Impact of Robotic Surgery on Decision Making: Perspectives of Surgical Teams

PubMed Central

Randell, Rebecca; Alvarado, Natasha; Honey, Stephanie; Greenhalgh, Joanne; Gardner, Peter; Gill, Arron; Jayne, David; Kotze, Alwyn; Pearman, Alan; Dowding, Dawn

2015-01-01

There has been rapid growth in the purchase of surgical robots in both North America and Europe in recent years. Whilst this technology promises many benefits for patients, the introduction of such a complex interactive system into healthcare practice often results in unintended consequences that are difficult to predict. Decision making by surgeons during an operation is affected by variables including tactile perception, visual perception, motor skill, and instrument complexity, all of which are changed by robotic surgery, yet the impact of robotic surgery on decision making has not been previously studied. Drawing on the approach of realist evaluation, we conducted a multi-site interview study across nine hospitals, interviewing 44 operating room personnel with experience of robotic surgery to gather their perspectives on how robotic surgery impacts surgeon decision making. The findings reveal both potential benefits and challenges of robotic surgery for decision making. PMID:26958244

Impact of Robotic Surgery on Decision Making: Perspectives of Surgical Teams.

PubMed

Randell, Rebecca; Alvarado, Natasha; Honey, Stephanie; Greenhalgh, Joanne; Gardner, Peter; Gill, Arron; Jayne, David; Kotze, Alwyn; Pearman, Alan; Dowding, Dawn

2015-01-01

There has been rapid growth in the purchase of surgical robots in both North America and Europe in recent years. Whilst this technology promises many benefits for patients, the introduction of such a complex interactive system into healthcare practice often results in unintended consequences that are difficult to predict. Decision making by surgeons during an operation is affected by variables including tactile perception, visual perception, motor skill, and instrument complexity, all of which are changed by robotic surgery, yet the impact of robotic surgery on decision making has not been previously studied. Drawing on the approach of realist evaluation, we conducted a multi-site interview study across nine hospitals, interviewing 44 operating room personnel with experience of robotic surgery to gather their perspectives on how robotic surgery impacts surgeon decision making. The findings reveal both potential benefits and challenges of robotic surgery for decision making.

Constructing food choice decisions.

PubMed

Sobal, Jeffery; Bisogni, Carole A

2009-12-01

Food choice decisions are frequent, multifaceted, situational, dynamic, and complex and lead to food behaviors where people acquire, prepare, serve, give away, store, eat, and clean up. Many disciplines and fields examine decision making. Several classes of theories are applicable to food decision making, including social behavior, social facts, and social definition perspectives. Each offers some insights but also makes limiting assumptions that prevent fully explaining food choice decisions. We used constructionist social definition perspectives to inductively develop a food choice process model that organizes a broad scope of factors and dynamics involved in food behaviors. This food choice process model includes (1) life course events and experiences that establish a food choice trajectory through transitions, turning points, timing, and contexts; (2) influences on food choices that include cultural ideals, personal factors, resources, social factors, and present contexts; and (3) a personal system that develops food choice values, negotiates and balances values, classifies foods and situations, and forms/revises food choice strategies, scripts, and routines. The parts of the model dynamically interact to make food choice decisions leading to food behaviors. No single theory can fully explain decision making in food behavior. Multiple perspectives are needed, including constructionist thinking.

Practicing governance towards equity in health systems: LMIC perspectives and experience.

PubMed

Gilson, Lucy; Lehmann, Uta; Schneider, Helen

2017-09-15

The unifying theme of the papers in this series is a concern for understanding the everyday practice of governance in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) health systems. Rather than seeing governance as a normative health system goal addressed through the architecture and design of accountability and regulatory frameworks, these papers provide insights into the real-world decision-making of health policy and system actors. Their multiple, routine decisions translate policy intentions into practice - and are filtered through relationships, underpinned by values and norms, influenced by organizational structures and resources, and embedded in historical and socio-political contexts. These decisions are also political acts - in that they influence who accesses benefits and whose voices are heard in decision-making, reinforcing or challenging existing institutional exclusion and power inequalities. In other words, the everyday practice of governance has direct impacts on health system equity.The papers in the series address governance through diverse health policy and system issues, consider actors located at multiple levels of the system and draw on multi-disciplinary perspectives. They present detailed examination of experiences in a range of African and Indian settings, led by authors who live and work in these settings. The overall purpose of the papers in this series is thus to provide an empirical and embedded research perspective on governance and equity in health systems.

Rethinking Human-Centered Computing: Finding the Customer and Negotiated Interactions at the Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wales, Roxana; O'Neill, John; Mirmalek, Zara

2003-01-01

The breakdown in the air transportation system over the past several years raises an interesting question for researchers: How can we help improve the reliability of airline operations? In offering some answers to this question, we make a statement about Huuman-Centered Computing (HCC). First we offer the definition that HCC is a multi-disciplinary research and design methodology focused on supporting humans as they use technology by including cognitive and social systems, computational tools and the physical environment in the analysis of organizational systems. We suggest that a key element in understanding organizational systems is that there are external cognitive and social systems (customers) as well as internal cognitive and social systems (employees) and that they interact dynamically to impact the organization and its work. The design of human-centered intelligent systems must take this outside-inside dynamic into account. In the past, the design of intelligent systems has focused on supporting the work and improvisation requirements of employees but has often assumed that customer requirements are implicitly satisfied by employee requirements. Taking a customer-centric perspective provides a different lens for understanding this outside-inside dynamic, the work of the organization and the requirements of both customers and employees In this article we will: 1) Demonstrate how the use of ethnographic methods revealed the important outside-inside dynamic in an airline, specifically the consequential relationship between external customer requirements and perspectives and internal organizational processes and perspectives as they came together in a changing environment; 2) Describe how taking a customer centric perspective identifies places where the impact of the outside-inside dynamic is most critical and requires technology that can be adaptive; 3) Define and discuss the place of negotiated interactions in airline operations, identifying how these interactions between customers and airline employees provided new insights into design problems in the airline system; 4) Show how taking a customer-centric perspective influences the HCC design of an airline system and make recommendations for new architectures and intelligent devices that will enable airline systems to adapt flexibly to delay situations, supporting both customers and airline employees.

Energy Levels and Co-evolution of Product Innovation in Supply Chain Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Guojun

In the last decade supply chain clusters phenomenon has emerged as a new approach in product innovation studies. This article makes three contributions to the approach by addressing some open issues. The first contribution is to explicitly incorporate the energy levels in the analysis. Hence, the unit of analysis is widened from sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems. Hence, the unit of analysis is widened from sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems. The second contribution is to suggest an analytical distinction between different evolution method, actors involved in them, and the institutions which guide actor's perceptions and activities. Thirdly, the article opens up the black box of institutions, making them an integral part of supply chain. The article provides a coherent conceptual multi-level perspective, using insights from sociology, institutional theory and innovation studies. The perspective is particularly useful to analyze long-term dynamics supply chain clusters phenomenon, shifts from one energy level to another and the co-evolution of product innovation.

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.

Assessing Roles of People, Technology and Structure in Emergency Management Systems: A Public Sector Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minkyun; Sharman, Raj; Cook-Cottone, Catherine P.; Rao, H. Raghav; Upadhyaya, Shambhu J.

2012-01-01

Emergency management systems are a critical factor in successful mitigation of natural and man-made disasters, facilitating responder decision making in complex situations. Based on socio-technical systems, have which four components (people, technology, structure and task), this study develops a research framework of factors affecting effective…

Moral decision making in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Chally, P S

1992-01-01

To gain information about the perspective that neonatal intensive-care unit nurses use to make moral decisions. Descriptive. Neonatal intensive-care unit of a large teaching hospital in the midwestern United States. Convenience sample of 26 female nurses working in a neonatal intensive-care unit. Audiotaped, semistructured interviews and demographic questionnaires. The results indicated that most (65%) of the nurses used the care perspective to make moral decisions. A small number (12%) used the justice perspective, and the remaining nurses (23%) used a combined care and justice perspective. Both the care and justice perspectives were found to be important for understanding how nurses make moral decisions.

High Stakes Assessment: A Local District Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldham, Ben R.

The Kentucky Education Reform Act legislated by the 1990 General Assembly created a high-stakes school performance accountability system to monitor the progress of implementation. One major component of the accountability system is a schedule of consequences designed to reward those schools making sufficient progress in improving student…

Cable Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cable Television Information Center, Washington, DC.

A guide to the economic factors that influence cable television systems is presented. Designed for local officials who must have some familiarity with cable operations in order to make optimum decisions, the guide analyzes the financial framework of a cable system, not only from the operators viewpoint, but also from the perspective of the…

A Consideration of Factors Accounting for Goal Effectiveness: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, James H.

This research paper presents a model of organizational effectiveness based on the open system perspective and tests four hypotheses concerning organizational effectiveness factors. Organizational effectiveness can be defined as the extent to which a social system makes progress toward objectives based on the four phases of organizational…

Technology Development and Deployment | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

nexus. Example Projects Making Biofuel from Microalgae The Energy-Water-Food Nexus through the Lens of Algal Systems Planning for Algal Systems: An Energy-Water-Food Nexus Perspective (a strategic framework ) Core Capabilities Field Test Laboratory Building Sample Publications "Energy-Water-Food Nexus

Service Level Decision-making in Rural Physiotherapy: Development of Conceptual Models.

PubMed

Adams, Robyn; Jones, Anne; Lefmann, Sophie; Sheppard, Lorraine

2016-06-01

Understanding decision-making about health service provision is increasingly important in an environment of increasing demand and constrained resources. Multiple factors are likely to influence decisions about which services will be provided, yet workforce is the most noted factor in the rural physiotherapy literature. This paper draws together results obtained from exploration of service level decision-making (SLDM) to propose 'conceptual' models of rural physiotherapy SLDM. A prioritized qualitative approach enabled exploration of participant perspectives about rural physiotherapy decision-making. Stakeholder perspectives were obtained through surveys and in-depth interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed by participants. Participant confidentiality was maintained by coding both participants and sites. A system theory-case study heuristic provided a framework for exploration across sites within the investigation area: a large area of one Australian state with a mix of regional, rural and remote communities. Thirty-nine surveys were received from participants in 11 communities. Nineteen in-depth interviews were conducted with physiotherapists and key decision-makers. Results reveal the complexity of factors influencing rural physiotherapy service provision and the value of a systems approach when exploring decision-making about rural physiotherapy service provision. Six key features were identified that formed the rural physiotherapy SLDM system: capacity and capability; contextual influences; layered decision-making; access issues; value and beliefs; and tensions and conflict. Rural physiotherapy SLDM is not a one-dimensional process but results from the complex interaction of clusters of systems issues. Decision-making about physiotherapy service provision is influenced by both internal and external factors. Similarities in influencing factors and the iterative nature of decision-making emerged, which enabled linking physiotherapy SLDM with clinical decision-making and placing both within the broader healthcare context. The conceptual models provide a way of thinking about decisions informing rural physiotherapy service provision. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Education of Gifted Students--An Axiological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekowski, Andrzej; Lubianka, Beata

2014-01-01

This article is an attempt at a systematic presentation of the knowledge of problems related to the value system of gifted persons. Psychological literature was reviewed to make the reader familiar with the concept of the value system and to present the current state of research. The problem of the value system of gifted persons was discussed from…

A Living Systems Model for Assessing and Promoting the Sustainability of Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larrick, Steve

A living systems model of community development has been synthesized from elements of three perspectives: (1) a global movement toward more sustainable patterns of human development that is identifying indicators of community health in a wide range of categories; (2) research on the complex interactions of living systems that make life on earth…

Criminal decision making: the development of adolescent judgment, criminal responsibility, and culpability.

PubMed

Fried, C S; Reppucci, N D

2001-02-01

Theories of judgment in decision making hypothesize that throughout adolescence, judgment is impaired because the development of several psychosocial factors that are presumed to influence decision making lags behind the development of the cognitive capacities that are required to make mature decisions. This study uses an innovative video technique to examine the role of several psychosocial factors--temporal perspective, peer influence, and risk perception--in adolescent criminal decision making. Results based on data collected from 56 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 years revealed that detained youth were more likely to think of future-oriented consequences of engaging in the depicted delinquent act and less likely to anticipate pressure from their friends than nondetained youth. Examination of the developmental functions of the psychosocial factors indicates age-based differences on standardized measures of temporal perspective and resistance to peer influence and on measures of the role of risk perception in criminal decision making. Assessments of criminal responsibility and culpability were predicted by age and ethnicity. Implications for punishment in the juvenile justice system are discussed.

Educational Technology in Europe: Current Issues from the Learning Sciences Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cress, Ulrike

2012-01-01

The article describes Web 2.0 as a revolutionary technology for actual learning. Using the example of the Wikipedia article about Fukushima, it discusses emergent processes of knowledge building and explains how they can be used for learning purposes. The examples make it obvious that it is the social system that makes groups work so effectively.…

Training for a New Weapon System: Proposals for Introducing a New Maritime Patrol Aircraft Weapon System to the Operational Active and Reserve Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-20

found that surprising little attention , from the operational perspective, is devoted to training. More often than not the philosophy and direction of... making stages noted above represents a potentially significant dollar savings in manpower costs. Such an automated approach would eliminate a...zresented to illustrate the volume of equipment which must be mastered 5 eacn memoer of the tactical crew. ,Wether drodate iV ever makes it to full scale

Enlarging the Societal Pie Through Wise Legislation: A Psychological Perspective.

PubMed

Baron, Jonathan; Bazerman, Max H; Shonk, Katherine

2006-06-01

We offer a psychological perspective to explain the failure of governments to create near-Pareto improvements. Our tools for analyzing these failures reflect the difficulties people have trading small losses for large gains: the fixed-pie approach to negotiations, the omission bias and status quo bias, parochialism and dysfunctional competition, and the neglect of secondary effects. We examine the role of human judgment in the failure to find wise trade-offs by discussing diverse applications of citizen and government decision making, including AIDS treatment, organ-donation systems, endangered-species protection, subsidies, and free trade. Our overall goal is to offer a psychological approach for understanding suboptimality in government decision making. © 2006 Association for Psychological Science.

Managing costs, managing benefits: employer decisions in local health care markets.

PubMed

Christianson, Jon B; Trude, Sally

2003-02-01

To better understand employer health benefit decision making, how employer health benefits strategies evolve over time, and the impact of employer decisions on local health care systems. Data were collected as part of the Community Tracking Study (CTS), a longitudinal analysis of health system change in 12 randomly selected communities. This is an observational study with data collection over a six-year period. The study used semistructured interviews with local respondents, combined with monitoring of local media, to track changes in health care systems over time and their impact on community residents. Interviewing began in 1996 and was carried out at two-year intervals, with a total of approximately 2,200 interviews. The interviews provided a variety of perspectives on employer decision making concerning health benefits; these perspectives were triangulated to reach conclusions. The tight labor market during the study period was the dominant consideration in employer decision making regarding health benefits. Employers, in managing employee compensation, made independent decisions in pursuit of individual goals, but these decisions were shaped by similar labor market conditions. As a result, within and across our study sites, employer decisions in aggregate had an important impact on local health care systems, although employers' more highly visible public efforts to bring about health system change often met with disappointing results. General economic conditions in the 1990s had an important impact on the configuration of local health systems through their effect on employer decision making regarding health benefits offered to employees, and the responses of health plans and providers to those decisions.

The Development of an eHealth Tool Suite for Prostate Cancer Patients and Their Partners

PubMed Central

Van Bogaert, Donna; Hawkins, Robert; Pingree, Suzanne; Jarrard, David

2013-01-01

Background eHealth resources for people facing health crises must balance the expert knowledge and perspective of developers and clinicians against the very different needs and perspectives of prospective users. This formative study explores the information and support needs of posttreatment prostate cancer patients and their partners as a way to improve an existing eHealth information and support system called CHESS (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System). Methods Focus groups with patient survivors and their partners were used to identify information gaps and information-seeking milestones. Results Both patients and partners expressed a need for assistance in decision making, connecting with experienced patients, and making sexual adjustments. Female partners of patients are more active in searching for cancer information. All partners have information and support needs distinct from those of the patient. Conclusions Findings were used to develop a series of interactive tools and navigational features for the CHESS prostate cancer computer-mediated system. PMID:22591675

Perceived critical success factors of electronic health record system implementation in a dental clinic context: An organisational management perspective.

PubMed

Sidek, Yusof Haji; Martins, Jorge Tiago

2017-11-01

Electronic health records (EHR) make health care more efficient. They improve the quality of care by making patients' medical history more accessible. However, little is known about the factors contributing to the successful EHR implementation in dental clinics. This article aims to identify the perceived critical success factors of EHR system implementation in a dental clinic context. We used Grounded Theory to analyse data collected in the context of Brunei's national EHR - the Healthcare Information and Management System (Bru-HIMS). Data analysis followed the stages of open, axial and selective coding. Six perceived critical success factors emerged: usability of the system, emergent behaviours, requirements analysis, training, change management, and project organisation. The study identified a mismatch between end-users and product owner/vendor perspectives. Workflow changes were significant challenges to clinicians' confident use, particularly as the system offered limited modularity and configurability. Recommendations are made for all the parties involved in healthcare information systems implementation to manage the change process by agreeing system goals and functionalities through wider consensual debate, and participated supporting strategies realised through common commitment. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Community views and perspectives on public engagement in health technology assessment decision making.

PubMed

Wortley, Sally; Tong, Allison; Howard, Kirsten

2017-03-01

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe community views and perspectives on public engagement processes in Australian health technology assessment (HTA) decision making. Methods Six focus groups were held in Sydney (NSW, Australia) as part of a broad program of work on public engagement and HTA. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years and spoke English. Participants were asked about their views and perspectives of public engagement in the HTA decision-making process, with responses analysed using a public participation framework. Results Fifty-eight participants aged 19-71 years attended the focus groups. Responses from the public indicated that they wanted public engagement in HTA to include a diversity of individuals, be independent and transparent, involve individuals early in the process and ensure that public input is meaningful and useful to the process. This was consistent with the public participation framework. Perceived shortcomings of the current public engagement process were also identified, namely the lack of awareness of the HTA system in the general population and the need to acknowledge the role different groups of stakeholders or 'publics' can have in the process. Conclusions The public do see a role for themselves in the HTA decision-making process. This is distinct to the involvement of patients and carers. It is important that any future public engagement strategy in this field distinguishes between stakeholder groups and outline approaches that will involve members of the public in the decision-making process, especially if public expectations of involvement in healthcare decision-making continue to increase. What is known about this topic? The views and perspectives of patients and consumers are important in the HTA decision-making process. There is a move to involve the broader community, particularly as decisions become increasingly complex and resources more scarce. What does this paper add? It not been known to what extent, or at what points, the community would like to be engaged with the HTA decision-making process. The present study adds to the evidence base on this topic by identifying features of engagement that may be important in determining the extent of wider public involvement. It is clear that the community expects the system to be transparent, for patients to be involved early in specific processes and the wider community to be able to contribute to the broader vision of the healthcare system. What are the implications for practitioners? A formalised strategy is needed to include the public voice into health technology decisions. With the current level of reform in the healthcare sector and the focus on creating a sustainable healthcare system, there is a real opportunity to implement an approach that not only informs patients and the community of the challenges, but includes and incorporates their views into these decisions. This will assist in developing and adapting policy that is relevant and meets the needs of the population.

Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Basic Magnetism from a Complex Systems Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemmer, Miriam; Kriek, Jeanne; Erasmus, Benita

2018-03-01

This study established whether 12 South African secondary school physics students had incorrect conceptions of basic magnetism and if they had, to what extent they consistently applied such conceptions. Different scenarios in the form of thought experiments were presented in a clinical interview approach. A complex systems perspective underpinned the study and was firstly used to analyze 12 students' conceptions in terms of intuitive fragments of knowledge elements, structured misconceptions, and theory-like system of knowledge elements. Secondly, coherence in each student's ideas expressed across ten themes using thought experiments was analyzed in an effort to determine variations or coherence in responses. Examples of student explanations and sketches are discussed in the paper to illustrate the conceptual structures they applied. Most of the students in this study used a variety of knowledge elements in accord with a complex systems perspective, but three students seemed to prefer a specific perspective. One student's ideas tended to be mainly fragmented, a second exposed a number of structured misconceptions, while another student's reasoning can be described as a theory-like system of knowledge elements. Accordingly, the emphasis of physics education research should no longer be on the compilation of a list of misconceptions that have to be remedied or replaced, but on the conceptual connections, students make and their associative reasoning patterns (i.e., knowledge systems revealed). It remains for the teacher to use the complex systems perspective as a framework to facilitate students' conceptual development and understanding, proceeding on their existing knowledge systems.

Time Perspective and Career Decision-Making Difficulties in Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taber, Brian J.

2013-01-01

Decision making is not only contingent upon what takes place in the present but also on how one feels about the past and one's hopes for the future. However, when it comes to time perspective and career decision making, vocational psychology has focused exclusively on future time perspective. The present study examines the relations among past,…

Culture and meaning: expanding the metaphorical repertoire of family therapy.

PubMed

Paré, D A

1996-03-01

This essay proposes that a family therapy founded on a contemporary, postmodern perspective demands an expanded range of metaphors for the family and the work of therapy. It describes a perspective that emphasizes a view of the family as a culture, as opposed to a system. A cultural perspective naturally addresses issues of meaning and language, narrative, politics, and practices of power-critical contemporary concerns not adequately encompassed by traditional systemic formulations. The essay explores the relationship between theory and metaphor, and contrasts the views of persons and of the family offered by the metaphors of culture and system. Case illustrations demonstrate how a cultural view effectively fashions an expanded therapeutic discourse, shifting the focus of family therapy from normative prescriptions for family "functionality" to issues of intercultural harmony. This shift in emphasis also extends to individual work, where the therapeutic task is construed as a peace-making between conflicting stories that intersect in the client's life.

The reconstruction of narrative identity during mental health recovery: a complex adaptive systems perspective.

PubMed

Kerr, Douglas J R; Crowe, Trevor P; Oades, Lindsay G

2013-06-01

1) to understand the reconstruction of narrative identity during mental health recovery using a complex adaptive systems perspective, 2) to address the need for alternative approaches that embrace the complexities of health care. A narrative review of published literature was conducted. A complex adaptive systems perspective offers a framework and language that can assist individuals to make sense of their experiences and reconstruct their narratives during an often erratic and uncertain life transition. It is a novel research direction focused on a critical area of recovery and addresses the need for alternative approaches that embrace the complexities of health care. A complexity research approach to narrative identity reconstruction is valuable. It is an accessible model for addressing the complexities of recovery and may underpin the development of simple, practical recovery coaching tools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Behavioral medicine perspectives on the design of health information technology to improve decision-making, guideline adherence, and care coordination in chronic pain management.

PubMed

Midboe, Amanda M; Lewis, Eleanor T; Cronkite, Ruth C; Chambers, Dallas; Goldstein, Mary K; Kerns, Robert D; Trafton, Jodie A

2011-03-01

Development of clinical decision support systems (CDSs) has tended to focus on facilitating medication management. An understanding of behavioral medicine perspectives on the usefulness of a CDS for patient care can expand CDSs to improve management of chronic disease. The purpose of this study is to explore feedback from behavioral medicine providers regarding the potential for CDSs to improve decision-making, care coordination, and guideline adherence in pain management. Qualitative methods were used to analyze semi-structured interview responses from behavioral medicine stakeholders following demonstration of an existing CDS for opioid prescribing, ATHENA-OT. Participants suggested that a CDS could assist with decision-making by educating providers, providing recommendations about behavioral therapy, facilitating risk assessment, and improving referral decisions. They suggested that a CDS could improve care coordination by facilitating division of workload, improving patient education, and increasing consideration and knowledge of options in other disciplines. Clinical decision support systems are promising tools for improving behavioral medicine care for chronic pain.

The Role of Dysfunctional Myths in a Decision-Making Process under Bounded Rationality: A Complex Dynamical Systems Perspective.

PubMed

Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Vaiopoulou, Julie

2017-07-01

The present study examines the factors influencing a decision-making process, with specific focus on the role of dysfunctional myths (DM). DM are thoughts or beliefs that are rather irrational, however influential to people's decisions. In this paper a decision-making process regarding the career choice of university students majoring in natural sciences and education (N=496) is examined by analyzing survey data taken via Career Decision Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). The difficulty of making the choice and the certainty about one's decision were the state variables, while the independent variables were factors related to the lack of information or knowledge needed, which actually reflect a bounded rationality. Cusp catastrophe analysis, based on both least squares and maximum likelihood procedures, showed that the nonlinear models predicting the two state variables were superior to linear alternatives. Factors related to lack of knowledge about the steps involved in the process of career decision-making, lack of information about the various occupations, lack of information about self and lack of motivation acted as asymmetry, while dysfunctional myths acted as bifurcation factor for both state variables. The catastrophe model, grounded in empirical data, revealed a unique role for DM and a better interpretation within the context of complexity and the notion of bounded rationality. The analysis opens the nonlinear dynamical systems (NDS) perspective in studying decision-making processes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Language Program as Ecology: A Perspective for Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennington, Martha C.; Hoekje, Barbara J.

2010-01-01

A language program is a delicate and intricate system of interacting resources or components, which, like a biological ecology, is in a constant state of evolution and change. The interactive system making up the program's internal culture is connected ecologically to the external environment. The ecological model is introduced as a useful…

A University Department as a Community of Practice: A Quality Promotion Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitzer, E. M.

2010-01-01

Wenger (2000, 229) describes communities of practice as the "basic building blocks of a social learning system" since they are the "social containers" that make up such a system. By practising in academic communities, academics define with one another what constitutes academic competence and, for that matter, what constitutes…

Democratic Consolidation and Comparative Political Perspective on the 2002 Presidential Election in the ROK

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

combining presidential system with legislature where no single party has majority status is a kiss of death.”52 According to Giovanni Sartori , the...Cheibub and Limongi, “What Makes Democracies Endure?” p. 46. 53 Giovanni Sartori , Parties and Party Systems (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

The Decision-Making Process for Families Investing in Higher Education: A Family Systems Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHugh, Erin M.

2017-01-01

When families consider investing in their children's education they must weigh the perceived costs against the potential benefits, which becomes increasingly difficult as the cost of higher education continues to rise. Using a family systems approach, this phenomenological study explored the central research question, "How do families…

[Conflicting values in Colombia's health system: balancing the market economy and constitutional legislation, 2007-2009].

PubMed

Molina, Gloria; Ramírez, Andrés

2013-04-01

To present the conflicting moral issues that arise in clinical and administrative decision-making processes in Colombia's General Health Social Security System (SGSSS). A study was conducted between 2007 and 2009 in six Colombian cities (Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Leticia, Medellín, and Pasto) using a theory-based qualitative methodology. A total of 179 in-depth interviews were held with physicians, nursing personnel, and administrators with broad experience in the health sector, as well as 10 focus groups representing users and leaders of community organizations involved in health. The interviews, which followed a predetermined script and used semistructured questions, gathered personal and professional information from the respondents. The health care decision-making process in Colombia is seen from two different moral perspectives: the rentier, or profit-making, motive, characterized by a neoliberal view of the market economy (the practical perspective), and the constitutional axiology of social democracy (the regulatory perspective). It was found that the utilitarian and individualistic motive predominates, in which individual and business profits are promoted over the collective interest, and this trend favors practices that undermine the rights of people and the community. Predominance of a morality that views the Colombian SGSSS in terms of the market model generates conditions that go against the principles and values that are supposed to guide the health system as guarantor of the right to health and human dignity. Health decisions should take into account not only technical and scientific criteria but also the principles and values involved, and consideration should be given to safeguarding them.

An Integrated Patient Information and In-Home Health Monitoring System Using Smartphones and Web Services.

PubMed

Sorwar, Golam; Ali, Mortuza; Islam, Md Kamrul; Miah, Mohammad Selim

2016-01-01

Modern healthcare systems are undergoing a paradigm shift from in-hospital care to in-home monitoring, leveraging the emerging technologies in the area of bio-sensing, wireless communication, mobile computing, and artificial intelligence. In-home monitoring promises to significantly reduce healthcare spending by preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and visits to healthcare professionals. Most of the in-home monitoring systems, proposed in the literature, focus on monitoring a set of specific vital signs. However, from the perspective of caregivers it is infeasible to maintain a collection of specialized monitoring systems. In this paper, we view the problem of in-home monitoring from the perspective of caregivers and present a framework that supports various monitoring capabilities while making the complexity transparent to the end users. The essential idea of the framework is to define a 'general purpose architecture' where the system specifies a particular protocol for communication and makes it public. Then any bio-sensing system can communicate with the system as long as it conforms to the protocol. We then argue that as the system grows in terms of number of patients and bio-sensing systems, artificial intelligence technologies need to be employed for patients' risk assessment, prioritization, and recommendation. Finally, we present an initial prototype of the system designed according to the proposed framework.

Follow the heart or the head? The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition.

PubMed

Luo, Jiayi; Yu, Rongjun

2015-01-01

The experience of emotion has a powerful influence on daily-life decision making. Following Plato's description of emotion and reason as two horses pulling us in opposite directions, modern dual-system models of decision making endorse the antagonism between reason and emotion. Decision making is perceived as the competition between an emotion system that is automatic but prone to error and a reason system that is slow but rational. The reason system (in "the head") reins in our impulses (from "the heart") and overrides our snap judgments. However, from Darwin's evolutionary perspective, emotion is adaptive, guiding us to make sound decisions in uncertainty. Here, drawing findings from behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, we provide a new model, labeled "The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition," to elaborate the relationship of emotion and reason in decision making. Specifically, in our model, we identify factors that determine when emotions override reason and delineate the type of contexts in which emotions help or hurt decision making. We then illustrate how cognition modulates emotion and how they cooperate to affect decision making.

The Development of Social Perspective Taking and Leadership Decision-Making in City Government Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rossum, Zachary Johannes

2013-01-01

I examined the role of social perspective taking in leadership decision-making by investigating how a group of 70 leaders made sense of a hypothetical workplace dilemma in order to understand how they used their capacity for social perspective taking as part of their decision-making process. The majority of these leaders work in North America, are…

Autonomy and Accountability: Teacher Perspectives on Evidence-Based Practice and Decision-Making for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenway, Rosanne; McCollow, Meaghan; Hudson, Roxanne F.; Peck, Charles; Davis, Carol A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher perspectives about evidence-based practices (EBP) and decision-making for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Given the current EBP movement, our study sought to understand practitioner definitions and perspectives on EBP and decision-making. Interview data from nine special…

Playing, sitting out, and observing the game: an investigation of faculty members' perspectives on political behavior in ethical decision making.

PubMed

Medeiros, Kelsey E; Gibson, Carter; Mecca, Jensen T; Giorgini, Vincent; Connelly, Shane; Mumford, Michael D

2015-01-01

Ethical dilemmas are inherently ambiguous, complex, and ill-defined. Additionally, these dilemmas involve multiple stakeholders. These characteristics may induce political behavior as a resolution tactic. Thus, the goal of the present effort was to investigate perspectives on politics among researchers in an ethical decision-making context. A qualitative analysis of interviews with university faculty members revealed that faculty members' perspectives on political behavior in an ethical decision-making context fall into a number of categories, including positive, negative, and realistic views of political activity. The implications of these varying perspectives on ethical decision making are discussed.

Applying social network analysis to the examination of interruptions in healthcare.

PubMed

McCurdie, Tara; Sanderson, Penelope; Aitken, Leanne M

2018-02-01

Examinations of interruptions in healthcare often focus on a single clinical discipline, and solutions are targeted accordingly. This approach does not take into account the inter-disciplinary dependencies and other sociotechnical aspects that make up the healthcare work system, and suggested solutions may not meet the needs of all stakeholders. In this article a sociotechnical systems perspective is used to uncover the interdependencies between 16 unique work roles that result in interruptions in an intensive care unit (ICU). By applying social network analysis techniques to data collected using the Dual Perspectives Method, we identified targeted systems-based interventions that may reduce unnecessary interruptions while avoiding unintended consequences that impose additional burden on ICU staff. The rich insights gained into the interruptive communication patterns in the ICU work system stand in contrast to findings that would have otherwise been obtained by focusing only on a single clinical discipline or a single perspective. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Using object-oriented analysis to design a multi-mission ground data system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shames, Peter

1995-01-01

This paper describes an analytical approach and descriptive methodology that is adapted from Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA) techniques. The technique is described and then used to communicate key issues of system logical architecture. The essence of the approach is to limit the analysis to only service objects, with the idea of providing a direct mapping from the design to a client-server implementation. Key perspectives on the system, such as user interaction, data flow and management, service interfaces, hardware configuration, and system and data integrity are covered. A significant advantage of this service-oriented approach is that it permits mapping all of these different perspectives on the system onto a single common substrate. This services substrate is readily represented diagramatically, thus making details of the overall design much more accessible.

Adopting a corporate perspective on databases. Improving support for research and decision making.

PubMed

Meistrell, M; Schlehuber, C

1996-03-01

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is at the forefront of designing and managing health care information systems that accommodate the needs of clinicians, researchers, and administrators at all levels. Rather than using one single-site, centralized corporate database VHA has constructed several large databases with different configurations to meet the needs of users with different perspectives. The largest VHA database is the Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP), a multisite, distributed data system that uses decoupled hospital databases. The centralization of DHCP policy has promoted data coherence, whereas the decentralization of DHCP management has permitted system development to be done with maximum relevance to the users'local practices. A more recently developed VHA data system, the Event Driven Reporting system (EDR), uses multiple, highly coupled databases to provide workload data at facility, regional, and national levels. The EDR automatically posts a subset of DHCP data to local and national VHA management. The development of the EDR illustrates how adoption of a corporate perspective can offer significant database improvements at reasonable cost and with modest impact on the legacy system.

Assessment for Systems Learning: A Holistic Assessment Framework to Support Decision Making Across the Medical Education Continuum.

PubMed

Bowe, Constance M; Armstrong, Elizabeth

2017-05-01

Viewing health care from a systems perspective-that is, "a collection of different things which, working together, produce a result not achievable by the things alone"-raises awareness of the complex interrelationships involved in meeting society's goals for accessible, cost-effective, high-quality health care. This perspective also emphasizes the far-reaching consequences of changes in one sector of a system on other components' performance. Medical education promotes this holistic view of health care in its curricula and competency requirements for graduation at the undergraduate and graduate training levels. But how completely does medical education apply a systems lens to itself?The continuum of medical training has undergone a series of changes that have moved it more closely to a systems organizational model. Competency assessment criteria have been expanded and more explicitly defined for learners at all levels of training. Outcomes data, in multiple domains, are monitored by external reviewers for program accreditation. However, translating increasing amounts of individual outcomes into actionable intelligence for decision making poses a formidable information management challenge.Assessment in systems is designed to impart a "big picture" of overall system performance through the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of outcomes data to provide actionable information for continuous systems improvement, innovation, and long-term planning. A systems-based framework is presented for use across the medical education continuum to facilitate timely improvements in individual curriculum components, continuous improvement in overall program performance, and program decision making on changes required to better address society's health care needs.

Safeguarding the provision of ecosystem services in catchment systems.

PubMed

Everard, Mark

2013-04-01

A narrow technocentric focus on a few favored ecosystem services (generally provisioning services) has led to ecosystem degradation globally, including catchment systems and their capacities to support human well-being. Increasing recognition of the multiple benefits provided by ecosystems is slowly being translated into policy and some areas of practice, although there remains a significant shortfall in the incorporation of a systemic perspective into operation management and decision-making tools. Nevertheless, a range of ecosystem-based solutions to issues as diverse as flooding and green space provision in the urban environment offers hope for improving habitat and optimization of beneficial services. The value of catchment ecosystem processes and their associated services is also being increasingly recognized and internalized by the water industry, improving water quality and quantity through catchment land management rather than at greater expense in the treatment costs of contaminated water abstracted lower in catchments. Parallel recognition of the value of working with natural processes, rather than "defending" built assets when catchment hydrology is adversely affected by unsympathetic upstream development, is being progressively incorporated into flood risk management policy. This focus on wider catchment processes also yields a range of cobenefits for fishery, wildlife, amenity, flood risk, and other interests, which may be optimized if multiple stakeholders and their diverse value systems are included in decision-making processes. Ecosystem services, particularly implemented as a central element of the ecosystem approach, provide an integrated framework for building in these different perspectives and values, many of them formerly excluded, into commercial and resource management decision-making processes, thereby making tractable the integrative aspirations of sustainable development. This can help redress deeply entrenched inherited assumptions, habits, and vested interests, replacing them in many management situations with wider recognition of the multiple values of ecosystems and their services. Global interest in taking an ecosystem approach is promoting novel scientific and policy thinking, yet there is a shortfall in its translation into practical management tools. Professional associations may have key roles to play in breaking down barriers to the "mainstreaming" of systemic perspectives into common practice, particularly through joining u different sectors of society essential to their implementation and ongoing adaptive management. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Elaborating on systems thinking in health promotion practice.

PubMed

Naaldenberg, Jenneken; Vaandrager, Lenneke; Koelen, Maria; Wagemakers, Anne-Marie; Saan, Hans; de Hoog, Kees

2009-03-01

Health and well-being are the result of a series of complex processes in which an individual interacts with other people and the environment. A systematic approach ensures incorporation of individual, ecological, social and political factors. However, interactions between these factors can be overlooked within a systematical approach. A systemic approach can provide additional information by incorporating interactions and communication. The opportunities of a systems thinking perspective for health promotion were investigated for this paper. Although others have also made attempts to explore systems thinking in the field of health promotion, the implications of systems thinking in practice need attention. Other fields such as agricultural extension studies, organizational studies and development studies provide useful experiences with the use of a systems thinking perspective in practice. Building on experiences from these fields, we give a theoretical background in which processes of social learning and innovation play an important role. From this background, we derive an overview of important concepts for the practical application of a systems thinking perspective. These concepts are the structure of the system, meanings attached to actions, and power relations between actors. To make these concepts more explicit and reduce the theoretical character of systems thinking, we use an illustration to elaborate on these concepts in practice. For this purpose, we describe a health promotion partnership in The Netherlands using the concepts structure, meaning and power relations. We show how a systems perspective increases insight in the functioning of a partnership and how this can facilitate processes of social learning and innovation. This article concludes by identifying future opportunities and challenges in adopting systems thinking for health promotion practice. A systems perspective towards health promotion can help projects reaching a more integral and sustainable approach in which the complex nature of health promotion processes is supported. Practical applications of systems thinking are necessary to adapt this perspective.

Managing Costs, Managing Benefits: Employer Decisions in Local Health Care Markets

PubMed Central

Christianson, Jon B; Trude, Sally

2003-01-01

Objectives To better understand employer health benefit decision making, how employer health benefits strategies evolve over time, and the impact of employer decisions on local health care systems. Data Sources/Study Setting. Data were collected as part of the Community Tracking Study (CTS), a longitudinal analysis of health system change in 12 randomly selected communities. Study Design This is an observational study with data collection over a six-year period. Data Collection/Extraction Methods The study used semistructured interviews with local respondents, combined with monitoring of local media, to track changes in health care systems over time and their impact on community residents. Interviewing began in 1996 and was carried out at two-year intervals, with a total of approximately 2,200 interviews. The interviews provided a variety of perspectives on employer decision making concerning health benefits; these perspectives were triangulated to reach conclusions. Principal Findings The tight labor market during the study period was the dominant consideration in employer decision making regarding health benefits. Employers, in managing employee compensation, made independent decisions in pursuit of individual goals, but these decisions were shaped by similar labor market conditions. As a result, within and across our study sites, employer decisions in aggregate had an important impact on local health care systems, although employers' more highly visible public efforts to bring about health system change often met with disappointing results. Conclusions General economic conditions in the 1990s had an important impact on the configuration of local health systems through their effect on employer decision making regarding health benefits offered to employees, and the responses of health plans and providers to those decisions. PMID:12650371

Applying Structural Systems Thinking to Frame Perspectives on Social Work Innovation.

PubMed

Stringfellow, Erin J

2017-03-01

Innovation will be key to the success of the Grand Challenges Initiative in social work. A structural systems framework based in system dynamics could be useful for considering how to advance innovation. Diagrams using system dynamics conventions were developed to link common themes across concept papers written by social work faculty members and graduate students ( N = 19). Transdisciplinary teams and ethical partnerships with communities and practitioners will be needed to responsibly develop high-quality innovative solutions. A useful next step would be to clarify to what extent factors that could "make or break" these partnerships arise from within versus outside of the field of social work and how this has changed over time. Advancing innovation in social work will mean making decisions in a complex, ever-changing system. Principles and tools from methods that account for complexity, such as system dynamics, can help improve this decision-making process.

Applying Structural Systems Thinking to Frame Perspectives on Social Work Innovation

PubMed Central

Stringfellow, Erin J.

2017-01-01

Objective Innovation will be key to the success of the Grand Challenges Initiative in social work. A structural systems framework based in system dynamics could be useful for considering how to advance innovation. Method Diagrams using system dynamics conventions were developed to link common themes across concept papers written by social work faculty members and graduate students (N = 19). Results Transdisciplinary teams and ethical partnerships with communities and practitioners will be needed to responsibly develop high-quality innovative solutions. A useful next step would be to clarify to what extent factors that could “make or break” these partnerships arise from within versus outside of the field of social work and how this has changed over time. Conclusions Advancing innovation in social work will mean making decisions in a complex, ever-changing system. Principles and tools from methods that account for complexity, such as system dynamics, can help improve this decision-making process. PMID:28298877

Comparing Telephone versus Mail Dissemination of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System Survey (HCAHPS) among Patients with Low Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fike, Geraldine C.

2012-01-01

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS) is a standardized survey instrument used by many hospitals for the purpose of measuring patient's perspectives regarding care received during their hospitalization. The survey provides national benchmark information enabling consumers to make comparisons of…

Using the Knowledge Base of Health Services Research to Redefine Health Care Systems.

PubMed

Brook, Robert H; Vaiana, Mary E

2015-10-01

This Perspective discusses 12 key facts derived from 50 years of health services research and argues that this knowledge base can stimulate innovative thinking about how to make health care systems safer, more efficient, more cost effective, and more patient centered, even as they respond to the needs of diverse communities.

Plenary Speech: Researching Complex Dynamic Systems--"Retrodictive Qualitative Modelling" in the Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dörnyei, Zoltán

2014-01-01

While approaching second language acquisition from a complex dynamic systems perspective makes a lot of intuitive sense, it is difficult for a number of reasons to operationalise such a dynamic approach in research terms. For example, the most common research paradigms in the social sciences tend to examine variables in relative isolation rather…

Performance assessment in complex individual and team tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eddy, Douglas R.

1992-01-01

Described here is an eclectic, performance based approach to assessing cognitive performance from multiple perspectives. The experience gained from assessing the effects of antihistamines and scenario difficulty on C (exp 2) decision making performance in Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) weapons director (WD) teams can serve as a model for realistic simulations in space operations. Emphasis is placed on the flexibility of measurement, hierarchical organization of measurement levels, data collection from multiple perspectives, and the difficulty of managing large amounts of data.

Factors Influencing the Application of a Biopsychosocial Perspective in Clinical Judgement of Chronic Pain: Interactive Management with Medical Students.

PubMed

Dwyer, Christopher P; McKenna-Plumley, Phoebe E; Durand, Hannah; Gormley, Emer M; Slattery, Brian W; Harney, Owen M; MacNeela, Padraig; McGuire, Brian E

2017-09-01

Though there is wide support for the application of biopsychosocial perspectives in clinical judgement of chronic pain cases, such perspectives are often overlooked due to either inadequate training or attitudes favoring a biomedical approach. Recent research has indicated that despite such explanations, both established general practitioners (GP) and medical students account for some psychosocial factors when making clinical judgements regarding chronic pain cases, but report not being likely to apply these in real-world, clinical settings due to numerous factors, including available time with patients. Thus, it is evident that a greater understanding of clinical judgement-making processes and the factors that affect application of these processes is required, particularly regarding chronic pain. The aims of the current study were to investigate medical students' conceptualizations of the factors that influence application of a biopsychosocial approach to clinical judgement-making in cases of chronic pain using interactive management (IM), model the relationships among these factors, and make recommendations to chronic pain treatment policy in light of the findings. The current study used IM to identify and model factors that influence the application of a biopsychosocial approach to clinical judgement-making in cases of chronic pain, based on medical students' conceptualizations of these factors. Two university classrooms. IM is a systems thinking and action mapping strategy used to aid groups in developing outcomes regarding complex issues, through integrating contributions from individuals with diverse views, backgrounds, and perspectives. IM commonly utilizes the nominal group technique and interpretive structural modeling, which in this context were employed to help medical students identify, clarify, and model influences on the application of biopsychosocial perspectives in treating chronic pain patients. Results of IM group work revealed 7 core biopsychosocial approach application categories: GP attitudes, cost, GP knowledge, time, patient-doctor relationship, biomedical factors. and patient perception. GP attitudes was the most critical driver of all other competencies in the system, with cost and GP knowledge revealed as secondary drivers. Potential differences in level of prior biopsychosocial perspective knowledge across participants and a potentially small sample size (though consistent with past research and appropriate for an exploratory study of this nature - for purposes of achieving the depth and richness of the deliberation and qualitative insights revealed by participants using the IM methodology). Results from this study may be used to both recommend further research on the identified factors influencing application of biopsychosocial perspectives in treatment of chronic pain and support amendment to extant health care policy, particularly with respect to cost, GP attitudes, and knowledge. Though this research claims neither that the influences identified are the only influences on biopsychosocial application, nor the order of their importance, the research does contribute to an on-going effort to better understand the factors that influence doctors in their treatment of chronic pain.Key words: Chronic pain, biopsychosocial, medical education, clinical judgement, interactive management, pain management.

Psychopathic traits from an RDoC perspective.

PubMed

Blair, R J R

2015-02-01

In this review an RDoC approach is applied to psychopathic traits. Two core neuro-cognitive systems relevant to the emergence of psychopathic traits are considered. These are the response to other individuals' emotional displays and reinforcement-based decision-making. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Providers and Patients Caught Between Standardization and Individualization: Individualized Standardization as a Solution

PubMed Central

Ansmann, Lena; Pfaff, Holger

2018-01-01

In their 2017 article, Mannion and Exworthy provide a thoughtful and theory-based analysis of two parallel trends in modern healthcare systems and their competing and conflicting logics: standardization and customization. This commentary further discusses the challenge of treatment decision-making in times of evidence-based medicine (EBM), shared decision-making and personalized medicine. From the perspective of systems theory, we propose the concept of individualized standardization as a solution to the problem. According to this concept, standardization is conceptualized as a guiding framework leaving room for individualization in the patient physician interaction. The theoretical background is the concept of context management according to systems theory. Moreover, the comment suggests multidisciplinary teams as a possible solution for the integration of standardization and individualization, using the example of multidisciplinary tumor conferences and highlighting its limitations. The comment also supports the authors’ statement of the patient as co-producer and introduces the idea that the competing logics of standardization and individualization are a matter of perspective on macro, meso and micro levels. PMID:29626403

Three-dimensional perspective software for representation of digital imagery data. [Olympic National Park, Washington

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Junkin, B. G.

1980-01-01

A generalized three dimensional perspective software capability was developed within the framework of a low cost computer oriented geographically based information system using the Earth Resources Laboratory Applications Software (ELAS) operating subsystem. This perspective software capability, developed primarily to support data display requirements at the NASA/NSTL Earth Resources Laboratory, provides a means of displaying three dimensional feature space object data in two dimensional picture plane coordinates and makes it possible to overlay different types of information on perspective drawings to better understand the relationship of physical features. An example topographic data base is constructed and is used as the basic input to the plotting module. Examples are shown which illustrate oblique viewing angles that convey spatial concepts and relationships represented by the topographic data planes.

Making Team Differences Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strathman, Beth

2015-01-01

Most district and school leaders understand that recruiting group members who have differing backgrounds, perspectives, talents, and personalities makes for good decision-making. Unfortunately, simply assembling a variety of top-notch individuals does not necessarily mean their talents and perspectives will be fully considered. Beth Strathman…

Follow the heart or the head? The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition

PubMed Central

Luo, Jiayi; Yu, Rongjun

2015-01-01

The experience of emotion has a powerful influence on daily-life decision making. Following Plato’s description of emotion and reason as two horses pulling us in opposite directions, modern dual-system models of decision making endorse the antagonism between reason and emotion. Decision making is perceived as the competition between an emotion system that is automatic but prone to error and a reason system that is slow but rational. The reason system (in “the head”) reins in our impulses (from “the heart”) and overrides our snap judgments. However, from Darwin’s evolutionary perspective, emotion is adaptive, guiding us to make sound decisions in uncertainty. Here, drawing findings from behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, we provide a new model, labeled “The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition,” to elaborate the relationship of emotion and reason in decision making. Specifically, in our model, we identify factors that determine when emotions override reason and delineate the type of contexts in which emotions help or hurt decision making. We then illustrate how cognition modulates emotion and how they cooperate to affect decision making. PMID:25999889

International Comparative Assessments: Broadening the Interpretability, Application and Relevance to the United States. Research in Review 2012-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Giacomo, F. Tony; Fishbein, Bethany G.; Buckley, Vanessa W.

