the study found that students had some views about application elements that, at times, conflicted with school's requirements. However, in general, the students felt the school was requiring the right elements for their application and were, therefore, basing their acceptance decisions on the correct requisites.

Monitoring robot actions for error detection and recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gini, M.; Smith, R.

1987-01-01

Reliability is a serious problem in computer controlled robot systems. Although robots serve successfully in relatively simple applications such as painting and spot welding, their potential in areas such as automated assembly is hampered by programming problems. A program for assembling parts may be logically correct, execute correctly on a simulator, and even execute correctly on a robot most of the time, yet still fail unexpectedly in the face of real world uncertainties. Recovery from such errors is far more complicated than recovery from simple controller errors, since even expected errors can often manifest themselves in unexpected ways. Here, a novel approach is presented for improving robot reliability. Instead of anticipating errors, researchers use knowledge-based programming techniques so that the robot can autonomously exploit knowledge about its task and environment to detect and recover from failures. They describe preliminary experiment of a system that they designed and constructed.

Development and evaluation of the evidence-based medicine program in surgery: a spiral approach

PubMed Central

Elçin, Melih; Turan, Sevgi; Odabaşı, Orhan; Sayek, İskender

2014-01-01

Background Evidence-based medicine (EBM) aims to provide skills that help physicians answer clinically important questions, determine new evidence, and incorporate the acquired knowledge in practice. EBM skills are necessary for the practice of modern medicine, since physicians should use up-to-date knowledge and information to justify their medical decisions. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the EBM program implemented at Hacettepe University School of Medicine. Methods In 2004, a spiral program for the teaching and practice of EBM was developed for the first 3 years of medical school. Following this program, a practice of EBM was included in the fourth year during the surgery clerkship, after an introductory lecture. The students worked within collaborative teams of 3–5 and practiced EBM with actual cases seen in the surgical service in which they were involved. Each student was asked to complete a questionnaire that evaluated the more theoretical program from the first 3 years and the practical application in the fourth year. Results Nearly half of the students stated that the preclinical years of the EBM program were ‘adequate’, but only 30% of the students indicated that the program was practical. They stated that ‘more practical approaches were used in the fourth year, whereas more theory-based approaches were used during the preclinical years’. More than 75% of the students declared that the practice of EBM in the fourth year was useful and appropriate for team-based learning. Conclusions The EBM program was evaluated as ‘adequate’. EBM courses should be included in the entire curriculum in an integrated manner. The students understand the main philosophy of EBM in the clinical year when involved in its practical application with actual patients. PMID:24767706

Managing complex processing of medical image sequences by program supervision techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crubezy, Monica; Aubry, Florent; Moisan, Sabine; Chameroy, Virginie; Thonnat, Monique; Di Paola, Robert

1997-05-01

Our objective is to offer clinicians wider access to evolving medical image processing (MIP) techniques, crucial to improve assessment and quantification of physiological processes, but difficult to handle for non-specialists in MIP. Based on artificial intelligence techniques, our approach consists in the development of a knowledge-based program supervision system, automating the management of MIP libraries. It comprises a library of programs, a knowledge base capturing the expertise about programs and data and a supervision engine. It selects, organizes and executes the appropriate MIP programs given a goal to achieve and a data set, with dynamic feedback based on the results obtained. It also advises users in the development of new procedures chaining MIP programs.. We have experimented the approach for an application of factor analysis of medical image sequences as a means of predicting the response of osteosarcoma to chemotherapy, with both MRI and NM dynamic image sequences. As a result our program supervision system frees clinical end-users from performing tasks outside their competence, permitting them to concentrate on clinical issues. Therefore our approach enables a better exploitation of possibilities offered by MIP and higher quality results, both in terms of robustness and reliability.

NASA Applied Sciences' DEVELOP Program Fosters the Next Generation of Earth Remote Sensing Scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, Lauren M.; Brozen, Madeline W.; Gleason, Jonathan L.; Silcox, Tracey L.; Rea, Mimi; Holley, Sharon D.; Renneboog, Nathan; Underwood, Lauren W.; Ross, Kenton W.

2009-01-01

Satellite remote sensing technology and the science associated with the evaluation of the resulting data are constantly evolving. To meet the growing needs related to this industry, a team of personnel that understands the fundamental science as well as the scientific applications related to remote sensing is essential. Therefore, the workforce that will excel in this field requires individuals who not only have a strong academic background, but who also have practical hands-on experience with remotely sensed data, and have developed knowledge of its real-world applications. NASA's DEVELOP Program has played an integral role in fulfilling this need. DEVELOP is a NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Sciences training and development program that extends the benefits of NASA Earth science research and technology to society.

A successful program for training parent mentors to provide assistance with obtaining health insurance for uninsured children.

PubMed

Flores, Glenn; Walker, Candy; Lin, Hua; Lee, Michael; Fierro, Marco; Henry, Monica; Massey, Kenneth; Portillo, Alberto

2015-01-01

Seven million US children lack health insurance. Community health workers are effective in insuring uninsured children, and parent mentors (PMs) in improving asthmatic children's outcomes. It is unknown, however, whether a training program can result in PMs acquiring knowledge/skills to insure uninsured children. The study aim was to determine whether a PM training program results in improved knowledge/skills regarding insuring uninsured minority children. Minority parents in a primary-care clinic who already had Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)-covered children were selected as PMs, attending a 2-day training session addressing 9 topics. A 33-item pretraining test assessed knowledge/skills regarding Medicaid/CHIP, the application process, and medical homes. A 46-item posttest contained the same 33 pretest items (ordered differently) and 13 Likert-scale questions on training satisfaction. All 15 PMs were female and nonwhite, 60% were unemployed, and the mean annual income was $20,913. After training, overall test scores (0-100 scale) significantly increased, from a mean of 62 (range 39-82) to 88 (range 67-100) (P < .01), and the number of wrong answers decreased (mean reduction 8; P < .01). Significant improvements occurred in 6 of 9 topics, and 100% of PMs reported being very satisfied (86%) or satisfied (14%) with the training. Preliminary data indicate PMs are significantly more effective than traditional Medicaid/CHIP outreach/enrollment in insuring uninsured minority children. A PM training program resulted in significant improvements in knowledge and skills regarding outreach to and enrollment of uninsured, Medicaid/CHIP-eligible children, with high levels of satisfaction with the training. This PM training program might be a useful model for training Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act navigators. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expert system verification and validation study. Phase 2: Requirements Identification. Delivery 2: Current requirements applicability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The second phase of a task is described which has the ultimate purpose of ensuring that adequate Expert Systems (ESs) Verification and Validation (V and V) tools and techniques are available for Space Station Freedom Program Knowledge Based Systems development. The purpose of this phase is to recommend modifications to current software V and V requirements which will extend the applicability of the requirements to NASA ESs.

Development of the Spacecraft Materials Selector Expert System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, H. G.

2000-01-01

A specific knowledge base to evaluate the on-orbit performance of selected materials on spacecraft is being developed under contract to the NASA SEE program. An artificial intelligence software package, the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST), contains an inference engine used to operate knowledge bases constructed to selectively recall and distribute information about materials performance in space applications. This same system is used to make estimates of the environmental exposures expected for a given space flight. The performance capabilities of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base are described in this paper. A case history for a planned flight experiment on ISS is shown as an example of the use of the SMS, and capabilities and limitations of the knowledge base are discussed.

Lexical Link Analysis (LLA) Application: Improving Web Service to Defense Acquisition Visibility Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

and Knowledge Management (IC3K), Madeira , Portugal. Girvan, M., & Newman, M. E. J. (2002). Community structure in social and biological networks...Trident Warrior 08 exercise. In KDIR, Madeira , Portugal, INSTICC Press. Zhao, Y., Gallup, S.P., & MacKinnon, D.J. (2010). Towards real-time program

7 CFR 1493.420 - Information required for program participation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... knowledge and belief, that neither [name of applicant] nor any of its principals has been debarred... previously provided pursuant to § 1493.420 has not changed. If the exporter is unable to provide such... changed and certify that the remainder of the information previously provided has not changed. (c...

Development of a Regional U.S. MARKAL Database for Energy and Emissions Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is a collaborative effort among 13 agencies of the U.S. federal government. From the CCSP's 2003 strategic plan, its mission is to: "facilitate the creation and application of knowledge of the earth's global environment through resea...

Communication Technician: Apprenticeship Course Outline. Apprenticeship and Industry Training. 2209

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, 2009

2009-01-01

The graduate of the Communication Technician apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) supervise, train and coach apprentices; (2) use a thorough knowledge of electrical and electronic theory and its application to communication and associated equipment used in the telecommunication industry; (3) understand…

Electrician: Apprenticeship Course Outline. Apprenticeship and Industry Training. 0307.2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, 2007

2007-01-01

The graduate of the Electrician apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) have a thorough knowledge and understanding of electrical theory and its application to lighting, power and control equipment; (2) layout and install the various electrical circuits in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional…

77 FR 16819 - Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-22

... research and experience, to be successful in serving those children. Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR... with disabilities. They also conduct research to increase the knowledge of effective interventions and... preparation program but can include, for example, skills needed for postsecondary instruction, administration...

Stigma and Other Determinants of Participation in TANF and Medicaid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuber, Jennifer; Kronebusch, Karl

2004-01-01

We developed a conceptual framework to examine the association between stigma, enrollment barriers (e.g., difficult application), knowledge, state policy, and participation in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and adult Medicaid programs. Survey data from 901 community health center patients, who were potential and actual…

Learning Communities Faculty Scholars: An Online, Targeted Faculty Development Course to Promote Scholarly Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Hillary H.

2016-01-01

Many learning communities instructors seek professional development opportunities that foster their growth as teacher-scholars. Learning communities programs, therefore, have an opportunity to provide targeted, "just in time" training that allows for the immediate application of knowledge to a learning community setting, maximizing…

13 CFR 120.841 - Qualifications for the ALP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... An applicant for ALP status must show that it substantially meets the following criteria: (a) CDC staff experience. The CDC's staff must have well-trained, qualified loan officers who are knowledgeable concerning SBA's lending policies and procedures for the 504 program. The CDC must have at least one loan...

13 CFR 120.841 - Qualifications for the ALP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... An applicant for ALP status must show that it substantially meets the following criteria: (a) CDC staff experience. The CDC's staff must have well-trained, qualified loan officers who are knowledgeable concerning SBA's lending policies and procedures for the 504 program. The CDC must have at least one loan...

13 CFR 120.841 - Qualifications for the ALP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... An applicant for ALP status must show that it substantially meets the following criteria: (a) CDC staff experience. The CDC's staff must have well-trained, qualified loan officers who are knowledgeable concerning SBA's lending policies and procedures for the 504 program. The CDC must have at least one loan...

13 CFR 120.841 - Qualifications for the ALP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... An applicant for ALP status must show that it substantially meets the following criteria: (a) CDC staff experience. The CDC's staff must have well-trained, qualified loan officers who are knowledgeable concerning SBA's lending policies and procedures for the 504 program. The CDC must have at least one loan...

Cross-Cultural Concerns: What's Missing from Special Education Training Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, C. Lynn; And Others

1988-01-01

A 12-step curriculum model for training inservice special education specialists who must also meet the needs of a culturally and linguistically diverse student population is proposed. The model follows the guidelines of Bloom's taxonomy for awareness, knowledge, and application. Suggestions for adaptation and implementation are also made. (MSE)

Strengthening a Principal Preparation Internship by Focusing on Diversity Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figueiredo-Brown, Regina; Ringler, Marjorie Campo; James, Mandi

2015-01-01

This study discusses East Carolina University's (ECU) preparation program and its emphasis on the study and application of diversity throughout the internship. ECU's comprehensive internship provided candidates time to apply theory and knowledge about school leadership and diversity topics addressed on a monthly basis at internship seminars. A…

USE OF RADIOPHONIC TEACHING IN FUNDAMENTAL EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RHOADS, WILLIAM G.; AND OTHERS

A PILOT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN EL SALVADOR AND HONDURAS TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF MULTINATIONAL EVALUATION OF THE RADIOPHONIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN LATIN AMERICA. RADIO SCHOOL PROGRAMS WERE EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THEIR EFFECT ON PARTICIPANT ACHIEVEMENT, SATISFACTION, AND APPLICATION OF ACQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. ATTITUDINAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL…

Assessment of Evidence-based Management Training Program: Application of a Logic Model.

PubMed

Guo, Ruiling; Farnsworth, Tracy J; Hermanson, Patrick M

2016-06-01

The purposes of this study were to apply a logic model to plan and implement an evidence-based management (EBMgt) educational training program for healthcare administrators and to examine whether a logic model is a useful tool for evaluating the outcomes of the educational program. The logic model was used as a conceptual framework to guide the investigators in developing an EBMgt educational training program and evaluating the outcomes of the program. The major components of the logic model were constructed as inputs, outputs, and outcomes/impacts. The investigators delineated the logic model based on the results of the needs assessment survey. Two 3-hour training workshops were delivered to 30 participants. To assess the outcomes of the EBMgt educational program, pre- and post-tests and self-reflection surveys were conducted. The data were collected and analyzed descriptively and inferentially, using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0. A paired sample t-test was performed to compare the differences in participants' EBMgt knowledge and skills prior to and after the training. The assessment results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in participants' EBMgt knowledge and information searching skills before and after the training (p< 0.001). Participants' confidence in using the EBMgt approach for decision-making was significantly increased after the training workshops (p< 0.001). Eighty-three percent of participants indicated that the knowledge and skills they gained through the training program could be used for future management decision-making in their healthcare organizations. The overall evaluation results of the program were positive. It is suggested that the logic model is a useful tool for program planning, implementation, and evaluation, and it also improves the outcomes of the educational program.

Teaching Environmental Education through PBL: Evaluation of a Teaching Intervention Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Clara

2012-04-01

If our chosen aim in science education is to be inclusive and to improve students' learning achievements, then we must identify teaching methodologies that are appropriate for teaching and learning specific knowledge. Karagiorgi and Symeo 2005) remind us that instructional designers are thus challenged to translate the philosophy of constructivism into current practice. Thus, research in science education must focus on evaluating intervention programs which ensure the effective construction of knowledge and development of competencies. The present study reports the elaboration, application and evaluation of a problem-based learning (PBL) program with the aim of examining its effectiveness with students learning Environmental Education. Prior research on both PBL and Environmental Education (EE) was conducted within the context of science education so as to elaborate and construct the intervention program. Findings from these studies indicated both the PBL methodology and EE as helpful for teachers and students. PBL methodology has been adopted in this study since it is logically incorporated in a constructivism philosophy application (Hendry et al. 1999) and it was expected that this approach would assist students towards achieving a specific set of competencies (Engel 1997). On the other hand, EE has evolved at a rapid pace within many countries in the new millennium (Hart 2007), unlike any other educational area. However, many authors still appear to believe that schools are failing to prepare students adequately in EE (Walsche 2008; Winter 2007). The following section describes the research that was conducted in both areas so as to devise the intervention program.

The design and application of a Transportable Inference Engine (TIE1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclean, David R.

1986-01-01

A Transportable Inference Engine (TIE1) system has been developed by the author as part of the Interactive Experimenter Planning System (IEPS) task which is involved with developing expert systems in support of the Spacecraft Control Programs Branch at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Unlike traditional inference engines, TIE1 is written in the C programming language. In the TIE1 system, knowledge is represented by a hierarchical network of objects which have rule frames. The TIE1 search algorithm uses a set of strategies, including backward chaining, to obtain the values of goals. The application of TIE1 to a spacecraft scheduling problem is described. This application involves the development of a strategies interpreter which uses TIE1 to do constraint checking.

Developing Mixed Reality Educational Applications: The Virtual Touch Toolkit.

PubMed

Mateu, Juan; Lasala, María José; Alamán, Xavier

2015-08-31

In this paper, we present Virtual Touch, a toolkit that allows the development of educational activities through a mixed reality environment such that, using various tangible elements, the interconnection of a virtual world with the real world is enabled. The main goal of Virtual Touch is to facilitate the installation, configuration and programming of different types of technologies, abstracting the creator of educational applications from the technical details involving the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds. Therefore, it is specially designed to enable teachers to themselves create educational activities for their students in a simple way, taking into account that teachers generally lack advanced knowledge in computer programming and electronics. The toolkit has been used to develop various educational applications that have been tested in two secondary education high schools in Spain.

The Design and Evaluation of "CAPTools"--A Computer Aided Parallelization Toolkit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry; Frumkin, Michael; Hribar, Michelle; Jin, Haoqiang; Waheed, Abdul; Johnson, Steve; Cross, Jark; Evans, Emyr; Ierotheou, Constantinos; Leggett, Pete;

Fourth Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odell, Stephen L. (Compiler); Denton, Judith S. (Compiler); Vereen, Mary (Compiler)

1988-01-01

Proceedings of a conference held in Huntsville, Alabama, on November 15-16, 1988. The Fourth Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Space Applications brings together diverse technical and scientific work in order to help those who employ AI methods in space applications to identify common goals and to address issues of general interest in the AI community. Topics include the following: space applications of expert systems in fault diagnostics, in telemetry monitoring and data collection, in design and systems integration; and in planning and scheduling; knowledge representation, capture, verification, and management; robotics and vision; adaptive learning; and automatic programming.

Compiling knowledge-based systems from KEE to Ada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Bock, Conrad; Feldman, Roy

1990-01-01

The dominant technology for developing AI applications is to work in a multi-mechanism, integrated, knowledge-based system (KBS) development environment. Unfortunately, systems developed in such environments are inappropriate for delivering many applications - most importantly, they carry the baggage of the entire Lisp environment and are not written in conventional languages. One resolution of this problem would be to compile applications from complex environments to conventional languages. Here the first efforts to develop a system for compiling KBS developed in KEE to Ada (trademark). This system is called KATYDID, for KEE/Ada Translation Yields Development Into Delivery. KATYDID includes early prototypes of a run-time KEE core (object-structure) library module for Ada, and translation mechanisms for knowledge structures, rules, and Lisp code to Ada. Using these tools, part of a simple expert system was compiled (not quite automatically) to run in a purely Ada environment. This experience has given us various insights on Ada as an artificial intelligence programming language, potential solutions of some of the engineering difficulties encountered in early work, and inspiration on future system development.

SYSTID - A flexible tool for the analysis of communication systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, C. T.; Tranter, W. H.

1972-01-01

Description of the System Time Domain Simulation (SYSTID) computer-aided analysis program which is specifically structured for communication systems analysis. The SYSTID program is user oriented so that very little knowledge of computer techniques and very little programming ability are required for proper application. The program is designed so that the user can go from a system block diagram to an accurate simulation by simply programming a single English language statement for each block in the system. The mathematical and functional models available in the SYSTID library are presented. An example problem is given which illustrates the ease of modeling communication systems. Examples of the outputs available are presented, and proposed improvements are summarized.

How do particle physicists learn the programming concepts they need?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kluth, S.; Pia, M. G.; Schoerner-Sadenius, T.; Steinbach, P.

2015-12-01

The ability to read, use and develop code efficiently and successfully is a key ingredient in modern particle physics. We report the experience of a training program, identified as “Advanced Programming Concepts”, that introduces software concepts, methods and techniques to work effectively on a daily basis in a HEP experiment or other programming intensive fields. This paper illustrates the principles, motivations and methods that shape the “Advanced Computing Concepts” training program, the knowledge base that it conveys, an analysis of the feedback received so far, and the integration of these concepts in the software development process of the experiments as well as its applicability to a wider audience.

CSTI Earth-to-orbit propulsion research and technology program overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gentz, Steven J.

1993-01-01

NASA supports a vigorous Earth-to-orbit (ETO) research and technology program as part of its Civil Space Technology Initiative. The purpose of this program is to provide an up-to-date technology base to support future space transportation needs for a new generation of lower cost, operationally efficient, long-lived and highly reliable ETO propulsion systems by enhancing the knowledge, understanding and design methodology applicable to advanced oxygen/hydrogen and oxygen/hydrocarbon ETO propulsion systems. Program areas of interest include analytical models, advanced component technology, instrumentation, and validation/verification testing. Organizationally, the program is divided between technology acquisition and technology verification as follows: (1) technology acquisition; and (2) technology verification.

Assessing the continuum of applications and societal benefits of US CLIVAR science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, A. J.; Garfin, G. M.

2015-12-01

The new US CLIVAR strategic plan seeks to address the challenges of communicating the climate knowledge generated through its activities and to collaborate with the research and operational communities that may use this knowledge for managing climate risks. This presentation provides results of an overview in progress of the continuum of potential applications of climate science organized and coordinated through US CLIVAR. We define applications more broadly than simply ready for operations or direct use, and find that there are several stages in a continuum of readiness for communication and collaboration with communities that use climate information. These stages include: 1) advancing scientific understanding to a readiness for the next research steps aimed at predictable signals; 2) application of understanding climate phenomena in collaboration with a boundary organization, such as NOAA RISAs DOI Climate Science Centers, and USDA Climate Hubs, to understand how predictable signals may be translated into useable products; 3) use of knowledge in risk framing for a decision process, or in a science synthesis, such as the National Climate Assessment, and 4) transitioning new science knowledge into operational products (e.g. R2O), such as intraseasonal climate prediction. In addition, US CLIVAR has sponsored efforts to build science-to-decisions capacity, e.g., the Postdocs Applying Climate Expertise (PACE) program, in its 7th cohort, which has embedded climate experts into decision-making institutions. We will spotlight accomplishments of US CLIVAR science that are ripe for application in communities that are managing climate risks -- such as drought outlooks, MJO forecasting, extremes, and ocean conditions -- for agricultural production, water use, and marine ecosystems. We will use these examples to demonstrate the usefulness of an "applications continuum framework" identifying pathways from research to applications.

Supporting secure programming in web applications through interactive static analysis.

PubMed

Zhu, Jun; Xie, Jing; Lipford, Heather Richter; Chu, Bill

2014-07-01

Many security incidents are caused by software developers' failure to adhere to secure programming practices. Static analysis tools have been used to detect software vulnerabilities. However, their wide usage by developers is limited by the special training required to write rules customized to application-specific logic. Our approach is interactive static analysis, to integrate static analysis into Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and provide in-situ secure programming support to help developers prevent vulnerabilities during code construction. No additional training is required nor are there any assumptions on ways programs are built. Our work is motivated in part by the observation that many vulnerabilities are introduced due to failure to practice secure programming by knowledgeable developers. We implemented a prototype interactive static analysis tool as a plug-in for Java in Eclipse. Our technical evaluation of our prototype detected multiple zero-day vulnerabilities in a large open source project. Our evaluations also suggest that false positives may be limited to a very small class of use cases.

Supporting secure programming in web applications through interactive static analysis

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jun; Xie, Jing; Lipford, Heather Richter; Chu, Bill

2013-01-01

Many security incidents are caused by software developers’ failure to adhere to secure programming practices. Static analysis tools have been used to detect software vulnerabilities. However, their wide usage by developers is limited by the special training required to write rules customized to application-specific logic. Our approach is interactive static analysis, to integrate static analysis into Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and provide in-situ secure programming support to help developers prevent vulnerabilities during code construction. No additional training is required nor are there any assumptions on ways programs are built. Our work is motivated in part by the observation that many vulnerabilities are introduced due to failure to practice secure programming by knowledgeable developers. We implemented a prototype interactive static analysis tool as a plug-in for Java in Eclipse. Our technical evaluation of our prototype detected multiple zero-day vulnerabilities in a large open source project. Our evaluations also suggest that false positives may be limited to a very small class of use cases. PMID:25685513

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Programming Techniques to Tactical Guidance for Fighter Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McManus, John W.; Goodrich, Kenneth H.

1989-01-01

A research program investigating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to aid in the development of a Tactical Decision Generator (TDG) for Within-Visual-Range (WVR) air combat engagements is discussed. The application of AI methods for development and implementation of the TDG is presented. The history of the Adaptive Maneuvering Logic (AML) program is traced and current versions of the AML program are compared and contrasted with the TDG system. The Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS) used by the TDG to aid in the decision-making process are outlined in detail and example rules are presented. The results of tests to evaluate the performance of the TDG versus a version of AML and versus human pilots in the Langley Differential Maneuvering Simulator (DMS) are presented. To date, these results have shown significant performance gains in one-versus-one air combat engagements, and the AI-based TDG software has proven to be much easier to modify than the updated FORTRAN AML programs.

The ontology-based answers (OBA) service: a connector for embedded usage of ontologies in applications.

PubMed

Dönitz, Jürgen; Wingender, Edgar

2012-01-01

The semantic web depends on the use of ontologies to let electronic systems interpret contextual information. Optimally, the handling and access of ontologies should be completely transparent to the user. As a means to this end, we have developed a service that attempts to bridge the gap between experts in a certain knowledge domain, ontologists, and application developers. The ontology-based answers (OBA) service introduced here can be embedded into custom applications to grant access to the classes of ontologies and their relations as most important structural features as well as to information encoded in the relations between ontology classes. Thus computational biologists can benefit from ontologies without detailed knowledge about the respective ontology. The content of ontologies is mapped to a graph of connected objects which is compatible to the object-oriented programming style in Java. Semantic functions implement knowledge about the complex semantics of an ontology beyond the class hierarchy and "partOf" relations. By using these OBA functions an application can, for example, provide a semantic search function, or (in the examples outlined) map an anatomical structure to the organs it belongs to. The semantic functions relieve the application developer from the necessity of acquiring in-depth knowledge about the semantics and curation guidelines of the used ontologies by implementing the required knowledge. The architecture of the OBA service encapsulates the logic to process ontologies in order to achieve a separation from the application logic. A public server with the current plugins is available and can be used with the provided connector in a custom application in scenarios analogous to the presented use cases. The server and the client are freely available if a project requires the use of custom plugins or non-public ontologies. The OBA service and further documentation is available at http://www.bioinf.med.uni-goettingen.de/projects/oba.

The ontology-based answers (OBA) service: a connector for embedded usage of ontologies in applications

PubMed Central

Dönitz, Jürgen; Wingender, Edgar

2012-01-01

The semantic web depends on the use of ontologies to let electronic systems interpret contextual information. Optimally, the handling and access of ontologies should be completely transparent to the user. As a means to this end, we have developed a service that attempts to bridge the gap between experts in a certain knowledge domain, ontologists, and application developers. The ontology-based answers (OBA) service introduced here can be embedded into custom applications to grant access to the classes of ontologies and their relations as most important structural features as well as to information encoded in the relations between ontology classes. Thus computational biologists can benefit from ontologies without detailed knowledge about the respective ontology. The content of ontologies is mapped to a graph of connected objects which is compatible to the object-oriented programming style in Java. Semantic functions implement knowledge about the complex semantics of an ontology beyond the class hierarchy and “partOf” relations. By using these OBA functions an application can, for example, provide a semantic search function, or (in the examples outlined) map an anatomical structure to the organs it belongs to. The semantic functions relieve the application developer from the necessity of acquiring in-depth knowledge about the semantics and curation guidelines of the used ontologies by implementing the required knowledge. The architecture of the OBA service encapsulates the logic to process ontologies in order to achieve a separation from the application logic. A public server with the current plugins is available and can be used with the provided connector in a custom application in scenarios analogous to the presented use cases. The server and the client are freely available if a project requires the use of custom plugins or non-public ontologies. The OBA service and further documentation is available at http://www.bioinf.med.uni-goettingen.de/projects/oba PMID:23060901

The interaction of representation and reasoning

PubMed Central

Bundy, Alan

2013-01-01

Automated reasoning is an enabling technology for many applications of informatics. These applications include verifying that a computer program meets its specification; enabling a robot to form a plan to achieve a task and answering questions by combining information from diverse sources, e.g. on the Internet, etc. How is automated reasoning possible? Firstly, knowledge of a domain must be stored in a computer, usually in the form of logical formulae. This knowledge might, for instance, have been entered manually, retrieved from the Internet or perceived in the environment via sensors, such as cameras. Secondly, rules of inference are applied to old knowledge to derive new knowledge. Automated reasoning techniques have been adapted from logic, a branch of mathematics that was originally designed to formalize the reasoning of humans, especially mathematicians. My special interest is in the way that representation and reasoning interact. Successful reasoning is dependent on appropriate representation of both knowledge and successful methods of reasoning. Failures of reasoning can suggest changes of representation. This process of representational change can also be automated. We will illustrate the automation of representational change by drawing on recent work in my research group. PMID:24062623

Program for Experimentation With Expert Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engle, S. W.

1986-01-01

CERBERUS is forward-chaining, knowledge-based system program useful for experimentation with expert systems. Inference-engine mechanism performs deductions according to user-supplied rule set. Information stored in intermediate area, and user interrogated only when no applicable data found in storage. Each assertion posed by CERBERUS answered with certainty ranging from 0 to 100 percent. Rule processor stops investigating applicable rules when goal reaches certainty of 95 percent or higher. Capable of operating for wide variety of domains. Sample rule files included for animal identification, pixel classification in image processing, and rudimentary car repair for novice mechanic. User supplies set of end goals or actions. System complexity decided by user's rule file. CERBERUS written in FORTRAN 77.

Module Architecture for in Situ Space Laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Brent

2010-01-01

The paper analyzes internal outfitting architectures for space exploration laboratory modules. ISS laboratory architecture is examined as a baseline for comparison; applicable insights are derived. Laboratory functional programs are defined for seven planet-surface knowledge domains. Necessary and value-added departures from the ISS architecture standard are defined, and three sectional interior architecture options are assessed for practicality and potential performance. Contemporary guidelines for terrestrial analytical laboratory design are found to be applicable to the in-space functional program. Densepacked racks of system equipment, and high module volume packing ratios, should not be assumed as the default solution for exploration laboratories whose primary activities include un-scriptable investigations and experimentation on the system equipment itself.

