Higher Education Ranking and Leagues Tables: Lessons Learned from Benchmarking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proulx, Roland

2007-01-01

The paper intends to contribute to the debate on ranking and league tables by adopting a critical approach to ranking methodologies from the point of view of a university benchmarking exercise. The absence of a strict benchmarking exercise in the ranking process has been, in the opinion of the author, one of the major problems encountered in the…

Common statistical and research design problems in manuscripts submitted to high-impact psychiatry journals: what editors and reviewers want authors to know.

PubMed

Harris, Alex H S; Reeder, Rachelle; Hyun, Jenny K

2009-10-01

Journal editors and statistical reviewers are often in the difficult position of catching serious problems in submitted manuscripts after the research is conducted and data have been analyzed. We sought to learn from editors and reviewers of major psychiatry journals what common statistical and design problems they most often find in submitted manuscripts and what they wished to communicate to authors regarding these issues. Our primary goal was to facilitate communication between journal editors/reviewers and researchers/authors and thereby improve the scientific and statistical quality of research and submitted manuscripts. Editors and statistical reviewers of 54 high-impact psychiatry journals were surveyed to learn what statistical or design problems they encounter most often in submitted manuscripts. Respondents completed the survey online. The authors analyzed survey text responses using content analysis procedures to identify major themes related to commonly encountered statistical or research design problems. Editors and reviewers (n=15) who handle manuscripts from 39 different high-impact psychiatry journals responded to the survey. The most commonly cited problems regarded failure to map statistical models onto research questions, improper handling of missing data, not controlling for multiple comparisons, not understanding the difference between equivalence and difference trials, and poor controls in quasi-experimental designs. The scientific quality of psychiatry research and submitted reports could be greatly improved if researchers became sensitive to, or sought consultation on frequently encountered methodological and analytic issues.

A Bayesian approach to truncated data sets: An application to Malmquist bias in Supernova Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

March, Marisa Cristina

2018-01-01

A problem commonly encountered in statistical analysis of data is that of truncated data sets. A truncated data set is one in which a number of data points are completely missing from a sample, this is in contrast to a censored sample in which partial information is missing from some data points. In astrophysics this problem is commonly seen in a magnitude limited survey such that the survey is incomplete at fainter magnitudes, that is, certain faint objects are simply not observed. The effect of this `missing data' is manifested as Malmquist bias and can result in biases in parameter inference if it is not accounted for. In Frequentist methodologies the Malmquist bias is often corrected for by analysing many simulations and computing the appropriate correction factors. One problem with this methodology is that the corrections are model dependent. In this poster we derive a Bayesian methodology for accounting for truncated data sets in problems of parameter inference and model selection. We first show the methodology for a simple Gaussian linear model and then go on to show the method for accounting for a truncated data set in the case for cosmological parameter inference with a magnitude limited supernova Ia survey.

The instrumental genesis process in future primary teachers using Dynamic Geometry Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-López, Natalia

2018-05-01

This paper, which describes a study undertaken with pairs of future primary teachers using GeoGebra software to solve geometry problems, includes a brief literature review, the theoretical framework and methodology used. An analysis of the instrumental genesis process for a pair participating in the case study is also provided. This analysis addresses the techniques and types of dragging used, the obstacles to learning encountered, a description of the interaction between the pair and their interaction with the teacher, and the type of language used. Based on this analysis, possibilities and limitations of the instrumental genesis process are identified for the development of geometric competencies such as conjecture creation, property checking and problem researching. It is also suggested that the methodology used in the analysis of the problem solving process may be useful for those teachers and researchers who want to integrate Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) in their classrooms.

Psychiatric research: what ethical concerns do LRECs encounter? A postal survey. Local research ethics committees.

PubMed

Osborn, D P J; Fulford, K W M

2003-02-01

Psychiatric research can occasionally present particular ethical dilemmas, but it is not clear what kind of problems local research ethics committees (LRECs) actually experience in this field. We aimed to assess the type of problems that committees encounter with psychiatric research, using a postal survey of 211 LRECs. One hundred and seven (51%) of those written to replied within the time limit. Twenty eight (26%) experienced few problems with psychiatric applications. Twenty six (24%) emphasised the value of a psychiatric expert on the committee. The most common issues raised were informed consent (n=64, 60%) and confidentiality (n=17, 16%). The use of placebos (and washout periods) (n=18, 17%), the validity of psychiatric questionnaires (n=16, 15%) and overuse of psychiatric "jargon" (n=14, 13%) in psychiatric applications also raised concern. Our results suggest that LRECs have specific concerns regarding methodology, consent, and confidentiality in psychiatric research, and that they find psychiatric input invaluable.

Investigation of Nonlinear Pressurization and Model Restart in MSC/NASTRAN for Modeling Thin Film Inflatable Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smalley, Kurt B.; Tinker, Michael L.; Fischer, Richard T.

2001-01-01

This paper is written for the purpose of providing an introduction and set of guidelines for the use of a methodology for NASTRAN eigenvalue modeling of thin film inflatable structures. It is hoped that this paper will spare the reader from the problems and headaches the authors were confronted with during their investigation by presenting here not only an introduction and verification of the methodology, but also a discussion of the problems that this methodology can ensue. Our goal in this investigation was to verify the basic methodology through the creation and correlation of a simple model. An overview of thin film structures, their history, and their applications is given. Previous modeling work is then briefly discussed. An introduction is then given for the method of modeling. The specific mechanics of the method are then discussed in parallel with a basic discussion of NASTRAN s implementation of these mechanics. The problems encountered with the method are then given along with suggestions for their work-a-rounds. The methodology is verified through the correlation between an analytical model and modal test results of a thin film strut. Recommendations are given for the needed advancement of our understanding of this method and ability to accurately model thin film structures. Finally, conclusions are drawn regarding the usefulness of the methodology.

Challenges in conducting qualitative research in health: A conceptual paper

PubMed Central

Khankeh, Hamidreza; Ranjbar, Maryam; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Johansson, Eva

2015-01-01

Background: Qualitative research focuses on social world and provides the tools to study health phenomena from the perspective of those experiencing them. Identifying the problem, forming the question, and selecting an appropriate methodology and design are some of the initial challenges that researchers encounter in the early stages of any research project. These problems are particularly common for novices. Materials and Methods: This article describes the practical challenges of using qualitative inquiry in the field of health and the challenges of performing an interpretive research based on professional experience as a qualitative researcher and on available literature. Results: One of the main topics discussed is the nature of qualitative research, its inherent challenges, and how to overcome them. Some of those highlighted here include: identification of the research problem, formation of the research question/aim, and selecting an appropriate methodology and research design, which are the main concerns of qualitative researchers and need to be handled properly. Insights from real-life experiences in conducting qualitative research in health reveal these issues. Conclusions: The paper provides personal comments on the experiences of a researcher in conducting pure qualitative research in the field of health. It offers insights into the practical difficulties encountered when performing qualitative studies and offers solutions and alternatives applied by these authors, which may be of use to others. PMID:26793245

A methodology of SiP testing based on boundary scan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, He; Quan, Haiyang; Han, Yifei; Zhu, Tianrui; Zheng, Tuo

2017-10-01

System in Package (SiP) play an important role in portable, aerospace and military electronic with the microminiaturization, light weight, high density, and high reliability. At present, SiP system test has encountered the problem on system complexity and malfunction location with the system scale exponentially increase. For SiP system, this paper proposed a testing methodology and testing process based on the boundary scan technology. Combining the character of SiP system and referencing the boundary scan theory of PCB circuit and embedded core test, the specific testing methodology and process has been proposed. The hardware requirement of the under test SiP system has been provided, and the hardware platform of the testing has been constructed. The testing methodology has the character of high test efficiency and accurate malfunction location.

[Management of asthma in a context of ambulatory pediatrics: relevance and possibility to avoid the problems. Gruppo de lavoro pediatri dell'Abruzzo Basilicata e Puglia].

PubMed

Misticoni, G; Marchetti, F; D'Andrea, N

1994-01-01

41 pediatricians agreed to register on a very simple form, all the cases of children affected by bronchial asthma visited in their clinic during october 1993. The data included basic information related to the therapy prescribed, its duration, a judgement on the efficacy of symptoms control and the main problems encountered with the children and their families. 237 cases were reported (mean age 4.6 year, range 2 months-13 years). 80% of children were monitored by the pediatrician; 47% had allergic reactions. The main drug used for profilaxis is ketotifen, a compound without documented efficacy; the main route for drug administration (especially during acute attacks) is by mouth, instead of by aerosol, evidencing problems in the health education on practical skills. In fact the main problems encountered by doctors are related to the communication with patients and families. This survey represents also a research model for involving health care providers and easily and quickly obtaining a useful, methodologically sound and interesting picture of everyday practice.

Classical and neural methods of image sequence interpolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skoneczny, Slawomir; Szostakowski, Jaroslaw

2001-08-01

An image interpolation problem is often encountered in many areas. Some examples are interpolation for coding/decoding process for transmission purposes, reconstruction a full frame from two interlaced sub-frames in normal TV or HDTV, or reconstruction of missing frames in old destroyed cinematic sequences. In this paper an overview of interframe interpolation methods is presented. Both direct as well as motion compensated interpolation techniques are given by examples. The used methodology can also be either classical or based on neural networks depending on demand of a specific interpolation problem solving person.

Methodological troubles as problems and phenomena: ethnomethodology and the question of 'method' in the social sciences.

PubMed

Greiffenhagen, Christian; Mair, Michael; Sharrock, Wes

2015-09-01

Across the disciplinary frontiers of the social sciences, studies by social scientists treating their own investigative practices as sites of empirical inquiry have proliferated. Most of these studies have been retrospective, historical, after-the-fact reconstructions of social scientific studies mixing interview data with the (predominantly textual) traces that investigations leave behind. Observational studies of in situ work in social science research are, however, relatively scarce. Ethnomethodology was an early and prominent attempt to treat social science methodology as a topic for sociological investigations and, in this paper, we draw out what we see as its distinctive contribution: namely, a focus on troubles as features of the in situ, practical accomplishment of method, in particular, the way that research outcomes are shaped by the local practices of investigators in response to the troubles they encounter along the way. Based on two case studies, we distinguish methodological troubles as problems and methodological troubles as phenomena to be studied, and suggest the latter orientation provides an alternate starting point for addressing social scientists' investigative practices. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2015.

Emerging Methodologies in Pediatric Palliative Care Research: Six Case Studies

PubMed Central

Nelson, Katherine E.; Gerhardt, Cynthia A.; Rosenberg, Abby R.; Widger, Kimberley; Faerber, Jennifer A.; Feudtner, Chris

2018-01-01

Given the broad focus of pediatric palliative care (PPC) on the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of children with potentially life-limiting illnesses and their families, PPC research requires creative methodological approaches. This manuscript, written by experienced PPC researchers, describes issues encountered in our own areas of research and the novel methods we have identified to target them. Specifically, we discuss potential approaches to: assessing symptoms among nonverbal children, evaluating medical interventions, identifying and treating problems related to polypharmacy, addressing missing data in longitudinal studies, evaluating longer-term efficacy of PPC interventions, and monitoring for inequities in PPC service delivery. PMID:29495384

Toward the Long-Term Scientific Study of Encounter Group Phenomena: I. Methodological Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Michael Jay; Shapiro, Jerrold Lee

This paper proposes a model for the long-term scientific study of encounter, T-, and sensitivity groups. The authors see the need for overcoming major methodological and design inadequacies of such research. They discuss major methodological flaws in group outcome research as including: (1) lack of adequate base rate or pretraining measures; (2)…

Modifications to give HOPE/MDC 2.0 the capability to solve for or consider vent forces: Mission planning, mission analysis, and software formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zyla, L. V.