2013-01-01

Many articles and reports have reviewed, researched, and commented on international assessments from the perspective of exploring what is relevant for the United States' education systems. Researchers make claims about whether the top-performing systems have transferable practices or policies that could be applied to the United States. However,…

Decision making, impulse control and loss of willpower to resist drugs: a neurocognitive perspective.

PubMed

Bechara, Antoine

2005-11-01

Here I argue that addicted people become unable to make drug-use choices on the basis of long-term outcome, and I propose a neural framework that explains this myopia for future consequences. I suggest that addiction is the product of an imbalance between two separate, but interacting, neural systems that control decision making: an impulsive, amygdala system for signaling pain or pleasure of immediate prospects, and a reflective, prefrontal cortex system for signaling pain or pleasure of future prospects. After an individual learns social rules, the reflective system controls the impulsive system via several mechanisms. However, this control is not absolute; hyperactivity within the impulsive system can override the reflective system. I propose that drugs can trigger bottom-up, involuntary signals originating from the amygdala that modulate, bias or even hijack the goal-driven cognitive resources that are needed for the normal operation of the reflective system and for exercising the willpower to resist drugs.

Intelligent Systems and Its Applications in Robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaynak, Okyay

The last decade of the last millennium is characterized by what might be called the intelligent systems revolution, as a result of which, it is now possible to have man made systems that exhibit ability to reason, learn from experience and make rational decisions without human intervention. Prof. Zadeh has coined the word MIQ (machine intelligence quotient) to describe a measure of intelligence of man-made systems. In this perspective, an intelligent system can be defined as a system that has a high MIQ.

Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, Kênia; Vanderdonckt, Jean

Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces is a new design methodology that adopts business process (BP) definition and a business performer perspective for managing the life cycle of user interfaces of enterprise systems. In this methodology, when the organization has a business process culture, the business processes of an organization are firstly defined according to a traditional methodology for this kind of artifact. These business processes are then transformed into a series of task models that represent the interactive parts of the business processes that will ultimately lead to interactive systems. When the organization has its enterprise systems, but not yet its business processes modeled, the user interfaces of the systems help derive tasks models, which are then used to derive the business processes. The double linking between a business process and a task model, and between a task model and a user interface model makes it possible to ensure traceability of the artifacts in multiple paths and enables a more active participation of business performers in analyzing the resulting user interfaces. In this paper, we outline how a human-perspective is used tied to a model-driven perspective.

Dual and Multilanguage Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kecskes, Istvan

2010-01-01

Since "multicompetence" was proposed by Cook, there have been debates about the nature of distinction between monocompetence and multicompetence, the distinctiveness of languages in the mind and the homogeneity of language knowledge across speakers and contexts. The paper will address these issues from a linguistic perspective and make an attempt…

A perspective of adaptation in healthcare.

PubMed

Mezghani, Emna; Da Silveira, Marcos; Pruski, Cédric; Exposito, Ernesto; Drira, Khalil

2014-01-01

Emerging new technologies in healthcare has proven great promises for managing patient care. In recent years, the evolution of Information and Communication Technologies pushes many research studies to think about treatment plan adaptation in this area. The main goal is to accelerate the decision making by dynamically generating new treatment due to unexpected situations. This paper portrays the treatment adaptation from a new perspective inspired from the human nervous system named autonomic computing. Thus, the selected potential studies are classified according to the maturity levels of this paradigm. To guarantee optimal and accurate treatment adaptation, challenges related to medical knowledge and data are identified and future directions to be explored in healthcare systems are discussed.

Development the conceptual design of Knowledge Based System for Integrated Maintenance Strategy and Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milana; Khan, M. K.; Munive, J. E.

2014-07-01

The importance of maintenance has escalated significantly by the increasing of automation in manufacturing process. This condition switches traditional maintenance perspective of inevitable cost into the business competitive driver. Consequently, maintenance strategy and operation decision needs to be synchronized to business and manufacturing concerns. This paper shows the development of conceptual design of Knowledge Based System for Integrated Maintenance Strategy and Operation (KBIMSO). The framework of KBIMSO is elaborated to show the process of how the KBIMSO works to reach the maintenance decision. By considering the multi-criteria of maintenance decision making, the KB system embedded with GAP and AHP to support integrated maintenance strategy and operation which is novel in this area. The KBIMSO is useful to review the existing maintenance system and give reasonable recommendation of maintenance decisions in respect to business and manufacturing perspective.

College Students' Perspectives on Their Career Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bubany, Shawn T.; Krieshok, Thomas S.; Black, Michael D.; McKay, Robyn A.

2008-01-01

This mixed methods study examined how college student participants discussed their approach to making career decisions, with a focus on how their perspective may be consistent with various models of career decision making. Brief telephone interviews were conducted with 20 college students, and the narrative data were analyzed using qualitative…

Politics of Decision Making in Relation to Education in Comparative Perspective, Unity and Diversity as a Problem. Centralization and Decentralization in Decision Making: The Lay Board of Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfnister, Allan O.

The evolution and role of the lay board of control (trustees, directors) of higher educational institutions and the part the board has played or may play in maintaining diversity in the American system are examined. The evolution of the lay board in the United States and in the United Kingdom is described. The lay board has become "the…

Community perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

General aviation is considered from the perspective of the local community's decision-making process in determining its needs for access to general aviation services. The decision-making model, preliminary decision, community characteristics, and planning processes are discussed.

Suicide Postvention in the Department of Defense: Evidence, Policies and Procedures, and Perspectives of Loss Survivors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

Primarily based on expert opinions, the evidence provides guidance to medical examiners in making cause-of-death determinations, determining which core...military suicides derive from military criminal investigations, autopsies con- ducted by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, and command...Their contributions were invaluable and will inform future response efforts. xix Abbreviations AFMES Armed Forces Medical Examiner System ATSM

Headwater effects on downstream waters: Legal perspectives, science needs, and assessment approaches

EPA Science Inventory

Headwater streams make up at least 53% of total stream length in the US. Although these systems are of interest for their own sake, there has recently been significant focus on how headwater streams contribute to downstream waters. This has resulted in part from recent legal op...

What Can Local Foundations Do to Support Youth Service System Change Efforts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weah, Wokie; Pope, Marcus

2013-01-01

Making sound decisions in funding youth-serving organizations can be greatly enhanced by implementing a comprehensive and inclusive learning process that embraces the perspectives of and input from a variety of stakeholders, including program staff and leadership, various community partners, and, most important, the youth. Youthprise effectively…

Assessing the Cultural Proficiency of Teachers: A Critical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennie, Deborah A. G.

2013-01-01

This critical case study addressed how the achievement gap reflects the culture gap between teachers and historically underrepresented students. This study allows educators to consider how attitudes on culture and diversity impact student achievement. It makes visible existing teacher and student relationships in a rural school system through the…

Counseling Asian Families from a Systems Perspective. The Family Psychology and Counseling Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Kit S., Ed.

The heterogeneous groups that make up Asian cultures with their diversity of educational, political, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds are highlighted, and culturally relevant treatment strategies are presented. Chapters in Part 1 "Understanding and Assessing Asian Families" are: (1) "Theoretical Framework for Therapy with…

Who Will Make America Great Again? "Black People, of Course…"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Joyce E.

2017-01-01

The author reflects on the relevance of her intellectual journey through the Black consciousness movement in the 1960s to her pedagogy teaching from a Black Studies theoretical perspective on liberating knowledge. This pedagogical approach aims to fortify education students' consciousness regarding a systemic understanding of how racism and…

Perspectives of adolescents on decision making about participation in a biobank study: a pilot study.

PubMed

Grootens-Wiegers, Petronella; Visser, Eline G; van Rossum, Annemarie M C; van Waardhuizen, Claudia N; de Wildt, Saskia N; Sweep, Boudewijn; van den Broek, Jos M; de Vries, Martine C

2017-01-01

To be able to truly involve adolescents in decision making about clinical research participation, we need more insight in the perspective of adolescents themselves. To this end, adolescents in an ongoing biobank study were consulted to test a tentative decision assessment tool. The perspectives of adolescents (n=8) concerning participation in decision making for research participation were explored in interviews with a tentative tool, which covered six topics: information material usage, understanding, disease perceptions, anxiety, decision-making process and role sharing. All adolescents unequivocally expressed the desire to be involved in decision making, but also wanted advice from their parents. The extent of the preferred role of adolescent versus parents varied between individuals. In decision making, adolescents relied on parents for information. More than half hardly used the information material. Adolescents in our study preferred a shared decision-making process. The extent of sharing varied between individuals. The decision assessment tool was a fruitful starting point to discuss adolescents' perspectives and may aid in tailoring the situation to the individual to achieve optimal participation practices. Consulting adolescents about their preferences concerning decision making using the tool will facilitate tailoring of the shared decision-making process and optimising the developing autonomy of minors.

Setting priorities in the health care sector - the case of oral anticoagulants in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in Denmark.

PubMed

Poulsen, Peter Bo; Johnsen, Søren Paaske; Hansen, Morten Lock; Brandes, Axel; Husted, Steen; Harboe, Louise; Dybro, Lars

2017-01-01

Resources devoted to health care are limited, therefore setting priorities is required. It differs between countries whether decision-making concerning health care technologies focus on broad economic perspectives or whether focus is narrow on single budgets ("silo mentality"). The cost perspective as one part of the full health economic analysis is important for decision-making. With the case of oral anticoagulants in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the aim is to discuss the implication of the use of different cost perspectives for decision-making and priority setting. In a cost analysis, the annual average total costs of five oral anticoagulants (warfarin and non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants [NOACs; dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban]) used in daily clinical practice in Denmark for the prevention of stroke in NVAF patients are analyzed. This is done in pairwise comparisons between warfarin and each NOAC based on five potential cost perspectives, from a "drug cost only" perspective up to a "societal" perspective. All comparisons of warfarin and NOACs show that the cost perspective based on all relevant costs, ie, total costs perspective, is essential for the choice of therapy. Focusing on the reimbursement costs of the drugs only, warfarin is the least costly option. However, with the aim of therapy to prevent strokes and limit bleedings, including the economic impact of this, all NOACs, except rivaroxaban, result in slightly lower health care costs compared with warfarin. The same picture was found applying the societal perspective. Many broad cost-effectiveness analyses of NOACs exist. However, in countries with budget focus in decision-making this information does not apply. The present study's case of oral anticoagulants has shown that decision-making should be based on health care or societal cost perspectives for optimal use of limited resources. Otherwise, the risk is that suboptimal decisions will be likely.

Got risk? risk-centric perspective for spacecraft technology decision-making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feather, Martin S.; Cornford, Steven L.; Moran, Kelly

2004-01-01

A risk-based decision-making methodology conceived and developed at JPL and NASA has been used to aid in decision making for spacecraft technology assessment, adoption, development and operation. It takes a risk-centric perspective, through which risks are used as a reasoning step to interpose between mission objectives and risk mitigation measures.

A Hydrological Perspective to Advance Understanding of the Water Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berghuijs, W.

2014-12-01

In principle hydrologists are scientists that study relationships within the water cycle. Yet, current technology makes it tempting for hydrology students to lose their "hydrological perspective" and become instead full-time computer programmers or statisticians. I assert that students should ensure their hydrological perspective thrives, notwithstanding the importance and possibilities of current technology. This perspective is necessary to advance the science of hydrology. As other hydrologists have pondered similar views before, I make no claims of originality here. I just hope that in presenting my perspective on this issue I may spark the interest of other early career hydrologists.

Physician Perspectives on Decision Making for Treatment of Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

PubMed

Boss, Emily F; Links, Anne R; Saxton, Ron; Cheng, Tina L; Beach, Mary Catherine

2017-10-01

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in children and most commonly treated by surgery with adenotonsillectomy. We aimed to learn physician perspectives of social and communication factors that influence decision making for treatment of pediatric SDB. Purposive sampling identified 10 physician key informants across disciplines and practice settings, who participated in semistructured interviews regarding SDB care experiences and communication with parents. Interviews were analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis. Physicians provided a variety of perspectives on decision making for treatment that fell into 3 overarching themes: approach to surgery and alternatives, communication and decision making with families, and sociocultural factors/barriers to care. Perspectives were moderately heterogeneous, suggesting that individual social and relational elements may significantly influence how physicians refer patients and recommend treatment, and how parents choose surgery for this prevalent condition. These findings will inform development of culturally competent communication strategies and support tools to enhance shared decision making for physicians treating children with SDB.

Children's understanding of promising, lying, and false belief.

PubMed

Maas, Fay K

2008-07-01

Understanding promising and lying requires an understanding of intention and the ability to interpret mental states. The author examined (a) the extent to which 4- to 6-year-olds focus on the sincerity of the speaker's intention when the 4-to 6-year-olds make judgments about promises and lies and (b) whether false-belief reasoning skills are related to understanding promising and lying. Participants watched videotaped stories and made promise and lie judgments from their own perspective and from the listener-character's perspective. Children also completed false-belief reasoning tasks. Older children made more correct promise judgments from both perspectives. All children made correct lie judgments from the listener's perspective. The author found that Ist-order false-belief reasoning was related to making judgments from the participant's perspective; 2nd-order false-belief reasoning was related to making judgments from the listener-character's perspective. Results suggest that children's understanding of promising and lying moves from a focus on outcome toward a focus on the belief that each utterance is designed to create.

[Perspectives on patient competence in psychiatry: cognitive functions, emotions and values].

PubMed

Ruissen, A; Meynen, G; Widdershoven, G A M

2011-01-01

Informed consent, a central concept in the doctor-patient relationship, is only valid if it is given by a competent patient. To review the literature on competence or decision-making capacity in psychiatry. We studied the international literature and relevant Dutch material such as health acts and medical guidelines. We found a consensus in the literature about the assessment criteria and the basic principles, but we did not find any consensus about the exact definition of competence. We review a number of perspectives on competence. The conceptualisations of competence, particularly in the field of psychiatry, are still being debated. The best known clinical tool to assess patients’ capacities to make treatment decisions is the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool (MacCAT). There are three perspectives on competence: a cognitive perspective, a perspective concerning emotions and a perspective relating to values. Further research is needed in order to make the conceptual debate on competence relevant to psychiatric practice.

The health care system is making 'too much noise' to provide family-centred care in neonatal intensive care units: Perspectives of health care providers and hospital administrators.

PubMed

Benzies, Karen M; Shah, Vibhuti; Aziz, Khalid; Lodha, Abhay; Misfeldt, Renée

2018-05-11

To describe the perspectives of health care providers and hospital administrators on their experiences of providing care for infants in Level II neonatal intensive care units and their families. We conducted 36 qualitative interviews with neonatal health care providers and hospital administrators and analysed data using a descriptive interpretive approach. 10 Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units in a single, integrated health care system in one Canadian province. Three major themes emerged: (1) providing family-centred care, (2) working amidst health care system challenges, and (3) recommending improvements to the health care system. The overarching theme was that the health care system was making 'too much noise' for health care providers and hospital administrators to provide family-centred care in ways that would benefit infants and their families. Recommended improvements included: refining staffing models, enhancing professional development, providing tools to deliver consistent care, recognising parental capacity to be involved in care, strengthening continuity of care, supporting families to be with their infant, and designing family-friendly environments. When implementing family-centred care initiatives, health care providers and hospital administrators need to consider the complexity of providing care in Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Units, and recognise that health care system changes may be necessary to optimise implementation. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Heart Pump Implant Decision Process: Opportunities for Decision Support Tools to Help

PubMed Central

Yang, Qian; Zimmerman, John; Steinfeld, Aaron; Carey, Lisa; Antaki, James F.

2016-01-01

Clinical decision support tools (DSTs) are computational systems that aid healthcare decision-making. While effective in labs, almost all these systems failed when they moved into clinical practice. Healthcare researchers speculated it is most likely due to a lack of user-centered HCI considerations in the design of these systems. This paper describes a field study investigating how clinicians make a heart pump implant decision with a focus on how to best integrate an intelligent DST into their work process. Our findings reveal a lack of perceived need for and trust of machine intelligence, as well as many barriers to computer use at the point of clinical decision-making. These findings suggest an alternative perspective to the traditional use models, in which clinicians engage with DSTs at the point of making a decision. We identify situations across patients’ healthcare trajectories when decision supports would help, and we discuss new forms it might take in these situations. PMID:27833397

Use of the adult attachment projective picture system in psychodynamic psychotherapy with a severely traumatized patient

PubMed Central

George, Carol; Buchheim, Anna

2014-01-01

The following case study is presented to facilitate an understanding of how the attachment information evident from Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) assessment can be integrated into a psychodynamic perspective in making therapeutic recommendations that integrate an attachment perspective. The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) is a valid representational measure of internal representations of attachment based on the analysis of a set of free response picture stimuli designed to systematically activate the attachment system (George and West, 2012). The AAP provides a fruitful diagnostic tool for psychodynamic-oriented clinicians to identify attachment-based deficits and resources for an individual patient in therapy. This paper considers the use of the AAP with a traumatized patient in an inpatient setting and uses a case study to illustrate the components of the AAP that are particularly relevant to a psychodynamic conceptualization. The paper discusses also attachment-based recommendations for intervention. PMID:25140164

Future perspective and healthy lifestyle choices in adulthood.

PubMed

Tasdemir-Ozdes, Aylin; Strickland-Hughes, Carla M; Bluck, Susan; Ebner, Natalie C

2016-09-01

Regardless of age, making healthy lifestyle choices is prudent. Despite that, individuals of all ages sometimes have difficulty choosing the healthy option. We argue that individuals' view of the future and position in the life span affects their current lifestyle choices. We capture the multidimensionality of future thinking by assessing 3 types of future perspective. Younger and older men and women (N = 127) reported global future time perspective, future health perspective, and perceived importance of future health-related events. They also rated their likelihood of making healthy lifestyle choices. As predicted, older participants indicated greater intention to make healthy choices in their current life than did younger participants. Compared to younger participants, older participants reported shorter global future time perspective and anticipated worse future health but perceived future health-related events as more important. Having a positive view of one's future health and seeing future health-related events as important were related to greater intention to make healthy lifestyle choices, but greater global future time perspective was not directly related to healthy choices. However, follow-up analyses suggested that greater global future time perspective indirectly affected healthy choices via a more positive view of future health. None of these relations were moderated by age. Individuals' perspective on the future is shown to be an important multidimensional construct affecting everyday healthy lifestyle choices for both younger and older adults. Implications for encouraging healthy choices across the adult life span are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A brief history and technical review of the expert system research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Haocheng

2017-09-01

The expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert, which aims to solve complex problems by reasoning knowledge. It is an important branch of artificial intelligence. In this paper, firstly, we briefly introduce the development and basic structure of the expert system. Then, from the perspective of the enabling technology, we classify the current expert systems and elaborate four expert systems: The Rule-Based Expert System, the Framework-Based Expert System, the Fuzzy Logic-Based Expert System and the Expert System Based on Neural Network.

Network Monitoring: A 360-Degree Plan--Learn How to Get the Vital Feedback You Need to Make Your System--And Its Users--More Secure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Steven E.; Seiberling, Chris

2004-01-01

This article represents the second part of a series in this journal called "How to Perform a Security Audit." It continues the conversation on setting up a process for identifying security-related concerns and implementation safeguards. It continues the conversation from the perspective of system monitoring. This article discusses how to use a…

An Overview of Value, Perspective, and Decision Context-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [2].

PubMed

Garrison, Louis P; Pauly, Mark V; Willke, Richard J; Neumann, Peter J

2018-02-01

The second section of our Special Task Force builds on the discussion of value and perspective in the previous article of the report by 1) defining a health economics approach to the concept of value in health care systems; 2) discussing the relationship of value to perspective and decision context, that is, how recently proposed value frameworks vary by the types of decisions being made and by the stakeholders involved; 3) describing the patient perspective on value because the patient is a key stakeholder, but one also wearing the hat of a health insurance purchaser; and 4) discussing how value is relevant in the market-based US system of mixed private and public insurance, and differs from its use in single-payer systems. The five recent value frameworks that motivated this report vary in the types of decisions they intend to inform, ranging from coverage, access, and pricing decisions to those defining appropriate clinical pathways and to supporting provider-clinician shared decision making. Each of these value frameworks must be evaluated in its own decision context for its own objectives. Existing guidelines for cost-effectiveness analysis emphasize the importance of clearly specifying the perspective from which the analysis is undertaken. Relevant perspectives may include, among others, 1) the health plan enrollee, 2) the patient, 3) the health plan manager, 4) the provider, 5) the technology manufacturer, 6) the specialty society, 7) government regulators, or 8) society as a whole. A valid and informative cost-effectiveness analysis could be conducted from the perspective of any of these stakeholders, depending on the decision context. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motivation, working memory, and decision making: a cognitive-motivational theory of personality vulnerability to alcoholism.

PubMed

Finn, Peter R

2002-09-01

This article presents a cognitive-motivational theory (CMT) of the mechanisms associated with three basic dimensions of personality vulnerability to alcoholism, impulsivity/novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and excitement seeking. CMT describes the interrelationships between activity in basic motivational systems and attentional, decision-making and working memory processes as the mechanisms associated with variation in each personality trait. Impulsivity/novelty seeking reflects activity in both appetitive and inhibitory motivational systems, greater attention to reward cues, and increased emotional reactivity to reward and frustration. Harm avoidance reflects individual differences in fearfulness and activity in specific inhibitory systems. Excitement seeking reflects the need to engage in appetitive behaviors in less predictable environments to experience positive affect. CMT also describes the impact of working memory and the specific motivational processes underlying each trait dimension on the dynamics of decision making from the perspective of decision field theory.

Toward a Multilevel Perspective on the Allocation of Educational Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monk, David H.

1981-01-01

The importance of the following is demonstrated: (1) striking a balance between the attention given to resource allocation practices at macro compared to microlevels of decision making; and (2) learning more about how resource allocation decisions made at one level affect practices at other levels of the educational system. (Author/GK)

Twentieth-Century American Education Reform in the Global Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBoer, Jennifer

2012-01-01

As detailed in the articles throughout this issue, the U.S. education system experienced a number of structural developments throughout the 20th century. These changes served to shift the landscape of decision-making authority in multiple areas of primary and secondary schooling. This article provides an international perspective on the changes…

Boxes of Poison: Baroque Technique as Antidote to Simple Views of Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Cathy; Merchant, Guy

2016-01-01

Rich and complex meaning making experiences, such as those associated with virtual play, sit uneasily with the view of literacy reflected in and sustained by current systems of accountability in education. This article develops a baroque perspective as a way of destabilizing the "regime of truth" associated with simple models of…

The Effect of Geogebra on Students' Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge: The Case of Applications of Derivative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ocal, Mehmet Fatih

2017-01-01

Integrating the properties of computer algebra systems and dynamic geometry environments, Geogebra became an effective and powerful tool for teaching and learning mathematics. One of the reasons that teachers use Geogebra in mathematics classrooms is to make students learn mathematics meaningfully and conceptually. From this perspective, the…

An Initial Formulation. Research, Diagnosis and Development in Urban Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gappert, Gary

Described in this report are factors which affect and/or limit urban educational research and dimensions of cities which should be considered in making social and organizational research in urban education more relevant. Some of these considerations are learning, institutional and management deficits, the lack of a total systems perspective on the…

Preschool as an Arena for Developing Teacher Knowledge Concerning Children's Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan, Sonja; Gjems, Liv

2017-01-01

The most important benefits of international comparisons are the indications that make hidden national characteristics visible and shed new light on the system in each country. From a comparative perspective, this article explores what Swedish and Norwegian preschool teachers emphasise as important to preschool student teachers about preschool as…

Pavlovian Conditioning of "Hermissenda": Current Cellular, Molecular, and Circuit Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Terry

2004-01-01

The less-complex central nervous system of many invertebrates make them attractive for not only the molecular analysis of the associative learning and memory, but also in determining how neural circuits are modified by learning to generate changes in behavior. The nudibranch mollusk "Hermissenda crassicornis" is a preparation that has contributed…

Formation of Apprenticeships in the Swedish Education System: Different Stakeholder Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Ingela; Wärvik, Gun-Britt; Thång, Per-Olof

2015-01-01

The article explores the major features of the Swedish Government's new initiative--a school based Upper Secondary Apprenticeship model. The analyses are guided by activity theory. The analysed texts are part of the parliamentary reform-making process of the 2011 Upper Secondary School reform. The analyses unfold how the Government, the Swedish…

Communication with Children: Toward a Healthy Construction of Communicative Roles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Fern L.

The family system--a primary locus in the formation of meaning for children--should encourage the healthy construction of communicative roles. What children learn about interaction is contingent on two processes, both central to the symbolic interaction perspective: role-taking and role-making. Role-taking is the ability to transcend an egocentric…

Decentralization of Educational Development Reforms in Nigeria: A Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikoya, Peter O.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek to appraise regional compliance to decentralization laws establishing Education Boards and Committees since the Nigerian Government has for some time now been making efforts aimed at reforming her educational system. Design/methodology/approach: Employing ex post facto design, the study uses survey…

Longitudinal Study of First-Time Freshmen Using Data Mining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandeshwar, Ashutosh R.

2010-01-01

In the modern world, higher education is transitioning from enrollment mode to recruitment mode. This shift paved the way for institutional research and policy making from historical data perspective. More and more universities in the U.S. are implementing and using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which collect vast amounts of data.…

School-Based Management/Shared-Decision Making--a Pilot Program: A Historical Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The Dade County (Florida) Public School system has had various types of school-based management (SBM) procedures in operation since 1974. During the 1985-86 school year, a committee of principals and other administrators reviewed the concepts of SBM from a different viewpoint, using various materials that addressed the professionalization of…

Model-based nonlinear control of hydraulic servo systems: Challenges, developments and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Jianyong

2018-06-01

Hydraulic servo system plays a significant role in industries, and usually acts as a core point in control and power transmission. Although linear theory-based control methods have been well established, advanced controller design methods for hydraulic servo system to achieve high performance is still an unending pursuit along with the development of modern industry. Essential nonlinearity is a unique feature and makes model-based nonlinear control more attractive, due to benefit from prior knowledge of the servo valve controlled hydraulic system. In this paper, a discussion for challenges in model-based nonlinear control, latest developments and brief perspectives of hydraulic servo systems are presented: Modelling uncertainty in hydraulic system is a major challenge, which includes parametric uncertainty and time-varying disturbance; some specific requirements also arise ad hoc difficulties such as nonlinear friction during low velocity tracking, severe disturbance, periodic disturbance, etc.; to handle various challenges, nonlinear solutions including parameter adaptation, nonlinear robust control, state and disturbance observation, backstepping design and so on, are proposed and integrated, theoretical analysis and lots of applications reveal their powerful capability to solve pertinent problems; and at the end, some perspectives and associated research topics (measurement noise, constraints, inner valve dynamics, input nonlinearity, etc.) in nonlinear hydraulic servo control are briefly explored and discussed.

TORNADO-WARNING PERFORMANCE IN THE PAST AND FUTURE: A Perspective from Signal Detection Theory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, Harold E.

2004-06-01

Changes over the years in tornado-warning performance in the United States can be modeled from the perspective of signal detection theory. From this view, it can be seen that there have been distinct periods of change in performance, most likely associated with deployment of radars, and changes in scientific understanding and training. The model also makes it clear that improvements in the false alarm ratio can only occur at the cost of large decreases in the probability of detection, or with large improvements in the overall quality of the warning system.

A spacefaring nation - Perspectives on American space history and policy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Martin J. (Editor); Fries, Sylvia D. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The present volume on perspectives on American space history and policy discusses decision-making, space science and scientific communities, postwar aeronautical research in the federal laboratory, and civilian and military remote sensing and reconnaissance. Attention is given to the interpenetration of science, technology, and politics; space 'sociology'; and space technology and planetary science from 1950 to 1985. Other topics addressed include the aeronautics infrastructure as it applies to aeronautics history, the Lewis Research Center and its transition to space, the relationship between NASA and the users of earth resources data, and methodology for researching a classified system for space reconnaissance.

Putting Families in the Center: Family Perspectives on Decision Making and ADHD and Implications for ADHD Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Catherine C.; Claudius, Milena; Palinkas, Lawrence A.; Wong, John B.; Leslie, Laurel K.

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine components of family-centered care in families' stories about treatment decision making for their child with ADHD. Method: Twenty-eight families participated in qualitative interviews that addressed families' perspectives on (a) the treatment decision-making process, (b) the cause and impact of their child's symptoms, and (c)…

Identification of non-technical skills from the resilience engineering perspective: a case study of an electricity distributor.

PubMed

Wachs, Priscila; Righi, Angela Weber; Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu

2012-01-01

Training in non-technical skills (NTS) does not usually question the design of the work system, and thus focuses narrowly on workers as the unit of analysis. This study discusses how the identification of NTS, a major step for developing an NTS training program, might be re-interpreted from the perspective of resilience engineering (RE). This discussion is based on a case study of identifying NTS for electricians who perform emergency maintenance activities in an electricity distribution power line. The results of the case study point out that four data analysis procedures might operationalize the RE perspective: (a) identifying factors that make the work difficult and which could be integrated into NTS training scenarios; (b) identifying recommendations for re-designing the system, in order either to reduce or eliminate the need for NTS; (c) classifying the NTS into pragmatic categories, which are meaningful for workers; and (d) regarding the identification of NTS as an opportunity to give visibility to adaptations carried out by workers.

Neural and neurochemical basis of reinforcement-guided decision making.

PubMed

Khani, Abbas; Rainer, Gregor

2016-08-01

Decision making is an adaptive behavior that takes into account several internal and external input variables and leads to the choice of a course of action over other available and often competing alternatives. While it has been studied in diverse fields ranging from mathematics, economics, ecology, and ethology to psychology and neuroscience, recent cross talk among perspectives from different fields has yielded novel descriptions of decision processes. Reinforcement-guided decision making models are based on economic and reinforcement learning theories, and their focus is on the maximization of acquired benefit over a defined period of time. Studies based on reinforcement-guided decision making have implicated a large network of neural circuits across the brain. This network includes a wide range of cortical (e.g., orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex) and subcortical (e.g., nucleus accumbens and subthalamic nucleus) brain areas and uses several neurotransmitter systems (e.g., dopaminergic and serotonergic systems) to communicate and process decision-related information. This review discusses distinct as well as overlapping contributions of these networks and neurotransmitter systems to the processing of decision making. We end the review by touching on neural circuitry and neuromodulatory regulation of exploratory decision making. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

The roles of the olivocerebellar pathway in motor learning and motor control. A consensus paper

PubMed Central

Lang, Eric J.; Apps, Richard; Bengtsson, Fredrik; Cerminara, Nadia L.; De Zeeuw, Chris I.; Ebner, Timothy J.; Heck, Detlef H.; Jaeger, Dieter; Jörntell, Henrik; Kawato, Mitsuo; Otis, Thomas S.; Ozyildirim, Ozgecan; Popa, Laurentiu S.; Reeves, Alexander M.B.; Schweighofer, Nicolas; Sugihara, Izumi; Xiao, Jianqiang

2016-01-01

For many decades the predominant view in the cerebellar field has been that the olivocerebellar system's primary function is to induce plasticity in the cerebellar cortex, specifically, at the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse. However, it has also long been proposed that the olivocerebellar system participates directly in motor control by helping to shape ongoing motor commands being issued by the cerebellum. Evidence consistent with both hypotheses exists; however, they are often investigated as mutually exclusive alternatives. In contrast, here we take the perspective that the olivocerebellar system can contribute to both the motor learning and motor control functions of the cerebellum, and might also play a role in development. We then consider the potential problems and benefits of its having multiple functions. Moreover, we discuss how its distinctive characteristics (e.g., low firing rates, synchronization, variable complex spike waveform) make it more or less suitable for one or the other of these functions, and why its having a dual role makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. We did not attempt to reach a consensus on the specific role(s) the olivocerebellar system plays in different types of movements, as that will ultimately be determined experimentally; however, collectively, the various contributions highlight the flexibility of the olivocerebellar system, and thereby suggest it has the potential to act in both the motor learning and motor control functions of the cerebellum. PMID:27193702

Providers and Patients Caught Between Standardization and Individualization: Individualized Standardization as a Solution Comment on "(Re) Making the Procrustean Bed? Standardization and Customization as Competing Logics in Healthcare".

PubMed

Ansmann, Lena; Pfaff, Holger

2017-08-12

In their 2017 article, Mannion and Exworthy provide a thoughtful and theory-based analysis of two parallel trends in modern healthcare systems and their competing and conflicting logics: standardization and customization. This commentary further discusses the challenge of treatment decision-making in times of evidence-based medicine (EBM), shared decision-making and personalized medicine. From the perspective of systems theory, we propose the concept of individualized standardization as a solution to the problem. According to this concept, standardization is conceptualized as a guiding framework leaving room for individualization in the patient physician interaction. The theoretical background is the concept of context management according to systems theory. Moreover, the comment suggests multidisciplinary teams as a possible solution for the integration of standardization and individualization, using the example of multidisciplinary tumor conferences and highlighting its limitations. The comment also supports the authors' statement of the patient as co-producer and introduces the idea that the competing logics of standardization and individualization are a matter of perspective on macro, meso and micro levels. © 2018 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Religiousness, spirituality, and coping with stress among late adolescents: A meaning-making perspective.

PubMed

Krok, Dariusz

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between religiousness, spirituality (R/S), and coping among late adolescents within a meaning-making perspective. Specifically, global meaning and situational meaning were examined as potential mediators. Two hundred and twenty one Polish participants (115 women and 106 men) completed the Religious Meaning System Questionnaire, the Self-description Questionnaire of Spirituality, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Situational Meaning Scale. Results of SEM analysis showed that R/S had both direct and indirect effects on coping, suggesting that global meaning and situational meaning served as partial mediators among late adolescents. The mediating role of global meaning and situational meaning may be more fully understood within the framework of the meaning-making model. Consistent with the model, individuals with higher levels of R/S had a propensity to experience stronger global meaning in life and situational meaning, which in turn contributed to more frequent using coping styles. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainability as an Ethical Principle: Ensuring Its Systematic Place in Professional Nursing Practice

PubMed Central

Riedel, Annette

2015-01-01

Alongside the central focus on the persons requiring nursing care in professional nursing practice, the perspective of the sustainability of interventions and the use of materials (for example, nursing aids and hygiene articles) is gaining prominence in nursing decision-making processes. This contribution makes the principle of sustainability concrete and delineates its importance in the context of professional nursing practice and decision-making. It further suggests the development of an ethical policy in order to systematically ensure that sustainability has a place in ethical reflection and decision-making, and describes the elements involved. Finally, a synthesis is made between the importance of the principle of sustainability, suggested ethical policies (system of ethical reflection) as they affect nursing practice and professional reflection, decision-making, and practice. PMID:27417590

Sustainability as an Ethical Principle: Ensuring Its Systematic Place in Professional Nursing Practice.

PubMed

Riedel, Annette

2015-12-30

Alongside the central focus on the persons requiring nursing care in professional nursing practice, the perspective of the sustainability of interventions and the use of materials (for example, nursing aids and hygiene articles) is gaining prominence in nursing decision-making processes. This contribution makes the principle of sustainability concrete and delineates its importance in the context of professional nursing practice and decision-making. It further suggests the development of an ethical policy in order to systematically ensure that sustainability has a place in ethical reflection and decision-making, and describes the elements involved. Finally, a synthesis is made between the importance of the principle of sustainability, suggested ethical policies (system of ethical reflection) as they affect nursing practice and professional reflection, decision-making, and practice.

Standing in Your Peer’s Shoes Hurts Your Feats: The Self-Others Discrepancy in Risk Attitude and Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Białaszek, Wojciech; Bakun, Piotr; McGoun, Elton; Zielonka, Piotr

2016-01-01

It is often a good strategy to “stand in the other person’s shoes” to see a situation from a different perspective. People frequently attempt to infer what someone else would recommend when no advisor is available to help with a decision. Such situations commonly concern intertemporal or risky choices, and the usual assumption is that lay people make such decisions differently than experts do. The aim of our study was to determine what intertemporal and risky decisions people make when they take their own perspective, the perspective of a peer, and the perspectives of an expert or an entrepreneur. In a series of three experiments using a between-subject design, we found that taking the peer’s perspective made participants behave more impulsively and more risk aversely in relation to the participants’ own perspectives and in relation to their perceptions of experts and entrepreneurs perspectives. Taking an expert’s or an entrepreneur’s perspective did not change participants’ own intertemporal and risky decisions. We explain the findings using the risk as value and the lesser mind theories. Imagining the opponent’s perspective in a negotiation as one is advised to do might inadvertently lead to problems because we always see her as more impulsive and more risk averse than she really is. This means that taking a perspective of an expert – not a peer – would be a good way to predict what decisions our opponents make. PMID:26925015

Engaging plant anatomy and local knowledge on the buriti palm ( Mauritia flexuosa L.f.: Arecaceae): the microscopic world meets the golden grass artisan's perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viana, Rebeca V. R.; Scatena, Vera L.; Eichemberg, Mayra T.; Sano, Paulo T.

2018-03-01

Considering that both Western Science and Local Knowledge Systems share a common ground—observations of the natural world—the dialogue between them should not only be possible, but fruitful. Local communities whose livelihoods depend on traditional uses of the local biodiversity not only develop knowledge about nature, making several uses of such knowledge, but, with that process, several inquiries about nature can be raised. Here we present our experience with the engagement of Western Science with golden grass artisan's knowledge about the buriti palm ( M. flexuosa). We applied 25 semi-directive interviews, combined with field diary and participative observation, in two quilombola communities from Jalapão region (Central-Brazil). One of the inquiries that emerged from the artisan's perspectives was about the differences between male and female buriti palms' fiber. We then engaged both local and scientific perspectives regarding this issue using plant anatomy as a dialogue instrument. Here we describe this experience and resort to Paulo Freire's ideas on dialogue to argue that, to integrate Western Science and Local Knowledge Systems in a collaborative and contextualized perspective, the research should be faced as a mutual learning practice.

Living the categorical imperative: autistic perspectives on lying and truth telling-between Kant and care ethics.

PubMed

Jaarsma, Pier; Gelhaus, Petra; Welin, Stellan

2012-08-01

Lying is a common phenomenon amongst human beings. It seems to play a role in making social interactions run more smoothly. Too much honesty can be regarded as impolite or downright rude. Remarkably, lying is not a common phenomenon amongst normally intelligent human beings who are on the autism spectrum. They appear to be 'attractively morally innocent' and seem to have an above average moral conscientious objection against deception. In this paper, the behavior of persons with autism with regard to deception and truthfulness will be discussed in the light of two different ethical theories, illustrated by fragments from autobiographies of persons with autism. A systemizing 'Kantian' and an empathizing 'ethics of care' perspective reveal insights on high-functioning autism, truthfulness and moral behavior. Both perspectives are problematic from the point of view of a moral agent with autism. High-functioning persons with autism are, generally speaking, strong systemizes and weak empathizers. Particularly, they lack 'cognitive empathy' which would allow them to understand the position of the other person. Instead, some tend to invent a set of rules that makes their behavior compatible with the expectations of others. From a Kantian point of view, the autistic tendency to always tell the truth appears praiseworthy and should not be changed, though it creates problems in the social life of persons with autism. From a care ethics perspective, on the other hand, a way should be found to allow the high-functioning persons with autism to respect the feelings and needs of other persons as sometimes overruling the duty of truthfulness. We suggest this may even entail 'morally educating' children and adolescents with autism to become socially skilled empathic 'liars'.

Roles, processes, and outcomes of interprofessional shared decision-making in a neonatal intensive care unit: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Dunn, Sandra I; Cragg, Betty; Graham, Ian D; Medves, Jennifer; Gaboury, Isabelle

2018-05-01

Shared decision-making provides an opportunity for the knowledge and skills of care providers to synergistically influence patient care. Little is known about interprofessional shared decision-making processes in critical care settings. The aim of this study was to explore interprofessional team members' perspectives about the nature of interprofessional shared decision-making in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to determine if there are any differences in perspectives across professional groups. An exploratory qualitative approach was used consisting of semi-structured interviews with 22 members of an interprofessional team working in a tertiary care NICU in Canada. Participants identified four key roles involved in interprofessional shared decision-making: leader, clinical experts, parents, and synthesizer. Participants perceived that interprofessional shared decision-making happens through collaboration, sharing, and weighing the options, the evidence and the credibility of opinions put forward. The process of interprofessional shared decision-making leads to a well-informed decision and participants feeling valued. Findings from this study identified key concepts of interprofessional shared decision-making, increased awareness of differing professional perspectives about this process of shared decision-making, and clarified understanding of the different roles involved in the decision-making process in an NICU.

Using Students' Experiences to Derive Quality in an E-Learning System: An Institution's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Shirley; Golja, Tanja

2007-01-01

Higher education institutions undertake a range of approaches to evaluating and making judgments about the quality of their e-learning provision. This paper begins by exploring benchmarking as one current strategy in common use in universities to identify and implement quality practices: from the use of checklists (for example, of best practices…

Policies of Global English Tests: Test-Takers' Perspectives on the IELTS Retake Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamid, M. Obaidul

2016-01-01

Globalized English proficiency tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are increasingly playing the role of gatekeepers in a globalizing world. Although the use of the IELTS as a "policy tool" for making decisions in the areas of study, work and migration impacts on test-takers' lives and life chances, not…

Making Sense of Information Sharing in E-Government Inter-Organizational Collaborations: A Malaysian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harold, Dolly Amy

2011-01-01

Information sharing is a fundamental goal of information systems (IS). Yet information sharing, although critical and much acclaimed, is complex in terms of its concepts and implementation. How to leverage this phenomenon while implementing an IS is discussed at length in the literature. Both academics and practitioners in IS are striving to…

Performance-Based Budgeting for Continuing and Lifelong Education Services: The Thai Higher Education Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangiumvibool, Payear; Chonglerttham, Supasith

2017-01-01

This study presents analyses of panel data from 2007 to 2011 from various authoritative sources of information on public universities in Thailand. The focus is on factors that influence the budgetary decision-making process in providing educational services to the general public under a recently implemented performance-based budgeting system.…

Educational Tracking, Inequality and Performance: New Evidence from a Differences-in-Differences Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavrijsen, Jeroen; Nicaise, Ides

2016-01-01

One of the important differences between educational systems from different countries is the age at which students are placed into separate tracks. We examined the effects of the age at which tracking occurred on student achievement in a comparative perspective, making use of recent waves of three internationally standardized student assessments…

Issues of Structure and Issues of Scale in Assessment from a Situative/Sociocultural Perspective. CSE Technical Report 668

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mislevy, Robert J.

2006-01-01

A situated/sociocultural (SC) view of assessment "emphasizes questions about the quality of students' participation in activities of inquiry and sense-making, and considers assessment practices as integral components of the general systems of activity in which they occur" (Greeno, Collins, & Resnick, 1997, p. 36). This presentation addresses two…

Expanded Learning Time and Opportunities: Key Principles, Driving Perspectives, and Major Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blyth, Dale A.; LaCroix-Dalluhn, Laura

2011-01-01

If expanded learning is going to make a real difference, then three key principles must inform how communities overcome challenges and assure equitable access to learning opportunities. Much of today's debate is framed in the language of formal education systems--students, classrooms, schools--even though part of the expansion seeks to engage a…

The Changing Role of Deans in Higher Education--From Leader to Manager

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arntzen, Eystein

2016-01-01

During the latter decades new perspectives on academic leadership have emerged along with new ways of organizing the decision making structure. The image of academic leader as manager has slowly but steadily been diffused internationally. In addition to the structural changes in the system of higher education the idea of new public management has…

Education in the U.S. and the Netherlands: An Equity Comparison and a Few Big Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owings, William A.; Kaplan, Leslie S.; Volman, Monique

2015-01-01

Using an equity perspective, this article compares the education systems of the United States and the Netherlands. Existing data examining student demographics, the organizational structures, curricula, funding, and student outcomes are examined. The Netherlands appears to be getting a "bigger bang for their buck." We make the case that…

Making a Case for a Blended Approach: The Need for The Design-Based Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deaton, Cynthia C. M.; Malloy, Jacquelynn A.

2017-01-01

Design-based case studies address research questions that involve instructional innovations within a bounded system. This blend of case study and design-based research provides a systematic approach to examining instructional innovations that are bounded by perspective, context, and time. Design-based case studies provide a framework for engaging…

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) of the protozoan parasite Eimeria influences the components of the immune system of its host, the chicken

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a soluble factor produced by sensitized T lymphocytes that inhibits the random migration of macrophages. Homologues of MIF from invertebrates have been identified making it an interesting molecule from a functional perspective. In the present study, ...

Key Challenges for Tertiary Education Policy and Research--An Australian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goedegebuure, Leo; Schoen, Marian

2014-01-01

Australia has had a mixed history in the way in which policy research has related to higher education policy. Recognising a history of policy-related research and to some extent research-informed policy-making, Australia has followed the trend of other New Public Management-driven systems of de-emphasising policy-oriented independent research. In…

Building "Cowshed Cultures": A Cultural Perspective on the Promotion of Stockmanship and Animal Welfare on Dairy Farms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Rob J. F.; Peoples, Sue; Cooper, Mark H.

2012-01-01

Improving animal welfare is an important part of the development of the agricultural industry, particularly at a time when intensification and the encroachment of factory-style production systems is making the maintenance of human-animal relations increasingly difficult. Animal science deals with the issue of improving stockmanship by focusing on…

Vocational Education and Training Programs (VET): An Asian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agrawal, Tushar

2013-01-01

This paper makes an attempt to provide a review on challenges, outcomes and present situation in vocational education and training (VET) programs in some Asian countries. Various country-specific studies indicate that the VET system has not responded very well in the South Asian region. The VET stream is quite small. Despite there being a growing…

Opening the Creative Mind of High Need for Cognitive Closure Individuals through Activation of Uncreative Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ong, Lay See; Leung, Angela K.-Y.

2013-01-01

Drawing on the integrative system theory of creativity combining the person, process, and press perspectives, this research offers the first evidence of how high-need-for-cognitive-closure (NFC) individuals' creative mind can be opened up, by making them become more cognizant of uncreative ideas as consensually invalid solutions to creative…

Curriculum Policy Reform in an Era of Technical Accountability: "Fixing" Curriculum, Teachers and Students in English Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Christine

2017-01-01

Drawing on a Levinasian ethical perspective, the argument driving this paper is that the technical accountability movement currently dominating the educational system in England is less than adequate because it overlooks educators' responsibility for ethical relations in responding to difference in respect of the other. Curriculum policy makes a…

Neuroeconomics: cross-currents in research on decision-making.

PubMed

Sanfey, Alan G; Loewenstein, George; McClure, Samuel M; Cohen, Jonathan D

2006-03-01

Despite substantial advances, the question of how we make decisions and judgments continues to pose important challenges for scientific research. Historically, different disciplines have approached this problem using different techniques and assumptions, with few unifying efforts made. However, the field of neuroeconomics has recently emerged as an inter-disciplinary effort to bridge this gap. Research in neuroscience and psychology has begun to investigate neural bases of decision predictability and value, central parameters in the economic theory of expected utility. Economics, in turn, is being increasingly influenced by a multiple-systems approach to decision-making, a perspective strongly rooted in psychology and neuroscience. The integration of these disparate theoretical approaches and methodologies offers exciting potential for the construction of more accurate models of decision-making.

Chronic disease management: the primary care perspective.

PubMed

Bragaglia, Pauline; O'Brien, Lewis

2007-01-01

This response to the essay is a "view from the trenches" by two doctors who have worked over 23 years at the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. We would agree wholeheartedly that reducing wait times for selected procedures will not transform our health system, although they are a start that does provide improved quality of life for a relatively small number of people. We have struggled with the care gap between known best practices and the reality of care provided, from the perspectives of both prevention and chronic disease management. This has resulted in an acute awareness of the need for an across-the-system, "bottom-up" approach to the prevention of disease and management of healthcare. Limited resources must be carefully leveraged in innovative ways if we are to eliminate this care gap, decrease morbidity and minimize expensive "rescue" procedures that make our system increasingly unaffordable.

Perspectives on anaerobic treatment in developing countries.