Social Computing as Next-Gen Learning Paradigm: A Platform and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margherita, Alessandro; Taurino, Cesare; Del Vecchio, Pasquale

As a field at the intersection between computer science and people behavior, social computing can contribute significantly in the endeavor of innovating how individuals and groups interact for learning and working purposes. In particular, the generation of Internet applications tagged as web 2.0 provides an opportunity to create new “environments” where people can exchange knowledge and experience, create new knowledge and learn together. This chapter illustrates the design and application of a prototypal platform which embeds tools such as blog, wiki, folksonomy and RSS in a unique web-based system. This platform has been developed to support a case-based and project-driven learning strategy for the development of business and technology management competencies in undergraduate and graduate education programs. A set of illustrative scenarios are described to show how a learning community can be promoted, created, and sustained through the technological platform.

Human factors and education: evolution and contributions.

PubMed

Stone, Nancy J

2008-06-01

The major contributions of human factors to education are highlighted. Over the past 50 years, the education of human factors specialists has evolved, as well as the application of human factors and ergonomic knowledge to education. Human factors and ergonomics professional documentation and literature were reviewed to identify major events relevant to human factors education or the application of human factors to education. Human factors education has evolved from training in experimental psychology to highly specialized accredited human factors programs and a number of undergraduate programs, leading to program accreditation and the certification of professionals. In addition, human factors specialists have applied their knowledge to human factors education and, more recently, to educational systems in general. The greatest focus has been on technology such as multimedia. Others have evaluated the design of the physical environment, focusing primarily on seating. The research also often targets undergraduate or graduate education. Therefore, it has been proposed that a greater focus is needed at the K-12 educational level, especially given the advancement and implementation of technology in the classroom. Human factors and ergonomic expertise can benefit the educational system. Yet, there is a need to constantly evaluate the benefits of new technology in the classroom as well as the environmental design aspects of the educational environment while considering learners of different age groups, ethnicities, and sexes. Better application of human factors and ergonomics to the learning environment could enhance the educational experience for all learners.

Development of Applications about Hazards and Preventions of Drug Based On Android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartatik; Febriyanto, F.; Munawaroh, H.

2018-03-01

The number of drug abuse was increase among the younger generation, it caused younger generation fall into drug abuse, and it will lead to physical and mental damage. The lack of knowledge of drugs danger is one of the most potential problems, so in this study we made an application about the types, dangers, and how to avoid its abusement. The application built using PHP programming language with codeiniter framework on admin part, while the parsing data between mobile application server using Javascript Object Notation (JSON). This application has been tested and 85% respondents stated that this application provides positive benefits especially for the socialization of drug abuse.

Paramedir: A Tool for Programmable Performance Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jost, Gabriele; Labarta, Jesus; Gimenez, Judit

2004-01-01

Performance analysis of parallel scientific applications is time consuming and requires great expertise in areas such as programming paradigms, system software, and computer hardware architectures. In this paper we describe a tool that facilitates the programmability of performance metric calculations thereby allowing the automation of the analysis and reducing the application development time. We demonstrate how the system can be used to capture knowledge and intuition acquired by advanced parallel programmers in order to be transferred to novice users.

In search of meta-knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Antonio M., Jr.

1993-01-01

Development of an Intelligent Information System (IIS) involves application of numerous artificial intelligence (AI) paradigms and advanced technologies. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is interested in an IIS that can automatically collect, classify, store and retrieve data, as well as develop, manipulate and restructure knowledge regarding the data and its application (Campbell et al., 1987, p.3). This interest stems in part from a NASA initiative in support of the interagency Global Change Research program. NASA's space data problems are so large and varied that scientific researchers will find it almost impossible to access the most suitable information from a software system if meta-information (metadata and meta-knowledge) is not embedded in that system. Even if more, faster, larger hardware is used, new innovative software systems will be required to organize, link, maintain, and properly archive the Earth Observing System (EOS) data that is to be stored and distributed by the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) (Dozier, 1990). Although efforts are being made to specify the metadata that will be used in EOSDIS, meta-knowledge specification issues are not clear. With the expectation that EOSDIS might evolve into an IIS, this paper presents certain ideas on the concept of meta-knowledge and demonstrates how meta-knowledge might be represented in a pixel classification problem.

Translating Knowledge: The role of Shared Learning in Bridging the Science-Application Divide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moench, M.

2014-12-01

As the organizers of this session state: "Understanding and managing our future relation with the Earth requires research and knowledge spanning diverse fields, and integrated, societally-relevant science that is geared toward solutions." In most cases, however, integration is weak and scientific outputs do not match decision maker requirements. As a result, while scientific results may be highly relevant to society that relevance is operationally far from clear. This paper explores the use of shared learning processes to bridge the gap between the evolving body of scientific information on climate change and its relevance for resilience planning in cities across Asia. Examples related to understanding uncertainty, the evolution of scientific knowledge from different sources, and data extraction and presentation are given using experiences generated over five years of work as part of the Rockefeller Foundation supported Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network and other programs. Results suggest that processes supporting effective translation of knowledge between different sources and different applications are essential for the identification of solutions that respond to the dynamics and uncertainties inherent in global change processes.

Executable medical guidelines with Arden Syntax-Applications in dermatology and obstetrics.

PubMed

Seitinger, Alexander; Rappelsberger, Andrea; Leitich, Harald; Binder, Michael; Adlassnig, Klaus-Peter

2016-08-12

Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) are being developed to assist physicians in processing extensive data and new knowledge based on recent scientific advances. Structured medical knowledge in the form of clinical alerts or reminder rules, decision trees or tables, clinical protocols or practice guidelines, score algorithms, and others, constitute the core of CDSSs. Several medical knowledge representation and guideline languages have been developed for the formal computerized definition of such knowledge. One of these languages is Arden Syntax for Medical Logic Systems, an International Health Level Seven (HL7) standard whose development started in 1989. Its latest version is 2.10, which was presented in 2014. In the present report we discuss Arden Syntax as a modern medical knowledge representation and processing language, and show that this language is not only well suited to define clinical alerts, reminders, and recommendations, but can also be used to implement and process computerized medical practice guidelines. This section describes how contemporary software such as Java, server software, web-services, XML, is used to implement CDSSs based on Arden Syntax. Special emphasis is given to clinical decision support (CDS) that employs practice guidelines as its clinical knowledge base. Two guideline-based applications using Arden Syntax for medical knowledge representation and processing were developed. The first is a software platform for implementing practice guidelines from dermatology. This application employs fuzzy set theory and logic to represent linguistic and propositional uncertainty in medical data, knowledge, and conclusions. The second application implements a reminder system based on clinically published standard operating procedures in obstetrics to prevent deviations from state-of-the-art care. A to-do list with necessary actions specifically tailored to the gestational week/labor/delivery is generated. Today, with the latest versions of Arden Syntax and the application of contemporary software development methods, Arden Syntax has become a powerful and versatile medical knowledge representation and processing language, well suited to implement a large range of CDSSs, including clinical-practice-guideline-based CDSSs. Moreover, such CDS is provided and can be shared as a service by different medical institutions, redefining the sharing of medical knowledge. Arden Syntax is also highly flexible and provides developers the freedom to use up-to-date software design and programming patterns for external patient data access. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Active microwave users working group program planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T.; Bare, J.; Brown, W. E., Jr.; Childs, L. F.; Dellwig, L. F.; Heighway, J. E.; Joosten, R.; Lewis, A. J.; Linlor, W.; Lundien, J. R.

1978-01-01

A detailed programmatic and technical development plan for active microwave technology was examined in each of four user activities: (1) vegetation; (2) water resources and geologic applications, and (4) oceanographic applications. Major application areas were identified, and the impact of each application area in terms of social and economic gains were evaluated. The present state of knowledge of the applicability of active microwave remote sensing to each application area was summarized and its role relative to other remote sensing devices was examined. The analysis and data acquisition techniques needed to resolve the effects of interference factors were reviewed to establish an operational capability in each application area. Flow charts of accomplished and required activities in each application area that lead to operational capability were structured.

OCCIMA: Optical Channel Characterization in Maritime Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammel, Steve; Tsintikidis, Dimitri; deGrassie, John; Reinhardt, Colin; McBryde, Kevin; Hallenborg, Eric; Wayne, David; Gibson, Kristofor; Cauble, Galen; Ascencio, Ana; Rudiger, Joshua

2015-05-01

The Navy is actively developing diverse optical application areas, including high-energy laser weapons and free- space optical communications, which depend on an accurate and timely knowledge of the state of the atmospheric channel. The Optical Channel Characterization in Maritime Atmospheres (OCCIMA) project is a comprehensive program to coalesce and extend the current capability to characterize the maritime atmosphere for all optical and infrared wavelengths. The program goal is the development of a unified and validated analysis toolbox. The foundational design for this program coordinates the development of sensors, measurement protocols, analytical models, and basic physics necessary to fulfill this goal.

U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Status and Initiatives in Fiscal Year 2014

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Oliva, Vladenka R.

2015-01-01

Since its 2008 inception, the NASA U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture (KC) program has shared historical spacesuit information with engineers and other technical team members to expand their understanding of the spacesuit's evolution, known capability and limitations, and future desires and needs for its use. As part of the U.S. Spacesuit KC program, subject-matter experts have delivered presentations, held workshops, and participated in interviews to share valuable spacesuit lessons learned to ensure this vital information will survive for existing and future generations to use. These events have included spacesuit knowledge from the inception of NASA's first spacesuit to current spacesuit design. To ensure that this information is shared with the entire NASA community and other interested or invested entities, these KC events were digitally recorded and transcribed to be uploaded onto several applicable NASA Web sites. This paper discusses the various Web sites that the KC events are uploaded to and possible future sites that will channel this information.

U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2014

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Oliva, Vladenka R.

2015-01-01

Since its 2008 inception, the NASA U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture (KC) program has shared historical spacesuit information with engineers and other technical team members to expand their understanding of the spacesuit's evolution, known capability and limitations, and future desires and needs for its use. As part of the U.S. Spacesuit KC program, subject-matter experts have delivered presentations, held workshops, and participated in interviews to share valuable spacesuit lessons learned to ensure this vital information will survive for existing and future generations to use. These events have included spacesuit knowledge from the inception of NASA's first spacesuit to current spacesuit design. To ensure that this information is shared with the entire NASA community and other interested or invested entities, these KC events were digitally recorded and transcribed to be uploaded onto several applicable NASA Web sites. This paper discusses the various Web sites that the KC events are uploaded to and possible future sites that will channel this information.

The Nanotoxicology Research Program in NIOSH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castranova, Vincent

2009-01-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through its Nanotechnology Research Center has developed a Strategic Plan for Nanotechnology Safety and Health Research. This Strategic Plan identified knowledge gaps and critical issues, which must be addressed to protect the health and safety of workers producing nanoparticles as well as those incorporating nanoparticles into commercial products or using nanomaterials in novel applications. This manuscript lists the projects that comprise the Nanotoxicology Program in NIOSH and provides a brief description of the goals and accomplishments of these projects.

LERC power system autonomy program 1990 demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faymon, Karl A.; Sundberg, Gale R.; Bercaw, Robert R.; Weeks, David J.

1987-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center has undertaken a program for the development of space systems automation, with a view to increased reliability, safety, payload capability, and decreased operational costs. The NASA Space Station is a primary area of application for the techniques thus developed. Attention is presently given to the activities associated with the Power Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project, which has a projected demonstration date in 1990 and will integrate knowledge-based systems into a real-time environment. Two coordinated systems under expert system control will be demonstrated.

Strategic implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The Life Science Division of the NASA Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) describes its plans for assuring the health, safety, and productivity of astronauts in space, and its plans for acquiring further fundamental scientific knowledge concerning space life sciences. This strategic implementation plan details OSSA's goals, objectives, and planned initiatives. The following areas of interest are identified: operational medicine; biomedical research; space biology; exobiology; biospheric research; controlled ecological life support; flight programs and advance technology development; the life sciences educational program; and earth benefits from space life sciences.

Deep Throttle Turbopump Technology Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, T. V.; Guinzburg, A.; McGlynn, R. D.; Williams, M.

2002-01-01

The objectives of this viewgraph presentation were to: (1) enhance and demonstrate critical technologies in support of planned RBCC flight test programs; and (2) obtain knowledge of wide flow range as it is applicable to liquid rocket engine turbopumps operating over extreme throttle ranges. This program was set up to demonstrate wide flow range diffuser technologies. The testing phase of the contract to provide data to anchor initial designs was partially successful. Data collected suggest flow phenomena exists at off-design flow rates.

NASA Lewis Research Center's Program on Icing Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinmann, J. J.; Shaw, R. J.; Olsen, W. A., Jr.

1982-01-01

The helicopter and general aviation, light transport, and commercial transport aircraft share common icing requirements: highly effective, lightweight, low power consuming deicing systems, and detailed knowledge of the aeropenalties due to ice on aircraft surfaces. To meet current and future needs, NASA has a broadbased icing research program which covers both research and engineering applications, and is well coordinated with the FAA, DOD, universities, industry, and some foreign governments. Research activity in ice protection systems, icing instrumentation, experimental methods, analytical modeling, and in-flight research are described.

Establishing the Basis for a CIS (Computer Information Systems) Undergraduate Program: On Seeking the Body of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longenecker, Herbert E., Jr.; Babb, Jeffry; Waguespack, Leslie J.; Janicki, Thomas N.; Feinstein, David

2015-01-01

The evolution of computing education spans a spectrum from "computer science" ("CS") grounded in the theory of computing, to "information systems" ("IS"), grounded in the organizational application of data processing. This paper reports on a project focusing on a particular slice of that spectrum commonly…

The Assessment of Business Knowledge and Integration for Assurance of Learning: An Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Alfred G., Jr.

2010-01-01

AACSB has mandated that the documentation of student learning will become increasingly important in decisions regarding initial accreditation and reaffirmation. Assurance of learning is a major part of the accreditation and reaffirmation process. All universities will need to develop a set of learning goals for all their programs. These learning…

CONSUME: users guide.

Treesearch

R.D. Ottmar; M.F. Burns; J.N. Hall; A.D. Hanson

1993-01-01

CONSUME is a user-friendly computer program designed for resource managers with some working knowledge of IBM-PC applications. The software predicts the amount of fuel consumption on logged units based on weather data, the amount and fuel moisture of fuels, and a number of other factors. Using these predictions, the resource manager can accurately determine when and...

The Design and the Formative Evaluation of a Web-Based Course for Simulation Analysis Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tao, Yu-Hui; Guo, Shin-Ming; Lu, Ya-Hui

2006-01-01

Simulation output analysis has received little attention comparing to modeling and programming in real-world simulation applications. This is further evidenced by our observation that students and beginners acquire neither adequate details of knowledge nor relevant experience of simulation output analysis in traditional classroom learning. With…

Officer Education and Training in Oceanography for ASW and Other Naval Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waterman, Larry Wayne

The study into the knowledge and experience required for optimum performance by officers assigned to operational, R & D, and managerial duties in Anti-submarine Warfare concludes that oceanography should receive the major emphasis on an interdisciplinary graduate level program of the contributing disciplines in ASW. In planning education and…

An Integration of Mobile Applications into Physical Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Hyeonho; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Lorenz, Kent A.

2018-01-01

Even though technology in physical education has the potential to open up a variety of teaching and learning avenues by enhancing active experiences to help students develop the skills, attitudes, knowledge and behaviors needed for a lifetime of physical activity, some teachers may have a hard time finding ways to integrate technology into their…

Welder: Apprenticeship Course Outline. Apprenticeship and Industry Training. 1207.1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, 2007

2007-01-01

The graduate of the Welder apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) be skillful in the fusing of metals using prescribed welding applications; (2) have a working knowledge of the welding equipment involved with the various welding procedures; (3) comprehend drawings and develop layout patterns for projects and…

50 CFR 680.40 - Crab Quota Share (QS), Processor QS (PQS), Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), and Individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... exclude any deadloss, test fishing, fishing conducted under an experimental, exploratory, or scientific..., education, exploratory, or experimental permit, or under the Western Alaska CDQ Program. (iv) Documentation... information is true, correct, and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. If the application is...

50 CFR 680.40 - Crab Quota Share (QS), Processor QS (PQS), Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), and Individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... exclude any deadloss, test fishing, fishing conducted under an experimental, exploratory, or scientific..., education, exploratory, or experimental permit, or under the Western Alaska CDQ Program. (iv) Documentation... information is true, correct, and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. If the application is...

50 CFR 680.40 - Crab Quota Share (QS), Processor QS (PQS), Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), and Individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... exclude any deadloss, test fishing, fishing conducted under an experimental, exploratory, or scientific..., education, exploratory, or experimental permit, or under the Western Alaska CDQ Program. (iv) Documentation... information is true, correct, and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. If the application is...

50 CFR 680.40 - Crab Quota Share (QS), Processor QS (PQS), Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ), and Individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... exclude any deadloss, test fishing, fishing conducted under an experimental, exploratory, or scientific..., education, exploratory, or experimental permit, or under the Western Alaska CDQ Program. (iv) Documentation... information is true, correct, and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. If the application is...

Pictorial Playground-Based Physical Activity Assessment Instrument: Uses and Applications of the ADL-PP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinclair, Christina; Babkes Stellino, Megan

2017-01-01

Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) are designed to support children in getting 60 minutes of daily physical activity, as well as meet SHAPE America's goal of developing physically literate individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. The Activities for Daily…

AppBuilder for DSSTools; an application development environment for developing decision support systems in Prolog

Treesearch

Geneho Kim; Donald Nute; H. Michael Rauscher; David L. Loftis

2000-01-01

A programming environment for developing complex decision support systems (DSSs) should support rapid prototyping and modular design, feature a flexible knowledge representation scheme and sound inference mechanisms, provide project management, and be domain independent. We have previously developed DSSTools (Decision Support System Tools), a reusable, domain-...

Italy's Treasures Are in Their Hands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocca, Francis X.

2007-01-01

Each year more than 300 applicants vie for 18 slots at the Central Institute of Restoration, the program responsible for the restoration of many of Italy's greatest works of art, and the training of experts in the repair of objects of artistic and/or cultural significance. Successful candidates must demonstrate knowledge of art history, chemistry,…

The Ontological Architectures in the Application of a Knowledge Management System for Curricular Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Brandon D.

2012-01-01

Institutions of higher education are facing increasing pressure to improve the effectiveness and quality of academic programs (Association of Governing Boards, Top public policy issues 2011-2012, 2011). These institutions apply curricular assessment processes as a means to evaluate and improve academic effectiveness and quality. Knowledge…

Representing Targets of Measurement within Evidence-Centered Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewing, Maureen; Packman, Sheryl; Hamen, Cynthia; Thurber, Allison Clark

2010-01-01

In the last few years, the Advanced Placement (AP) Program[R] has used evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) to articulate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be taught in the course and measured on the summative exam for four science courses, three history courses, and six world language courses; its application to calculus and English…

SEPEC conference proceedings: Hypermedia and Information Reconstruction. Aerospace applications and research directions. Addendum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The papers presented at the conference on hypermedia and information reconstruction are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: hypertext, typographic man, and the notion of literacy; a knowledge base browser using hypermedia; Ai GERM - a logic programming front end for GERM; and HEAVENS system for software artifacts.

75 FR 27992 - Solicitation of Applications for the Research and Evaluation Program: FY 2010 Mapping Regional...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

... goods, labor and knowledge. These transformations warrant dramatic shifts in the role of economic... development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; an institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; and a public or private non-profit organization or...

Impediments to Increasing Diversity in Post-Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carol Siri

2007-01-01

Due to the increasing complexity in the financial aid process and the movement of available financial aid up the economic scale, poor people and minorities have less access to college, including engineering programs. Some impediments are lack of access to knowledge about college, increasing complexity and up-front costs in the application process…

Assessing and Improving Learning in Business Schools: Direct and Indirect Measures of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldy, Teresa G.; Turnipseed, David L.

2010-01-01

Institutions of higher education are scrambling to make program changes to improve the quality of learning and assessment of learning in the face of pressure from multiple constituencies. Business educators are incorporating various active learning techniques to enhance learning and application of skills and knowledge to real-world situations.…

MSW Students' Perceptions of Relevance and Application of Statistics: Implications for Field Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Ashley; Mirick, Rebecca G.

2015-01-01

Many social work students feel anxious when taking a statistics course. Their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors after learning statistics are less known. However, such information could help instructors support students' ongoing development of statistical knowledge. With a sample of MSW students (N = 101) in one program, this study examined…

Improvement in maternal health literacy among pregnant women who did not complete compulsory education: policy implications for community care services.

PubMed

Ohnishi, Mayumi; Nakamura, Keiko; Takano, Takehito

2005-05-01

This paper examined factors that influence the improvement in maternal health literacy among pregnant women in Paraguay, including those who did not complete compulsory education but participated in a community-based antenatal care program. Structured interviews were conducted to evaluate the pregnant women's maternal health literacy during their first, second, and third visits to the program in the Caazapa Region. The associations between individual maternal health knowledge scores and its gains, healthcare personnel capabilities, available health facility equipment, community social network, and living environment were analyzed by multiple regression analysis. The mean maternal health knowledge score from 124 women who completed three-consecutive assessments increased between the first and third interviews. Higher capabilities of healthcare personnel and better living environment were significantly related to gains in the maternal health knowledge score (p<0.01). Wider application of a community-based antenatal care program to meet the needs of those who are functionally illiterate in the standard language of the country, training for community healthcare personnel to improve capabilities, and resources for social network in the community would contribute to the improvement in maternal health literacy.

Saul: Towards Declarative Learning Based Programming

PubMed Central

Kordjamshidi, Parisa; Roth, Dan; Wu, Hao

2015-01-01

We present Saul, a new probabilistic programming language designed to address some of the shortcomings of programming languages that aim at advancing and simplifying the development of AI systems. Such languages need to interact with messy, naturally occurring data, to allow a programmer to specify what needs to be done at an appropriate level of abstraction rather than at the data level, to be developed on a solid theory that supports moving to and reasoning at this level of abstraction and, finally, to support flexible integration of these learning and inference models within an application program. Saul is an object-functional programming language written in Scala that facilitates these by (1) allowing a programmer to learn, name and manipulate named abstractions over relational data; (2) supporting seamless incorporation of trainable (probabilistic or discriminative) components into the program, and (3) providing a level of inference over trainable models to support composition and make decisions that respect domain and application constraints. Saul is developed over a declaratively defined relational data model, can use piecewise learned factor graphs with declaratively specified learning and inference objectives, and it supports inference over probabilistic models augmented with declarative knowledge-based constraints. We describe the key constructs of Saul and exemplify its use in developing applications that require relational feature engineering and structured output prediction. PMID:26635465

Saul: Towards Declarative Learning Based Programming.

PubMed

Kordjamshidi, Parisa; Roth, Dan; Wu, Hao

2015-07-01

We present Saul , a new probabilistic programming language designed to address some of the shortcomings of programming languages that aim at advancing and simplifying the development of AI systems. Such languages need to interact with messy, naturally occurring data, to allow a programmer to specify what needs to be done at an appropriate level of abstraction rather than at the data level, to be developed on a solid theory that supports moving to and reasoning at this level of abstraction and, finally, to support flexible integration of these learning and inference models within an application program. Saul is an object-functional programming language written in Scala that facilitates these by (1) allowing a programmer to learn, name and manipulate named abstractions over relational data; (2) supporting seamless incorporation of trainable (probabilistic or discriminative) components into the program, and (3) providing a level of inference over trainable models to support composition and make decisions that respect domain and application constraints. Saul is developed over a declaratively defined relational data model, can use piecewise learned factor graphs with declaratively specified learning and inference objectives, and it supports inference over probabilistic models augmented with declarative knowledge-based constraints. We describe the key constructs of Saul and exemplify its use in developing applications that require relational feature engineering and structured output prediction.

Knowledge, Experience, and Training in Incentive Contracting for the Department of Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-30

to include information on both the development and application of objective incentives to achieve program outcomes while rewarding the contractor...qÜáêíÉÉåíÜ=^ååì~ä= ^Åèìáëáíáçå=oÉëÉ~êÅÜ= póãéçëáìã= qÜìêëÇ~ó=pÉëëáçåë= sçäìãÉ=ff= = Knowledge, Experience, and Training in Incentive Contracting for the...Professor of Operations Management, Ivey Business School Knowledge, Experience, and Training in Incentive Contracting for the Department of Defense Kevin

Developing Mixed Reality Educational Applications: The Virtual Touch Toolkit

PubMed Central

Mateu, Juan; Lasala, María José; Alamán, Xavier

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present Virtual Touch, a toolkit that allows the development of educational activities through a mixed reality environment such that, using various tangible elements, the interconnection of a virtual world with the real world is enabled. The main goal of Virtual Touch is to facilitate the installation, configuration and programming of different types of technologies, abstracting the creator of educational applications from the technical details involving the use of tangible interfaces and virtual worlds. Therefore, it is specially designed to enable teachers to themselves create educational activities for their students in a simple way, taking into account that teachers generally lack advanced knowledge in computer programming and electronics. The toolkit has been used to develop various educational applications that have been tested in two secondary education high schools in Spain. PMID:26334275

Facilitated Learning to Advance Geriatrics: Increasing the Capacity of Nurse Faculty to Teach Students About Caring for Older Adults.

PubMed

Krichbaum, Kathleen; Kaas, Merrie J; Wyman, Jean F; Van Son, Catherine R

2015-06-01

The Facilitated Learning to Advance Geriatrics program (FLAG) was designed to increase the numbers of nurse faculty in prelicensure programs with basic knowledge about aging and teaching effectiveness to prepare students to provide safe, high quality care for older adults. Using a framework to improve transfer of learning, FLAG was designed to include: (a) a workshop to increase basic knowledge of aging and common geriatric syndromes, and effective use of evidence-based teaching/learning strategies; (b) a year-long mentoring program to support application of workshop learning and leading change in participants' schools to ensure that geriatrics is a priority. Both formative and summative evaluation methods were used, and included self-assessment of objectives, program satisfaction, and teaching self-efficacy. FLAG achieved its overall purpose by enrolling 152 participants from 19 states including 23 faculty from associate degree programs and 102 from baccalaureate programs. Self-rated teaching effectiveness improved significantly from pre- to post-workshop each year. Achievement of learning objectives was rated highly as was satisfaction. Transfer of learning was evidenced by implementation of educational projects in home schools supported by mentoring. The FLAG program provided opportunities for nurse educators to learn to teach geriatrics more effectively and to transfer learning to their work environment. Future FLAG programs will be offered in a shortened format, incorporating online content and strategies, adding other health professionals to the audience with the same goal of increasing the knowledge and abilities of educators to prepare learners to provide competent care for older adults. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Determining personal talents and behavioral styles of applicants to surgical training: a new look at an old problem, part II.

PubMed

Bell, Richard M; Fann, Stephen A; Morrison, James E; Lisk, J Ryan

2012-01-01

The selection of applicants for training in any particular surgical program is an imprecise exercise. Despite the abundance of information on particular candidates, many of the fundamental qualities that are associated with success for the surgical trainee cannot be identified by review of the applicants' grades, scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, or even from the interview process. We sought a method to determine behavior, motivation, and values possessed by applicants that coincided with traits by our current residents who had demonstrated success in our program. The methods have been described in detail in Part I.(1) Briefly, the individual applicants' personal talent report was used to develop a rank-ordered list by the outside consultant and was compared to the traditionally developed rank list developed by the Department in the traditional fashion and the newly developed job benchmark. Five hundred thirty-five applications were received and interviews were offered to 112 (21%) applicants. Seventy-five on-line surveys were completed by the 77 applicants who were interviewed. The consultant was able to identify important personal talents, elements of motivation, and behavioral style that were not gleaned from the application or the interview process, some of which prompted a revision of our final ranking order.(1) This report discusses the results of the motivational analysis and of the Personal Talents Skills Inventory. Applicants with a strong motivation for the theoretical (knowledge) and social commitment (desire to help others) are important characteristics. Clear views of the external world and of self, as well as a sense of satisfaction with the applicants' vision of their future are positively associated with success in our program. The ability to identify unique behavioral, motivational and personal talents that applicants bring to the program that were not identifiable from the traditional application and interview process has allowed us to determine applicants who were a good match for the structure and culture of our program. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifestyle Change Plus Dental Care (LCDC) program improves knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward oral health and diabetes mellitus among the elderly with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Saengtipbovorn, Saruta; Taneepanichskul, Surasak

2015-03-01

Currently, there is an increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the elderly. Chronic inflammation from diabetes mellitus effects glycemic control and increases risk of diabetes complications. To assess the effectiveness of a Lifestyle Change plus Dental Care (LCDC) program by improved knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward oral health and diabetes mellitus among the elderly with type 2 diabetes. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two Health Centers (HC 54 intervention and HC 59 control) between October 2013 and April 2014. Sixty-six diabetic patients per health center were recruited. At baseline, the intervention group attended a 20-minute lifestyle and oral health education program, individual lifestyle counseling using motivational interviewing, application of self-regulation manual, and individual oral hygiene instruction. At 3-month follow-up, the intervention group received individual lifestyle counseling and oral hygiene instruction. The intervention group received booster education every visit by viewing a 15-minute educational video. The control group received the routine program. Participants were assessed at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up for knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward oral health and diabetes mellitus. Data was analyzed by using descriptive statistic, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and repeated measure ANOVA. After the 6-month follow-up, repeated measure ANOVA analysis showed that participants in the intervention group had significantly higher knowledge and attitude toward oral health and diabetes mellitus. The participants in the intervention group were more likely to exercise, modify diet, have foot examinations, always wear covered shoes, participate in self-feet screening, use dental floss, and use inter-proximal brush than the control group with statistically significant differences. The combination of lifestyle change and dental care in one program improved knowledge, attitude, andpractice (KAP) toward oral health and diabetes mellitus in the elderly with type 2 diabetes. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.in.th: TCTR20140602001.