1979-01-01

The modifications are described as necessary to give the Houston Operations Predictor/Estimator (HOPE) program the capability to solve for or consider vent forces for orbit determination. The model implemented in solving for vent forces is described along with the integrator problems encountered. A summary derivation of the mathematical principles applicable to solve/consider methodology is provided.

Changes in the methodology used in the production of the Spanish CORINE: Uncertainty analysis of the new maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Álvarez, David; Camacho Olmedo, María Teresa

2017-12-01

Since 2012 CORINE has been obtained in Spain from the generalization of a more detailed land cover map (SIOSE). This methodological change has meant the production of a new CORINE map, which is different from the existing ones. To analyze how different the new maps are from the previous ones, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the new methodology, we carried out a comparison of the CORINE obtained from both methods (traditional and generalization) for the year 2006. The new CORINE is more detailed and it is more coherent with the rest of Spanish Land Use Land Cover (LULC) maps. However, problems have been encountered with regard to the meaning of its classes, the fragmentation of patches and the complexity of its perimeters.

Natural sampling strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallum, C. R.; Basu, J. P. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

A natural stratum-based sampling scheme and the aggregation procedures for estimating wheat area, yield, and production and their associated prediction error estimates are described. The methodology utilizes LANDSAT imagery and agrophysical data to permit an improved stratification in foreign areas by ignoring political boundaries and restratifying along boundaries that are more homogeneous with respect to the distribution of agricultural density, soil characteristics, and average climatic conditions. A summary of test results is given including a discussion of the various problems encountered.

Large-scale structural optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.

1983-01-01

Problems encountered by aerospace designers in attempting to optimize whole aircraft are discussed, along with possible solutions. Large scale optimization, as opposed to component-by-component optimization, is hindered by computational costs, software inflexibility, concentration on a single, rather than trade-off, design methodology and the incompatibility of large-scale optimization with single program, single computer methods. The software problem can be approached by placing the full analysis outside of the optimization loop. Full analysis is then performed only periodically. Problem-dependent software can be removed from the generic code using a systems programming technique, and then embody the definitions of design variables, objective function and design constraints. Trade-off algorithms can be used at the design points to obtain quantitative answers. Finally, decomposing the large-scale problem into independent subproblems allows systematic optimization of the problems by an organization of people and machines.

Reflections of the social environment in chimpanzee memory: applying rational analysis beyond humans.

PubMed

Stevens, Jeffrey R; Marewski, Julian N; Schooler, Lael J; Gilby, Ian C

2016-08-01

In cognitive science, the rational analysis framework allows modelling of how physical and social environments impose information-processing demands onto cognitive systems. In humans, for example, past social contact among individuals predicts their future contact with linear and power functions. These features of the human environment constrain the optimal way to remember information and probably shape how memory records are retained and retrieved. We offer a primer on how biologists can apply rational analysis to study animal behaviour. Using chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) as a case study, we modelled 19 years of observational data on their social contact patterns. Much like humans, the frequency of past encounters in chimpanzees linearly predicted future encounters, and the recency of past encounters predicted future encounters with a power function. Consistent with the rational analyses carried out for human memory, these findings suggest that chimpanzee memory performance should reflect those environmental regularities. In re-analysing existing chimpanzee memory data, we found that chimpanzee memory patterns mirrored their social contact patterns. Our findings hint that human and chimpanzee memory systems may have evolved to solve similar information-processing problems. Overall, rational analysis offers novel theoretical and methodological avenues for the comparative study of cognition.

Reflections of the social environment in chimpanzee memory: applying rational analysis beyond humans

PubMed Central

Marewski, Julian N.; Schooler, Lael J.; Gilby, Ian C.

2016-01-01

In cognitive science, the rational analysis framework allows modelling of how physical and social environments impose information-processing demands onto cognitive systems. In humans, for example, past social contact among individuals predicts their future contact with linear and power functions. These features of the human environment constrain the optimal way to remember information and probably shape how memory records are retained and retrieved. We offer a primer on how biologists can apply rational analysis to study animal behaviour. Using chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) as a case study, we modelled 19 years of observational data on their social contact patterns. Much like humans, the frequency of past encounters in chimpanzees linearly predicted future encounters, and the recency of past encounters predicted future encounters with a power function. Consistent with the rational analyses carried out for human memory, these findings suggest that chimpanzee memory performance should reflect those environmental regularities. In re-analysing existing chimpanzee memory data, we found that chimpanzee memory patterns mirrored their social contact patterns. Our findings hint that human and chimpanzee memory systems may have evolved to solve similar information-processing problems. Overall, rational analysis offers novel theoretical and methodological avenues for the comparative study of cognition. PMID:27853606

Multi-UAV Routing for Area Coverage and Remote Sensing with Minimum Time.

PubMed

Avellar, Gustavo S C; Pereira, Guilherme A S; Pimenta, Luciano C A; Iscold, Paulo

2015-11-02

This paper presents a solution for the problem of minimum time coverage of ground areas using a group of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) equipped with image sensors. The solution is divided into two parts: (i) the task modeling as a graph whose vertices are geographic coordinates determined in such a way that a single UAV would cover the area in minimum time; and (ii) the solution of a mixed integer linear programming problem, formulated according to the graph variables defined in the first part, to route the team of UAVs over the area. The main contribution of the proposed methodology, when compared with the traditional vehicle routing problem's (VRP) solutions, is the fact that our method solves some practical problems only encountered during the execution of the task with actual UAVs. In this line, one of the main contributions of the paper is that the number of UAVs used to cover the area is automatically selected by solving the optimization problem. The number of UAVs is influenced by the vehicles' maximum flight time and by the setup time, which is the time needed to prepare and launch a UAV. To illustrate the methodology, the paper presents experimental results obtained with two hand-launched, fixed-wing UAVs.

Communicative Language Teaching: A Practical Scenario in the Context of Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Md. Kawser

2016-01-01

Communicative Language Teaching, popularly known as CLT, has become a newly adopted methodology in the teaching and learning context of Bangladesh. This methodology, since the initiation, has encountered and is still encountering a number of hurdles that need to be dealt with best care and feasible strategy. Of all methods, most of the educational…

A promise kept.

PubMed

Harper, W James

2010-01-01

This article is largely biographical and relates to my experiences of the past 67 years in research and teaching, both of equal importance in my life. I was fortunate to start at the beginning of the development of instrumental methods of analysis and have eagerly embraced each new methodology as it became available. This paper is dedicated to all those students and colleagues who taught me much and whose efforts are mainly responsible for what has been accomplished in our work with food science and technology. The research focused primarily on trying to find out the "why" behind the problems that food, and especially the dairy products area, encountered over the past 65 years. The teaching has tried to foster thinking and problem solving.

Risk, suffering and competing narratives in the psychiatric assessment of an Iraqi refugee.

PubMed

Savy, Pauline; Sawyer, Anne-Maree

2008-03-01

This paper highlights the problem of "place" for an Iraqi refugee who, for years, had been tortured and imprisoned in his home country. Specifically, the paper presents a case study of a clinical encounter with this refugee, who had come to the attention of an Australian Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team. Drawing from narrative theory, the paper describes the chaotic nature of the encounter to show how the diverse motives, claims and actions of those present expose the struggle involved in the emplotment of an emerging narrative. The case study is constructed and analysed to illustrate the interpretive machinery of "clinical reasoning" and, in particular, the tension and play between "paradigmatic thinking" and "narrative thinking." More generally, this analysis follows the work of social scientists who seek to expand methodologies for writing about human suffering.

A review of temporal effects and outcome predictors in substance abuse treatment studies with long-term follow-ups. Preliminary results and methodological issues.

PubMed

McKay, J R; Weiss, R V

2001-04-01

This article is an initial report from a review of alcohol and drug treatment studies with follow-ups of 2 years or more. The goals of the review are to examine the stability of substance use outcomes and the factors that moderate or mediate these outcomes. Results from 12 studies that generated multiple research reports are presented, and methodological problems encountered in the review are discussed. Substance use outcomes at the group level were generally stable, although moderate within-subject variation in substance use status over time was observed. Of factors assessed at baseline, psychiatric severity was a significant predictor of outcome in the highest percentage of reports, although the nature of the relationship varied. Stronger motivation and coping at baseline also consistently predicted better drinking outcomes. Better progress while in treatment, and the performance of pro-recovery behaviors and low problem severity in associated areas following treatment, consistently predicted better substance use outcomes.

Automated control of hierarchical systems using value-driven methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pugh, George E.; Burke, Thomas E.

1990-01-01

An introduction is given to the Value-driven methodology, which has been successfully applied to solve a variety of difficult decision, control, and optimization problems. Many real-world decision processes (e.g., those encountered in scheduling, allocation, and command and control) involve a hierarchy of complex planning considerations. For such problems it is virtually impossible to define a fixed set of rules that will operate satisfactorily over the full range of probable contingencies. Decision Science Applications' value-driven methodology offers a systematic way of automating the intuitive, common-sense approach used by human planners. The inherent responsiveness of value-driven systems to user-controlled priorities makes them particularly suitable for semi-automated applications in which the user must remain in command of the systems operation. Three examples of the practical application of the approach in the automation of hierarchical decision processes are discussed: the TAC Brawler air-to-air combat simulation is a four-level computerized hierarchy; the autonomous underwater vehicle mission planning system is a three-level control system; and the Space Station Freedom electrical power control and scheduling system is designed as a two-level hierarchy. The methodology is compared with rule-based systems and with other more widely-known optimization techniques.

Neurophenomenology revisited: second-person methods for the study of human consciousness

PubMed Central

Olivares, Francisco A.; Vargas, Esteban; Fuentes, Claudio; Martínez-Pernía, David; Canales-Johnson, Andrés

2015-01-01

In the study of consciousness, neurophenomenology was originally established as a novel research program attempting to reconcile two apparently irreconcilable methodologies in psychology: qualitative and quantitative methods. Its potential relies on Francisco Varela’s idea of reciprocal constraints, in which first-person accounts and neurophysiological data mutually inform each other. However, since its first conceptualization, neurophenomenology has encountered methodological problems. These problems have emerged mainly because of the difficulty of obtaining and analyzing subjective reports in a systematic manner. However, more recently, several interview techniques for describing subjective accounts have been developed, collectively known as “second-person methods.” Second-person methods refer to interview techniques that solicit both verbal and non-verbal information from participants in order to obtain systematic and detailed subjective reports. Here, we examine the potential for employing second-person methodologies in the neurophenomenological study of consciousness and we propose three practical ideas for developing a second-person neurophenomenological method. Thus, we first describe second-person methodologies available in the literature for analyzing subjective reports, identifying specific constraints on the status of the first-, second- and third- person methods. Second, we analyze two experimental studies that explicitly incorporate second-person methods for traversing the “gap” between phenomenology and neuroscience. Third, we analyze the challenges that second-person accounts face in establishing an objective methodology for comparing results across different participants and interviewers: this is the “validation” problem. Finally, we synthesize the common aspects of the interview methods described above. In conclusion, our arguments emphasize that second-person methods represent a powerful approach for closing the gap between the experiential and the neurobiological levels of description in the study of human consciousness. PMID:26074839

Implementation of heaters on thermally actuated spacecraft mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busch, John D.; Bokaie, Michael D.