PubMed

Foresti, E

2001-01-01

Developing countries occupy regions where the climate is warm most of the time. Even in sub-tropical areas, low temperatures do not persist for long periods. This is the main factor that makes the use of anaerobic technology applicable and less expensive, even for the treatment of low-strength industrial wastewaters and domestic sewage. Based mainly on papers presented at the "VI Latin-American Workshop and Seminar on Anaerobic Digestion" held in Recife, Brazil, in November 2000, this text approaches the perspectives of anaerobic treatment of wastewaters in developing countries. Emphasis is given to domestic sewage treatment and to the use of compact systems in which sequential batch reactors (SBR) or dissolvedair flotation (DAF) systems are applied for the post-treatment of anaerobic reactor effluents. Experiments on bench- and pilot-plants have indicated that these systems can achieve high performance in removing organic matter and nutrients during the treatment of domestic sewage at ambient temperatures.

Facts controllers and HVDC enhance power transmission (A manufacturer`s perspective)

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

Juette, G.; Renz, K.

1995-12-31

Various types of FACTS as well as HVDC have been available for some time. New ones have been developed recently. Their respective benefits are well proven and have been made known. System studies have to be done to make full use of FACTS and HVDC problem solving capabilities. Siemens is offering digital models for correct representation of several FACTS devices and HVDC in widely used time-based simulation study programs. The manufacturers are doing their homework. It is up to the utility industry to make use of it now!

Grand challenges in bioengineered nanorobotics for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Lenaghan, Scott C; Wang, Yongzhong; Xi, Ning; Fukuda, Toshio; Tarn, Tzyhjong; Hamel, William R; Zhang, Mingjun

2013-03-01

One of the grand challenges currently facing engineering, life sciences, and medicine is the development of fully functional nanorobots capable of sensing, decision making, and actuation. These nanorobots may aid in cancer therapy, site-specific drug delivery, circulating diagnostics, advanced surgery, and tissue repair. In this paper, we will discuss, from a bioinspired perspective, the challenges currently facing nanorobotics, including core design, propulsion and power generation, sensing, actuation, control, decision making, and system integration. Using strategies inspired from microorganisms, we will discuss a potential bioengineered nanorobot for cancer therapy.

A scoping review of appropriateness of care research activity in Canada from a health system-level perspective.

PubMed

Brien, Susan; Gheihman, Galina; Tse, Yi Ki Yvonne; Byrnes, Mary; Harrison, Sophia; Dobrow, Mark J

2014-05-01

Jurisdictions are increasingly focusing on appropriate use of healthcare services and interventions as a means to improve health system performance. Our objectives were to conduct a scoping review to (a) map Canadian research and related activity on system-level appropriateness of care and (b) create a resource database that could be used to inform evidence-based decision-making and future research priorities in this area. We searched Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL databases between 2003-2013 using terms including "appropriate," "inappropriate," "health technology assessment" and "cost-effectiveness." Articles were included if they were Canadian-based and relevant to our definition. The database search was complemented by a website search of relevant Canadian organizations. 4,979 articles were identified through the literature search, and 103 articles relevant to system-level appropriateness of care across Canada were charted. Of these, 64 contained an evaluation of appropriateness, 30 used a method of cost-effectiveness or total cost impact analysis and 9 involved another methodology. The most common health service categories included drug therapy (n=40) and health service utilization (n=33). Fifty-eight websites were summarized containing material relevant to system-level appropriateness of care. Our review identifies Canadian research and related activity pertaining to appropriateness of healthcare from a system-level perspective and provides a useful resource both to support evidence-based decision-making and to guide future appropriateness research. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

A new approach to the design of information systems for foodservice management in health care facilities.

PubMed

Matthews, M E; Norback, J P

1984-06-01

An organizational framework for integrating foodservice data into an information system for management decision making is presented. The framework involves the application to foodservice of principles developed by the disciplines of managerial economics and accounting, mathematics, computer science, and information systems. The first step is to conceptualize a foodservice system from an input-output perspective, in which inputs are units of resources available to managers and outputs are servings of menu items. Next, methods of full cost accounting, from the management accounting literature, are suggested as a mechanism for developing and assigning costs of using resources within a foodservice operation. Then matrix multiplication is used to illustrate types of information that matrix data structures could make available for management planning and control when combined with a conversational mode of computer programming.

Teachers' Perception, Interpretation, and Decision-Making: A Systematic Review of Empirical Mathematics Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahnke, Rebekka; Schueler, Sven; Roesken-Winter, Bettina

2016-01-01

Research in mathematics education has investigated teachers' professional knowledge in depth, comprising two different approaches: a cognitive and a situated perspective. Linking these two perspectives leads to addressing situation-specific skills such as perception, interpretation and decision-making, indicative of revealing a teacher's knowledge…

Adapting forest health assessments to changing perspectives on threats--a case example from Sweden.

PubMed

Wulff, Sören; Lindelöw, Åke; Lundin, Lars; Hansson, Per; Axelsson, Anna-Lena; Barklund, Pia; Wijk, Sture; Ståhl, Göran

2012-04-01

A revised Swedish forest health assessment system is presented. The assessment system is composed of several interacting components which target information needs for strategic and operational decision making and accommodate a continuously expanding knowledge base. The main motivation for separating information for strategic and operational decision making is that major damage outbreaks are often scattered throughout the landscape. Generally, large-scale inventories (such as national forest inventories) cannot provide adequate information for mitigation measures. In addition to broad monitoring programs that provide time-series information on known damaging agents and their effects, there is also a need for local and regional inventories adapted to specific damage events. While information for decision making is the major focus of the health assessment system, the system also contributes to expanding the knowledge base of forest conditions. For example, the integrated monitoring programs provide a better understanding of ecological processes linked to forest health. The new health assessment system should be able to respond to the need for quick and reliable information and thus will be an important part of the future monitoring of Swedish forests.

Acknowledging Spanish and English resources during mathematical reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LópezLeiva, Carlos A.; Torres, Zayoni; Khisty, Lena L.

2013-12-01

As English-only efforts continue in the US schooling system, dual-language programs have served as attempts to preserve students' home language. An after-school, dual-language, Spanish-English, mathematics program, Los Rayos was developed in a predominantly Mexican/Mexican-American neighborhood in Chicago. As participant observers with a sociocultural perspective, we explored the linguistic and personal resources used by participating 4th grade bilingual Latina/o students. We found that students used imaginative, playful, and hybrid linguistic resources to make sense of and solve probability tasks when engaged within a zone of mathematical practice. Results challenge narrow perspectives on bilingual students' linguistic resources. Language implications are discussed.

Inclined to see it your way: Do altercentric intrusion effects in visual perspective taking reflect an intrinsically social process?

PubMed

Kragh Nielsen, Maria; Slade, Lance; Levy, Joseph P; Holmes, Amanda

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that some aspects of mental state understanding recruit a rudimentary, but fast and efficient, processing system, demonstrated by the obligatory slowing down of judgements about what the self can see when this is incongruent with what another can see. We tested the social nature of this system by investigating to what extent these altercentric intrusions are elicited under conditions that differed in their social relevance and, further, how these related to self-reported social perspective taking and empathy. In Experiment 1, adult participants were asked to make "self" or "other" perspective-taking judgements during congruent ("self" and "other" can see the same items) or incongruent conditions ("self" and "other" cannot see the same items) in conditions that were social (i.e., involving a social agent), semisocial (an arrow), or nonsocial (a dual-coloured block). Reaction time indices of altercentric intrusion effects were present across all conditions, but were significantly stronger for the social than for the less social conditions. Self-reported perspective taking and empathy correlated with altercentric intrusion effects in the social condition only. In Experiment 2, the significant correlations for the social condition were replicated, but this time with gaze duration indices of altercentric intrusion effects. Findings are discussed with regard to the degree to which this rudimentary system is socially specialized and how it is linked to more conceptual understanding.

Unravelling the concept of consumer preference: implications for health policy and optimal planning in primary care.

PubMed

Foster, Michele M; Earl, Peter E; Haines, Terry P; Mitchell, Geoffrey K

2010-10-01

Accounting for consumer preference in health policy and delivery system design makes good economic sense since this is linked to outcomes, quality of care and cost control. Probability trade-off methods are commonly used in policy evaluation, marketing and economics. Increasingly applied to health matters, the trade-off preference model has indicated that consumers of health care discriminate between different attributes of care. However, the complexities of the health decision-making environment raise questions about the inherent assumptions concerning choice and decision-making behavior which frame this view of consumer preference. In this article, we use the example of primary care in Australia as a vehicle to examine the concept of 'consumer preference' from different perspectives within economics and discuss the significance of how we model preferences for health policy makers. In doing so, we question whether mainstream thinking, namely that consumers are capable of deliberating between rival strategies and are willing to make trade-offs, is a reliable way of thinking about preferences given the complexities of the health decision-making environment. Alternative perspectives on preference can assist health policy makers and health providers by generating more precise information about the important attributes of care that are likely to enhance consumer engagement and optimise acceptability of health care. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perspective: Ab initio force field methods derived from quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Peng; Guidez, Emilie B.; Bertoni, Colleen; Gordon, Mark S.

2018-03-01

It is often desirable to accurately and efficiently model the behavior of large molecular systems in the condensed phase (thousands to tens of thousands of atoms) over long time scales (from nanoseconds to milliseconds). In these cases, ab initio methods are difficult due to the increasing computational cost with the number of electrons. A more computationally attractive alternative is to perform the simulations at the atomic level using a parameterized function to model the electronic energy. Many empirical force fields have been developed for this purpose. However, the functions that are used to model interatomic and intermolecular interactions contain many fitted parameters obtained from selected model systems, and such classical force fields cannot properly simulate important electronic effects. Furthermore, while such force fields are computationally affordable, they are not reliable when applied to systems that differ significantly from those used in their parameterization. They also cannot provide the information necessary to analyze the interactions that occur in the system, making the systematic improvement of the functional forms that are used difficult. Ab initio force field methods aim to combine the merits of both types of methods. The ideal ab initio force fields are built on first principles and require no fitted parameters. Ab initio force field methods surveyed in this perspective are based on fragmentation approaches and intermolecular perturbation theory. This perspective summarizes their theoretical foundation, key components in their formulation, and discusses key aspects of these methods such as accuracy and formal computational cost. The ab initio force fields considered here were developed for different targets, and this perspective also aims to provide a balanced presentation of their strengths and shortcomings. Finally, this perspective suggests some future directions for this actively developing area.

Impact of Participation in Decision Making on Job Satisfaction: An Organizational Communication Perspective.

PubMed

Xia, Ying; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Ning

2016-09-20

Participation in organizational decision-making has received considerable attention from scholars. Beyond the perspectives proposed in past studies, we offer a new account, based upon a communication perspective, to explain why and when participation in decision-making can influence job satisfaction. Drawing from social capital theory, we examine whether communication openness mediates the relationship between participation in decision-making and job satisfaction. We also investigate how information adequacy moderates this mediated process. Results from a sample of 184 employees in China showed that the four-factor model was the best fitting solution (CFI = .91, GFI = .90, RMSEA = .09). The analyses indicated that employees' participation in decision-making positively affected their job satisfaction (β = .32, p < .001), and the effect was mediated by communication openness (direct effect became non-significant when communication openness was included: β = .06, n.s.). Results also found that decision-making information adequacy positively moderated the relationship between participation in decision-making and communication openness (β = .13, p < .05). Thus, open communication and the free flow of information within organizations should be encouraged.

Technology Adoption: an Interaction Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitorus, Hotna M.; Govindaraju, Rajesri; Wiratmadja, I. I.; Sudirman, Iman

2016-02-01

The success of a new technology depends on how well it is accepted by its intended users. Many technologies face the problem of low adoption rate, despite the benefits. An understanding of what makes people accept or reject a new technology can help speed up the adoption rate. This paper presents a framework for technology adoption based on an interactive perspective, resulting from a literature study on technology adoption. In studying technology adoption, it is necessary to consider the interactions among elements involved in the system, for these interactions may generate new characteristics or new relationships. The interactions among elements in a system adoption have not received sufficient consideration in previous studies of technology adoption. Based on the proposed interaction perspective, technology adoption is elaborated by examining interactions among the individual (i.e. the user or prospective user), the technology, the task and the environment. The framework is formulated by adopting several theories, including Perceived Characteristics of Innovating, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Technology Acceptance Model, Task-Technology Fit and usability theory. The proposed framework is illustrated in the context of mobile banking adoption. It is aimed to offer a better understanding of determinants of technology adoption in various contexts, including technology in manufacturing systems.

Technical Evaluation Report for Symposium AVT-147: Computational Uncertainty in Military Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radespiel, Rolf; Hemsch, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The complexity of modern military systems, as well as the cost and difficulty associated with experimentally verifying system and subsystem design makes the use of high-fidelity based simulation a future alternative for design and development. The predictive ability of such simulations such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational structural mechanics (CSM) have matured significantly. However, for numerical simulations to be used with confidence in design and development, quantitative measures of uncertainty must be available. The AVT 147 Symposium has been established to compile state-of-the art methods of assessing computational uncertainty, to identify future research and development needs associated with these methods, and to present examples of how these needs are being addressed and how the methods are being applied. Papers were solicited that address uncertainty estimation associated with high fidelity, physics-based simulations. The solicitation included papers that identify sources of error and uncertainty in numerical simulation from either the industry perspective or from the disciplinary or cross-disciplinary research perspective. Examples of the industry perspective were to include how computational uncertainty methods are used to reduce system risk in various stages of design or development.

Analysis of Hispanic representation and conceptualization in psychology and law research.

PubMed

Padilla, Joshua B; Miller, Monica K; Broadus, Angela D

2008-01-01

Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the United States, yet research examining the impact this will have on the American legal system is limited. The first purpose of this article was to synthesize the studies that have been conducted, which have found that Hispanics have a perspective toward the police, the courts and the law, and jury decision making that is unique from those of Caucasians and other ethnic groups. The second purpose of this article was to analyze whether psychology and law research has been conducted in a manner conducive to identifying this unique Hispanic perspective. An analysis of 800 articles published in five psychology and law journals revealed that, while Hispanics were typically conceptualized properly, the proportion of articles devoted to the Hispanic perspective is disturbingly low. To increase understanding of the Hispanic perspective, psychology and law researchers must increase the amount of empirical attention given to Hispanics. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Woody biomass utilization trends, barriers, and strategies: Perspectives of U.S. Forest Service managers

Treesearch

Shiloh Sundstrom; Max Nielsen-Pincus; Cassandra Moseley; Sarah McCaffrey

2012-01-01

The use of woody biomass is being promoted across the United States as a means of increasing energy independence, mitigating climate change, and reducing the cost of hazardous fuels reduction treatments and forest restoration projects. The opportunities and challenges for woody biomass use on the national forest system are unique. In addition to making woody biomass...

Tenure or Permanent Contracts in North American Higher Education? A Critical Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batterbury, Simon

2008-01-01

This article offers a critical perspective on the academic tenure system in the USA. Academic tenure is most frequently defended for the protection it affords freedom of speech in higher education, and it is attacked for its cost and lack of flexibility in a rapidly changing sector. The paper makes a third argument, that tenure sustains an…

School Leadership Makes a Difference: A Sociological Perspective of Effective Strategic Planning and Integrating Realms of Meaning into School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ishaq, Kashan; Kritsonis, William Allan

2009-01-01

The leader of the school with an embraced philosophy and understanding of the six realms of meaning ("Symbolics," "Empirics," "Esthetics," "Synnoetics," "Ethics" and "Synoptics") can lead the educational system of the school towards the direction of celebrating the success of the children attending the school. Kritsonis states: "World-Wide, people…

Democracy Exported, History Expunged: John Dewey's Trip to Turkey and the Challenge of Building "Civilised" Nations for Democratic Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Jeremy

2014-01-01

In 1924, John Dewey travelled to Turkey to make recommendations on the Turkish educational system. According to many existing accounts, Dewey brought a sorely needed progressive educational perspective to a nation emerging from centuries of despair. On the whole, these accounts dismiss the Ottoman legacy and overlook how Dewey's historical…

Understanding a Brazilian High School Blended Learning Environment from the Perspective of Complex Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Barros, Ana Paula Rodrigues Magalhães; Simmt, Elaine; Maltempi, Marcus Vinicius

2017-01-01

The use of technological resources has the potential to make viable new and less traditional methodologies of teaching that take into account student differences. Blended learning can be a way to rethink classes so that students have more freedom in their processes of learning. The goal of this article is to understand a blended learning…

Hearing Device Manufacturers Call for Interoperability and Standardization of Internet and Audiology.

PubMed

Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane; Abrams, Harvey; Bülow, Maja; Lunner, Thomas; Nelson, John; Riis, Søren Kamaric; Vanpoucke, Filiep

2016-10-01

This article describes the perspectives of hearing device manufacturers regarding the exciting developments that the Internet makes possible. Specifically, it proposes to join forces toward interoperability and standardization of Internet and audiology. A summary of why such a collaborative effort is required is provided from historical and scientific perspectives. A roadmap toward interoperability and standardization is proposed. Information and communication technologies improve the flow of health care data and pave the way to better health care. However, hearing-related products, features, and services are notoriously heterogeneous and incompatible with other health care systems (no interoperability). Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards (e.g., Noah hearing database). All parties involved in interoperability and standardization realize mutual gains by making mutually consistent decisions. De jure (officially endorsed) standards can be developed in collaboration with large national health care systems as well as spokespeople for hearing care professionals and hearing device users. The roadmap covers mutual collaboration; data privacy, security, and ownership; compliance with current regulations; scalability and modularity; and the scope of interoperability and standards. We propose to join forces to pave the way to the interoperable Internet and audiology products, features, and services that the world needs.

Bringing Value-Based Perspectives to Care: Including Patient and Family Members in Decision-Making Processes

PubMed Central

Kohler, Graeme; Sampalli, Tara; Ryer, Ashley; Porter, Judy; Wood, Les; Bedford, Lisa; Higgins-Bowser, Irene; Edwards, Lynn; Christian, Erin; Dunn, Susan; Gibson, Rick; Ryan Carson, Shannon; Vallis, Michael; Zed, Joanna; Tugwell, Barna; Van Zoost, Colin; Canfield, Carolyn; Rivoire, Eleanor

2017-01-01

Background: Recent evidence shows that patient engagement is an important strategy in achieving a high performing healthcare system. While there is considerable evidence of implementation initiatives in direct care context, there is limited investigation of implementation initiatives in decision-making context as it relates to program planning, service delivery and developing policies. Research has also shown a gap in consistent application of system-level strategies that can effectively translate organizational policies around patient and family engagement into practice. Methods: The broad objective of this initiative was to develop a system-level implementation strategy to include patient and family advisors (PFAs) at decision-making points in primary healthcare (PHC) based on wellestablished evidence and literature. In this opportunity sponsored by the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) a co-design methodology, also well-established was applied in identifying and developing a suitable implementation strategy to engage PFAs as members of quality teams in PHC. Diabetes management centres (DMCs) was selected as the pilot site to develop the strategy. Key steps in the process included review of evidence, review of the current state in PHC through engagement of key stakeholders and a co-design approach. Results: The project team included a diverse representation of members from the PHC system including patient advisors, DMC team members, system leads, providers, Public Engagement team members and CFHI improvement coaches. Key outcomes of this 18-month long initiative included development of a working definition of patient and family engagement, development of a Patient and Family Engagement Resource Guide and evaluation of the resource guide. Conclusion: This novel initiative provided us an opportunity to develop a supportive system-wide implementation plan and a strategy to include PFAs in decision-making processes in PHC. The well-established co-design methodology further allowed us to include value-based (customer driven quality and experience of care) perspectives of several important stakeholders including patient advisors. The next step will be to implement the strategy within DMCs, spread the strategy PHC, both locally and provincially with a focus on sustainability. PMID:29179292

Beyond the crisis: building back better mental health care in 10 emergency-affected areas using a longer-term perspective.

PubMed

Epping-Jordan, JoAnne E; van Ommeren, Mark; Ashour, Hazem Nayef; Maramis, Albert; Marini, Anita; Mohanraj, Andrew; Noori, Aqila; Rizwan, Humayun; Saeed, Khalid; Silove, Derrick; Suveendran, T; Urbina, Liliana; Ventevogel, Peter; Saxena, Shekhar

2015-01-01

Major gaps remain - especially in low- and middle-income countries - in the realization of comprehensive, community-based mental health care. One potentially important yet overlooked opportunity for accelerating mental health reform lies within emergency situations, such as armed conflicts or natural disasters. Despite their adverse impacts on affected populations' mental health and well being, emergencies also draw attention and resources to these issues and provide openings for mental health service development. Cases were considered if they represented a low- or middle-income country or territory affected by an emergency, were initiated between 2000 and 2010, succeeded in making changes to the mental health system, and were able to be documented by an expert involved directly with the case. Based on these criteria, 10 case examples from diverse emergency-affected settings were included: Afghanistan, Burundi, Indonesia (Aceh Province), Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste. These cases demonstrate generally that emergency contexts can be tapped to make substantial and sustainable improvements in mental health systems. From these experiences, 10 common lessons learnt were identified on how to make this happen. These lessons include the importance of adopting a longer-term perspective for mental health reform from the outset, and focusing on system-wide reform that addresses both new-onset and pre-existing mental disorders. Global progress in mental health care would happen more quickly if, in every crisis, strategic efforts were made to convert short-term interest in mental health problems into momentum for mental health reform.

An Indigenous Knowledges Perspective on Valid Meaning Making: A Commentary on Research with the EDI and Aboriginal Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sam, Michele A.

2011-01-01

Offering an Indigenous perspective, this commentary discusses collaborative research, shared meaning making, and knowledge building specific to child development, and reflects on social, cultural, and historical aspects that influence these processes. Drawing upon experiences of developing a collaborative research approach with which to engage…

The Role of Future Time Perspective in Career Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Terrance L.; Tracey, Terence J. G.

2012-01-01

The present study of two hundred and seven university students examined the structural relation of future-orientation (both valence and instrumentality), career decision-making self-efficacy and career indecision (choice/commitment anxiety and lack of readiness) in a sample of 218 college students. Future time perspective was viewed as a key input…

"I Can't Do Any More Education": Class, Individualisation and Educational Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Andrew

2008-01-01

This paper, drawing upon a recent study of youth post-compulsory educational and occupational decision-making, argues for a culturalist perspective to understand the persistence of class-based inequalities within VET. The paper begins by outlining two broadly distinct perspectives within current research into youth: an "individualist" approach…

In Pursuit of Effective Schools: From Western Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rai, Anamika; Prakash, Anand

2014-01-01

This review paper begins by asking what makes few schools outstanding. What makes them successful? What have we learned from last two decades of studying School Effectiveness (SE)? To answer those questions, this paper attempts to identify the patterns and trends of Studying School effectiveness from western perspective. The main purpose of this…

Teaching Perspectives of Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers: The Shanghai Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lijuan

2014-01-01

Background: In the physical education (PE) domain, teachers are given the freedom to make important educational decisions. Because of the common assumption that the decisions teachers make are based on a set of educational perspectives, a considerable number of studies have addressed the importance of studying the thinking and beliefs of PE…

Perspective Taking and Decision-Making in Educational Game Play: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilliard, Lacey J.; Buckingham, Mary H.; Geldhof, G. John; Gansert, Patricia; Stack, Caroline; Gelgoot, Erin S.; Bers, Marina U.; Lerner, Richard M.

2018-01-01

Video games have the potential to be contexts for moral learning. We investigated whether "Quandary," a video game designed to promote ethical thinking and moral considerations for decision-making, would help promote positive skills such as perspective taking and empathy in adolescents. We examined the effect of playing…

A new computational account of cognitive control over reinforcement-based decision-making: Modeling of a probabilistic learning task.

PubMed

Zendehrouh, Sareh

2015-11-01

Recent work on decision-making field offers an account of dual-system theory for decision-making process. This theory holds that this process is conducted by two main controllers: a goal-directed system and a habitual system. In the reinforcement learning (RL) domain, the habitual behaviors are connected with model-free methods, in which appropriate actions are learned through trial-and-error experiences. However, goal-directed behaviors are associated with model-based methods of RL, in which actions are selected using a model of the environment. Studies on cognitive control also suggest that during processes like decision-making, some cortical and subcortical structures work in concert to monitor the consequences of decisions and to adjust control according to current task demands. Here a computational model is presented based on dual system theory and cognitive control perspective of decision-making. The proposed model is used to simulate human performance on a variant of probabilistic learning task. The basic proposal is that the brain implements a dual controller, while an accompanying monitoring system detects some kinds of conflict including a hypothetical cost-conflict one. The simulation results address existing theories about two event-related potentials, namely error related negativity (ERN) and feedback related negativity (FRN), and explore the best account of them. Based on the results, some testable predictions are also presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conditioned associations and economic decision biases.

PubMed

Guitart-Masip, Marc; Talmi, Deborah; Dolan, Ray

2010-10-15

Humans show substantial deviation from rationality during economic decision making under uncertainty. A computational perspective suggests these deviations arise out of an interaction between distinct valuation systems in the brain. Here, we provide behavioural data showing that the incidental presentation of aversive and appetitive conditioned stimuli can alter subjects' preferences in an economic task, involving a choice between a safe or gamble option. These behavioural effects informed a model-based analysis of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment, involving an identical paradigm, where we demonstrate that this conditioned behavioral bias engages the amygdala, a brain structure associated with acquisition and expression of conditioned associations. Our findings suggest that a well known bias in human economic choice can arise from an influence of conditioned associations on goal-directed decision making, consistent with an architecture of choice that invokes distinct decision-making systems. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the age of enlightenment from a collective decision making systems perspective

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

Rodriguez, Marko A; Watkins, Jennifer H

2009-01-01

The ideals of the eighteenth century's Age of Enlightenment are the foundation of modern democracies. The era was characterized by thinkers who promoted progressive social reforms that opposed the long-established aristocracies and monarchies of the time. Prominent examples of such reforms include the establishment of inalienable human rights, self-governing republics, and market capitalism. Twenty-first century democratic nations can benefit from revisiting the systems developed during the Enlightenment and reframing them within the techno-social context of the Information Age. This article explores the application of social algorithms that make use of Thomas Paine's (English: 1737--1809) representatives, Adam Smith's (Scottish: 1723--1790) self-interestedmore » actors, and Marquis de Condorcet's (French: 1743--1794) optimal decision making groups. It is posited that technology-enabled social algorithms can better realize the ideals articulated during the Enlightenment.« less

Perspective: Semantic Data Management for the Home

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

8 the more flexible policies found in many management tasks must be made in an ad - hoc fashion at the application level, leading to a loss of user...this mismatch as a significant source of disorganization: Aaron: “I’m very conscious about the way I name things; I have a coding system. But the...thing is, that doesn’t work if you have everything spread out. The coding system makes sense when there’s a lot of other things around, but not when it’s

Factual Approach in Decision Making - the Prerequisite of Success in Quality Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kučerová, Marta; Škůrková Lestyánszka, Katarína

2013-12-01

In quality management system as well as in other managerial systems, effective decisions must be always based on the data and information analysis, i.e. based on facts, in accordance with the factual approach principle in quality management. It is therefore necessary to measure and collect the data and information about processes. The article presents the results of a conducted survey, which was focused on application of factual approach in decision making. It also offers suggestions for improvements of application of the principle in business practice. This article was prepared using the research results of VEGA project No. 1/0229/08 "Perspectives of the quality management development in relation to the requirements of market in the Slovak Republic".

[Neural and cognitive correlates of social cognition: findings on neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies].

PubMed

Kobayakawa, Mutsutaka; Kawamura, Mitsuru

2011-12-01

Social cognition includes various components of information processing related to communication with other individuals. In this review, we have discussed 3 components of social cognitive function: face recognition, empathy, and decision making. Our social behavior involves recognition based on facial features and also involves empathizing with others; while making decisions, it is important to consider the social consequences of the course of action followed. Face recognition is divided into 2 routes for information processing: a route responsible for overt recognition of the face's identity and a route for emotional and orienting responses based on the face's personal affective significance. Two systems are possibly involved in empathy: a basic emotional contagion "mirroring" system and a more advanced "theory of mind" system that considers the cognitive perspective. Decision making is mediated by a widespread system that includes several cortical and subcortical components. Numerous lesion and neuroimaging studies have contributed to clarifying the neural correlates of social cognitive function, and greater information can be obtained on social cognitive function by combining these 2 approaches.

Insights into the government's role in food system policy making: improving access to healthy, local food alongside other priorities.

PubMed

Wegener, Jessica; Raine, Kim D; Hanning, Rhona M

2012-11-12

Government actors have an important role to play in creating healthy public policies and supportive environments to facilitate access to safe, affordable, nutritious food. The purpose of this research was to examine Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada) as a case study for "what works" with respect to facilitating access to healthy, local food through regional food system policy making. Policy and planning approaches were explored through multi-sectoral perspectives of: (a) the development and adoption of food policies as part of the comprehensive planning process; (b) barriers to food system planning; and (c) the role and motivation of the Region's public health and planning departments in food system policy making. Forty-seven in-depth interviews with decision makers, experts in public health and planning, and local food system stakeholders provided rich insight into strategic government actions, as well as the local and historical context within which food system policies were developed. Grounded theory methods were used to identify key overarching themes including: "strategic positioning", "partnerships" and "knowledge transfer" and related sub-themes ("aligned agendas", "issue framing", "visioning" and "legitimacy"). A conceptual framework to illustrate the process and features of food system policy making is presented and can be used as a starting point to  engage multi-sectoral stakeholders in plans and actions to facilitate access to healthy food.

What Makes Us More Egocentric in Communication? The Role of Referent Features and Individual Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debska, Agnieszka; Raczaszek-Leonardi, Joanna

2018-01-01

The perspective-adjustment model of language interpretation assumes an initial egocentric stage in comprehension that is only later adjusted to the interlocutor's perspective. Moreover, substantial processing resources are involved in perspective-taking. However, many experiments in the perspective-adjustment framework do not control for visual…

The World Society Perspective: Concepts, Assumptions, and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Francisco O.

2012-01-01

For decades the world society perspective has influenced comparative research on a broad range of issues across the social sciences. The perspective emerged to make sense of an empirical puzzle: why did nation-state after nation-state expand mass schooling after World War II? The perspective evolved to address broader issues such as the authority…

Implications of R. S. Peters' Notion of "Cognitive Perspective" for Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadzigeorgiou, Yannis

2017-01-01

This paper discusses R.S. Peters' notion of "cognitive perspective," which, through careful reading, can be interpreted as a wider perspective resulting from an awareness of the relationships of one's knowledge and understanding to one's own life. This interpretation makes cognitive perspective a holistic notion akin to that of…

Human factors in anaesthesia: lessons from aviation.

PubMed

Toff, N J

2010-07-01

Aviation safety has evolved over more than a century and has achieved remarkable results. Applying some of the lessons learned may help make healthcare safer. From the perspective of an anaesthetic background and some thousands of hours of airline flying, I offer a personal perspective, try to give a sense of the place of human factors in airline operations and some of the current problems, and make some suggestions as to what the NHS and anaesthesia might learn from this. Although many of the ingredients for safe operation are frequently already present in our hospitals, and some individual clinical areas and departments achieve high levels of reliability and safety, I will emphasize my firm belief that we cannot expect improvements in human factors training and awareness to be fully effective in the healthcare setting without the parallel development of a simple and strong safety system across organizations. In the process, we may find that the safe hospital turns out somewhat differently to the safe airline.

Social and ethical perspectives of landslide risk mitigation measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalsnes, Bjørn; Vangelsten, Bjørn V.

2015-04-01

Landslide risk may be mitigated by use of a wide range of measures. Mitigation and prevention options may include (1) structural measures to reduce the frequency, severity or exposure to the hazard, (2) non-structural measures, such as land-use planning and early warning systems, to reduce the hazard frequency and consequences, and (3) measures to pool and transfer the risks. In a given situation the appropriate system of mitigation measures may be a combination of various types of measures, both structural and non-structural. In the process of choosing mitigation measures for a given landslide risk situation, the role of the geoscientist is normally to propose possible mitigation measures on basis of the risk level and technical feasibility. Social and ethical perspectives are often neglected in this process. However, awareness of the need to consider social as well as ethical issues in the design and management of mitigating landslide risk is rising. There is a growing understanding that technical experts acting alone cannot determine what will be considered the appropriate set of mitigation and prevention measures. Issues such as environment versus development, questions of acceptable risk, who bears the risks and benefits, and who makes the decisions, also need to be addressed. Policymakers and stakeholders engaged in solving environmental risk problems are increasingly recognising that traditional expert-based decision-making processes are insufficient. This paper analyse the process of choosing appropriate mitigation measures to mitigate landslide risk from a social and ethical perspective, considering technical, cultural, economical, environmental and political elements. The paper focus on stakeholder involvement in the decision making process, and shows how making strategies for risk communication is a key for a successful process. The study is supported by case study examples from Norway and Italy. In the Italian case study, three different risk mitigation options was presented to the local community. The options were based on a thorough stakeholder involvement process ending up in three different views on how to deal with the landslide risk situation: i) protect lives and properties (hierarchical) ; ii) careful stewardship of the mountains (egalitarian); and iii) rational individual choice (individualist).

Make versus buy: a financial perspective.

PubMed

Kisner, Harold J

2003-01-01

Clinical laboratories are often faced with the decision to either perform a service in-house using their own assets or outsource the service to another vendor. This decision affects many aspects of the laboratory's business, from the macroeconomic perspective of outsourcing the laboratory service to a laboratory vendor, to the microeconomics of determining whether to refer a test out to their reference laboratory or perform the test in-house. The basis for decision making includes many variables, but a detailed financial analysis is usually the basis for the decision, especially when the decision only affects the laboratory and not the rest of the institution. Other factors often come into play, and depending on the magnitude, the "make versus buy" decision could be based more on strategic or political factors than economics. Even when noneconomic factors are involved, an effort usually is made to quantify those factors so that the make versus buy decision is reduced to financial terms. The previous article in this issue, "Effectively Managing Your Reference Laboratory Relationship" by Ronald L. Weiss, M.D., focused on the "buy" decision relating to managing the reference laboratory relationship. Although that article took a more clinical perspective through the eyes of the reference laboratory, this article looks at the make versus buy decision from a financial perspective through the eyes of the buying party.

Information Technology Process Improvement Decision-Making: An Exploratory Study from the Perspective of Process Owners and Process Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamp, Sandra A.

2012-01-01

There is information available in the literature that discusses information technology (IT) governance and investment decision making from an executive-level perception, yet there is little information available that offers the perspective of process owners and process managers pertaining to their role in IT process improvement and investment…

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capelo, Carlos; Dias, Joao Ferreira

2009-01-01

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term…

Making Sense of Dynamic Systems: How Our Understanding of Stocks and Flows Depends on a Global Perspective.

PubMed

Fischer, Helen; Gonzalez, Cleotilde

2016-03-01

Stocks and flows (SF) are building blocks of dynamic systems: Stocks change through inflows and outflows, such as our bank balance changing with withdrawals and deposits, or atmospheric CO2 with absorptions and emissions. However, people make systematic errors when trying to infer the behavior of dynamic systems, termed SF failure, whose cognitive explanations are yet unknown. We argue that SF failure appears when people focus on specific system elements (local processing), rather than on the system structure and gestalt (global processing). Using a standard SF task (n = 148), SF failure decreased by (a) a global as opposed to local task format; (b) individual global as opposed to local processing styles; and (c) global as opposed to local perceptual priming. These results converge toward local processing as an explanation for SF failure. We discuss theoretical and practical implications on the connections between the scope of attention and understanding of dynamic systems. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Multimorbidity: a sociological perspective of systems.

PubMed

Walker, Christine; Peterson, Chris L

2017-02-01

There has been a great tradition of looking at health and illness from a systems perspective. For clinicians and people with illnesses a lot can be gained by mapping the interface of different sectors to understand the nature of conditions. This paper aims to use Sturmberg et als. paper as a stepping off point to present a sociological approach to understanding multimorbidities and gain insights into the illness experience of these people in the greater social system of health and illness. Parsons' sick role provides a useful systems concept through which we can understand the role of doctors and the experience of illness as social, beyond the personal. We also use Bourdieu's concept of habitas and of structure and agency to make sense of multimorbidities being social, economic and a broader part of experiencing social systems. We posit that one option for people coping with multiple conditions is to change identity. We also examine the doctor and patient encounter for mutlimorbidities as being problematic as it forces attention on competence and responsibility in that continuing encounter. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research Needs for Human Factors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-19

the parties aggregate their perspectives through some structured interaction (Sachman, 1975; Steiner, 1972). This approach, well worked by students of...be thought of as an action, so may each action be thought of as a decision. Most students of decision making would probably agree with the hypothesis...structuring has become part of the training of some medical students . The user of computerized information retrieval systems (e.g., Prestel, Teletext) might

Interface Evaluation for Open System Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

maker (SDM) is responsible for balancing all of the influences of the IPT when making decisions. Coalescing the IPT perspectives for a single IIM...factors are considered in IIM decisions and that decisions are consistent with the preferences of the SDM, ultimately leading to a balance of schedule... board to perform ranking and weighting determinations. Rank sum, rank exponent, rank reciprocal and ROC leverage a subjective assessment of the

Defence Reporter. Autumn 2013

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

stretcher borne casualty. The trial showed, for a mannequin dressed in either Combat Soldier 95 (CS95) ensemble or in Personal Clothing System...chain perspective is not known and as a result the Authority’s understanding of the performance of the Defence Support Chain ( DSC ) in its entirety...dismounted soldier . It is possible to approach this problem by improving the physical conditioning / preparedness of the soldier thereby making the

TRANSIENT ELECTRONICS CATEGORIZATION

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-24

failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE...Recycling Make Sense from an Environmental Perspective?: The Environmental Impacts of the Swiss Take-Back and Recycling Systems for Waste Electrical and...technical information exchange, and its publication does not constitute the Government’s approval or disapproval of its ideas or findings

Total Cost of Ownership, System Acceptance and Perceived Success of Enterprise Resource Planning Software: Simulating a Dynamic Feedback Perspective of ERP in the Higher Education Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryling, Meg

2010-01-01

Enterprise Research Planning (ERP) software is advertised as the product that will "run the enterprise", improving data access and accuracy as well as enhancing business process efficiency. Unfortunately, organizations often make implementation decisions with little consideration for the maintenance phase of an ERP, resulting in significant…

Descriptive and Computer Aided Drawing Perspective on an Unfolded Polyhedral Projection Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzwierzynska, Jolanta

2017-10-01

The aim of the herby study is to develop a method of direct and practical mapping of perspective on an unfolded prism polyhedral projection surface. The considered perspective representation is a rectilinear central projection onto a surface composed of several flat elements. In the paper two descriptive methods of drawing perspective are presented: direct and indirect. The graphical mapping of the effects of the representation is realized directly on the unfolded flat projection surface. That is due to the projective and graphical connection between points displayed on the polyhedral background and their counterparts received on the unfolded flat surface. For a significant improvement of the construction of line, analytical algorithms are formulated. They draw a perspective image of a segment of line passing through two different points determined by their coordinates in a spatial coordinate system of axis x, y, z. Compared to other perspective construction methods that use information about points, for computer vision and the computer aided design, our algorithms utilize data about lines, which are applied very often in architectural forms. Possibility of drawing lines in the considered perspective enables drawing an edge perspective image of an architectural object. The application of the changeable base elements of perspective as a horizon height and a station point location enable drawing perspective image from different viewing positions. The analytical algorithms for drawing perspective images are formulated in Mathcad software, however, they can be implemented in the majority of computer graphical packages, which can make drawing perspective more efficient and easier. The representation presented in the paper and the way of its direct mapping on the flat unfolded projection surface can find application in presentation of architectural space in advertisement and art.

The role of smart systems in rendezvous, close proximity operations and docking maneuvers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szatkowski, Gerard P.

Various missions scenarios (Space Station logistics, LEO and GEO services, and SEI operation) will involve flexibility in mission management. This means operations will be one or a combination of the following: autonomous, supervised autonomous, and machine aided manual control. Smart Systems will likely play a significant role in making these missions successful from a safety/reliability perspective and less costly from an operations perspective. This does not imply that Smart Systems need to be super sophisticated. On the contrary, Smart Systems have been described as automated intelligence that if a person had done it wrong, it would be considered stupid. The first part of this paper will describe the types of Smart System techniques involved in AR and CC, their specifications, duties, and interactions. Next will be a discussion of the work performed under the auspice of the ALS Program to further Expert Systems applications imbedded in the control process, NASA/JSC CRAD, and other related IRAD projects. This will include issues pertaining to the following: integration, speed, knowledge encapsulation, and cooperative systems. Finally, a brief description will be offered to outline the major obstacles for the acceptance of Smart Systems in critical applications.

The Science of Transportation Analysis and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleibe, John

2010-03-01

Transportation Science focuses on methods developed to model and analyze the interaction between human behavior and transportation systems. From the human behavioral, or demand, perspective, we are interested in how person and households organize their activities across space and time, with travel viewed as an enabling activity. We have a particular interest in how to model the range of responses to public policy and transportation system changes, which leads to the consideration of both short- and long-term decision-making, interpersonal dependencies, and non-transportation-related opportunities and constraints, including household budgets, land use systems and economic systems. This has led to the development of complex structural econometric modeling systems as well as agent-based simulations. From the transportation systems, or supply, perspective we are interested in the level of service provide by transportation facilities, be it auto, transit or multi-modal systems. This has led to the development of network models and equilibrium concepts as well as hybrid simulation systems based on concepts borrowed from physics, such as fluid flow models, and cellular automata-type models. In this presentation, we review a representative sample of these methods and their use in transportation planning and public policy analysis.

Opting in and opting out: a grounded theory of nursing's contribution to inpatient rehabilitation.

PubMed

Pryor, Julie; Walker, Annette; O'Connell, Beverly; Worrall-Carter, Linda

2009-12-01

To develop a grounded theory of nursing's contribution to patient rehabilitation from the perspective of nurses working in inpatient rehabilitation. Grounded theory method, informed by the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism, was used to guide data collection and analysis, and the development of a grounded theory. Five inpatient rehabilitation units in Australia. Thirty-five registered and 18 enrolled nurses participated in audio-taped interviews and/or were observed during periods of their everyday practice. The analysis revealed a situation whereby nurses made decisions about when to 'opt in' and when to 'opt out' of inpatient rehabilitation. This occurred on two levels: with their interaction with patients and allied health professionals, and when faced with negative system issues that impacted on their ability to contribute to patient rehabilitation. The primary contribution nurses made to inpatient rehabilitation was working directly with patients, enabling them to self-care. Nurses coached patients when their decisions about 'opting in' and 'opting out' were based on assessment of the person in their particular context. In contrast, the nurses mostly distanced themselves from system-based problems, 'opting out' of addressing them. They did this not to make their working lives easier, but more manageable. System-based problems impacted negatively on the nurses' ability to deliver comprehensive rehabilitation care. As a consequence, some nurses felt unable to influence the care and they withdrew professionally to make their work lives more manageable.

Understanding the earth systems of Malawi: Ecological sustainability, culture, and place-based education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glasson, George E.; Frykholm, Jeffrey A.; Mhango, Ndalapa A.; Phiri, Absalom D.

2006-07-01

The purpose of this 2-year study was to investigate Malawian teacher educators' perspectives and dispositions toward teaching about ecological sustainability issues in Malawi, a developing country in sub-Sahara Africa. This study was embedded in a larger theoretical framework of investigating earth systems science through the understanding of nature-knowledge-culture systems from local, place-based perspectives. Specifically, we were interested in learning more about eco-justice issues that are related to environmental degradation in Malawi and the potential role of inquiry-oriented pedagogies in addressing these issues. In a science methods course, the African educators' views on deforestation and teaching about ecological sustainability were explored within the context of the local environment and culture. Teachers participated in inquiry pedagogies designed to promote the sharing of perspectives related to the connections between culture and ecological degradation. Strategies encouraging dialogue and reflection included role-playing, class discussions, curriculum development activities, teaching experiences with children, and field trips to a nature preserve. Data were analyzed from postcolonial and critical pedagogy of place theoretical perspectives to better understand the hybridization of viewpoints influenced by both Western and indigenous science and the political hegemonies that impact sustainable living in Malawi. Findings suggested that the colonial legacy of Malawi continues to impact the ecological sustainability issue of deforestation. Inquiry-oriented pedagogies and connections to indigenous science were embraced by the Malawian educators as a means to involve children in investigation, decision making, and ownership of critical environmental issues.

Game Theory and Risk-Based Levee System Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, R.; Lund, J. R.; Madani, K.

2014-12-01

Risk-based analysis has been developed for optimal levee design for economic efficiency. Along many rivers, two levees on opposite riverbanks act as a simple levee system. Being rational and self-interested, land owners on each river bank would tend to independently optimize their levees with risk-based analysis, resulting in a Pareto-inefficient levee system design from the social planner's perspective. Game theory is applied in this study to analyze decision making process in a simple levee system in which the land owners on each river bank develop their design strategies using risk-based economic optimization. For each land owner, the annual expected total cost includes expected annual damage cost and annualized construction cost. The non-cooperative Nash equilibrium is identified and compared to the social planner's optimal distribution of flood risk and damage cost throughout the system which results in the minimum total flood cost for the system. The social planner's optimal solution is not feasible without appropriate level of compensation for the transferred flood risk to guarantee and improve conditions for all parties. Therefore, cooperative game theory is then employed to develop an economically optimal design that can be implemented in practice. By examining the game in the reversible and irreversible decision making modes, the cost of decision making myopia is calculated to underline the significance of considering the externalities and evolution path of dynamic water resource problems for optimal decision making.

Medical education and cognitive continuum theory: an alternative perspective on medical problem solving and clinical reasoning.

PubMed

Custers, Eugène J F M

2013-08-01

Recently, human reasoning, problem solving, and decision making have been viewed as products of two separate systems: "System 1," the unconscious, intuitive, or nonanalytic system, and "System 2," the conscious, analytic, or reflective system. This view has penetrated the medical education literature, yet the idea of two independent dichotomous cognitive systems is not entirely without problems.This article outlines the difficulties of this "two-system view" and presents an alternative, developed by K.R. Hammond and colleagues, called cognitive continuum theory (CCT). CCT is featured by three key assumptions. First, human reasoning, problem solving, and decision making can be arranged on a cognitive continuum, with pure intuition at one end, pure analysis at the other, and a large middle ground called "quasirationality." Second, the nature and requirements of the cognitive task, as perceived by the person performing the task, determine to a large extent whether a task will be approached more intuitively or more analytically. Third, for optimal task performance, this approach needs to match the cognitive properties and requirements of the task. Finally, the author makes a case that CCT is better able than a two-system view to describe medical problem solving and clinical reasoning and that it provides clear clues for how to organize training in clinical reasoning.

A Systems Approach to Vaccine Decision Making

PubMed Central

Lee, Bruce Y.; Mueller, Leslie E.; Tilchin, Carla G.

2016-01-01

Vaccines reside in a complex multiscale system that includes biological, clinical, behavioral, social, operational, environmental, and economical relationships. Not accounting for these systems when making decisions about vaccines can result in changes that have little effect rather than solutions, lead to unsustainable solutions, miss indirect (e.g., secondary, tertiary, and beyond) effects, cause unintended consequences, and lead to wasted time, effort, and resources. Mathematical and computational modeling can help better understand and address complex systems by representing all or most of the components, relationships, and processes. Such models can serve as “virtual laboratories” to examine how a system operates and test the effects of different changes within the system. Here are ten lessons learned from using computational models to bring more of a systems approach to vaccine decision making: (i) traditional single measure approaches may overlook opportunities; (ii) there is complex interplay among many vaccine, population, and disease characteristics; (iii) accounting for perspective can identify synergies; (iv) the distribution system should not be overlooked; (v) target population choice can have secondary and tertiary effects; (vi) potentially overlooked characteristics can be important; (vii) characteristics of one vaccine can affect other vaccines; (viii) the broader impact of vaccines is complex; (ix) vaccine administration extends beyond the provider level; (x) and the value of vaccines is dynamic. PMID:28017430

A systems approach to vaccine decision making.