Motivation for Evaluation: A roadmap for Improving Program Efficacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taber, J. J.; Bohon, W.; Bravo, T. K.; Dorr, P. M.; Hubenthal, M.; Johnson, J. A.; Sumy, D. F.; Welti, R.; Davis, H. B.

2016-12-01

Over the past year, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program has undertaken a new effort to increase the rigor with which it evaluates its programs and products. More specifically we sought to make evaluation an integral part of our EPO staff's work, enable staff to demonstrate why we do the activities we do, enhance the impact or our products and programs, and empower staff to be able to make evidence-based claims. The challenges we faced included a modest budget, finding an applicable approach to both new and legacy programs ranging from formal and informal education to public outreach, and implementing the process without overwhelming staff. The Collaborative Impact Analysis Method (IAM; Davis and Scalice, 2015) was selected as it allowed us to combine the EPO staff's knowledge of programs, audiences and content with the expertise of an outside evaluation expert, through consultations and a qualitative rubric assessing the initial state of each product/program's evaluation. Staff then developed action plans to make incremental improvements to the evaluation of programs over time. We have found that this approach promotes the development of staff knowledge and skills regarding evaluation, provides a common language among staff, increases enthusiasm to collect and share data, encourages discussions of evaluative approaches when planning new activities, and improves each program's ability to capture the intended and unintended effects on the behaviors, attitudes, skills, interests, and/or knowledge of users/participants. We will share the initial IAM Scores for products and programs in the EPO portfolio, along with examples of the action plans for several key products and programs, and the impact that implementing those actions plans has had on our evaluations. Davis, H. & Scalice, D. (2015). Evaluate the Impact of your Education and Outreach Program Using the Quantitative Collaborative Impact Analysis Method (Invited). Abstract ED53D-0871 presented at 2015 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, Calif., 14 - 18 Dec.

It was the night before the interview: perceptions of resident applicants about the preinterview reception.

PubMed

Schlitzkus, Lisa L; Schenarts, Paul J; Schenarts, Kimberly D

2013-01-01

Hosting a reception for prospective interns the evening before the interview has become a well-established expectation. It is thought that these initial impressions significantly influence the ranking process. Despite these well-held beliefs, there has been a paucity of studies exploring the preinterview reception. A survey tool was created and piloted to ensure validity. The survey was then administered to a fourth-year class of allopathic medical students immediately after interviews but before Match Day. A university, teaching hospital. Fourth-year allopathic medical students. The response rate was 100% (n = 69). Ninety-six percent of programs hosted an event. Although these events were minimally stressful (86%), the same percent felt that not attending would limit their knowledge of the program, and 66% felt that it would negatively affect their application. Forty percent believe this event to be extremely important to residency programs in selecting interns. Ninety-five percent are attended by residents only, and approximately half were at a casual restaurant. Most applicants (97%) never paid for their own meal, and 69% felt that if they did, it would leave a negative impression of the program. Candidates believe the preinterview reception is important in the selection process, that failing to attend would negatively affect their application, and provides insight about the program. Alcohol is often provided but rarely has a negative effect. Applicants prefer an informal setting with unfettered interactions with the residents. © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Knowledge Among Interns in a Medical College Regarding Palliative Care in People Living with HIV/AIDS and the Impact of a Structured Intervention

PubMed Central

Valsangkar, Sameer; Bodhare, Trupti N; Pande, Shripad B; Bele, Samir D; Rao, B Sitarama

2011-01-01

Background: The evolving nature of palliative care and its renewed role in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the post-HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy) era warrants an evaluation of the present curriculum in medical under graduates. Objectives: The objectives are(1) to measure the existing knowledge regarding palliative care and its application to PLWHA among medical interns and (2) to measure the impact of a structured intervention on knowledge dimensions. Design and Setting: Interventional repeated measures study. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 106 interns in the medical college completed a pre-test assessment and a post-test assessment following a structured intervention for evaluation and comparison of knowledge over three dimensions which were (1) knowledge of palliative care and its application in PLWHA, (2) medical symptoms in PLWHA requiring palliative care and (3) psychosocial needs in PLWHA requiring palliative care. Results: The mean scores on knowledge showed a consistent increase after the structured intervention and Student’s t-test was significant across three dimensions of knowledge of palliative care and its application (t=9.12, P value <0.001), medical symptoms in PLWHA requiring palliative care (t=12.72, P value <0.001) and psychosocial needs in PLWHA (t=11.14, P value <0.001). Conclusion: In spite of the unique challenges presented by the varying course of illness in PLWHA and the variety of needs on the medical, psychosocial and family dimensions, a structured approach and an integrated course curriculum involving principles of both primary and palliative care principles will improve the efficiency of the undergraduate medical education program and enable delivery of effective palliative care interventions and improve quality of life in PLWHA. PMID:21633615

Evaluation of Knowledge Among Interns in a Medical College Regarding Palliative Care in People Living with HIV/AIDS and the Impact of a Structured Intervention.

PubMed

Valsangkar, Sameer; Bodhare, Trupti N; Pande, Shripad B; Bele, Samir D; Rao, B Sitarama

2011-01-01

The evolving nature of palliative care and its renewed role in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the post-HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy) era warrants an evaluation of the present curriculum in medical under graduates. The objectives are(1) to measure the existing knowledge regarding palliative care and its application to PLWHA among medical interns and (2) to measure the impact of a structured intervention on knowledge dimensions. Interventional repeated measures study. A convenience sample of 106 interns in the medical college completed a pre-test assessment and a post-test assessment following a structured intervention for evaluation and comparison of knowledge over three dimensions which were (1) knowledge of palliative care and its application in PLWHA, (2) medical symptoms in PLWHA requiring palliative care and (3) psychosocial needs in PLWHA requiring palliative care. The mean scores on knowledge showed a consistent increase after the structured intervention and Student's t-test was significant across three dimensions of knowledge of palliative care and its application (t=9.12, P value <0.001), medical symptoms in PLWHA requiring palliative care (t=12.72, P value <0.001) and psychosocial needs in PLWHA (t=11.14, P value <0.001). In spite of the unique challenges presented by the varying course of illness in PLWHA and the variety of needs on the medical, psychosocial and family dimensions, a structured approach and an integrated course curriculum involving principles of both primary and palliative care principles will improve the efficiency of the undergraduate medical education program and enable delivery of effective palliative care interventions and improve quality of life in PLWHA.

Strategic Computing Computer Vision: Taking Image Understanding To The Next Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, R. L., Jr.

1987-06-01

The overall objective of the Strategic Computing (SC) Program of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is to develop and demonstrate a new generation of machine intelligence technology which can form the basis for more capable military systems in the future and also maintain a position of world leadership for the US in computer technology. Begun in 1983, SC represents a focused research strategy for accelerating the evolution of new technology and its rapid prototyping in realistic military contexts. Among the very ambitious demonstration prototypes being developed within the SC Program are: 1) the Pilot's Associate which will aid the pilot in route planning, aerial target prioritization, evasion of missile threats, and aircraft emergency safety procedures during flight; 2) two battle management projects one for the for the Army, which is just getting started, called the AirLand Battle Management program (ALBM) which will use knowledge-based systems technology to assist in the generation and evaluation of tactical options and plans at the Corps level; 3) the other more established program for the Navy is the Fleet Command Center Battle Management Program (FCCBIVIP) at Pearl Harbor. The FCCBMP is employing knowledge-based systems and natural language technology in a evolutionary testbed situated in an operational command center to demonstrate and evaluate intelligent decision-aids which can assist in the evaluation of fleet readiness and explore alternatives during contingencies; and 4) the Autonomous Land Vehicle (ALV) which integrates in a major robotic testbed the technologies for dynamic image understanding, knowledge-based route planning with replanning during execution, hosted on new advanced parallel architectures. The goal of the Strategic Computing computer vision technology base (SCVision) is to develop generic technology that will enable the construction of complete, robust, high performance image understanding systems to support a wide range of DoD applications. Possible applications include autonomous vehicle navigation, photointerpretation, smart weapons, and robotic manipulation. This paper provides an overview of the technical and program management plans being used in evolving this critical national technology.

The Network Configuration of an Object Relational Database Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaz, Philip; Harris, W. C.

2000-01-01

The networking and implementation of the Oracle Database Management System (ODBMS) requires developers to have knowledge of the UNIX operating system as well as all the features of the Oracle Server. The server is an object relational database management system (DBMS). By using distributed processing, processes are split up between the database server and client application programs. The DBMS handles all the responsibilities of the server. The workstations running the database application concentrate on the interpretation and display of data.

The effectiveness of the COPE healthy lifestyles TEEN program: a school-based intervention in middle school adolescents with 12-month follow-up.

PubMed

Ardic, Aysun; Erdogan, Semra

2017-06-01

The goal of this study is to assess the applicability and long-term effectiveness of the T-COPE Healthy TEEN program on adolescent health. Obesity and mental health disorders are major public health problems in adolescents. In this context, including long-term and multiple behavioural obesity prevention programs are becoming increasingly important. A quasi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test control group and repeated measurements. Eighty-seven (45 in intervention group, 42 in control group) adolescents were included from two different middle schools in the intervention program. The data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Student-t test, repeated measures of variance analysis and Cohen's d effect size. No significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups in terms of descriptive characteristics, behavioural and cognitive variables of the adolescents. Following the intervention, the adolescents in intervention groups showed improvements in nutritional behaviour, physical activity and stress management. These improvements concerned increased physical walking measured in the number of physical steps per week daily fruit and vegetable consumption and the daily quantity of water ingested. While their nutrition/physical activity knowledge significantly increased, their weight and anxiety symptoms significantly decreased. The effect of the program on body mass index, depression and health beliefs of the adolescents were not significant compared with the control group. The applicability of the T-COPE Healthy TEEN program on Turkish adolescents and its effectiveness on their health behaviours, nutrition and physical activity knowledge and stress management were revealed in this study. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A knowledge discovery object model API for Java

PubMed Central

Zuyderduyn, Scott D; Jones, Steven JM

2003-01-01

Background Biological data resources have become heterogeneous and derive from multiple sources. This introduces challenges in the management and utilization of this data in software development. Although efforts are underway to create a standard format for the transmission and storage of biological data, this objective has yet to be fully realized. Results This work describes an application programming interface (API) that provides a framework for developing an effective biological knowledge ontology for Java-based software projects. The API provides a robust framework for the data acquisition and management needs of an ontology implementation. In addition, the API contains classes to assist in creating GUIs to represent this data visually. Conclusions The Knowledge Discovery Object Model (KDOM) API is particularly useful for medium to large applications, or for a number of smaller software projects with common characteristics or objectives. KDOM can be coupled effectively with other biologically relevant APIs and classes. Source code, libraries, documentation and examples are available at . PMID:14583100

Quality by design approach: application of artificial intelligence techniques of tablets manufactured by direct compression.

PubMed

Aksu, Buket; Paradkar, Anant; de Matas, Marcel; Ozer, Ozgen; Güneri, Tamer; York, Peter

2012-12-01

The publication of the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) Q8, Q9, and Q10 guidelines paved the way for the standardization of quality after the Food and Drug Administration issued current Good Manufacturing Practices guidelines in 2003. "Quality by Design", mentioned in the ICH Q8 guideline, offers a better scientific understanding of critical process and product qualities using knowledge obtained during the life cycle of a product. In this scope, the "knowledge space" is a summary of all process knowledge obtained during product development, and the "design space" is the area in which a product can be manufactured within acceptable limits. To create the spaces, artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be used to emphasize the multidimensional interactions of input variables and to closely bind these variables to a design space. This helps guide the experimental design process to include interactions among the input variables, along with modeling and optimization of pharmaceutical formulations. The objective of this study was to develop an integrated multivariate approach to obtain a quality product based on an understanding of the cause-effect relationships between formulation ingredients and product properties with ANNs and genetic programming on the ramipril tablets prepared by the direct compression method. In this study, the data are generated through the systematic application of the design of experiments (DoE) principles and optimization studies using artificial neural networks and neurofuzzy logic programs.

Declarative Programming with Temporal Constraints, in the Language CG.

PubMed

Negreanu, Lorina

2015-01-01

Specifying and interpreting temporal constraints are key elements of knowledge representation and reasoning, with applications in temporal databases, agent programming, and ambient intelligence. We present and formally characterize the language CG, which tackles this issue. In CG, users are able to develop time-dependent programs, in a flexible and straightforward manner. Such programs can, in turn, be coupled with evolving environments, thus empowering users to control the environment's evolution. CG relies on a structure for storing temporal information, together with a dedicated query mechanism. Hence, we explore the computational complexity of our query satisfaction problem. We discuss previous implementation attempts of CG and introduce a novel prototype which relies on logic programming. Finally, we address the issue of consistency and correctness of CG program execution, using the Event-B modeling approach.

An interactive multimedia program to prevent HIV transmission in men with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Wells, Jennifer; Clark, Khaya; Sarno, Karen

2014-05-01

The efficacy of a computer-based interactive multimedia HIV/AIDS prevention program for men with intellectual disability (ID) was examined using a quasi-experimental within-subjects design. Thirty-seven men with mild to moderate intellectual disability evaluated the program. The pretest and posttest instruments assessed HIV/AIDS knowledge (high-risk fluids, HIV transmission, and condom facts) and condom application skills. All outcome measures showed statistically significant gains from pretest to posttest, with medium to large effect sizes. In addition, a second study was conducted with twelve service providers who work with men with ID. Service providers reviewed the HIV/AIDS prevention program, completed a demographics questionnaire, and a program satisfaction survey. Overall, service providers rated the program highly on several outcome measures (stimulation, relevance, and usability).

Health and Environmental Research: Summary of Accomplishments. Volume 2

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

1986-08-01

This is an account of some of the accomplishments of the health and environmental research program performed in national laboratories, universities, and research institutes. Both direct and indirect societal benefits emerged from the new knowledge provided by the health and environmental research program. In many cases, the private sector took this knowledge and applied it well beyond the mission of supporting the defense and energy needs of the Nation. Industrial and medical applications, for example, have in several instances provided annual savings to society of $100 million or more. The form of this presentation is, in fact, through "snapshots" - examples of significant, tangible accomplishments in each of the areas at certain times to illustrate the role and impact of the research program. The program's worth is not necessarily confined to such accomplishments; it extends, rather, to its ability to identify and help solve potential health and environmental problems before they become critical. This anticipatory mission has been pursued with an approach that combines applied problem solving with a commitment to fundamental research that is long-term and high-risk. The narrative of this research program concludes with a perspective of its past and a prospectus on its future.

The automated Army ROTC Questionnaire (ARQ)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, David L. H.

1991-01-01

The Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet Command (ROTCCC) takes applications for its officer training program from college students and Army enlisted personnel worldwide. Each applicant is required to complete a set of application forms prior to acceptance into the ROTC program. These forms are covered by several regulations that govern the eligibility of potential applicants and guide the applicant through the application process. Eligibility criteria changes as Army regulations are periodically revised. Outdated information results in a loss of applications attributable to frustration and error. ROTCCC asked for an inexpensive and reliable way of automating their application process. After reviewing the process, it was determined that an expert system with good end user interface capabilities could be used to solve a large part of the problem. The system captures the knowledge contained within the regulations, enables the quick distribution and implementation of eligibility criteria changes, and distributes the expertise of the admissions personnel to the education centers and colleges. The expert system uses a modified version of CLIPS that was streamlined to make the most efficient use of its capabilities. A user interface with windowing capabilities provides the applicant with a simple and effective way to input his/her personal data.

Guiding dental student learning and assessing performance in critical thinking with analysis of emerging strategies.

PubMed

Johnsen, David C; Lipp, Mitchell J; Finkelstein, Michael W; Cunningham-Ford, Marsha A

2012-12-01

Patient-centered care involves an inseparable set of knowledge, abilities, and professional traits on the part of the health care provider. For practical reasons, health professions education is segmented into disciplines or domains like knowledge, technical skills, and critical thinking, and the culture of dental education is weighted toward knowledge and technical skills. Critical thinking, however, has become a growing presence in dental curricula. To guide student learning and assess performance in critical thinking, guidelines have been developed over the past several decades in the educational literature. Prominent among these guidelines are the following: engage the student in multiple situations/exercises reflecting critical thinking; for each exercise, emulate the intended activity for validity; gain agreement of faculty members across disciplines and curriculum years on the learning construct, application, and performance assessment protocol for reliability; and use the same instrument to guide learning and assess performance. The purposes of this article are 1) to offer a set of concepts from the education literature potentially helpful to guide program design or corroborate existing programs in dental education; 2) to offer an implementation model consolidating these concepts as a guide for program design and execution; 3) to cite specific examples of exercises and programs in critical thinking in the dental education literature analyzed against these concepts; and 4) to discuss opportunities and challenges in guiding student learning and assessing performance in critical thinking for dentistry.

Decision blocks: A tool for automating decision making in CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eick, Christoph F.; Mehta, Nikhil N.

1991-01-01

The human capability of making complex decision is one of the most fascinating facets of human intelligence, especially if vague, judgemental, default or uncertain knowledge is involved. Unfortunately, most existing rule based forward chaining languages are not very suitable to simulate this aspect of human intelligence, because of their lack of support for approximate reasoning techniques needed for this task, and due to the lack of specific constructs to facilitate the coding of frequently reoccurring decision block to provide better support for the design and implementation of rule based decision support systems. A language called BIRBAL, which is defined on the top of CLIPS, for the specification of decision blocks, is introduced. Empirical experiments involving the comparison of the length of CLIPS program with the corresponding BIRBAL program for three different applications are surveyed. The results of these experiments suggest that for decision making intensive applications, a CLIPS program tends to be about three times longer than the corresponding BIRBAL program.

From academic to applied: Operationalising resilience in river systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Melissa; Thoms, Martin C.

2018-03-01

The concept of resilience acknowledges the ability of societies to live and develop with dynamic environments. Given the recognition of the need to prepare for anticipated and unanticipated shocks, applications of resilience are increasing as the guiding principle of public policy and programs in areas such as disaster management, urban planning, natural resource management, and climate change adaptation. River science is an area in which the adoption of resilience is increasing, leading to the proposition that resilience may become a guiding principle of river policy and programs. Debate about the role of resilience in rivers is part of the scientific method, but disciplinary disunity about the ways to approach resilience application in policy and programs may leave river science out of the policy process. We propose six elements that need to be considered in the design and implementation of resilience-based river policy and programs: rivers as social-ecological systems; the science-policy interface; principles, capacities, and characteristics of resilience; cogeneration of knowledge; adaptive management; and the state of the science of resilience.

The Expert System Programme of the European Space Agency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lafay, J. F.; Allard, F.

1992-08-01

ESA's Expert System Demonstration (ESD) program is discussed in terms of its goals, structure, three-phase approach, and initial results. ESD is intended to demonstrate the benefits of AI and knowledge-based systems for in-orbit infrastructures by developing a strategic technology to contribute to ESA missions. Three phases were defined for: (1) program definition and review of existing work; (2) demonstration of applications prototypes; and (3) the development of operational systems from successful prototypes. Applications of 16 proposed expert-system candidates are grouped into payload-engineering and crew/operations categories. The candidates are to be evaluated in terms of their potential contribution to strategic goals such as improving scientific return and automating operator functions to eliminate human error.

Moving Theory to Practice: One State's Role in Professional Learning for School and District Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augustine-Shaw, Donna

2016-01-01

As a continuum of professional learning for building and district leaders transitioning from leadership preparation programs into practice, the state of Kansas enacted mentoring and induction requirements as part of their role in supporting development of leadership skills important to on-the-job application of essential knowledge. One approved…

Spinoff, 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1986-01-01

The major programs that generate new technology and therefore expand the bank of knowledge available for future transfer are outlined. The focal point of this volume contains a representative sampling of spinoff products and processes that resulted from technology utilization, or secondary application. The various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology utilization are described and in an appendix, are listed contact sources for further information.

Developing a Forensic Approach to Process Improvement: The Relationship between Curriculum and Impact in Frontline Operator Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croom, Simon; Betts, Alan

2011-01-01

The authors present a comparative study of 2 in-company educational programs aimed at developing frontline operator capabilities in forensic methods. They discuss the relationship between the application of various forensic tools and conceptual techniques, the process (i.e., curriculum) for developing employee knowledge and capability, and the…

The Strategic Application and Assessment of Social Justice in PETE Programs: A Primer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culp, Brian

2011-01-01

Current demographics in the United States have made issues pertaining to social justice central to the evolution of physical education as a discipline. With this knowledge, the time to refocus efforts in respect to ensuring equity regardless of ability, race, class, gender, sexuality, or religion has arrived. This article provides information on…

Effectiveness of a Language Based Program in School Mathematics on Students' Understanding of Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wekesa, Duncan Wasike

2006-01-01

Mathematical knowledge and understanding is important not only for scientific progress and development but also for its day-to-day application in social sciences and arts, government, business and management studies and household chores. But the general performance in school mathematics in Kenya has been poor over the years. There is evidence that…

Debates on the Basic Education Curriculum Reform and Teachers' Challenges in China: The Case of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Qiong; Ni, Yu-jing

2012-01-01

Focusing on the case of mathematics, this paper reviews debates on China's new Basic Education Curriculum Reform program, including the status of knowledge within the reformed curriculum, the arrangement of the curriculum system, and the push toward real-life applicability and hands-on participation. It discusses the related challenges that…

Evaluating control tactics for the southern pine beetle : symposium proceedings, January 30-February 1, 1979

Treesearch

Jack E. Coster; Janet L. Searcy

1979-01-01

A large number of state and Federal experiment stations, universities and Federal, state and private resource management organizations have participated in the USDA Expanded Southern Pine Beetle Research and Applications Program (ESPBRAP) since its inception in 1975. The objectives of this accelerated effort have been to utilize available knowledge more fully...

Ground zero and up; Nebraska's resources and land use. [using LANDSAT and Skylab data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, D. M.; Macklem, R.

1975-01-01

A one-semester high school course was developed about the use of remote sensing techniques for land earth resources planning and management. The slide-tape-workbook program was field tested with high school students to show a substantial increase in gain of knowledge and an attitude change in application of remote sensing techniques.

Redesigning College Algebra: Combining Educational Theory and Web-Based Learning to Improve Student Attitudes and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagerty, Gary; Smith, Stanley; Goodwin, Danielle

2010-01-01

In 2001, Black Hills State University (BHSU) redesigned college algebra to use the computer-based mastery learning program, Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces [1], historical development of concepts modules, whole class discussions, cooperative activities, relevant applications problems, and many fewer lectures. This resulted in a 21%…

Welder--Wire Process Operator: Apprenticeship Course Outline. Apprenticeship and Industry Training. 12-107.2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, 2007

2007-01-01

The graduate of the Wire Process Operator apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) be skillful in the fusing of metals using prescribed welding applications; (2) have a working knowledge of the welding equipment involved with the various welding procedures; (3) comprehend drawings; (4) have a thorough knowledge…

Applications of Out-of-Domain Knowledge in Students' Reasoning about Computer Program State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Colleen Marie

2012-01-01

To meet a growing demand and a projected deficit in the supply of computer professionals (NCWIT, 2009), it is of vital importance to expand students' access to computer science. However, many researchers in the computer science education community unproductively assume that some students lack an innate ability for computer science and…

Application of the Table Manager Program in the Physics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beke, Tamás

2009-01-01

In the 21st century the acquirement and transmission useful knowledge has a key role not only in Hungary but in the whole world as well. In my opinion, the interdisciplinary integration helps teaching efficiently more things than teaching each subject separately. The meaning of integration is approximately that we put together and combine…

Strategic Use of Role Playing in a Training Workshop for Chemistry Laboratory Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lekhi, Priyanka; Nussbaum, Sophia

2015-01-01

Many Canadian universities have created professional development programs for their teaching assistants (TA) but may be uncertain about how to bridge the gap between TAs' knowledge of effective teaching strategies and TAs' confident applications of these strategies. We present a technique used in a two-day training workshop to enhance graduate…

Transportation Education and Outreach Pilot Program Targeting Students in Grades K-12. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Beverly T.

The transportation engineering profession faces a challenging future in the 21st century. Over the past decade, advances in transportation and technology applications have altered and expanded the list of knowledge, skills, and abilities that transportation professionals must have. The end result is a rapidly changing industry that needs qualified…

Path Analysis on the Factors Influencing Learning Outcome for Hospitality Interns--From the Flow Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shu-Tai; Chen, Cheng-Chung

2015-01-01

Learning outcome is an important indicator for educators in evaluating curriculum design. The focus of this study has been to examine the factors within internship programs, recognizing the complex nature of knowledge application in a practical industry environment. Flow theory was adopted to explain the psychological state of hospitality students…

When Language of Instruction and Language of Application Differ: Cognitive Costs of Bilingual Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saalbach, Henrik; Eckstein, Doris; Andri, Nicoletta; Hobi, Reto; Grabner, Roland H.

2013-01-01

Bilingual education programs implicitly assume that the acquired knowledge is represented in a language-independent way. This assumption, however, stands in strong contrast to research findings showing that information may be represented in a way closely tied to the specific language of instruction and learning. The present study aims to examine…

Take Action against Hepatitis C (for People in Recovery from Mental Illness or Addiction)

MedlinePlus

... combined. Either way, you get a series of shots, not just one. You need to have all the shots to get the protection. Complete the full series ... Keep a positive attitude. It all helps. * for example, large ... Knowledge Application Program (KAP): 1. Download or order from the SAMHSA Store at ...

34 CFR 1100.21 - What selection criteria does the Director use to rate an applicant?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... FOR LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM How Does the Director...: (1) The proposed project deals with an issue of major concern to the literacy field. (2) The design... are likely to contribute to the knowledge base in literacy or adult education, and to federal policy...

34 CFR 1100.21 - What selection criteria does the Director use to rate an applicant?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... FOR LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM How Does the Director...: (1) The proposed project deals with an issue of major concern to the literacy field. (2) The design... are likely to contribute to the knowledge base in literacy or adult education, and to federal policy...

34 CFR 1100.21 - What selection criteria does the Director use to rate an applicant?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... FOR LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM How Does the Director...: (1) The proposed project deals with an issue of major concern to the literacy field. (2) The design... are likely to contribute to the knowledge base in literacy or adult education, and to federal policy...

Enhancing Research Capacity for Global Health: Evaluation of a Distance-Based Program for International Study Coordinators

PubMed Central

Wilson, Lynda Law; Rice, Marti; Jones, Carolynn T.; Joiner, Cynthia; LaBorde, Jennifer; McCall, Kimberly; Jester, Penelope M; Carter, Sheree C.; Boone, Chrissy; Onwuzuligbo, Uzoma; Koneru, Alaya

2013-01-01

Introduction Due to the increasing number of clinical trials conducted globally, there is a need for quality continuing education for health professionals in clinical research manager (CRM) roles. This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a distance-based continuing education program for CRMs working outside the United States. Methods A total of 692 applications were received from CRMs in 50 countries. Of these, 166 were admitted to the program in two cohorts. The program, taught online and in English, included four required and one optional course. Course materials were also provided as hard copies and on CDs. A pretest/posttest design was used to evaluate the outcome of the program in terms of changes in knowledge, participants’ capacity-building activities at their research sites; and participant and supervisor perceptions of program impact. Results Participants demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge about clinical research, rated course content and teaching strategies positively, and identified the opportunity for interactions with international peers as a major program strength. Challenges for participants were limited time to complete assignments and erratic internet access. Participants offered capacity building programs to 5061 individuals at their research sites. Supervisors indicated that they would recommend the program and perceived the program improved CRM effectiveness and site research capacity. Findings Results suggest that this type of continuing education program addresses a growing need for education of CRMs working in countries that have previously had limited involvement with global clinical trials. PMID:23512562

ElecSus: Extension to arbitrary geometry magneto-optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keaveney, James; Adams, Charles S.; Hughes, Ifan G.

2018-03-01

We present a major update to ElecSus, a computer program and underlying model to calculate the electric susceptibility of an alkali-metal atomic vapour. Knowledge of the electric susceptibility of a medium is essential to predict its absorptive and dispersive properties. In this version we implement several changes which significantly extend the range of applications of ElecSus, the most important of which is support for non-axial magnetic fields (i.e. fields which are not aligned with the light propagation axis). Supporting this change requires a much more general approach to light propagation in the system, which we have now implemented. We exemplify many of these new applications by comparing ElecSus to experimental data. In addition, we have developed a graphical user interface front-end which makes the program much more accessible, and have improved on several other minor areas of the program structure.

TES: A modular systems approach to expert system development for real-time space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cacace, Ralph; England, Brenda

1988-01-01

A major goal of the Space Station era is to reduce reliance on support from ground based experts. The development of software programs using expert systems technology is one means of reaching this goal without requiring crew members to become intimately familiar with the many complex spacecraft subsystems. Development of an expert systems program requires a validation of the software with actual flight hardware. By combining accurate hardware and software modelling techniques with a modular systems approach to expert systems development, the validation of these software programs can be successfully completed with minimum risk and effort. The TIMES Expert System (TES) is an application that monitors and evaluates real time data to perform fault detection and fault isolation tasks as they would otherwise be carried out by a knowledgeable designer. The development process and primary features of TES, a modular systems approach, and the lessons learned are discussed.