1994-01-01

This paper presents general insight into the design and implementation of heaters as used in actuating mechanisms for spacecraft. Problems and considerations that were encountered during development of the Deep Space Probe and Science Experiment (DSPSE) solar array release mechanism are discussed. Obstacles included large expected fluctuations in ambient temperature, variations in voltage supply levels outgassing concerns, heater circuit design, materials selection, and power control options. Successful resolution of these issues helped to establish a methodology which can be applied to many of the heater design challenges found in thermally actuated mechanisms.

Problems Encountered by Religious Vocational Secondary School and Other Secondary School Students in Physical Education and Sports Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bar, Mustafa; Yaman, Menzure Sibel; Hergüner, Gülten

2016-01-01

The study aimed to determine problems encountered by Religious Vocational Secondary School and other Secondary School students in physical education and sports activities and to compare these problems according to school type and gender. A questionnaire named "Problems encountered in attending to physical education and sports activities"…

Multi-UAV Routing for Area Coverage and Remote Sensing with Minimum Time

PubMed Central

Avellar, Gustavo S. C.; Pereira, Guilherme A. S.; Pimenta, Luciano C. A.; Iscold, Paulo

2015-01-01

This paper presents a solution for the problem of minimum time coverage of ground areas using a group of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) equipped with image sensors. The solution is divided into two parts: (i) the task modeling as a graph whose vertices are geographic coordinates determined in such a way that a single UAV would cover the area in minimum time; and (ii) the solution of a mixed integer linear programming problem, formulated according to the graph variables defined in the first part, to route the team of UAVs over the area. The main contribution of the proposed methodology, when compared with the traditional vehicle routing problem’s (VRP) solutions, is the fact that our method solves some practical problems only encountered during the execution of the task with actual UAVs. In this line, one of the main contributions of the paper is that the number of UAVs used to cover the area is automatically selected by solving the optimization problem. The number of UAVs is influenced by the vehicles’ maximum flight time and by the setup time, which is the time needed to prepare and launch a UAV. To illustrate the methodology, the paper presents experimental results obtained with two hand-launched, fixed-wing UAVs. PMID:26540055

Problem-based learning: an approach to enhancing learning and understanding of optics for first-year students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowe, Brian W.; Daly, Siobhan; Flynn, Cathal; Howard, Robert

2003-03-01

In this paper a model for the implementation of a problem-based learning (PBL) course for a typical year physics one programme is described. Reference is made to how PBL has been implemented in relation to geometrical and physical optics. PBL derives from the theory that learning is an active process in which the learner constructs new knowledge on the basis of current knowledge, unlike traditional teaching practices in higher education, where the emphasis is on the transmission of factual knowledge. The course consists of a set of optics related real life problems that are carefully constructed to meet specified learning outcomes. The students, working in groups, encounter these problem-solving situations and are facilitated to produce a solution. The PBL course promotes student engagement in order to achieve higher levels of cognitive learning. Evaluation of the course indicates that the students adopt a deep learning approach and that they attain a thorough understanding of the subject instead of the superficial understanding associated with surface learning. The methodology also helps students to develop metacognitive skills. Another outcome of this teaching methodology is the development of key skills such as the ability to work in a group and to communicate, and present, information effectively.

Survey of editors and reviewers of high-impact psychology journals: statistical and research design problems in submitted manuscripts.

PubMed

Harris, Alex; Reeder, Rachelle; Hyun, Jenny

2011-01-01

The authors surveyed 21 editors and reviewers from major psychology journals to identify and describe the statistical and design errors they encounter most often and to get their advice regarding prevention of these problems. Content analysis of the text responses revealed themes in 3 major areas: (a) problems with research design and reporting (e.g., lack of an a priori power analysis, lack of congruence between research questions and study design/analysis, failure to adequately describe statistical procedures); (b) inappropriate data analysis (e.g., improper use of analysis of variance, too many statistical tests without adjustments, inadequate strategy for addressing missing data); and (c) misinterpretation of results. If researchers attended to these common methodological and analytic issues, the scientific quality of manuscripts submitted to high-impact psychology journals might be significantly improved.

Crystallization of Membrane Proteins by Vapor Diffusion

PubMed Central

Delmar, Jared A.; Bolla, Jani Reddy; Su, Chih-Chia; Yu, Edward W.

2016-01-01

X-ray crystallography remains the most robust method to determine protein structure at the atomic level. However, the bottlenecks of protein expression and purification often discourage further study. In this chapter, we address the most common problems encountered at these stages. Based on our experiences in expressing and purifying antimicrobial efflux proteins, we explain how a pure and homogenous protein sample can be successfully crystallized by the vapor diffusion method. We present our current protocols and methodologies for this technique. Case studies show step-by-step how we have overcome problems related to expression and diffraction, eventually producing high quality membrane protein crystals for structural determinations. It is our hope that a rational approach can be made of the often anecdotal process of membrane protein crystallization. PMID:25950974

The origin of life and its methodological challenge.

PubMed

Wächtershäuser, G

1997-08-21

The problem of the origin of life is discussed from a methodological point of view as an encounter between the teleological thinking of the historian and the mechanistic thinking of the chemist; and as the Kantian task of replacing teleology by mechanism. It is shown how the Popperian situational logic of historic understanding and the Popperian principle of explanatory power of scientific theories, when jointly applied to biochemistry, lead to a methodology of biochemical retrodiction, whereby common precursor functions are constructed for disparate successor functions. This methodology is exemplified by central tenets of the theory of the chemo-autotrophic origin of life: the proposal of a surface metabolism with a two-dimensional order; the basic polarity of life with negatively charged constituents on positively charged mineral surfaces; the surface-metabolic origin of phosphorylated sugar metabolism and nucleic acids; the origin of membrane lipids and of chemi-osmosis on pyrite surfaces; and the principles of the origin of the genetic machinery. The theory presents the early evolution of life as a process that begins with chemical necessity and winds up in genetic chance.

[Problem-posing as a nutritional education strategy with obese teenagers].

PubMed

Rodrigues, Erika Marafon; Boog, Maria Cristina Faber

2006-05-01

Obesity is a public health issue with relevant social determinants in its etiology and where interventions with teenagers encounter complex biopsychological conditions. This study evaluated intervention in nutritional education through a problem-posing approach with 22 obese teenagers, treated collectively and individually for eight months. Speech acts were collected through the use of word cards, observer recording, and tape-recording. The study adopted a qualitative methodology, and the approach involved content analysis. Problem-posing facilitated changes in eating behavior, triggering reflections on nutritional practices, family circumstances, social stigma, interaction with health professionals, and religion. Teenagers under individual care posed problems more effectively in relation to eating, while those under collective care posed problems in relation to family and psychological issues, with effective qualitative eating changes in both groups. The intervention helped teenagers understand their life history and determinants of eating behaviors, spontaneously implementing eating changes and making them aware of possibilities for maintaining the new practices and autonomously exercising their role as protagonists in their own health care.

The Problems Encountered in a CTEV Clinic: Can Better Casting and Bracing Be Accomplished?

PubMed

Agarwal, Anil; Kumar, Anubrat; Shaharyar, Abbas; Mishra, Madhusudan

2016-09-07

The aim of the study is to create awareness in the practicing health care workers toward the problems encountered during casting and bracing of clubfoot following Ponseti method, and in turn avoid them. Retrospective audit of 6 years' clubfoot clinic records to analyze problems associated with Ponseti method. Problems were encountered in 26 cast and in 6 braced patients. Just 4 patients out of 71 syndromic (5.6%) experienced problems during casting compared with 3% overall incidence. The common problems encountered in casted patients were moisture lesions, hematoma, dermatitis due to occlusion, pressure sores, and fractures. There was excessive bleeding in 1 patient at time of tenotomy. In braced patients, pressure sores and tenderness at tenotomy site were major problems. None of the syndromic patients experienced difficulties during bracing. Problems were encountered with Ponseti method during casting, tenotomy, or bracing. Syndromic children had lesser complication rate than idiopathic clubfeet. It is important to be aware of these problems so that appropriate intervention can be done early. Level IV: Retrospective. © 2016 The Author(s).

Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) for the Shipboard Nontactical ADP Program (SNAP). Interim report

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

Duncan, L.D.; Hammons, C.E.; Hume, R.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a prototype computer aided instruction package for the Navy Management Systems Support Office. This report discusses the background of the project and the progress to date including a description of the software design, problems encountered, solutions found, and recommendations. The objective of this project is to provide a prototype that will enhance training and can be used as a shipboard refresher and retraining tool. The prototype system will be installed onboard ships where Navy personnel will have ready access to the training. The subsequent testing and evaluation of the prototype could provide the basismore » for a Navy-wide effort to implement computer aided instruction. The work to date has followed a rigorous structured analysis methodology based on the Yourdon/DeMarco techniques. A set of data flow diagrams and a data dictionary are included in the appendices. The problems encountered revolve around requirements to use existing hardware, software, and programmer capabilities for development, implementation, and maintenance of the instructional software. Solutions have been developed which will allow the software to exist in the given environment and still provide advanced features not available in commercial courses.« less

[Survey on drug-related problems in Lithuania's pharmacies].

PubMed

Kubiliene, Loreta; Liukenskyte, Simona; Savickas, Arūnas; Jureniene, Kristina

2006-01-01

to survey the most common and the most important drug-related problems in Lithuania, to explore their solution and factors influencing it, to formulate recommendations for solving drug-related problems. Pharmacists from community pharmacies participated in a random survey. They filled in questionnaires about drug-related problems and their solutions. It was the first survey on drug-related problems ever carried out in Lithuania. For the first time, it was found out that in Lithuania pharmacists most commonly encountered drug-related problem--additional drug therapy (52.03% of respondents)--and most rarely encountered drug-related problem--dosage too high (3% of respondents). Pharmacists stated that all categories of drug-related problems were of equal importance. It was established that pharmacists commonly solved drug-related problems associated with noncompliance with instructions (72.5% of respondents) and rarely met the problem when improper drug was selected (39.56% of respondents). Patients taking prescription medicines commonly encounter additional drug therapy problem, and patients taking nonprescription medications commonly encounter problems related to noncompliance with instructions.

Revisiting Rossion and Pourtois with new ratings for automated complexity, familiarity, beauty, and encounter.