PubMed

Lee, Bruce Y; Mueller, Leslie E; Tilchin, Carla G

2017-01-20

Vaccines reside in a complex multiscale system that includes biological, clinical, behavioral, social, operational, environmental, and economical relationships. Not accounting for these systems when making decisions about vaccines can result in changes that have little effect rather than solutions, lead to unsustainable solutions, miss indirect (e.g., secondary, tertiary, and beyond) effects, cause unintended consequences, and lead to wasted time, effort, and resources. Mathematical and computational modeling can help better understand and address complex systems by representing all or most of the components, relationships, and processes. Such models can serve as "virtual laboratories" to examine how a system operates and test the effects of different changes within the system. Here are ten lessons learned from using computational models to bring more of a systems approach to vaccine decision making: (i) traditional single measure approaches may overlook opportunities; (ii) there is complex interplay among many vaccine, population, and disease characteristics; (iii) accounting for perspective can identify synergies; (iv) the distribution system should not be overlooked; (v) target population choice can have secondary and tertiary effects; (vi) potentially overlooked characteristics can be important; (vii) characteristics of one vaccine can affect other vaccines; (viii) the broader impact of vaccines is complex; (ix) vaccine administration extends beyond the provider level; and (x) the value of vaccines is dynamic. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expert system technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prince, Mary Ellen

1987-01-01

The expert system is a computer program which attempts to reproduce the problem-solving behavior of an expert, who is able to view problems from a broad perspective and arrive at conclusions rapidly, using intuition, shortcuts, and analogies to previous situations. Expert systems are a departure from the usual artificial intelligence approach to problem solving. Researchers have traditionally tried to develop general modes of human intelligence that could be applied to many different situations. Expert systems, on the other hand, tend to rely on large quantities of domain specific knowledge, much of it heuristic. The reasoning component of the system is relatively simple and straightforward. For this reason, expert systems are often called knowledge based systems. The report expands on the foregoing. Section 1 discusses the architecture of a typical expert system. Section 2 deals with the characteristics that make a problem a suitable candidate for expert system solution. Section 3 surveys current technology, describing some of the software aids available for expert system development. Section 4 discusses the limitations of the latter. The concluding section makes predictions of future trends.

"Interactive Classification Technology"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deBessonet, Cary

1999-01-01

The investigators are upgrading a knowledge representation language called SL (Symbolic Language) and an automated reasoning system called SMS (Symbolic Manipulation System) to enable the technologies to be used in automated reasoning and interactive classification systems. The overall goals of the project are: a) the enhancement of the representation language SL to accommodate multiple perspectives and a wider range of meaning; b) the development of a sufficient set of operators to enable the interpreter of SL to handle representations of basic cognitive acts; and c) the development of a default inference scheme to operate over SL notation as it is encoded. As to particular goals the first-year work plan focused on inferencing and.representation issues, including: 1) the development of higher level cognitive/ classification functions and conceptual models for use in inferencing and decision making; 2) the specification of a more detailed scheme of defaults and the enrichment of SL notation to accommodate the scheme; and 3) the adoption of additional perspectives for inferencing.

Giftedness as a Developmental Construct That Leads to Eminence as Adults: Ideas and Implications from an Occupational/Career Decision-Making Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Jae Yup

2012-01-01

The proposal of Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Worrell (2011) on rethinking giftedness and gifted education has a number of implications from an occupational/career decision-making perspective. In this examination of their ideas, consideration is given to the literature in vocational psychology/career development, the emerging findings on the…

Causes and remedies for the dominant risk factors in Enterprise System implementation projects: the consultants' perspective.

PubMed

Lech, Przemysław

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the causes of the dominant risk factors, affecting Enterprise System implementation projects and propose remedies for those risk factors from the perspective of implementation consultants. The study used a qualitative research strategy, based on e-mail interviews, semi-structured personal interviews with consultants and participant observation during implementation projects. The main contribution of this paper is that it offers viable indications of how to mitigate the dominant risk factors. These indications were grouped into the following categories: stable project scope, smooth communication supported by the project management, dedicated, competent and decision-making client team, competent and engaged consultant project manager, schedule and budget consistent with the project scope, use of methodology and procedures, enforced and enabled by the project managers, competent and dedicated consultants. A detailed description is provided for each category.

Economic Impact of Gene Expression Profiling in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer in France.

PubMed

Katz, Gregory; Romano, Olivier; Foa, Cyril; Vataire, Anne-Lise; Chantelard, Jean-Victor; Hervé, Robert; Barletta, Hugues; Durieux, Axel; Martin, Jean-Pierre; Salmon, Rémy

2015-01-01

The heterogeneous nature of breast cancer can make decisions on adjuvant chemotherapy following surgical resection challenging. Oncotype DX is a validated gene expression profiling test that predicts the likelihood of adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in early-stage breast cancer. The aim of this study is to determine the costs of chemotherapy in private hospitals in France, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Oncotype DX from national insurance and societal perspectives. A multicenter study was conducted in seven French private hospitals, capturing retrospective data from 106 patient files. Cost estimates were used in conjunction with a published Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of using Oncotype DX to inform chemotherapy decision making versus standard care. Sensitivity analyses were performed. The cost of adjuvant chemotherapy in private hospitals was estimated at EUR 8,218 per patient from a national insurance perspective and EUR 10,305 from a societal perspective. Cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that introducing Oncotype DX improved life expectancy (+0.18 years) and quality-adjusted life expectancy (+0.17 QALYs) versus standard care. Oncotype DX was found cost-effective from a national insurance perspective (EUR 2,134 per QALY gained) and cost saving from a societal perspective versus standard care. Inclusion of lost productivity costs in the modeling analysis meant that costs for eligible patients undergoing Oncotype DX testing were on average EUR 602 lower than costs for those receiving standard care. As Oncotype DX was found both cost and life-saving from a societal perspective, the test was considered to be dominant to standard care. However, the delay in coverage has the potential to erode the quality of the French healthcare system, thus depriving patients of technologies that could improve clinical outcomes and allow healthcare professionals to better allocate hospital resources to improve the standard of care for all patients.

Spatiotemporal control to eliminate cardiac alternans using isostable reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Dan; Moehlis, Jeff

2017-03-01

Cardiac alternans, an arrhythmia characterized by a beat-to-beat alternation of cardiac action potential durations, is widely believed to facilitate the transition from normal cardiac function to ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. Alternans arises due to an instability of a healthy period-1 rhythm, and most dynamical control strategies either require extensive knowledge of the cardiac system, making experimental validation difficult, or are model independent and sacrifice important information about the specific system under study. Isostable reduction provides an alternative approach, in which the response of a system to external perturbations can be used to reduce the complexity of a cardiac system, making it easier to work with from an analytical perspective while retaining many of its important features. Here, we use isostable reduction strategies to reduce the complexity of partial differential equation models of cardiac systems in order to develop energy optimal strategies for the elimination of alternans. Resulting control strategies require significantly less energy to terminate alternans than comparable strategies and do not require continuous state feedback.

Linear, multivariable robust control with a mu perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Packard, Andy; Doyle, John; Balas, Gary

1993-01-01

The structured singular value is a linear algebra tool developed to study a particular class of matrix perturbation problems arising in robust feedback control of multivariable systems. These perturbations are called linear fractional, and are a natural way to model many types of uncertainty in linear systems, including state-space parameter uncertainty, multiplicative and additive unmodeled dynamics uncertainty, and coprime factor and gap metric uncertainty. The structured singular value theory provides a natural extension of classical SISO robustness measures and concepts to MIMO systems. The structured singular value analysis, coupled with approximate synthesis methods, make it possible to study the tradeoff between performance and uncertainty that occurs in all feedback systems. In MIMO systems, the complexity of the spatial interactions in the loop gains make it difficult to heuristically quantify the tradeoffs that must occur. This paper examines the role played by the structured singular value (and its computable bounds) in answering these questions, as well as its role in the general robust, multivariable control analysis and design problem.

Adrift in the Gray Zone: IRB Perspectives on Research in the Learning Health System.

PubMed

Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin; Kelley, Maureen; Cho, Mildred K; Kraft, Stephanie Alessi; James, Cyan; Constantine, Melissa; Meyer, Adrienne N; Diekema, Douglas; Capron, Alexander M; Wilfond, Benjamin S; Magnus, David

2016-01-01

Human subjects protection in healthcare contexts rests on the premise that a principled boundary distinguishes clinical research and clinical practice. However, growing use of evidence-based clinical practices by health systems makes it increasingly difficult to disentangle research from a wide range of clinical activities that are sometimes called "research on medical practice" (ROMP), including quality improvement activities and comparative effectiveness research. The recent growth of ROMP activities has created an ethical and regulatory gray zone with significant implications for the oversight of human subjects research. We conducted six semi-structured, open-ended focus group discussions with IRB members to understand their experiences and perspectives on ethical oversight of ROMP, including randomization of patients to standard treatments. Our study revealed that IRB members are unclear or divided on the central questions at stake in the current policy debate over ethical oversight of ROMP: IRB members struggle to make a clear distinction between clinical research and medical practice improvement, lack consensus on when ROMP requires IRB review and oversight, and are uncertain about what constitutes incremental risk when patients are randomized to different treatments, any of which may be offered in usual care. They characterized the central challenge as a balancing act, between, on the one hand, making information fully transparent to patients and providing adequate oversight, and on the other hand, avoiding a chilling effect on the research process or harming the physician-patient relationship. Evidence-based guidance that supports IRB members in providing adequate and effective oversight of ROMP without impeding the research process or harming the physician-patient relationship is necessary to realize the full benefits of the learning health system.

An Organizational Perspective to the Creation of the Research Field.

PubMed

Talamo, Alessandra; Mellini, Barbara; Camilli, Marco; Ventura, Stefano; Di Lucchio, Loredana

2016-09-01

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the definition and analysis of the "access to the field" (Feldman et al. 2003) through an inter-organizational perspective. The paper discusses a case study on the access of a researcher to a hospital department where both organizations and actors are shown as actively constructing the research site. Both researcher and participants are described in terms of work organizations originally engaged in parallel systems of activity. Dynamics of negotiation "tied" the different actors' activities in a new activity system where researcher and participants concur to the effectiveness of both organizations (i.e., the research and the hospital ward). An Activity Theory perspective (Leont'ev 1978) is used with the aim of focusing the analysis on the activities in charge to the different actors. The approach adopted introduces the idea that, from the outset, research is made possible by a process of co-construction that works through the development of a completely new and shared work space arising around the encounter between researchers and participants. It is the balance between improvised actions and the co-creation of "boundary objects" (Star and Griesemer 1989), which makes interlacement possible between the two activity systems. The concept of "knotworking" (Engeström 2007a) is adopted to interpret specific actions by both organizations and actors intended to build a knot of activities whereby the new research system takes place.

Epistemological challenges in contemporary Western healthcare systems exemplified by people's widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine.

PubMed

Salamonsen, Anita; Ahlzén, Rolf

2018-07-01

Modern Western public healthcare systems offer predominantly publicly subsidized healthcare traditionally based on biomedicine as the most important basis to cure persons who suffer from disorders of somatic or psychiatric nature. To which extent this epistemological position is suitable for this purpose is under scientific debate and challenged by some people's personal understandings of health and illness, their individual illness experiences and their decision-making. Current studies show decreasing levels of patient trust in Western public healthcare and a widespread patient-initiated use of complementary and alternative medicine which is often linked to unmet patient-defined healthcare needs. Patients'/complementary and alternative medicine users' understandings of their afflictions are often based on elements of biomedical knowledge as well as embodied and experience-based knowledge. We believe this points to the need for a phenomenologically and socially based understanding of health and illness. In this article, we analyze challenges in contemporary healthcare systems, exemplified by people's widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine and based on three ways of understanding and relating to unhealth: disease (the biomedical perspective), illness (the phenomenological perspective), and sickness (the social perspective). In public healthcare systems aiming at involving patients in treatment processes, acknowledging the coexistence of differing epistemologies may be of great importance to define and reach goals of treatment and compliance.

Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge Informing Freshwater Management, Planning and Decision Making in Aotearoa-New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmsworth, G.

2017-12-01

Indigenous Māori have distinct cultural values and perspectives that establish their identity, responsibilities, and rights to manage and use freshwater in New Zealand. Recognition of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi and its principles has culminated in an array of modern legislation, obligations, national policy statements, statutory requirements, holistic frameworks, and approaches that strengthens Māori participation and authority in resource management and environmental decision-making. We briefly explain indigenous Māori frameworks, knowledge, values, and perspectives used to grow indigenous research and capability, enrich western scientific research, and inform freshwater planning, policy, and management. We will discuss some important methods, indicators, and tools that Māori have developed, or are developing, to support environmental assessment and the monitoring and reporting of freshwater ecosystems, particularly to help sustain and enhance customary values and practice. These tools include, for example, the Cultural Health Index, the Wai Ora Wai Māori assessment tool, the mauri compass, the mauri model, Māori wetlands assessment, kaitiaki tools, taonga assessment, which are being used to build Māori capability and capacity in freshwater sciences and management and to provide innovative approaches based on integrative knowledge systems. Many of these indigenous-led initiatives are now being used next to science and technical approaches at local, regional, and national scale in New Zealand to guide policy and help understand complex and dynamic human-environmental interactions. Māori epistemologies provide a holistic worldview well aligned with current international thinking and approaches that stress the importance of systems thinking and understanding interconnections between sub-component parts; exploring the world and universe within holistic, integrative frameworks; taking into account different perspectives, values, and worldviews, measuring progress towards outcomes across multiple goals, i.e. cultural, social, environmental and economic; developing links between human health and ecosystems; and promoting collaborative, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches.

‘To do or not to do’? The neurobiology of decision-making in daily life: I. Getting the basics

PubMed Central

Palmini, André; Haase, Victor Geraldi

2007-01-01

The constant conflict between decisions leading to immediate pleasurable consequences versus behaviors aiming at long-term social advantages is reviewed here in the framework of the evolutionary systems regulating behavior. The inescapable temporal perspective in decision-making in everyday life is highlighted and integrated with the role of the executive functions in the modulation of subcortical systems. In particular, the representations of the ‘non-existent’ future in the prefrontal cortical regions and how these representations can bridge theory and practice in everyday life are addressed. Relevant discussions regarding the battle between emotions and reasons in the determination of more complex decisions in the realm of neuroeconomics and in moral issues have been reserved for a second essay. PMID:29213362

An Observer's View of the ORAC System at UKIRT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, G. S.; Bridger, A. B.; Pickup, D. A.; Tan, M.; Folger, M.; Economou, F.; Adamson, A. J.; Currie, M. J.; Rees, N. P.; Purves, M.; Kackley, R. D.

The Observatory Reduction and Acquisition Control system (ORAC) was commissioned with its first instrument at the UK Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) in October 1999, and with all of the other UKIRT instrumentation this year. ORAC's advance preparation Observing Tool makes it simpler to prepare and carry out observations. Its Observing Manager gives observers excellent feedback on their observing as it goes along, reducing wasted time. The ORAC pipelined Data Reduction system produces near-publication quality reduced data at the telescope. ORAC is now in use for all observing at UKIRT, including flexibly scheduled nights and service observing. This paper provides an observer's perspective of the system and its performance.

Child-Witnessed Domestic Violence and its Adverse Effects on Brain Development: A Call for Societal Self-Examination and Awareness

PubMed Central

Tsavoussis, Areti; Stawicki, Stanislaw P. A.; Stoicea, Nicoleta; Papadimos, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

There is substantial evidence indicating that children who witness domestic violence (DV) have psychosocial maladaptation that is associated with demonstrable changes in the anatomic and physiological make up of their central nervous system. Individuals with these changes do not function well in society and present communities with serious medical, sociological, and economic dilemmas. In this focused perspective, we discuss the psychosocially induced biological alterations (midbrain, cerebral cortex, limbic system, corpus callosum, cerebellum, and the hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal axis) that are related to maladaptation (especially post-traumatic stress disorder) in the context of child-witnessed DV, and provide evidence for these physical alterations to the brain. Herein, we hope to stimulate the necessary political discourse to encourage legal systems around the world to make the act of DV in the presence of a child, including a first time act, a stand-alone felony. PMID:25346927

Format and basic geometry of a perspective display of air traffic for the cockpit

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-06-01

The design and implementation of a perspective display of air traffic for the cockpit is discussed. Parameters of the perspective are variable and interactive so that the appearance of the projected image can be widely varied. This approach makes all...

America’s Cultural Awakening

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-30

to its own “correct system.”9 This ethnocentric perspective held by the U.S. may result in misperceptions concerning an adversary’s likely behavior...world actors, and 3 even some allies are mistrustful of the U.S. because of its hyper superpower status and ethnocentric characteristics. Call...make a radical change from its own ethnocentric tendencies before it can reach its full potential in matters of foreign diplomacy, economy, and military

Why, from a Life Sciences Perspective, This Mission to Mars?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, Christopher P.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Mars may have had water and life early in its history and this make it a key target for robotic and human exploration. Extensive human exploration of Mars will of necessity depend on life support systems that rely on agricultural plants. If current concept for recreating, a biosphere on Mars are implemented this would involve widespread use of plants, particularly species from Arctic and alpine environments.

Engaging Plant Anatomy and Local Knowledge on the Buriti Palm ("Mauritia flexuosa" L.f.: Arecaceae): The Microscopic World Meets the Golden Grass Artisan's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viana, Rebeca V. R.; Scatena, Vera L.; Eichemberg, Mayra T.; Sano, Paulo T.

2018-01-01

Considering that both Western Science and Local Knowledge Systems share a common ground--observations of the natural world--the dialogue between them should not only be possible, but fruitful. Local communities whose livelihoods depend on traditional uses of the local biodiversity not only develop knowledge about nature, making several uses of…

Saliva as a Diagnostic Fluid

PubMed Central

Malamud, Daniel; Rodriguez-Chavez, Isaac R.

2010-01-01

Synopsis Salivary diagnostics is a dynamic and emerging field utilizing nanotechnology and molecular diagnostics to aid in the diagnosis of oral and systemic diseases. Here, we critically review the latest advances using oral biomarkers for disease detection. The use of oral fluids is broadening perspectives in clinical diagnosis, disease monitoring and decision making for patient care. Important elements determining the future possibilities and challenges in this field are also discussed. PMID:21094724

A Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Approach to Making Informed Decisions about Engineered Nanoparticles

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

fuel oxygenate MBTE Adapted from Davis, 2007 4 ( 1 ) A multimedia environmental perspective built on a product life cycle framework is essential. (2...Picatinney Arsenal Nanotechnology Research Center: Radiofrequency (RF) Induction Plasma reactor (Tekna Plasma Systems) pilot plant Synthesis Challenges: ( 1 ...Genotoxicity in vivo and in vitro, secondary to ROS (?)23 BUILDING STRONG® CEA: Lessons Learned with fuel oxygenate MBTE Adapted from Davis, 2007 24 ( 1

Importance of public participation in decision-making process in healthcare system illustarted with an example of the development of American and Polish scope of health benefit basket.

PubMed

Kolasa, Katarzyna; Hermanowski, Tomasz; Borek, Ewa

2013-01-01

The process of the development of health benefit basket may serve as a good example of decision-making process in the healthcare system which is based on public participation. Comparative analysis of development and implementation of health benefit basket in Poland and the USA. On a basis of the literature review, following questions were studied, i.e.: What is the origin of health benefit basket development in the USA and Poland? What was the role of pubic opinion in determining the range of health benefit basket in both countries? What criteria were employed to determine the range of health benefit basket in both countries? What conclusions can be drawn for Poland from the USA experience of determining the range of health benefit basket? Irrespective of the similarities in the origin of health benefit basket development, both countries approached this issue differently. In the USA, the approach based on social dialogue and patient's perspective was selected while in Poland the perspective of public payer predominated. The transparency of principles and social dialogue constitute the fundamental elements of effective process of health benefit basket development and implementation which is both required and generally unpopular modification.

A dynamical systems perspective for a real-time response to a marine oil spill.

PubMed

García-Garrido, V J; Ramos, A; Mancho, A M; Coca, J; Wiggins, S

2016-11-15

This paper discusses the combined use of tools from dynamical systems theory and remote sensing techniques and shows how they are effective instruments which may greatly contribute to the decision making protocols of the emergency services for the real-time management of oil spills. This work presents the successful interplay of these techniques for a recent situation, the sinking of the Oleg Naydenov fishing ship that took place in Spain, close to the Canary Islands, in April 2015. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Energy Systems Integration: NREL + HECO

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

Hawaiian Electric Companies' (HECO) customers are among the nation's fastest-adopters of solar PV systems. For HECO, the increased daytime PV generation raises feeder voltage profiles. Emerging technologies such as advanced PV inverters, battery storage, electric vehicles, and controllable loads also have an impact on voltage profiles. From the utility's perspective, it is yet unclear how to effectively manage these customer-sited resources. NREL is helping HECO understand its options by validating several voltage regulation strategies, making specific use of advanced inverters with voltage support functions, and their integration with other controllable sources.

Shared decision-making in home-care from the nurse's perspective: sitting at the kitchen table--a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Truglio-Londrigan, Marie

2013-10-01

To come to know, understand and describe the experience of shared decision-making in home-care from the nurse's perspective. The literature presents the concept of shared decision-making as a complex process characterised by a partnership between the healthcare provider and the patient, which is participatory and action oriented with education and negotiation leading to agreement. Few studies have been carried out to explore and describe the events that make up the experiences of shared decision-making in home-care from the nurse's perspective. A qualitative descriptive study was implemented. Semi structured interviews were performed with 10 home-care nurses who were asked to reflect on a time in their practice when they were involved in a shared decision-making process with their patient. All data were analysed using Colaizzi's method. The following Themes were uncovered: Begin where the patient is; Education for shared decision-making; The village and shared decision-making; and Whose decision is it? Each of the four Themes contained Subthemes. The findings of this study present shared decision-making as a complex, multidimensional and fluid process. A thorough understanding of shared decision-making is essential within the multiple contexts in which care is delivered. Nurses in clinical practice need to know and understand the events of the experience of shared decision-making. A more comprehensive understanding of these facts can assist home-care nurses in their practice with regard to the application of shared decision-making. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Insights into the Government’s Role in Food System Policy Making: Improving Access to Healthy, Local Food Alongside Other Priorities

PubMed Central

Wegener, Jessica; Raine, Kim D.; Hanning, Rhona M.

2012-01-01

Government actors have an important role to play in creating healthy public policies and supportive environments to facilitate access to safe, affordable, nutritious food. The purpose of this research was to examine Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada) as a case study for “what works” with respect to facilitating access to healthy, local food through regional food system policy making. Policy and planning approaches were explored through multi-sectoral perspectives of: (a) the development and adoption of food policies as part of the comprehensive planning process; (b) barriers to food system planning; and (c) the role and motivation of the Region’s public health and planning departments in food system policy making. Forty-seven in-depth interviews with decision makers, experts in public health and planning, and local food system stakeholders provided rich insight into strategic government actions, as well as the local and historical context within which food system policies were developed. Grounded theory methods were used to identify key overarching themes including: “strategic positioning”, “partnerships” and “knowledge transfer” and related sub-themes (“aligned agendas”, “issue framing”, “visioning” and “legitimacy”). A conceptual framework to illustrate the process and features of food system policy making is presented and can be used as a starting point to engage multi-sectoral stakeholders in plans and actions to facilitate access to healthy food. PMID:23202834

Implementing Health Financing Reforms in Africa: Perspectives of Health System Stewards.

PubMed

Achoki, Tom; Lesego, Abaleng

A majority of health systems in the sub-Saharan Africa region are faced with multiple competing priorities amid pressing resource constraints. Health financing reforms, characterized by expansion of health insurance coverage, have been proposed as promising in the quest to improve health sustainably. However, in many countries where these measures are being attempted, their broader implications have not been fully appreciated. This study was based on perspectives of 37 health system stewards from Botswana who were interviewed in order to understand opportunities and challenges that would result in the quest to expand health insurance coverage in the country. Thematic synthesis of their perspectives, focusing on the key aspects of the health systems, was done in order to draw informative lessons that could be applicable to a broader set of low- and middle-income countries. Health systems attempting to expand health insurance coverage would be faced with various opportunities and challenges that have implications on performance. By increasing the pool of resources available to spend on health, health insurance would afford health systems the opportunity to increase population access to and use of health services. However, if unchecked, this could also translate to uncontrolled demand for expensive medicines and other health technologies, leading to cost escalation and inefficiencies within the system. Therefore, the success of any health financing reform is dependent on embracing sound policies, regulations, and accountability measures. Health financing reforms have broader implications to health system performance that should be fully appreciated and anticipated before implementation. Therefore, health system leaders who are keen to improve health must view any health financing reforms through the broader framework of the health system framework in order to make progress. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward an Expanded Definition of Adaptive Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Susan D.

1997-01-01

Uses the lifespan, life-space model to examine the definition of adaptive decision making. Reviews the existing definition of adaptive decision making as "rational" decision making and offers alternate perspectives on decision making with an emphasis on the implications of using the model. Makes suggestions for future theory, research,…

Zoom in, zoom out.

PubMed

Kanter, Rosabeth Moss

2011-03-01

Zoom buttons on digital devices let us examine images from many viewpoints. They also provide an apt metaphor for modes of strategic thinking. Some people prefer to see things up close, others from afar. Both perspectives have virtues. But they should not be fixed positions, says Harvard Business School's Kanter. To get a complete picture, leaders need to zoom in and zoom out. A close-in perspective is often found in relationship-intensive settings. It brings details into sharp focus and makes opportunities look large and compelling. But it can have significant downsides. Leaders who prefer to zoom in tend to create policies and systems that depend too much on politics and favors. They can focus too closely on personal status and on turf protection. And they often miss the big picture. When leaders zoom out, they can see events in context and as examples of general trends. They are able to make decisions based on principles. Yet a far-out perspective also has traps. Leaders can be so high above the fray that they don't recognize emerging threats. Having zoomed out to examine all possible routes, they may fail to notice when the moment is right for action on one path. They may also seem too remote and aloof to their staffs. The best leaders can zoom in to examine problems and then zoom out to look for patterns and causes. They don't divide the world into extremes-idiosyncratic or structural, situational or strategic, emotional or contextual. The point is not to choose one over the other but to learn to move across a continuum of perspectives.

Cognitive Perspectives on Educational Administration: An Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leithwood, Kenneth A.; Hallinger, Philip

1993-01-01

Cognitive perspectives offer important, unique insights about the nature of expert administrative practice, how it develops, and what can be done to assist that development. The five articles making up this issue address cognitive perspectives on educational administration based on three areas of inquiry: human thought and problem-solving…

Global Educators' Personal Attribution of a Global Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carano, Kenneth Thomas

2013-01-01

This case study of self-identifying global educators investigated factors that they attributed to the development of their global perspective and how it influenced curricular decision-making. Analysis resulted in seven themes identified by the participants as having attributed to the development of a global perspective: (a) family, (b) exposure to…

Investigation of Mentalizing and Visuospatial Perspective Taking for Self and Other in Asperger Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Nicole; Aumann, Carolin; Bewernick, Bettina H.; Santos, Natacha S.; Lehnhardt, Fritz-G.; Vogeley, Kai

2010-01-01

Mentalizing refers to making inferences about other people's mental states, whereas visuospatial perspective taking refers to inferring other people's viewpoints. Both abilities seem vital for social functioning; yet, their exact relationship is unclear. We directly compared mentalizing and visuospatial perspective taking in nineteen adults with…

Discovering Complementary Colors from the Perspective of STEAM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabey, Burak; Koyunkaya, Melike Yigit; Enginoglu, Turan; Yurumezoglu, Kemal

2018-01-01

This study explored the theory and applications of complementary colors using a technology-based activity designed from the perspective of STEAM education. Complementary colors and their areas of use were examined from the perspective of physics, mathematics and art, respectively. The study, which benefits from technology, makes the theory of…

Feminist poststructuralism: a methodological paradigm for examining clinical decision-making.

PubMed

Arslanian-Engoren, Cynthia

2002-03-01

To present the philosophical framework of feminist poststructuralism, discuss its use as an innovative research approach and its implications for nursing knowledge development and practice. This perspective examines the construction of meaning, power relationships, and the importance of language as it affects contemporary healthcare decisions. It seeks to identify and expose biases that marginalize the healthcare needs of women and contribute to healthcare disparities for this population. Additionally, a feminist poststructuralist perspective seeks to develop new knowledge for understanding gender differences. A feminist poststructuralist perspective represents an alternative paradigm for studying the phenomenon of clinical decision-making. An empirical application example of a feminist poststructuralist perspective is provided. This exemplar investigated emergency department registered nurses' triage decisions for men and women with symptoms suggestive of coronary heart disease.

How can we make plants grow faster? A source–sink perspective on growth rate

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

White, Angela C.; Rogers, Alistair; Rees, Mark

Growth is a major component of fitness in all organisms, an important mediator of competitive interactions in plant communities, and a central determinant of yield in crops. Understanding what limits plant growth is therefore of fundamental importance to plant evolution, ecology, and crop science, but each discipline views the process from a different perspective. This review highlights the importance of source–sink interactions as determinants of growth. The evidence for source- and sink-limitation of growth, and the ways in which regulatory molecular feedback systems act to maintain an appropriate source:sink balance, are first discussed. Evidence clearly shows that future increases inmore » crop productivity depend crucially on a quantitative understanding of the extent to which sources or sinks limit growth, and how this changes during development. In addition, to identify bottlenecks limiting growth and yield, a holistic view of growth is required at the whole-plant scale, incorporating mechanistic interactions between physiology, resource allocation, and plant development. Such a holistic perspective on source–sink interactions will allow the development of a more integrated, whole-system level understanding of growth, with benefits across multiple disciplines.« less

How can we make plants grow faster? A source–sink perspective on growth rate

DOE PAGES

White, Angela C.; Rogers, Alistair; Rees, Mark; ...

2015-10-14

Growth is a major component of fitness in all organisms, an important mediator of competitive interactions in plant communities, and a central determinant of yield in crops. Understanding what limits plant growth is therefore of fundamental importance to plant evolution, ecology, and crop science, but each discipline views the process from a different perspective. This review highlights the importance of source–sink interactions as determinants of growth. The evidence for source- and sink-limitation of growth, and the ways in which regulatory molecular feedback systems act to maintain an appropriate source:sink balance, are first discussed. Evidence clearly shows that future increases inmore » crop productivity depend crucially on a quantitative understanding of the extent to which sources or sinks limit growth, and how this changes during development. In addition, to identify bottlenecks limiting growth and yield, a holistic view of growth is required at the whole-plant scale, incorporating mechanistic interactions between physiology, resource allocation, and plant development. Such a holistic perspective on source–sink interactions will allow the development of a more integrated, whole-system level understanding of growth, with benefits across multiple disciplines.« less

Decision Support System Based on Computational Collective Intelligence in Campus Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Yoshihito; Matsuo, Tokuro

Education institutions such as universities have a lot of information including book information, equipment administrative information, student information, and several others. The institutions also have multiple information in time series. As collective intelligence in campus, integrating and reusing these preserved information regarding career and taking a class, university can effectively support students' decision making of their getting jobs and subjects choice. Our purpose of support is to increase student's motivation. In this paper, we focus on course record and job information included in students' information, and propose the method to analyze correlation between a pattern of taking class and job lined up. Afterwards, we propose a support system regarding getting a job and taking class by using our proposed method. For a student who has his/her favorite job to get, the system supports his/her decision making of lecture choice by recommending a set of appropriate lecture groups. On another hand, for a student who does not have favorite job to get, the system supports his/her decision making of getting job by presenting appropriate job families related with lecture group in which he/she has ever taken. The contribution of this paper is showing a concrete method to reuse the campus collective information, implementing a system, and user perspectives.

[Social organizations and governmental institutions: perspectives on partnerships in children's health care through volunteers and the Pastoral da Criança].

PubMed

Andrade, Raquel Dully; de Mello, Débora Falleiros

2006-03-01

The aim of this research is to present perspectives on partnerships between social organizations and governmental institutions in children's health care. This study reflects on social participation and relations between governmental and non-governmental services in constructing the consolidation of the Sistema Unico de Saúde (Unified Health System), highlighting the role of volunteers and health professionals in this process. In child care, these associations are potential, due to the wide range and prominence of social organizations oriented towards children, particularly the Pastoral da Criança (the Catholic Church's Child Pastoral), which makes it important to discuss public policies aimed at establishing and strengthening these links in the local and national spheres.

Case study of open-source enterprise resource planning implementation in a small business

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, David L.; Staley, Jesse

2012-02-01

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been recognised as offering great benefit to some organisations, although they are expensive and problematic to implement. The cost and risk make well-developed proprietorial systems unaffordable to small businesses. Open-source software (OSS) has become a viable means of producing ERP system products. The question this paper addresses is the feasibility of OSS ERP systems for small businesses. A case is reported involving two efforts to implement freely distributed ERP software products in a small US make-to-order engineering firm. The case emphasises the potential of freely distributed ERP systems, as well as some of the hurdles involved in their implementation. The paper briefly reviews highlights of OSS ERP systems, with the primary focus on reporting the case experiences for efforts to implement ERPLite software and xTuple software. While both systems worked from a technical perspective, both failed due to economic factors. While these economic conditions led to imperfect results, the case demonstrates the feasibility of OSS ERP for small businesses. Both experiences are evaluated in terms of risk dimension.

Bringing Value-Based Perspectives to Care: Including Patient and Family Members in Decision-Making Processes.

PubMed

Kohler, Graeme; Sampalli, Tara; Ryer, Ashley; Porter, Judy; Wood, Les; Bedford, Lisa; Higgins-Bowser, Irene; Edwards, Lynn; Christian, Erin; Dunn, Susan; Gibson, Rick; Ryan Carson, Shannon; Vallis, Michael; Zed, Joanna; Tugwell, Barna; Van Zoost, Colin; Canfield, Carolyn; Rivoire, Eleanor

2017-03-06

Recent evidence shows that patient engagement is an important strategy in achieving a high performing healthcare system. While there is considerable evidence of implementation initiatives in direct care context, there is limited investigation of implementation initiatives in decision-making context as it relates to program planning, service delivery and developing policies. Research has also shown a gap in consistent application of system-level strategies that can effectively translate organizational policies around patient and family engagement into practice. The broad objective of this initiative was to develop a system-level implementation strategy to include patient and family advisors (PFAs) at decision-making points in primary healthcare (PHC) based on wellestablished evidence and literature. In this opportunity sponsored by the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) a co-design methodology, also well-established was applied in identifying and developing a suitable implementation strategy to engage PFAs as members of quality teams in PHC. Diabetes management centres (DMCs) was selected as the pilot site to develop the strategy. Key steps in the process included review of evidence, review of the current state in PHC through engagement of key stakeholders and a co-design approach. The project team included a diverse representation of members from the PHC system including patient advisors, DMC team members, system leads, providers, Public Engagement team members and CFHI improvement coaches. Key outcomes of this 18-month long initiative included development of a working definition of patient and family engagement, development of a Patient and Family Engagement Resource Guide and evaluation of the resource guide. This novel initiative provided us an opportunity to develop a supportive system-wide implementation plan and a strategy to include PFAs in decision-making processes in PHC. The well-established co-design methodology further allowed us to include value-based (customer driven quality and experience of care) perspectives of several important stakeholders including patient advisors. The next step will be to implement the strategy within DMCs, spread the strategy PHC, both locally and provincially with a focus on sustainability. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

New care home admission following hospitalisation: How do older people, families and professionals make decisions about discharge destination? A case study narrative analysis.

PubMed

Rhynas, Sarah J; Garrido, Azucena Garcia; Burton, Jennifer K; Logan, Gemma; MacArthur, Juliet

2018-03-24

To gain an in-depth understanding of the decision-making processes involved in the discharge of older people admitted to hospital from home and discharged to a care home, as described in the case records. The decision for an older person to move into a care home is significant and life-changing. The discharge planning literature for older people highlights the integral role of nurses in supporting and facilitating effective discharge. However, little research has been undertaken to explore the experiences of those discharged from hospital to a care home or the processes involved in decision-making. A purposive sample of 10 cases was selected from a cohort of 100 individuals admitted to hospital from home and discharged to a care home. Cases were selected to highlight important personal, relational and structural factors thought to affect the decision-making process. Narrative case studies were created and were thematically analysed to explore the perspectives of each stakeholder group and the conceptualisations of risk which influenced decision-making. Care home discharge decision-making is a complex process involving stakeholders with a range of expertise, experience and perspectives. Decisions take time and considerable involvement of families and the multidisciplinary team. There were significant deficits in documentation which limit the understanding of the process and the patient's voice is often absent from case records. The experiences of older people, families and multidisciplinary team members making care home decisions in the hospital setting require further exploration to identify and define best practice. Nurses have a critical role in the involvement of older people making discharge decisions in hospital, improved documentation of the patient's voice is essential. Health and social care systems must allow older people time to make significant decisions about their living arrangements, adapting to changing medical and social needs. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crew collaboration in space: a naturalistic decision-making perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith

2005-01-01

Successful long-duration space missions will depend on the ability of crewmembers to respond promptly and effectively to unanticipated problems that arise under highly stressful conditions. Naturalistic decision making (NDM) exploits the knowledge and experience of decision makers in meaningful work domains, especially complex sociotechnical systems, including aviation and space. Decision making in these ambiguous, dynamic, high-risk environments is a complex task that involves defining the nature of the problem and crafting a response to achieve one's goals. Goal conflicts, time pressures, and uncertain outcomes may further complicate the process. This paper reviews theory and research pertaining to the NDM model and traces some of the implications for space crews and other groups that perform meaningful work in extreme environments. It concludes with specific recommendations for preparing exploration crews to use NDM effectively.

Healthcare quality improvement work: a professional employee perspective.

PubMed

Gadolin, Christian; Andersson, Thomas

2017-06-12

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze conditions that influence how employees engage in healthcare quality improvement (QI) work. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative case study based on interviews ( n=27) and observations ( n=10). Findings The main conditions that influence how employees engage in healthcare QI work are professions, work structures and working relationships. These conditions can both prevent and facilitate healthcare QI. Professions and work structures may cement existing institutional logics and thus prevent employees from engaging in healthcare QI work. However, attempts to align QI with professional logics, together with work structures that empower employees, can make these conditions increase employee engagement, which can be accomplished through positive working relationships that foster institutional work, which bridge different competing institutional logics, making it possible to overcome barriers that professions and work structures may constitute. Practical implications Understanding the conditions that influence how employees engage in healthcare QI work will make initiatives more likely to succeed. Originality/value Healthcare QI has mainly been studied from an implementer perspective, and employees have either been neglected or seen as passive resisters. Weak employee perspectives make healthcare QI research incomplete. In our research, healthcare QI work is studied closely at the actor level to understand healthcare QI from an employee perspective.

Fuzzy Logic Approaches to Multi-Objective Decision-Making in Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, Terry L.

1994-01-01

Fuzzy logic allows for the quantitative representation of multi-objective decision-making problems which have vague or fuzzy objectives and parameters. As such, fuzzy logic approaches are well-suited to situations where alternatives must be assessed by using criteria that are subjective and of unequal importance. This paper presents an overview of fuzzy logic and provides sample applications from the aerospace industry. Applications include an evaluation of vendor proposals, an analysis of future space vehicle options, and the selection of a future space propulsion system. On the basis of the results provided in this study, fuzzy logic provides a unique perspective on the decision-making process, allowing the evaluator to assess the degree to which each option meets the evaluation criteria. Future decision-making should take full advantage of fuzzy logic methods to complement existing approaches in the selection of alternatives.

Resource Provision in Primary Schools--An Australian Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrow, Allan; Millwater, Jan

1994-01-01

This Australian perspective on the resource provision in primary schools offers a framework for conceptualizing resources; explores the notion of equality; and provides suggestions for making resourcing more equitable. (AEF)

Innovation, Technology and Decision Making: A Perspective for Strategic Action in Firms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulenburg, Gerald M.

2002-01-01

Innovation, technology, and the making of decisions are tightly intertwined in what can generally be called, strategic decision making. Although true for all firms, it is especially true in innovative, high technology firms that operate in a turbulent, fast moving environment where strategic decisions must be made accurately and quickly to survive. This paper looks at some factors reported in the literature that affect how and why the strategic decision process is so important, especially in companies in fast-moving, competitive environments. The work of several prominent authors who looked critically at past theory and research, and the current state of knowledge and practice, provides a perspective of how firms make strategic decisions.

A dynamic model for organic waste management in Quebec (D-MOWIQ) as a tool to review environmental, societal and economic perspectives of a waste management policy.

PubMed

Hénault-Ethier, Louise; Martin, Jean-Philippe; Housset, Johann

2017-08-01

A dynamic systems model of organic waste management for the province of Quebec, Canada, was built. Six distinct modules taking into account social, economical and environmental issues and perspectives were included. Five scenarios were designed and tested to identify the potential consequences of different governmental and demographic combinations of decisions over time. Among these scenarios, one examines Quebec's organic waste management policy (2011-2015), while the other scenarios represent business as usual or emphasize ecology, economy or social benefits in the decision-making process. Model outputs suggest that the current governmental policy should yield favorable environmental benefits, energy production and waste valorization. The projections stemming from the current policy action plan approach the benefits gained by another scenario emphasizing the environmental aspects in the decision-making process. As expected, without the current policy and action plan in place, or business as usual, little improvements are expected in waste management compared to current trends, and strictly emphasizing economic imperatives does not favor sustainable organic waste management. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Group Dynamics and Decision Making: Backcountry Recreationists in Avalanche Terrain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bright, Leslie Shay

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe and determine the prevalence of decision-making characteristics of recreational backcountry groups when making a decision of where to travel and ride in avalanche terrain from the perspective of individuals. Decision-making characteristics encompassed communication, decision-making processes, leadership,…

Framing the ecosystem concept through a longitudinal study of developments in science and policy.

PubMed

Aggestam, Filip

2015-08-01

This paper examines how scientific literature and policy documents frame the ecosystem concept and how these frames have shaped scientific dialogue and policy making over time. This was achieved by developing a frame typology, as a basis for organizing relevant value expressions, to assess how different frames have altered perspectives of the ecosystem concept. The frame typology and analysis is based on a semi-grounded and longitudinal document analysis of scientific literature and policy documents using the ecosystem concept. Despite changing discourses and public priorities (e.g., cultural constructs of biodiversity) both science and policy documents are characterized by stable value systems that have not changed substantially since the 1930s. These value systems were defined based on ethical principles that delineate 6 core frames: humans first, dual systems, eco-science, eco-holism, animals first, and multicentrism. Specific crises (e.g., climate change) and cross-disciplinary uptake and re-uptake of, for example, the ecosystem services concept, have brought new perspectives to the forefront of public discourse. These developments triggered changes in the core frames that, rather than being value based, are based on how the ecosystem is conceptualized under fixed value systems and over time. Fourteen subframes were developed to reflect these longitudinal changes. There are as such clear framing effects in both scientific literature and in policy. Ecosystem research is for instance often characterized by unstated value judgments even though the scientific community does not make these explicit. In contrast, policy documents are characterized by clear value expressions but are principally management driven and human centered. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

High Frontier - The Journal for Space, Cyberspace & Missile Professionals. Volume 6, Number 1, November 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

signs of just that!” In a response sent several days following Van Riper’s e-mail, [US Marine Corp Lt Gen James ] Mattis —who is now in the post Van...29 Regaining Credibility: Making Nuclear Sustainment a Model of Excellence Col James D. Fisher...Taverney, retired and Col James D. Rendleman, retired . . . . . . 53 Legislative Perspective Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act Maj Jung H. Ha

What Can We Learn and What Do We Need to Know Amidst the Iatrogenic Outbreak of Exserohilum Rostratum Meningitis?

PubMed Central

Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P.; Perlin, David S.; Roilides, Emmanuel; Walsh, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

The tragedy of the ongoing epidemic of meningitis caused by Exserohilum rostratum brings into focus the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of a multitude of opportunistic mold infections of the central nervous system. Herein we provide our perspective regarding the translational research objectives of this infection that are needed to make an impact on this important healthcare crisis. PMID:23650291

Measuring teacher effectiveness in physical education.

PubMed

Rink, Judith E

2013-12-01

This article summarizes the research base on teacher effectiveness in physical education from a historical perspective and explores the implications of the recent emphasis on student performance and teacher observation systems to evaluate teachers for physical education. The problems and the potential positive effects of using student performance scores as well as establishing a comprehensive evaluation program are explored with supportive evidence that some level of accountability is necessary in our field to make significant change.

The critical perspective in psychological jurisprudence theoretical advances and epistemological assumptions.

PubMed

Arrigo, Bruce A

2002-01-01

The critical perspectives of psychological jurisprudence identified above, along with their corresponding epistemological assumptions, reflect a radical agenda for change at the law-psychology divide. Although not exhaustively reviewed, the individual theories represent different approaches by which structural reform can be enacted and citizen well-being can therefore be realized. Collectively, the critical perspectives and their attending presuppositions challenge conventional wisdom about prospects for transforming (i.e., humanizing) the legal apparatus. I submit that the future viability of the law-psychology movement, and its overall utility for society, considerably depends on its capacity to facilitate and secure such widespread change. By focusing on critical theoretical inquiry, this article makes painfully clear that much of what is wrong with the legal system, especially in its interactions with and interpretations of people, cannot be amended or solved through it. Indeed, as Roesch (1995) observed, "changes in the justice system will never be sufficient to create a just society, nor will within system changes by themselves ever have much of an impact on individuals who come into conflict with the law" (p. 3). I agree. Accordingly, it is time to move on and, where necessary, to look elsewhere for guidance. The radical agenda in psychological jurisprudence represents a provocative strategy, providing a meaningful basis for critique and a sustainable basis for reform. Both are integral to the call for justice embodied in the founding of the AP-LS decades ago. Realizing this challenge, however, remains an unfulfilled dream. Thus, the task that awaits is to apply the insights of critical psychological jurisprudence to relevant areas of research and policy. I submit that the academy can ill afford to dismiss this task. Indeed, in the final analysis, to do so would not only defer prospects for justice but would destroy its very possibility, especially for citizens disillusioned by the status quo and desperate for change that makes a difference.

Engineering the smart factory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Robert; Vera, Daniel; Ahmad, Bilal

2016-10-01

The fourth industrial revolution promises to create what has been called the smart factory. The vision is that within such modular structured smart factories, cyber-physical systems monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralised decisions. This paper provides a view of this initiative from an automation systems perspective. In this context it considers how future automation systems might be effectively configured and supported through their lifecycles and how integration, application modelling, visualisation and reuse of such systems might be best achieved. The paper briefly describes limitations in current engineering methods, and new emerging approaches including the cyber physical systems (CPS) engineering tools being developed by the automation systems group (ASG) at Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, UK.

Evidence-based practice for mere mortals: the role of informatics and health services research.

PubMed

Sim, Ida; Sanders, Gillian D; McDonald, Kathryn M

2002-04-01

The poor translation of evidence into practice is a well-known problem. Hopes are high that information technology can help make evidence-based practice feasible for mere mortal physicians. In this paper, we draw upon the methods and perspectives of clinical practice, medical informatics, and health services research to analyze the gap between evidence and action, and to argue that computing systems for bridging this gap should incorporate both informatics and health services research expertise. We discuss 2 illustrative systems--trial banks and a web-based system to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines (alchemist)--and conclude with a research and training agenda.

Access Scheme for Controlling Mobile Agents and its Application to Share Medical Information.

PubMed

Liao, Yu-Ting; Chen, Tzer-Shyong; Chen, Tzer-Long; Chung, Yu-Fang; Chen, Yu- Xin; Hwang, Jen-Hung; Wang, Huihui; Wei, Wei

2016-05-01

This study is showing the advantage of mobile agents to conquer heterogeneous system environments and contribute to a virtual integrated sharing system. Mobile agents will collect medical information from each medical institution as a method to achieve the medical purpose of data sharing. Besides, this research also provides an access control and key management mechanism by adopting Public key cryptography and Lagrange interpolation. The safety analysis of the system is based on a network attacker's perspective. The achievement of this study tries to improve the medical quality, prevent wasting medical resources and make medical resources access to appropriate configuration.

Genomics of Escherichia and Shigella

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perna, Nicole T.

The laboratory workhorse Escherichia coli K-12 is among the most intensively studied living organisms on earth, and this single strain serves as the model system behind much of our understanding of prokaryotic molecular biology. Dense genome sequencing and recent insightful comparative analyses are making the species E. coli, as a whole, an emerging system for studying prokaryotic population genetics and the relationship between system-scale, or genome-scale, molecular evolution and complex traits like host range and pathogenic potential. Genomic perspective has revealed a coherent but dynamic species united by intraspecific gene flow via homologous lateral or horizontal transfer and differentiated by content flux mediated by acquisition of DNA segments from interspecies transfers.

Aspect-Oriented Programming is Quantification and Implicit Invocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Friedman, Daniel P.; Koga, Dennis (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We propose that the distinguishing characteristic of Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) languages is that they allow programming by making quantified programmatic assertions over programs that lack local notation indicating the invocation of these assertions. This suggests that AOP systems can be analyzed with respect to three critical dimensions: the kinds of quantifications allowed, the nature of the interactions that can be asserted, and the mechanism for combining base-level actions with asserted actions. Consequences of this perspective are the recognition that certain systems are not AOP and that some mechanisms are metabolism: they are sufficiently expressive to allow straightforwardly programming an AOP system within them.

Making communication research matter: what do patients notice, what do patients want, and what do patients need?