NASA's Applied Sciences for Water Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doorn, Bradley; Toll, David; Engman, Ted

2011-01-01

The Earth Systems Division within NASA has the primary responsibility for the Earth Science Applied Science Program and the objective to accelerate the use of NASA science results in applications to help solve problems important to society and the economy. The primary goal of the Earth Science Applied Science Program is to improve future and current operational systems by infusing them with scientific knowledge of the Earth system gained through space-based observation, assimilation of new observations, and development and deployment of enabling technologies, systems, and capabilities. This paper discusses one of the major problems facing water resources managers, that of having timely and accurate data to drive their decision support tools. It then describes how NASA?s science and space based satellites may be used to overcome this problem. Opportunities for the water resources community to participate in NASA?s Water Resources Applications Program are described.

Impact of a visual programming experience on the attitude toward programming of introductory undergraduate students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godbole, Saurabh

Traditionally, textual tools have been utilized to teach basic programming languages and paradigms. Research has shown that students tend to be visual learners. Using flowcharts, students can quickly understand the logic of their programs and visualize the flow of commands in the algorithm. Moreover, applying programming to physical systems through the use of a microcontroller to facilitate this type of learning can spark an interest in students to advance their programming knowledge to create novel applications. This study examined if freshmen college students' attitudes towards programming changed after completing a graphical programming lesson. Various attributes about students' attitudes were examined including confidence, interest, stereotypes, and their belief in the usefulness of acquiring programming skills. The study found that there were no statistically significant differences in attitudes either immediately following the session or after a period of four weeks.

Building a Knowledge to Action Program in Stroke Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Janzen, Shannon; McIntyre, Amanda; Richardson, Marina; Britt, Eileen; Teasell, Robert

2016-09-01

The knowledge to action (KTA) process proposed by Graham et al (2006) is a framework to facilitate the development and application of research evidence into clinical practice. The KTA process consists of the knowledge creation cycle and the action cycle. The Evidence Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation is a foundational part of the knowledge creation cycle and has helped guide the development of best practice recommendations in stroke. The Rehabilitation Knowledge to Action Project is an audit-feedback process for the clinical implementation of best practice guidelines, which follows the action cycle. The objective of this review was to: (1) contextualize the Evidence Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Knowledge to Action Project within the KTA model and (2) show how this process led to improved evidence-based practice in stroke rehabilitation. Through this process, a single centre was able to change clinical practice and promote a culture that supports the use of evidence-based practices in stroke rehabilitation.

Making Sense of Rocket Science - Building NASA's Knowledge Management Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holm, Jeanne

2002-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched a range of KM activities-from deploying intelligent "know-bots" across millions of electronic sources to ensuring tacit knowledge is transferred across generations. The strategy and implementation focuses on managing NASA's wealth of explicit knowledge, enabling remote collaboration for international teams, and enhancing capture of the key knowledge of the workforce. An in-depth view of the work being done at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) shows the integration of academic studies and practical applications to architect, develop, and deploy KM systems in the areas of document management, electronic archives, information lifecycles, authoring environments, enterprise information portals, search engines, experts directories, collaborative tools, and in-process decision capture. These systems, together, comprise JPL's architecture to capture, organize, store, and distribute key learnings for the U.S. exploration of space.

Physicist's simple access to protein structures: the computer program WHAT IF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altenberg-Greulich, Brigitte; Zech, Stephan G.; Stehlik, Dietmar; Vriend, Gert

2001-06-01

We describe the computer program WHAT IF and its application to two physical examples. For the DNA binding protein, OCT-1 (pou domain) the location of amino acids with a sidechain amino group is shown. Such knowledge is required when staining this molecule with a fluorescence dye, which binds chemically to the amino terminus as well as amino groups in sidechains. The program shows that most sidechain amino groups are protected when DNA is bound to OCT-1, allowing selective staining of the amino terminal NH2 group. A protein stained this way can be used in fluorescence spectroscopic studies on function aspects of OCT-1.

Spinoff, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1992-01-01

This publication is intended to foster the aim of the NASA Technology Transfer Program by heightening awareness of the NASA technology available for reapplication and its potential for public benefit. The publication is organized in three main sections. Section 1 outlines NASA's mainline effort, the major programs that generate new technology and therefore replenish and expand the bank of knowledge available for transfer. Section 2 contains a representative sampling of spinoff products that resulted from secondary application of technology originally developed to meet mainline goals. Section 3 describes the various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology transfer and lists, in an appendix, contact sources for further information about the Technology Transfer Program.

Spinoff 1993

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1993-01-01

This publication is intended to foster the aim of the NASA Technology Transfer Program by heightening awareness of the NASA technology available for reapplication and its potential for public benefit. The publication is organized in three main sections. Section 1 outlines NASA's mainline effort, the major programs that generate new technology and therefore replenish and expand the bank of knowledge available for transfer. Section 2 contains a representative sampling of spinoff products that resulted from secondary application of technology originally developed to meet mainline goals. Section 3 describes the various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology transfer and lists, in an appendix, contact sources for further information about the Technology Transfer Program.

Automatic programming of arc welding robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padmanabhan, Srikanth

Automatic programming of arc welding robots requires the geometric description of a part from a solid modeling system, expert weld process knowledge and the kinematic arrangement of the robot and positioner automatically. Current commercial solid models are incapable of storing explicitly product and process definitions of weld features. This work presents a paradigm to develop a computer-aided engineering environment that supports complete weld feature information in a solid model and to create an automatic programming system for robotic arc welding. In the first part, welding features are treated as properties or attributes of an object, features which are portions of the object surface--the topological boundary. The structure for representing the features and attributes is a graph called the Welding Attribute Graph (WAGRAPH). The method associates appropriate weld features to geometric primitives, adds welding attributes, and checks the validity of welding specifications. A systematic structure is provided to incorporate welding attributes and coordinate system information in a CSG tree. The specific implementation of this structure using a hybrid solid modeler (IDEAS) and an object-oriented programming paradigm is described. The second part provides a comprehensive methodology to acquire and represent weld process knowledge required for the proper selection of welding schedules. A methodology of knowledge acquisition using statistical methods is proposed. It is shown that these procedures did little to capture the private knowledge of experts (heuristics), but helped in determining general dependencies, and trends. A need was established for building the knowledge-based system using handbook knowledge and to allow the experts further to build the system. A methodology to check the consistency and validity for such knowledge addition is proposed. A mapping shell designed to transform the design features to application specific weld process schedules is described. A new approach using fixed path modified continuation methods is proposed in the final section to plan continuously the trajectory of weld seams in an integrated welding robot and positioner environment. The joint displacement, velocity, and acceleration histories all along the path as a function of the path parameter for the best possible welding condition are provided for the robot and the positioner to track various paths normally encountered in arc welding.

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency: Perspectives of Applicants and Program Directors on Medical Student Away Rotations.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Seth W; Drolet, Brian C; Brower, Jonathan P; LaPorte, Dawn; Eberson, Craig P

2017-01-01

Senior medical students frequently rotate at orthopaedic residency programs away from their home medical schools. However, to our knowledge, the perspective of program directors (PDs) and applicants on the value, objectives, and costs of these rotations has not been studied. Surveys evaluating the frequency, costs, benefits, and objectives of away rotations were distributed to all orthopaedic residency PDs in the United States and applicants in the 2014-2015 Match cycle. Data analysis was conducted to perform inferential and descriptive statistics; comparisons were made between and among PD and applicant groups using two-tailed means Student t-test and analysis of variance. A total of 74 PD (46.0%) and 524 applicant (49.3%) responses were obtained from a national distribution. Applicants completed an average of 2.4 away rotations, with an average cost of $2,799. When stratified on self-reported likelihood of Matching, there were no substantial differences in the total number of rotations performed. The only marked differences between these groups were the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score and the number of applications to residency programs. PDs reported that significantly fewer rotations should be allowed, whereas applicants suggested higher limits (2.42 rotations versus 6.24, P < 0.001). PDs and applicants had similar perspectives on the value of away rotations; both groups reported more value in finding a "good fit" and making a good impression at the program and placed less value on the educational impact. The value of orthopaedic away rotations appears more utilitarian than educational for both PDs and applicants. Rotations are performed regardless of perceived likelihood of Matching and are used by students and programs to identify a "good fit." Therefore, given the portion of an academic year that is spent on orthopaedic rotations, findings showing perceived low educational value and marked discrepancies between the expected number of rotations by PDs and applicants indicate that the current structure of away rotations may not be well aligned with the mission of undergraduate medical education. V.

Microgravity Science and Applications: Program Tasks and Bibliography for Fiscal Year 1996

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

NASA's Microgravity Science and Applications Division (MSAD) sponsors a program that expands the use of space as a laboratory for the study of important physical, chemical, and biochemical processes. The primary objective of the program is to broaden the value and capabilities of human presence in space by exploiting the unique characteristics of the space environment for research. However, since flight opportunities are rare and flight research development is expensive, a vigorous ground-based research program, from which only the best experiments evolve, is critical to the continuing strength of the program. The microgravity environment affords unique characteristics that allow the investigation of phenomena and processes that are difficult or impossible to study an Earth. The ability to control gravitational effects such as buoyancy driven convection, sedimentation, and hydrostatic pressures make it possible to isolate phenomena and make measurements that have significantly greater accuracy than can be achieved in normal gravity. Space flight gives scientists the opportunity to study the fundamental states of physical matter-solids, liquids and gasses-and the forces that affect those states. Because the orbital environment allows the treatment of gravity as a variable, research in microgravity leads to a greater fundamental understanding of the influence of gravity on the world around us. With appropriate emphasis, the results of space experiments lead to both knowledge and technological advances that have direct applications on Earth. Microgravity research also provides the practical knowledge essential to the development of future space systems. The Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications (OLMSA) is responsible for planning and executing research stimulated by the Agency's broad scientific goals. OLMSA's Microgravity Science and Applications Division (MSAD) is responsible for guiding and focusing a comprehensive program, and currently manages its research and development tasks through five major scientific areas: biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science. FY 1996 was an important year for MSAD. NASA continued to build a solid research community for the coming space station era. During FY 1996, the NASA Microgravity Research Program continued investigations selected from the 1994 combustion science, fluid physics, and materials science NRAS. MSAD also released a NASA Research Announcement in microgravity biotechnology, with more than 130 proposals received in response. Selection of research for funding is expected in early 1997. The principal investigators chosen from these NRAs will form the core of the MSAD research program at the beginning of the space station era. The third United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-3) and the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) missions yielded a wealth of microgravity data in FY 1996. The USMP-3 mission included a fluids facility and three solidification furnaces, each designed to examine a different type of crystal growth.

Advances of NOAA Training Program in Climate Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timofeyeva, M. M.

2012-12-01

Since 2002, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Services Division (CSD) has offered numerous training opportunities to NWS staff. After eight-years of development, the training program offers three instructor-led courses and roughly 25 online (distance learning) modules covering various climate topics, such as: climate data and observations, climate variability and change, and NWS national / local climate products (tools, skill, and interpretation). Leveraging climate information and expertise available at all NOAA line offices and partners allows for the delivery of the most advanced knowledge and is a very critical aspect of the training program. The emerging NOAA Climate Service (NCS) requires a well-trained, climate-literate workforce at the local level capable of delivering NOAA's climate products and services as well as providing climate-sensitive decision support. NWS Weather Forecast Offices and River Forecast Centers presently serve as local outlets for the NCS climate services. Trained NWS climate service personnel use proactive and reactive approaches and professional education methods in communicating climate variability and change information to local users. Both scientifically-sound messages and amiable communication techniques are important in developing an engaged dialog between the climate service providers and users. Several pilot projects have been conducted by the NWS CSD this past year that apply the program's training lessons and expertise to specialized external user group training. The technical user groups included natural resources managers, engineers, hydrologists, and planners for transportation infrastructure. Training of professional user groups required tailoring instructions to the potential applications for each group of users. Training technical users identified the following critical issues: (1) knowledge of target audience expectations, initial knowledge status, and potential use of climate information; (2) leveraging partnership with climate services providers; and, (3) applying 3H training approach, where the first H stands for Head (trusted science), the second H stands for Heart (make it easy), and the third H for Hand (support with applications).

Cooperating knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigenbaum, Edward A.; Buchanan, Bruce G.

1988-01-01

This final report covers work performed under Contract NCC2-220 between NASA Ames Research Center and the Knowledge Systems Laboratory, Stanford University. The period of research was from March 1, 1987 to February 29, 1988. Topics covered were as follows: (1) concurrent architectures for knowledge-based systems; (2) methods for the solution of geometric constraint satisfaction problems, and (3) reasoning under uncertainty. The research in concurrent architectures was co-funded by DARPA, as part of that agency's Strategic Computing Program. The research has been in progress since 1985, under DARPA and NASA sponsorship. The research in geometric constraint satisfaction has been done in the context of a particular application, that of determining the 3-D structure of complex protein molecules, using the constraints inferred from NMR measurements.

A Computer-Based Interactive Multimedia Program to Reduce HIV Transmission for Women with Intellectual Disability

PubMed Central

Delaine, Khaya

2011-01-01

Background Despite recent recognition of the need for preventive sexual health materials for people with intellectual disability (ID), there have been remarkably few health-based interventions designed for people with mild to moderate ID. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a computer-based interactive multimedia (CBIM) program to teach HIV/AIDS knowledge, skills, and decision-making. Methods Twenty-five women with mild to moderate intellectual disability evaluated the program. The study used a quasi-experimental within-subjects design to assess the efficacy of the CBIM program. Research participants completed five qualitative and quantitative instruments that assessed HIV knowledge, and decision-making skills regarding HIV prevention practices and condom application skills (i.e., demonstration of skills opening a condom and putting it on a model penis). In addition, 18 service providers who work with women with ID reviewed the program and completed a demographics questionnaire and a professional customer satisfaction survey. Results Women with ID showed statistically significant increases from pretest to posttest in all knowledge and skill domains. Furthermore, the statistical gains were accompanied by medium to large effect sizes. Overall, service providers rated the program highly on several outcome measures (stimulation, relevance, and usability). Conclusions The results of this study indicate the CBIM program was effective in increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge and skills among women with ID, who live both semi-independently and independently, in a single-session intervention. Since the CBIM program is not dependent on staff for instructional delivery, it is a highly efficient teaching tool; and CBIM is an efficacious means to provide behavioral health content, compensating for the dearth of available health promotion materials for people with ID. As such, it has a potential for broad distribution and implementation by medical practitioners, and public health offices. People with ID are part of our society, yet continue to be overlooked, particularly in the area of health promotion. Special tools need to be developed in order to address the health disparities experienced by people with ID. PMID:21917052

SpatialEpiApp: A Shiny web application for the analysis of spatial and spatio-temporal disease data.

PubMed

Moraga, Paula

2017-11-01

During last years, public health surveillance has been facilitated by the existence of several packages implementing statistical methods for the analysis of spatial and spatio-temporal disease data. However, these methods are still inaccesible for many researchers lacking the adequate programming skills to effectively use the required software. In this paper we present SpatialEpiApp, a Shiny web application that integrate two of the most common approaches in health surveillance: disease mapping and detection of clusters. SpatialEpiApp is easy to use and does not require any programming knowledge. Given information about the cases, population and optionally covariates for each of the areas and dates of study, the application allows to fit Bayesian models to obtain disease risk estimates and their uncertainty by using R-INLA, and to detect disease clusters by using SaTScan. The application allows user interaction and the creation of interactive data visualizations and reports showing the analyses performed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanomanufacturing-related programs at NSF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Khershed P.

2015-08-01

The National Science Foundation is meeting the challenge of transitioning lab-scale nanoscience and technology to commercial-scale through several nanomanufacturing-related research programs. The goal of the core Nanomanufacturing (NM) and the inter-disciplinary Scalable Nanomanufacturing (SNM) programs is to meet the barriers to manufacturability at the nano-scale by developing the fundamental principles for the manufacture of nanomaterials, nanostructures, nanodevices, and engineered nanosystems. These programs address issues such as scalability, reliability, quality, performance, yield, metrics, and cost, among others. The NM and SNM programs seek nano-scale manufacturing ideas that are transformative, that will be widely applicable and that will have far-reaching technological and societal impacts. It is envisioned that the results from these basic research programs will provide the knowledge base for larger programs such as the manufacturing Nanotechnology Science and Engineering Centers (NSECs) and the Nanosystems Engineering Research Centers (NERCs). Besides brief descriptions of these different programs, this paper will include discussions on novel

Evaluation of pharmacy students' knowledge and perceptions of pharmacogenetics before and after a simulation activity.

PubMed

Patel, Radha V; Chudow, Melissa; Vo, Teresa T; Serag-Bolos, Erini S

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' knowledge and perceptions of the clinical application of pharmacogenetics through a simulation activity and to assess communication of pharmacogenetic-guided treatment recommendations utilizing standardized patients. Third-year students in the four-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program at University of South Florida College of Pharmacy completed a pharmacogenetics simulation involving a patient case review, interpretation of pharmacogenetic test results, completion of a situation, background, assessment, recommendation (SBAR) note with drug therapy recommendations, and patient counseling. Voluntary assessments were completed before and after the simulation, which included demographics, knowledge, and perceptions of students' ability to interpret and communicate pharmacogenetic results. Response rates for the pre- and post-simulation assessments were 109 (98%) and 104 (94%), respectively. Correct responses in application-type questions improved after the simulation (74%) compared to before the simulation (44%, p < 0.01). Responses to perception questions shifted towards "strongly agree" or "agree" after the simulation (p < 0.01). The simulation gave students an opportunity to apply pharmacogenetics knowledge and allowed them to gain an appreciation of pharmacists' roles within the pharmacogenetics field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmentally friendly use of non-coal ashes in Sweden.

PubMed

Ribbing, C

2007-01-01

The Swedish Thermal Engineering Research Institute (Värmeforsk) initiated an applied research program "Environmentally friendly use of non-coal ashes", in 2002. The program aims at increasing knowledge on the by-products of energy production and their application. The goal of formulating technical and environmental guidelines and assessments is a major point of the program, which is supported by about forty authorities and private organisations. The programme has been divided into four areas: recycling of ashes to forests, geotechnical applications, use in landfilling, and environmental aspects and chemistry. Among all results obtained, the following progress is shown: *Evidence for the positive effects of spreading ashes on forest growth. *A proposal for environmental guidelines on the utilisation of ashes in construction. *A handbook for using non-coal fly ashes in unpaved roads. *Technical and environmental assessments of MSWI bottom ashes in road construction. *Development of the use of ashes with municipal wastewater sludge as a cover for landfills and mine tailings. *Use of ashes from bio-fuels in concrete and replacement of cement in stoop mining. *A method to classify those by-products from combustion that have mirror entries in the EWC as a hazardous or non-hazardous compound. The Ash Programme has also made it possible to increase knowledge on ashes as valuable materials, on quality assurance and on markets for recovered materials.

Overview of nuclear education and outreach program among Malaysian school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahar, Haizum Ruzanna; Masngut, Nasaai; Yusof, Mohd Hafizal; Ngadiron, Norzehan; Adnan, Habibah

2017-01-01

This paper gives an overview of nuclear education and outreach program conducted by Agensi Nuklear Malaysia (Nuklear Malaysia) throughout its operation and establishment. Since its foundation in 1972, Nuklear Malaysia has been the pioneer and is competent in the application of nuclear science and technology. Today, Nuklear Malaysia has ventured and eventually contributed into the development of various socio-economic sectors which include but not limited to medical, industry, manufacturing, agriculture, health, radiation safety and environment. This paper accentuates on the history of education and outreach program by Nuklear Malaysia, which include its timeline and evolution; as well as a brief on education and outreach program management, involvement of knowledge management as part of its approach and later the future of Nuklear Malaysia education and outreach program.

A new model for programming software in body sensor networks.

PubMed

de A Barbosa, Talles M G; Sene, Iwens G; da Rocha, Adson F; de O Nascimento, Francisco A A; Carvalho, Joao L A; Carvalho, Hervaldo S

2007-01-01

A Body Sensor Network (BSN) must be designed to work autonomously. On the other hand, BSNs need mechanisms that allow changes in their behavior in order to become a clinically useful tool. The purpose of this paper is to present a new programming model that will be useful for programming BSN sensor nodes. This model is based on an intelligent intermediate-level compiler. The main purpose of the proposed compiler is to increase the efficiency in system use, and to increase the lifetime of the application, considering its requirements, hardware possibilities and specialist knowledge. With this model, it is possible to maintain the autonomous operation capability of the BSN and still offer tools that allow users with little grasp on programming techniques to program these systems.

Distributed semantic networks and CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, James; Rodriguez, Tony

1991-01-01

Semantic networks of frames are commonly used as a method of reasoning in many problems. In most of these applications the semantic network exists as a single entity in a single process environment. Advances in workstation hardware provide support for more sophisticated applications involving multiple processes, interacting in a distributed environment. In these applications the semantic network may well be distributed over several concurrently executing tasks. This paper describes the design and implementation of a frame based, distributed semantic network in which frames are accessed both through C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) expert systems and procedural C++ language programs. The application area is a knowledge based, cooperative decision making model utilizing both rule based and procedural experts.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations.

PubMed

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael; Elemento, Olivier

2017-05-01

This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu ), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB's interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations

PubMed Central

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael

2017-01-01

Objective: This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. Materials and Methods: PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. Results: At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB’s interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. Discussion: An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. Conclusion: The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. PMID:27789569

Photogrammetry and remote sensing education subjects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazaridou, Maria A.; Karagianni, Aikaterini Ch.

2017-09-01

The rapid technologic advances in the scientific areas of photogrammetry and remote sensing require continuous readjustments at the educational programs and their implementation. The teaching teamwork should deal with the challenge to offer the volume of the knowledge without preventing the understanding of principles and methods and also to introduce "new" knowledge (advances, trends) followed by evaluation and presentation of relevant applications. This is of particular importance for a Civil Engineering Faculty as this in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as the framework of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing is closely connected with applications in the four educational Divisions of the Faculty. This paper refers to the above and includes subjects of organizing the courses in photogrammetry and remote sensing in the Civil Engineering Faculty of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. A scheme of the general curriculum as well the teaching aims and methods are also presented.

Electronic Learning-Spaced Education to Facilitate Resident Knowledge and Guide Program Didactics.

PubMed

Gandhi, Manisha; Beasley, Anitra; Vinas, Emily; Sangi-Haghpeykar, Haleh; Ramin, Susan M; Kilpatrick, Charlie C

2016-10-01

To evaluate the use of mobile technology to facilitate resident learning, assess clinical knowledge, and guide curricular development in a busy clinical environment. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a large (N=48) urban obstetrics and gynecology residency program. Question sets were created in the following areas: office gynecology, general obstetrics, gynecologic surgery and urogynecology, maternal-fetal medicine and ultrasonography, reproductive endocrinology and pediatric gynecology, and gynecologic oncology. Using an educational mobile application (app), questions were sent monthly to resident smartphones with immediate feedback on answer accuracy along with answer explanation and references. Outcomes included app use, which was determined by how quickly participants answered questions (very active-active indicates questions answered within 7 days) and proficiency (mean percentage correct) calculated for individuals, resident class level, and by content area. All 48 residents participated and 77.4% were very active or active app users. On average, participants answered correctly 61.0% on the first attempt and improved to 78.3% on repeat attempt (P<.001). Proficiency was lowest for gynecologic surgery and highest for general obstetrics. A mobile app to support e-learning was successfully implemented in our program; its use was associated with knowledge retention and identification of low-proficiency topics to guide curriculum development.

The development of an internet-based knowledge exchange platform for pediatric critical care clinicians worldwide*.

PubMed

Wolbrink, Traci A; Kissoon, Niranjan; Burns, Jeffrey P

2014-03-01

Advances in Internet technology now enable unprecedented global collaboration and collective knowledge exchange. Up to this time, there have been limited efforts to use these technologies to actively promote knowledge exchange across the global pediatric critical care community. To develop an open-access, peer-reviewed, not-for-profit Internet-based learning application, OPENPediatrics, a collaborative effort with the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, was designed to promote postgraduate educational knowledge exchange for physicians, nurses, and others caring for critically ill children worldwide. Description of program development. International multicenter tertiary pediatric critical care units across six continents. Multidisciplinary pediatric critical care providers. A software application, providing information on demand, curricular pathways, and videoconferencing, downloaded to a local computer. In 2010, a survey assessing postgraduate educational needs was distributed through World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies to constituent societies. Four hundred and twenty-nine critical care providers from 49 countries responded to the single e-mail survey request. Respondents included 68% physicians and 28% nurses who care for critically ill children. Fifty-two percent of respondents reported accessing the Internet at least weekly to obtain professional educational information. The five highest requests were for educational content on respiratory care [mechanical ventilation] (48% [38%]), sepsis (28%), neurology (25%), cardiology (14%), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (10%), and ethics (8%). Based on these findings, and in collaboration with researchers in adult learning and online courseware, an application was developed and is currently being used by 770 registered users in 60 countries. We describe here the development and implementation of an Internet-based application which is among the first efforts designed to promote global knowledge exchange for physicians and nurses caring for critically ill children. This application has the potential to evolve new methods in postgraduate education. Ongoing assessment of the efficacy of Internet-based learning platforms will be necessary.

The Impact of Software Culture on the Management of Community Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, J. A.; Pulsifer, P. L.; Sheffield, E.; Lewis, S.; Oldenburg, J.

2013-12-01

The Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA), a program hosted at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), supports the collection, curation, and distribution of Local and Traditional Knowledge (LTK) data, as well as some quantitative data products. Investigations involving LTK data often involve community participation, and therefore require flexible and robust user interfaces to support a reliable process of data collection and management. Often, investigators focused on LTK and community-based monitoring choose to use ELOKA's data services based on our ability to provide rapid proof-of-concepts and economical delivery of a usable product. To satisfy these two overarching criteria, ELOKA is experimenting with modifications to its software development culture both in terms of how the software applications are developed as well as the kind of software applications (or components) being developed. Over the past several years, NSIDC has shifted its software development culture from one of assigning individual scientific programmers to support particular principal investigators or projects, to an Agile Software Methodology implementation using Scrum practices. ELOKA has participated in this process by working with other product owners to schedule and prioritize development work which is then implemented by a team of application developers. Scrum, along with practices such as Test Driven Development (TDD) and paired programming, improves the quality of the software product delivered to the user community. To meet the need for rapid prototyping and to maximize product development and support with limited developer input, our software development efforts are now focused on creating a platform of application modules that can be quickly customized to suit the needs of a variety of LTK projects. This approach is in contrast to the strategy of delivering custom applications for individual projects. To date, we have integrated components of the Nunaliit Atlas framework (a Java/JavaScript client-server web-based application) with an existing Ruby on Rails application. This approach requires transitioning individual applications to expose a service layer, thus allowing interapplication communication via RESTful services. In this presentation we will report on our experiences using Agile Scrum practices, our efforts to move from custom solutions to a platform of customizable modules, and the impact of each on our ability to support researchers and Arctic residents in the domain of community-based observations and knowledge.

CyberMedVPS: visual programming for development of simulators.

PubMed

Morais, Aline M; Machado, Liliane S

2011-01-01

Computer applications based on Virtual Reality (VR) has been outstanding in training and teaching in the medical filed due to their ability to simulate realistic in which users can practice skills and decision making in different situations. But was realized in these frameworks a hard interaction of non-programmers users. Based on this problematic will be shown the CyberMedVPS, a graphical module which implement Visual Programming concepts to solve an interaction trouble. Frameworks to develop such simulators are available but their use demands knowledge of programming. Based on this problematic will be shown the CyberMedVPS, a graphical module for the CyberMed framework, which implements Visual Programming concepts to allow the development of simulators by non-programmers professionals of the medical field.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Preparation of High School Physics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etkina, Eugenia

2010-01-01

This paper contains a scholarly description of pedagogical practices of the Rutgers Physics/Physical Science Teacher Preparation program. The program focuses on three aspects of teacher preparation: knowledge of physics, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of how to teach physics (pedagogical content knowledge--PCK). The program has been in place…

[Impact of a disaster preparedness training program on health staff].

PubMed

Parra Cotanda, Cristina; Rebordosa Martínez, Mónica; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, Victoria; Luaces Cubells, Carles

2016-09-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a disaster preparedness training program in a Paediatric Emergency Department (PED). A quasi-experimental study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire that was distributed to health care providers of a PED in a tertiary paediatric hospital. The questions concerned the disaster plan (DP), including theoretical and practical aspects. Questionnaires were distributed and completed in January 2014 (period 1) and November 2014 (period 2). The disaster training program includes theoretical and practical sessions. A total of 110 questionnaires were collected in period 1, and 80 in period 2. Almost three-quarters (71.3%) of PED staff attended the theoretical sessions, and 43.8% attended the practical sessions. The application of this training program significantly improved knowledge about the DP, but no improvement was observed in the practical questions. PED staff felt more prepared to face a disaster after the training program (15.5% vs. 41.8%, P<.001). The training program improved some knowledge about the disaster plan, but it has not improved responses in practical situations, which may be due to the low attendance at practical sessions and the time between the training program and the questionnaires. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Results of the CDC/ASPH Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership: A Capacity-building Educational Program for HIV Prevention Program Managers

PubMed Central

Richter, Donna L.; Dauner, Kim Nichols; Lindley, Lisa L.; Reininger, Belinda M.; Oglesby, Willie H.; Prince, Mary S.; Thompson-Robinson, Melva; Jones, Rhondette; Potts, Linda H.