PubMed

Forsythe, Alex; Street, Nichola; Helmy, Mai

2017-08-01

Differences between norm ratings collected when participants are asked to consider more than one picture characteristic are contrasted with the traditional methodological approaches of collecting ratings separately for image constructs. We present data that suggest that reporting normative data, based on methodological procedures that ask participants to consider multiple image constructs simultaneously, could potentially confounded norm data. We provide data for two new image constructs, beauty and the extent to which participants encountered the stimuli in their everyday lives. Analysis of this data suggests that familiarity and encounter are tapping different image constructs. The extent to which an observer encounters an object predicts human judgments of visual complexity. Encountering an image was also found to be an important predictor of beauty, but familiarity with that image was not. Taken together, these results suggest that continuing to collect complexity measures from human judgments is a pointless exercise. Automated measures are more reliable and valid measures, which are demonstrated here as predicting human preferences.

Anthropometric accommodation in USAF cockpits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zehner, Gregory F.

1994-01-01

Over the past three years, a new set of methodologies has been developed to specify and evaluate anthropometric accommodation in USAF crewstation designs. These techniques are used to improve the ability of the pilot to reach controls, to safely escape the aircraft, to achieve adequate mobility and comfort, and to assure full access to the visual field both inside and outside the aircraft. This paper summarized commonly encountered aircraft accommodation problems, explains the failure of the traditional 'percentile man' design concept to resolve these difficulties, and suggests an alternative approach for improving cockpit design to better accommodate today's more heterogeneous flying population.

Problems in Classifying Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): One or Multiple Syndromes?

PubMed Central

Díaz-Mardomingo, María del Carmen; García-Herranz, Sara; Rodríguez-Fernández, Raquel; Venero, César; Peraita, Herminia

2017-01-01

As the conceptual, methodological, and technological advances applied to dementias have evolved the construct of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), one problem encountered has been its classification into subtypes. Here, we aim to revise the concept of MCI and its subtypes, addressing the problems of classification not only from the psychometric point of view or by using alternative methods, such as latent class analysis, but also considering the absence of normative data. In addition to the well-known influence of certain factors on cognitive function, such as educational level and cultural traits, recent studies highlight the relevance of other factors that may significantly affect the genesis and evolution of MCI: subjective memory complaints, loneliness, social isolation, etc. The present work will contemplate the most relevant attempts to clarify the issue of MCI categorization and classification, combining our own data with that from recent studies which suggest the role of relevant psychosocial factors in MCI. PMID:28862676

Ten-Ecosystem Study. [Grand and Weld Counties, Colorado; Warren County, Pennsylvania; St. Louis County, Minnesota; Sandoval County, New Mexico; Kershaw County, South Carolina; Fort Yukon, Alaska; Grays Harbor County, Washington; and Washington County, Missouri.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazade, A. V. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Remote sensing methodology developed for the Nationwide Forestry Applications Program utilize computer data processing procedures for performing inventories from satellite imagery. The Ten-Ecosystem Study (TES) was developed to test the processing procedures in an intermediate-sized application study. The results of TES indicate that LANDSAT multispectral imagery and associated automatic data processing techniques can be used to distinguish softwood, hardwood, grassland, and water and make inventory of these classes with an accuracy of 70 percent or better. The technical problems encountered during the TES and the solutions and insights to these problems are discussed. The TES experience is useful in planning subsequent inventories utilizing remote sensing technology.

16S rRNA beacons for bacterial monitoring during human space missions.

PubMed

Larios-Sanz, Maia; Kourentzi, Katerina D; Warmflash, David; Jones, Jeffrey; Pierson, Duane L; Willson, Richard C; Fox, George E

2007-04-01

Microorganisms are unavoidable in space environments and their presence has, at times, been a source of problems. Concerns about disease during human space missions are particularly important considering the significant changes the immune system incurs during spaceflight and the history of microbial contamination aboard the Mir space station. Additionally, these contaminants may have adverse effects on instrumentation and life-support systems. A sensitive, highly specific system to detect, characterize, and monitor these microbial populations is essential. Herein we describe a monitoring approach that uses 16S rRNA targeted molecular beacons to successfully detect several specific bacterial groupings. This methodology will greatly simplify in-flight monitoring by minimizing sample handling and processing. We also address and provide solutions to target accessibility problems encountered in hybridizations that target 16S rRNA.

On the Soil Roughness Parameterization Problem in Soil Moisture Retrieval of Bare Surfaces from Synthetic Aperture Radar

PubMed Central

Verhoest, Niko E.C; Lievens, Hans; Wagner, Wolfgang; Álvarez-Mozos, Jesús; Moran, M. Susan; Mattia, Francesco

2008-01-01

Synthetic Aperture Radar has shown its large potential for retrieving soil moisture maps at regional scales. However, since the backscattered signal is determined by several surface characteristics, the retrieval of soil moisture is an ill-posed problem when using single configuration imagery. Unless accurate surface roughness parameter values are available, retrieving soil moisture from radar backscatter usually provides inaccurate estimates. The characterization of soil roughness is not fully understood, and a large range of roughness parameter values can be obtained for the same surface when different measurement methodologies are used. In this paper, a literature review is made that summarizes the problems encountered when parameterizing soil roughness as well as the reported impact of the errors made on the retrieved soil moisture. A number of suggestions were made for resolving issues in roughness parameterization and studying the impact of these roughness problems on the soil moisture retrieval accuracy and scale. PMID:27879932

A Methodology and Implementation for Annotating Digital Images for Context-appropriate Use in an Academic Health Care Environment

PubMed Central

Goede, Patricia A.; Lauman, Jason R.; Cochella, Christopher; Katzman, Gregory L.; Morton, David A.; Albertine, Kurt H.

2004-01-01

Use of digital medical images has become common over the last several years, coincident with the release of inexpensive, mega-pixel quality digital cameras and the transition to digital radiology operation by hospitals. One problem that clinicians, medical educators, and basic scientists encounter when handling images is the difficulty of using business and graphic arts commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software in multicontext authoring and interactive teaching environments. The authors investigated and developed software-supported methodologies to help clinicians, medical educators, and basic scientists become more efficient and effective in their digital imaging environments. The software that the authors developed provides the ability to annotate images based on a multispecialty methodology for annotation and visual knowledge representation. This annotation methodology is designed by consensus, with contributions from the authors and physicians, medical educators, and basic scientists in the Departments of Radiology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Dermatology, and Ophthalmology at the University of Utah. The annotation methodology functions as a foundation for creating, using, reusing, and extending dynamic annotations in a context-appropriate, interactive digital environment. The annotation methodology supports the authoring process as well as output and presentation mechanisms. The annotation methodology is the foundation for a Windows implementation that allows annotated elements to be represented as structured eXtensible Markup Language and stored separate from the image(s). PMID:14527971

76 FR 9544 - Antidumping Methodologies in Proceedings Involving Non-Market Economies: Valuing the Factor of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-18

... parties to comment on these methodological issues described above. Request for Comment on Interim Industry... comments. \\15\\ Indicator: GNI per capita, Atlas Method (current US$) is obtained from http://data.worldbank... methodology, the Department has encountered a number of methodological and practical challenges that must be...

Reconciling pairs of concurrently used clinical practice guidelines using Constraint Logic Programming.

PubMed

Wilk, Szymon; Michalowski, Martin; Michalowski, Wojtek; Hing, Marisela Mainegra; Farion, Ken

2011-01-01

This paper describes a new methodological approach to reconciling adverse and contradictory activities (called points of contention) occurring when a patient is managed according to two or more concurrently used clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The need to address these inconsistencies occurs when a patient with more than one disease, each of which is a comorbid condition, has to be managed according to different treatment regimens. We propose an automatic procedure that constructs a mathematical guideline model using the Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) methodology, uses this model to identify and mitigate encountered points of contention, and revises the considered CPGs accordingly. The proposed procedure is used as an alerting mechanism and coupled with a guideline execution engine warns the physician about potential problems with the concurrent application of two or more guidelines. We illustrate the operation of our procedure in a clinical scenario describing simultaneous use of CPGs for duodenal ulcer and transient ischemic attack.

The work of the ICRP dose calculational task group: Issues in implementation of the ICRP dosimetric methodology

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

Eckerman, K.F.

Committee 2 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has had efforts underway to provide the radiation protection community with age-dependent dose coefficients, i.e.g, the dose per unit intake. The Task Group on Dose Calculations, chaired by the author, is responsible for the computation of these coefficients. The Task Group, formed in 1974 to produce ICRP Publication 30, is now international in its membership and its work load has been distributed among the institutions represented on the task group. This paper discusses: (1) recent advances in biokinetic modeling; (2) the recent changes in the dosimetric methodology; (3) the novelmore » computational problems with some of the ICRP quantities; and (4) quality assurance issues which the Task Group has encountered. Potential future developments of the dosimetric framework which might strengthen the relationships with the emerging understanding of radiation risk will also be discussed.« less

Climbing the ladder: capability maturity model integration level 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, Bryce; Lutteroth, Christof

2011-02-01

This article details the attempt to form a complete workflow model for an information and communication technologies (ICT) company in order to achieve a capability maturity model integration (CMMI) maturity rating of 3. During this project, business processes across the company's core and auxiliary sectors were documented and extended using modern enterprise modelling tools and a The Open Group Architectural Framework (TOGAF) methodology. Different challenges were encountered with regard to process customisation and tool support for enterprise modelling. In particular, there were problems with the reuse of process models, the integration of different project management methodologies and the integration of the Rational Unified Process development process framework that had to be solved. We report on these challenges and the perceived effects of the project on the company. Finally, we point out research directions that could help to improve the situation in the future.

ASRS Reports on Wake Vortex Encounters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connell, Linda J.; Taube, Elisa Ann; Drew, Charles Robert; Barclay, Tommy Earl

2010-01-01

ASRS is conducting a structured callback research project of wake vortex incidents reported to the ASRS at all US airports, as well as wake encounters in the enroute environment. This study has three objectives: (1) Utilize the established ASRS supplemental data collection methodology and provide ongoing analysis of wake vortex encounter reports; (2) Document event dynamics and contributing factors underlying wake vortex encounter events; and (3) Support ongoing FAA efforts to address pre-emptive wake vortex risk reduction by utilizing ASRS reporting contributions.

Conducting longitudinal, process-oriented research with conflict-affected youth: Solving the inevitable challenges.

PubMed

Dubow, Eric F; Aber, J Lawrence; Betancourt, Theresa S; Cummings, E Mark; Huesmann, L Rowell

2017-02-01

The reader might get the impression that the four projects described in this Special Section proceeded in a systematic and predictable way. Of course, those of us engaged in each research project encountered pitfalls and challenges along the way. A main goal of this Special Section is to provide pathways and encouragement for those who may be interested in advancing high-quality research on this topic. In this paper, we describe a set of practical and ethical challenges that we encountered in conducting our longitudinal, process-oriented, and translational research with conflict-affected youth, and we illustrate how problems can be solved with the goal of maintaining the internal and external validity of the research designs. We are hopeful that by describing the challenges of our work, and how we overcame them, which are seldom treated in this or any other literature on research on child development in high-risk contexts, we can offer a realistic and encouraging picture of conducting methodologically sound research in conflict-affected contexts.