PubMed

Epstein, Ronald M

2006-03-01

To explore limitations of current communication theory by considering different perspectives of researchers, clinicians, patients and teachers of communication. Theory development based on limitations of the current communication research literature due to inconsistencies between patient reports and observed communication behavior. While researchers focus on the mechanics and techniques of communication, patients seek relationships in which they experience trust, the right amount of autonomy, caring, and expertise. Patients', physicians', and communication experts' perspectives do not always define the same problems and often point to different solutions. In addition to studying clinician behaviors and patient perceptions of care, communication research should focus on five additional factors: what patients notice, want and need, and how their perspectives differ from those of physicians and researchers; the context, including illness severity and type and family influences; how complex health systems facilitate and impede communication; patients' influences on physician communication behavior; and habits of mind that promote attentive care.

Consensus statement of the International Summit on Intellectual Disability and Dementia on valuing the perspectives of persons with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Watchman, Karen; Janicki, Matthew P; Udell, Leslie; Hogan, Mary; Quinn, Sam; Beránková, Anna

2018-01-01

The International Summit on Intellectual Disability and Dementia covered a range of issues related to dementia and intellectual disability, including the dearth of personal reflections of persons with intellectual disability affected by dementia. This article reflects on this deficiency and explores some of the personal perspectives gleaned from the literature, from the Summit attendees and from the experiences of persons with intellectual disability recorded or scribed in advance of the two-day Summit meeting. Systemic recommendations included reinforcing the value of the involvement of persons with intellectual disability in (a) research alongside removing barriers to inclusion posed by institutional/ethics review boards, (b) planning groups that establish supports for dementia and (c) peer support. Practice recommendations included (a) valuing personal perspectives in decision-making, (b) enabling peer-to-peer support models, (c) supporting choice in community-dwelling arrangements and (d) broadening availability of materials for persons with intellectual disability that would promote understanding of dementia.

Aspect-Oriented Programming is Quantification and Obliviousness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Friedman, Daniel P.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This paper proposes that the distinguishing characteristic of Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) systems is that they allow programming by making quantified programmatic assertions over programs written by programmers oblivious to such assertions. Thus, AOP systems can be analyzed with respect to three critical dimensions: the kinds of quantifications allowed, the nature of the actions that can be asserted, and the mechanism for combining base-level actions with asserted actions. Consequences of this perspective are the recognition that certain systems are not AOP and that some mechanisms are expressive enough to allow programming an AOP system within them. A corollary is that while AOP can be applied to Object-Oriented Programming, it is an independent concept applicable to other programming styles.

Ethics of justice vs the ethics of care in moral decision making.

PubMed

Botes, A

1998-03-01

The question to be addressed in this paper is: How can the ethics of justice and the ethics of care be used complementary to each other in ethical decision making within the health care team? Various arguments are presented that justify the reasons that the ethics of justice and the ethics of care should be used complementary to each other for effective ethical decision making within the health care team. The objective is to explore and describe the compatibility of the ethics of justice and the ethics of care from two perspectives: firstly an analysis of the characteristics of the two ethical theories, and secondly the scientific-philosophical viewpoints of these theories. The two theories are incompatible when viewed from these perspectives. For a probable solution to this incompatibility arguments are presented from the perspectives of reflection and virtue-based ethics.

Autonomy gone awry: a cross-cultural study of parents' experiences in neonatal intensive care units.

PubMed

Orfali, Kristina; Gordon, Elisa J

2004-01-01

This paper examines parents' experiences of medical decision-making and coping with having a critically ill baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from a cross-cultural perspective (France vs. U.S.A.). Though parents' experiences in the NICU were very similar despite cultural and institutional differences, each system addresses their needs in a different way. Interviews with parents show that French parents expressed overall higher satisfaction with the care of their babies and were better able to cope with the loss of their child than American parents. Central to the French parents' perception of autonomy and their sense of satisfaction were the strong doctor-patient relationship, the emphasis on medical certainty in prognosis versus uncertainty in the American context, and the "sentimental work" provided by the team. The American setting, characterized by respect for parental autonomy, did not necessarily translate into full parental involvement in decision-making, and it limited the rapport between doctors and parents to the extent of parental isolation. This empirical comparative approach fosters a much-needed critique of philosophical principles by underscoring, from the parents' perspective, the lack of "emotional work" involved in the practice of autonomy in the American unit compared to the paternalistic European context. Beyond theoretical and ethical arguments, we must reconsider the practice of autonomy in particularly stressful situations by providing more specific means to cope, translating the impersonal language of "rights" and decision-making into trusting, caring relationships, and sharing the responsibility for making tragic choices.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond.

PubMed

Borgermans, Liesbeth; Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-09-25

Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond

PubMed Central

Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-01-01

Background: Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. Purpose: This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Results: Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. Conclusion: The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy. PMID:29588630

A timely account of the role of duration in decision making.

PubMed

Ariely, D; Zakay, D

2001-09-01

The current work takes a general perspective on the role of time in decision making. There are many different relationships and interactions between time and decision making, and no single summary can do justice to this topic. In this paper we will describe a few of the aspects in which time and decision making are interleaved: (a) temporal perspectives of decisions--the various temporal orientations that decision-makers may adopt while making decisions, and the impact of such temporal orientations on the decision process and its outcomes; (b) time as a medium within which decisions take place--the nature of decision processes that occur along time; (c) time as a resource and as a contextual factor--the implications of shortage in time resources and the impact of time limits on decision making processes and performance; (d) time as a commodity--time as the subject matter of decision making. The paper ends with a few general questions on the role of duration in decision making.

Service users' experiences of participation in decision making in mental health services.

PubMed

Dahlqvist Jönsson, P; Schön, U-K; Rosenberg, D; Sandlund, M; Svedberg, P

2015-11-01

Despite the potential positive impact of shared decision making on service users knowledge and experience of decisional conflict, there is a lack of qualitative research on how participation in decision making is promoted from the perspective of psychiatric service users. This study highlights the desire of users to participate more actively in decision making and demonstrates that persons with SMI struggle to be seen as competent and equal partners in decision-making situations. Those interviewed did not feel that their strengths, abilities and needs were being recognized, which resulted in a feeling of being omitted from involvement in decision-making situations. The service users describe some essential conditions that could work to promote participation in decision making. These included having personal support, having access to knowledge, being involved in a dialogue and clarity about responsibilities. Mental health nurses can play an essential role for developing and implementing shared decision making as a tool to promote recovery-oriented mental health services. Service user participation in decision making is considered an essential component of recovery-oriented mental health services. Despite the potential of shared decision making to impact service users knowledge and positively influence their experience of decisional conflict, there is a lack of qualitative research on how participation in decision making is promoted from the perspective of psychiatric service users. In order to develop concrete methods that facilitate shared decision making, there is a need for increased knowledge regarding the users' own perspective. The aim of this study was to explore users' experiences of participation in decisions in mental health services in Sweden, and the kinds of support that may promote participation. Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) was utilized to analyse group and individual interviews with 20 users with experience of serious mental illness. The core category that emerged in the analysis described a 'struggle to be perceived as a competent and equal person' while three related categories including being the underdog, being controlled and being omitted described the difficulties of participating in decisions. The data analysis resulted in a model that describes internal and external conditions that influence the promotion of participation in decision making. The findings offer new insights from a user perspective and these can be utilized to develop and investigate concrete methods in order to promote user's participation in decisions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evolving from bioinformatics in-the-small to bioinformatics in-the-large.

PubMed

Parker, D Stott; Gorlick, Michael M; Lee, Christopher J

2003-01-01

We argue the significance of a fundamental shift in bioinformatics, from in-the-small to in-the-large. Adopting a large-scale perspective is a way to manage the problems endemic to the world of the small-constellations of incompatible tools for which the effort required to assemble an integrated system exceeds the perceived benefit of the integration. Where bioinformatics in-the-small is about data and tools, bioinformatics in-the-large is about metadata and dependencies. Dependencies represent the complexities of large-scale integration, including the requirements and assumptions governing the composition of tools. The popular make utility is a very effective system for defining and maintaining simple dependencies, and it offers a number of insights about the essence of bioinformatics in-the-large. Keeping an in-the-large perspective has been very useful to us in large bioinformatics projects. We give two fairly different examples, and extract lessons from them showing how it has helped. These examples both suggest the benefit of explicitly defining and managing knowledge flows and knowledge maps (which represent metadata regarding types, flows, and dependencies), and also suggest approaches for developing bioinformatics database systems. Generally, we argue that large-scale engineering principles can be successfully adapted from disciplines such as software engineering and data management, and that having an in-the-large perspective will be a key advantage in the next phase of bioinformatics development.

Evidence use in decision-making on introducing innovations: a systematic scoping review with stakeholder feedback.

PubMed

Turner, Simon; D'Lima, Danielle; Hudson, Emma; Morris, Stephen; Sheringham, Jessica; Swart, Nick; Fulop, Naomi J

2017-12-04

A range of evidence informs decision-making on innovation in health care, including formal research findings, local data and professional opinion. However, cultural and organisational factors often prevent the translation of evidence for innovations into practice. In addition to the characteristics of evidence, it is known that processes at the individual level influence its impact on decision-making. Less is known about the ways in which processes at the professional, organisational and local system level shape evidence use and its role in decisions to adopt innovations. A systematic scoping review was used to review the health literature on innovations within acute and primary care and map processes at the professional, organisational and local system levels which influence how evidence informs decision-making on innovation. Stakeholder feedback on the themes identified was collected via focus groups to test and develop the findings. Following database and manual searches, 31 studies reporting primary qualitative data met the inclusion criteria: 24 were of sufficient methodological quality to be included in the thematic analysis. Evidence use in decision-making on innovation is influenced by multi-level processes (professional, organisational, local system) and interactions across these levels. Preferences for evidence vary by professional group and health service setting. Organisations can shape professional behaviour by requiring particular forms of evidence to inform decision-making. Pan-regional organisations shape innovation decision-making at lower levels. Political processes at all levels shape the selection and use of evidence in decision-making. The synthesis of results from primary qualitative studies found that evidence use in decision-making on innovation is influenced by processes at multiple levels. Interactions between different levels shape evidence use in decision-making (e.g. professional groups and organisations can use local systems to validate evidence and legitimise innovations, while local systems can tailor or frame evidence to influence activity at lower levels). Organisational leaders need to consider whether the environment in which decisions are made values diverse evidence and stakeholder perspectives. Further qualitative research on decision-making practices that highlights how and why different types of evidence come to count during decisions, and tracks the political aspects of decisions about innovation, is needed.

School Leadership and Management from a Distributed Perspective: A 2016 Retrospective and Prospective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, John B.; Spillane, James P.

2016-01-01

Over the past twenty years distributed leadership has framed theoretical, empirical, and development work in education. In this article, we take stock of some work using a distributed perspective. We first discuss our motivations for developing this perspective and highlight some lessons learned from work in this area. Second, we make suggestions…

Communicating Your Findings in Engineering Education: The Value of Making Your Theoretical Perspective Explicit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jawitz, Jeff; Case, Jennifer

2009-01-01

The authors observe that many research papers in engineering education do not explicitly state the theoretical perspective underpinning their work. In this article they argue for the value of theory in assisting researchers in communicating their research findings. Three theoretical perspectives that can be used to support one's research are…

Toward a Concept of Operations for Aviation Weather Information Implementation in the Evolving National Airspace System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McAdaragh, Raymon M.

2002-01-01

The capacity of the National Airspace System is being stressed due to the limits of current technologies. Because of this, the FAA and NASA are working to develop new technologies to increase the system's capacity which enhancing safety. Adverse weather has been determined to be a major factor in aircraft accidents and fatalities and the FAA and NASA have developed programs to improve aviation weather information technologies and communications for system users The Aviation Weather Information Element of the Weather Accident Prevention Project of NASA's Aviation Safety Program is currently working to develop these technologies in coordination with the FAA and industry. This paper sets forth a theoretical approach to implement these new technologies while addressing the National Airspace System (NAS) as an evolving system with Weather Information as one of its subSystems. With this approach in place, system users will be able to acquire the type of weather information that is needed based upon the type of decision-making situation and condition that is encountered. The theoretical approach addressed in this paper takes the form of a model for weather information implementation. This model addresses the use of weather information in three decision-making situations, based upon the system user's operational perspective. The model also addresses two decision-making conditions, which are based upon the need for collaboration due to the level of support offered by the weather information provided by each new product or technology. The model is proposed for use in weather information implementation in order to provide a systems approach to the NAS. Enhancements to the NAS collaborative decision-making capabilities are also suggested.

Why we should use animals to study economic decision making - a perspective.

PubMed

Kalenscher, Tobias; van Wingerden, Marijn

2011-01-01

Despite the rich tradition in psychology and biology, animals as research subjects have never gained a similar acceptance in microeconomics research. With this article, we counter this trend of negligence and try to convey the message that animal models are an indispensible complement to the literature on human economic decision making. This perspective review departs from a description of the similarities in economic and evolutionary theories of human and animal decision making, with particular emphasis on the optimality aspect that both classes of theories have in common. In a second part, we outline that actual, empirically observed decisions often do not conform to the normative ideals of economic and ecological models, and that many of the behavioral violations found in humans can also be found in animals. In a third part, we make a case that the sense or nonsense of the behavioral violations of optimality principles in humans can best be understood from an evolutionary perspective, thus requiring animal research. Finally, we conclude with a critical discussion of the parallels and inherent differences in human and animal research.

Why We Should Use Animals to Study Economic Decision Making – A Perspective

PubMed Central

Kalenscher, Tobias; van Wingerden, Marijn

2011-01-01

Despite the rich tradition in psychology and biology, animals as research subjects have never gained a similar acceptance in microeconomics research. With this article, we counter this trend of negligence and try to convey the message that animal models are an indispensible complement to the literature on human economic decision making. This perspective review departs from a description of the similarities in economic and evolutionary theories of human and animal decision making, with particular emphasis on the optimality aspect that both classes of theories have in common. In a second part, we outline that actual, empirically observed decisions often do not conform to the normative ideals of economic and ecological models, and that many of the behavioral violations found in humans can also be found in animals. In a third part, we make a case that the sense or nonsense of the behavioral violations of optimality principles in humans can best be understood from an evolutionary perspective, thus requiring animal research. Finally, we conclude with a critical discussion of the parallels and inherent differences in human and animal research. PMID:21731558

Digital image transformation and rectification of spacecraft and radar images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, S.S.C.

1985-01-01

Digital image transformation and rectification can be described in three categories: (1) digital rectification of spacecraft pictures on workable stereoplotters; (2) digital correction of radar image geometry; and (3) digital reconstruction of shaded relief maps and perspective views including stereograms. Digital rectification can make high-oblique pictures workable on stereoplotters that would otherwise not accommodate such extreme tilt angles. It also enables panoramic line-scan geometry to be used to compile contour maps with photogrammetric plotters. Rectifications were digitally processed on both Viking Orbiter and Lander pictures of Mars as well as radar images taken by various radar systems. By merging digital terrain data with image data, perspective and three-dimensional views of Olympus Mons and Tithonium Chasma, also of Mars, are reconstructed through digital image processing. ?? 1985.

Effective chronic disease management: patients' perspectives on medication-related problems.

PubMed

Gordon, Karen; Smith, Felicity; Dhillon, Soraya

2007-03-01

To examine medication-related problems from the perspective of patients with a chronic condition and to identify how they may be supported in managing their medication. Patients prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease were recruited through five general medical surgeries and four community pharmacies in south London. Data were collected in 98 face-to-face interviews in participants' own homes. Interviews were designed to enable a detailed and holistic exploration of medication-related problems from participants' perspectives. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim to allow qualitative analysis. Five broad categories of medication-related problem emerged which were examined in the context of patients' perspectives on, and experiences of, the use of medicines and health services. These were concerns about and management of side effects; differing views regarding the use of medicines; cognitive, practical and sensory problems; lack of information or understanding; and problems with access to, and organisation of, services. All categories of problem had potential implications for the success of therapy in that they created barriers to adherence, access to medication or informed decision-making. The study demonstrated how patients actively engage in decision-making about their medicines in the home, if not in the consultation. The five categories of problem provide a focus for interventions by health professionals to support patients in achieving optimal theory outcomes. They demonstrate the need for a comprehensive approach, spanning patient education to the systems of delivery of care. Within the NHS in Britain, policy and practice initiatives are being designed to achieve this end. Further research should focus on the evaluation of professional practices and service developments in supporting patients in the self-management of their medicines.

Evaluating Utility in Diagnostic Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harber, Jean R.

1981-01-01

The utility of the procedures special educators apply in making decisions about the identification of handicapped individuals has not been thoroughly studied. The paper examines the utility of diagnostic decision making from the perspective of receiver operating curve analysis. (Author)

On the making of a system theory of life: Paul A Weiss and Ludwig von Bertalanffy's conceptual connection.

PubMed

Drack, Manfred; Apfalter, Wilfried; Pouvreau, David

2007-12-01

In this article, we review how two eminent Viennese system thinkers, Paul A Weiss and Ludwig von Bertalanffy, began to develop their own perspectives toward a system theory of life in the 1920s. Their work is especially rooted in experimental biology as performed at the Biologische Versuchsanstalt, as well as in philosophy, and they converge in basic concepts. We underline the conceptual connections of their thinking, among them the organism as an organized system, hierarchical organization, and primary activity. With their system thinking, both biologists shared a strong desire to overcome what they viewed as a "mechanistic" approach in biology. Their interpretations are relevant to the renaissance of system thinking in biology--"systems biology." Unless otherwise noted, all translations are our own.

Software Safety Risk in Legacy Safety-Critical Computer Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Janice L.; Baggs, Rhoda

2007-01-01

Safety Standards contain technical and process-oriented safety requirements. Technical requirements are those such as "must work" and "must not work" functions in the system. Process-Oriented requirements are software engineering and safety management process requirements. Address the system perspective and some cover just software in the system > NASA-STD-8719.13B Software Safety Standard is the current standard of interest. NASA programs/projects will have their own set of safety requirements derived from the standard. Safety Cases: a) Documented demonstration that a system complies with the specified safety requirements. b) Evidence is gathered on the integrity of the system and put forward as an argued case. [Gardener (ed.)] c) Problems occur when trying to meet safety standards, and thus make retrospective safety cases, in legacy safety-critical computer systems.

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

Hale, M.A.; Craig, J.I.

Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) embodies the simultaneous application to both system and quality engineering methods throughout an iterative design process. The use of IPPD results in the time-conscious, cost-saving development of engineering systems. To implement IPPD, a Decision-Based Design perspective is encapsulated in an approach that focuses on the role of the human designer in product development. The approach has two parts and is outlined in this paper. First, an architecture, called DREAMS, is being developed that facilitates design from a decision-based perspective. Second, a supporting computing infrastructure, called IMAGE, is being designed. Agents are used to implementmore » the overall infrastructure on the computer. Successful agent utilization requires that they be made of three components: the resource, the model, and the wrap. Current work is focused on the development of generalized agent schemes and associated demonstration projects. When in place, the technology independent computing infrastructure will aid the designer in systematically generating knowledge used to facilitate decision-making.« less

Use of agents to implement an integrated computing environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, Mark A.; Craig, James I.

1995-01-01

Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) embodies the simultaneous application to both system and quality engineering methods throughout an iterative design process. The use of IPPD results in the time-conscious, cost-saving development of engineering systems. To implement IPPD, a Decision-Based Design perspective is encapsulated in an approach that focuses on the role of the human designer in product development. The approach has two parts and is outlined in this paper. First, an architecture, called DREAMS, is being developed that facilitates design from a decision-based perspective. Second, a supporting computing infrastructure, called IMAGE, is being designed. Agents are used to implement the overall infrastructure on the computer. Successful agent utilization requires that they be made of three components: the resource, the model, and the wrap. Current work is focused on the development of generalized agent schemes and associated demonstration projects. When in place, the technology independent computing infrastructure will aid the designer in systematically generating knowledge used to facilitate decision-making.

A critical black feminist ethnography of treatment for women with co-occurring disorders in the psychiatric hospital.

PubMed

Creswell, Laryssa M

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of women diagnosed with co-occurring disorders on the treatments provided by a state psychiatric hospital so that appropriate recommendations for changes in treatment may be made. Critical ethnography was used and the data was viewed through the lens of intersectionality from the black feminist perspective. Seven women hospitalized in one psychiatric hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region participated in the study. Data was collected via semistructured interviews, Consumer Perceptions of Care survey, researcher's observations, and archival data. Three major findings emerged: (1) Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) was identified as a beneficial treatment, (2) a lack of trust in the system and people in the system, and (3) housing or homelessness was perceived as a barrier. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended clinicians, administrators, and policy makers listen closely to individuals receiving treatment to make decisions regarding treatment accordingly.

Development of an expert system for assessing trumpeter swan breeding habitat in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sojda, Richard S.; Cornely, John E.; Howe, Adele E.

2002-01-01

A decision support system for the management of the Rocky Mountain Population of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinators) is being developed. As part of this, three expert systems are also in development: one for assessing the quality of Trumpeter Swan breeding habitat; one for making water level recommendations in montane, palustrine wetlands; and one for assessing the contribution a particular site can make towards meeting objectives from as flyway perspective. The focus of this paper is the development of the breeding habitat expert system, which currently consists of 157 rules. Out purpose is to provide decision support for issues that appear to be beyond the capability of a single persons to conceptualize and solve. We propose that by involving multiple experts in the development and use of the systems, management will be significantly improved. The knowledge base for the expert system has been developed using standard knowledge engineering techniques with a small team of ecological experts. Knowledge was then coded using production rules organized in decision trees using a commercial expert system development shell. The final system has been deployed on the world wide web.

The payers perspective on MIH-CP programs. How to make a case for funding your project.

PubMed

Zavadsky, Matt

2015-07-01

Here are some key points to consider when engaging in conversations with potential payers for EMS-based MIH-CP programs. The realignment of fiscal incentives within the healthcare system has created an environment that encourages providers and payers to work together to right-size utilization. Providers and payers are often unaware of the true value EMS agencies can bring to their patients through proactive and innovative patient navigation services. You need to tell them--or, better yet, show them. You may need to do a small demonstration project with a handful of patients to prove you can make a difference. In order to understand the new environment, you need to become well-versed in healthcare metrics, specifically as they relate to the partners to whom you'll be proposing. Be sure you know things like readmission rates and penalties, value-based purchasing penalties, HCAHPS scores, MSPB and other motivating factors you. can use to help build the business case for your audience. For many in EMS, crafting partnerships for. payment of services not related to ambulance transport is a new and scary thing. Hopefully the examples provided here from payers paying for MIH services have demonstrated that their perspective is not much different from ours. We are all trying to do the right things for our patients, improve their experience of care and reduce the cost of the healthcare system.

Affording Sustainability: Adopting a Theory of Affordances as a Guiding Heuristic for Environmental Policy.

PubMed

Kaaronen, Roope O

2017-01-01

Human behavior is an underlying cause for many of the ecological crises faced in the 21st century, and there is no escaping from the fact that widespread behavior change is necessary for socio-ecological systems to take a sustainable turn. Whilst making people and communities behave sustainably is a fundamental objective for environmental policy, behavior change interventions and policies are often implemented from a very limited non-systemic perspective. Environmental policy-makers and psychologists alike often reduce cognition 'to the brain,' focusing only to a minor extent on how everyday environments systemically afford pro-environmental behavior. Symptomatic of this are the widely prevalent attitude-action, value-action or knowledge-action gaps, understood in this paper as the gulfs lying between sustainable thinking and behavior due to lack of affordances. I suggest that by adopting a theory of affordances as a guiding heuristic, environmental policy-makers are better equipped to promote policies that translate sustainable thinking into sustainable behavior, often self-reinforcingly, and have better conceptual tools to nudge our socio-ecological system toward a sustainable turn. Affordance theory, which studies the relations between abilities to perceive and act and environmental features, is shown to provide a systemic framework for analyzing environmental policies and the ecology of human behavior. This facilitates the location and activation of leverage points for systemic policy interventions, which can help socio-ecological systems to learn to adapt to more sustainable habits. Affordance theory is presented to be applicable and pertinent to technically all nested levels of socio-ecological systems from the studies of sustainable objects and households to sustainable urban environments, making it an immensely versatile conceptual policy tool. Finally, affordance theory is also discussed from a participatory perspective. Increasing the fit between local thinking and external behavior possibilities entails a deep understanding of tacit and explicit attitudes, values, knowledge as well as physical and social environments, best gained via inclusive and polycentric policy approaches.

Affording Sustainability: Adopting a Theory of Affordances as a Guiding Heuristic for Environmental Policy

PubMed Central

Kaaronen, Roope O.

2017-01-01

Human behavior is an underlying cause for many of the ecological crises faced in the 21st century, and there is no escaping from the fact that widespread behavior change is necessary for socio-ecological systems to take a sustainable turn. Whilst making people and communities behave sustainably is a fundamental objective for environmental policy, behavior change interventions and policies are often implemented from a very limited non-systemic perspective. Environmental policy-makers and psychologists alike often reduce cognition ‘to the brain,’ focusing only to a minor extent on how everyday environments systemically afford pro-environmental behavior. Symptomatic of this are the widely prevalent attitude–action, value–action or knowledge–action gaps, understood in this paper as the gulfs lying between sustainable thinking and behavior due to lack of affordances. I suggest that by adopting a theory of affordances as a guiding heuristic, environmental policy-makers are better equipped to promote policies that translate sustainable thinking into sustainable behavior, often self-reinforcingly, and have better conceptual tools to nudge our socio–ecological system toward a sustainable turn. Affordance theory, which studies the relations between abilities to perceive and act and environmental features, is shown to provide a systemic framework for analyzing environmental policies and the ecology of human behavior. This facilitates the location and activation of leverage points for systemic policy interventions, which can help socio–ecological systems to learn to adapt to more sustainable habits. Affordance theory is presented to be applicable and pertinent to technically all nested levels of socio–ecological systems from the studies of sustainable objects and households to sustainable urban environments, making it an immensely versatile conceptual policy tool. Finally, affordance theory is also discussed from a participatory perspective. Increasing the fit between local thinking and external behavior possibilities entails a deep understanding of tacit and explicit attitudes, values, knowledge as well as physical and social environments, best gained via inclusive and polycentric policy approaches. PMID:29176955

Decision Making Perspectives of Young Children (K-5).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Linda J.; McDonald, Linda L.

1999-01-01

Applies Blumer's theory of symbolic interactionism to explore how normal children make meaning of their decision making world, both of their own acts and the labyrinthine world adults structure for them. Schema/narratives on friendship, sports, adults, and school reveal knowledge making strategies defined by immediate experiences and a capacity to…

Making Decisions about an Educational Game, Simulation or Workshop: A 'Game Theory' Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cryer, Patricia

1988-01-01

Uses game theory to help practitioners make decisions about educational games, simulations, or workshops whose outcomes depend to some extent on chance. Highlights include principles for making decisions involving risk; elementary laws of probability; utility theory; and principles for making decisions involving uncertainty. (eight references)…

Participative Decision-Making. Research Action Brief Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

This report examines the role of participative decision-making in education by reviewing significant research on the involvement of teachers in educational policy-making. The discussion attempts to put participative decision-making (PDM) in perspective by highlighting empirical research on how well PDM works and by identifying some of the…

The Effects of Transient Emotional State and Workload on Size Scaling in Perspective Displays

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

Tuan Q. Tran; Kimberly R. Raddatz

2006-10-01

Previous research has been devoted to the study of perceptual (e.g., number of depth cues) and cognitive (e.g., instructional set) factors that influence veridical size perception in perspective displays. However, considering that perspective displays have utility in high workload environments that often induce high arousal (e.g., aircraft cockpits), the present study sought to examine the effect of observers’ emotional state on the ability to perceive and judge veridical size. Within a dual-task paradigm, observers’ ability to make accurate size judgments was examined under conditions of induced emotional state (positive, negative, neutral) and high and low workload. Results showed that participantsmore » in both positive and negative induced emotional states were slower to make accurate size judgments than those not under induced emotional arousal. Results suggest that emotional state is an important factor that influences visual performance on perspective displays and is worthy of further study.« less

An Integrated Web-based Decision Support System in Disaster Risk Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aye, Z. C.; Jaboyedoff, M.; Derron, M. H.

2012-04-01

Nowadays, web based decision support systems (DSS) play an essential role in disaster risk management because of their supporting abilities which help the decision makers to improve their performances and make better decisions without needing to solve complex problems while reducing human resources and time. Since the decision making process is one of the main factors which highly influence the damages and losses of society, it is extremely important to make right decisions at right time by combining available risk information with advanced web technology of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Decision Support System (DSS). This paper presents an integrated web-based decision support system (DSS) of how to use risk information in risk management efficiently and effectively while highlighting the importance of a decision support system in the field of risk reduction. Beyond the conventional systems, it provides the users to define their own strategies starting from risk identification to the risk reduction, which leads to an integrated approach in risk management. In addition, it also considers the complexity of changing environment from different perspectives and sectors with diverse stakeholders' involvement in the development process. The aim of this platform is to contribute a part towards the natural hazards and geosciences society by developing an open-source web platform where the users can analyze risk profiles and make decisions by performing cost benefit analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) with the support of others tools and resources provided. There are different access rights to the system depending on the user profiles and their responsibilities. The system is still under development and the current version provides maps viewing, basic GIS functionality, assessment of important infrastructures (e.g. bridge, hospital, etc.) affected by landslides and visualization of the impact-probability matrix in terms of socio-economic dimension.

Budget-makers and health care systems.

PubMed

White, Joseph

2013-10-01

Health programs are shaped by the decisions made in budget processes, so how budget-makers view health programs is an important part of making health policy. Budgeting in any country involves its own policy community, with key players including budgeting professionals and political authorities. This article reviews the typical pressures on and attitudes of these actors when they address health policy choices. The worldview of budget professionals includes attitudes that are congenial to particular policy perspectives, such as the desire to select packages of programs that maximize population health. The pressures on political authorities, however, are very different: most importantly, public demand for health care services is stronger than for virtually any other government activity. The norms and procedures of budgeting also tend to discourage adoption of some of the more enthusiastically promoted health policy reforms. Therefore talk about rationalizing systems is not matched by action; and action is better explained by the need to minimize blame. The budget-maker's perspective provides insight about key controversies in healthcare policy such as decentralization, competition, health service systems as opposed to health insurance systems, and dedicated vs. general revenue finance. It also explains the frequency of various "gaming" behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decision-Making Under Risk: Integrating Perspectives From Biology, Economics, and Psychology.

PubMed

Mishra, Sandeep

2014-08-01

Decision-making under risk has been variably characterized and examined in many different disciplines. However, interdisciplinary integration has not been forthcoming. Classic theories of decision-making have not been amply revised in light of greater empirical data on actual patterns of decision-making behavior. Furthermore, the meta-theoretical framework of evolution by natural selection has been largely ignored in theories of decision-making under risk in the human behavioral sciences. In this review, I critically examine four of the most influential theories of decision-making from economics, psychology, and biology: expected utility theory, prospect theory, risk-sensitivity theory, and heuristic approaches. I focus especially on risk-sensitivity theory, which offers a framework for understanding decision-making under risk that explicitly involves evolutionary considerations. I also review robust empirical evidence for individual differences and environmental/situational factors that predict actual risky decision-making that any general theory must account for. Finally, I offer steps toward integrating various theoretical perspectives and empirical findings on risky decision-making. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Complexity science and participation in decision making among Taiwanese nurses.

PubMed

Liu, Yi

2008-04-01

The perspective of interconnection in complexity science is used to examine the concept of participation in decision making among Taiwanese nurses in the context of Chinese communication culture. Participation in decision making among nurses has been widely discussed and tested in the Western healthcare systems. Many studies have shown that participation in decision making relates to nurses' autonomy, job satisfaction and quality of care. However, participation in decision making has not been fully discussed in Taiwan's nursing community. In a different cultural environment, participation in decision making may have different effects. The concept of participation in decision making is analysed in three facets of Chinese communication culture: (1) hierarchical social relationship; (2) harmony maintenance; and (3) insider effects. Key issues Taiwanese nurses might establish different levels of participation and need to use different strategies to enhance participation in decision making for desired outcomes. While applying participation in decision making in a different context, it is very important to consider the social and cultural differences. Two implications are made. First, nursing leaders/managers who are working with a multicultural team should be aware of the cultural difference in the pattern of interaction in the process of participation in decision making. Second, leaders/managers should be creative and try to apply different strategies to encourage staff's participation in decision making.

Bacteria as computers making computers

PubMed Central

Danchin, Antoine

2009-01-01

Various efforts to integrate biological knowledge into networks of interactions have produced a lively microbial systems biology. Putting molecular biology and computer sciences in perspective, we review another trend in systems biology, in which recursivity and information replace the usual concepts of differential equations, feedback and feedforward loops and the like. Noting that the processes of gene expression separate the genome from the cell machinery, we analyse the role of the separation between machine and program in computers. However, computers do not make computers. For cells to make cells requires a specific organization of the genetic program, which we investigate using available knowledge. Microbial genomes are organized into a paleome (the name emphasizes the role of the corresponding functions from the time of the origin of life), comprising a constructor and a replicator, and a cenome (emphasizing community-relevant genes), made up of genes that permit life in a particular context. The cell duplication process supposes rejuvenation of the machine and replication of the program. The paleome also possesses genes that enable information to accumulate in a ratchet-like process down the generations. The systems biology must include the dynamics of information creation in its future developments. PMID:19016882

Bacteria as computers making computers.

PubMed

Danchin, Antoine

2009-01-01

Various efforts to integrate biological knowledge into networks of interactions have produced a lively microbial systems biology. Putting molecular biology and computer sciences in perspective, we review another trend in systems biology, in which recursivity and information replace the usual concepts of differential equations, feedback and feedforward loops and the like. Noting that the processes of gene expression separate the genome from the cell machinery, we analyse the role of the separation between machine and program in computers. However, computers do not make computers. For cells to make cells requires a specific organization of the genetic program, which we investigate using available knowledge. Microbial genomes are organized into a paleome (the name emphasizes the role of the corresponding functions from the time of the origin of life), comprising a constructor and a replicator, and a cenome (emphasizing community-relevant genes), made up of genes that permit life in a particular context. The cell duplication process supposes rejuvenation of the machine and replication of the program. The paleome also possesses genes that enable information to accumulate in a ratchet-like process down the generations. The systems biology must include the dynamics of information creation in its future developments.

Decision Making, Models of Mind, and the New Cognitive Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evers, Colin W.

1998-01-01

Explores implications for understanding educational decision making from a cognitive science perspective. Examines three models of mind providing the methodological framework for decision-making studies. The "absent mind" embodies the behaviorist research tradition. The "functionalist mind" underwrites traditional cognitivism…

Proxy assessment of health-related quality of life in african american and white respondents with prostate cancer: perspective matters.

PubMed

Pickard, A Simon; Lin, Hsiang-Wen; Knight, Sara J; Knight, Sara L; Sharifi, Roohollah; Wu, Zhigang; Hung, Shih-Ying; Witt, Whitney P; Chang, Chih-Hung; Bennett, Charles L

2009-02-01

An emerging issue in the proxy literature is whether specifying different proxy viewpoints contributes to different health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessments, and if so, how might each perspective be informative in medical decision making. The aims of this study were to determine if informal caregiver assessments of patients with prostate cancer differed when prompted from both the patient perspective (proxy-patient) and their own viewpoint (proxy-proxy), and to identify factors associated with differences in proxy perspectives (ie, the intraproxy gap). Using a cross-sectional design, prostate cancer patients and their informal caregivers were recruited from urology clinics in the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Chicago. Dyads assessed HRQL using the EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS) and EORTC QLQ-C30. Of 87 dyads, most caregivers were female (83%) and were spouses/partners (58%). Mean difference scores between proxy-patient and proxy-proxy perspectives were statistically significant for QLQ-C30 physical and emotional functioning, and VAS (all P < 0.05), with the proxy-patient perspective closer to patient self-report. Emotional functioning had the largest difference, mean 6.0 (SD 12.8), an effect size = 0.47. Factors weakly correlated with the intraproxy gap included relationship (spouse) and proxy gender for role functioning, and health literacy (limited/functional) for physical functioning (all P < 0.05, 0.20 < r < 0.35). Meaningful differences between proxy-patient and proxy-proxy perspectives on mental health were consistent with a conceptual framework for understanding proxy perspectives. Prompting different proxy viewpoints on patient health could help clinicians identify patients who may benefit from clinical intervention.

NEGOTIATING HEALTH: patients' and guardians' perspective on "failed" patient-professional interactions in the context of the Swedish health care system.

PubMed

Koch, Roland; Joos, Stefanie; Ryding, Elsa-Lena

2018-05-11

Sweden has a largely tax-funded health care system that aims at providing equal access for everyone. However, the individual's perception and experience of the health care system remains a relevant topic for researchers. The aim of this study is to learn the patient's perspective on how patients and professionals negotiate in the social context of the Swedish health care system. Eight essays that had spontaneously been contributed to a medical writing contest were analyzed using narrative methods. Narratives were defined as a sequence of clauses that correspond to an order of events in the narrator's biography. The analysis comprised a three-step process. First, the essays were read and narratives were extracted. Second, an agency analysis was performed. Third, an analysis of social positioning was employed. The Swedish health care system provides the social context and background for negotiations between patients and professionals. The narrators position the protagonists of the illness narratives as either patients or guardians of underage patients. The protagonists meet health care representatives in negotiation situations. Due to the lack of emotional connection between the negotiating parties, impossible situations arise. False promises are made which ultimately result in the patients' suffering. Thus, all negotiations failed from the narrators' perspective. The narrators invited their audience to solve negotiation situations differently. This study discusses some actions that may help navigate negotiation situations: Health care providers should acknowledge the patient's or guardian's social position and dilemma, allow emotions, involve all parties in the decision-making process and manage expectations. Writing competitions may provide a tool for experience-based assessment of health care systems.

[Promoting directives of the Quality Law of the Spanish National Health System: Computer-interpretable clinical practice guidelines].

PubMed

González-Ferrer, Arturo; Valcárcel, María Ángel

2018-04-01

The Cohesion and Quality Act of the National Health System promotes the use of new technologies to make it possible for health professionals put the scientific evidence into practice. In order to do this, there are technological tools, known as of computer-interpretable guidelines, which can help achieve this goal from an innovation perspective. They can be adopted using an iterative process, having a great initial potential as an educational tool, of quality and safety of the patient, in the decision making and, optionally, can be integrated with the electronic medical history, once they are rigorously validated. This article presents updates on these tools, reviews international projects, and personal experiences in which they have demonstrated their value, and highlights the advantages, risks, and limitations they present from a clinical point of view. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Application of Ethical Principles to Research using Public Health Data in The Global South: Perspectives from Africa.

PubMed

Anane-Sarpong, Evelyn; Wangmo, Tenzin; Sankoh, Osman; Tanner, Marcel; Elger, Bernice Simone

2018-06-01

Existing ethics guidelines, influential literature and policies on ethical research generally focus on real-time data collection from humans. They enforce individual rights and liberties, thereby lowering need for aggregate protections. Although dependable, emerging public health research paradigms like research using public health data (RUPD) raise new challenges to their application. Unlike traditional research, RUPD is population-based, aligned to public health activities, and often reliant on pre-collected longitudinal data. These characteristics, when considered in relation to the generally lower protective ethico-legal frameworks of the Global South, including Africa, highlight ethical gaps. Health and demographic surveillance systems are examples of public health programs that accommodate RUPD in these contexts. We set out to explore the perspectives of professionals with a working knowledge of these systems to determine practical ways of appropriating the foundational principles of health research to advance the ever growing opportunities in RUPD. We present their perspectives and in relation to the literature and our ethical analysis, make context relevant recommendations. We further argue for the development of a framework founded on the discussions and recommendations as a minimum base for achieving optimal ethics for optimal RUPD in the Global South. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Communication Perspective on Sexual Harassment: Affiliative Nonverbal Behaviors in Asynchronous Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickson, Mark, III; And Others

1991-01-01

Develops a communication perspective on sexual harassment in asynchronous relationships. Presents a six-step process model to predict private harassing behavior among faculty members in higher education. Makes suggestions for prevention of sexual harassment. (SR)

Research developments in methods to reduce the carbon footprint of the food system: a review.

PubMed

Xu, Zhongyue; Sun, Da-Wen; Zeng, Xin-An; Liu, Dan; Pu, Hongbin

2015-01-01

Global warming is a worldwide issue with its evident impact across a wide range of systems and sectors. It is caused by a number of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions, in which food system has made up of a large part. Recently, reduction of GHG emissions has become an urgent issue to be resolved in the food system. Many governments and organizations are making great endeavors to alleviate the adverse effect of this phenomenon. In this review, methods to reduce the carbon footprint within the life cycle of a food system are presented from the technical, consumption behavior and environmental policies perspectives. The whole food system including raw material acquisition, processing, packaging, preservation, transportation, consumption, and disposal are covered. Improving management techniques, and adopting advanced technology and equipment are critical for every stage of a food system. Rational site selection is important to alleviate the influence of land use change. In addition, environmental choices of packaging stage, reduction in refrigeration dependence, and correct waste treatment are essential to reduce the total carbon footprint of the production. However, only technical methods cannot radically reverse the trend of climate change, as consumption behaviors present a great deal of influence over climate change. Appropriate purchase patterns and substitution within food product categories by low carbon products can reduce GHG emissions. Development of methods to calculate the carbon footprint of every kind of food and its processing technology enable people to make environmental choice. Policy can shape and cultivate the new code of consumption and influence the direction of emerging technology and science. From political perspectives, government intervention and carbon offset are common tools, especially for carbon tax and a real or implicit price of carbon. Finally, by mitigating the methodologies described above, the rate and magnitude of climate changes can be also reduced to some extent.

Patient safety: Needs and initiatives.

PubMed

Bion, Julian

2008-04-01

Patient safety has become a major defining issue for healthcare at the beginning of the 21(st) century. Viewed from the perspective of reliability of delivery of best practice, healthcare systems demonstrate a degree of imperfection which would not be tolerated in industry. In part, this is because of uncertainty about what constitutes best practice, combined with complex interventions in complex systems. The acutely ill patient is particularly challenging, and as the majority of admissions to hospitals are emergencies, it makes sense to focus on this group as a coherent entity. Changing clinical behavior is central to improving safety, and this requires a systems-wide approach integrating care throughout patient journey, combined with incorporating reliability training in life-long learning.

Engineering management of large scale systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Serita; Gill, Tepper L.; Paul, Arthur S.

1989-01-01

The organization of high technology and engineering problem solving, has given rise to an emerging concept. Reasoning principles for integrating traditional engineering problem solving with system theory, management sciences, behavioral decision theory, and planning and design approaches can be incorporated into a methodological approach to solving problems with a long range perspective. Long range planning has a great potential to improve productivity by using a systematic and organized approach. Thus, efficiency and cost effectiveness are the driving forces in promoting the organization of engineering problems. Aspects of systems engineering that provide an understanding of management of large scale systems are broadly covered here. Due to the focus and application of research, other significant factors (e.g., human behavior, decision making, etc.) are not emphasized but are considered.

To Achieve or Not To Achieve: A Self-Regulation Perspective on Adolescents' Academic Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David C.; Byrnes, James P.

2001-01-01

This study investigated the utility of the self-regulation model of decision making for explaining and predicting adolescents' academic decision making. Measures included an assessment of decision-making skill; academic goals; select scales of Learning and Study Strategies Inventory; and teacher ratings of achievement behavior. Adolescents'…

Efficient decision-making by volume-conserving physical object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Song-Ju; Aono, Masashi; Nameda, Etsushi

2015-08-01

Decision-making is one of the most important intellectual abilities of not only humans but also other biological organisms, helping their survival. This ability, however, may not be limited to biological systems and may be exhibited by physical systems. Here we demonstrate that any physical object, as long as its volume is conserved when coupled with suitable operations, provides a sophisticated decision-making capability. We consider the multi-armed bandit problem (MBP), the problem of finding, as accurately and quickly as possible, the most profitable option from a set of options that gives stochastic rewards. Efficient MBP solvers are useful for many practical applications, because MBP abstracts a variety of decision-making problems in real-world situations in which an efficient trial-and-error is required. These decisions are made as dictated by a physical object, which is moved in a manner similar to the fluctuations of a rigid body in a tug-of-war (TOW) game. This method, called ‘TOW dynamics’, exhibits higher efficiency than conventional reinforcement learning algorithms. We show analytical calculations that validate statistical reasons for TOW dynamics to produce the high performance despite its simplicity. These results imply that various physical systems in which some conservation law holds can be used to implement an efficient ‘decision-making object’. The proposed scheme will provide a new perspective to open up a physics-based analog computing paradigm and to understanding the biological information-processing principles that exploit their underlying physics.

An organizational perspective on ethics as a form of regulation.

PubMed

Hoeyer, Klaus; Lynöe, Niels

2009-11-01

In this paper we propose a theoretical framework for analysing the history and function of ethics as a form of regulation. Ethics in the form of codes, rules and declarations, constitutes regulatory policies, and we wish to suggest analysing such policies from an organizational perspective. In many instances ethics policies are reactions to particular events involving harm of patients or research participants. As such they seem to come forward as solutions to specific problems. However, not all such events that instigate the making of new policies, and policies often have other effects and are used for other purposes than what we might expect from the events preceding them: when ethics takes on the form of policy making, the relationship between problems and solutions is more complex. We suggest that an organizational perspective on ethics codes, rules and declarations can deliver a relevant framework for future studies of the implications of wanting to address ethical problems through policy making.

A glucose meter evaluation co-designed with both health professional and consumer input.

PubMed

Thompson, Harmony; Chan, Huan; Logan, Florence J; Heenan, Helen F; Taylor, Lynne; Murray, Chris; Florkowski, Christopher M; Frampton, Christopher M A; Lunt, Helen

2013-11-22

Health consumer's input into assessment of medical device safety is traditionally given either as part of study outcome (trial participants) or during post marketing surveillance. Direct consumer input into the methodological design of device assessment is less common. We discuss the difference in requirements for assessment of a measuring device from the consumer and clinician perspectives, using the example of hand held glucose meters. Around 80,000 New Zealanders with diabetes recently changed their glucose meter system, to enable ongoing access to PHARMAC subsidised meters and strips. Consumers were most interested in a direct comparison of their 'old' meter system (Accu-Chek Performa) with their 'new' meter system (CareSens brand, including the CareSens N POP), rather than comparisons against a laboratory standard. This direct comparison of meter/strip systems showed that the CareSens N POP meter read around 0.6 mmol/L higher than the Performa system. Whilst this difference is unlikely to result in major errors in clinical decision making such as major insulin dosing errors, this information is nevertheless of interest to consumers who switched meters so that they could maintain access to PHARMAC subsidised meters and strips. We recommend that when practical, the consumer perspective be incorporated into study design related to medical device assessment.

Intergroup visual perspective-taking: Shared group membership impairs self-perspective inhibition but may facilitate perspective calculation.

PubMed

Simpson, Austin J; Todd, Andrew R

2017-09-01

Reasoning about what other people see, know, and want is essential for navigating social life. Yet, even neurodevelopmentally healthy adults make perspective-taking errors. Here, we examined how the group membership of perspective-taking targets (ingroup vs. outgroup) affects processes underlying visual perspective-taking. In three experiments using two bases of group identity (university affiliation and minimal groups), interference from one's own differing perspective (i.e., egocentric intrusion) was stronger when responding from an ingroup versus an outgroup member's perspective. Spontaneous perspective calculation, as indexed by interference from another's visual perspective when reporting one's own (i.e., altercentric intrusion), did not differ across target group membership in any of our experiments. Process-dissociation analyses, which aim to isolate automatic processes underlying altercentric-intrusion effects, further revealed negligible effects of target group membership on perspective calculation. Meta-analytically, however, there was suggestive evidence that shared group membership facilitates responding from others' perspectives when self and other perspectives are aligned. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Commentary: open access, open business, closed fairness!

PubMed

Moustafa, Khaled

2015-01-01

A strong trend to move from print to online publication is largely perceived in scientific and nonscientific fields. A growing number of publishers increasingly opt for online publication as an option or a compulsory alternative. From readers' perspective, this is a highly appreciated facility, but from the author's, things are different mainly because of excessive article processing charges (APC) that make the open access system sometimes as a hindrance for many authors but a lucrative enterprise for many shareholders, enticing the most traditional and conservative publishers.

[Publication of healthcare quality data to citizens--status and perspectives].

PubMed

Utzon, Jan; Kaergaard, Johan

2009-05-11

Public quality reports are intended to stimulate active consumer participation by enabling consumers to make informed choices about their healthcare providers. Despite all efforts, public reporting has been shown not to be effective in stimulating consumers to choose their healthcare provider based on performance information in Denmark and other countries. Numerous barriers are identified. In an effort to move towards an effective public reporting system in Denmark, the present article discusses how quality information can be made accessible and meaningful to wider groups of consumers.

Planning for the baby boomers' healthcare needs: a case study.