2011-01-01

Objective The goal of this research was to evaluate changes over time in the capacity of participants of the CDC/ASPH Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership (Institute), a capacity-building program for HIV prevention program managers in minority-based, community-based organizations, Capacity was defined as the application of new skills and knowledge to participants’ jobs and confidence in using those new skills and knowledge to strategically manage and apply “best practices” to their HIV prevention activities. Methods This is a longitudinal study involving measuring scholar capacity at three points in time; pre-Institute, post-Institute, and 6 months’ post-Institute. Only responses from participants who completed all three surveys are included in this final analysis of the data (N = 94). Results Results indicate that participants from 3 years of the institute (2002–2004) increased their capacity in HIV prevention programming and strategic planning and management. Significant changes were seen in the frequency and self-efficacy with which participants conduct several HIV prevention programming activities. Participants also reported conducting strategic planning activities at more appropriate intervals and were significantly more confident in conducting these activities. Conclusion The Institute has positively and significantly increased the capacity of participants to conduct more effective HIV prevention programs on a national level. PMID:17159470

[Structural Equation Modeling on Living and Brain Death Organ Donation Intention in Nursing Students].

PubMed

Kim, Eun A; Choi, So Eun

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to test and validate a model to predict living and brain death organ donation intention in nursing students. The conceptual model was based on the theory planned behavior. Quota sampling methodology was used to recruit 921 nursing students from all over the country and data collection was done from October 1 to December 20, 2013. The model fit indices for the hypothetical model were suitable for the recommended level. Knowledge, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control explained 40.2% and 40.1% respectively for both living and brain death organ donation intention. Subjective norm was the most direct influential factor for organ donation intention. Knowledge had significant direct effect on attitude and indirect effect on subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. These effects were higher in brain death organ donation intention than in living donation intention. The overall findings of this study suggest the need to develop systematic education programs to increases knowledge about brain death organ donation. The development, application, and evaluation of intervention programs are required to improve subjective norm.

49 CFR 350.211 - What is the format of the certification required by § 350.209?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FMCSRs and the HMRs. 2. The State has designated (name of State CMV safety agency) as the lead agency to... inspected CMVs. 5. The State requires that all reports relating to the program be submitted to the... requirement that registrants of CMVs declare their knowledge of the applicable Federal or State CMV safety...

49 CFR 350.211 - What is the format of the certification required by § 350.209?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... FMCSRs and the HMRs. 2. The State has designated (name of State CMV safety agency) as the lead agency to... inspected CMVs. 5. The State requires that all reports relating to the program be submitted to the... requirement that registrants of CMVs declare their knowledge of the applicable Federal or State CMV safety...

49 CFR 350.211 - What is the format of the certification required by § 350.209?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... FMCSRs and the HMRs. 2. The State has designated (name of State CMV safety agency) as the lead agency to... inspected CMVs. 5. The State requires that all reports relating to the program be submitted to the... requirement that registrants of CMVs declare their knowledge of the applicable Federal or State CMV safety...

49 CFR 350.211 - What is the format of the certification required by § 350.209?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FMCSRs and the HMRs. 2. The State has designated (name of State CMV safety agency) as the lead agency to... inspected CMVs. 5. The State requires that all reports relating to the program be submitted to the... requirement that registrants of CMVs declare their knowledge of the applicable Federal or State CMV safety...

49 CFR 350.211 - What is the format of the certification required by § 350.209?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... FMCSRs and the HMRs. 2. The State has designated (name of State CMV safety agency) as the lead agency to... inspected CMVs. 5. The State requires that all reports relating to the program be submitted to the... requirement that registrants of CMVs declare their knowledge of the applicable Federal or State CMV safety...

Operator Performance Support System (OPSS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

both the military and the industry. The OPSS will propose practical application’ in how to more closely align the relationships between technical...industry. The OPSS will propose practical applications in how to more closely align the relationships between technical knowledge and equipment operator...commercial programs provide flexibility to suppori existing and futurc kourscware and "hardware enhancements. In the development process of the OPSS

A Research into the Pedagogic Formation, Foreign Language and Computer Related Knowledge of Track and Field Trainers in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekel, Haci Ahmet

2014-01-01

Foreign language, computer programs and social network applications or web sites are widely used by many people nowadays for various aims. In the literature, the number of studies investigating over university departments of physical education or more specifically to say, taking sports students' and teachers' foreign language and social networking…

A Mixed-Methods Examination of Influences on the Shape and Malleability of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in Graduate Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabo, Kent

2013-01-01

Concerted efforts have been made within teacher preparation programs to integrate teaching with technology into the curriculum. Unfortunately, these efforts continue to fall short as teachers' application of educational technology is unsophisticated and not well integrated. The most prevalent approaches to integrating technology tend to ignore…

The Writing of the Scientific Paper To Help Students Process Water Quality Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friday, Gerald

This paper describes how a water monitoring program uses a science research paper to help students apply knowledge learned from the field, the lab, and class discussion. The application consists of examining water quality data of a river and determining what factors had an impact on the river, either biotic or abiotic. Students are asked to…

Power and promise of narrative for advancing physical therapist education and practice.

PubMed

Greenfield, Bruce H; Jensen, Gail M; Delany, Clare M; Mostrom, Elizabeth; Knab, Mary; Jampel, Ann

2015-06-01

This perspective article provides a justification for and an overview of the use of narrative as a pedagogical tool for educators to help physical therapist students, residents, and clinicians develop skills of reflection and reflexivity in clinical practice. The use of narratives is a pedagogical approach that provides a reflective and interpretive framework for analyzing and making sense of texts, stories, and other experiences within learning environments. This article describes reflection as a well-established method to support critical analysis of clinical experiences; to assist in uncovering different perspectives of patients, families, and health care professionals involved in patient care; and to broaden the epistemological basis (ie, sources of knowledge) for clinical practice. The article begins by examining how phronetic (ie, practical and contextual) knowledge and ethical knowledge are used in physical therapy to contribute to evidence-based practice. Narrative is explored as a source of phronetic and ethical knowledge that is complementary but irreducible to traditional objective and empirical knowledge-the type of clinical knowledge that forms the basis of scientific training. The central premise is that writing narratives is a cognitive skill that should be learned and practiced to develop critical reflection for expert practice. The article weaves theory with practical application and strategies to foster narrative in education and practice. The final section of the article describes the authors' experiences with examples of integrating the tools of narrative into an educational program, into physical therapist residency programs, and into a clinical practice. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

The Role of Ontologies in Schema-based Program Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bures, Tomas; Denney, Ewen; Fischer, Bernd; Nistor, Eugen C.

2004-01-01

Program synthesis is the process of automatically deriving executable code from (non-executable) high-level specifications. It is more flexible and powerful than conventional code generation techniques that simply translate algorithmic specifications into lower-level code or only create code skeletons from structural specifications (such as UML class diagrams). Key to building a successful synthesis system is specializing to an appropriate application domain. The AUTOBAYES and AUTOFILTER systems, under development at NASA Ames, operate in the two domains of data analysis and state estimation, respectively. The central concept of both systems is the schema, a representation of reusable computational knowledge. This can take various forms, including high-level algorithm templates, code optimizations, datatype refinements, or architectural information. A schema also contains applicability conditions that are used to determine when it can be applied safely. These conditions can refer to the initial specification, to intermediate results, or to elements of the partially-instantiated code. Schema-based synthesis uses AI technology to recursively apply schemas to gradually refine a specification into executable code. This process proceeds in two main phases. A front-end gradually transforms the problem specification into a program represented in an abstract intermediate code. A backend then compiles this further down into a concrete target programming language of choice. A core engine applies schemas on the initial problem specification, then uses the output of those schemas as the input for other schemas, until the full implementation is generated. Since there might be different schemas that implement different solutions to the same problem this process can generate an entire solution tree. AUTOBAYES and AUTOFILTER have reached the level of maturity where they enable users to solve interesting application problems, e.g., the analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images. They are large (in total around 100kLoC Prolog), knowledge intensive systems that employ complex symbolic reasoning to generate a wide range of non-trivial programs for complex application do- mains. Their schemas can have complex interactions, which make it hard to change them in isolation or even understand what an existing schema actually does. Adding more capabilities by increasing the number of schemas will only worsen this situation, ultimately leading to the entropy death of the synthesis system. The root came of this problem is that the domain knowledge is scattered throughout the entire system and only represented implicitly in the schema implementations. In our current work, we are addressing this problem by making explicit the knowledge from Merent parts of the synthesis system. Here; we discuss how Gruber's definition of an ontology as an explicit specification of a conceptualization matches our efforts in identifying and explicating the domain-specific concepts. We outline the dual role ontologies play in schema-based synthesis and argue that they address different audiences and serve different purposes. Their first role is descriptive: they serve as explicit documentation, and help to understand the internal structure of the system. Their second role is prescriptive: they provide the formal basis against which the other parts of the system (e.g., schemas) can be checked. Their final role is referential: ontologies also provide semantically meaningful "hooks" which allow schemas and tools to access the internal state of the program derivation process (e.g., fragments of the generated code) in domain-specific rather than language-specific terms, and thus to modify it in a controlled fashion. For discussion purposes we use AUTOLINEAR, a small synthesis system we are currently experimenting with, which can generate code for solving a system of linear equations, Az = b.

Teachers doing science: An authentic geology research experience for teachers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hemler, D.; Repine, T.

2006-01-01

Fairmont State University (FSU) and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) provided a small pilot group of West Virginia science teachers with a professional development session designed to mimic experiences obtained by geology majors during a typical summer field camp. Called GEOTECH, the program served as a research capstone event complimenting the participants' multi-year association with the RockCamp professional development program. GEOTECH was funded through a Improving Teacher Quality Grant administered by West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Over the course of three weeks, eight GEOTEACH participants learned field measurement and field data collection techniques which they then applied to the construction of a surficial geologic map. The program exposed participants to authentic scientific processes by emphasizing the authentic scientific application of content knowledge. As a secondary product, it also enhanced their appreciation of the true nature of science in general and geology particular. After the session, a new appreciation of the effort involved in making a geologic map emerged as tacit knowledge ready to be transferred to their students. The program was assessed using pre/post instruments, cup interviews, journals, artifacts (including geologic maps, field books, and described sections), performance assessments, and constructed response items. Evaluation of the accumulated data revealed an increase in participants demonstrated use of science content knowledge, an enhanced awareness and understanding of the processes and nature of geologic mapping, positive dispositions toward geologic research and a high satisfaction rating for the program. These findings support the efficacy of the experience and document future programmatic enhancements.

Developing nurse leaders: a program enhancing staff nurse leadership skills and professionalism.

PubMed

Abraham, Pauline J

2011-01-01

This study aims to determine whether participation in the Nursing Leadership Perspectives Program (NLPP) at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, produced a change in leadership skills, increased professional activities, leadership promotion, and retention rates of participants. The NLPP is an educational program designed to enhance leadership skills and promote professionalism of registered nurses. The 6-month program provides participants with theoretical knowledge, core competencies, and opportunities to practice application of leadership skills. Outcome metrics were collected from registered nurses who completed the program (n = 15). Data analysis included descriptive and nonparametric methods. Participants reported statistically significant changes in their leadership skills after participation in the program (P = .007) on the Leadership Practices Inventory. Changes in professional behavior were also statistically significant as rated by the Nursing Activity Scale (P = .001). Participants demonstrated a change in leadership skills and professional behavior following the program.

Does knowledge brokering improve the quality of rapid review proposals? A before and after study.

PubMed

Moore, Gabriel; Redman, Sally; D'Este, Catherine; Makkar, Steve; Turner, Tari

2017-01-28

Rapid reviews are increasingly being used to help policy makers access research in short time frames. A clear articulation of the review's purpose, questions, scope, methods and reporting format is thought to improve the quality and generalisability of review findings. The aim of the study is to explore the effectiveness of knowledge brokering in improving the perceived clarity of rapid review proposals from the perspective of potential reviewers. To conduct the study, we drew on the Evidence Check program, where policy makers draft a review proposal (a pre knowledge brokering proposal) and have a 1-hour session with a knowledge broker, who re-drafts the proposal based on the discussion (a post knowledge brokering proposal). We asked 30 reviewers who had previously undertaken Evidence Check reviews to examine the quality of 60 pre and 60 post knowledge brokering proposals. Reviewers were blind to whether the review proposals they received were pre or post knowledge brokering. Using a six-point Likert scale, reviewers scored six questions examining clarity of information about the review's purpose, questions, scope, method and format and reviewers' confidence that they could meet policy makers' needs. Each reviewer was allocated two pre and two post knowledge brokering proposals, randomly ordered, from the 60 reviews, ensuring no reviewer received a pre and post knowledge brokering proposal from the same review. The results showed that knowledge brokering significantly improved the scores for all six questions addressing the perceived clarity of the review proposal and confidence in meeting policy makers' needs; with average changes of 0.68 to 1.23 from pre to post across the six domains. This study found that knowledge brokering increased the perceived clarity of information provided in Evidence Check rapid review proposals and the confidence of reviewers that they could meet policy makers' needs. Further research is needed to identify how the knowledge brokering process achieves these improvements and to test the applicability of the findings in other rapid review programs.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Turkish intern nurses regarding physical restraints.

PubMed

Karagozoglu, Serife; Ozden, Dilek; Yildiz, Fatma Tok

2013-01-01

This study was carried out to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices of intern nurses who completed the nursing internship program on the use of physical restraints. This research was conducted using descriptive and cross-sectional research design. The study sample comprises 91 fourth-grade students who took an integrated curriculum and completed the nursing internship program. The data were collected with the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire and the Levels of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Staff Regarding Physical Restraints Questionnaire. For the assessment of the data, percentages, the arithmetic mean, and t test were used. The findings indicated that, of the intern nurses, 95.6% observed the use of physical restraints during their education, and 69.2% applied physical restraints. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores of the nurses for physical restraint were 9.38 ± 1.19 (0-11 points), 34.70 ± 5.62 (12-48 points), and 37.95 ± 2.32 (14-42 points), respectively. Intern nurses' knowledge about how to use physical restraints was at a very good level; they displayed positive attitudes, and they used their knowledge and attitudes in their practices to a great extent. Although there are studies on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses working in the fields of elderly care, rehabilitation, and psychiatry in acute care units, there are no studies investigating intern nurses and other nursing students. However, intern nurses about to begin their careers should make accurate decisions regarding the use of physical restrains if they are to ensure patient safety and to fulfill this application effectively in their professional lives.

From practice to midrange theory and back again: Beck's theory of postpartum depression.

PubMed

Lasiuk, Gerri C; Ferguson, Linda M

2005-01-01

This article presents a brief overview of theory as background for a more detailed discussion of midrange theory-its origins, the critical role for midrange theory in the development of nursing practice knowledge, and the criteria for evaluating midrange theory. We then chronicle Cheryl Tatano Beck's program of research on postpartum depression (PPD) and advance the thesis that her theory of PPD, titled Teetering on the Edge, is an exemplar of a substantive midrange nursing theory. We demonstrate Beck's progression from identification of a clinical problem to exploratory-descriptive research, to concept analysis and midrange theory development, and finally to the application and testing of the theory in the clinical setting. Through ongoing refinement and testing of her theory, Beck has increased its generalizability across various practice settings and continually identifies new issues for investigation. Beck's program of research on PPD exemplifies using nursing outcomes to build and test nursing practice knowledge.

Expanding the KATE toolbox

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Stan J.

1993-01-01

KATE (Knowledge-based Autonomous Test Engineer) is a model-based software system developed in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center for monitoring, fault detection, and control of launch vehicles and ground support systems. In order to bring KATE to the level of performance, functionality, and integratability needed for firing room applications, efforts are underway to implement KATE in the C++ programming language using an X-windows interface. Two programs which were designed and added to the collection of tools which comprise the KATE toolbox are described. The first tool, called the schematic viewer, gives the KATE user the capability to view digitized schematic drawings in the KATE environment. The second tool, called the model editor, gives the KATE model builder a tool for creating and editing knowledge base files. Design and implementation issues having to do with these two tools are discussed. It will be useful to anyone maintaining or extending either the schematic viewer or the model editor.

Avoiding criminal liabilities

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

Blattner, J.W.; Bramble, G.M.

1994-06-01

Armed with more than 120 investigative agents, the US Environmental Protection Agency, through its attorneys at the Dept. of Justice, charges 5 to 10 engineers and business people with criminal violations of the nation's environmental regulations in any given week. There are some 10,000 pages of federal (let alone state) environmental regulations. The rules apply to large and small companies alike. As a practical matter, the sheer scope and complexity of environmental regulatory programs make 100% compliance virtually unattainable for most industrial enterprises. Where it is no longer a defense to claim lack of knowledge of one's regulatory obligations, andmore » where courts allow the inference of criminal knowledge based on what the defendant should have known, what is a company to do The environmental audit provides a solution to this problem. Progressive audit programs are established with three goals in mind: to ensure that programs and practices at facilities are in compliance with applicable rules and regulations; to affirm that management systems are in place at the facilities to support ongoing compliance; and to identify needs or opportunities where it may be desirable to go beyond compliance to protect human health and the environment. This paper discusses the implementation of an audit program.« less

Effectiveness of environmental-based educative program for disaster preparedness and burn management.

PubMed

Moghazy, Amr; Abdelrahman, Amira; Fahim, Ayman

2012-01-01

Preparedness is a necessity for proper handling of emergencies and disaster, particularly in Suez Canal and Sinai regions. To assure best success rates, educative programs should be environmentally based. Burn and fire preventive educative programs were tailored to adapt social and education levels of audience. In addition, common etiologies and applicability of preventive measures, according to local resources and logistics, were considered. Presentations were the main educative tool; they were made as simple as possible to assure best understanding. To assure continuous education, brochures and stickers, containing most popular mistakes and questions, were distributed after the sessions. Audience was classified according to their level of knowledge to health professional group; students groups; high-risk group; and lay people group. For course efficacy evaluation, pre- and posttests were used immediately before and after the sessions. Right answers in both tests were compared for statistical significance. Results showed significant acquisition of proper attitude and knowledge in all educated groups. The highest was among students and the least was in health professionals. Comprehensive simple environmental-based educative programs are ideal for rapid reform and community mobilization in our region. Activities should include direct contact, stickers and flyers, and audiovisual tools if possible.

Initial Validation of a Knowledge-Based Measure of Social Information Processing and Anger Management

PubMed Central

Cassano, Michael; MacEvoy, Julie Paquette; Costigan, Tracy

2010-01-01

Over the past fifteen years many schools have utilized aggression prevention programs. Despite these apparent advances, many programs are not examined systematically to determine the areas in which they are most effective. One reason for this is that many programs, especially those in urban under-resourced areas, do not utilize outcome measures that are sensitive to the needs of ethnic minority students. The current study illustrates how a new knowledge-based measure of social information processing and anger management techniques was designed through a partnership-based process to ensure that it would be sensitive to the needs of urban, predominately African American youngsters, while also having broad potential applicability for use as an outcome assessment tool for aggression prevention programs focusing upon social information processing. The new measure was found to have strong psychometric properties within a sample of urban predominately African American youth, as item analyses suggested that almost all items discriminate well between more and less knowledgeable individuals, that the test-retest reliability of the measure is strong, and that the measure appears to be sensitive to treatment changes over time. In addition, the overall score of this new measure is moderately associated with attributions of hostility on two measures (negative correlations) and demonstrates a low to moderate negative association with peer and teacher report measures of overt and relational aggression. More research is needed to determine the measure's utility outside of the urban school context. PMID:20449645

Teacher Field Research Experiences: Building and Maintaining the Passion for K-12 Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunton, K.; Schonberg, S.

2006-12-01

Academic scientists and researchers are increasingly encouraged to develop connections with K-12 educators to promote scientific literacy and bring excitement into the classroom. Such partnerships carry long-term benefits to both teachers and researchers. Teachers gain the tools, confidence, and knowledge to develop research activities with their students that promote scientific inquiry, and researchers benefit from outreach activities that improve communication skills for sharing scientific knowledge with the public. Our K-12 programs have been field based under a theme of Classrooms Without Walls, to take advantage of our local marine environment and a long-term research program on the Alaskan Arctic coast. Our professional development programs for teachers have included the creation of an annual summer graduate level course (Application of Field Research Experiences for K-12 Science and Math Educators) as an introduction to scientific methodology, observation, and inquiry based learning. We provide graduate students as resources in classrooms and for field trip experiences and provide supplies and instrumentation to teachers for K-12 field projects. Finally, teachers have an opportunity to join our researchers to remote sites under various competitive programs that receive federal support (e.g. GK-12, ARMADA). We provide examples of our activities, which are based on recent needs assessment surveys of science teachers; these included development of content knowledge and providing students with opportunities to connect concepts with experiences. Our goal is to provide field experiences to teachers and students that enable them to relate science concepts to the real world.

Expectations and outcome skills of a generalist health care administrator.

PubMed

Jones, V B; Taylor, L C

1990-01-01

The question of the degree of technical versus managerial competence to be found in future graduates from health administration programs is not easily resolved. In the HIMSS 1988 survey of CIOs the attributes needed for success are listed in descending rank order as follows: leadership ability, vision/imagination, knowledge of hospital systems, business acumen, decisiveness, and technical competence. CIOs ranked technical competence as less important than other attributes associated with general management success. The expectations for attitudes, knowledge, and skills presented in this article support the greater importance of management abilities relative to pure technical competence. However, it is vital that an appropriate level of technical knowledge and skill be maintained to enable future alumni of health administration programs to function effectively as administrators. Depending on their role in a health care organization, greater or lesser technical knowledge may be needed. Those pursuing a career path toward CIO must, of necessity, have greater technical knowledge and skill. We have discussed necessary and expected attitudes, knowledge, and skills that will be needed by the generalist health administration graduate in the future. It will be important to develop and maintain an attitude that MIS is a strategic tool, that health care technology is a corporate asset, and that information is power. Graduates must recognize the necessity of maintaining and enhancing their knowledge and skills through continuing education. The knowledge base of MIS education should focus on determining information needs to support strategic goals, understanding of general systems theory, principles of systems analysis, design, implementation and maintenance, awareness and exposure to standard application software, and an awareness of external sources of data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A knowledge-based object recognition system for applications in the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhawan, Atam P.

1988-01-01

A knowledge-based three-dimensional (3D) object recognition system is being developed. The system uses primitive-based hierarchical relational and structural matching for the recognition of 3D objects in the two-dimensional (2D) image for interpretation of the 3D scene. At present, the pre-processing, low-level preliminary segmentation, rule-based segmentation, and the feature extraction are completed. The data structure of the primitive viewing knowledge-base (PVKB) is also completed. Algorithms and programs based on attribute-trees matching for decomposing the segmented data into valid primitives were developed. The frame-based structural and relational descriptions of some objects were created and stored in a knowledge-base. This knowledge-base of the frame-based descriptions were developed on the MICROVAX-AI microcomputer in LISP environment. The simulated 3D scene of simple non-overlapping objects as well as real camera data of images of 3D objects of low-complexity have been successfully interpreted.

Computer Aided Program Synthesis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

Representations 18 .2 Refinements and Reductions 18.:2.3 Dependenc ies 20 3.3 The Programming Knowledge Base 21 3.4 Linguistic Knowledge 22 3.5...strategy selection knowledge, i.e. knowledge representing a context sensitive discrimination among alternate methods; and knowledge of logical...program, each supplying his expertise. The client describes his task to the consultant and supplies answers and explanations to the consultant’s

Designing nursing excellence through a National Quality Forum nurse scholar program.

PubMed

Neumann, Julie A; Brady-Schluttner, Katherine A; Attlesey-Pries, Jacqueline M; Twedell, Diane M

2010-01-01

Closing the knowledge gap for current practicing nurses in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) core competencies is critical to providing safe patient care. The National Quality Forum (NQF) nurse scholar program is one organization's journey to close the gap in the IOM core competencies in a large teaching organization. The NQF nurse scholar program is positioned to provide a plan to assist current nurses to accelerate their learning about quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and informatics, 3 of the core competencies identified by the IOM, and focus on application of skills to NQF nurse-sensitive measures. Curriculum outline, educational methodologies, administrative processes, and aims of the project are discussed.

The experience of Australian project leaders in encouraging practitioners to adopt research evidence in their clinical practice.

PubMed

Henderson, Amanda J; Davies, Jan; Willet, Michaela R

2006-11-01

This paper describes a qualitative program evaluation which sought to identify factors that either assist or impede the adoption of clinical evidence in everyday practice. Thirteen Australian projects were funded in a competitive grant program to adopt innovative strategies to improve the uptake of research evidence in everyday clinical practice. Project leaders' reports were analysed to collate common themes related to 1) critical elements in successful application of research knowledge, 2) barriers to implementing evidence, and 3) lessons for other organisations that might implement a similar project. Despite the diversity of the methods used to establish projects and the range of topics and clinical settings, many similarities were identified in the perceived critical success elements, barriers, and lessons for adopting clinical evidence. Eighteen themes emerged across the data including: leadership support; key stakeholder involvement; practice changes; communication; resources; education of staff; evaluation of outcomes; consumers; knowledge gaps; adoption/implementing staff; access to knowledge; risk assessment; collaboration; effectiveness of clinical research evidence; structure/organisation; cultural barriers; previous experiences; and information technology. Leaders of projects to adopt evidence in clinical practice identified barriers, critical success elements and lessons that impacted on their projects. A range of influences on the adoption of evidence were identified, and this knowledge can be used to assist others undertaking similar projects.

NRV web knowledge base on low-energy nuclear physics

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

Karpov, V., E-mail: karpov@jinr.ru; Denikin, A. S.; Alekseev, A. P.

Principles underlying the organization and operation of the NRV web knowledge base on low-energy nuclear physics (http://nrv.jinr.ru) are described. This base includes a vast body of digitized experimental data on the properties of nuclei and on cross sections for nuclear reactions that is combined with a wide set of interconnected computer programs for simulating complex nuclear dynamics, which work directly in the browser of a remote user. Also, the current situation in the realms of application of network information technologies in nuclear physics is surveyed. The potential of the NRV knowledge base is illustrated in detail by applying it tomore » the example of an analysis of the fusion of nuclei that is followed by the decay of the excited compound nucleus formed.« less

The Katydid system for compiling KEE applications to Ada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Bock, Conrad; Feldman, Roy

1990-01-01

Components of a system known as Katydid are developed in an effort to compile knowledge-based systems developed in a multimechanism integrated environment (KEE) to Ada. The Katydid core is an Ada library supporting KEE object functionality, and the other elements include a rule compiler, a LISP-to-Ada translator, and a knowledge-base dumper. Katydid employs translation mechanisms that convert LISP knowledge structures and rules to Ada and utilizes basic prototypes of a run-time KEE object-structure library module for Ada. Preliminary results include the semiautomatic compilation of portions of a simple expert system to run in an Ada environment with the described algorithms. It is suggested that Ada can be employed for AI programming and implementation, and the Katydid system is being developed to include concurrency and synchronization mechanisms.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Ward-Based eLearning Program for Trauma Patient Management.

PubMed

Curtis, Kate; Wiseman, Taneal; Kennedy, Belinda; Kourouche, Sarah; Goldsmith, Helen

2016-01-01

The majority of trauma nursing education is focused on the emergency phases of care. We describe the development and evaluation of a trauma eLearning module for the ward environment. The module was developed using adult learning principles and implemented in 2 surgical wards. There were 3 phases of evaluation: (1) self-efficacy of nurses; (2) relevance and usability of the module and; (3) application of knowledge learnt. The majority indicated they had applied new knowledge, particularly when performing a physical assessment (85.7%), communicating (91.4%), and identifying risk of serious illness (90.4%). Self-efficacy relating to confidence in caring for patients, communication, and escalating clinical deterioration improved (p = .023). An eLearning trauma patient assessment module for ward nursing staff improves nursing knowledge and self-efficacy.

The influence of science funding agencies in support of effective decision-maker scientist partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnott, J. C.; Lemos, M. C.

2017-12-01

A wealth of evidence supports the idea that collaboration between scientists and decision-makers is an influential factor in generating actionable knowledge. Nevertheless, persistent obstacles across the research-policy-practice interface limit the amount of engagement that may be necessary to satisfy demands for information to support decisions. Funding agencies have been identified as one possible driver of change, but few multi-year studies have been conducted to trace the influence of program designs on research practices or other outcomes. To fill this gap, we examine a body of applied science projects (n=120) funded through NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System from 1998-2014. Periodic innovation in the structure of this funding program, including requirements for end user engagement and the inclusion of collaboration specialists, offers a natural experiment from which to test hypotheses about the how funding program design influences research practice, utilization, and broader impacts. Using content analysis of project reports and interviews of project team members, end users, and program managers (n=40), we produce a data that can be analyzed through both statistical and qualitative methods. We find that funder mandates significantly influence the intensity of interaction between researchers and practitioners as well as affect long-term change in research cultures. When interaction intensifies, corresponding gains appear in the readiness of research to support decision-making and the readiness of user groups to incorporate findings into their work. While collaborative methods transform research practice and positively influence the applied contexts in which partnerships occur, it remains less clear whether this actually increases the direct use of scientific to inform decisions. For example, collaboration may lead to outcomes other than new knowledge or knowledge application, yielding many positive outcomes that are distinct from knowledge use itself. We find that improved and more flexible evaluation approaches at the project level and more nuanced, supported and guided by program sponsors, are needed.

Defining, illustrating and reflecting on logic analysis with an example from a professional development program.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Brousselle, Astrid; Richard, Lucie; Beaudet, Nicole

2013-10-01

Program designers and evaluators should make a point of testing the validity of a program's intervention theory before investing either in implementation or in any type of evaluation. In this context, logic analysis can be a particularly useful option, since it can be used to test the plausibility of a program's intervention theory using scientific knowledge. Professional development in public health is one field among several that would truly benefit from logic analysis, as it appears to be generally lacking in theorization and evaluation. This article presents the application of this analysis method to an innovative public health professional development program, the Health Promotion Laboratory. More specifically, this paper aims to (1) define the logic analysis approach and differentiate it from similar evaluative methods; (2) illustrate the application of this method by a concrete example (logic analysis of a professional development program); and (3) reflect on the requirements of each phase of logic analysis, as well as on the advantages and disadvantages of such an evaluation method. Using logic analysis to evaluate the Health Promotion Laboratory showed that, generally speaking, the program's intervention theory appeared to have been well designed. By testing and critically discussing logic analysis, this article also contributes to further improving and clarifying the method. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brief state-of-the-art review on optical communications for the NASA ISES workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Herbert D.