Tenerife revisited: the critical role of dentistry.

PubMed

Brannon, R B; Morlang, W M

2001-05-01

The authors record the contribution of dentistry to the identification of victims of one of the most significant disasters in the history of aviation-the March 1977 collision of two Boeing 747 jumbo jets in the Canary Islands, which resulted in 583 fatalities. Dental identification was the primary method of victim identification because a high percentage of the bodies were severely burned. Virtually all aspects of the U.S. identification efforts have been reported with the exception of the valuable role of dentistry. The dental team's organization, methodology, and significant contributions to forensic dentistry and a variety of remarkable problems that the team encountered are documented.

Implications of Contingency Planning Support for Weather and Icing Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vigeant-Langlois, Laurence; Hansman, R. John, Jr.

2003-01-01

A human-centered systems analysis was applied to the adverse aircraft weather encounter problem in order to identify desirable functions of weather and icing information. The importance of contingency planning was identified as emerging from a system safety design methodology as well as from results of other aviation decision-making studies. The relationship between contingency planning support and information on regions clear of adverse weather was investigated in a scenario- based analysis. A rapid prototype example of the key elements in the depiction of icing conditions was developed in a case study, and the implications for the components of the icing information system were articulated.

Pharmacy users’ expectations of pharmacy encounters: a Q‐methodological study

PubMed Central

Renberg, Tobias; Wichman Törnqvist, Kristina; Kälvemark Sporrong, Sofia; Kettis Lindblad, Åsa; Tully, Mary P.

2010-01-01

Abstract Background  Pharmacy practice is evolving according to general health‐care trends such as increased patient involvement and public health initiatives. In addition, pharmacists strive to find new professional roles. Clients’ expectations of service encounters at pharmacies is an under‐explored topic but crucial to understanding how pharmacy practice can evolve efficiently. Objective  To identify and describe different normative expectations of the pharmacy encounter among pharmacy clients. Methods  Q methodology, an approach to systematically explore subjectivity that retains complete patterns of responses and organizes these into factors of operant subjectivity. Setting and participants  Eighty‐five regular prescription medication users recruited at Swedish community pharmacies and by snowballing. Results  Seven factors of operant subjectivity were identified, and organized into two groups. Factors that emphasized the physical drug product as the central object of the pharmacy encounter were labelled as independent drug shopping; logistics of drug distribution; and supply of individual’s own drugs. Factors that emphasized personal support as desirable were labelled competence as individual support; individualist professional relations, just take care of me; and practical health‐care and lifestyle support. Discussion and conclusions  The systematic Q‐methodological approach yielded valuable insights into how pharmacy clients construct their expectations for service encounters. They hold differentiating normative expectations for pharmacy services. Understanding these varying viewpoints may be important for developing and prioritizing among efficient pharmacy services. Clients’ expectations do not correspond with trends that guide current pharmacy practice development. This might be a challenge for promoting or implementing services based on such trends. PMID:21199199

Pharmacy users' expectations of pharmacy encounters: a Q-methodological study.

PubMed

Renberg, Tobias; Wichman Törnqvist, Kristina; Kälvemark Sporrong, Sofia; Kettis Lindblad, Asa; Tully, Mary P

2011-12-01

Pharmacy practice is evolving according to general health-care trends such as increased patient involvement and public health initiatives. In addition, pharmacists strive to find new professional roles. Clients' expectations of service encounters at pharmacies is an under-explored topic but crucial to understanding how pharmacy practice can evolve efficiently. To identify and describe different normative expectations of the pharmacy encounter among pharmacy clients. Q methodology, an approach to systematically explore subjectivity that retains complete patterns of responses and organizes these into factors of operant subjectivity. Eighty-five regular prescription medication users recruited at Swedish community pharmacies and by snowballing. Seven factors of operant subjectivity were identified, and organized into two groups. Factors that emphasized the physical drug product as the central object of the pharmacy encounter were labelled as independent drug shopping; logistics of drug distribution; and supply of individual's own drugs. Factors that emphasized personal support as desirable were labelled competence as individual support; individualist professional relations, just take care of me; and practical health-care and lifestyle support. The systematic Q-methodological approach yielded valuable insights into how pharmacy clients construct their expectations for service encounters. They hold differentiating normative expectations for pharmacy services. Understanding these varying viewpoints may be important for developing and prioritizing among efficient pharmacy services. Clients' expectations do not correspond with trends that guide current pharmacy practice development. This might be a challenge for promoting or implementing services based on such trends. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Evaluating thermoregulation in reptiles: the fallacy of the inappropriately applied method.

PubMed

Seebacher, Frank; Shine, Richard

2004-01-01

Given the importance of heat in most biological processes, studies on thermoregulation have played a major role in understanding the ecology of ectothermic vertebrates. It is, however, difficult to assess whether body temperature is actually regulated, and several techniques have been developed that allow an objective assessment of thermoregulation. Almost all recent studies on reptiles follow a single methodology that, when used correctly, facilitates comparisons between species, climates, and so on. However, the use of operative temperatures in this methodology assumes zero heat capacity of the study animals and is, therefore, appropriate for small animals only. Operative temperatures represent potentially available body temperatures accurately for small animals but can substantially overestimate the ranges of body temperature available to larger animals whose slower rates of heating and cooling mean that they cannot reach equilibrium if they encounter operative temperatures that change rapidly through either space or time. This error may lead to serious misinterpretations of field data. We derive correction factors specific for body mass and rate of movement that can be used to estimate body temperature null distributions of larger reptiles, thereby overcoming this methodological problem.

Urological considerations in space medicine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockett, A. T. K.; Adey, W. R.; Roberts, A. P.

1972-01-01

Urological problems encountered during the preparation phases of Biosatellite III, flight of Bonny the Space Monkey, are detailed. The solution to each problem is detailed. The catheter system employed, antibiotic coverage used, and bacteria encountered in the urine of the five animals are detailed. Urinary calcium levels in three ground based animals are illustrated. Testicular alterations encountered in all animals are mentioned. It is concluded that space flights of duration beyond nine days may present serious problems of a urological nature.

On uncertainty quantification in hydrogeology and hydrogeophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linde, Niklas; Ginsbourger, David; Irving, James; Nobile, Fabio; Doucet, Arnaud

2017-12-01

Recent advances in sensor technologies, field methodologies, numerical modeling, and inversion approaches have contributed to unprecedented imaging of hydrogeological properties and detailed predictions at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Nevertheless, imaging results and predictions will always remain imprecise, which calls for appropriate uncertainty quantification (UQ). In this paper, we outline selected methodological developments together with pioneering UQ applications in hydrogeology and hydrogeophysics. The applied mathematics and statistics literature is not easy to penetrate and this review aims at helping hydrogeologists and hydrogeophysicists to identify suitable approaches for UQ that can be applied and further developed to their specific needs. To bypass the tremendous computational costs associated with forward UQ based on full-physics simulations, we discuss proxy-modeling strategies and multi-resolution (Multi-level Monte Carlo) methods. We consider Bayesian inversion for non-linear and non-Gaussian state-space problems and discuss how Sequential Monte Carlo may become a practical alternative. We also describe strategies to account for forward modeling errors in Bayesian inversion. Finally, we consider hydrogeophysical inversion, where petrophysical uncertainty is often ignored leading to overconfident parameter estimation. The high parameter and data dimensions encountered in hydrogeological and geophysical problems make UQ a complicated and important challenge that has only been partially addressed to date.

Identification and Management of Information Problems by Emergency Department Staff

PubMed Central

Murphy, Alison R.; Reddy, Madhu C.

2014-01-01

Patient-care teams frequently encounter information problems during their daily activities. These information problems include wrong, outdated, conflicting, incomplete, or missing information. Information problems can negatively impact the patient-care workflow, lead to misunderstandings about patient information, and potentially lead to medical errors. Existing research focuses on understanding the cause of these information problems and the impact that they can have on the hospital’s workflow. However, there is limited research on how patient-care teams currently identify and manage information problems that they encounter during their work. Through qualitative observations and interviews in an emergency department (ED), we identified the types of information problems encountered by ED staff, and examined how they identified and managed the information problems. We also discuss the impact that these information problems can have on the patient-care teams, including the cascading effects of information problems on workflow and the ambiguous accountability for fixing information problems within collaborative teams. PMID:25954457

Stratification and sample selection for multicrop experiments. [Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landgrebe, D. A. (Principal Investigator); Hixson, M. M.; Davis, B. J.; Bauer, M. E.

1978-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A stratification was performed and sample segments were selected for an initial investigation of multicrop problems in order to support development and evaluation of procedures for using LACIE and other technologies for the classification of corn and soybeans, to identify factors likely to affect classification performance, and to evaluate problems encountered and techniques which are applicable to the crop estimation problem in foreign countries. Two types of samples, low density and high density, supporting these requirements were selected as research data set for an initial evaluation of technical issues. Looking at the geographic location of the strata, the system appears to be logical and the various segments seem to represent different conditions. This result is supportive not only of the variables and the methodology employed in the stratification, but also of the validity of the data sets employed.

Application of powder densification models to the consolidation processing of composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wadley, H. N. G.; Elzey, D. M.

1991-01-01

Unidirectional fiber reinforced metal matrix composite tapes (containing a single layer of parallel fibers) can now be produced by plasma deposition. These tapes can be stacked and subjected to a thermomechanical treatment that results in a fully dense near net shape component. The mechanisms by which this consolidation step occurs are explored, and models to predict the effect of different thermomechanical conditions (during consolidation) upon the kinetics of densification are developed. The approach is based upon a methodology developed by Ashby and others for the simpler problem of HIP of spherical powders. The complex problem is devided into six, much simpler, subproblems, and then their predicted contributions are added to densification. The initial problem decomposition is to treat the two extreme geometries encountered (contact deformation occurring between foils and shrinkage of isolated, internal pores). Deformation of these two geometries is modelled for plastic, power law creep and diffusional flow. The results are reported in the form of a densification map.

Problems Encountered during the Scientific Research Process in Graduate Education: The Institute of Educational Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyürek, Erkan; Afacan, Özlem

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the problems faced by graduate students when conducting scientific research and to make suggestions for solving these problems. The research model was a case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants in the study with questions about the problems encountered during scientific research…

Response problems in a vacation panel study

Treesearch

Christine A. Vogt; Susan I. Stewart

2001-01-01

This paper investigates response problems encountered in a panel study of travel behavior. Though the overall response rate to the three-wave panel study was acceptable (over 60%), three types of response problems were encountered: refusal, non-response, and attrition. In a follow-up phone survey, a sample of individuals from each problem response group was questioned...

Bayesian models based on test statistics for multiple hypothesis testing problems.