PubMed

Albert, Terri C; Johnson, Edward; Gasperino, Daniel; Tokatli, Pinar

2003-01-01

Will the impact of baby boomers, as they age, be a bonanza or a bust for the healthcare system? A range of perspectives prevail, from increasing in-patient admissions capacity to accommodate the sheer numbers, to the creation of a variety of healthcare services and delivery channels that address their unique requirements. This case study presents a top 100, regional hospital's approach to this dilemma. The strategic marketing process using segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP) was employed to guide the administration's planning and decision making.

Current Challenges and Potential Opportunities for the Pharmaceutical Sciences to Make Global Impact: An FIP Perspective.

PubMed

Tucker, Geoffrey; DeSilva, Binodh; Dressman, Jennifer; Ito, Michiho; Kumamoto, Takuya; Mager, Don; Mahler, Hanns-Christian; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H; Pauletti, Giovanni M; Sasaki, Hitoshi; Shah, Vinod; Tang, Daniel; Ward, Michael

2016-09-01

The chairs of each of the 8 Special Interest Groups of the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the International Pharmaceutical Federation have compiled opinions with regard to major challenges for the pharmaceutical sciences over the next 5-10 years. Areas covered are drug design and discovery, natural products, formulation design and pharmaceutical technology, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and systems pharmacology, translational and personalized medicine, biotechnology, analytical sciences and quality control, and regulatory science. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cognitive analysis of physicians' medication ordering activity.

PubMed

Pelayo, Sylvia; Leroy, Nicolas; Guerlinger, Sandra; Degoulet, Patrice; Meaux, Jean-Jacques; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine

2005-01-01

Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) addresses critical functions in healthcare systems. As the name clearly indicates, these systems focus on order entry. With regard to medication orders, such systems generally force physicians to enter exhaustively documented orders. But a cognitive analysis of the physician's medication ordering task shows that order entry is the last (and least) important step of the entire cognitive therapeutic decision making task. We performed a comparative analysis of these complex cognitive tasks in two working environments, computer-based and paper-based. The results showed that information gathering, selection and interpretation are critical cognitive functions to support the therapeutic decision making. Thus the most important requirement from the physician's perspective would be an efficient display of relevant information provided first in the form of a summarized view of the patient's current treatment, followed by in a more detailed focused display of those items pertinent to the current situation. The CPOE system examined obviously failed to provide the physicians this critical summarized view. Following these results, consistent with users' complaints, the Company decided to engage in a significant re-engineering process of their application.

Indigenous Māori perspectives on urban transport patterns linked to health and wellbeing.

PubMed

Raerino Ngāti Awa Te Arawa, K; Macmillan, Alex K; Jones Ngāti Kahungunu, Rhys G

2013-09-01

There is a growing body of research linking urban transport systems to inequities in health. However, there is a lack of research providing evidence of the effect of transport systems on indigenous family wellbeing. We examined the connections between urban transport and the health and wellbeing of Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. We provide an indigenous exploration of current urban transport systems, with a particular focus on the impacts of car dependence and the need for culturally relevant travel. We interviewed nineteen Māori participants utilising qualitative research techniques underpinned by an indigenous research methodology (Kaupapa Māori). The data highlighted the importance of accessing cultural activities and sites relevant to 'being Māori', and issues with affordability and safety of public transport. Understanding the relationship between indigenous wellbeing and transport systems that goes further than limited discourses of inequity is essential to improving transport for indigenous wellbeing. Providing an indigenous voice in transport decision-making will make it more likely that indigenous health and wellbeing is prioritised in transport planning. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

High-accuracy 3D measurement system based on multi-view and structured light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mingyue; Weng, Dongdong; Li, Yufeng; Zhang, Longbin; Zhou, Haiyun

2013-12-01

3D surface reconstruction is one of the most important topics in Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR). Using structured light is a simple and rapid method to reconstruct the objects. In order to improve the precision of 3D reconstruction, we present a high-accuracy multi-view 3D measurement system based on Gray-code and Phase-shift. We use a camera and a light projector that casts structured light patterns on the objects. In this system, we use only one camera to take photos on the left and right sides of the object respectively. In addition, we use VisualSFM to process the relationships between each perspective, so the camera calibration can be omitted and the positions to place the camera are no longer limited. We also set appropriate exposure time to make the scenes covered by gray-code patterns more recognizable. All of the points above make the reconstruction more precise. We took experiments on different kinds of objects, and a large number of experimental results verify the feasibility and high accuracy of the system.

Teaching sustainability science from a systems analysis perspective: MSc course at Utrecht University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Maria J.; de Boer, Hugo; Dekker, Stefan

2017-04-01

Sustainability science has emerged as a key discipline that embraces both disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary breadth. The challenge is to design University courses that convey both properties without sacrificing either of them. Here we present the design of such course at Utrecht University (the Netherlands) for the MSC program 'Sustainable Development' and discuss the perceived learning and student evaluations. Our course (Sustainability Modelling and Indicators (SMI)) follows an introductory course on Sustainability Perspectives. SMI philosophy is that system thinking and system analysis is central to sustainability science. To convey this philosophy, we focus on four themes: the Anthropocene, Food security, Energy security and Agency and decision making. We developed four hands-on assignments with increasing complexity and make use of different software (Stella, Excel, IMAGE and Netlogo). The assignments aimed at: (1) teaching students the system components by using a pre-existing model in Stella, (2) challenge students to build their own coupled system in Excel, (3) assess outputs from the fully-coupled and dynamic model integrated assessment model IMAGE, and (4) understand emergent properties using an agent-based model in Netlogo. Based on detailed student evaluations (n = 95) we found that the mathematics presented a manageable challenge to a part of the students. The student pool identified a priori having higher experience with Excel in comparison with other software. Netlogo was the highest ranked software in the student evaluations and this was linked to its user-interface with moving agents. The Excel assignment received the highest and lowest scores, and students found it challenging, time consuming but also indicated that they learned the most from this assignment. Students graded what we considered 'easy' assignments with the highest grades. These results suggest that a systems analytical approach to sustainability science can be operationalized in diverse ways that relate to students background and making use of of-the-shelf software. The key challenge is to teach students all the concepts of systems analysis and the applied mathematics behind it. If the goal is to demonstrate process, this portfolio approach with of-the-shelf software can be very successful. This course can be complemented with programming that provides skills to modify and customize software to student needs.

Conceptual framework of knowledge management for ethical decision-making support in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Frize, Monique; Yang, Lan; Walker, Robin C; O'Connor, Annette M

2005-06-01

This research is built on the belief that artificial intelligence estimations need to be integrated into clinical social context to create value for health-care decisions. In sophisticated neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), decisions to continue or discontinue aggressive treatment are an integral part of clinical practice. High-quality evidence supports clinical decision-making, and a decision-aid tool based on specific outcome information for individual NICU patients will provide significant support for parents and caregivers in making difficult "ethical" treatment decisions. In our approach, information on a newborn patient's likely outcomes is integrated with the physician's interpretation and parents' perspectives into codified knowledge. Context-sensitive content adaptation delivers personalized and customized information to a variety of users, from physicians to parents. The system provides structuralized knowledge translation and exchange between all participants in the decision, facilitating collaborative decision-making that involves parents at every stage on whether to initiate, continue, limit, or terminate intensive care for their infant.

An Interactive Model of Career Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amundson, Norman E.

1995-01-01

The decision-making model described highlights the interaction between contextual factors, decision triggers, establishing a frame of the problem, reframing, and action planning. The interactive perspective is based on process and change. Career counseling with an interactive decision-making approach requires an acknowledgment of external…

Advance Directive in End of Life Decision-Making among the Yoruba of South-Western Nigeria

PubMed Central

Jegede, Ayodele Samuel; Adegoke, Olufunke Olufunsho

2017-01-01

End-of-life decision making is value-laden within the context of culture and bioethics. Also, ethics committee role is difficult to understand on this, thus need for ethnomethodological perspective in an expanding bioethical age. Anthropological approach was utilized to document Yoruba definition and perspective of death, cultural beliefs about end-of-life decision making, factors influencing it and ethics committee role. Interviews were conducted among selected Yoruba resident in Akinyele LGA, Oyo State, Nigeria. Content analytical approach was used for data analysis. Yoruba culture, death is socially constructed having spiritual, physical and social significance. Relationship between the dying and significant others influences decision making. Hierarchy of authority informs implementing traditional advance directive. Socialization, gender, patriarchy, religious belief and tradition are major considerations in end-of-life decision making. Awareness, resource allocation and advocacy are important ethics committees’ roles. Further research into cultural diversity of end-of-life decision making will strengthen ethical practice in health care delivery. PMID:28344984

Advance Directive in End of Life Decision-Making among the Yoruba of South-Western Nigeria.

PubMed

Jegede, Ayodele Samuel; Adegoke, Olufunke Olufunsho

2016-11-01

End-of-life decision making is value-laden within the context of culture and bioethics. Also, ethics committee role is difficult to understand on this, thus need for ethnomethodological perspective in an expanding bioethical age. Anthropological approach was utilized to document Yoruba definition and perspective of death, cultural beliefs about end-of-life decision making, factors influencing it and ethics committee role. Interviews were conducted among selected Yoruba resident in Akinyele LGA, Oyo State, Nigeria. Content analytical approach was used for data analysis. Yoruba culture, death is socially constructed having spiritual, physical and social significance. Relationship between the dying and significant others influences decision making. Hierarchy of authority informs implementing traditional advance directive. Socialization, gender, patriarchy, religious belief and tradition are major considerations in end-of-life decision making. Awareness, resource allocation and advocacy are important ethics committees' roles. Further research into cultural diversity of end-of-life decision making will strengthen ethical practice in health care delivery.

Scrutinizing screening: a critical interpretive review of primary care provider perspectives on mammography decision-making with average-risk women.

PubMed

Siedlikowski, Sophia; Ells, Carolyn; Bartlett, Gillian

2018-01-01

A decision to undertake screening for breast cancer often takes place within the primary care setting, but current controversies such as overdiagnosis and inconsistent screening recommendations based on evolving evidence render this a challenging process, particularly for average-risk women. Given the responsibility of primary care providers in counseling women in this decision-making process, it is important to understand their thoughts on these controversies and how they manage uncertainty in their practice. To review the perspectives and approaches of primary care providers regarding mammography decision-making with average-risk women. This study is a critical interpretive review of peer-review literature that reports primary care provider perspectives on mammography screening decision-making. Ovid MEDLINE®, Ovid PsycInfo, and Scopus databases were searched with dates from 2002 to 2017 using search terms related to mammography screening, uncertainty, counseling, decision-making, and primary health care providers. Nine articles were included following a review process involving the three authors. Using an inductive and iterative approach, data were grouped into four thematic categories: (1) perceptions on the effectiveness of screening, screening initiation age, and screening frequency; (2) factors guiding primary care providers in the screening decision-making process, including both provider and patient-related factors, (3) uncertainty faced by primary care providers regarding guidelines and screening discussions with their patients; and (4) informed decision-making with average-risk women, including factors that facilitate and hinder this process. The discussion of results addresses several factors about the diversity of perspectives and practices of physicians counseling average-risk women regarding breast cancer screening. This has implications for the challenge of understanding and explaining evidence, what should be shared with average-risk women considering screening, the forms of knowledge that physicians value to guide screening decision-making, and the consent process for population-based screening initiatives. Within the data, there was little attention placed on how physicians coped with uncertainty in practice. Given the dual responsibility of physicians in caring for both individuals and the larger population, further research should probe more deeply into how they balance their duties to individual patients with those to the larger population they serve.

National healthcare systems and the need for health information governance.

PubMed

Hovenga, Evelyn J S

2013-01-01

This chapter gives an overview of health data, information and knowledge governance needs and associated generic principles so that information systems are able to automate such data collections from point-of-care operational systems. Also covered are health information systems' dimensions and known barriers to the delivery of quality health services, including environmental, technology and governance influences of any population's health status within the context of national health systems. This is where health information managers and health informaticians need to resolve the many challenges associated with eHealth implementations where data are assets, efficient information flow is essential, the ability to acquire new knowledge desirable, and where the use of data and information needs to be viewed from a governance perspective to ensure reliable and quality information is obtained to enhance decision making.

ON THE MAKING OF A SYSTEM THEORY OF LIFE: PAUL A WEISS AND LUDWIG VON BERTALANFFY’S CONCEPTUAL CONNECTION

PubMed Central

Drack, Manfred; Apfalter, Wilfried; Pouvreau, David

2010-01-01

In this article, we review how two eminent Viennese system thinkers, Paul A Weiss and Ludwig von Bertalanffy, began to develop their own perspectives toward a system theory of life in the 1920s. Their work is especially rooted in experimental biology as performed at the Biologische Versuchsanstalt, as well as in philosophy, and they converge in basic concepts. We underline the conceptual connections of their thinking, among them the organism as an organized system, hierarchical organization, and primary activity. With their system thinking, both biologists shared a strong desire to overcome what they viewed as a “mechanistic” approach in biology. Their interpretations are relevant to the renaissance of system thinking in biology—“systems biology.” Unless otherwise noted, all translations are our own. PMID:18217527

Living on an Active Earth: Perspectives on Earthquake Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lay, Thorne

2004-02-01

The annualized long-term loss due to earthquakes in the United States is now estimated at $4.4 billion per year. A repeat of the 1923 Kanto earthquake, near Tokyo, could cause direct losses of $2-3 trillion. With such grim numbers, which are guaranteed to make you take its work seriously, the NRC Committee on the Science of Earthquakes begins its overview of the emerging multidisciplinary field of earthquake science. An up-to-date and forward-looking survey of scientific investigation of earthquake phenomena and engineering response to associated hazards is presented at a suitable level for a general educated audience. Perspectives from the fields of seismology, geodesy, neo-tectonics, paleo-seismology, rock mechanics, earthquake engineering, and computer modeling of complex dynamic systems are integrated into a balanced definition of earthquake science that has never before been adequately articulated.

Contraceptive introduction and the management of choice: the role of Cyclofem in Indonesia.

PubMed

Simmons, R; Fajans, P; Lubis, F

1994-05-01

This paper presents a programmatic perspective on the relationship between the introduction of new contraceptive technology and expanding contraceptive options, using the example of Cyclofem in Indonesia. Past approaches to contraceptive introduction have considered only the characteristics of the new method in the decision-making process. In assessing whether the introduction of a new method actually expands contraceptive choice for women and whether the program has the managerial capabilities to assure quality of care in this process, the authors argue that consideration must be given to all methods within a delivery system and how new technology relates to the management of contraceptive choice. Using this perspective, the authors suggest that choice would not necessarily be expanded with scaled-up service delivery of a new once-a month injectable in the Indonesian public sector context.

Surface Traps in Colloidal Quantum Dots: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Perspective.

PubMed

Giansante, Carlo; Infante, Ivan

2017-10-19

Surface traps are ubiquitous to nanoscopic semiconductor materials. Understanding their atomistic origin and manipulating them chemically have capital importance to design defect-free colloidal quantum dots and make a leap forward in the development of efficient optoelectronic devices. Recent advances in computing power established computational chemistry as a powerful tool to describe accurately complex chemical species and nowadays it became conceivable to model colloidal quantum dots with realistic sizes and shapes. In this Perspective, we combine the knowledge gathered in recent experimental findings with the computation of quantum dot electronic structures. We analyze three different systems: namely, CdSe, PbS, and CsPbI 3 as benchmark semiconductor nanocrystals showing how different types of trap states can form at their surface. In addition, we suggest experimental healing of such traps according to their chemical origin and nanocrystal composition.

Health-care process improvement decisions: a systems perspective.

PubMed

Walley, Paul; Silvester, Kate; Mountford, Shaun

2006-01-01

The paper seeks to investigate decision-making processes within hospital improvement activity, to understand how performance measurement systems influence decisions and potentially lead to unsuccessful or unsustainable process changes. A longitudinal study over a 33-month period investigates key events, decisions and outcomes at one medium-sized hospital in the UK. Process improvement events are monitored using process control methods and by direct observation. The authors took a systems perspective of the health-care processes, ensuring that the impacts of decisions across the health-care supply chain were appropriately interpreted. The research uncovers the ways in which measurement systems disguise failed decisions and encourage managers to take a low-risk approach of "symptomatic relief" when trying to improve performance metrics. This prevents many managers from trying higher risk, sustainable process improvement changes. The behaviour of the health-care system is not understood by many managers and this leads to poor analysis of problem situations. Measurement using time-series methodologies, such as statistical process control are vital for a better understanding of the systems impact of changes. Senior managers must also be aware of the behavioural influence of similar performance measurement systems that discourage sustainable improvement. There is a risk that such experiences will tarnish the reputation of performance management as a discipline. Recommends process control measures as a way of creating an organization memory of how decisions affect performance--something that is currently lacking.

Spatial Collective Intelligence? credibility, accuracy, and Volunteered Geographic Information

PubMed Central

Spielman, Seth E.

2014-01-01

Collective intelligence is the idea that under the right circumstances collections of individuals are smarter than even the smartest individuals in the group (Suroweiki 2004), that is a group has an “intelligence” that is independent of the intelligence of its members. The ideology of collective intelligence undergirds much of the enthusiasm about the use of “volunteered” or crowdsourced geographic information. Literature from a variety of fields makes clear that not all groups possess collective intelligence, this paper identifies four pre-conditions for the emergence of collective intelligence and then examine the extent to which collectively generated mapping systems satisfy these conditions. However, the “intelligence” collectively generated maps is hard to assess because there are two difficult to reconcile perspectives on map quality- the credibility perspective and the accuracy perspective. Much of the current literature on user generated maps focuses on assessing the quality of individual contributions. However, because user generated maps are complex social systems and because the quality of a contribution is difficult to assess this strategy may not yield an “intelligent” end product. The existing literature on collective intelligence suggests that the structure of groups more important that the intelligence of group members. Applying this idea to user generated suggests that systems should be designed to foster conditions known to produce collective intelligence rather than privileging particular contributions/contributors. The paper concludes with some design recommendations and by considering the implications of collectively generated maps for both expert knowledge and traditional state sponsored mapping programs. PMID:25419184

Alcoholism: a systems approach from molecular physiology to addictive behavior.

PubMed

Spanagel, Rainer

2009-04-01

Alcohol consumption is an integral part of daily life in many societies. The benefits associated with the production, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages come at an enormous cost to these societies. The World Health Organization ranks alcohol as one of the primary causes of the global burden of disease in industrialized countries. Alcohol-related diseases, especially alcoholism, are the result of cumulative responses to alcohol exposure, the genetic make-up of an individual, and the environmental perturbations over time. This complex gene x environment interaction, which has to be seen in a life-span perspective, leads to a large heterogeneity among alcohol-dependent patients, in terms of both the symptom dimensions and the severity of this disorder. Therefore, a reductionistic approach is not very practical if a better understanding of the pathological processes leading to an addictive behavior is to be achieved. Instead, a systems-oriented perspective in which the interactions and dynamics of all endogenous and environmental factors involved are centrally integrated, will lead to further progress in alcohol research. This review adheres to a systems biology perspective such that the interaction of alcohol with primary and secondary targets within the brain is described in relation to the behavioral consequences. As a result of the interaction of alcohol with these targets, alterations in gene expression and synaptic plasticity take place that lead to long-lasting alteration in neuronal network activity. As a subsequent consequence, alcohol-seeking responses ensue that can finally lead via complex environmental interactions to an addictive behavior.

[Clinical bioethics for primary health care].

PubMed

González-de Paz, L

2013-01-01

The clinical decision making process with ethical implications in the area of primary healthcare differs from other healthcare areas. From the ethical perspective it is important to include these issues in the decision making model. This dissertation explains the need for a process of bioethical deliberation for Primary Healthcare, as well as proposing a method for doing so. The decision process method, adapted to this healthcare area, is flexible and requires a more participative Healthcare System. This proposal involves professionals and the patient population equally, is intended to facilitate the acquisition of responsibility for personal and community health. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Asian and Pacific Islander cultural values: considerations for health care decision making.

PubMed

McLaughlin, L A; Braun, K L

1998-05-01

As the United States becomes more ethnically diverse, health care practitioners must learn about the perspectives and values of a variety of cultural groups. Of interest is how these cultural values intersect with those of the dominant culture, especially in the health care arena. This article explores the values that influence decision making among Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, with specific illustrations from six of these cultures. The literature, along with our observations as health professionals and researchers working in Hawaii, suggest potential areas of conflict between the more collectivist values of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures and the more individualist orientation of the U.S. health care system. Implications for practice and research are presented.

A Material History of Electroshock Therapy : Electroshock Technology in Europe until 1945.

PubMed

Rzesnitzek, Lara; Lang, Sascha

2016-09-01

The article considers the history of electroshock therapy as a history of medical technology, professional cooperation and business competition. A variation of a history from below is intended; though not from the patients' perspective (Porter, Theory Soc 14:175-198, 1985), but with a focus on electrodes, circuitry and patents. Such a 'material history' of electroshock therapy reveals that the technical make-up of electroshock devices and what they were used for was relative to the changing interests of physicians, industrial companies and mental health politics; it makes an intriguing case for the Social Construction of Technology theory (Bijker et al., The social construction of technological systems: new directions in the sociology and history of technology. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1987).

Format and basic geometry of a perspective display of air traffic for the cockpit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgreevy, Michael Wallace; Ellis, Stephen R.

1991-01-01

The design and implementation of a perspective display of air traffic for the cockpit is discussed. Parameters of the perspective are variable and interactive so that the appearance of the projected image can be widely varied. This approach makes allowances for exploration of perspective parameters and their interactions. The display was initially used to study the cases of horizontal maneuver biases found in experiments involving a plan view air traffic display format. Experiments to determine the effect of perspective geometry on spatial judgements have evolved from the display program. Several scaling techniques and other adjustments to the perspective are used to tailor the geometry for effective presentation of 3-D traffic situations.

Sensing systems efficiency evaluation and comparison for homeland security and homeland defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakhomov, Alexander A.

2010-04-01

Designers and consumers of various security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems as well as various unattended ground sensors pay most attention to their commonly used performance characteristics such as probability of a target detection and probability of a false alarm. These characteristics are used for systems comparison and evaluation. However, it is not enough for end-users of these systems as well as for their total/final effectiveness assessment. This article presents and discusses a system approach to an efficiency estimation of the security and ISR systems. Presented approach aims at final result of the system's function and use. It allows setting up reasonable technical and structural requirements for the security and ISR systems, to make trustworthy comparison and practical application planning of such systems. It also allows finding forward-looking, perspective ways of systems development. Presented results can be guidance to both designers and consumers.

Decision-Making Strategies for College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morey, Janis T.; Dansereau, Donald F.

2010-01-01

College students' decision making is often less than optimal and sometimes leads to negative consequences. The effectiveness of two strategies for improving student decision making--node-link mapping and social perspective taking (SPT)--are examined. Participants using SPT were significantly better able to evaluate decision options and develop…

Evidence-based Practice for Mere Mortals

PubMed Central

Sim, Ida; Sanders, Gillian D; McDonald, Kathryn M

2002-01-01

The poor translation of evidence into practice is a well-known problem. Hopes are high that information technology can help make evidence-based practice feasible for mere mortal physicians. In this paper, we draw upon the methods and perspectives of clinical practice, medical informatics, and health services research to analyze the gap between evidence and action, and to argue that computing systems for bridging this gap should incorporate both informatics and health services research expertise. We discuss 2 illustrative systems—trial banks and a web-based system to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines (alchemist)— and conclude with a research and training agenda. PMID:11972727

Explaining human uniqueness: genome interactions with environment, behaviour and culture.

PubMed

Varki, Ajit; Geschwind, Daniel H; Eichler, Evan E

2008-10-01

What makes us human? Specialists in each discipline respond through the lens of their own expertise. In fact, 'anthropogeny' (explaining the origin of humans) requires a transdisciplinary approach that eschews such barriers. Here we take a genomic and genetic perspective towards molecular variation, explore systems analysis of gene expression and discuss an organ-systems approach. Rejecting any 'genes versus environment' dichotomy, we then consider genome interactions with environment, behaviour and culture, finally speculating that aspects of human uniqueness arose because of a primate evolutionary trend towards increasing and irreversible dependence on learned behaviours and culture - perhaps relaxing allowable thresholds for large-scale genomic diversity.

Making Sense of Missense in the Lynch Syndrome: The Clinical Perspective

PubMed Central

Lynch, Henry T.; Jascur, Thomas; Lanspa, Stephen; Boland, C. Richard

2010-01-01

The DNA mismatch repair system provides critical genetic housekeeping, and its failure is associated with tumorigenesis. Through distinct domains on the DNA mismatch repair proteins, the system recognizes and repairs errors occurring during DNA synthesis, but signals apoptosis when the DNA damage cannot be repaired. Certain missense mutations in the mismatch repair genes can selectively alter just one of these functions. This impacts the clinical features of tumors associated with defective DNA mismatch repair activity. New work reported by Xie et al. in this issue of the journal (beginning on page XXX) adds to the understanding of DNA mismatch repair. PMID:20978117

Explaining human uniqueness: genome interactions with environment, behaviour and culture

PubMed Central

Varki, Ajit; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Eichler, Evan E.

2009-01-01

What makes us human? Specialists in each discipline respond through the lens of their own expertise. In fact, ‘anthropogeny’ (explaining the origin of humans) requires a transdisciplinary approach that eschews such barriers. Here we take a genomic and genetic perspective towards molecular variation, explore systems analysis of gene expression and discuss an organ-systems approach. Rejecting any ‘genes versus environment’ dichotomy, we then consider genome interactions with environment, behaviour and culture, finally speculating that aspects of human uniqueness arose because of a primate evolutionary trend towards increasing and irreversible dependence on learned behaviours and culture — perhaps relaxing allowable thresholds for large-scale genomic diversity. PMID:18802414

Strategic Decision Making Cycle in Higher Education: Case Study of E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Divjak, Blaženka; Redep, Nina Begicevic

2015-01-01

This paper presents the methodology for strategic decision making in higher education (HE). The methodology is structured as a cycle of strategic decision making with four phases, and it is focused on institutional and national perspective, i.e. on decision making that takes place at institutions of HE and relevant national authorities, in case…

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

PubMed

Burns, Suzanne Perea; Pickens, Noralyn Davel

2017-08-01

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

Understanding Health Needs and Perspectives of Middle Age and Older Women Experiencing Homelessness

PubMed Central

Salem, Benissa E.; Ma-Pham, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Middle age and older homeless women have unique health and social delivery needs; yet, limited data exists about such needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand perspectives among prefrail and frail homeless women (N=20; ages 43-62) that included a quantitative description of sample characteristics using frequencies, percents and means; and a qualitative analysis of focus group data utilizing content analysis. The average age was 53.4; the majority of the sample was African American (70%). In total, 60% reported living in a shelter for the last 30 days, while 20% were unsheltered. The majority of the sample reported walking independently (80%) and not using an assistive device (65%). Over one third (35%) fell in the last 30 days and 70% fell in the last year. Content analysis revealed several themes that included (1) healthcare needs and challenges experienced; (2) perspectives on sexual decision making; (3) employment difficulties; (4) existing support systems; and (5) development of future program planning. Future research development and implications are discussed. PMID:25832775

Principles of Empiricism and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaroszkiewicz, George

The interpretation of quantum mechanics (QM) is discussed in terms of the principles and logic of empiricism. First, we list a set of issues that should be settled before any consistent interpretation is attempted. This includes questions such as whether we can use an exophysical perspective or an endophysical perspective, and whether a completely reductionist approach makes sense or are we forced to incorporate emergent laws of physics. We then list the scientific pr nciples that should be strictly adhered to in any debate on QM. We follow this with a list of cautions and warnings about misleading concepts that should be avoided, such as ignoring contextuality and the meaning of scientific truth values. These principles and warning are then used to decide on the issues we first identified, giving us a basis for an interpretation of QM from the perspective of observers and quantum signal states of apparatus, rather than in terms of qu ntum states of systems under observation. Finally, we review a proposed mathematical formalism that encodes this interpretation in terms of quantum registers.

A coupled human-water system from a systems dynamics perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuil, Linda; Blöschl, Günter; Carr, Gemma

2013-04-01

Traditionally, models used in hydrological studies have frequently assumed stationarity. Moreover, human-induced water resources management activities are often included as external forcings in water cycle dynamics. However, considering humans' current impact on the water cycle in terms of a growing population, river basins increasingly being managed and a climate considerably changing, it has recently been questioned whether this is still correct. Furthermore, research directed at the evolution of water resources and society has shown that the components constituting the human-water system are changing interdependently. Goal of this study is therefore to approach water cycle dynamics from an integrated perspective in which humans are considered as endogenous forces to the system. The method used to model a coupled, urban human-water system is system dynamics. In system dynamics, particular emphasis is placed on feedback loops resulting in dynamic behavior. Time delays and non-linearity can relatively easily be included, making the method appropriate for studying complex systems that change over time. The approach of this study is as follows. First, a conceptual model is created incorporating the key components of the urban human-water system. Subsequently, only those components are selected that are both relevant and show causal loop behavior. Lastly, the causal narratives are translated into mathematical relationships. The outcome will be a simple model that shows only those characteristics with which we are able to explore the two-way coupling between the societal behavior and the water system we depend on.

Nursing students' spiritual well-being, spirituality and spiritual care.

PubMed

Abbasi, Mojgan; Farahani-Nia, Marhamat; Mehrdad, Neda; Givari, Azam; Haghani, Hamid

2014-05-01

Spiritual care should be considered an important part of holistic and multidisciplinary care and it has not been given much importance so far. We should begin with student nurses, who will soon be clinicians, to find out about potentiality of the nursing profession to put spiritual care into practice. Little has been known about spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives among nursing students. In this study, a comparison has been made in spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives between the first and fourth year baccalaureate nursing students. This is a descriptive-comparative study that was carried out among 283 nursing students. All the students were Iranians studying in the universities of Iran, Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti medical sciences. They volunteered to participate in the study. There were 105 first year students and 178 fourth year students. The questionnaires used were on Spiritual Well-being (SWB) Scale, Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS), and Nursing Spiritual Care Perspective Scale (NSCPS). The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 10. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (distribution frequency, mean, and standard deviation). Mann-Whitney test was to compare each item and independent t-test to compare the mean values of two groups. Regarding spiritual well-being, there were no significant differences between the two groups. 98.8% of the first year students and 100% of the fourth year students were in the category of moderate spiritual well-being. Neither were there any significant differences between the two groups in spiritual perspective and spiritual care perspectives. The scores of fourth year nursing students were similar to those of first year students in spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives, though the fourth year students had already undergone 4-year nursing course. Including spiritual care in the curriculum of nursing students' courses will add to their understanding and provision of spiritual care. This will fill the present gap evident in the system in Iran. At present, the educational system here does not make use of spiritual care as part of its comprehensive curriculum.

Nursing students’ spiritual well-being, spirituality and spiritual care

PubMed Central

Abbasi, Mojgan; Farahani-Nia, Marhamat; Mehrdad, Neda; givari, Azam; Haghani, Hamid

2014-01-01

Background: Spiritual care should be considered an important part of holistic and multidisciplinary care and it has not been given much importance so far. We should begin with student nurses, who will soon be clinicians, to find out about potentiality of the nursing profession to put spiritual care into practice. Little has been known about spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives among nursing students. In this study, a comparison has been made in spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives between the first and fourth year baccalaureate nursing students. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive–comparative study that was carried out among 283 nursing students. All the students were Iranians studying in the universities of Iran, Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti medical sciences. They volunteered to participate in the study. There were 105 first year students and 178 fourth year students. The questionnaires used were on Spiritual Well-being (SWB) Scale, Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS), and Nursing Spiritual Care Perspective Scale (NSCPS). The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 10. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (distribution frequency, mean, and standard deviation). Mann–Whitney test was to compare each item and independent t-test to compare the mean values of two groups. Results: Regarding spiritual well-being, there were no significant differences between the two groups. 98.8% of the first year students and 100% of the fourth year students were in the category of moderate spiritual well-being. Neither were there any significant differences between the two groups in spiritual perspective and spiritual care perspectives. Conclusions: The scores of fourth year nursing students were similar to those of first year students in spiritual well-being, spirituality, and spiritual care perspectives, though the fourth year students had already undergone 4-year nursing course. Including spiritual care in the curriculum of nursing students’ courses will add to their understanding and provision of spiritual care. This will fill the present gap evident in the system in Iran. At present, the educational system here does not make use of spiritual care as part of its comprehensive curriculum. PMID:24949061

Novel Statistical Approach to Determine Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Patients' Perspectives on Shared Decision Making.

PubMed

Siegel, Corey A; Lofland, Jennifer H; Naim, Ahmad; Gollins, Jan; Walls, Danielle M; Rudder, Laura E; Reynolds, Chuck

2016-02-01

Limited information is available on patients' perspectives of shared decision-making practices used in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to examine patient insights regarding shared decision making among patients with IBD using novel statistical technology to analyze qualitative data. Two 10-patient focus groups (10 ulcerative colitis patients and 10 Crohn's disease patients) were conducted in Chicago in January 2012 to explore patients' experiences, concerns, and preferences related to shared decision making. Key audio excerpts of focus group insights were embedded within a 25-min online patient survey and used for moment-to-moment affect trace analysis. A total of 355 IBD patients completed the survey (ulcerative colitis 51 %; Crohn's disease 49 %; female 54 %; 18-50 years of age 50 %). The majority of patients (66 %) reported increased satisfaction when they participated in shared decision making. Three unique patient clusters were identified based on their involvement in shared decision making: satisfied, content, and dissatisfied. Satisfied patients (18 %) had a positive physician relationship and a high level of trust with their physician. Content patients (48 %) had a moderate level of trust with their physician. Dissatisfied patients (34 %) had a life greatly affected by IBD, a low level of trust of their physician, a negative relationship with their physician, were skeptical of decisions, and did not rely on their physician for assistance. This study provides valuable insights regarding patients' perceptions of the shared decision-making process in IBD treatment using a novel moment-to-moment hybrid technology approach. Patient perspectives in this study indicate an increased desire for shared decision making in determining an optimal IBD treatment plan.

Chemotherapy treatment decision-making experiences of older adults with cancer, their family members, oncologists and family physicians: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Puts, Martine T E; Sattar, Schroder; McWatters, Kara; Lee, Katherine; Kulik, Michael; MacDonald, Mary-Ellen; Jang, Raymond; Amir, Eitan; Krzyzanowska, Monika K; Leighl, Natasha; Fitch, Margaret; Joshua, Anthony M; Warde, Padraig; Tourangeau, Ann E; Alibhai, Shabbir M H

2017-03-01

Although comorbidities, frailty, and functional impairment are common in older adults (OA) with cancer, little is known about how these factors are considered during the treatment decision-making process by OAs, their families, and health care providers. Our aim was to better understand the treatment decision process from all these perspectives. A mixed methods multi-perspective longitudinal study using semi-structured interviews and surveys with 29 OAs aged ≥70 years with advanced prostate, breast, colorectal, or lung cancer, 24 of their family members,13 oncologists, and 15 family physicians was conducted. The sample was stratified on age (70-79 and 80+). All interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. There was no difference in the treatment decision-making experience based on age. Most OAs felt that they should have the final say in the treatment decision, but strongly valued their oncologists' opinion. "Trust in my oncologist" and "chemotherapy as the last resort to prolong life" were the most important reasons to accept treatment. Families indicated a need to improve communication between them, the patient and the specialist, particularly around goals of treatment. Comorbidity and potential side-effects did not play a major role in the treatment decision-making for patients, families, or oncologists. Family physicians reported no involvement in decisions but desired to be more involved. This first study using multiple perspectives showed neither frailty nor comorbidity played a role in the treatment decision-making process. Efforts to improve communication were identified as an opportunity that may enhance quality of care. In a mixed methods study multiple perspective study with older adults with cancer, their family members, their oncologist and their family physician we explored the treatment decision making process and found that most older adults were satisfied with their decision. Comorbidity, functional status and frailty did not impact the older adult's or their family members' decision.

Proxy Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life in African American and White Respondents With Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Pickard, A. Simon; Lin, Hsiang-Wen; Knight, Sara J.; Sharifi, Roohollah; Wu, Zhigang; Hung, Shih-Ying; Witt, Whitney P.; Chang, Chih-Hung; Bennett, Charles L.

2011-01-01

Objectives An emerging issue in the proxy literature is whether specifying different proxy viewpoints contributes to different health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessments, and if so, how might each perspective be informative in medical decision making. The aims of this study were to determine if informal caregiver assessments of patients with prostate cancer differed when prompted from both the patient perspective (proxy-patient) and their own viewpoint (proxy-proxy), and to identify factors associated with differences in proxy perspectives (ie, the intraproxy gap). Research Design and Methods Using a cross-sectional design, prostate cancer patients and their informal caregivers were recruited from urology clinics in the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Chicago. Dyads assessed HRQL using the EQ-5D visual analog scale (VAS) and EORTC QLQ-C30. Results Of 87 dyads, most caregivers were female (83%) and were spouses/partners (58%). Mean difference scores between proxy-patient and proxy-proxy perspectives were statistically significant for QLQ-C30 physical and emotional functioning, and VAS (all P < 0.05), with the proxy-patient perspective closer to patient self-report. Emotional functioning had the largest difference, mean 6.0 (SD 12.8), an effect size = 0.47. Factors weakly correlated with the intraproxy gap included relationship (spouse) and proxy gender for role functioning, and health literacy (limited/functional) for physical functioning (all P < 0.05, 0.20 < r < 0.35). Conclusions Meaningful differences between proxy-patient and proxy-proxy perspectives on mental health were consistent with a conceptual framework for understanding proxy perspectives. Prompting different proxy viewpoints on patient health could help clinicians identify patients who may benefit from clinical intervention. PMID:19169118

The making of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory: The project scientist’s perspective

PubMed Central

Weisskopf, Martin C.

2010-01-01

The history of the development of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory is reviewed from a personal perspective. This review is necessarily biased and limited by space because it attempts to cover a time span approaching five decades. PMID:20194740

Dropout from Secondary Education: All's Well That Begins Well

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Witte, Kristof; Rogge, Nicky

2013-01-01

Despite the increased attention to students leaving secondary education without a diploma numerous students still dropout yearly. This paper makes a distinction between the "individual perspective" and the "institutional perspective" of dropping out. The former is explored by multinominal logit models. We observe that…

The Development of Risk-Taking: A Multi-Perspective Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Ty W.

2006-01-01

The current paper reviews four research perspectives that have been used to investigate the development of risk-taking. Cognitive developmental research has investigated the development of decision-making capacities that potentially underlie risk-taking development, including sensitivity to risk, probability estimation, and perceptions of…

Ethics in International Business Education: Perspectives from Five Business Disciplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeClair, Debbie Thorne; Clark, Robert; Ferrell, Linda; Joseph, Gilbert; Leclair, Daniel

1999-01-01

Examines international ethics issues and perspectives from the vantage points of five disciplines in business education: economics, management, finance, accounting, and marketing. Finds an underlying theme of management awareness, accountability, and control of ethical decision-making. Suggests some ethics-related curriculum projects. (DB)

The relevance of research to policy formulation: an Australian perspective.

PubMed

Kingdon, T

1993-01-01

This paper puts the role of research into perspective in the policy-making context. It points out that there are differing 'policy' goals of government and the use of research might be vital for one element, e.g. health policy, but of lesser significance in, say, international policy. The paper then goes on to describe case studies of where research has had a major impact on government decision making in Australia in the past 2 years, notably in the area of proposed changes to the marketing and sale of alcoholic beverages.

Health care report cards: what about consumers' perspectives?

PubMed

McGee, J; Knutson, D

1994-10-01

Though the report card style is seen by many as a way to create better-informed consumers, very little is actually known about how consumers will respond to health care report cards. Report cards are only one of many factors that influence health care decision making. Much consumer-oriented effort and fine-tuning will be required to make report cards effective. Using the approach called "social marketing" as a framework, specific examples are used to outline some ideas for more intensive pursuit of consumers' perspectives in the design and distribution of report cards.

Physician perspectives on a tailored multifaceted primary care practice facilitation intervention for improvement of cardiovascular care.

PubMed

Liddy, Clare; Singh, Jatinderpreet; Guo, Merry; Hogg, William

2016-02-01

Practice facilitation is an effective way to help physicians implement change in their clinics, but little is known about physicians' perspectives on this service. To examine physicians' responses to a practice facilitation program, focussing on their overall satisfaction, perceived most significant clinical changes, and interactions with the facilitator. The Improved Delivery of Cardiovascular Care program investigated the impact of practice facilitation on improving the quality of cardiovascular primary care in Eastern Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2011. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of post-intervention surveys completed by participating physicians, using a constant comparison approach framed around the Chronic Care Model. Ninety-five physicians completed the survey. Physicians overwhelmingly viewed the program positively, though descriptions of its benefits and impact varied widely. Facilitators filled three key roles for physicians, acting as a resource centre, motivator and outside perspective. Physicians adopted a number of changes in their practices. These changes include adoption of clinical information systems (diabetes registries), decision support tools (chart audits, guideline documents, flow sheets) and delivery system design (community resources). Most physicians appreciated having access to a practice facilitator and viewed the intervention positively. Insight into physicians' perspectives on practice facilitation provides a valuable counterpoint to outcomes-based evaluations of such services. Further research should investigate potential obstacles in the group of physicians who make fewer practice changes, as well as the sustainability of this type of facilitation intervention. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Advances in stereomicroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnitzler, H.; Zimmer, Klaus-Peter

2008-09-01

Similar to human's binocular vision, stereomicroscopes are comprised of two optical paths under a convergence angle providing a full perspective insight into the world's microstructure. The numerical aperture of stereomicroscopes has continuously increased over the years, reaching the point where the lenses of left and right perspective paths touched each other. This constraint appeared as an upper limit for the resolution of stereomicroscopes, as the resolution of a stereomicroscope was deduced from the numerical apertures of the two equally sized perspective channels. We present the optical design and advances in resolution of the world's first asymmetrical stereomicroscope, which is a technological breakthrough in many aspects of stereomicroscopes. This unique approach uses a large numerical aperture and thus an, so far, unachievable high lateral resolution in the one path, and a small aperture in the other path, which provides a high depth of field ("Fusion Optics"). This new concept is a technical challenge for the optical design of the zoom system as well as for the common main objectives. Furthermore, the new concept makes use of the particular way in which perspective information by binocular vision is formed in the human's brain. In conjunction with a research project at the University of Zurich, Leica Microsystems consolidated the functionality of this concept in to a new generation of stereomicroscopes.

The roles of users in shaping transitions to new energy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schot, Johan; Kanger, Laur; Verbong, Geert

2016-05-01

Current government information policies and market-based instruments aimed at influencing the energy choices of consumers often ignore the fact that consumer behaviour is not fully reducible to individuals making rational conscious decisions all the time. The decisions of consumers are largely configured by shared routines embedded in socio-technical systems. To achieve a transition towards a decarbonized and energy-efficient system, an approach that goes beyond individual consumer choice and puts shared routines and system change at its centre is needed. Here, adopting a transitions perspective, we argue that consumers should be reconceptualized as users who are important stakeholders in the innovation process shaping new routines and enacting system change. We review the role of users in shifts to new decarbonized and energy-efficient systems and provide a typology of user roles.

Assembling the elephant: Integrating perspectives in personality psychology. Comment on "Personality from a cognitive-biological perspective" by Y. Neuman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haslam, Nick; Holland, Elise

2014-12-01

Neuman [1] has made an ambitious attempt to integrate perspectives on the psychology of personality that usually run in parallel. The field calls to mind the fable of the blind men and the elephant: each perspective makes different claims about the person based on the aspect it apprehends. Neuman links cognition, affective neuroscience and psychodynamics in a bold effort to sketch the entire beast. However, his hefty framework has some elephantine elements, and is at times conceptually loose and baggy.

Empirical and conceptual investigation of de-implementation of low-value care from professional and health care system perspectives: a study protocol.

PubMed

Hasson, Henna; Nilsen, Per; Augustsson, Hanna; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica

2018-05-15

A considerable proportion of interventions provided to patients lacks evidence of their effectiveness. This implies that patients may receive ineffective, unnecessary, or even harmful care. Thus, in addition to implementing evidence-based practices, there is also a need to abandon interventions that are not based on best evidence, i.e., low-value care. However, research on de-implementation is limited, and there is a lack of knowledge about how effective de-implementation processes should be carried out. The aim of this project is to explore the phenomenon of the de-implementation of low-value health care practices from the perspective of professionals and the health care system. Theories of habits and developmental learning in combination with theories of organizational alignment will be used. The project's work will be conducted in five steps. Step 1 is a scoping review of the literature, and Step 2 has an explorative design involving interviews with health care stakeholders. Step 3 has a prospective design in which workplaces and professionals are shadowed during an ongoing de-implementation. In Step 4, a conceptual framework for de-implementation will be developed based on the previous steps. In Step 5, strategies for de-implementation are identified using a co-design approach. This project contributes new knowledge to implementation science consisting of empirical data, a conceptual framework, and strategy suggestions on de-implementation of low-value care. The professionals' perspectives will be highlighted, including insights into how they make decisions, handle de-implementation in daily practice, and what consequences it has on their work. Furthermore, the health care system perspective will be considered and new knowledge on how de-implementation can be understood across health care system levels will be obtained. The theories of habits and developmental learning can also offer insights into how context triggers and reinforces certain behaviors and how factors at the individual and the organizational levels interact. The project employs a solution-oriented perspective by developing a framework for de-implementation of low-value practices and suggesting practical strategies to improve de-implementation processes at all levels of the health care system. The framework and the strategies can thereafter be evaluated for their validity and impact in future studies.

The Dutch Health Care Performance Report: seven years of health care performance assessment in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van den Berg, Michael J; Kringos, Dionne S; Marks, Lisanne K; Klazinga, Niek S

2014-01-09

In 2006, the first edition of a monitoring tool for the performance of the Dutch health care system was released: the Dutch Health Care Performance Report (DHCPR). The Netherlands was among the first countries in the world developing such a comprehensive tool for reporting performance on quality, access, and affordability of health care. The tool contains 125 performance indicators; the choice for specific indicators resulted from a dialogue between researchers and policy makers. In the 'policy cycle', the DHCPR can rationally be placed between evaluation (accountability) and agenda-setting (for strategic decision making). In this paper, we reflect on important lessons learned after seven years of health care system performance assessment. These lessons entail the importance of a good conceptual framework for health system performance assessment, the importance of repeated measurement, the strength of combining multiple perspectives (e.g., patient, professional, objective, subjective) on the same issue, the importance of a central role for the patients' perspective in performance assessment, how to deal with the absence of data in relevant domains, the value of international benchmarking and the continuous exchange between researchers and policy makers.

Parents' Experiences and Perceptions when Classifying their Children with Cerebral Palsy: Recommendations for Service Providers.

PubMed

Scime, Natalie V; Bartlett, Doreen J; Brunton, Laura K; Palisano, Robert J

2017-08-01

This study investigated the experiences and perceptions of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) when classifying their children using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS). The second aim was to collate parents' recommendations for service providers on how to interact and communicate with families. A purposive sample of seven parents participating in the On Track study was recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted orally and were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded openly. A descriptive interpretive approach within a pragmatic perspective was used during analysis. Seven themes encompassing parents' experiences and perspectives reflect a process of increased understanding when classifying their children, with perceptions of utility evident throughout this process. Six recommendations for service providers emerged, including making the child a priority and being a dependable resource. Knowledge of parents' experiences when using the GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS can provide useful insight for service providers collaborating with parents to classify function in children with CP. Using the recommendations from these parents can facilitate family-provider collaboration for goal setting and intervention planning.

Congestion control for a fair packet delivery in WSN: from a complex system perspective.

PubMed

Aguirre-Guerrero, Daniela; Marcelín-Jiménez, Ricardo; Rodriguez-Colina, Enrique; Pascoe-Chalke, Michael

2014-01-01

In this work, we propose that packets travelling across a wireless sensor network (WSN) can be seen as the active agents that make up a complex system, just like a bird flock or a fish school, for instance. From this perspective, the tools and models that have been developed to study this kind of systems have been applied. This is in order to create a distributed congestion control based on a set of simple rules programmed at the nodes of the WSN. Our results show that it is possible to adapt the carried traffic to the network capacity, even under stressing conditions. Also, the network performance shows a smooth degradation when the traffic goes beyond a threshold which is settled by the proposed self-organized control. In contrast, without any control, the network collapses before this threshold. The use of the proposed solution provides an effective strategy to address some of the common problems found in WSN deployment by providing a fair packet delivery. In addition, the network congestion is mitigated using adaptive traffic mechanisms based on a satisfaction parameter assessed by each packet which has impact on the global satisfaction of the traffic carried by the WSN.