1990-01-01

The current state of the art of optical communications is briefly reviewed. This review covers NASA programs, DOD and other government agency programs, commercial aerospace programs, and foreign programs. Included is a brief summary of a recent NASA workshop on optical communications. The basic conclusions from all the program reviews is that optical communications is a technology ready to be accepted but needed to be demonstrated. Probably the most advanced and sophisticated optical communications system is the Laser Intersatellite Transmission Experiment (LITE) system developed for flight on the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). Optical communications technology is available for the applications of data communications at data rates in the under 300 MBits/sec for nearly all applications under 2 times GEO distances. Applications for low-earth orbiter (LEO) to ground will allow data rates in the multi-GBits/sec range. Higher data rates are limited by currently available laser power. Phased array lasers offer technology which should eliminate this problem. The major problem of cloud coverage can probably be eliminated by look ahead pointing, multiple ground stations, and knowledge of weather conditions to control the pointing. Most certainly, optical communications offer a new spectral region to relieve the RF bands and very high data communications rates that will be required in less than 10 years to solve the communications problems on Earth.

Fuzzy Logic Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Ayanna

2005-01-01

The Fuzzy Logic Engine is a software package that enables users to embed fuzzy-logic modules into their application programs. Fuzzy logic is useful as a means of formulating human expert knowledge and translating it into software to solve problems. Fuzzy logic provides flexibility for modeling relationships between input and output information and is distinguished by its robustness with respect to noise and variations in system parameters. In addition, linguistic fuzzy sets and conditional statements allow systems to make decisions based on imprecise and incomplete information. The user of the Fuzzy Logic Engine need not be an expert in fuzzy logic: it suffices to have a basic understanding of how linguistic rules can be applied to the user's problem. The Fuzzy Logic Engine is divided into two modules: (1) a graphical-interface software tool for creating linguistic fuzzy sets and conditional statements and (2) a fuzzy-logic software library for embedding fuzzy processing capability into current application programs. The graphical- interface tool was developed using the Tcl/Tk programming language. The fuzzy-logic software library was written in the C programming language.

Teaching and assessing resident competence in practice-based learning and improvement.

PubMed

Ogrinc, Greg; Headrick, Linda A; Morrison, Laura J; Foster, Tina

2004-05-01

We designed, implemented, and evaluated a 4-week practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) elective. Eleven internal medicine residents from 2 separate residency programs participated in the PBLI elective and 22 other residents comprised a comparison group. Residents in each group had similar pretest Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool scores; but after the PBLI elective, participant scores were significantly higher. Also, participants' self-assessed ratings of PBLI skills increased after the rotation and remained elevated 6 months afterward. In this curriculum, residents completed a project to improve patient care and demonstrated their knowledge on an evaluation tool in a way that was superior to nonparticipants.

Teaching and Assessing Resident Competence in Practice-based Learning and Improvement

PubMed Central

Ogrinc, Greg; Headrick, Linda A; Morrison, Laura J; Foster, Tina

2004-01-01

We designed, implemented, and evaluated a 4-week practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) elective. Eleven internal medicine residents from 2 separate residency programs participated in the PBLI elective and 22 other residents comprised a comparison group. Residents in each group had similar pretest Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool scores; but after the PBLI elective, participant scores were significantly higher. Also, participants’ self-assessed ratings of PBLI skills increased after the rotation and remained elevated 6 months afterward. In this curriculum, residents completed a project to improve patient care and demonstrated their knowledge on an evaluation tool in a way that was superior to nonparticipants. PMID:15109311

i-SAIRAS '90; Proceedings of the International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space, Kobe, Japan, Nov. 18-20, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The present conference on artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation in space encompasses robot systems, lunar and planetary robots, advanced processing, expert systems, knowledge bases, issues of operation and management, manipulator control, and on-orbit service. Specific issues addressed include fundamental research in AI at NASA, the FTS dexterous telerobot, a target-capture experiment by a free-flying robot, the NASA Planetary Rover Program, the Katydid system for compiling KEE applications to Ada, and speech recognition for robots. Also addressed are a knowledge base for real-time diagnosis, a pilot-in-the-loop simulation of an orbital docking maneuver, intelligent perturbation algorithms for space scheduling optimization, a fuzzy control method for a space manipulator system, hyperredundant manipulator applications, robotic servicing of EOS instruments, and a summary of astronaut inputs on automation and robotics for the Space Station Freedom.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 54: The technical communications practices of engineering technology students: Results of the NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project phase 3 student surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; England, Mark; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1995-01-01

Engineering technology programs are characterized by their focus on application and practice, and by their approximately 50/50 mix of theory and laboratory experience. Engineering technology graduates are employed across the technological spectrum and are often found in areas that deal with application, implementation, and production. Yet we know very little about the communications practices and information-use skills of engineering technology students. In this paper, we report selected results of an exploratory study of engineering technology students enrolled in three U.S. institutions of higher education. Data are presented for the following topics: career goals and aspirations; the importance of, receipt of, and helpfulness of communications and information-use skills instruction; collaborative writing; use of libraries; and the use of electronic (computer) networks.

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

Melber, B.D.; Saari, L.M.; White, A.S.

This report assesses the job-relatedness of specialized educational programs for licensed nuclear reactor operators. The approach used involved systematically comparing the curriculum of specialized educational programs for college credit, to academic knowledge identified as necessary for carrying out the jobs of licenses reactor operators. A sample of eight programs, including A.S. degree, B.S. degree, and coursework programs were studied. Subject matter experts in the field of nuclear operations curriculum and training determined the extent to which individual program curricula covered the identified job-related academic knowledge. The major conclusions of the report are: There is a great deal of variation amongmore » individual programs, ranging from coverage of 15% to 65% of the job-related academic knowledge. Four schools cover at least half, and four schools cover less than one-third of this knowledge content; There is no systematic difference in the job-relatedness of the different types of specialized educational programs, A.S. degree, B.S. degree, and coursework; and Traditional B.S. degree programs in nuclear engineering cover as much job-related knowledge (about one-half of this knowledge content) as most of the specialized educational programs.« less

Errors in terrain-based model preditions caused by altered forest inventory plot locations in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, USA.

Treesearch

Huei-Jin Wang; Stephen Prisley; Philip Radtke; John Coulston

2012-01-01

Forest modeling applications that cover large geographic area can benefit from the use of widely-held knowledge about relationships between forest attributes and topographic variables. A noteworthy example involved the coupling of field survey data from the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) program of USDA Forest Service with digital elevation model (DEM) data in...

Cyber Test Form Development and Follow-On Cyber Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

construct of mathematical reasoning, they also measure a second construct irrelevant dimension of baseball knowledge (Camilli & Shepard , 1994). We... Shepard , L. A. (1994). Methods for identifying biased test items. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Campbell & D.J. Knapp (Eds.) (2001), Exploring the limits in...Applied Psychological Measurement, 7, 201-210. 26 Thissen, D. (2003). MULTILOG user’s guide, version 7.03 [computer program]. Chicago

Fast and Focused: Accelerated Degree Programs Keep Students Locked in on Learning. Lumina Foundation Focus™. Fall 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giegerich, Steve

2013-01-01

Employers point to a large and growing "skills gap," saying thousands of jobs are already going unfilled because applicants lack the skills and knowledge they need. Forecasters say that, by the end of this decade, two-thirds of all jobs will require some form of high-quality postsecondary credential such as a degree or certificate. The…

Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes-Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo?

PubMed

Breuer, Thomas; Mavinga, Franck Barrel; Evans, Ron; Lukas, Kristen E

2017-10-01

Applying environmental education in primate range countries is an important long-term activity to stimulate pro-conservation behavior. Within captive settings, mega-charismatic species, such as great apes are often used to increase knowledge and positively influence attitudes of visitors. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term video and theater program developed for a Western audience and adapted to rural people living in two villages around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. We assessed the knowledge gain and attitude change using oral evaluation in the local language (N = 111). Overall pre-program knowledge about Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) was high. Detailed multivariate analysis of pre-program knowledge revealed differences in knowledge between two villages and people with different jobs while attitudes largely were similar between groups. The short-term education program was successful in raising knowledge, particularly of those people with less pre-program knowledge. We also noted an overall significant attitude improvement. Our data indicate short-term education programs are useful in quickly raising knowledge as well improving attitudes. Furthermore, education messages need to be clearly adapted to the daily livelihood realities of the audience, and multi-variate analysis can help to identify potential target groups for education programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical Nurse Specialists Guide Staff Nurses to Promote Practice Accountability Through Peer Review.

PubMed

Semper, Julie; Halvorson, Betty; Hersh, Mary; Torres, Clare; Lillington, Linda

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to describe the clinical nurse specialist role in developing and implementing a staff nurse education program to promote practice accountability using peer review principles. Peer review is essential for professional nursing practice demanding a significant culture change. Clinical nurse specialists in a Magnet-designated community hospital were charged with developing a staff nurse peer review education program. Peer review is a recognized mechanism of professional self-regulation to ensure delivery of quality care. The American Nurses Association strongly urges incorporating peer review in professional nursing practice models. Clinical nurse specialists play a critical role in educating staff nurses about practice accountability. Clinical nurse specialists developed an education program guided by the American Nurses Association's principles of peer review. A baseline needs assessment identified potential barriers and learning needs. Content incorporated tools and strategies to build communication skills, collaboration, practice change, and peer accountability. The education program resulted in increased staff nurse knowledge about peer review and application of peer review principles in practice. Clinical nurse specialists played a critical role in helping staff nurses understand peer review and its application to practice. The clinical nurse specialist role will continue to be important in sustaining the application of peer review principles in practice.

Exploring use of the ICF in health education.

PubMed

Bornbaum, Catherine C; Day, Adam M B; Izaryk, Kristen; Morrison, Stephanie J; Ravenek, Michael J; Sleeth, Lindsay E; Skarakis-Doyle, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Currently, little is known regarding use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in health education applications. Therefore, this review sought to examine the scope of work that has been conducted regarding the application of the ICF in health education. A review of the current literature related to use of the ICF in health education programs was conducted. Twelve electronic databases were searched in accordance with a search protocol developed by a health sciences librarian. In total, 17,878 records were reviewed, and 18 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Current evidence regarding use of the ICF in healthcare education revealed that program and participant properties can be essential facilitators or barriers to successful education programs. In addition, gaps in comprehensive outcome measurement were revealed as areas for future attention. Educational applications of the ICF are very much a work in progress as might be expected given the ICF's existence for only a little over a decade. To advance use of the ICF in education, it is important to incorporate the measurement of both knowledge acquisition and behavior change related to ICF-based programs. Ultimately, widespread implementation of the ICF represents not only a substantial opportunity but also poses a significant challenge.

Analyses of requirements for computer control and data processing experiment subsystems. Volume 2: ATM experiment S-056 image data processing system software development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The IDAPS (Image Data Processing System) is a user-oriented, computer-based, language and control system, which provides a framework or standard for implementing image data processing applications, simplifies set-up of image processing runs so that the system may be used without a working knowledge of computer programming or operation, streamlines operation of the image processing facility, and allows multiple applications to be run in sequence without operator interaction. The control system loads the operators, interprets the input, constructs the necessary parameters for each application, and cells the application. The overlay feature of the IBSYS loader (IBLDR) provides the means of running multiple operators which would otherwise overflow core storage.

The Spacecraft Materials Selector: An Artificial Intelligence System for Preliminary Design Trade Studies, Materials Assessments, and Estimates of Environments Present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, H. G.; Woll, S. L. B.

2000-01-01

Institutions need ways to retain valuable information even as experienced individuals leave an organization. Modern electronic systems have enough capacity to retain large quantities of information that can mitigate the loss of experience. Performance information for long-term space applications is relatively scarce and specific information (typically held by a few individuals within a single project) is often rather narrowly distributed. Spacecraft operate under severe conditions and the consequences of hardware and/or system failures, in terms of cost, loss of information, and time required to replace the loss, are extreme. These risk factors place a premium on appropriate choice of materials and components for space applications. An expert system is a very cost-effective method for sharing valuable and scarce information about spacecraft performance. Boeing has an artificial intelligence software package, called the Boeing Expert System Tool (BEST), to construct and operate knowledge bases to selectively recall and distribute information about specific subjects. A specific knowledge base to evaluate the on-orbit performance of selected materials on spacecraft has been developed under contract to the NASA SEE program. The performance capabilities of the Spacecraft Materials Selector (SMS) knowledge base are described. The knowledge base is a backward-chaining, rule-based system. The user answers a sequence of questions, and the expert system provides estimates of optical and mechanical performance of selected materials under specific environmental conditions. The initial operating capability of the system will include data for Kapton, silverized Teflon, selected paints, silicone-based materials, and certain metals. For situations where a mission profile (launch date, orbital parameters, mission duration, spacecraft orientation) is not precisely defined, the knowledge base still attempts to provide qualitative observations about materials performance and likely exposures. Prior to the NASA contract, a knowledge base, the Spacecraft Environments Assistant (SEA,) was initially developed by Boeing to estimate the environmental factors important for a specific spacecraft mission profile. The NASA SEE program has funded specific enhancements to the capability of this knowledge base. The SEA qualitatively identifies over 25 environmental factors that may influence the performance of a spacecraft during its operational lifetime. For cases where sufficiently detailed answers are provided to questions asked by the knowledge base, atomic oxygen fluence levels, proton and/or electron fluence and dose levels, and solar exposure hours are calculated. The SMS knowledge base incorporates the previously developed SEA knowledge base. A case history for previous flight experiment will be shown as an example, and capabilities and limitations of the system will be discussed.

Physicians' lack of knowledge - a possible reason for red blood cell transfusion overuse?

PubMed

Rahav Koren, Roni; Suriu, Celia; Yakir, Orly; Akria, Luiza; Barhoum, Masad; Braester, Andrei

2017-12-12

A significant percentage of red blood cell transfusions are inappropriately overused. This study investigated physicians from the western Galilee in terms of their knowledge of transfusion medicine as a potential reason for red blood cell overuse, and assessed the influence of personal background characteristics on their knowledge. Data were collected via anonymous questionnaires. The questionnaires included a personal background section and a professional section. Study participants were grouped according to field of specialty, seniority, and location of medical school graduation, in order to correlate participant characteristics with knowledge. Scores were calculated on a 0-100 scale. The overall knowledge of the study population was low (mean score 47.8 ± 18.6). Knowledge regarding basic physiology of red blood cell transfusion was also low. Internal medicine physicians and senior physicians had significantly greater overall knowledge scores and were more familiar with a restrictive blood management policy than were surgeons and residents, respectively. Comparing knowledge scores, no difference was found regarding indications for transfusion. General and fundamental knowledge in transfusion medicine is lacking among physicians in the non-operating room setting, which may play a role in red blood cell transfusion overuse. Field of specialty and professional status influenced knowledge of transfusion medicine. Educational programs and increased physicians' awareness might help decrease unnecessary transfusions. Not applicable.

Epistasis analysis using artificial intelligence.

PubMed

Moore, Jason H; Hill, Doug P

2015-01-01

Here we introduce artificial intelligence (AI) methodology for detecting and characterizing epistasis in genetic association studies. The ultimate goal of our AI strategy is to analyze genome-wide genetics data as a human would using sources of expert knowledge as a guide. The methodology presented here is based on computational evolution, which is a type of genetic programming. The ability to generate interesting solutions while at the same time learning how to solve the problem at hand distinguishes computational evolution from other genetic programming approaches. We provide a general overview of this approach and then present a few examples of its application to real data.

Applying health education theory to patient safety programs: three case studies.

PubMed

Gilkey, Melissa B; Earp, Jo Anne L; French, Elizabeth A

2008-04-01

Program planning for patient safety is challenging because intervention-oriented surveillance data are not yet widely available to those working in this nascent field. Even so, health educators are uniquely positioned to contribute to patient safety intervention efforts because their theoretical training provides them with a guide for designing and implementing prevention programs. This article demonstrates the utility of applying health education concepts from three prominent patient safety campaigns, including the concepts of risk perception, community participation, and social marketing. The application of these theoretical concepts to patient safety programs suggests that health educators possess a knowledge base and skill set highly relevant to patient safety and that their perspective should be increasingly brought to bear on the design and evaluation of interventions that aim to protect patients from preventable medical error.

The ElderSmile TimeMap: Benefits of Connecting Statistics With Time and Place.

PubMed

Kum, Susan S; Wang, Hua; Wang, Peng; Jin, Zhu; De La Cruz, Leydis; Northridge, Mary E; Kunzel, Carol; Marshall, Stephen E; Metcalf, Sara S

2015-09-01

Community-based programs are critical for locally targeted public health education and accessible service delivery. Deriving useful information from such programs is important for their own evaluation and improvement and may facilitate research collaboration with partners and experts. Here we present an interactive Web-based application designed for a community-based oral health outreach program called ElderSmile to demonstrate how data can be summarized, filtered, compared, and visualized by time and place to inform program planning, evaluation, and research. The ElderSmile TimeMap ( http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/∼smetcalf/resources/timemap.html ) is an emergent product of a US National Institutes of Health-funded collaboration of knowledge sharing among multidisciplinary team members at the University at Buffalo, Columbia University, and New York University.

Office of Nuclear Energy Knowledge Management Program Situational Analysis Report

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

Kimberlyn C. Mousseau

2011-12-01

Knowledge management (KM) has been a high priority for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) for the past several years. NE Programs are moving toward well-established knowledge management practices and a formal knowledge management program has been established. Knowledge management is being practiced to some level within each of the NE programs. Although it continues to evolve as NE programs evolve, a formal strategic plan that guides the implementation of KM has been developed. Despite the acceptance of KM within DOE NE, more work is necessary before the NE KM program can be considered fully successful.more » Per Dr. David J. Skyrme[1], an organization typically moves through the following evolutionary phases: (1) Ad-hoc - KM is being practiced to some level in some parts of the organization; (2) Formal - KM is established as a formal project or program; (3) Expanding - the use of KM as a discipline grows in practice across different parts of the organization; (4) Cohesive - there is a degree of coordination of KM; (5) Integrated - there are formal standards and approaches that give every individual access to most organizational knowledge through common interfaces; and (6) Embedded - KM is part-and-parcel of everyday tasks; it blends seamlessly into the background. According to the evolutionary phases, the NE KM program is operating at the two lower levels, Ad-hoc and Formal. Although KM is being practiced to some level, it is not being practiced in a consistent manner across the NE programs. To be fully successful, more emphasis must be placed on establishing KM standards and processes for collecting, organizing, sharing and accessing NE knowledge. Existing knowledge needs to be prioritized and gathered on a routine basis, its existence formally recorded in a knowledge inventory. Governance to ensure the quality of the knowledge being used must also be considered. For easy retrieval, knowledge must be organized according to a taxonomy that mimics nuclear energy programs. Technologies need to be established to make accessing the knowledge easier for the user. Finally, knowledge needs to be used as part of a well defined work process.« less

The value of program science to optimize knowledge brokering on infectious diseases for public health.

PubMed

Becker, Marissa; Haworth-Brockman, Margaret; Keynan, Yoav

2018-05-02

Knowledge translation (KT) and related terms have variously been defined as process and as products. In this paper we contribute to debates on effective KT, specifically knowledge brokering, by describing an adaptation of Program Science that aligns with the real-world of public health activities. We describe an adaptation of the Program Science framework to our knowledge translation and brokering planning and projects at the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases. The systematic approach allows for layering of knowledge year to year and translating knowledge from one infectious disease content area to another. Using a recent forum on syphilis outbreaks as an example, we also demonstrate the value of using Program Science to shape the design and delivery of the knowledge brokering event. The use of scientific knowledge to improve public health program design, implementation and evaluation forms the basis for the program science framework. Providing the right public health information to the right audience at the right time can foster long-term outcomes of networks and new partnerships which can potentially improve delivery of public health services.

D-WISE: Diabetes Web-Centric Information and Support Environment: conceptual specification and proposed evaluation.

PubMed

Abidi, Samina; Vallis, Michael; Raza Abidi, Syed Sibte; Piccinini-Vallis, Helena; Imran, Syed Ali

2014-06-01

To develop and evaluate Diabetes Web-Centric Information and Support Environment (D-WISE) that offers 1) a computerized decision-support system to assist physicians to A) use the Canadian Diabetes Association clinical practice guidelines (CDA CPGs) to recommend evidence-informed interventions; B) offer a computerized readiness assessment strategy to help physicians administer behaviour-change strategies to help patients adhere to disease self-management programs; and 2) a patient-specific diabetes self-management application, accessible through smart mobile devices, that offers behaviour-change interventions to engage patients in self-management. The above-mentioned objectives were pursued through a knowledge management approach that involved 1) Translation of paper-based CDA CPGs and behaviour-change models as computerized decision-support tools that will assist physicians to offer evidence-informed and personalized diabetes management and behaviour-change strategies; 2) Engagement of patients in their diabetes care by generating a diabetes self-management program that takes into account their preferences, challenges and needs; 3) Empowering patients to self-manage their condition by providing them with personalized educational and motivational messages through a mobile self-management application. The theoretical foundation of our research is grounded in behaviour-change models and healthcare knowledge management. We used 1) knowledge modelling to computerize the paper-based CDA CPGs and behaviour-change models, in particular, the behaviour-change strategy elements of A) readiness-to-change assessments; B) motivation-enhancement interventions categorized along the lines of patients' being ready, ambivalent or not ready; and C) self-efficacy enhancement. The CDA CPGs and the behaviour-change models are modelled and computerized in terms of A) a diabetes management ontology that serves as the knowledge resource for all the services offered by D-WISE; B) decision support services that use logic-based reasoning algorithms to utilize the knowledge encoded within the diabetes management ontology to assist physicians by recommending patient-specific diabetes-management interventions and behaviour-change strategies; C) a mobile diabetes self-management application to engage and educate diabetes patients to self-manage their condition in a home-based setting while working in concert with their family physicians. We have been successful in creating and conducting a usability assessment of the physician decision support tool. These results will be published once the patient self- management application has been evaluated. D-WISE will be evaluated through pilot studies measuring 1) the usability of the e-Health interventions; and 2) the impact of the interventions on patients' behaviour changes and diabetes control. Copyright © 2014 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Face Time: Educating Face Transplant Candidates

PubMed Central

Lamparello, Brooke M.; Bueno, Ericka M.; Diaz-Siso, Jesus Rodrigo; Sisk, Geoffroy C.; Pomahac, Bohdan

2013-01-01

Objective: Face transplantation is the innovative application of microsurgery and immunology to restore appearance and function to those with severe facial disfigurements. Our group aims to establish a multidisciplinary education program that can facilitate informed consent and build a strong knowledge base in patients to enhance adherence to medication regimes, recovery, and quality of life. Methods: We analyzed handbooks from our institution's solid organ transplant programs to identify topics applicable to face transplant patients. The team identified unique features of face transplantation that warrant comprehensive patient education. Results: We created a 181-page handbook to provide subjects interested in pursuing transplantation with a written source of information on the process and team members and to address concerns they may have. While the handbook covers a wide range of topics, it is easy to understand and visually appealing. Conclusions: Face transplantation has many unique aspects that must be relayed to the patients pursuing this novel therapy. Since candidates lack third-party support groups and programs, the transplant team must provide an extensive educational component to enhance this complex process. Practice Implications: As face transplantation continues to develop, programs must create sound education programs that address patients’ needs and concerns to facilitate optimal care. PMID:23861990

Face time: educating face transplant candidates.

PubMed

Lamparello, Brooke M; Bueno, Ericka M; Diaz-Siso, Jesus Rodrigo; Sisk, Geoffroy C; Pomahac, Bohdan

2013-01-01

Face transplantation is the innovative application of microsurgery and immunology to restore appearance and function to those with severe facial disfigurements. Our group aims to establish a multidisciplinary education program that can facilitate informed consent and build a strong knowledge base in patients to enhance adherence to medication regimes, recovery, and quality of life. We analyzed handbooks from our institution's solid organ transplant programs to identify topics applicable to face transplant patients. The team identified unique features of face transplantation that warrant comprehensive patient education. We created a 181-page handbook to provide subjects interested in pursuing transplantation with a written source of information on the process and team members and to address concerns they may have. While the handbook covers a wide range of topics, it is easy to understand and visually appealing. Face transplantation has many unique aspects that must be relayed to the patients pursuing this novel therapy. Since candidates lack third-party support groups and programs, the transplant team must provide an extensive educational component to enhance this complex process. As face transplantation continues to develop, programs must create sound education programs that address patients' needs and concerns to facilitate optimal care.

Exploring Asynchronous Many-Task Runtime Systems toward Extreme Scales

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

Knight, Samuel; Baker, Gavin Matthew; Gamell, Marc

2015-10-01

Major exascale computing reports indicate a number of software challenges to meet the dramatic change of system architectures in near future. While several-orders-of-magnitude increase in parallelism is the most commonly cited of those, hurdles also include performance heterogeneity of compute nodes across the system, increased imbalance between computational capacity and I/O capabilities, frequent system interrupts, and complex hardware architectures. Asynchronous task-parallel programming models show a great promise in addressing these issues, but are not yet fully understood nor developed su ciently for computational science and engineering application codes. We address these knowledge gaps through quantitative and qualitative exploration of leadingmore » candidate solutions in the context of engineering applications at Sandia. In this poster, we evaluate MiniAero code ported to three leading candidate programming models (Charm++, Legion and UINTAH) to examine the feasibility of these models that permits insertion of new programming model elements into an existing code base.« less

Applications of artificial intelligence to mission planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Donnie R.; Rogers, John S.; Floyd, Stephen A.

1990-01-01

The scheduling problem facing NASA-Marshall mission planning is extremely difficult for several reasons. The most critical factor is the computational complexity involved in developing a schedule. The size of the search space is large along some dimensions and infinite along others. It is because of this and other difficulties that many of the conventional operation research techniques are not feasible or inadequate to solve the problems by themselves. Therefore, the purpose is to examine various artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to assist conventional techniques or to replace them. The specific tasks performed were as follows: (1) to identify mission planning applications for object oriented and rule based programming; (2) to investigate interfacing AI dedicated hardware (Lisp machines) to VAX hardware; (3) to demonstrate how Lisp may be called from within FORTRAN programs; (4) to investigate and report on programming techniques used in some commercial AI shells, such as Knowledge Engineering Environment (KEE); and (5) to study and report on algorithmic methods to reduce complexity as related to AI techniques.

Understanding the performance and impact of public knowledge translation funding interventions: protocol for an evaluation of Canadian Institutes of Health Research knowledge translation funding programs.

PubMed

McLean, Robert K D; Graham, Ian D; Bosompra, Kwadwo; Choudhry, Yumna; Coen, Stephanie E; Macleod, Martha; Manuel, Christopher; McCarthy, Ryan; Mota, Adrian; Peckham, David; Tetroe, Jacqueline M; Tucker, Joanne

2012-06-22

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has defined knowledge translation (KT) as a dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and ethically-sound application of knowledge to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products, and strengthen the healthcare system. CIHR, the national health research funding agency in Canada, has undertaken to advance this concept through direct research funding opportunities in KT. Because CIHR is recognized within Canada and internationally for leading and funding the advancement of KT science and practice, it is essential and timely to evaluate this intervention, and specifically, these funding opportunities. The study will employ a novel method of participatory, utilization-focused evaluation inspired by the principles of integrated KT. It will use a mixed methods approach, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data, and will elicit participation from CIHR funded researchers, knowledge users, KT experts, as well as other health research funding agencies. Lines of inquiry will include an international environmental scan, document/data reviews, in-depth interviews, targeted surveys, case studies, and an expert review panel. The study will investigate how efficiently and effectively the CIHR model of KT funding programs operates, what immediate outcomes these funding mechanisms have produced, and what impact these programs have had on the broader state of health research, health research uptake, and health improvement. The protocol and results of this evaluation will be of interest to those engaged in the theory, practice, and evaluation of KT. The dissemination of the study protocol and results to both practitioners and theorists will help to fill a gap in knowledge in three areas: the role of a public research funding agency in facilitating KT, the outcomes and impacts KT funding interventions, and how KT can best be evaluated.