PubMed

Ji, Yuan; Lu, Yiling; Mills, Gordon B

2008-04-01

We propose a Bayesian method for the problem of multiple hypothesis testing that is routinely encountered in bioinformatics research, such as the differential gene expression analysis. Our algorithm is based on modeling the distributions of test statistics under both null and alternative hypotheses. We substantially reduce the complexity of the process of defining posterior model probabilities by modeling the test statistics directly instead of modeling the full data. Computationally, we apply a Bayesian FDR approach to control the number of rejections of null hypotheses. To check if our model assumptions for the test statistics are valid for various bioinformatics experiments, we also propose a simple graphical model-assessment tool. Using extensive simulations, we demonstrate the performance of our models and the utility of the model-assessment tool. In the end, we apply the proposed methodology to an siRNA screening and a gene expression experiment.

Effects of crude Dubai oil on Salmo gairdneri Rich. and Carassius auratus L

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

Ramusino, M.C.; Dellavedova, P.; Zanzottera, D.

1984-03-01

In 1980, owing to the bursting of an oil pipeline, about 663 tons of crude Dubai oil poured into the river Po, the largest Italian river (northern Italy). The aim of this work was to try and identify, by way of laboratory tests, the lethal concentrations and subsequently calculate the concentration threshold value, below which mortality does not occur (safety dose). In planning and carrying out the experiments the methodological problems encountered were many, arising from the nature of the toxicants and the lack of bibliographical references about pollution by hydrocarbons of a river ecosystem. The focal point of themore » problem is precisely the absence of a working method for tests with hydrocarbons. This makes the preparation of test solutions and the exposure of the animals to the toxic important for the validity of the entire work.« less

A new methodology for royalties distribution of the Itaipu hydroelectric plant: The hydrographic basin as the unit of analysis.

PubMed

Lorenzon, Alexandre Simões; Ribeiro, Carlos Antonio Alvares Soares; Dos Santos, Alexandre Rosa; de Castro, Nero Lemos Martins; Marcatti, Gustavo Eduardo; Domingues, Getulio Fonseca; Teixeira, Thaisa Ribeiro; Silva, Elias; Soares, Vicente Paulo; Menezes, Sady Júnior Martins da Costa de; de Almeida Telles, Lucas Arthur; Mota, Pedro Henrique Santos

2018-07-01

Over the past few years, many sectors such as energy generation, industry, domestic supply, and agriculture have encountered serious environmental problems due to the lack of rainfall. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to review the current methodology of royalties distribution from Itaipu hydroelectric plant. In the proposed approach, two criteria were considered to establish the division of Itaipu royalties: (1) the relative percentage of the water flow in the generation of electricity and, (2) the relative percentage of the drop in the height of water. 62 hydroelectric plants were evaluated in this study. In 52 plants the water flow was the factor that most contributed to the generation of electricity. In 2013, 346 municipalities benefited the Itaipu royalties. With the proposed methodology, 1,327 municipalities will receive the resource, what would increase the revenue of each of these municipalities by, on average, US$ 87,436.91 per year. The methodology presented herein proposes a reduction in the environmental disparity that now exists in Brazil, through improvement to Government instruments and environmental policies. The distribution of royalties throughout the watershed can provide additional resources to support payment programs for environmental services at the state and municipality levels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does spatial attention modulate the C1 component? The jury continues to deliberate.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Hannah M; Graulty, Christian J; Hillyard, Steven A; Pitts, Michael A

The thoughful comments on our study (Baumgartner et al., this issue) that failed to replicate the C1 attention effect reported by a previous study roughly fall into three broad categories. First, the commentators identified specific differences between the two studies that may have contributed to the discrepant results. Second, they highlighted some of the theoretical and methodological problems that are encountered when trying to demonstrate attention effects on the initial evoked response in primary visual cortex. Third, they offered a number of proposals for optimizing experimental designs and analysis methods that may increase the likelihood of observing attention-related modulations of the C1. We consider each of these topics in turn.

Researching Children's Rights in Education: Sociology of Childhood Encountering Educational Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quennerstedt, Ann; Quennerstedt, Mikael

2014-01-01

This paper aims to explore and develop a theoretical approach for children's rights research in education formed through an encounter between the sociology of childhood and John Dewey's educational theory. The interest is mainly methodological, in the sense that the primary ambition of the investigation is to suggest a fruitful and useful…

Entering a Crack: An Encounter with Gossip

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Linda

2014-01-01

In this paper, I enter a crack to think otherwise about the concept "gossip". Drawing on previous scholarship engaging with Deleuzian concepts to inform research methodologies, this paper builds on this body of work. Following Deleuze and Guattari, the paper undertakes a mapping of gossip, subsequent to an encounter with a crack.…

The Methodological Benefits of Social Media: "Studying Up" in Brazil in the Facebook Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straubhaar, Rolf

2015-01-01

While conducting research on the organizational cultures of elite nonprofit organizations in Rio de Janeiro, the author encountered many access issues identified in the current literature: in particular, difficulty in encountering research subjects due to the transitional nature of educational nonprofits and the role of secretaries and…

Reconciling Pairs of Concurrently Used Clinical Practice Guidelines Using Constraint Logic Programming

PubMed Central

Wilk, Szymon; Michalowski, Martin; Michalowski, Wojtek; Hing, Marisela Mainegra; Farion, Ken

2011-01-01

This paper describes a new methodological approach to reconciling adverse and contradictory activities (called points of contention) occurring when a patient is managed according to two or more concurrently used clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The need to address these inconsistencies occurs when a patient with more than one disease, each of which is a comorbid condition, has to be managed according to different treatment regimens. We propose an automatic procedure that constructs a mathematical guideline model using the Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) methodology, uses this model to identify and mitigate encountered points of contention, and revises the considered CPGs accordingly. The proposed procedure is used as an alerting mechanism and coupled with a guideline execution engine warns the physician about potential problems with the concurrent application of two or more guidelines. We illustrate the operation of our procedure in a clinical scenario describing simultaneous use of CPGs for duodenal ulcer and transient ischemic attack. PMID:22195153

Fortuitous phenomena: on complexity, pragmatic randomised controlled trials, and knowledge for evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Thompson, Carl

2004-01-01

Many of the interventions that nurses develop and implement are in themselves complex and have to operate in situations of irreducible complexity and uncertainty. This article argues that the primary means of generating knowledge for the evidence-based deployment of complex interventions should be the pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Randomised controlled trials represent the only research design to adequately deal with that which we know and (far more importantly) that which we do not. Using the example of practice development as an exemplar for complexity, and drawing on the objections often voiced as a response to calls to make use of randomised controlled trials in nursing and nursing research, the article presents a developmental framework and some methodological solutions to problems often encountered. Randomised controlled trials, whilst undoubtedly methodologically and strategically challenging, offer the most robust basis for developing primary research knowledge on the effects of complex interventions in nursing and their active components.

A Constrained Genetic Algorithm with Adaptively Defined Fitness Function in MRS Quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papakostas, G. A.; Karras, D. A.; Mertzios, B. G.; Graveron-Demilly, D.; van Ormondt, D.

MRS Signal quantification is a rather involved procedure and has attracted the interest of the medical engineering community, regarding the development of computationally efficient methodologies. Significant contributions based on Computational Intelligence tools, such as Neural Networks (NNs), demonstrated a good performance but not without drawbacks already discussed by the authors. On the other hand preliminary application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) has already been reported in the literature by the authors regarding the peak detection problem encountered in MRS quantification using the Voigt line shape model. This paper investigates a novel constrained genetic algorithm involving a generic and adaptively defined fitness function which extends the simple genetic algorithm methodology in case of noisy signals. The applicability of this new algorithm is scrutinized through experimentation in artificial MRS signals interleaved with noise, regarding its signal fitting capabilities. Although extensive experiments with real world MRS signals are necessary, the herein shown performance illustrates the method's potential to be established as a generic MRS metabolites quantification procedure.

Response Surface Methodology Using a Fullest Balanced Model: A Re-Analysis of a Dataset in the Korean Journal for Food Science of Animal Resources.

PubMed

Rheem, Sungsue; Rheem, Insoo; Oh, Sejong

2017-01-01

Response surface methodology (RSM) is a useful set of statistical techniques for modeling and optimizing responses in research studies of food science. In the analysis of response surface data, a second-order polynomial regression model is usually used. However, sometimes we encounter situations where the fit of the second-order model is poor. If the model fitted to the data has a poor fit including a lack of fit, the modeling and optimization results might not be accurate. In such a case, using a fullest balanced model, which has no lack of fit, can fix such problem, enhancing the accuracy of the response surface modeling and optimization. This article presents how to develop and use such a model for the better modeling and optimizing of the response through an illustrative re-analysis of a dataset in Park et al. (2014) published in the Korean Journal for Food Science of Animal Resources .

Bioinspired Methodology for Artificial Olfaction

PubMed Central

Raman, Baranidharan; Hertz, Joshua L.; Benkstein, Kurt D.; Semancik, Steve

2008-01-01

Artificial olfaction is a potential tool for noninvasive chemical monitoring. Application of “electronic noses” typically involves recognition of “pretrained” chemicals, while long-term operation and generalization of training to allow chemical classification of “unknown” analytes remain challenges. The latter analytical capability is critically important, as it is unfeasible to pre-expose the sensor to every analyte it might encounter. Here, we demonstrate a biologically inspired approach where the recognition and generalization problems are decoupled and resolved in a hierarchical fashion. Analyte composition is refined in a progression from general (e.g., target is a hydrocarbon) to precise (e.g., target is ethane), using highly optimized response features for each step. We validate this approach using a MEMS-based chemiresistive microsensor array. We show that this approach, a unique departure from existing methodologies in artificial olfaction, allows the recognition module to better mitigate sensor-aging effects and to better classify unknowns, enhancing the utility of chemical sensors for real-world applications. PMID:18855409

Shuttle Orbiter Active Thermal Control Subsystem design and flight experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bond, Timothy A.; Metcalf, Jordan L.; Asuncion, Carmelo

1991-01-01

The paper examines the design of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Active Thermal Control Subsystem (ATCS) constructed for providing the vehicle and payload cooling during all phases of a mission and during ground turnaround operations. The operation of the Shuttle ATCS and some of the problems encountered during the first 39 flights of the Shuttle program are described, with special attention given to the major problems encountered with the degradation of the Freon flow rate on the Orbiter Columbia, the Flash Evaporator Subsystem mission anomalies which occurred on STS-26 and STS-34, and problems encountered with the Ammonia Boiler Subsystem. The causes and the resolutions of these problems are discussed.

A Study on the Application of Creative Problem Solving Teaching to Statistics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Ridong; Xiaohui, Su; Shieh, Chich-Jen

2017-01-01

Everyone would encounter the life issue of solving complicated problems generated by economic behaviors among all activities for making a living. Various life problems encountered therefore could be generalized by economic statistics. In other words, a lot of important events in daily life are related to economic statistics. For this reason,…

Problems Encountered by Novice Pair Programmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Brian

2008-01-01

In a study of the types of problems encountered by students that led them to seek assistance, Robins et al. [2006] found that the most common problems were related to trivial mechanics. The students in this study worked by themselves on their programming exercises. This article discusses a replication of the Robins et al. study in which the…

Manage your human sigma.