A system-of-systems modeling methodology for strategic general aviation design decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Henry Thome

General aviation has long been studied as a means of providing an on-demand "personal air vehicle" that bypasses the traffic at major commercial hubs. This thesis continues this research through development of a system of systems modeling methodology applicable to the selection of synergistic product concepts, market segments, and business models. From the perspective of the conceptual design engineer, the design and selection of future general aviation aircraft is complicated by the definition of constraints and requirements, and the tradeoffs among performance and cost aspects. Qualitative problem definition methods have been utilized, although their accuracy in determining specific requirement and metric values is uncertain. In industry, customers are surveyed, and business plans are created through a lengthy, iterative process. In recent years, techniques have developed for predicting the characteristics of US travel demand based on travel mode attributes, such as door-to-door time and ticket price. As of yet, these models treat the contributing systems---aircraft manufacturers and service providers---as independently variable assumptions. In this research, a methodology is developed which seeks to build a strategic design decision making environment through the construction of a system of systems model. The demonstrated implementation brings together models of the aircraft and manufacturer, the service provider, and most importantly the travel demand. Thus represented is the behavior of the consumers and the reactive behavior of the suppliers---the manufacturers and transportation service providers---in a common modeling framework. The results indicate an ability to guide the design process---specifically the selection of design requirements---through the optimization of "capability" metrics. Additionally, results indicate the ability to find synergetic solutions, that is solutions in which two systems might collaborate to achieve a better result than acting independently. Implementation of this methodology can afford engineers a more autonomous perspective in the concept exploration process, providing dynamic feedback about a design's potential success in specific market segments. The method also has potential to strengthen the connection between design and business departments, as well as between manufacturers, service providers, and infrastructure planners---bringing information about how the respective systems interact, and what might be done to improve synergism of systems.

Decision-Making Styles and Vocational Maturity: An Alternative Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blustein, David L.

1987-01-01

Examined the relationship between decision-making styles and vocational maturity with a focus on the current discrepancy between research and theory regarding the utility of rational decision making. Results were consistent across 177 community college students, in that a reliance upon the rational style was the only significant decision-making…

Enhancing the Decision-Making of Extraverted College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreitler, Crystal M.; Dansereau, Donald F.; Barth, Timothy M.; Ito, Sachiyo

2009-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that many college students, specifically those high on extraversion are prone to risky and sometimes unethical decision-making. The present study examined the impact of a decision-making "tool" that incorporated the use of standard ethical perspectives on students' attitudes and intentions. This "fill in the…

A Critical Analysis of HRD Evaluation Models from a Decision-Making Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holton, Elwood F., III; Naquin, Sharon

2005-01-01

HRD evaluation models are recommended for use by organizations to improve decisions made about HRD interventions. However, the organizational decision-making literature has been virtually ignored by evaluation researchers. In this article, we review the organizational decision-making literature and critically review HRD evaluation research through…

School-Based Decision Making: A Principal-Agent Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris, James M.

1992-01-01

A principal-agent framework is used to examine potential gains in educational performance and potential threats to public accountability that school-based decision-making proposals pose. Analysis underscores the need to tailor the design of decentralized decision making to the sources of poor educational performance and threats to school…

Clinical and Insurance Perspectives on Intermediate Levels of Care in Psychiatry.

PubMed

Plakun, Eric M

2018-03-01

This column compares a clinical perspective on the continuum of care for mental health and substance use disorders with a different perspective derived from publicly available insurance company documents and experience dealing with managed care utilization reviewers. The latter perspective tends to determine the need for access to levels of care based on the need for crisis stabilization, whereas the generally accepted clinical standard is more nuanced than the need for crisis stabilization alone. The column proposes that this discrepancy in perspectives makes a substantial contribution to disagreements between treating clinicians, such as therapists, and insurance utilization reviewers concerning the medical necessity of various requested levels of care.

Racial and ethnic variation in partner perspectives about the breast cancer treatment decision-making experience.

PubMed

Lillie, Sarah E; Janz, Nancy K; Friese, Christopher R; Graff, John J; Schwartz, Kendra; Hamilton, Ann S; Gay, Brittany Bartol; Katz, Steven J; Hawley, Sarah T

2014-01-01

To characterize the perspectives of partners (husbands or significant others) of patients with breast cancer in the treatment decision-making process and to evaluate racial and ethnic differences in decision outcomes. A cross-sectional survey. Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI. 517 partners of a population-based sample of patients with breast cancer four years post-treatment. A self-administered mailed questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between race and ethnicity and decision outcomes. Decision regret and three elements of the decision process: information received, actual involvement, and desired involvement. Most partners reported receiving sufficient information (77%), being involved in treatment decisions (74%), and having sufficient involvement (73%). Less-acculturated Hispanic partners were more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to report high decision regret (45% versus 14%, p<0.001). Factors significantly associated (p<0.05) with high decision regret were insufficient receipt of treatment information, low involvement in decision making, and a desire for more involvement. Partners were generally positive regarding their perspectives about participating in the breast cancer treatment decision-making process. However, less acculturated Hispanic partners were most vulnerable to decision regret. In addition, high decision regret was associated with modifiable elements of the decision-making process. Attention should be paid to ensuring racial and ethnic minority partners are sufficiently involved in breast cancer treatment decisions and receive decision support.

Understanding procedural violations using Safety-I and Safety-II: The case of community pharmacies.

PubMed

Jones, Christian E L; Phipps, Denham L; Ashcroft, Darren M

2018-06-01

Procedural violations are known to occur in a range of work settings, and are an important topic of interest with regard to safety management. A Safety-I perspective sees violations as undesirable digressions from standardised procedures, while a Safety-II perspective sees violations as adaptations to a complex work system. This study aimed to apply both perspectives to the examination of violations in community pharmacies. Twenty-four participants (13 pharmacists and 11 pharmacy support staff) were purposively sampled to participate in semi-structured interviews using the critical incident technique. Participants described violations they made during the course of their work. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using template analysis. Community pharmacies located in England and Wales. 31 procedural violations were described during the interviews revealing multiple reasons for violations in this setting. Our findings suggest that from a Safety-II perspective, staff violated to adapt to situations and to manage safety. However, participants also violated procedures in order to maintain productivity which was found to increase risk in some, but not all situations. Procedural violations often relied on the context in which staff were working, resulting in the violation being deemed rational to the individual making the violation, yet the behaviour may be difficult to justify from an outside perspective. Combining Safety-I and Safety-II perspectives provided a detailed understanding of the underlying reasons for procedural violations. Our findings identify aspects of practice that could benefit from targeted interventions to help support staff in providing safe patient care.

The Difference between Uncertainty and Information, and Why This Matters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nearing, G. S.

2016-12-01

Earth science investigation and arbitration (for decision making) is very often organized around a concept of uncertainty. It seems relatively straightforward that the purpose of our science is to reduce uncertainty about how environmental systems will react and evolve under different conditions. I propose here that approaching a science of complex systems as a process of quantifying and reducing uncertainty is a mistake, and specifically a mistake that is rooted in certain rather hisoric logical errors. Instead I propose that we should be asking questions about information. I argue here that an information-based perspective facilitates almost trivial answers to environmental science questions that are either difficult or theoretically impossible to answer when posed as questions about uncertainty. In particular, I propose that an information-centric perspective leads to: Coherent and non-subjective hypothesis tests for complex system models. Process-level diagnostics for complex systems models. Methods for building complex systems models that allow for inductive inference without the need for a priori specification of likelihood functions or ad hoc error metrics. Asymptotically correct quantification of epistemic uncertainty. To put this in slightly more basic terms, I propose that an information-theoretic philosophy of science has the potential to resolve certain important aspects of the Demarcation Problem and the Duhem-Quine Problem, and that Hydrology and other Earth Systems Sciences can immediately capitalize on this to address some of our most difficult and persistent problems.

Economic Decision Making: Application of the Theory of Complex Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitt, Robert

In this chapter the complex systems are discussed in the context of economic and business policy and decision making. It will be showed and motivated that social systems are typically chaotic, non-linear and/or non-equilibrium and therefore complex systems. It is discussed that the rapid change in global consumer behaviour is underway, that further increases the complexity in business and management. For policy making under complexity, following principles are offered: openness and international competition, tolerance and variety of ideas, self-reliability and low dependence on external help. The chapter contains four applications that build on the theoretical motivation of complexity in social systems. The first application demonstrates that small economies have good prospects to gain from the global processes underway, if they can demonstrate production flexibility, reliable business ethics and good risk management. The second application elaborates on and discusses the opportunities and challenges in decision making under complexity from macro and micro economic perspective. In this environment, the challenges for corporate management are being also permanently changed: the balance between short term noise and long term chaos whose attractor includes customers, shareholders and employees must be found. The emergence of chaos in economic relationships is demonstrated by a simple system of differential equations that relate the stakeholders described above. The chapter concludes with two financial applications: about debt and risk management. The non-equilibrium economic establishment leads to additional problems by using excessive borrowing; unexpected downturns in economy can more easily kill companies. Finally, the demand for quantitative improvements in risk management is postulated. Development of the financial markets has triggered non-linearity to spike in prices of various production articles such as agricultural and other commodities that has added market risk management to the business model of many companies.

An illustration of whole systems thinking.

PubMed

Kalim, Kanwal; Carson, Ewart; Cramp, Derek

2006-08-01

The complexity of policy-making in the NHS is such that systemic, holistic thinking is needed if the current government's plans are to be realized. This paper describes systems thinking and illustrates its value in understanding the complexity of the diabetes National Service Framework (NSF); its role in identifying problems and barriers previously not predicted; and in reaching conclusions as to how it should be implemented. The approach adopted makes use of soft systems methodology (SSM) devised by Peter Checkland. This analysis reveals issues relating to human communication, information provision and resource allocation needing to be addressed. From this, desirable and feasible changes are explored as means of achieving a more effective NSF, examining possible changes from technical, organizational, economic and cultural perspectives. As well as testing current health policies and plans, SSM can be used to test the feasibility of new health policies. This is achieved by providing a greater understanding and appreciation of what is happening in the real world and how people work. Soft systems thinking is the best approach, given the complexity of health care. It is a flexible, cost-effective solution, which should be a prerequisite before any new health policy is launched.

[Using information resources management to set up the area of health information: a case analysis].

PubMed

dos Santos, Alaneir de Fatima; Ferreira, Janete Maria; Queiroz, Neuslene Rivers; Magalhães Júnior, Helvécio Miranda

2011-06-01

To report the experience of the City Department of Health in Belo Horizonte (SMSA/BH), state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the use of information resources management (IRM) to develop a health information system. In this case study we reviewed documents describing initiatives in the area of information, the mechanisms used to enable these initiatives, and the results achieved with a management system focused on the implementation of an electronic medical records system in the period from 2003 to 2008. This process is described and analyzed from the perspective of IRM. The system contributed to a change in the health care model, resulting from the electronic integration of 103 basic health units, 9 specialized units, and 503 family health teams, with emphasis on information that was relevant for the family health program. The following IRM components were effectively implemented as part of the electronic system: creation of a single locus for the areas of information technology and information, potential leveraging of information technology, and establishment of a strategic forum for information-related decision-making. One limitation refers to the use of strategic information for long-term decision-making.

Primary care physicians, acupuncture and chiropractic clinicians, and chronic pain patients: a qualitative analysis of communication and care coordination patterns.

PubMed

Penney, Lauren S; Ritenbaugh, Cheryl; Elder, Charles; Schneider, Jennifer; Deyo, Richard A; DeBar, Lynn L

2016-01-25

A variety of people, with multiple perspectives, make up the system comprising chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) treatment. While there are frequently problems in communication and coordination of care within conventional health systems, more opportunities for communicative disruptions seem possible when providers use different explanatory models and are not within the same health management system. We sought to describe the communication system surrounding the management of chronic pain from the perspectives of allopathic providers, acupuncture and chiropractor (A/C) providers, and CMP patients. We collected qualitative data from CMP patients (n = 90) and primary care physicians (PCPs) (n = 25) in a managed care system, and community acupuncture and chiropractic care providers (n = 14) who received high levels of referrals from the system, in the context of a longitudinal study of CMP patients' experience. Multiple points of divergence and communicative barriers were identified among the main stakeholders in the system. Those that were most frequently mentioned included issues surrounding the referral process (requesting, approving) and lack of consistent information flow back to providers that impairs overall management of patient care. We found that because of these problems, CMP patients were frequently tasked and sometimes overwhelmed with integrating and coordinating their own care, with little help from the system. Patients, PCPs, and A/C providers desire more communication; thus systems need to be created to facilitate more open communication which could positively benefit patient outcomes.

Final Report: Towards an Emergent Model of Technology Adoption for Accelerating the Diffusion of Residential Solar PV

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

Rai, Varun

This project sought to enable electric utilities in Texas to accelerate diffusion of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) by systematically identifying and targeting existing barriers to PV adoption. A core goal of the project was to develop an integrated research framework that combines survey research, econometric modeling, financial modeling, and implementation and evaluation of pilot projects to study the PV diffusion system. This project considered PV diffusion as an emergent system, with attention to the interactions between the constituent parts of the PV socio-technical system including: economics of individual decision-making; peer and social influences; behavioral responses; and information and transaction costs.more » We also conducted two pilot projects, which have yielded new insights into behavioral and informational aspects of PV adoption. Finally, this project has produced robust and generalizable results that will provide deeper insights into the technology-diffusion process that will be applicable for the design of utility programs for other technologies such as home-energy management systems and plug-in electric vehicles. When we started this project in 2013 there was little systematic research on characterizing the decision-making process of households interested in adopting PV. This project was designed to fill that research gap by analyzing the PV adoption process from the consumers' decision-making perspective and with the objective to systematically identifying and addressing the barriers that consumers face in the adoption of PV. The two key components of that decision-making process are consumers' evaluation of: (i) uncertainties and non-monetary costs associated with the technology and (ii) the direct monetary cost-benefit. This project used an integrated approach to study both the non-monetary and the monetary components of the consumer decision-making process.« less

Toward social system theory: implications for older people with developmental disabilities and service delivery.

PubMed

Dossa, P A

1990-01-01

The literature refers to older people with developmental disabilities as the "new service population." How and why this population emerged as a special category is discussed conceptually with reference to social systems theory. A brief review of social systems theory and some basic systemic tenets are presented. Systemic tenets are employed in examining the historical development of social gerontology and present trends in the service-delivery system. I show that the systemic variable of the economic model of human development has significantly impacted on the making of older people with developmental disabilities a dependent population. In the conclusion the systems perspective is explored in relation to recognizing the liminal, in-between parts between components. It is argued that such a perception minimizes the dichotomy between older people with developmental disabilities and the non-disabled population, paving the way for a genuine encounter.

Temporal Dynamics of Sensorimotor Networks in Effort-Based Cost-Benefit Valuation: Early Emergence and Late Net Value Integration.

PubMed

Harris, Alison; Lim, Seung-Lark

2016-07-06

Although physical effort can impose significant costs on decision-making, when and how effort cost information is incorporated into choice remains contested, reflecting a larger debate over the role of sensorimotor networks in specifying behavior. Serial information processing models, in which motor circuits simply implement the output of cognitive systems, hypothesize that effort cost factors into decisions relatively late, via integration with stimulus values into net (combined) value signals in dorsomedial frontal cortex (dmFC). In contrast, ethology-inspired approaches suggest a more active role for the dorsal sensorimotor stream, with effort cost signals emerging rapidly after stimulus onset. Here we investigated the time course of effort cost integration using event-related potentials in hungry human subjects while they made decisions about expending physical effort for appetitive foods. Consistent with the ethological perspective, we found that effort cost was represented from as early as 100-250 ms after stimulus onset, localized to dorsal sensorimotor regions including middle cingulate, somatosensory, and motor/premotor cortices. However, examining the same data time-locked to motor output revealed net value signals combining stimulus value and effort cost approximately -400 ms before response, originating from sensorimotor areas including dmFC, precuneus, and posterior parietal cortex. Granger causal connectivity analysis of the motor effector signal in the time leading to response showed interactions between these sensorimotor regions and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a structure associated with adjusting behavior-response mappings. These results suggest that rapid activation of sensorimotor regions interacts with cognitive valuation systems, producing a net value signal reflecting both physical effort and reward contingencies. Although physical effort imposes a cost on choice, when and how effort cost influences neural correlates of decision-making remains contested. This dispute reflects a larger disagreement between cognitive neuroscience and ethology over the role of sensorimotor systems in behavior: are sensorimotor circuits merely implementing the late-stage output of cognitive systems, or engaged rapidly and interactively from early in decision-making? We find that, although early representation of effort cost is associated with sensorimotor regions, these signals are also integrated with cognitive stimulus value representations in the time leading up to motor response. These data suggest that sensorimotor networks interact dynamically with cognitive systems to guide decision-making, providing a first step toward reconciling differing perspectives on sensorimotor roles in valuation and choice. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/367167-17$15.00/0.

Research Paradigms, Television, and Social Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asamen, Joy Keiko, Ed.; Berry, Gordon L., Ed.

Straightforward and engaging in style, this book presents 10 essays that provide concrete, step-by-step examples of how to conduct studies of the impact of television on behavior from quantitative perspectives, qualitative perspectives, and an integrated approach, making the volume useful for both undergraduate and graduate students. Its…

Reciprocity and Humility in Wonderland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harry, Beth

2011-01-01

This article supports the perspective of Jan Valle regarding the importance of recognizing the subjectivity inherent in decisions about Learning Disabilities. The author argues that the perspectives of both parents and professionals are informed by subjective judgments that must be taken into account in decision making. A reciprocal approach to…

Handheld Computers in Education: An Industry Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van 't Hooft, Mark; Vahey, Philip

2007-01-01

Five representatives from the mobile computing industry provide their perspectives on handhelds in education. While some of their ideas differ, they all agree on the importance of staff development, appropriate curriculum development, and teacher support to create the kinds of personalized learning environments that mobile devices make possible.

Delivering spacecraft control centers with embedded knowledge-based systems: The methodology issue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayache, S.; Haziza, M.; Cayrac, D.

1994-01-01

Matra Marconi Space (MMS) occupies a leading place in Europe in the domain of satellite and space data processing systems. The maturity of the knowledge-based systems (KBS) technology, the theoretical and practical experience acquired in the development of prototype, pre-operational and operational applications, make it possible today to consider the wide operational deployment of KBS's in space applications. In this perspective, MMS has to prepare the introduction of the new methods and support tools that will form the basis of the development of such systems. This paper introduces elements of the MMS methodology initiatives in the domain and the main rationale that motivated the approach. These initiatives develop along two main axes: knowledge engineering methods and tools, and a hybrid method approach for coexisting knowledge-based and conventional developments.

Reframing the Dissemination Challenge: A Marketing and Distribution Perspective

PubMed Central

Bernhardt, Jay M.

2009-01-01

A fundamental obstacle to successful dissemination and implementation of evidence-based public health programs is the near-total absence of systems and infrastructure for marketing and distribution. We describe the functions of a marketing and distribution system, and we explain how it would help move effective public health programs from research to practice. Then we critically evaluate the 4 dominant strategies now used to promote dissemination and implementation, and we explain how each would be enhanced by marketing and distribution systems. Finally, we make 6 recommendations for building the needed system infrastructure and discuss the responsibility within the public health community for implementation of these recommendations. Without serious investment in such infrastructure, application of proven solutions in public health practice will continue to occur slowly and rarely. PMID:19833993

Reframing the dissemination challenge: a marketing and distribution perspective.

PubMed

Kreuter, Matthew W; Bernhardt, Jay M

2009-12-01

A fundamental obstacle to successful dissemination and implementation of evidence-based public health programs is the near-total absence of systems and infrastructure for marketing and distribution. We describe the functions of a marketing and distribution system, and we explain how it would help move effective public health programs from research to practice. Then we critically evaluate the 4 dominant strategies now used to promote dissemination and implementation, and we explain how each would be enhanced by marketing and distribution systems. Finally, we make 6 recommendations for building the needed system infrastructure and discuss the responsibility within the public health community for implementation of these recommendations. Without serious investment in such infrastructure, application of proven solutions in public health practice will continue to occur slowly and rarely.

Some questions of space bioengineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nyiri, L. K.

1977-01-01

Zero-gravity offers selective effect on growth and metabolic activity unicellular organisms as well as unique opportunities in purification of organic compounds. These make it possible to consider the biosynthesis and recovery of certain metabolites economically feasible in space. Design, construction and operation of systems for the above mentioned purposes requires interdisciplinary actions within the scope of a new discipline: space bioengineering. The problems and perspectives of this discipline particularly in the application of bioreactor-recovery systems in space to manufacture metabolites of high economic and scientific value. Special attention is paid to pivotal factors such as various mass transport phenomena, contamination control, automatic control of optimum environment and synchronization of the operation of the biological (biosynthesis) and the physiochemical (recovery-purification) systems.

Numerical continuation and bifurcation analysis in aircraft design: an industrial perspective.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Coetzee, Etienne B; Lowenberg, Mark H; Neild, Simon A; Krauskopf, Bernd

2015-09-28

Bifurcation analysis is a powerful method for studying the steady-state nonlinear dynamics of systems. Software tools exist for the numerical continuation of steady-state solutions as parameters of the system are varied. These tools make it possible to generate 'maps of solutions' in an efficient way that provide valuable insight into the overall dynamic behaviour of a system and potentially to influence the design process. While this approach has been employed in the military aircraft control community to understand the effectiveness of controllers, the use of bifurcation analysis in the wider aircraft industry is yet limited. This paper reports progress on how bifurcation analysis can play a role as part of the design process for passenger aircraft. © 2015 The Author(s).

A systems biology perspective on plant-microbe interactions: biochemical and structural targets of pathogen effectors.

PubMed

Pritchard, Leighton; Birch, Paul

2011-04-01

Plants have biochemical defences against stresses from predators, parasites and pathogens. In this review we discuss the interaction of plant defences with microbial pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and oomycetes, and viruses. We examine principles of complex dynamic networks that allow identification of network components that are differentially and predictably sensitive to perturbation, thus making them likely effector targets. We relate these principles to recent developments in our understanding of known effector targets in plant-pathogen systems, and propose a systems-level framework for the interpretation and modelling of host-microbe interactions mediated by effectors. We describe this framework briefly, and conclude by discussing useful experimental approaches for populating this framework. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining Training Device Requirements in Army Aviation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poumade, M. L.

1984-01-01

A decision making methodology which applies the systems approach to the training problem is discussed. Training is viewed as a total system instead of a collection of individual devices and unrelated techniques. The core of the methodology is the use of optimization techniques such as the transportation algorithm and multiobjective goal programming with training task and training device specific data. The role of computers, especially automated data bases and computer simulation models, in the development of training programs is also discussed. The approach can provide significant training enhancement and cost savings over the more traditional, intuitive form of training development and device requirements process. While given from an aviation perspective, the methodology is equally applicable to other training development efforts.

Cyclodextrin-based supramolecular systems for drug delivery: Recent progress and future perspective

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianxiang; Ma, Peter X

2013-01-01

The excellent biocompatibility and unique inclusion capability as well as powerful functionalization capacity of cyclodextrins and their derivatives make them especially attractive for engineering novel functional materials for biomedical applications. There has been increasing interest recently to fabricate supramolecular systems for drug and gene delivery based on cyclodextrin materials. This review focuses on state of the art and recent advances in the construction of cyclodextrin-based assemblies and their applications for controlled drug delivery. First, we introduce cyclodextrin materials utilized for self-assembly. The fabrication technologies of supramolecular systems including nanoplatforms and hydrogels as well as their applications in nanomedicine and pharmaceutical sciences are then highlighted. At the end, the future directions of this field are discussed. PMID:23673149

Launch Control Systems: Moving Towards a Scalable, Universal Platform for Future Space Endeavors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Jonathan

2011-01-01

The redirection of NASA away from the Constellation program calls for heavy reliance on commercial launch vehicles for the near future in order to reduce costs and shift focus to research and long term space exploration. To support them, NASA will renovate Kennedy Space Center's launch facilities and make them available for commercial use. However, NASA's current launch software is deeply connected with the now-retired Space Shuttle and is otherwise not massively compatible. Therefore, a new Launch Control System must be designed that is adaptable to a variety of different launch protocols and vehicles. This paper exposits some of the features and advantages of the new system both from the perspective of the software developers and the launch engineers.

Health Information Economy: Literature Review.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Kamal; Roudbari, Masoud; Sadoughi, Farahnaz

2015-04-19

Health Information Economy (HIE) is one of the broader, more complex, and challenging and yet important topics in the field of health science that requires the identification of its dimensions for planning and policy making. The aim of this study was to determine HIE concept dimensions. This paper presents a systematic methodology for analyzing the trends of HIE. For this purpose, the main keywords of this area were identified and searched in the databases and from among 4775 retrieved sources, 12 sources were studied in the field of HIE. Information Economy (IE) in the world has passed behind four paradigms that involve the information evaluation perspective, the information technology perspective, the asymmetric information perspective and information value perspective. In this research, the fourth perspective in the HIE was analyzed. The main findings of this research were categorized in three major groups, including the flow of information process in the field of health (production. collection, processing and dissemination), and information applications in the same field (education, research, health industry, policy, legislation, and decision-making) and the underlying fields. According to the findings, HIE has already developed a theoretical and conceptual gap that due to its importance in the next decade would be one of the research approaches to health science.

The pursuit of better diagnostic performance: a human factors perspective.

PubMed

Henriksen, Kerm; Brady, Jeff

2013-10-01

Despite the relatively slow start in treating diagnostic error as an amenable research topic at the beginning of the patient safety movement, interest has steadily increased over the past few years in the form of solicitations for research, regularly scheduled conferences, an expanding literature and even a new professional society. Yet improving diagnostic performance increasingly is recognised as a multifaceted challenge. With the aid of a human factors perspective, this paper addresses a few of these challenges, including questions that focus on who owns the problem, treating cognitive and system shortcomings as separate issues, why knowledge in the head is not enough, and what we are learning from health information technology (IT) and the use of checklists. To encourage empirical testing of interventions that aim to improve diagnostic performance, a systems engineering approach making use of rapid-cycle prototyping and simulation is proposed. To gain a fuller understanding of the complexity of the sociotechnical space where diagnostic work is performed, a final note calls for the formation of substantive partnerships with those in disciplines beyond the clinical domain.

Unexpected Levels of Biological Activity during the Polar Night Offer New Perspectives on a Warming Arctic.

PubMed

Berge, Jørgen; Daase, Malin; Renaud, Paul E; Ambrose, William G; Darnis, Gerald; Last, Kim S; Leu, Eva; Cohen, Jonathan H; Johnsen, Geir; Moline, Mark A; Cottier, Finlo; Varpe, Øystein; Shunatova, Natalia; Bałazy, Piotr; Morata, Nathalie; Massabuau, Jean-Charles; Falk-Petersen, Stig; Kosobokova, Ksenia; Hoppe, Clara J M; Węsławski, Jan Marcin; Kukliński, Piotr; Legeżyńska, Joanna; Nikishina, Daria; Cusa, Marine; Kędra, Monika; Włodarska-Kowalczuk, Maria; Vogedes, Daniel; Camus, Lionel; Tran, Damien; Michaud, Emma; Gabrielsen, Tove M; Granovitch, Andrei; Gonchar, Anya; Krapp, Rupert; Callesen, Trine A

2015-10-05

The current understanding of Arctic ecosystems is deeply rooted in the classical view of a bottom-up controlled system with strong physical forcing and seasonality in primary-production regimes. Consequently, the Arctic polar night is commonly disregarded as a time of year when biological activities are reduced to a minimum due to a reduced food supply. Here, based upon a multidisciplinary ecosystem-scale study from the polar night at 79°N, we present an entirely different view. Instead of an ecosystem that has entered a resting state, we document a system with high activity levels and biological interactions across most trophic levels. In some habitats, biological diversity and presence of juvenile stages were elevated in winter months compared to the more productive and sunlit periods. Ultimately, our results suggest a different perspective regarding ecosystem function that will be of importance for future environmental management and decision making, especially at a time when Arctic regions are experiencing accelerated environmental change [1]. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual Human Role Players for Studying Social Factors in Organizational Decision Making

PubMed Central

Khooshabeh, Peter; Lucas, Gale

2018-01-01

The cyber domain of military operations presents many challenges. A unique element is the social dynamic between cyber operators and their leadership because of the novel subject matter expertise involved in conducting technical cyber tasks, so there will be situations where senior leaders might have much less domain knowledge or no experience at all relative to the warfighters who report to them. Nonetheless, it will be important for junior cyber operators to convey convincing information relevant to a mission in order to persuade or influence a leader to make informed decisions. The power dynamic will make it difficult for the junior cyber operator to successfully influence a higher ranking leader. Here we present a perspective with a sketch for research paradigm(s) to study how different factors (normative vs. informational social influence, degree of transparency, and perceived appropriateness of making suggestions) might interact with differential social power dynamics of individuals in cyber decision-making contexts. Finally, we contextualize this theoretical perspective for the research paradigms in viable training technologies. PMID:29545759

Investigation of the Impact of User Gaming in the Next Generation National Airspace System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, George C.; Gao, Huina

2011-01-01

Over the past three decades, growth in the demand for air transportation has exceeded the growth in the national airspace system (NAS) capacity. Systems operating near capacity inevitably have delays and NAS d elays have increased in recent years. The desire to minimize delay costs has placed attention on the NAS air traffic management (ATM) syste m.One initiative that has helped to provide user representation in the ATM solution is the collaborative decision making (CDM) process. CDM addresses this issue by bringing users (referred to here as airline operation centers [AOCs]) and ATM providers together for information e xchange and cooperative planning. Such cooperative planning has been instituted, for instance, for the purpose of planning airport slot control strategies and rerouting strategies. While the CDM initiatives ha ve met with much success, they have also introduced the potential for AOCs to manipulate the system in unforeseen, unintended, and perhaps undesirable ways, from a system-wide, synoptic perspective. This type of manipulation is sometimes referred to as "gaming" the system. This study uses a high-fidelity simulation tool to investigate several models of user decision making behavior which could be considered to be gaming behavior and the emergent system dynamics and interactions between AOCs and traffic management.

Perspectives on Multiunit Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossmeier, Joseph G.

1976-01-01

Research shows that neither centralization nor decentralization of decision-making authority in multiunit community colleges is a primary determinant of organizational effectiveness; rather it is the degree of participation in decision-making by staff members at all hierarchical levels. (BB)

Air traffic control specialist decision making and strategic planning : a field survey

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-03-01

This study investigated Air Traffic Control Specialists' perspective regarding decision making and planning and related cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and situation awareness. The results of 100 semi-structured interviews indicated tha...

Brain systems for visual perspective taking and action perception.

PubMed

Mazzarella, Elisabetta; Ramsey, Richard; Conson, Massimiliano; Hamilton, Antonia

2013-01-01

Taking another person's viewpoint and making sense of their actions are key processes that guide social behavior. Previous neuroimaging investigations have largely studied these processes separately. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine how the brain incorporates another person's viewpoint and actions into visual perspective judgments. Participants made a left-right judgment about the location of a target object from their own (egocentric) or an actor's visual perspective (altercentric). Actor location varied around a table and the actor was either reaching or not reaching for the target object. Analyses examined brain regions engaged in the egocentric and altercentric tasks, brain regions where response magnitude tracked the orientation of the actor in the scene and brain regions sensitive to the action performed by the actor. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) was sensitive to actor orientation in the altercentric task, whereas the response in right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was sensitive to actor orientation in the egocentric task. Thus, dmPFC and right IFG may play distinct but complementary roles in visual perspective taking (VPT). Observation of a reaching actor compared to a non-reaching actor yielded activation in lateral occipitotemporal cortex, regardless of task, showing that these regions are sensitive to body posture independent of social context. By considering how an observed actor's location and action influence the neural bases of visual perspective judgments, the current study supports the view that multiple neurocognitive "routes" operate during VPT.

Quality evaluation on an e-learning system in continuing professional education of nurses.

PubMed

Lin, I-Chun; Chien, Yu-Mei; Chang, I-Chiu

2006-01-01

Maintaining high quality in Web-based learning is a powerful means of increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of distance learning. Many studies have evaluated Web-based learning but seldom evaluate from the information systems (IS) perspective. This study applied the famous IS Success model in measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system using a Web-based questionnaire for data collection. One hundred and fifty four nurses participated in the survey. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, the variables of the research model fit for measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system. As Web-based education continues to grow worldwide, the results of this study may assist the system adopter (hospital executives), the learner (nurses), and the system designers in making reasonable and informed judgments with regard to the quality of Web-based learning system in continuing professional education.

Configuration Management at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doreswamy, Rajiv

2013-01-01

NASA programs are characterized by complexity, harsh environments and the fact that we usually have one chance to get it right. Programs last decades and need to accept new hardware and technology as it is developed. We have multiple suppliers and international partners Our challenges are many, our costs are high and our failures are highly visible. CM systems need to be scalable, adaptable to new technology and span the life cycle of the program (30+ years). Multiple Systems, Contractors and Countries added major levels of complexity to the ISS program and CM/DM and Requirements management systems center dot CM Systems need to be designed for long design life center dot Space Station Design started in 1984 center dot Assembly Complete in 2012 center dot Systems were developed on a task basis without an overall system perspective center dot Technology moves faster than a large project office, try to make sure you have a system that can adapt

Health system reconstruction: Perspectives of Iraqi physicians

PubMed Central

Squires, A.; Sindi, A.; Fennie, K.

2010-01-01

In conflict or post-conflict situations, health system reconstruction becomes a critical component of ensuring stability. The purpose of this study was to determine the priorities for health system reconstruction among Iraqi physicians residing in the northern region of the country. A convenience sample of practicing male and female physicians residing in the Kurdish region completed a 13-item survey about health system reconstruction. A total of 1001 practitioners completed the survey with gender breakdown of 29% female and 71% male, all working in different specialty areas. Significant differences between the providers based on gender (p = 0.001), specialty (p = 0.001) and geographic location (p = 0.004) were found to affect the responses of the participants. This study demonstrates that input from healthcare professionals is important for health system reconstruction, but that gender, geography and medical specialty make the process complex. PMID:20155543

Moral development and reproductive health decisions.

PubMed

McFadden, E A

1996-01-01

This article reviews the concepts of biomedical ethics, the justice perspective, and the care perspective of moral development and moral decision making; integrates key aspects of each to women's reproductive health nursing practice; and gives examples of application of these models to use as a framework for the assessment of moral development in guiding women in making reproductive health decisions. Emphasis is placed on the need for an integrated approach to assessment of the recognition of and response to what an individual identifies as a moral dilemma. Discussion of two different perspectives, justice and caring, is presented with application to women's health concerns. Nurses are encouraged to assess their moral development and appraisal of issues that constitute moral dilemmas and their ensuing decision making processes and those of clients. Techniques for obtaining information about moral reasoning are suggested. Rather than a traditional framework for the assessment of moral development, the uniqueness of individual women's experiences as they pertain to the case context is recommended to assess the client's appraisal of the circumstances of a perceived moral situation from the client's vantage point.

Cost-effectiveness on a local level: whether and when to adopt a new technology.

PubMed

Woertman, Willem H; Van De Wetering, Gijs; Adang, Eddy M M

2014-04-01

Cost-effectiveness analysis has become a widely accepted tool for decision making in health care. The standard textbook cost-effectiveness analysis focuses on whether to make the switch from an old or common practice technology to an innovative technology, and in doing so, it takes a global perspective. In this article, we are interested in a local perspective, and we look at the questions of whether and when the switch from old to new should be made. A new approach to cost-effectiveness from a local (e.g., a hospital) perspective, by means of a mathematical model for cost-effectiveness that explicitly incorporates time, is proposed. A decision rule is derived for establishing whether a new technology should be adopted, as well as a general rule for establishing when it pays to postpone adoption by 1 more period, and a set of decision rules that can be used to determine the optimal timing of adoption. Finally, a simple example is presented to illustrate our model and how it leads to optimal decision making in a number of cases.

Perspectives on decision making about human papillomavirus vaccination among 11- to 12-year-old girls and their mothers.

PubMed

Griffioen, Anne M; Glynn, Susan; Mullins, Tanya K; Zimet, Gregory D; Rosenthal, Susan L; Fortenberry, J Dennis; Kahn, Jessica A

2012-06-01

Introduction. The aims of this qualitative study were to explore (a) the factors influencing mothers' decisions to vaccinate 11- to 12-year-old daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV) and (b) the mothers' and daughters' perspectives about HPV vaccine-related decision making. Methods. Participants were girls (N = 33) who had received an HPV vaccine and their mothers (N = 32), recruited from suburban and urban pediatric practices. Semistructured interviews were conducted with girls and mothers separately, and data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results. The primary factors influencing mothers' decisions to vaccinate daughters against HPV were (a) mother's beliefs and experiences; (b) interactions with clinicians, friends, and family members; and (c) exposure to media reports/marketing. Most daughters believed the decision to be vaccinated was a mutual one, although most mothers believed the decision was theirs. Conclusions. This study provides novel insights into perspectives on decision making about HPV vaccination among mothers and 11- to12-year-old daughters, which can be used in interventions to improve vaccination rates.

Perspectives on Decision Making About Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among 11- to 12-Year-Old Girls and Their Mothers

PubMed Central

Griffioen, Anne M.; Glynn, Susan; Mullins, Tanya K.; Zimet, Gregory D.; Rosenthal, Susan L.; Fortenberry, J. Dennis; Kahn, Jessica A.

2013-01-01

Introduction The aims of this qualitative study were to explore (a) the factors influencing mothers’ decisions to vaccinate 11- to 12-year-old daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV) and (b) the mothers’ and daughters’ perspectives about HPV vaccine–related decision making. Methods Participants were girls (N = 33) who had received an HPV vaccine and their mothers (N = 32), recruited from suburban and urban pediatric practices. Semistructured interviews were conducted with girls and mothers separately, and data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results The primary factors influencing mothers’ decisions to vaccinate daughters against HPV were (a) mother’s beliefs and experiences; (b) interactions with clinicians, friends, and family members; and (c) exposure to media reports/marketing. Most daughters believed the decision to be vaccinated was a mutual one, although most mothers believed the decision was theirs. Conclusions This study provides novel insights into perspectives on decision making about HPV vaccination among mothers and 11- to12-year-old daughters, which can be used in interventions to improve vaccination rates. PMID:22589477

Putting Educational Forecasts into Perspective: A Guide for Decisionmakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dede, Christopher; Kierstead, Fred

This paper focuses on how educational decision-makers can make use of futures research through a better understanding of forecasters' perspectives. Eight problems in communicating that are significant in contributing to poor usage of forecasts by educational decision-makers are: (1) overuse of jargon, (2) preoccupation with technological…

Assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills. Current Perspectives on Cognition, Learning and Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schraw, Gregory, Ed.; Robinson, Daniel H., Ed.

2011-01-01

This volume examines the assessment of higher order thinking skills from the perspectives of applied cognitive psychology and measurement theory. The volume considers a variety of higher order thinking skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, argumentation, decision making, creativity, metacognition, and self-regulation. Fourteen…

Perspective, March 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achieve, Inc., 2009

2009-01-01

"Perspective" is a monthly e-newsletter presenting news and views from Achieve. This issue includes a commentary on the efforts of the states to adopt college- and career-ready policies. "Closing the Expectations Gap, 2009"--Achieve's fourth annual report--shows that states have continued to make steady progress on adopting policies aimed at…

Campaign Documentaries: Behind-the-Scenes Perspectives Make Useful Teaching Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfford, David

2012-01-01

Over the last 20 years, independent filmmakers have produced insightful documentaries of high profile political campaigns with behind-the-scenes footage. These documentaries offer inside looks and unique perspectives on electoral politics. This campaign season, consider "The War Room"; "A Perfect Candidate"; "Journeys With George;" "Chisholm '72";…

Making the Transition to Hospice: Exploring Hospice Professionals' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldrop, Deborah P.; Rinfrette, Elaine S.

2009-01-01

Hospice care is available for 6 months before death but the length of use varies widely, suggesting that there are different perspectives on the appropriate timing for this transition. This qualitative study explored hospice professionals' views on the appropriate timing for and communication about hospice. Ethnography of team meetings informed…

A Perspective on Marketing Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, John E.

1990-01-01

This document presents a model for program planning and decision making for teacher education in marketing and discusses teacher education policy in the context of the model. The first section explains the document's background and perspective. The second section places marketing teacher education in the context of a larger marketing education…

Work-Integrated Learning in Vietnam: Perspectives of Intern Work Supervisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilsland, Christine; Nagy, Helga

2015-01-01

This paper addresses work-integrated learning program issues from the perspective of work supervisors of interns from a foreign university in an offshore market environment--Vietnam. Universities expanding their markets overseas must research all relevant aspects of the local environment when making operational expansion decisions, and continue…

Chinese International Students' Decision-Making Perspectives: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, David

2017-01-01

Unprecedented rapidity of change occurring throughout the higher education sector linked to student mobility driven globalization momentum reinforces the benefits of attracting and cultivating the strongest students to contribute diversity of thought to learning environments. The purpose of this case study was to explore multiple perspectives of…

Dissolving Borders and Broadening Perspectives through Latino Traditional Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolen, Lynn Atkinson; Ortiz-Castro, Victoria

2000-01-01

Offers a brief historical perspective on Latino folk literature. Discusses 26 recently published books for children and adolescents in both English and Spanish, organized into origin tales, tales based on historical facts, trickster tales, and cumulative tales. Describes activities to use with these books to foster literacy and make powerful…

Modelling Student Misconceptions Using Nested Logit Item Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Student misconceptions have been studied for decades from a curricular/instructional perspective and from the assessment/test level perspective. Numerous misconception assessment tools have been developed in order to measure students' misconceptions relative to the correct content. Often, these tools are used to make a variety of educational…

A Multi-Case Study of Professional Ethics in Alternative Education: Exploring Perspectives of Alternative School Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, Richard T. RT, IV

2017-01-01

This qualitative case study explored perspectives of alternative school leaders regarding professional ethics and standards. The study researched two components of alternative school leadership: effective alternative school characteristics based on professional standards and making decisions around the best interests of students. This study…

The Technology Principal: To Be or Not to Be?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Anika Ball; Patravanich, Supawaree

2014-01-01

This case provides principal licensure candidates a strategic perspective on leading and managing educational technology initiatives. It presents issues related to vision setting, planning, implementation, organizational structure, and decision making. The case narrative is presented from the perspective of a principal, but it can also be used to…

From Broken Windows to Busy Streets: A Community Empowerment Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiyer, Sophie M.; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Morrel-Samuels, Susan; Reischl, Thomas M.

2015-01-01

In the present article, we introduce a community empowerment perspective to understanding neighborhoods. A preponderance of literature exists on neighborhood risk factors for crime. Yet less is known about positive factors that make neighborhoods safe and desirable. We propose community empowerment as a conceptual foundation for understanding…

Gendered Perspectives about Water Risks and Policy Strategies: A Tripartite Conceptual Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Kelli L.; Ibes, Dorothy C.; White, Dave D.

2011-01-01

Previous research has examined gendered perspectives on a variety of environmental risks. Mixed results complicate the ability to make generalizations about human-ecological judgments, largely because of the use of inconsistent conceptual and methodological approaches in previous work. Following the tripartite model, we examine differences between…

Children Writing Ethnography: Children's Perspectives and Nomadic Thinking in Researching School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohti, Riikka

2016-01-01

This article makes a connection between narrative ethnography, childhood studies and new materialist theories in studying children's perspective on school. It presents "children writing ethnography" as an approach based on complexity and involving participatory research. The question of "what is happening in the classroom" is…

Recycling Piaget: Posthumanism and Making Children's Knowledge Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslanian, Teresa K.

2018-01-01

A growing body of research incorporates children's perspectives into the research process. If we are to take children's perspectives seriously in education research, research methodologies must be capable of addressing issues that matter to children. This article engages in a theoretical discussion that considers how a posthuman research…

A conceptual framework for understanding the perspectives on the causes of the science-practice gap in ecology and conservation.

PubMed

Bertuol-Garcia, Diana; Morsello, Carla; N El-Hani, Charbel; Pardini, Renata

2018-05-01

Applying scientific knowledge to confront societal challenges is a difficult task, an issue known as the science-practice gap. In Ecology and Conservation, scientific evidence has been seldom used directly to support decision-making, despite calls for an increasing role of ecological science in developing solutions for a sustainable future. To date, multiple causes of the science-practice gap and diverse approaches to link science and practice in Ecology and Conservation have been proposed. To foster a transparent debate and broaden our understanding of the difficulties of using scientific knowledge, we reviewed the perceived causes of the science-practice gap, aiming to: (i) identify the perspectives of ecologists and conservation scientists on this problem, (ii) evaluate the predominance of these perspectives over time and across journals, and (iii) assess them in light of disciplines studying the role of science in decision-making. We based our review on 1563 sentences describing causes of the science-practice gap extracted from 122 articles and on discussions with eight scientists on how to classify these sentences. The resulting process-based framework describes three distinct perspectives on the relevant processes, knowledge and actors in the science-practice interface. The most common perspective assumes only scientific knowledge should support practice, perceiving a one-way knowledge flow from science to practice and recognizing flaws in knowledge generation, communication, and/or use. The second assumes that both scientists and decision-makers should contribute to support practice, perceiving a two-way knowledge flow between science and practice through joint knowledge-production/integration processes, which, for several reasons, are perceived to occur infrequently. The last perspective was very rare, and assumes scientists should put their results into practice, but they rarely do. Some causes (e.g. cultural differences between scientists and decision-makers) are shared with other disciplines, while others seem specific to Ecology and Conservation (e.g. inadequate research scales). All identified causes require one of three general types of solutions, depending on whether the causal factor can (e.g. inadequate research questions) or cannot (e.g. scientific uncertainty) be changed, or if misconceptions (e.g. undervaluing abstract knowledge) should be solved. The unchanged predominance of the one-way perspective over time may be associated with the prestige of evidence-based conservation and suggests that debates in Ecology and Conservation lag behind trends in other disciplines towards bidirectional views ascribing larger roles to decision-makers. In turn, the two-way perspective seems primarily restricted to research traditions historically isolated from mainstream conservation biology. All perspectives represented superficial views of decision-making by not accounting for limits to human rationality, complexity of decision-making contexts, fuzzy science-practice boundaries, ambiguity brought about by science, and different types of knowledge use. However, joint knowledge-production processes from the two-way perspective can potentially allow for democratic decision-making processes, explicit discussions of values and multiple types of science use. To broaden our understanding of the interface and foster productive science-practice linkages, we argue for dialogue among different research traditions within Ecology and Conservation, joint knowledge-production processes between scientists and decision-makers and interdisciplinarity across Ecology, Conservation and Political Science in both research and education. © 2017 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

A job with a view: perspectives from the corporate side of the hospital*

PubMed Central

Donaldson Doyle, Jacqueline

2003-01-01

A change in job responsibilities from library manager to hospital administrator provides this year's Doe lecturer the opportunity to reflect on the values of the library profession from a fresh perspective. Librarians play a unique role and remain vital to the health care enterprise but are frequently misunderstood. Their role can be viewed from three angles: service, technology, and a unique sort of professionalism. Librarians must focus their service priorities on the needs of the institution, while remaining true to their own unique professional values. They must be advocates for the appropriate use of technology in support of those service roles. The passion that many librarians bring to their jobs makes librarianship a vocation as much as a profession. The mission and vision developed by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in 2001 provides a useful model for defining a personal professional mission and vision. PMID:12568154

Is Exercise Really Medicine? An Evolutionary Perspective.

PubMed

Lieberman, Daniel E

2015-01-01

An evolutionary perspective helps evaluate the extent to which exercise is medicine and to explain the exercise paradox: why people tend to avoid exercise despite its benefits. Many lines of evidence indicate that humans evolved to be adapted for regular, moderate amounts of endurance physical activity into late age. However, because energy from food was limited, humans also were selected to avoid unnecessary exertion, and most anatomical and physiological systems evolved to require stimuli from physical activity to adjust capacity to demand. Consequently, selection never operated to cope with the long-term effects of chronic inactivity. However, because all adaptations involve trade-offs, there is no evolutionary-determined dose or type of physical activity that will optimize health. Furthermore, because humans evolved to be active for play or necessity, efforts to promote exercise will require altering environments in ways that nudge or even compel people to be active and to make exercise fun.

The failure of suicide prevention in primary care: family and GP perspectives - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Leavey, Gerard; Mallon, Sharon; Rondon-Sulbaran, Janeet; Galway, Karen; Rosato, Michael; Hughes, Lynette

2017-11-21

Although Primary care is crucial for suicide prevention, clinicians tend to report completed suicides in their care as non-preventable. We aimed to examine systemic inadequacies in suicide prevention from the perspectives of bereaved family members and GPs. Qualitative study of 72 relatives or close friends bereaved by suicide and 19 General Practitioners who have experienced the suicide of patients. Relatives highlight failures in detecting symptoms and behavioral changes and the inability of GPs to understand the needs of patients and their social contexts. A perceived overreliance on anti-depressant treatment is a major source of criticism by family members. GPs tend to lack confidence in the recognition and management of suicidal patients, and report structural inadequacies in service provision. Mental health and primary care services must find innovative and ethical ways to involve families in the decision-making process for patients at risk of suicide.