Understanding the performance and impact of public knowledge translation funding interventions: Protocol for an evaluation of Canadian Institutes of Health Research knowledge translation funding programs

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has defined knowledge translation (KT) as a dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and ethically-sound application of knowledge to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products, and strengthen the healthcare system. CIHR, the national health research funding agency in Canada, has undertaken to advance this concept through direct research funding opportunities in KT. Because CIHR is recognized within Canada and internationally for leading and funding the advancement of KT science and practice, it is essential and timely to evaluate this intervention, and specifically, these funding opportunities. Design The study will employ a novel method of participatory, utilization-focused evaluation inspired by the principles of integrated KT. It will use a mixed methods approach, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data, and will elicit participation from CIHR funded researchers, knowledge users, KT experts, as well as other health research funding agencies. Lines of inquiry will include an international environmental scan, document/data reviews, in-depth interviews, targeted surveys, case studies, and an expert review panel. The study will investigate how efficiently and effectively the CIHR model of KT funding programs operates, what immediate outcomes these funding mechanisms have produced, and what impact these programs have had on the broader state of health research, health research uptake, and health improvement. Discussion The protocol and results of this evaluation will be of interest to those engaged in the theory, practice, and evaluation of KT. The dissemination of the study protocol and results to both practitioners and theorists will help to fill a gap in knowledge in three areas: the role of a public research funding agency in facilitating KT, the outcomes and impacts KT funding interventions, and how KT can best be evaluated. PMID:22726821

STAR- A SIMPLE TOOL FOR AUTOMATED REASONING SUPPORTING HYBRID APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (DEC VAX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1994-01-01

The Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning program (STAR) is an interactive, interpreted programming language for the development and operation of artificial intelligence (AI) application systems. STAR provides an environment for integrating traditional AI symbolic processing with functions and data structures defined in compiled languages such as C, FORTRAN and PASCAL. This type of integration occurs in a number of AI applications including interpretation of numerical sensor data, construction of intelligent user interfaces to existing compiled software packages, and coupling AI techniques with numerical simulation techniques and control systems software. The STAR language was created as part of an AI project for the evaluation of imaging spectrometer data at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Programming in STAR is similar to other symbolic processing languages such as LISP and CLIP. STAR includes seven primitive data types and associated operations for the manipulation of these structures. A semantic network is used to organize data in STAR, with capabilities for inheritance of values and generation of side effects. The AI knowledge base of STAR can be a simple repository of records or it can be a highly interdependent association of implicit and explicit components. The symbolic processing environment of STAR may be extended by linking the interpreter with functions defined in conventional compiled languages. These external routines interact with STAR through function calls in either direction, and through the exchange of references to data structures. The hybrid knowledge base may thus be accessed and processed in general by either side of the application. STAR is initially used to link externally compiled routines and data structures. It is then invoked to interpret the STAR rules and symbolic structures. In a typical interactive session, the user enters an expression to be evaluated, STAR parses the input, evaluates the expression, performs any file input/output required, and displays the results. The STAR interpreter is written in the C language for interactive execution. It has been implemented on a VAX 11/780 computer operating under VMS, and the UNIX version has been implemented on a Sun Microsystems 2/170 workstation. STAR has a memory requirement of approximately 200K of 8 bit bytes, excluding externally compiled functions and application-dependent symbolic definitions. This program was developed in 1985.

STAR- A SIMPLE TOOL FOR AUTOMATED REASONING SUPPORTING HYBRID APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (UNIX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1994-01-01

The Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning program (STAR) is an interactive, interpreted programming language for the development and operation of artificial intelligence (AI) application systems. STAR provides an environment for integrating traditional AI symbolic processing with functions and data structures defined in compiled languages such as C, FORTRAN and PASCAL. This type of integration occurs in a number of AI applications including interpretation of numerical sensor data, construction of intelligent user interfaces to existing compiled software packages, and coupling AI techniques with numerical simulation techniques and control systems software. The STAR language was created as part of an AI project for the evaluation of imaging spectrometer data at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Programming in STAR is similar to other symbolic processing languages such as LISP and CLIP. STAR includes seven primitive data types and associated operations for the manipulation of these structures. A semantic network is used to organize data in STAR, with capabilities for inheritance of values and generation of side effects. The AI knowledge base of STAR can be a simple repository of records or it can be a highly interdependent association of implicit and explicit components. The symbolic processing environment of STAR may be extended by linking the interpreter with functions defined in conventional compiled languages. These external routines interact with STAR through function calls in either direction, and through the exchange of references to data structures. The hybrid knowledge base may thus be accessed and processed in general by either side of the application. STAR is initially used to link externally compiled routines and data structures. It is then invoked to interpret the STAR rules and symbolic structures. In a typical interactive session, the user enters an expression to be evaluated, STAR parses the input, evaluates the expression, performs any file input/output required, and displays the results. The STAR interpreter is written in the C language for interactive execution. It has been implemented on a VAX 11/780 computer operating under VMS, and the UNIX version has been implemented on a Sun Microsystems 2/170 workstation. STAR has a memory requirement of approximately 200K of 8 bit bytes, excluding externally compiled functions and application-dependent symbolic definitions. This program was developed in 1985.

A Scenario-Based Virtual Patient Program to Support Substance Misuse Education.

PubMed

Zlotos, Leon; Power, Ailsa; Hill, Duncan; Chapman, Paul

2016-04-25

Objective. To evaluate virtual patient (VP) programs for injecting equipment provision (IEP) and opiate substitution therapy (OST) services with respect to confidence and knowledge among preregistration pharmacist trainees. Methods. Preregistration trainee pharmacists pilot-tested the VP programs and were invited to complete pre/post and 6-month assessments of knowledge and perceived confidence. Results. One hundred six trainees participated and completed the pre/postassessments. Forty-six (43.4%) participants repeated the assessments at six months. Scores in perceived confidence increased in all domains at both time points postprogram. Knowledge scores were greater posteducation than preeducation. Knowledge scores were also greater six months after education than preeducation. Knowledge scores at six months were lower than posteducation for both programs. Conclusion. Virtual patients programs increased preregistration pharmacists' knowledge and confidence with regard to IEP and OST immediately after use and at six months postprogram. There was a loss of clinical knowledge over time but confidence change was sustained.

Spinoff 1996

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, James J.

1996-01-01

By their challenging nature, NASA programs are particularly demanding of technological input. Meeting the aeronautical and space goals of the past four decades has necessitated leading edge advancements across a diverse spectrum that embraces virtually every scientific and technological discipline. Technology is simply knowledge and, like other forms of knowledge, it is often broadly applied and transferable. For that reason, the vast storehouse of technology NASA has built is a national resource, a bank of knowledge available for commercial applications and enhancements to the quality of life-"spinoff"-to new products and processes of benefit to the national economy, industrial efficiency and human welfare. Multiple use of technology has never been more important. Budgetary stringency is reducing the amount of government funding available for new research and development, but at the same time intensifying international competition demands increasing technological innovation to strengthen the U.S. posture in the global marketplace. Reuse of technology offers a relatively inexpensive supplementary means of partnering with industry focused on bringing new products and processes to the market. More than a thousand of spinoff products and processes have emerged from reapplication of technology developed for NASA mission programs. Each has Contributed some measure of benefit to the national economy, productivity or lifestyle; some bring only moderate increments of gain, but many generate benefits of significant order with economic values in the millions of dollars. Other technologies with moderate economic return have added measurably to the quality of life of U.S. citizens. Collectively, they represent a substantial dividend on the national investment in aerospace research. By Congressional mandate, it is NASA's responsibility to promote expansion of spinoff in the public interest. Through its Technology Transfer Program, NASA seeks to encourage greater use of its technological resources by providing a link between the technology and those who might be able to put it to advantageous use. The program's aim is to broaden and accelerate the transfer accomplishments and thereby to gain national benefit in terms of new products, services, and new jobs. This publication is an instrument of-and documents the outcome of-that purpose. It is intended to heighten awareness of the technology available for transfer and its potential for public benefit. Spinoff 1996 is organized in three sections: Section 1, summarizes NASA's current mainline programs, whose objectives require development of new technology and therefore replenish and expand the bank of knowledge available for reapplication. Section 2, the focal point of this volume, contains a representative sampling of spinoff products and processes that resulted from secondary application of NASA technology. Section 3, describes the various mechanisms NASA employs to stimulate technology transfer and lists, in an appendix, contact sources for Further information about the Technology Transfer Program.

Cross section measurements at LANSCE for defense, science and applications

DOE PAGES

Nelson, Ronald O.; Schwengner, R.; Zuber, K.

2015-05-28

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) has three neutron sources that are used for nuclear science measurements. These sources are driven by an 800 MeV proton linear accelerator and cover an energy range from sub-thermal to hundreds of MeV. Research at the facilities is performed under the auspices of a US DOE user program under which research proposals are rated for merit by a program advisory committee and are scheduled based on merit and availability of beam time. A wide variety of instruments is operated at the neutron flight paths at LANSCE including neutron detector arrays, gamma-ray detector arrays,more » fission fragment detectors, and charged particle detectors. These instruments provide nuclear data for multiple uses that range from increasing knowledge in fundamental science to satisfying data needs for diverse applications such as nuclear energy, global security, and industrial applications. In addition, highlights of recent research related to cross sections measurements are presented, and future research initiatives are discussed.« less

Pilot Study Evaluating a Practice-Based Learning and Improvement Curriculum Focusing on the Development of System-Level Quality Improvement Skills

PubMed Central

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-01-01

Background We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. Methods We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. Results The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Conclusion Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills. PMID:22379523

Development and preliminary evaluation of a practice-based learning and improvement tool for assessing resident competence and guiding curriculum development.

PubMed

Lawrence, Renée H; Tomolo, Anne M

2011-03-01

Although practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) is now recognized as a fundamental and necessary skill set, we are still in need of tools that yield specific information about gaps in knowledge and application to help nurture the development of quality improvement (QI) skills in physicians in a proficient and proactive manner. We developed a questionnaire and coding system as an assessment tool to evaluate and provide feedback regarding PBLI self-efficacy, knowledge, and application skills for residency programs and related professional requirements. Five nationally recognized QI experts/leaders reviewed and completed our questionnaire. Through an iterative process, a coding system based on identifying key variables needed for ideal responses was developed to score project proposals. The coding system comprised 14 variables related to the QI projects, and an additional 30 variables related to the core knowledge concepts related to PBLI. A total of 86 residents completed the questionnaire, and 2 raters coded their open-ended responses. Interrater reliability was assessed by percentage agreement and Cohen κ for individual variables and Lin concordance correlation for total scores for knowledge and application. Discriminative validity (t test to compare known groups) and coefficient of reproducibility as an indicator of construct validity (item difficulty hierarchy) were also assessed. Interrater reliability estimates were good (percentage of agreements, above 90%; κ, above 0.4 for most variables; concordances for total scores were R  =  .88 for knowledge and R  =  .98 for application). Despite the residents' limited range of experiences in the group with prior PBLI exposure, our tool met our goal of differentiating between the 2 groups in our preliminary analyses. Correcting for chance agreement identified some variables that are potentially problematic. Although additional evaluation is needed, our tool may prove helpful and provide detailed information about trainees' progress and the curriculum.

Pilot study evaluating a practice-based learning and improvement curriculum focusing on the development of system-level quality improvement skills.

PubMed

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-03-01

We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills.

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Practice-Based Learning and Improvement Tool for Assessing Resident Competence and Guiding Curriculum Development

PubMed Central

Lawrence, Renée H; Tomolo, Anne M

2011-01-01

Background Although practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) is now recognized as a fundamental and necessary skill set, we are still in need of tools that yield specific information about gaps in knowledge and application to help nurture the development of quality improvement (QI) skills in physicians in a proficient and proactive manner. We developed a questionnaire and coding system as an assessment tool to evaluate and provide feedback regarding PBLI self-efficacy, knowledge, and application skills for residency programs and related professional requirements. Methods Five nationally recognized QI experts/leaders reviewed and completed our questionnaire. Through an iterative process, a coding system based on identifying key variables needed for ideal responses was developed to score project proposals. The coding system comprised 14 variables related to the QI projects, and an additional 30 variables related to the core knowledge concepts related to PBLI. A total of 86 residents completed the questionnaire, and 2 raters coded their open-ended responses. Interrater reliability was assessed by percentage agreement and Cohen κ for individual variables and Lin concordance correlation for total scores for knowledge and application. Discriminative validity (t test to compare known groups) and coefficient of reproducibility as an indicator of construct validity (item difficulty hierarchy) were also assessed. Results Interrater reliability estimates were good (percentage of agreements, above 90%; κ, above 0.4 for most variables; concordances for total scores were R  =  .88 for knowledge and R  =  .98 for application). Conclusion Despite the residents' limited range of experiences in the group with prior PBLI exposure, our tool met our goal of differentiating between the 2 groups in our preliminary analyses. Correcting for chance agreement identified some variables that are potentially problematic. Although additional evaluation is needed, our tool may prove helpful and provide detailed information about trainees' progress and the curriculum. PMID:22379522

Integrating CLIPS applications into heterogeneous distributed systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, Richard M.

1991-01-01

SOCIAL is an advanced, object-oriented development tool for integrating intelligent and conventional applications across heterogeneous hardware and software platforms. SOCIAL defines a family of 'wrapper' objects called agents, which incorporate predefined capabilities for distributed communication and control. Developers embed applications within agents and establish interactions between distributed agents via non-intrusive message-based interfaces. This paper describes a predefined SOCIAL agent that is specialized for integrating C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS)-based applications. The agent's high-level Application Programming Interface supports bidirectional flow of data, knowledge, and commands to other agents, enabling CLIPS applications to initiate interactions autonomously, and respond to requests and results from heterogeneous remote systems. The design and operation of CLIPS agents are illustrated with two distributed applications that integrate CLIPS-based expert systems with other intelligent systems for isolating and mapping problems in the Space Shuttle Launch Processing System at the NASA Kennedy Space Center.

Implementation of a School-Based Educational Program to Increase Breast Cancer Awareness and Promote Intergenerational Transmission of Knowledge in a Rural Mexican Community.

PubMed

Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Smith, David D; Rojo-Castillo, Maria Patricia; Hurria, Arti; Pavas-Vivas, Alba Milena; Gitler-Weingarten, Rina; Mohar, Alejandro; Chavarri-Guerra, Yanin

2017-10-01

Rural women have limited access to breast cancer education, which partially contributes to late diagnosis and treatment. In this pilot study, we tested the feasibility of implementing a school-based breast cancer educational program for adolescents in a rural Mexican community. We hypothesized that the adolescents' knowledge on breast cancer would increase as a result of the program, and that there would be intergenerational transmission of that knowledge to their older female relatives. Female adolescents from a rural middle school received the educational program. The program would be considered feasible and acceptable if more than 75% reported being satisfied with its contents. Changes in knowledge in the students and their relatives were evaluated using baseline and 4 months follow-up questionnaires. One hundred twenty-six students were enrolled. The program was considered acceptable by 96% of the participants. The students' knowledge regarding breast cancer increased significantly from baseline to 4 months follow-up (63% to 82%). One hundred ninety-four female relatives completed the initial knowledge questionnaires. The relatives' knowledge regarding breast cancer showed a significant increase from baseline to 4 months follow-up (55% to 61%). Implementing breast cancer educational programs for adolescents in rural communities is feasible and acceptable. The program increased the adolescents' knowledge on breast cancer, and promoted the intergenerational transmission of that knowledge to their female relatives. Intergenerational transmission of knowledge represents a potential method for providing population-based health awareness education globally. In limited-resource settings, education is a valuable tool for achieving early detection and downstaging of breast cancer. Unfortunately, rural women lack access to educational opportunities and information about breast cancer, which is a factor contributing to late diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that implementing a school-based breast cancer educational program for female adolescents in a rural Mexican community was feasible, acceptable, and increased their knowledge about breast cancer. Furthermore, the program encouraged the transmission of information to the students' older relatives. Intergenerational transmission of knowledge represents a novel and potentially effective tool in cancer education and promotion. © AlphaMed Press 2017.

The research on construction and application of machining process knowledge base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Tan; Qiao, Lihong; Qie, Yifan; Guo, Kai

2018-03-01

In order to realize the application of knowledge in machining process design, from the perspective of knowledge in the application of computer aided process planning(CAPP), a hierarchical structure of knowledge classification is established according to the characteristics of mechanical engineering field. The expression of machining process knowledge is structured by means of production rules and the object-oriented methods. Three kinds of knowledge base models are constructed according to the representation of machining process knowledge. In this paper, the definition and classification of machining process knowledge, knowledge model, and the application flow of the process design based on the knowledge base are given, and the main steps of the design decision of the machine tool are carried out as an application by using the knowledge base.

Preventing Sexual Violence in Adolescence: Comparison of a Scientist-Practitioner Program and a Practitioner Program Using a Cluster-Randomized Design.

PubMed

Muck, Christoph; Schiller, Eva-Maria; Zimmermann, Maria; Kärtner, Joscha

2018-02-01

Numerous school-based prevention programs have been developed by scientists and practitioners to address sexual violence in adolescence. However, such programs struggle with two major challenges. First, the effectiveness of many well-established practitioner programs has not been rigorously evaluated. Second, effective scientific programs may be hard to implement into everyday school practice. Combining the knowledge of scientists and practitioners in a scientist-practitioner program could be a helpful compromise. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of a scientist-practitioner program and a practitioner program using a cluster-randomized experimental design. Twenty-seven school classes were randomly assigned to either one of two programs or a control group. Outcome variables (knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and iatrogenic effects) were assessed at pretest, posttest, and a 6-month follow-up for 453 adolescents (55% female, Mage = 14.18). Short-term effects were found in both programs regarding general knowledge, knowledge of professional help, and victim-blaming attitudes. Long-term effects were found in both programs regarding general knowledge and knowledge of professional help and, in the practitioner program, in a reduction of victimization. No other effects were found on attitudes and behavior. No iatrogenic effects in the form of increased anxiety were found. Both the scientist-practitioner and the practitioner program show promise for the prevention of sexual violence in adolescence; in particular, the practitioner program may be a more cost-effective method.

Intensive care nurses' knowledge of pressure ulcers: development of an assessment tool and effect of an educational program.

PubMed

Tweed, Carol; Tweed, Mike

2008-07-01

Critically ill patients are at high risk for pressure ulcers. Successful prevention of pressure ulcers requires that caregivers have adequate knowledge of this complication. To assess intensive care nurses' knowledge of pressure ulcers and the impact of an educational program on knowledge levels. A knowledge assessment test was developed. A cohort of registered nurses in a tertiary referral hospital in New Zealand had knowledge assessed 3 times: before an educational program, within 2 weeks after the program, and 20 weeks later. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine if attributes such as length of time since qualifying or level of intensive care unit experience were associated with test scores. The content and results of the assessment test were evaluated. Completion of the educational program resulted in improved levels of knowledge. Mean scores on the assessment test were 84% at baseline and 89% following the educational program. The mean baseline score did not differ significantly from the mean 20-week follow-up score of 85%. No association was detected between demographic data and test scores. Content validity and standard setting were verified by using a variety of methods. Levels of knowledge to prevent and manage pressure ulcers were good initially and improved with an educational program, but soon returned to baseline.

Using a quasi-experimental research design to assess knowledge in continuing medical education programs.

PubMed

Markert, Ronald J; O'Neill, Sally C; Bhatia, Subhash C

2003-01-01

The objectives of continuing medical education (CME) programs include knowledge acquisition, skill development, clinical reasoning and decision making, and health care outcomes. We conducted a year-long medical education research study in which knowledge acquisition in our CME programs was assessed. A randomized separate-sample pretest/past-test design, a quasi-experimental technique, was used. Nine CME programs with a sufficient number of participants were identified a priori. Knowledge acquisition was compared between the control group and the intervention group for the nine individual programs and for the combined programs. A total of 667 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals participated. Significant gain in knowledge was found for six programs: Perinatology, Pain Management, Fertility Care 2, Pediatrics, Colorectal Diseases, and Alzheimer's Disease (each p < .001). Also, the intervention group differed from the control group when the nine programs were combined (p < .001), with an effect size of .84. The use of sound quasi-experimental research methodology (separate-sample pretest/post-test design), the inclusion of a representative sample of CME programs, and the analysis of nearly 700 subjects led us to have confidence in concluding that our CME participants acquired a meaningful amount of new knowledge.

Exploration on teaching reform of theory curriculum for engineering specialties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yan; Shen, Wei-min; Shen, Chang-yu; Li, Chen-xia; Jing, Xu-feng; Lou, Jun; Shi, Yan; Jin, Shang-zhong

2017-08-01

The orientation of talents cultivation for local colleges is to train engineering application-oriented talents, so the exploration and practice on teaching reform of theory curriculum was carried out. We restructured the knowledge units basing on numerical solution problems, and chose the software to build algorithm models for improving the analytical and designed ability. Relying on micro video lessons platform, the teacher-student interaction was expanded from class to outside. Also, we programmed new experimental homework, which was suited for process evaluation. The new teaching mode has achieved good effect, and the students' application ability was significantly improved.

The early Earth Observing System reference handbook: Earth Science and Applications Division missions, 1990-1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Prior to the launch of the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, NASA will launch and operate a wide variety of new earth science satellites and instruments, as well as undertake several efforts collecting and using the data from existing and planned satellites from other agencies and nations. These initiatives will augment the knowledge base gained from ongoing Earth Science and Applications Division (ESAD) programs. This volume describes three sets of ESAD activities -- ongoing exploitation of operational satellite data, research missions with upcoming launches between now and the first launch of EOS, and candidate earth probes.

Evaluation of the impact of a diabetes education curriculum for school personnel on disease knowledge and confidence in caring for students.

PubMed

Smith, Cory T; Chen, Aleda M H; Plake, Kimberly S; Nash, Christiane L

2012-10-01

School personnel may lack knowledge of diabetes and be unprepared to address the needs of students with type 1 diabetes. This project evaluated the effectiveness of a type 1 diabetes education program for school personnel on increasing knowledge of diabetes and confidence in caring for students with diabetes. Two types of diabetes education programs were created for school personnel. The basic program provided a 60-minute overview of diabetes. The expanded program, intended for volunteer health aides, provided participants with a more in-depth overview of diabetes during a 180-minute session, including demonstrations of how to assist students with insulin injections. Instruments were created to assess changes in diabetes-related knowledge and confidence in caring for students. Separate knowledge instruments were created for the basic and expanded programs. Knowledge instruments were administered before and after delivery of the education programs to both groups. Confidence instruments were administered before and after for persons completing the expanded program. A total of 81 school personnel participated in the basic (N = 44) or expanded programs (N = 37). Overall knowledge regarding diabetes significantly increased in both the basic and expanded programs from baseline (p < .001). Confidence in caring for students with diabetes also increased from pretest to posttest, both for overall confidence and each individual item (p < .001). Educational programs offered for school personnel can lead to increased knowledge and increased confidence in caring for students with diabetes, which may assist school personnel in addressing the needs of students with diabetes. © 2012, American School Health Association.

The Importance of Place and Time in Translating Knowledge About Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit to Informal Caregivers

PubMed Central

Dykeman, Sarah; Williams, Allison

2013-01-01

Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB), an employment insurance program designed to allow Canadian workers time off to care for a dying relative or friend, has had low uptake since its inception. Due to their role in working with family caregivers, social workers are one group of primary health care professionals who have been identified as benefiting from a knowledge translation campaign. Knowledge tools about the CCB have been developed through social worker input in a prior study. This article presents the findings of a qualitative exploratory intervention. Social workers (n = 8) utilized the tools for 6 months and discussed their experiences with them. Data analysis revealed references to time and space constraints in using to the tools, and demonstrated the impact of time geography on knowledge translation about the CCB. The results suggest that knowledge translation about the CCB could be targeted toward caregivers earlier on in the disease progression before the terminal diagnosis, and knowledge tools must be disseminated to more locations. These results may be valuable to policymakers and palliative care providers, as well as theorists interested in ongoing applications of time geography in knowledge translation and the consumption/production of care. PMID:24295098

A Study of the Experience of Female African-American Seventh Graders in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Afterschool Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinds, Beverley Fiona

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine what inspires or leads seventh-grade African-American girls toward an interest in STEM, to characterize and describe the context of an out-of-school STEM learning environment, explore the impact on the seventh- grade African-American girls who participated in the program as it relates to individual STEM identity, and identify personal and academic experiences of seventh-grade African- American girls that contribute to the discouragement or pursuit of science and math-related academic pathways and careers. Notable findings in this study included the following: 1. Participants were interested in STEM and able to identify both external and internal influences that supported their involvement and interest in STEM activities. External influences expanded and elevated exposure to STEM experiences. 2. The MJS program provided an opportunity for participants to overcome challenges related to science and math knowledge and skills in school. 3. The MJS program increased levels of interest in STEM for the participants. 4. All participants increased their capacity to demonstrate increased knowledge in STEM content as a result of the learning experiences within the MJS program, and participants transferred this knowledge to experiences outside of the program including school. 5. The STEM learning environment provided multiple opportunities for participants to meet high expectation and access to engaging activities within a supportive, well-managed setting. 6. The MJS program participants demonstrated behaviors related to building a STEM identity through the components described by Carlone and Johnson (2007), including recognition-internal and external acknowledgement of being a STEM person; competence-demonstrating an understanding of STEM content; and performance-publically exhibiting STEM knowledge and skills. The findings in this study suggested that African-American seventh-grade girls interested in STEM are inspired and encouraged to participate in STEM by both internal and external factors. Highly effective afterschool STEM programs increase interest, knowledge and skills in STEM. The capacity for building a STEM identity was expanded as explored/measured by the components of recognition, competence, and performance (Carlone & Johnson, 2007). The learning environment conditions and support for building a STEM identity enhance the pursuit of STEM-related fields for African-American middle school girls. Application of these factors add to the potential for a decrease in the gap of representation of African-American women engaged in STEM. Future studies may explore how African-American middle schools girls interested in STEM construct identity as it relates to STEM, racial, and gender identity development and how the mentoring experience in afterschool STEM programs impacts the career choices of pre-teaching students.

Pre-Test and Post-Test Applications to Shape the Education of Phlebotomists in A Quality Management Program: An Experience in a Training Hospital

PubMed Central

Keşapli, Mustafa; Aydin, Özgür; Esen, Hatice; Yeğin, Ayşenur; Güngör, Faruk; Yilmaz, Necat

2016-01-01

Summary Background After the introduction of modern laboratory instruments and information systems, preanalytic phase is the new field of battle. Errors in preanalytical phase account for approximately half of total errors in clinical laboratory. The objective of this study was to share an experience of an education program that was believed to be successful in decreasing the number of rejected samples received from the Emergency Department (ED). Methods An education program about laboratory procedures, quality requirements in the laboratory, patient and health-care worker safety was planned by the quality team to be performed on 36 people who were responsible for sample collection in the ED. A questionary which included 11 questions about the preanalytic phase was applied to all the attendees before and after training. The number of rejected samples per million was discovered with right proportion account over the number of accepted and rejected samples to laboratory after and before the training period. Results Most of the attendees were nurses (n: 22/55%), with over 12 years of experience in general and 2–4 years experience in the ED. Knowledge level of the attendees was calculated before training as 58.9% and after training as 91.8%. While the total rate of sample rejection before training was 2.35% (sigma value 3.37–3.50), the rate after training was 1.56% (sigma value 3.62–3.75). Conclusions Increasing the knowledge of staff has a direct positive impact on the preanalytic phase. The application of a pre-test was observed to be a feasible tool to shape group specific education programs. PMID:28356887

Pre-Test and Post-Test Applications to Shape the Education of Phlebotomists in A Quality Management Program: An Experience in a Training Hospital.

PubMed

Aykal, Güzin; Keşapli, Mustafa; Aydin, Özgür; Esen, Hatice; Yeğin, Ayşenur; Güngör, Faruk; Yilmaz, Necat

2016-09-01

After the introduction of modern laboratory instruments and information systems, preanalytic phase is the new field of battle. Errors in preanalytical phase account for approximately half of total errors in clinical laboratory. The objective of this study was to share an experience of an education program that was believed to be successful in decreasing the number of rejected samples received from the Emergency Department (ED). An education program about laboratory procedures, quality requirements in the laboratory, patient and health-care worker safety was planned by the quality team to be performed on 36 people who were responsible for sample collection in the ED. A questionary which included 11 questions about the preanalytic phase was applied to all the attendees before and after training. The number of rejected samples per million was discovered with right proportion account over the number of accepted and rejected samples to laboratory after and before the training period. Most of the attendees were nurses (n: 22/55%), with over 12 years of experience in general and 2-4 years experience in the ED. Knowledge level of the attendees was calculated before training as 58.9% and after training as 91.8%. While the total rate of sample rejection before training was 2.35% (sigma value 3.37-3.50), the rate after training was 1.56% (sigma value 3.62-3.75). Increasing the knowledge of staff has a direct positive impact on the preanalytic phase. The application of a pre-test was observed to be a feasible tool to shape group specific education programs.

AZOrange - High performance open source machine learning for QSAR modeling in a graphical programming environment

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Machine learning has a vast range of applications. In particular, advanced machine learning methods are routinely and increasingly used in quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) modeling. QSAR data sets often encompass tens of thousands of compounds and the size of proprietary, as well as public data sets, is rapidly growing. Hence, there is a demand for computationally efficient machine learning algorithms, easily available to researchers without extensive machine learning knowledge. In granting the scientific principles of transparency and reproducibility, Open Source solutions are increasingly acknowledged by regulatory authorities. Thus, an Open Source state-of-the-art high performance machine learning platform, interfacing multiple, customized machine learning algorithms for both graphical programming and scripting, to be used for large scale development of QSAR models of regulatory quality, is of great value to the QSAR community. Results This paper describes the implementation of the Open Source machine learning package AZOrange. AZOrange is specially developed to support batch generation of QSAR models in providing the full work flow of QSAR modeling, from descriptor calculation to automated model building, validation and selection. The automated work flow relies upon the customization of the machine learning algorithms and a generalized, automated model hyper-parameter selection process. Several high performance machine learning algorithms are interfaced for efficient data set specific selection of the statistical method, promoting model accuracy. Using the high performance machine learning algorithms of AZOrange does not require programming knowledge as flexible applications can be created, not only at a scripting level, but also in a graphical programming environment. Conclusions AZOrange is a step towards meeting the needs for an Open Source high performance machine learning platform, supporting the efficient development of highly accurate QSAR models fulfilling regulatory requirements. PMID:21798025

AZOrange - High performance open source machine learning for QSAR modeling in a graphical programming environment.