PubMed

Fleming, John H; Coffman, Curt; Harter, James K

2005-01-01

If sales and service organizations are to improve, they must learn to measure and manage the quality of the employee-customer encounter. Quality improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma are extremely useful in manufacturing contexts, but they're less useful when it comes to human interactions. To address this problem, the authors have developed a quality improvement approach they refer to as Human Sigma. It weaves together a consistent method for assessing the employee-customer encounter and a disciplined process for managing and improving it. There are several core principles for measuring and managing the employee-customer encounter: It's important not to think like an economist or an engineer when assessing interactions because emotions inform both sides' judgments and behavior. The employee-customer encounter must be measured and managed locally, because there are enormous variations in quality at the work-group and individual levels. And to improve the quality of the employee-customer interaction, organizations must conduct both short-term, transactional interventions and long-term, transformational ones. Employee engagement and customer engagement are intimately connected--and, taken together, they have an outsized effect on financial performance. They therefore need to be managed holistically. That is, the responsibility for measuring and monitoring the health of employee-customer relationships must reside within a single organizational structure, with an executive champion who has the authority to initiate and manage change. Nevertheless, the local manager remains the single most important factor in local group performance. A local manager whose work group shows suboptimal performance should be encouraged to conduct interventions, such as targeted training, performance reviews, action learning, and individual coaching.

Learning Clinical Skills during Bedside Teaching Encounters in General Practice: A Video-Observational Study with Insights from Activity Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajjawi, Rola; Rees, Charlotte; Monrouxe, Lynn V.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore how opportunities for learning clinical skills are negotiated within bedside teaching encounters (BTEs). Bedside teaching, within the medical workplace, is considered essential for helping students develop their clinical skills. Design/methodology/approach: An audio and/or video observational study examining…

Conceptual and Preliminary Design of a Low-Cost Precision Aerial Delivery System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

test results. It includes an analysis of the failure modes encountered during flight experimentation , methodology used for conducting coordinate...and experimentation . Additionally, the current and desired end state of the research is addressed. Finally, this chapter outlines the methodology ...preliminary design phases are utilized to investigate and develop a potentially low-cost alternative to existing systems. Using an Agile methodology

Use of evidence-based practice in an aid organisation: a proposal to deal with the variety in terminology and methodology.

PubMed

De Buck, Emmy; Pauwels, Nele S; Dieltjens, Tessa; Vandekerckhove, Philippe

2014-03-01

As part of its strategy Belgian Red Cross-Flanders underpins all its activities with evidence-based guidelines and systematic reviews. The aim of this publication is to describe in detail the methodology used to achieve this goal within an action-oriented organisation, in a timely and cost-effective way. To demonstrate transparency in our methods, we wrote a methodological charter describing the way in which we develop evidence-based materials to support our activities. Criteria were drawn up for deciding on project priority and the choice of different types of projects (scoping reviews, systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines). While searching for rigorous and realistically attainable methodological standards, we encountered a wide variety in terminology and methodology used in the field of evidence-based practice. Terminologies currently being used by different organisations and institutions include systematic reviews, systematic literature searches, evidence-based guidelines, rapid reviews, pragmatic systematic reviews, and rapid response service. It is not always clear what the definition and methodology is behind these terms and whether they are used consistently. We therefore describe the terminology and methodology used by Belgian Red Cross-Flanders; criteria for making methodological choices and details on the methodology we use are given. In our search for an appropriate methodology, taking into account time and resource constraints, we encountered an enormous variety of methodological approaches and terminology used for evidence-based materials. In light of this, we recommend that authors of evidence-based guidelines and reviews are transparent and clear about the methodology used. To be transparent about our approach, we developed a methodological charter. This charter may inspire other organisations that want to use evidence-based methodology to support their activities.

Methodological and Ethical Considerations in a Life History Study of Teacher Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muchmore, James A.

This paper discusses some of the methodological and ethical issues that one educational researcher encountered throughout his work, focusing on the importance of understanding teachers' thinking from their perspective (an insider looking out rather than an outsider looking in). It highlights a collaborative research relationship that the…

Does job satisfaction improve the health of workers? New evidence using panel data and objective measures of health.

PubMed

Fischer, Justina A V; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

2009-01-01

This paper evaluates the relationship between job satisfaction and measures of health of workers using the German Socio-Economic Panel. Methodologically, it addresses two important design problems encountered frequently in the literature: (a) cross-sectional causality problems and (b) the absence of objective measures of physical health that complement self-reported measures of health status. Not only does using the panel structure with individual fixed effects mitigate the bias from omitting unobservable personal psycho-social characteristics, but employing more objective health measures such as health-system contacts and disability addresses such measurement problems relating to self-report assessments of health status.We find a positive link between job satisfaction (and changes over time therein) and subjective health measures (and changes therein); that is, employees with higher or improved job satisfaction levels feel healthier and are more satisfied with their health. This observation also holds true for more objective measures of health. Particularly, improvements in job satisfaction over time appear to prevent workers from (further) health deterioration. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An immersed-boundary method for flow–structure interaction in biological systems with application to phonation

PubMed Central

Luo, Haoxiang; Mittal, Rajat; Zheng, Xudong; Bielamowicz, Steven A.; Walsh, Raymond J.; Hahn, James K.

2008-01-01

A new numerical approach for modeling a class of flow–structure interaction problems typically encountered in biological systems is presented. In this approach, a previously developed, sharp-interface, immersed-boundary method for incompressible flows is used to model the fluid flow and a new, sharp-interface Cartesian grid, immersed boundary method is devised to solve the equations of linear viscoelasticity that governs the solid. The two solvers are coupled to model flow–structure interaction. This coupled solver has the advantage of simple grid generation and efficient computation on simple, single-block structured grids. The accuracy of the solid-mechanics solver is examined by applying it to a canonical problem. The solution methodology is then applied to the problem of laryngeal aerodynamics and vocal fold vibration during human phonation. This includes a three-dimensional eigen analysis for a multi-layered vocal fold prototype as well as two-dimensional, flow-induced vocal fold vibration in a modeled larynx. Several salient features of the aerodynamics as well as vocal-fold dynamics are presented. PMID:19936017

Active vibration mitigation of distributed parameter, smart-type structures using Pseudo-Feedback Optimal Control (PFOC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patten, W. N.; Robertshaw, H. H.; Pierpont, D.; Wynn, R. H.

1989-01-01

A new, near-optimal feedback control technique is introduced that is shown to provide excellent vibration attenuation for those distributed parameter systems that are often encountered in the areas of aeroservoelasticity and large space systems. The technique relies on a novel solution methodology for the classical optimal control problem. Specifically, the quadratic regulator control problem for a flexible vibrating structure is first cast in a weak functional form that admits an approximate solution. The necessary conditions (first-order) are then solved via a time finite-element method. The procedure produces a low dimensional, algebraic parameterization of the optimal control problem that provides a rigorous basis for a discrete controller with a first-order like hold output. Simulation has shown that the algorithm can successfully control a wide variety of plant forms including multi-input/multi-output systems and systems exhibiting significant nonlinearities. In order to firmly establish the efficacy of the algorithm, a laboratory control experiment was implemented to provide planar (bending) vibration attenuation of a highly flexible beam (with a first clamped-free mode of approximately 0.5 Hz).

Development of a meta-algorithm for guiding primary care encounters for patients with multimorbidity using evidence-based and case-based guideline development methodology.

PubMed

Muche-Borowski, Cathleen; Lühmann, Dagmar; Schäfer, Ingmar; Mundt, Rebekka; Wagner, Hans-Otto; Scherer, Martin

2017-06-22

The study aimed to develop a comprehensive algorithm (meta-algorithm) for primary care encounters of patients with multimorbidity. We used a novel, case-based and evidence-based procedure to overcome methodological difficulties in guideline development for patients with complex care needs. Systematic guideline development methodology including systematic evidence retrieval (guideline synopses), expert opinions and informal and formal consensus procedures. Primary care. The meta-algorithm was developed in six steps:1. Designing 10 case vignettes of patients with multimorbidity (common, epidemiologically confirmed disease patterns and/or particularly challenging health care needs) in a multidisciplinary workshop.2. Based on the main diagnoses, a systematic guideline synopsis of evidence-based and consensus-based clinical practice guidelines was prepared. The recommendations were prioritised according to the clinical and psychosocial characteristics of the case vignettes.3. Case vignettes along with the respective guideline recommendations were validated and specifically commented on by an external panel of practicing general practitioners (GPs).4. Guideline recommendations and experts' opinions were summarised as case specific management recommendations (N-of-one guidelines).5. Healthcare preferences of patients with multimorbidity were elicited from a systematic literature review and supplemented with information from qualitative interviews.6. All N-of-one guidelines were analysed using pattern recognition to identify common decision nodes and care elements. These elements were put together to form a generic meta-algorithm. The resulting meta-algorithm reflects the logic of a GP's encounter of a patient with multimorbidity regarding decision-making situations, communication needs and priorities. It can be filled with the complex problems of individual patients and hereby offer guidance to the practitioner. Contrary to simple, symptom-oriented algorithms, the meta-algorithm illustrates a superordinate process that permanently keeps the entire patient in view. The meta-algorithm represents the back bone of the multimorbidity guideline of the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians. This article presents solely the development phase; the meta-algorithm needs to be piloted before it can be implemented. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Addressing Problems Encountered in Case-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turgeon, A. J.

2007-01-01

TURF 436 (Case Studies in Turfgrass Management) is the capstone course for turfgrass science majors at the Pennsylvania State University. Students are introduced to problems and complex problematic situations encountered in the management of golf and sports turf and in professional lawn-care operations. Following completion of the orientation case…

Conquering common breast-feeding problems.

PubMed

Walker, Marsha

2008-01-01

Meeting mothers' personal breast-feeding goals depends on a number of factors, including the timely resolution of any problems she encounters. Nurses are often the first providers who interact with the mother during the perinatal period and are positioned to guide mothers through the prevention and solving of breast-feeding problems. Although many problems may be "common," failure to remedy conditions that cause pain, frustration, and anxiety can lead to premature weaning and avoidance of breast-feeding subsequent children. This article describes strategies and interventions to alleviate common problems that breast-feeding mothers frequently encounter.

A Study of the Causes of Physical and Emotional Problems Encountered by Older Women Returning to Secretarial Employment After A Prolonged Absence. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Glenna G.

The problem of this study was to identify the cause of the physical and emotional problems encountered by older women who have returned to work after a prolonged absence. Such information, it was believed, would be valuable to business and educational institutions in retraining or updating prospective secretarial employees. Data for the study were…

Methodological Complications of Matching Designs under Real World Constraints: Lessons from a Study of Deeper Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeiser, Kristina; Rickles, Jordan; Garet, Michael S.