A job with a view: perspectives from the corporate side of the hospital.

PubMed

Doyle, Jacqueline Donaldson

2003-01-01

A change in job responsibilities from library manager to hospital administrator provides this year's Doe lecturer the opportunity to reflect on the values of the library profession from a fresh perspective. Librarians play a unique role and remain vital to the health care enterprise but are frequently misunderstood. Their role can be viewed from three angles: service, technology, and a unique sort of professionalism. Librarians must focus their service priorities on the needs of the institution, while remaining true to their own unique professional values. They must be advocates for the appropriate use of technology in support of those service roles. The passion that many librarians bring to their jobs makes librarianship a vocation as much as a profession. The mission and vision developed by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in 2001 provides a useful model for defining a personal professional mission and vision.

Surface Traps in Colloidal Quantum Dots: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Perspective

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Surface traps are ubiquitous to nanoscopic semiconductor materials. Understanding their atomistic origin and manipulating them chemically have capital importance to design defect-free colloidal quantum dots and make a leap forward in the development of efficient optoelectronic devices. Recent advances in computing power established computational chemistry as a powerful tool to describe accurately complex chemical species and nowadays it became conceivable to model colloidal quantum dots with realistic sizes and shapes. In this Perspective, we combine the knowledge gathered in recent experimental findings with the computation of quantum dot electronic structures. We analyze three different systems: namely, CdSe, PbS, and CsPbI3 as benchmark semiconductor nanocrystals showing how different types of trap states can form at their surface. In addition, we suggest experimental healing of such traps according to their chemical origin and nanocrystal composition. PMID:28972763

Shifting visions: "delegation" policies and the building of a "rights-based" approach to maternal mortality.

PubMed

Freedman, Lynn P

2002-01-01

"Rights-based" approaches fold human rights principles into the ongoing work of health policy making and programming. The example of delegation of anesthesia provision for emergency obstetric care is used to demonstrate how a rights-based approach, applied to this problem in the context of high-mortality countries, requires decision makers to shift from an individual, ethics-based, clinical perspective to a structural, rights-based, public health perspective. This fluid and context-sensitive approach to human rights also applies at the international level, where the direction of overall maternal mortality reduction strategy is set. By contrasting family planning programs and maternal mortality programs, this commentary argues for choosing the human rights approach that speaks most effectively to the power dynamics underlying the particular health problem being addressed. In the case of maternal death in high-mortality countries, this means a strategic focus on the health care system itself.

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Material Selection of High Energy Performance Residential Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čuláková, Monika; Vilčeková, Silvia; Katunská, Jana; Krídlová Burdová, Eva

2013-11-01

In world with limited amount of energy sources and with serious environmental pollution, interest in comparing the environmental embodied impacts of buildings using different structure systems and alternative building materials will be increased. This paper shows the significance of life cycle energy and carbon perspective and the material selection in reducing energy consumption and emissions production in the built environment. The study evaluates embodied environmental impacts of nearly zero energy residential structures. The environmental assessment uses framework of LCA within boundary: cradle to gate. Designed alternative scenarios of material compositions are also assessed in terms of energy effectiveness through selected thermal-physical parameters. This study uses multi-criteria decision analysis for making clearer selection between alternative scenarios. The results of MCDA show that alternative E from materials on nature plant base (wood, straw bales, massive wood panel) present possible way to sustainable perspective of nearly zero energy houses in Slovak republic

A Preliminary Investigation of User Perception and Behavioral Intention for Different Review Types: Customers and Designers Perspective

PubMed Central

Qazi, Atika; Waheed, Mahwish; Abraham, Ajith

2014-01-01

Existing opinion mining studies have focused on and explored only two types of reviews, that is, regular and comparative. There is a visible gap in determining the useful review types from customers and designers perspective. Based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and statistical measures we examine users' perception about different review types and its effects in terms of behavioral intention towards using online review system. By using sample of users (N = 400) and designers (N = 106), current research work studies three review types, A (regular), B (comparative), and C (suggestive), which are related to perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioral intention. The study reveals that positive perception of the use of suggestive reviews improves users' decision making in business intelligence. The results also depict that type C (suggestive reviews) could be considered a new useful review type in addition to other types, A and B. PMID:24711739

Symbolic Resources and Sense-Making in Learning and Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zittoun, Tania

2017-01-01

This paper presents the concept of symbolic resources for apprehending sense-making in learning and instruction. It first reminds the centrality of sense-making in learning and instruction from a sociocultural perspective, and proposes a pragmatist approach to examine what sorts of knowledge people use when they face situations that matter. The…

Assessing the Influence of Farm Women's Self-Identity on Task Allocation and Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bokemeier, Janet; Garkovich, Lorraine

1987-01-01

Uses data from survey of 880 Kentucky farm women to present theoretical framework integrating microsocial, household economy, and farm structural perspectives to explain gender allocation of farm-specific tasks and decision making. Finds self-identity validated by participation in farm tasks/decision making, but, overall, women indicate low levels…

Intergenerational Music Making: A Phenomenological Study of Three Older Australians Making Music with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Vries, Peter

2012-01-01

Three older Australians' active engagement in music making with children was examined in this phenomenological study. Intergenerational music engagement was explored, focusing on the perspectives of the older Australians engaged in these musical interactions and, in particular, perceived benefits in being part of these musical interactions. Data…

Data Informed Decision Making--Perspectives of Oklahoma Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettles, Thomas D.

2017-01-01

This descriptive, multiple case study was designed to convey a clear portrayal of the DIDM practice of six superintendents and to provide a description of what these superintendents employ during their decision making process. The ability of local education leaders to strategically influence the use of data for decision making has a large effect…

Is patient autonomy a critical determinant of quality of life in Korea? End-of-life decision making from the perspective of the patient.

PubMed

Mo, Ha Na; Shin, Dong Wook; Woo, Jae Ha; Choi, Jin Young; Kang, Jina; Baik, Young Ji; Huh, Yu Rae; Won, Joo Hee; Park, Myung Hee; Cho, Sang Hee

2012-04-01

We aimed to investigate the current practice of the involvement in decision making from the perspectives of terminal cancer patients, and to explore its possible associations with quality of life and quality of death in Korea. A multi-center, cross-sectional survey was performed on 93 terminal cancer patients. The questionnaire solicited their opinions regarding participation in treatment decision making, as well as quality of life (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for Palliative Care) and quality of death (Good Death Inventory-Patient Version). A total of 78.5% of the patients had awareness of their terminal status, while 21.5% did not; 42.4% stated that they knew their condition and shared the decision-making responsibility with the medical staff and their family, while 21.7% made decisions on their own, and 35.9% left the decision-making responsibility to others. Patients who were aware of their illness and who actively participated in the decision making did not score higher than others on outcome measures of quality of life and quality of death. Moreover, the former even showed lower scores in some domains, including the 'physical and psychological comfort' (4.99 versus 5.61, p = 0.03), 'environmental comfort' (5.51 versus 6.04, p = 0.08), and 'emotional functioning' (55.70 versus 71.01, p = 0.06). in Korea, patient autonomy is not a universally accepted value from the perspectives of terminal cancer patients, nor is patient involvement in decision making always conducive to high quality of life or quality of death. The level of information and the pace at which it is provided should be tailored to each individual's ability, preference, need, and culture.

Perspectives of using the 223-nm wavelength of the KrCl excimer laser for refractive surgery and for the treatment of some eye diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagayev, Sergei N.; Chernikh, Valery V.; Razhev, Alexander M.; Zhupikov, Andrey A.

2000-06-01

The new surgical UV ophthalmic laser system Medilex based on the KrCl (223 nm) excimer laser for refractive surgery was created. The comparative analysis of using the UV ophthalmic laser systems Medilex based on the ArF (193 nm) and the KrCl (223 nm) excimer lasers for the correction of refractive errors was performed. The system with the radiation wavelength of 223 nanometer of the KrCl excimer laser for refractive surgery was shown to have several medical and technical advantages over the system with the traditionally used radiation wavelength of 193 nanometer of the ArF excimer laser. In addition the use of the wavelength of 223 nanometer extends functional features of the system, allowing to make not only standard for this type systems surgical and therapeutic procedures but also to treat such ocular diseases as the glaucoma and herpetic keratities. For the UV ophthalmic laser systems Medilex three variations of the beam delivery system including special rotating masks and different beam homogenize systems were developed. All created beam delivery systems are able to make the correction of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and myopic or hyperopic astigmatism and may be used for therapeutic procedures. The results of the initial treatments of refractive error corrections using the UV ophthalmic laser systems Medilex for both photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and LASIK procedures are presented.

Perspective of Postpartum Depression Theories: A Narrative Literature Review

PubMed Central

Abdollahi, Fatemeh; Lye, Munn-Sann; Zarghami, Mehran

2016-01-01

Postpartum depression is the most prevalent emotional problem during a women's lifespan. Untreated postpartum depression may lead to several consequences such as child, infant, fetal, and maternal effects. The main purpose of this article is to briefly describe different theoretical perspectives of postpartum depression. A literature search was conducted in Psych Info, PubMed, and Science Direct between 1950 and 2015. Additional articles and book chapters were referenced from these sources. Different theories were suggested for developing postpartum depression. Three theories, namely, biological, psychosocial, and evolutionary were discussed. One theory or combinations of psychosocial, biological, and evolutionary theories were considered for postpartum depression. The most important factor that makes clinicians’ choice of intervention is their theoretical perspectives. Healthcare providers and physicians should help women to make informed choices regarding their treatment based on related theories. PMID:27500126

Exploring Our World with Dr. Ryan: an adventure-science video series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

vachon, R. W.; Kramer, N.

2011-12-01

Science is embedded in all that we do and experience. It brings perspective to the simplest and most complex systems: A rocket breaking free of the Earth's gravitational field to single stream recycling of waste. Everything! To many of us, these concepts are acknowledged as a part of our lives, but remain at arm's length because we don't understand the fundamental principles that make them all possible. However individuals, armed with information, make wise decisions about their lives and the world that we share. The adults of tomorrow are quickly growing up, which makes effective science outreach to youth all the more important, even urgent. In this presentation we shall describe the infrastructure behind the exciting Exploring Our World with Dr. Ryan series. These stirring, web-based videos (~4 min) are designed to educate audiences (with a target age of 8-12 years old) about various aspects of the world in which we live. Currently we are working on a Climate Change sub-series. The well-produced films are designed to be placed into the hands of educators but are appealing to youth outside of the classroom. The short vignettes are concise descriptions of fascinating and timely scientific topics, making them ideal multimodal teaching tools, introductions to topics of discussion and alternative perspectives to textbook-based curriculum. The series leverages enthusiastic hosting, otherwise inaccessible scientific expertise and authentic illustrations of experimentation. Additionally, each episode is strengthened by a carefully conceived work-flow that not only emphasizes the desired content but encourages critical thinking, models scientific methodology, humanizes scientists and celebrates collaborations that lead to clearer understandings of the Big Picture. Robust social networking is the capsicum to the series successful outreach. Example episode: http://vimeo.com/22397380

The South Florida Ecosystem Portfolio Model - A Map-Based Multicriteria Ecological, Economic, and Community Land-Use Planning Tool

USGS Publications Warehouse

Labiosa, William B.; Bernknopf, Richard; Hearn, Paul; Hogan, Dianna; Strong, David; Pearlstine, Leonard; Mathie, Amy M.; Wein, Anne M.; Gillen, Kevin; Wachter, Susan

2009-01-01

The South Florida Ecosystem Portfolio Model (EPM) prototype is a regional land-use planning Web tool that integrates ecological, economic, and social information and values of relevance to decision-makers and stakeholders. The EPM uses a multicriteria evaluation framework that builds on geographic information system-based (GIS) analysis and spatially-explicit models that characterize important ecological, economic, and societal endpoints and consequences that are sensitive to regional land-use/land-cover (LULC) change. The EPM uses both economics (monetized) and multiattribute utility (nonmonetized) approaches to valuing these endpoints and consequences. This hybrid approach represents a methodological middle ground between rigorous economic and ecological/ environmental scientific approaches. The EPM sacrifices some degree of economic- and ecological-forecasting precision to gain methodological transparency, spatial explicitness, and transferability, while maintaining credibility. After all, even small steps in the direction of including ecosystem services evaluation are an improvement over current land-use planning practice (Boyd and Wainger, 2003). There are many participants involved in land-use decision-making in South Florida, including local, regional, State, and Federal agencies, developers, environmental groups, agricultural groups, and other stakeholders (South Florida Regional Planning Council, 2003, 2004). The EPM's multicriteria evaluation framework is designed to cut across the objectives and knowledge bases of all of these participants. This approach places fundamental importance on social equity and stakeholder participation in land-use decision-making, but makes no attempt to determine normative socially 'optimal' land-use plans. The EPM is thus a map-based set of evaluation tools for planners and stakeholders to use in their deliberations of what is 'best', considering a balancing of disparate interests within a regional perspective. Although issues of regional ecological sustainability can be explored with the EPM (for example, changes in biodiversity potential and regional habitat fragmentation), it does not attempt to define or evaluate long-term ecological sustainability as such. Instead, the EPM is intended to provide transparent first-order indications of the direction of ecological, economic, and community change, not to make detailed predictions of ecological, economic, and social outcomes. In short, the EPM is an attempt to widen the perspectives of its users by integrating natural and social scientific information in a framework that recognizes the diversity of values at stake in South Florida land-use planning. For terrestrial ecosystems, land-cover change is one of the most important direct drivers of changes in ecosystem services (Hassan and others, 2005). More specifically, the fragmentation of habitat from expanding low-density development across landscapes appears to be a major driver of terrestrial species decline and the impairment of terrestrial ecosystem integrity, in some cases causing irreversible impairment from a land-use planning perspective (Brody, 2008; Peck, 1998). Many resource managers and land-use planners have come to realize that evaluating land-use conversions on a parcel-by-parcel basis leads to a fragmented and narrow view of the regional effects of natural land-cover loss to development (Marsh and Lallas, 1995). The EPM is an attempt to integrate important aspects of the coupled natural-system/human-system view from a regional planning perspective. The EPM evaluates proposed land-use changes, both conversion and intensification, in terms of relevant ecological, economic, and social criteria that combine information about probable land-use outcomes, based on ecological and environmental models, as well as value judgments, as expressed in user-modifiable preference models. Based on on-going meetings and interviews with stakeholders and potential tool users we foc

Realism and Impartiality: Making Sustainability Effective in Decision-Making.

PubMed

Bastons, Miquel; Armengou, Jaume

2017-08-01

There is both individual and collective widespread concern in society about the impact of human activity and the effects of our decisions on the physical and social environment. This concern is included within the idea of sustainability. The meaning of the concept is still ambiguous and its practical effectiveness disputed. Like many other authors, this article uses as a starting point the definition proposed by the World Commission on Environment and Development (Our common future, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1987), considering it to be a proposal for changing the assessment of the effects of decisions, from at least two perspectives: (1) what effects we should consider and (2) how we should assess them. Based on this double perspective, sustainability is explored as a method for decision-making which both expands the assessment of the consequences, and also provides an objective criterion for such assessment. It will be argued that the idea of sustainability, seen from this perspective, brings to decision-making two qualities which had been partially lost: realism and impartiality. In turn, the criteria for realism and impartiality in decision-making can be used to identify the limitations of some partial approaches to sustainability, which suffer from insufficient realism (emotional altruism), insufficient impartiality (tactical altruism) or both phenomena at once (egoism). The article concludes by demonstrating how realism and impartiality provide the basis for a new form of sustainable decision-making (ethical sustainability), which is dependent on the development of two moral virtues, prudence and benevolence, and which brings practical effectiveness and ethical sense to the concept of sustainability.

Making choices about medical interventions: the experience of disabled young people with degenerative conditions.

PubMed

Mitchell, Wendy A

2014-04-01

Current western policy, including the UK, advocates choice for service users and their families, taking greater control and being more involved in decision making. However, children's role in health decision making, especially from their own perspective, has received less research attention compared to doctors and parents' perspectives. To explore the perspective and experiences of disabled young people with degenerative conditions as they face significant medical interventions and engage in decision-making processes. Findings from a longitudinal qualitative study of 10 young people (13-22 years) with degenerative conditions are reported. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants over 3 years (2007-2010); the paper reports data from all three interview rounds. Interviews focused on medical intervention choices the young people identified as significant. Although the young people in this study felt involved in the medical intervention choices discussed, findings demonstrate a complex and diverse picture of decision making. Results highlighted different decisional roles adopted by the young people, the importance of information heuristics and working with other people whilst engaging in complex processes weighing up different decisional factors. Young people's experiences demonstrate the importance of moving beyond viewing health choices as technical or rational decisions. How each young person framed their decision was important. Recognizing this diversity and the importance of emerging themes, such as living a normal life, independence, fear of decisions viewed as 'irreversible' and the role of parents and peers in decision making highlights that, there are clear practice implications including, active practitioner listening, sensitivity and continued holistic family working. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Myopia management: multihospital portfolio planning.

PubMed

Irish, G G

1987-10-01

The acquisition and divestiture of organizational business units demonstrate management's strategy in response to an evolving marketplace. From a strategic perspective, the most significant danger to a corporation is not having the "right" portfolio of businesses or products to respond to the marketplace. This article describes a conceptual model that a multihospital system executive might use to determine the growth and diversification of the organization's portfolio of businesses. The model involves the application of market, financial, and microeconomic theories in a logical sequence to assist management in making business acquisition and divestiture decisions.

Public mental hospital work: pros and cons for psychiatrists.

PubMed

Miller, R D

1984-09-01

The extensive literature concerning public mental hospitals has largely been written from the perspective of administrators and systems analysts; most of the reports emphasize the frustrations and problems of working in public mental hospitals and the continued exodus of psychiatrists from these facilities. The author addresses the pros and cons of such a career choice from the viewpoint of one who has been an "Indian" rather than a "chief" for a decade. He suggests that the current financial situation in both private practice and academia makes work in public mental hospitals increasingly attractive.

Succession in a microbial mat community - A Gaian perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolz, J. F.

1984-01-01

The contribution of prokaryotes to Gaian control systems is discussed. The survival of the Microcoleus-dominated stratified microbial community at Laguna Figueroa, after heavy rains flooded the evaporite flat with up to 3 m of water and deposited 5-10 cm of allocthonous sediment, demonstrates the resiliency of these communities to short-term perturbations while the microbial fossil record attests to their persistence over geologic time. It is shown that the great diversity of microbial species and their short generation time make them uniquely suited for Gaian mechanisms.

The Paradox of "Structured" Methods for Software Requirements Management: A Case Study of an e-Government Development Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conboy, Kieran; Lang, Michael

This chapter outlines the alternative perspectives of "rationalism" and "improvisation" within information systems development and describes the major shortcomings of each. It then discusses how these shortcomings manifested themselves within an e-government case study where a "structured" requirements management method was employed. Although this method was very prescriptive and firmly rooted in the "rational" paradigm, it was observed that users often resorted to improvised behaviour, such as privately making decisions on how certain aspects of the method should or should not be implemented.

Perspectives on optimizing care of patients in multidisciplinary chronic kidney disease clinics.

PubMed

Collister, David; Russell, Randall; Verdon, Josee; Beaulieu, Monica; Levin, Adeera

2016-01-01

To summarize a jointly held symposium by the Canadian Society of Nephrology (CSN), the Canadian Association of Nephrology Administrators (CANA), and the Canadian Kidney Knowledge Translation and Generation Network (CANN-NET) entitled "Perspectives on Optimizing Care of Patients in Multidisciplinary Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Clinics" that was held on April 24, 2015, in Montreal, Quebec. The panel consisted of a variety of members from across Canada including a multidisciplinary CKD clinic patient (Randall Russell), nephrology fellow (Dr. David Collister), geriatrician (Dr. Josee Verdon), and nephrologists (Dr. Monica Beaulieu, Dr. Adeera Levin). The objectives of the symposium were (1) to gain an understanding of the goals of care for CKD patients, (2) to gain an appreciation of different perspectives regarding optimal care for patients with CKD, (3) to examine the components required for optimal care including education strategies, structures, and tools, and (4) to describe a framework and metrics for CKD care which respect patient and system needs. This article summarizes the key concepts discussed at the symposium from a patient and physician perspectives. Key messages include (1) understanding patient values and preferences is important as it provides a framework as to what to prioritize in multidisciplinary CKD clinic and provincial renal program models, (2) barriers to effective communication and education are common in the elderly, and adaptive strategies to limit their influence are critical to improve adherence and facilitate shared decision-making, (3) the use of standardized operating procedures (SOPs) improves efficiency and minimizes practice variability among health care practitioners, and (4) CKD scorecards with standardized system processes are useful in approaching variability as well as measuring and improving patient outcomes. The perspectives provided may not be applicable across centers given the differences in patient populations including age, ethnicity, culture, language, socioeconomic status, education, and multidisciplinary CKD clinic structure and function. Knowledge transmission by collaborative interprovincial and interprofessional networks may play a role in facilitating optimal CKD care. Validation of system and clinic models that improve outcomes is needed prior to disseminating these best practices.

Universal Health Coverage - The Critical Importance of Global Solidarity and Good Governance Comment on "Ethical Perspective: Five Unacceptable Trade-offs on the Path to Universal Health Coverage".

PubMed

Reis, Andreas A

2016-06-07

This article provides a commentary to Ole Norheim' s editorial entitled "Ethical perspective: Five unacceptable trade-offs on the path to universal health coverage." It reinforces its message that an inclusive, participatory process is essential for ethical decision-making and underlines the crucial importance of good governance in setting fair priorities in healthcare. Solidarity on both national and international levels is needed to make progress towards the goal of universal health coverage (UHC). © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Two perspectives on the needs of individuals bereaved by suicide.

PubMed

Gall, Terry Lynn; Henneberry, Jesse; Eyre, Melissa

2014-01-01

To qualitatively explore the needs of suicidally bereaved individuals, researchers interviewed 11 suicide bereaved individuals and 4 mental health workers. Common themes of bereaved persons included the suicide grief experience, coping, interpersonal domain, struggle with meaning, self-reflection, and moving forward. Mental health workers emphasized the nature of the helping relationship, the need to emotionally process the grief, the centrality of meaning making, importance of support groups, and the role of individual counseling. These 2 perspectives informed "best practices" for postvention (e.g., understanding the need for meaning-making while recognizing when to move on).

Multiple perspectives on shared decision-making and interprofessional collaboration in mental healthcare.

PubMed

Chong, Wei Wen; Aslani, Parisa; Chen, Timothy F

2013-05-01

Shared decision-making is an essential element of patient-centered care in mental health. Since mental health services involve healthcare providers from different professions, a multiple perspective to shared decision-making may be valuable. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of different healthcare professionals on shared decision-making and current interprofessional collaboration in mental healthcare. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 healthcare providers from a range of professions, which included medical practitioners (psychiatrists, general practitioners), pharmacists, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers. Findings indicated that healthcare providers supported the notion of shared decision-making in mental health, but felt that it should be condition dependent. Medical practitioners advocated a more active participation from consumers in treatment decision-making; whereas other providers (e.g. pharmacists, occupational therapists) focused more toward acknowledging consumers' needs in decisions, perceiving themselves to be in an advisory role in supporting consumers' decision-making. Although healthcare providers acknowledged the importance of interprofessional collaboration, only a minority discussed it within the context of shared decision-making. In conclusion, healthcare providers appeared to have differing perceptions on the level of consumer involvement in shared decision-making. Interprofessional roles to facilitate shared decision-making in mental health need to be acknowledged, understood and strengthened, before an interprofessional approach to shared decision-making in mental health can be effectively implemented.

Cognitive neuroscience of human counterfactual reasoning

PubMed Central

Van Hoeck, Nicole; Watson, Patrick D.; Barbey, Aron K.

2015-01-01

Counterfactual reasoning is a hallmark of human thought, enabling the capacity to shift from perceiving the immediate environment to an alternative, imagined perspective. Mental representations of counterfactual possibilities (e.g., imagined past events or future outcomes not yet at hand) provide the basis for learning from past experience, enable planning and prediction, support creativity and insight, and give rise to emotions and social attributions (e.g., regret and blame). Yet remarkably little is known about the psychological and neural foundations of counterfactual reasoning. In this review, we survey recent findings from psychology and neuroscience indicating that counterfactual thought depends on an integrative network of systems for affective processing, mental simulation, and cognitive control. We review evidence to elucidate how these mechanisms are systematically altered through psychiatric illness and neurological disease. We propose that counterfactual thinking depends on the coordination of multiple information processing systems that together enable adaptive behavior and goal-directed decision making and make recommendations for the study of counterfactual inference in health, aging, and disease. PMID:26257633

Weatherwise: evaluation of a cue-based training approach for the recognition of deteriorating weather conditions during flight.

PubMed

Wiggins, Mark; O'Hare, David

2003-01-01

Inappropriate and ineffective weather-related decision making continues to account for a significant proportion of general aviation fatalities in the United States and elsewhere. This study details the evaluation of a computer-based training system that was developed to provide visual pilots with the skills necessary to recognize and respond to the cues associated with deteriorating weather conditions during flight. A total of 66 pilots were assigned to one of two groups, and the evaluation process was undertaken at both a self-report and performance level. At the self-report level, the results suggested that pilots were more likely to use the cues following exposure to the training program. From a performance perspective, there is evidence to suggest that cue-based training can improve the timeliness of weather-related decision making during visual flight rules flight. Actual or potential applications of this research include the development of computer-based training systems for fault diagnosis in complex industrial environments.

Cognitive neuroscience of human counterfactual reasoning.

PubMed

Van Hoeck, Nicole; Watson, Patrick D; Barbey, Aron K

2015-01-01

Counterfactual reasoning is a hallmark of human thought, enabling the capacity to shift from perceiving the immediate environment to an alternative, imagined perspective. Mental representations of counterfactual possibilities (e.g., imagined past events or future outcomes not yet at hand) provide the basis for learning from past experience, enable planning and prediction, support creativity and insight, and give rise to emotions and social attributions (e.g., regret and blame). Yet remarkably little is known about the psychological and neural foundations of counterfactual reasoning. In this review, we survey recent findings from psychology and neuroscience indicating that counterfactual thought depends on an integrative network of systems for affective processing, mental simulation, and cognitive control. We review evidence to elucidate how these mechanisms are systematically altered through psychiatric illness and neurological disease. We propose that counterfactual thinking depends on the coordination of multiple information processing systems that together enable adaptive behavior and goal-directed decision making and make recommendations for the study of counterfactual inference in health, aging, and disease.

Shared decision-making in pediatric otolaryngology: Parent, physician and observational perspectives.

PubMed

Hong, Paul; Maguire, Erin; Gorodzinsky, Ayala Y; Curran, Janet A; Ritchie, Krista; Chorney, Jill

2016-08-01

To describe physician and parent behavior during pediatric otolaryngology surgical consultations, and to assess whether perceptions of shared decision-making and observed behavior are related. Parents of 126 children less than 6-years of age who underwent consultation for adeontonsillectomy or tympanostomy tube insertion were prospectively enrolled. Parents completed the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire-Patient version (SDM-Q-9), while surgeons completed the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire-Physician version (SDM-Q-Doc) after the consultation. Visits were video-recorded and analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System to quantify physician and parent involvement during the consultation. Perceptions of shared decision-making between parents (SDM-Q-9) and physicians (SDM-Q-Doc) were significantly positively correlated (p = 0.03). However, there was no correlation between parents' perceptions of shared decision-making and observations of physician and parent behavior/involvement (proportion of physician socioemotional talk, task-focused talk, or proportion of parent talk). Surgeons' perceptions of shared decision-making were correlated with physician task-focused talk and proportion of parent talk. Parents and physicians had similar perceptions of the degree of shared decision-making to be taking place during pediatric otolaryngology consultations. However, there was variability in the degree to which parents participated, and parent perceptions of shared decision-making were not correlated with actual observed involvement. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perspective: Ultrafast magnetism and THz spintronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walowski, Jakob; Münzenberg, Markus

2016-10-01

This year the discovery of femtosecond demagnetization by laser pulses is 20 years old. For the first time, this milestone work by Bigot and coworkers gave insight directly into the time scales of microscopic interactions that connect the spin and electron system. While intense discussions in the field were fueled by the complexity of the processes in the past, it now became evident that it is a puzzle of many different parts. Rather than providing an overview that has been presented in previous reviews on ultrafast processes in ferromagnets, this perspective will show that with our current depth of knowledge the first applications are developed: THz spintronics and all-optical spin manipulation are becoming more and more feasible. The aim of this perspective is to point out where we can connect the different puzzle pieces of understanding gathered over 20 years to develop novel applications. Based on many observations in a large number of experiments. Differences in the theoretical models arise from the localized and delocalized nature of ferromagnetism. Transport effects are intrinsically non-local in spintronic devices and at interfaces. We review the need for multiscale modeling to address the processes starting from electronic excitation of the spin system on the picometer length scale and sub-femtosecond time scale, to spin wave generation, and towards the modeling of ultrafast phase transitions that altogether determine the response time of the ferromagnetic system. Today, our current understanding gives rise to the first usage of ultrafast spin physics for ultrafast magnetism control: THz spintronic devices. This makes the field of ultrafast spin-dynamics an emerging topic open for many researchers right now.

Adoption and resistance: reflections on human, organizational, and information technologies in picture archive and communication systems (PACS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sappington, Rodney W.

2005-04-01

In research conducted at academic and community hospitals in the United States since 2001, this paper examines complex human and technological relationships employed to renegotiate behavior within hospital administrative and clinical cultures. In the planning and implementation of PACS in a four-facility hospital we will enter into what can be described as processes of "adoption" and "resistance", seemingly opposite approaches to system implementation, which I argue are in fact key responses to planning, design, and customization of imaging and information systems in a context of convergence. In a larger context of convergence known as NBIC tools (nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive sciences) it has become increasingly clear to leaders in the field that it is essential to redesign organizational technologies. A novel system has little chance of being fully utilized by conventional organizational structures in an era of system convergence. The challenge of embracing a larger systems perspective lies in opening untapped potential within the healthcare enterprise by preparing the ground for reflection on new approaches to training, and bridging specialized knowledge across computer engineering, clinical decision making, and organizational perspectives for the benefit of patient care. Case studies will demonstrate how organizational and system design technologies are crucial in insuring that PACS implementation strategies can encourage the emergence of new levels of quality for patient care. The goal is to provide successful design-build models that are true to organizational specificity, persons, and clinical practices undergoing change and uncertainty.

[The origins of the basic healthcare system in Brazil: the District System of Sanitation Administration].

PubMed

Campos, Carlos Eduardo Aguilera

2007-01-01

There exists an interaction between multiple issues involving policy making, the building of knowledge and the implementation of practices in the health sector, which results in the particular way health services are provided in different historical contexts. The emergence and consolidation of sanitation organization was the result of a political process based on an idea of meeting the needs perceived in a given historical context. The historical course taken by the basic healthcare system in Brazil is analyzed from the perspective of its organizational and welfare principles, its expansion in physical terms, and its function within the public health system between 1918 and 1942. The article seeks to describe in detail the antecedents and initiatives taken in the establishment of a district system of sanitation administration, first in Rio de Janeiro and later across Brazil, which was a precursor of the basic healthcare system in Brazil.

Evolution of Geometric Sensitivity Derivatives from Computer Aided Design Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, William T.; Lazzara, David; Haimes, Robert

2010-01-01

The generation of design parameter sensitivity derivatives is required for gradient-based optimization. Such sensitivity derivatives are elusive at best when working with geometry defined within the solid modeling context of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems. Solid modeling CAD systems are often proprietary and always complex, thereby necessitating ad hoc procedures to infer parameter sensitivity. A new perspective is presented that makes direct use of the hierarchical associativity of CAD features to trace their evolution and thereby track design parameter sensitivity. In contrast to ad hoc methods, this method provides a more concise procedure following the model design intent and determining the sensitivity of CAD geometry directly to its respective defining parameters.

Knowns and unknowns in metabolomics identified by multidimensional NMR and hybrid MS/NMR methods

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

Bingol, Kerem; Brüschweiler, Rafael

Metabolomics continues to make rapid progress through the development of new and better methods and their applications to gain insight into the metabolism of a wide range of different biological systems from a systems biology perspective. Customization of NMR databases and search tools allows the faster and more accurate identification of known metabolites, whereas the identification of unknowns, without a need for extensive purification, requires new strategies to integrate NMR with mass spectrometry, cheminformatics, and computational methods. For some applications, the use of covalent and non-covalent attachments in the form of labeled tags or nanoparticles can significantly reduce the complexitymore » of these tasks.« less

A power-efficient analog integrated circuit for amplification and detection of neural signals.

PubMed

Borghi, T; Bonfanti, A; Gusmeroli, R; Zambra, G; Spinelli, A S

2008-01-01

We present a neural amplifier that optimizes the trade-off between power consumption and noise performance down to the best so far reported. In the perspective of realizing a fully autonomous implantable system we also address the problem of spike detection by using a new simple algorithm and we discuss the implementation with analog integrated circuits. Implemented in 0.35-microm CMOS technology and with total current consumption of about 20 microA, the whole circuit occupies an area of 0.18 mm(2). Reduced power consumption and small area make it suited to be used in chronic multichannel recording systems for neural prosthetics and neuroscience experiments.

Making the Case for Reusable Booster Systems: The Operations Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zapata, Edgar

2012-01-01

Presentation to the Aeronautics Space Engineering Board National Research Council Reusable Booster System: Review and Assessment Committee. Addresses: the criteria and assumptions used in the formulation of current RBS plans; the methodologies used in the current cost estimates for RBS; the modeling methodology used to frame the business case for an RBS capability including: the data used in the analysis, the models' robustness if new data become available, and the impact of unclassified government data that was previously unavailable and which will be supplied by the USAF; the technical maturity of key elements critical to RBS implementation and the ability of current technology development plans to meet technical readiness milestones.

Trace Minerals and Livestock: Not Too Much Not Too Little

PubMed Central

López-Alonso, Marta

2012-01-01

The new approaches of the animal production systems make managing the mineral nutrition a challenge. Versus the excessive, trace mineral supply in intensively managed livestock, well above the physiological requirements, is the no trace mineral supplementation of organic systems, which become highly dependent on trace minerals in the soil. Nowadays, in addition to the animal health perspective, trace mineral nutrition must be environment friendly and allow getting mineral-enriched animal products. We are in a new scenario, where a balance between animal trace mineral needs and limits is needed. This papers focuses on different aspects that will help us to enter a critical dialogue in relation to animal-human-environment. PMID:23762589

Reflecting on the efficacy of cognitive mapping for decision-making in intellectual disability care: a case study.

PubMed

Duryan, Meri; Nikolik, Dragan; van Merode, Godefridus; Curfs, Leopold M G

2015-01-01

The central aspect of this study is a set of reflections on the efficacy of soft operational research techniques in understanding the dynamics of a complex system such as intellectual disability (ID) care providers. Organizations providing services to ID patients are complex and have many interacting stakeholders with often different and competing interests. Understanding the causes for failures in complex systems is crucial for appreciating the multiple perspectives of the key stakeholders of the system. Knowing the factors that adversely affect delivery of a patient-centred care by ID provider organizations offers the potential for identifying more effective resource-allocation solutions. The authors suggest cognitive mapping as a starting point for system dynamics modelling of optimal resource-allocation projects in ID care. The application of the method is illustrated via a case study in one of the ID care providers in the Netherlands. The paper discusses some of the practical implications of applying problem-structuring methods that support gathering feedback from vulnerable service users and front-line workers. The authors concluded that cognitive mapping technique can assist the management of healthcare organizations in strategic decision-making. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

You Can't Make Me Do It, but I Could Be Persuaded: A Federalism Perspective on the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Haeder, Simon F; Weimer, David L

2015-04-01

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) seeks to change fundamentally the US health care system. The responses of states have been diverse and changing. What explains these diverse and dynamic responses? We examine the decision making of states concerning the creation of Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan programs and insurance marketplaces and the expansion of Medicaid in historical context. This frames our analysis and its implications for future health reform in broader perspective by identifying a number of characteristics of state-federal grants programs: (1) slow and uneven implementation; (2) wide variation across states; (3) accommodation by the federal government; (4) ideological conflict; (5) state response to incentives; (6) incomplete take-up rates of eligible individuals; and (7) programs as stepping-stones and wedges. Assessing the implementation of the three main components of the ACA, we find that partisanship exerts significant influence, yet less so in the case of Medicaid expansion. Moreover, factors specific to the insurance market also play an important role. Finally, we conclude by applying the themes to the ACA and offer an outlook for its continuing implementation. Specifically, we expect a gradual move toward universal state participation in the ACA, especially with respect to Medicaid expansion. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

Variations in cost calculations in spine surgery cost-effectiveness research.

PubMed

Alvin, Matthew D; Miller, Jacob A; Lubelski, Daniel; Rosenbaum, Benjamin P; Abdullah, Kalil G; Whitmore, Robert G; Benzel, Edward C; Mroz, Thomas E

2014-06-01

Cost-effectiveness research in spine surgery has been a prominent focus over the last decade. However, there has yet to be a standardized method developed for calculation of costs in such studies. This lack of a standardized costing methodology may lead to conflicting conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of an intervention for a specific diagnosis. The primary objective of this study was to systematically review all cost-effectiveness studies published on spine surgery and compare and contrast various costing methodologies used. The authors performed a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness literature related to spine surgery. All cost-effectiveness analyses pertaining to spine surgery were identified using the cost-effectiveness analysis registry database of the Tufts Medical Center Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy, and the MEDLINE database. Each article was reviewed to determine the study subject, methodology, and results. Data were collected from each study, including costs, interventions, cost calculation method, perspective of cost calculation, and definitions of direct and indirect costs if available. Thirty-seven cost-effectiveness studies on spine surgery were included in the present study. Twenty-seven (73%) of the studies involved the lumbar spine and the remaining 10 (27%) involved the cervical spine. Of the 37 studies, 13 (35%) used Medicare reimbursements, 12 (32%) used a case-costing database, 3 (8%) used cost-to-charge ratios (CCRs), 2 (5%) used a combination of Medicare reimbursements and CCRs, 3 (8%) used the United Kingdom National Health Service reimbursement system, 2 (5%) used a Dutch reimbursement system, 1 (3%) used the United Kingdom Department of Health data, and 1 (3%) used the Tricare Military Reimbursement system. Nineteen (51%) studies completed their cost analysis from the societal perspective, 11 (30%) from the hospital perspective, and 7 (19%) from the payer perspective. Of those studies with a societal perspective, 14 (38%) reported actual indirect costs. Changes in cost have a direct impact on the value equation for concluding whether an intervention is cost-effective. It is essential to develop a standardized, accurate means of calculating costs. Comparability and transparency are essential, such that studies can be compared properly and policy makers can be appropriately informed when making decisions for our health care system based on the results of these studies.

Remembering Sappho: New Perspectives on Teaching (and Writing) Women's Rhetorical History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enoch, Jessica; Jack, Jordynn

2011-01-01

Remembering Sappho, from a pedagogical perspective, usually means that teachers bring recovered women's rhetorics into the classroom, prompting students to come to know women as rhetorical agents by analyzing the rhetorical strategies they used to make their voices heard. Teaching women's rhetorics in this way works toward the ultimate goal of…

Teaching International Business Law: A Liberal Arts Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Diane B.; Ramaglia, Judith A.

2004-01-01

Integrating the liberal arts perspective in the study of international commerce allows students to examine the human side of doing business outside the U.S. and stimulates the imagination by exploring the contributions made to business practices by other cultures. This approach is one way to enrich the student learning experience and to make the…

Scientist-Practitioner Perspectives on Test Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenberg, James W., Ed.; Goodyear, Rodney K., Ed.

The focus of this book is on the way professionals use and make sense of test assessment data in their counseling. The book is oriented specifically toward those training to be psychologists or counselors, especially those interested in a scientist-practitioner orientation to clinical practice. Each of the chapters presents a perspective on test…

"I'm Terrified!": One Parent's Perspective on Facilitated Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Brian P.; Clark, Candace

1995-01-01

Perspectives on facilitated communication are presented in this transcript of a conversation between an educator and the mother of a 16-year-old son with severe disabilities. Issues discussed include the impact of facilitated communication on the parent, and the parent's preference that educators inform parents prior to making service changes. (SW)

Neo-Colonialism in Our Schools: Representations of Indigenous Perspectives in Ontario Science Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Eun-Ji Amy

2015-01-01

Motivated by the striking under-representation of Indigenous students in the field of science and technology, the Ontario Ministry of Education has attempted to integrate Aboriginal perspectives into their official curricula in hopes of making a more culturally relevant curriculum for Indigenous students. Using hermeneutic content analysis (HCA),…

Educational Theories, Cultures and Learning: A Critical Perspective. Critical Perspectives on Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Harry, Ed.; Lauder, Hugh, Ed.; Porter, Jill, Ed.

2011-01-01

"Educational Theories, Cultures and Learning" focuses on how education is understood in different cultures, the theories and related assumptions we make about learners and students and how we think about them, and how we can understand the principle actors in education--learners and teachers. Within this volume, internationally renowned…

Community Redefined: School Leaders Moving from Autonomy to Global Interdependence through Short-Term Study Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fine, Janis B.; McNamara, Krista W.

2011-01-01

In times of increased global interdependence, producing inter-culturally competent school leaders who can engage in informed, ethical decision-making when confronted with problems that involve a diversity of perspectives is becoming an urgent leadership priority. Helping school leaders form and internalize a global perspective requires today's…

Beginning Teachers' Perspectives on Attributes for Teaching Secondary Mathematics: Reflections on Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserman, Nicholas H.; Ham, Edward

2013-01-01

The aim of this collaborative study was to understand what factors beginning secondary mathematics teachers attribute their success to in the classroom, regardless of their preparation program. Further description of how and when beginning teachers reported acquiring important teaching attributes provides a perspective on how they make the…

The Lifecycle of Trust in Educational Leadership: An Ecological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutsyuruba, Benjamin; Walker, Keith

2015-01-01

As establishing and fostering trust are imperative activities for school leaders, cognizance of the fundamental importance of trust is essential for the leader's moral agency and ethical decision-making. In this article, we use an ecological perspective to uncover the dynamics of the lifecycle of trust as evident from extant literature on…

Parental Involvement and Participation in German Schools: Insights from Historical, Jurisdictional, and Empirical Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brauckmann, Stefan; Geißler, Gert; Weishaupt, Horst

2013-01-01

This article starts with a historical perspective on parental involvement in German schools' decision making in the context of historical developments and societal conditions as well as those specific to federal states. Subsequently, a presentation of contemporary school legislation highlights parental rights and duties with respect to parental…

European Qualifications Framework: Weighing Some Pros and Cons out of a French Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouder, Annie

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to question the appropriateness of a proposal for a new European Qualifications Framework. The framework has three perspectives: historical; analytical; and national. Design/methodology/approach: The approaches are diverse since the first insists on the institutional and decision-making processes at European…

Economic evaluation of pharmacogenomics: a value-based approach to pragmatic decision making in the face of complexity.

PubMed

Snyder, Susan R; Mitropoulou, Christina; Patrinos, George P; Williams, Marc S

2014-01-01

Evidence of the value of pharmacogenomic testing is needed to inform policymakers and clinicians for decision making related to adoption and coverage, and to facilitate prioritization for research and development. Pharmacogenomics has an important role in creating a more efficient healthcare system, and this article addresses how economic evaluation can strategically target evidence gaps for public health priorities with examples from pharmacogenomic medicine. This article begins with a review of the need for and use of economic evaluations in value-based decision making for pharmacogenomic testing. Three important gaps are described with examples demonstrating how they can be addressed: (1) projected impact of hypothetical new technology, (2) pre-implementation assessment of a specific technology, and (3) post-implementation assessment from relevant analytical stakeholder perspectives. Additional needs, challenges and approaches specific to pharmacogenomic economic evaluation in the developing world are also identified. These pragmatic approaches can provide much needed evidence to support real-world value-based decision making for pharmacogenomic-based screening and treatment strategies. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Alternative Architectures for Distributed Cooperative Problem-Solving in the National Airspace System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Phillip J.; Billings, Charles; McCoy, C. Elaine; Orasanu, Judith

1999-01-01

The air traffic management system in the United States is an example of a distributed problem solving system. It has elements of both cooperative and competitive problem-solving. This system includes complex organizations such as Airline Operations Centers (AOCs), the FAA Air Traffic Control Systems Command Center (ATCSCC), and traffic management units (TMUs) at enroute centers and TRACONs, all of which have a major focus on strategic decision-making. It also includes individuals concerned more with tactical decisions (such as air traffic controllers and pilots). The architecture for this system has evolved over time to rely heavily on the distribution of tasks and control authority in order to keep cognitive complexity manageable for any one individual operator, and to provide redundancy (both human and technological) to serve as a safety net to catch the slips or mistakes that any one person or entity might make. Currently, major changes are being considered for this architecture, especially with respect to the locus of control, in an effort to improve efficiency and safety. This paper uses a series of case studies to help evaluate some of these changes from the perspective of system complexity, and to point out possible alternative approaches that might be taken to improve system performance. The paper illustrates the need to maintain a clear understanding of what is required to assure a high level of performance when alternative system architectures and decompositions are developed.

Teachers as Decision-Makers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shedd, Joseph B.; And Others

Scholars working from various perspectives are beginning to define teaching as a decision-making process. Research shows that teachers are reflective and connect knowledge to situations through observation, understanding, analysis, interpretation, and decision-making. This paper provides empirical evidence to show the relationship of…

Perspectives on Measurement Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Airasian, Peter W.

1991-01-01

This paper seeks to identify ways of making measurement more relevant to classroom teachers, and making classroom realities more apparent to measurement specialists. Measurement elements of teacher education textbooks and courses, nontraditional assessment topics, informal classroom measurement techniques, terminological issues, and three types of…

Bounded Rationality, Emotions and Older Adult Decision Making: Not so Fast and yet so Frugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanoch, Yaniv; Wood, Stacey; Rice, Thomas

2007-01-01

Herbert Simon's work on bounded rationality has had little impact on researchers studying older adults' decision making. This omission is surprising, as human constraints on computation and memory are exacerbated in older adults. The study of older adults' decision-making processes could benefit from employing a bounded rationality perspective,…

Using Issues-Based Art Education to Facilitate Middle School Students' Learning in Racial Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Dan

2018-01-01

Issues-based art education encourages students to express their perspectives on different social issues through art making. In this article, the author discusses racial issues with middle school students through contemporary artwork discussion and hands-on poster making. The difficulties that students encounter in their poster making session will…

An Integrative Process Approach on Judgment and Decision Making: The Impact of Arousal, Affect, Motivation, and Cognitive Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roets, Arne; Van Hiel, Alain

2011-01-01

This article aims to integrate the findings from various research traditions on human judgment and decision making, focusing on four process variables: arousal, affect, motivation, and cognitive capacity/ability. We advocate a broad perspective referred to as the integrative process approach (IPA) of decision making, in which these process…

Turning the ship: making the shift to a life-course framework.

PubMed

Rohan, Angela M; Onheiber, Patrice M; Hale, Linda J; Kruse, Terry L; Jones, Millie J; Gillespie, Katie H; Lathen, Lorraine S; Katcher, Murray L

2014-02-01

Turning a ship requires small but steady and deliberate efforts over time. During the past 9 years, Wisconsin's Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program has begun to utilize the life-course perspective as its framework for guiding efforts around women's health, early childhood systems, children and youth with special health care needs, chronic disease integration, and elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes. In collaboration with many state and national partners, Wisconsin's MCH Program has integrated the life-course perspective into efforts that include the following: increasing professional and public awareness of the framework; creating focus groups and social marketing campaigns in communities most affected by health disparities; expanding preconception and women's health initiatives; integrating with traditionally "non-MCH" programs such as chronic disease programs; and shifting Title V resources from provision of individual services to assurance of effective early childhood systems. Wisconsin's implementation of the life-course perspective has not been without challenges, but opportunities have also been identified along the journey. Initial efforts focused on training and supporting partners in their understanding and application of the life-course framework, and a train-the-trainer model was discovered to be key to achieving these goals. We took care to engage special populations and their advocates and to work closely with local communities. We hope that the lessons we have learned in this process will provide guidance for others as they work to incorporate life course into their MCH work. The life-course perspective has helped us to inform partners, policy makers, and funders of the need for a new approach in addressing racial and ethnic disparities in health.