PubMed

Stålring, Jonna C; Carlsson, Lars A; Almeida, Pedro; Boyer, Scott

2011-07-28

Machine learning has a vast range of applications. In particular, advanced machine learning methods are routinely and increasingly used in quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) modeling. QSAR data sets often encompass tens of thousands of compounds and the size of proprietary, as well as public data sets, is rapidly growing. Hence, there is a demand for computationally efficient machine learning algorithms, easily available to researchers without extensive machine learning knowledge. In granting the scientific principles of transparency and reproducibility, Open Source solutions are increasingly acknowledged by regulatory authorities. Thus, an Open Source state-of-the-art high performance machine learning platform, interfacing multiple, customized machine learning algorithms for both graphical programming and scripting, to be used for large scale development of QSAR models of regulatory quality, is of great value to the QSAR community. This paper describes the implementation of the Open Source machine learning package AZOrange. AZOrange is specially developed to support batch generation of QSAR models in providing the full work flow of QSAR modeling, from descriptor calculation to automated model building, validation and selection. The automated work flow relies upon the customization of the machine learning algorithms and a generalized, automated model hyper-parameter selection process. Several high performance machine learning algorithms are interfaced for efficient data set specific selection of the statistical method, promoting model accuracy. Using the high performance machine learning algorithms of AZOrange does not require programming knowledge as flexible applications can be created, not only at a scripting level, but also in a graphical programming environment. AZOrange is a step towards meeting the needs for an Open Source high performance machine learning platform, supporting the efficient development of highly accurate QSAR models fulfilling regulatory requirements.

The parser generator as a general purpose tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noonan, R. E.; Collins, W. R.

1985-01-01

The parser generator has proven to be an extremely useful, general purpose tool. It can be used effectively by programmers having only a knowledge of grammars and no training at all in the theory of formal parsing. Some of the application areas for which a table-driven parser can be used include interactive, query languages, menu systems, translators, and programming support tools. Each of these is illustrated by an example grammar.

Training Spatial Knowledge Acquisition Using Virtual Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-03

bands of textures and tiles them together to form long, continuous swaths of texture. This paper summarizes these tools and their function, and...which allows it to control these devices. It also includes a texture- tiling application to precisely line up frames from the camera to create wall...that textures exist a priori and has no support for cropping and tiling textures within the program, much less an interface to hardware specifically

FAIL-SAFE: Fault Aware IntelLigent Software for Exascale

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-13

and that these programs can continue to correct solutions. To broaden the impact of this research, we also needed to be able to ameliorate errors...designing an interface between the application and an introspection framework for resilience ( IFR ) based on the inference engine SHINE; (4) using...the ROSE compiler to translate annotations into reasoning rules for the IFR ; and (5) designing a Knowledge/Experience Database, which will store

Demilitarizing What the Pentagon Knows about Developing Young People: A New Paradigm for Educating Students who are Struggling in School and in Life. CCF Working Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Hugh B.

2007-01-01

This working paper examines the approaches, wisdom, and experience generated by the ChalleNGe program, as well as the vast storehouse of knowledge and research, models and systems possessed by the military services that are potentially applicable to educating and developing youngsters who are at greatest risk of academic failure, economic…

How Can Value-Added Measures Be Used for Teacher Improvement? What We Know Series: Value-Added Methods and Applications. Knowledge Brief 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeb, Susanna

2013-01-01

The question for this brief is whether education leaders can use value-added measures as tools for improving schooling and, if so, how to do this. Districts, states, and schools can, at least in theory, generate gains in educational outcomes for students using value-added measures in three ways: creating information on effective programs, making…

Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Knowledge Enhancement Working Group: Multi-Agency Coordination After Action Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-23

Kaski Charles Denver Office of Emergency Management Kellar Scott Arapahoe County/NCR Coordinator Krebs Kathleen Clear Creek County Krugman Jim USDA...Mower John Cubic Applications, Inc. Mueller Matt Denver Office of Emergency Management Ridley Teri WARRP Rubenstein Mike Jefferson County...Office of Emergency Management: Scott Field Denver Office of Emergency Management: Pat Williams Douglas County: Fran Santagata Douglas County: Steve

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE ON ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN CHILDREN.

PubMed

Kotrulja, Lena; Milavić, Tina; Bulić, Suzana Ožanić; Šitum, Natalija; Konsuo, Ana Bakija; Muršić, Ivanka; Belanović, Ines Birkić; Dilenardo, Lidija

2016-03-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Failure to treat AD successfully can often be directly linked to poor treatment adherence as a result of the lack of information about the disease and basic principles of treatment. Several studies have found that making patients active participants in their care through information and education is a successful treatment strategy in AD. The aim of this study was to evaluate parental knowledge on AD and to stress the importance of therapeutic educational program in long-term management and control of the disease. We carried out a short questionnaire-based study among 238 parents of children with AD regarding their knowledge on the etiology and treatment of AD. Our results showed that 21% of the participants reported corticophobia and were concerned about systemic absorption affecting the child's growth and development even after short application. In children with AD who have food hypersensitivity, 14% of parents thought that a small amount of food allergen could be beneficial in achieving tolerability. The role of interdisciplinary educational program is to explain the epidemiology and pathogenesis of AD, as well as concomitant atopy related diseases and to teach parents about the importance of appropriate skin care.

Java Library for Input and Output of Image Data and Metadata

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deen, Robert; Levoe, Steven

2003-01-01

A Java-language library supports input and output (I/O) of image data and metadata (label data) in the format of the Video Image Communication and Retrieval (VICAR) image-processing software and in several similar formats, including a subset of the Planetary Data System (PDS) image file format. The library does the following: It provides low-level, direct access layer, enabling an application subprogram to read and write specific image files, lines, or pixels, and manipulate metadata directly. Two coding/decoding subprograms ("codecs" for short) based on the Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) software provide access to VICAR and PDS images in a file-format-independent manner. The VICAR and PDS codecs enable any program that conforms to the specification of the JAI codec to use VICAR or PDS images automatically, without specific knowledge of the VICAR or PDS format. The library also includes Image I/O plugin subprograms for VICAR and PDS formats. Application programs that conform to the Image I/O specification of Java version 1.4 can utilize any image format for which such a plug-in subprogram exists, without specific knowledge of the format itself. Like the aforementioned codecs, the VICAR and PDS Image I/O plug-in subprograms support reading and writing of metadata.

BioSmalltalk: a pure object system and library for bioinformatics.

PubMed

Morales, Hernán F; Giovambattista, Guillermo

2013-09-15

We have developed BioSmalltalk, a new environment system for pure object-oriented bioinformatics programming. Adaptive end-user programming systems tend to become more important for discovering biological knowledge, as is demonstrated by the emergence of open-source programming toolkits for bioinformatics in the past years. Our software is intended to bridge the gap between bioscientists and rapid software prototyping while preserving the possibility of scaling to whole-system biology applications. BioSmalltalk performs better in terms of execution time and memory usage than Biopython and BioPerl for some classical situations. BioSmalltalk is cross-platform and freely available (MIT license) through the Google Project Hosting at http://code.google.com/p/biosmalltalk hernan.morales@gmail.com Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

New Mexico statewide geothermal energy program. Final technical report

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

Icerman, L.; Parker, S.K.

1988-04-01

This report summarizes the results of geothermal energy resource assessment work conducted by the New Mexico Statewide Geothermal Energy Program during the period September 7, 1984, through February 29, 1988, under the sponsorship of the US Dept. of Energy and the State of New Mexico Research and Development Institute. The research program was administered by the New Mexico Research and Development Institute and was conducted by professional staff members at New Mexico State University and Lightning Dock Geothermal, Inc. The report is divided into four chapters, which correspond to the principal tasks delineated in the above grant. This work extendsmore » the knowledge of the geothermal energy resource base in southern New Mexico with the potential for commercial applications.« less

Microgravity Combustion Research: 1999 Program and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, Robert (Editor); Gokoglu, Suleyman A. (Editor); Urban, David L. (Editor)

1999-01-01

The use of the microgravity environment of space to expand scientific knowledge and to enable the commercial development of space for enhancing the quality of life on Earth is particularly suitable to the field of combustion. This document reviews the current status of microgravity combustion research and derived information. It is the fourth in a series of timely surveys, all published as NASA Technical Memoranda, and it covers largely the period from 1995 to early 1999. The scope of the review covers three program areas: fundamental studies, applications to fire safety and other fields. and general measurements and diagnostics. The document also describes the opportunities for Principal Investigator participation through the NASA Research Announcement program and the NASA Glenn Research Center low-gravity facilities available to researchers.

Community empowerment program for increasing knowledge and awareness of tuberculosis patients, cadres and community in Medan city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harahap, J.; Amelia, R.; Wahyuni, A. S.; Andayani, L. S.

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis is one of a major health problem in Indonesia. WHO expressed the need for the participation of various stakeholders in addition to government. TB CEPAT Program aimed to increase knowledge and awareness in combating tuberculosis. This study aimed to compare the knowledge and awareness of community, cadres and TB patients in the program areas and non-program areas, and assess the role of the program in combating tuberculosis in Medan. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods, where 300 people (community, cadres, TB patients) as respondents and three key persons as informants. The findings revealed that in the program areas the knowledge, attitude and practice of the respondents generally are better compare to those in the non-program areas. There was a significant difference in knowledge and practice for community, cadres, and TB patients (p<0.05) and there was a significant difference in attitude for community, cadres (p<0.05), but no significant difference for TB patients (p>0.05) in program areas and non-program areas. The community empowerment through TB CEPAT Program plays an important role in improving knowledge, attitude, and practice of community, cadres, and TB patients. It would help the effort of TB control and prevention in Medan City.

Interactive Problem Solving Tutorials Through Visual Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Undreiu, Lucian; Schuster, David; Undreiu, Adriana

2008-10-01

We have used LabVIEW visual programming to build an interactive tutorial to promote conceptual understanding in physics problem solving. This programming environment is able to offer a web-accessible problem solving experience that enables students to work at their own pace and receive feedback. Intuitive graphical symbols, modular structures and the ability to create templates are just a few of the advantages this software has to offer. The architecture of an application can be designed in a way that allows instructors with little knowledge of LabVIEW to easily personalize it. Both the physics solution and the interactive pedagogy can be visually programmed in LabVIEW. Our physics pedagogy approach is that of cognitive apprenticeship, in that the tutorial guides students to develop conceptual understanding and physical insight into phenomena, rather than purely formula-based solutions. We demonstrate how this model is reflected in the design and programming of the interactive tutorials.

Evaluating theory-based evaluation: information, norms, and adherence.

PubMed

Jacobs, W Jake; Sisco, Melissa; Hill, Dawn; Malter, Frederic; Figueredo, Aurelio José

2012-08-01

Programmatic social interventions attempt to produce appropriate social-norm-guided behavior in an open environment. A marriage of applicable psychological theory, appropriate program evaluation theory, and outcome of evaluations of specific social interventions assures the acquisition of cumulative theory and the production of successful social interventions--the marriage permits us to advance knowledge by making use of both success and failures. We briefly review well-established principles within the field of program evaluation, well-established processes involved in changing social norms and social-norm adherence, the outcome of several program evaluations focusing on smoking prevention, pro-environmental behavior, and rape prevention and, using the principle of learning from our failures, examine why these programs often do not perform as expected. Finally, we discuss the promise of learning from our collective experiences to develop a cumulative science of program evaluation and to improve the performance of extant and future interventions. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

CALCMIN - an EXCEL™ Visual Basic application for calculating mineral structural formulae from electron microprobe analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandelik, Andreas

2009-07-01

CALCMIN, an open source Visual Basic program, was implemented in EXCEL™. The program was primarily developed to support geoscientists in their routine task of calculating structural formulae of minerals on the basis of chemical analysis mainly obtained by electron microprobe (EMP) techniques. Calculation programs for various minerals are already included in the form of sub-routines. These routines are arranged in separate modules containing a minimum of code. The architecture of CALCMIN allows the user to easily develop new calculation routines or modify existing routines with little knowledge of programming techniques. By means of a simple mouse-click, the program automatically generates a rudimentary framework of code using the object model of the Visual Basic Editor (VBE). Within this framework simple commands and functions, which are provided by the program, can be used, for example, to perform various normalization procedures or to output the results of the computations. For the clarity of the code, element symbols are used as variables initialized by the program automatically. CALCMIN does not set any boundaries in complexity of the code used, resulting in a wide range of possible applications. Thus, matrix and optimization methods can be included, for instance, to determine end member contents for subsequent thermodynamic calculations. Diverse input procedures are provided, such as the automated read-in of output files created by the EMP. Furthermore, a subsequent filter routine enables the user to extract specific analyses in order to use them for a corresponding calculation routine. An event-driven, interactive operating mode was selected for easy application of the program. CALCMIN leads the user from the beginning to the end of the calculation process.

On acquisition of programming knowledge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amin, Ashok T.

1987-01-01

For the evolving discipline of programming, acquisition of programming knowledge is a difficult issue. Common knowledge results from the acceptance of proven techniques based on results of formal inquiries into the nature of the programming process. This is a rather slow process. In addition, the vast body of common knowledge needs to be explicated to a low enough level of details for it to be represented in the machine processable form. It is felt that this is an impediment to the progress of automatic programming. The importance of formal approaches cannot be overstated since their contributions lead to quantum leaps in the state of the art.

Medication knowledge to be improved in participants in community universities in Taiwan: Outcome of a nationwide community university program.

PubMed

Huang, Yen-Ming; Yang, Yea-Huei Kao; Lin, Swu-Jane; Chen, Karin Chiung-Sheue; Kuo, Chuan-Chi; Wu, Fe-Lin Lin

2015-12-01

To assess knowledge improvement by the participants in a pharmacist-facilitated national community education program over a 4-month semester and to identify the educational needs of adults related to medications. This was a single-group, pre- and post-program comparative study. From February 2005 to February 2006, 1983 community residents participating in the education program implemented at 57 community universities nationwide were included. A questionnaire consisting of 50 true/false questions was administered before and after the program to assess the participants' medication knowledge. Paired t test was used to analyze the pre- and post-program differences and generalized linear mixed models were applied to examine the demographic variables that might influence the background knowledge and outcome after adjusting for school effects. A total of 848 participants (42.8%) completed the pre-to-post questionnaire. Baseline medication knowledge was positively correlated with participants' education level and negatively correlated with age. Significant improvement (11.3%, p < 0.001) in medication knowledge was evident at the end of the program. The age and education level were significant determinants in the improvement of the pre-to-post program test score. The specific areas that required improvement most in the knowledge of the participants were: instructions on refill prescriptions, proper storage of medication, the health insurance system, drug use in special populations, and over-the-counter drugs. This national program improved participants' medication knowledge over a 4-month period. Patient counseling focusing more on the knowledge deficiency identified in this study during patient care is recommended. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Planning for the next generation of public health advocates: evaluation of an online advocacy mentoring program.

PubMed

O'Connell, Emily; Stoneham, Melissa; Saunders, Julie

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Despite being viewed as a core competency for public health professionals, public health advocacy lacks a prominent place in the public health literature and receives minimal coverage in university curricula. The Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia (PHAIWA) sought to fill this gap by establishing an online e-mentoring program for public health professionals to gain knowledge through skill-based activities and engaging in a mentoring relationship with an experienced public health advocate. This study is a qualitative evaluation of the online e-mentoring program. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with program participants at the conclusion of the 12-month program to examine program benefits and determine the perceived contribution of individual program components to overall advocacy outcomes. Results Increased mentee knowledge, skills, level of confidence and experience, and expanded public health networks were reported. Outcomes were dependent on participants' level of commitment, time and location barriers, mentoring relationship quality, adaptability to the online format and the relevance of activities for application to participants' workplace context. Program facilitators had an important role through the provision of timely feedback and maintaining contact with participants. Conclusion An online program that combines public health advocacy content via skill-based activities with mentoring from an experienced public health advocate is a potential strategy to build advocacy capacity in the public health workforce. So what? Integrating advocacy as a core component of professional development programs will help counteract current issues surrounding hesitancy by public health professionals to proactively engage in advocacy, and ensure that high quality, innovative and effective advocacy leadership continues in the Australian public health workforce.

Facilitating adaptive management in a government program: A household energy efficiency case study.

PubMed

Curtis, Jim; Graham, Alex; Ghafoori, Eraj; Pyke, Susan; Kaufman, Stefan; Boulet, Mark

2017-02-01

Interim evaluations of government programs can sometimes reveal lower than expected outcomes, leading to the question of how adjustments can be made while the program is still underway. Although adaptive management frameworks can provide a practical roadmap to address this question, a lack of successful learnings and poor implementation have hampered the progress and wider application of adaptive management. Using a case study involving an energy efficiency government program targeting low-income households, this article provides supporting evidence on how adaptive management can be facilitated and applied. Factors such as proactive and responsive leadership, establishing a research-practice interface, and recognizing the skills, expertise, and contributions of multiple stakeholders guided adjustments to the program, and later paved the way for longer-term organizational learning that impacted how other programs are delivered. Implications for knowledge and practice, and a discussion of the challenges faced in the program, advance current thinking in adaptive management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Training NOAA Staff on Effective Communication Methods with Local Climate Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timofeyeva, M. M.; Mayes, B.

2011-12-01

Since 2002 NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Services Division (CSD) offered training opportunities to NWS staff. As a result of eight-year-long development of the training program, NWS offers three training courses and about 25 online distance learning modules covering various climate topics: climate data and observations, climate variability and change, NWS national and local climate products, their tools, skill, and interpretation. Leveraging climate information and expertise available at all NOAA line offices and partners allows delivery of the most advanced knowledge and is a very critical aspect of the training program. NWS challenges in providing local climate services includes effective communication techniques on provide highly technical scientific information to local users. Addressing this challenge requires well trained, climate-literate workforce at local level capable of communicating the NOAA climate products and services as well as provide climate-sensitive decision support. Trained NWS climate service personnel use proactive and reactive approaches and professional education methods in communicating climate variability and change information to local users. Both scientifically-unimpaired messages and amiable communication techniques such as story telling approach are important in developing an engaged dialog between the climate service providers and users. Several pilot projects NWS CSD conducted in the past year applied the NWS climate services training program to training events for NOAA technical user groups. The technical user groups included natural resources managers, engineers, hydrologists, and planners for transportation infrastructure. Training of professional user groups required tailoring the instructions to the potential applications of each group of users. Training technical user identified the following critical issues: (1) Knowledge of target audience expectations, initial knowledge status, and potential use of climate information; (2) Leveraging partnership with climate services providers; and, (3) Applying 3H training approach, where the first H stands for Head (trusted science), the second H stands for Heart (make it easy), and the third H for Hand (support with applications).

Public attitudes and risk perception toward land application of biosolids within the south-eastern United States.

PubMed

Robinson, Kevin G; Robinson, Carolyn H; Raup, Lauren A; Markum, Travis R

2012-05-15

A descriptive-correlational study of biosolids recycling was conducted in the south-eastern United States to assess current knowledge, attitudes and risk perceptions of participants in two communities that land apply biosolids as part of their waste management programs. One community, Amelia County VA, has been outspoken against biosolids recycling in the past, whereas the second community, Knoxville, TN region, has voiced few concerns about biosolids recycling. Additionally, gender differences within the entire study population were assessed. A 45-question telephone survey, utilizing a 4-point Likert scale, was developed and administered to 311 randomly selected adults in the two regions. Commonalities identified during the study revealed key risk perceptions by the public regarding biosolids regulations, treatment, and application. Given current perceptions and knowledge, respondents felt that the benefits derived from biosolids recycling do not offset the perceived health and safety risks. However, as distance between application and personal property increased, a decrease in opposition of biosolids reuse became evident for all respondents. Survey participants were dissatisfied with the level of stakeholder involvement in research and decision-making processes concerning biosolids. The outspoken Amelia County residents perceived greater health risks due to inadequate treatment of biosolids and odorous emissions during the application process than the less engaged Knox Metro respondents. Significant gender differences were observed with sampled females perceiving greater risks to health and safety from biosolids recycling than males. There was also indication that decisions and risks were not sufficiently communicated to the public, leading to respondents being inadequately informed about biosolids land application in both communities. Community-specific outreach programs must address these public risk perceptions and the differences in perception caused by gender and issue awareness to assist solid waste managers in developing and implementing successful biosolids land application systems that are acceptable to the public. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Scenario-Based Virtual Patient Program to Support Substance Misuse Education

PubMed Central

Power, Ailsa; Hill, Duncan; Chapman, Paul

2016-01-01

Objective. To evaluate virtual patient (VP) programs for injecting equipment provision (IEP) and opiate substitution therapy (OST) services with respect to confidence and knowledge among preregistration pharmacist trainees. Methods. Preregistration trainee pharmacists pilot-tested the VP programs and were invited to complete pre/post and 6-month assessments of knowledge and perceived confidence. Results. One hundred six trainees participated and completed the pre/postassessments. Forty-six (43.4%) participants repeated the assessments at six months. Scores in perceived confidence increased in all domains at both time points postprogram. Knowledge scores were greater posteducation than preeducation. Knowledge scores were also greater six months after education than preeducation. Knowledge scores at six months were lower than posteducation for both programs. Conclusion. Virtual patients programs increased preregistration pharmacists’ knowledge and confidence with regard to IEP and OST immediately after use and at six months postprogram. There was a loss of clinical knowledge over time but confidence change was sustained. PMID:27170819

AplusB: A Web Application for Investigating A + B Designs for Phase I Cancer Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Wheeler, Graham M; Sweeting, Michael J; Mander, Adrian P

2016-01-01

In phase I cancer clinical trials, the maximum tolerated dose of a new drug is often found by a dose-escalation method known as the A + B design. We have developed an interactive web application, AplusB, which computes and returns exact operating characteristics of A + B trial designs. The application has a graphical user interface (GUI), requires no programming knowledge and is free to access and use on any device that can open an internet browser. A customised report is available for download for each design that contains tabulated operating characteristics and informative plots, which can then be compared with other dose-escalation methods. We present a step-by-step guide on how to use this application and provide several illustrative examples of its capabilities.

Effectiveness of a knowledge-contact program in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving people living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Yiu, Jessie W; Mak, Winnie W S; Ho, Winnie S; Chui, Ying Yu

2010-07-01

This study compared the effectiveness of an AIDS knowledge-only program (knowledge) with a combined program of AIDS knowledge and contact with people having HIV/AIDS (PHA) (knowledge-contact) in reducing nursing students' stigma and discrimination towards PHA and in enhancing their emotional competence to serve PHA. Eighty-nine nursing students from two universities in Hong Kong were randomly assigned to either the knowledge or the knowledge-contact condition. All participants completed measures of AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, positive affect, and negative affect at pre-test, post-test, and six-week follow-up. Findings showed that in both groups, significant improvement in AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were found at post-test. The effects on AIDS knowledge, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were sustained at follow-up for both groups. Intergroup comparisons at post-test showed that the effectiveness of knowledge-contact program was significantly greater than knowledge program in improving stigmatizing attitudes. No significant difference between the two groups was found at follow-up. Findings showed the short-term effect of contact in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving PHA. Implications for research and training of nursing staff were discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1: Biomedical knowledge integration.

PubMed

Payne, Philip R O

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems.

Chapter 1: Biomedical Knowledge Integration

PubMed Central

Payne, Philip R. O.

2012-01-01

The modern biomedical research and healthcare delivery domains have seen an unparalleled increase in the rate of innovation and novel technologies over the past several decades. Catalyzed by paradigm-shifting public and private programs focusing upon the formation and delivery of genomic and personalized medicine, the need for high-throughput and integrative approaches to the collection, management, and analysis of heterogeneous data sets has become imperative. This need is particularly pressing in the translational bioinformatics domain, where many fundamental research questions require the integration of large scale, multi-dimensional clinical phenotype and bio-molecular data sets. Modern biomedical informatics theory and practice has demonstrated the distinct benefits associated with the use of knowledge-based systems in such contexts. A knowledge-based system can be defined as an intelligent agent that employs a computationally tractable knowledge base or repository in order to reason upon data in a targeted domain and reproduce expert performance relative to such reasoning operations. The ultimate goal of the design and use of such agents is to increase the reproducibility, scalability, and accessibility of complex reasoning tasks. Examples of the application of knowledge-based systems in biomedicine span a broad spectrum, from the execution of clinical decision support, to epidemiologic surveillance of public data sets for the purposes of detecting emerging infectious diseases, to the discovery of novel hypotheses in large-scale research data sets. In this chapter, we will review the basic theoretical frameworks that define core knowledge types and reasoning operations with particular emphasis on the applicability of such conceptual models within the biomedical domain, and then go on to introduce a number of prototypical data integration requirements and patterns relevant to the conduct of translational bioinformatics that can be addressed via the design and use of knowledge-based systems. PMID:23300416

Outcomes of a program in business education for physicians and other health care professionals.

PubMed

Young, Mark A; Hough, Douglas E; Peskin, Michael R

2003-10-01

We sought to determine the expectations that graduates of one business of medicine program had upon enrollment and to ascertain fulfillment of those expectations after completion, as well as the extent to which participating in the program improved business skills and led to advancement in office practice or career development. A postal mail survey was conducted of graduates of The Johns Hopkins University's Business of Medicine Program, a year-long, four-course certificate program to educate midcareer academic and nonacademic physicians and other health care professionals about fundamental business practices and their application to health care. Surveys were sent to 285 graduates, and responses were received from 136 (48%) of them. Most respondents expected the program to expand their management skills, to enhance their knowledge of marketplace trends, and to advance their careers. These results were not correlated with respondents' age, sex, or profession (ie, physician, non-physician). More than 87% of respondents agreed that their overall expectations had been fulfilled by the time they completed the survey. Participants noted, however, that several expectations were unfulfilled upon replying to the survey. Programs designed to educate physicians and other health care professionals--in private practice, academia, or industry--about the business aspects of medicine can be effective but need to be designed carefully to integrate business theory and application to the medical setting.

Knowledge Transfer through a Transnational Program Partnership between Indonesian and Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutrisno, Agustian; Pillay, Hitendra

2015-01-01

As transnational programs are often advocated as a knowledge transfer opportunity between the partner universities, this case study investigated the knowledge transfer (KT) processes between Indonesian and Australian universities through an undergraduate transnational program partnership (TPP). An inter-organisational KT theoretical framework from…

Writing a bachelor thesis generates transferable knowledge and skills useable in nursing practice.

PubMed

Lundgren, Solveig M; Robertsson, Barbro

2013-11-01

Generic skills or transferable skills have been discussed in terms of whether or not skills learned in one context can be transferred into another context. The current study was aimed to explore nurses' self-perceptions of the knowledge and skills they had obtained while writing a Bachelor's thesis in nursing education, their experience of the extent of transfer and utilization in their current work. Responding nurses (N=42) had all worked from 1 to 1.5 years after their final examination and had completed a questionnaire that was structured with open-ended questions. Only five nurses reported that they were unable to use any of the knowledge and skills they had obtained from writing a thesis. A majority of the nurses (37/42) could give many examples of the practical application of the skills and knowledge they had obtained. Our findings indicate that writing a thesis as part of an undergraduate degree program plays a major role in the acquisition and development of knowledge and skills which can subsequently be transferred into and utilized in nursing practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students' clinical learning in an emerging dental school: an investigation in international collaboration between Michigan and Ghana.

PubMed

Peters, Mathilde C; Adu-Ababio, Francis; Jarrett-Ananaba, Nejay P; Johnson, Lynn A

2013-12-01

The dearth of dental faculty members is a widely known problem that is exacerbated in countries that are attempting to begin dental education programs. This collaboration between Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Michigan investigated if dental students who have just started their clinical dental education can learn the knowledge and skills required for identifying and restoring cavitated caries lesions through compact course delivery. There were three instructional blocks: 1) didactic seminar; 2) seminar, simulated hands-on skills instruction, and clinical observation/assisting with treatment of schoolchildren; and 3) seminar, simulated skills training, and application to schoolchildren. Each dental student completed a questionnaire measuring knowledge and perceptions of knowledge, experience, and confidence at five points in time. The dental students' knowledge increased significantly as well as their perceived knowledge, experience, and confidence (p<0.0001). In general, the students showed proficiency in delivering simple treatments. The project showed that an integrated compact course delivery model may assist emerging dental schools to cope with the challenging shortage of resident faculty members.

Enhanced knowledge of spontaneous reporting with structured educational programs in Korean community pharmacists: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yu, Yun Mi; Lee, Euni

2017-05-30

While spontaneous reporting (SR) is one of the important public health activities for community pharmacists to guard patients' safety, very few studies examined educational activities and its effects on knowledge about the SR system in Korea. This study described the association between knowledge of SR and educational activities targeting community pharmacists in Korea. Self-administered questionnaires were collected between September 1, 2014 and November 25, 2014. The questionnaires addressed sources of SR knowledge (structured educational programs, personal access to educational resources, and information by social network services) and knowledge about the Regional Pharmacovigilance Center designated for community pharmacists, the legal responsibility clause on the serious event reporting, and the reportable items. The association between the knowledge of SR and the educational activities was evaluated using analysis of variance or chi-squared tests. Overall, 766 questionnaires demonstrated that mean age and length of career in community pharmacies was 45.7 years and 15.9 years, respectively. A structured educational program was used in 63.1% of the participants followed by a personal access to educational resources (56.3%). An educational program offered by the Korean Pharmaceutical Association was the most frequently mentioned program (56.8%), and no regional disparity in the program between the metropolitan and rural areas was observed. Pharmacists who had personal access to educational resources identified SR knowledge contents less correctly than those who used a structured educational program or both (p < 0.01). In general, pharmacists' knowledge on reportable items was significantly lower with non-prescription drugs, nutritional supplements, and personal hygiene products as compared to their knowledge on prescription drugs, regardless of the type of education (p < 0.01). Knowledge regarding SR was more likely to increase when a structured educational program was used alone or in combination with other educational methods. Knowledge on reportable items should be reinforced during the continuing education process.