2014-01-01

To help researchers understand potential issues one can encounter when conducting propensity matching studies in complex settings, this paper describes methodological complications faced when studying schools using deeper learning practices to improve college and career readiness. The study uses data from high schools located in six districts…

Contextual Determination of Human Thinking: About Some Conceptual and Methodological Obstacles in Psychology Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorsana, Christine; Trognon, Alain

2011-01-01

This theoretical paper discusses some conceptual and methodological obstacles that one encounters when analyzing the contextual determination of thinking in psychology. First, we comment upon the various representations of the "cognitive" individual that have been formed over the years--from the epistemic subject to the psychological subject, and…

Media Literacy, Education & (Civic) Capability: A Transferable Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDougall, Julian; Berger, Richard; Fraser, Pete; Zezulkova, Marketa

2015-01-01

This article explores the relationship between a formal media educational encounter in the UK and the broad objectives for media and information literacy education circulating in mainland Europe and the US. A pilot study, developed with a special interest group of the United Kingdom Literacy Association, applied a three-part methodology for…

Educational Strategies for Teaching Basic Family Dynamics to Non-Family Therapists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkel, William T.; Rudisill, John R.

1985-01-01

Presents six-part methodology for teaching basic concepts of family systems to non-family therapists and describes application of methodology to teach primary care physicians. Explains use of simulated encounters in which a physically symptomatic adolescent is interviewed alone, then with his mother, then with his whole family. (Author/NRB)

Economic Evaluation of Adolescent Addiction Programs: Methodological Challenges and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Homer, Jenny F.; Drummond, Michael F.; French, Michael T.

2008-01-01

This paper identifies and describes several methodological challenges encountered in economic evaluations of substance abuse interventions for adolescents. Topics include study design, the choice of perspective, the estimation of costs and outcomes, and the generalizability of results. Recommendations are offered for confronting these challenges using examples from adolescent addiction research. PMID:19027640

Tough Teens: The Methodological Challenges of Interviewing Teenagers as Research Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassett, Raewyn; Beagan, Brenda L.; Ristovski-Slijepcevic, Svetlana; Chapman, Gwen E.

2008-01-01

Encouraging a teenager to have a conversation in a semistructured research interview is fraught with difficulties. The authors discuss the methodological challenges encountered when interviewing adolescents of European Canadian, African Canadian, and Punjabi Canadian families who took part in the Family Food Decision-Making Study in two regions of…

Design and application of gas-gap heat switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, C. K.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1990-01-01

Gas-gap heat switches can serve as an effective means of thermally disconnecting a standby cryocooler when the primary (operating) cooler is connected and vice versa. The final phase of the development and test of a cryogenic heat switch designed for loads ranging from 2 watts at 8 K, to 100 watts at 80 K are described. Achieved heat-switch on/off conductance ratio ranged from 11,000 at 8 K to 2200 at 80 K. A particularly challenging element of heat-switch design is achieving satisfactory operation when large temperatures differentials exist across the switch. A special series of tests and analyses was conducted and used in this Phase-2 activity to evaluate the developed switches for temperature differentials ranging up to 200 K. Problems encountered at the maximum levels are described and analyzed, and means of avoiding the problems in the future are presented. A comprehensive summary of the overall heat-switch design methodology is also presented with special emphasis on lessons learned over the course of the 4-year development effort.

Current techniques in acid-chloride corrosion control and monitoring at The Geysers

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

Hirtz, Paul; Buck, Cliff; Kunzman, Russell

1991-01-01

Acid chloride corrosion of geothermal well casings, production piping and power plant equipment has resulted in costly corrosion damage, frequent curtailments of power plants and the permanent shut-in of wells in certain areas of The Geysers. Techniques have been developed to mitigate these corrosion problems, allowing continued production of steam from high chloride wells with minimal impact on production and power generation facilities.The optimization of water and caustic steam scrubbing, steam/liquid separation and process fluid chemistry has led to effective and reliable corrosion mitigation systems currently in routine use at The Geysers. When properly operated, these systems can yield steammore » purities equal to or greater than those encountered in areas of The Geysers where chloride corrosion is not a problem. Developments in corrosion monitoring techniques, steam sampling and analytical methodologies for trace impurities, and computer modeling of the fluid chemistry has been instrumental in the success of this technology.« less

Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Development in 2008 and Beyond: Problems and Opportunities

PubMed Central

Becker, Robert E.; Greig, Nigel H.

2008-01-01

Recently, a number of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) multi-center clinical trials (CT) have failed to provide statistically significant evidence of drug efficacy. To test for possible design or execution flaws we analyzed in detail CTs for two failed drugs that were strongly supported by preclinical evidence and by proven CT AD efficacy for other drugs in their class. Studies of the failed commercial trials suggest that methodological flaws may contribute to the failures and that these flaws lurk within current drug development practices ready to impact other AD drug development [1]. To identify and counter risks we considered the relevance to AD drug development of the following factors: (1) effective dosing of the drug product, (2) reliable evaluations of research subjects, (3) effective implementation of quality controls over data at research sites, (4) resources for practitioners to effectively use CT results in patient care, (5) effective disease modeling, (6) effective research designs. New drugs currently under development for AD address a variety of specific mechanistic targets. Mechanistic targets provide AD drug development opportunities to escape from many of the factors that currently undermine AD clinical pharmacology, especially the problems of inaccuracy and imprecision associated with using rated outcomes. In this paper we conclude that many of the current problems encountered in AD drug development can be avoided by changing practices. Current problems with human errors in clinical trials make it difficult to differentiate drugs that fail to evidence efficacy from apparent failures due to Type II errors. This uncertainty and the lack of publication of negative data impede researchers’ abilities to improve methodologies in clinical pharmacology and to develop a sound body of knowledge about drug actions. We consider the identification of molecular targets as offering further opportunities for overcoming current failures in drug development. PMID:18690832

Affirmative Action and Women in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazzard, Terry

The purposes of this paper are to: (1) discuss the historical development of women in higher education; (2) describe the implementation of federal policies for women; (3) focus on selected problems encountered by women in the work-place; and (4) offer recommendations and suggestions for eliminating some of the problems that women encounter. The…

Dilemmas in the (un)veiling of the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: walking an ethical and professional tight rope.

PubMed

Karnieli-Miller, Orit; Werner, Perla; Aharon-Peretz, Judith; Eidelman, Shmuel

2007-08-01

To enhance the understanding and effect of physician's difficulties, attitudes and communication styles on the disclosure of the diagnosis of AD in practice. Qualitative, phenomenological study, combining pre-encounter interviews with physicians, observations of actual encounters of diagnosis disclosure of AD, and post-encounter interviews. There were various ways or tactics to (un)veil the bad news that may be perceived as different ways of dulling the impact and avoiding full and therefore problematic statements. In the actual encounters this was accomplished by keeping encounters short, avoiding elaboration, confirmation of comprehension and explicit terminology and using fractured sentences. The present study's findings highlight the difficulties encountered in breaking the news about AD, in the way it is actually done, and the problems that may arise from this way of un/veiling the news. The main problem is that the reluctance to make a candid disclosure of the diagnosis as was demonstrated in this study may violate basic moral and legal rights and may also deprive patients and caregivers of some of the benefits of early disclosure of diagnosis. There is a need for assisting physicians to cope with their personal difficulties, problems and pitfalls in breaking the news.

Patient-centred performance monitoring systems and multi-agency care provision: a case study using a stakeholder participative approach.

PubMed

Connell, N A; Goddard, A R; Philp, I; Bray, J

1998-05-01

We describe the processes involved in the development of an information system which can assess how care given by a number of agencies could be monitored by those agencies. In particular, it addresses the problem of sharing information as the boundaries of each agency are crossed. It focuses on the care of one specific patient group--the rehabilitation of elderly patients in the community, which provided an ideal multi-agency setting. It also describes: how a stakeholder participative approach to information system development was undertaken, based in part on the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) approach (Checkland, 1981, 1990); some of the difficulties encountered in using such an approach; and the ways in which these were addressed. The paper goes on to describe an assessment tool called SCARS (the Southampton Community Ability Rating Scale). It concludes by reflecting on the management lessons arising from this project. It also observes, inter alia, how stakeholders have a strong preference for simpler, non-IT based systems, and comments on the difficulties encountered by stakeholders in attempting to reconcile their perceptions of the needs of their discipline or specialty with a more patient-centred approach of an integrated system.

Cable Effects Study. Tangents, Rabbit Holes, Dead Ends, and Valuable Results

DOE PAGES

Ardelean, Emil V.; Babuška, Vít; Goodding, James C.; ...

2014-08-04

Lessons learned during a study on the effects that electrical power and signal wiring harness cables introduce on the dynamic response of precision spacecraft is presented, along with the most significant results. Our study was a three year effort to discover a set of practical approaches for updating well-defined dynamic models of harness-free structures where knowledge of the cable type, position, and tie-down method are known. Although cables are found on every satellite, the focus was on precision, low damping, and very flexible structures. Obstacles encountered, classified as tangents, rabbit holes, and dead ends, offer practical lessons for structural dynamicsmore » research. The paper traces the historical, experiential progression of the project, describing how the obstacles affected the project. Methods were developed to estimate cable properties. Problems were encountered because of the flexible, highly damped nature of cables. A beam was used as a test article to validate experimentally derived cable properties and to refine the assumptions regarding boundary conditions. Furthermore, a spacecraft bus-like panel with cables attached was designed, and finite element models were developed and validated through experiment. Various paths were investigated at each stage before a consistent test and analysis methodology was developed« less

Cable Effects Study. Tangents, Rabbit Holes, Dead Ends, and Valuable Results

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

Ardelean, Emil V.; Babuška, Vít; Goodding, James C.

Lessons learned during a study on the effects that electrical power and signal wiring harness cables introduce on the dynamic response of precision spacecraft is presented, along with the most significant results. Our study was a three year effort to discover a set of practical approaches for updating well-defined dynamic models of harness-free structures where knowledge of the cable type, position, and tie-down method are known. Although cables are found on every satellite, the focus was on precision, low damping, and very flexible structures. Obstacles encountered, classified as tangents, rabbit holes, and dead ends, offer practical lessons for structural dynamicsmore » research. The paper traces the historical, experiential progression of the project, describing how the obstacles affected the project. Methods were developed to estimate cable properties. Problems were encountered because of the flexible, highly damped nature of cables. A beam was used as a test article to validate experimentally derived cable properties and to refine the assumptions regarding boundary conditions. Furthermore, a spacecraft bus-like panel with cables attached was designed, and finite element models were developed and validated through experiment. Various paths were investigated at each stage before a consistent test and analysis methodology was developed« less

Chiropractic Observation and Analysis Study (COAST): providing an understanding of current chiropractic practice.

PubMed

French, Simon D; Charity, Melanie J; Forsdike, Kirsty; Gunn, Jane M; Polus, Barbara I; Walker, Bruce F; Chondros, Patty; Britt, Helena C

2013-11-18

COAST (Chiropractic Observation and Analysis Study) aimed to describe the clinical practices of chiropractors in Victoria, Australia. Cross-sectional study using the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health) methods for general practice. 180 chiropractors in active clinical practice in Victoria were randomly selected from the list of 1298 chiropractors registered on Chiropractors Registration Board of Victoria. Twenty-four chiropractors were ineligible, 72 agreed to participate, and 52 completed the study. Each participating chiropractor documented encounters with up to 100 consecutive patients. For each chiropractor-patient encounter, information collected included patient health profile, patient reasons for encounter, problems and diagnoses, and chiropractic care. Data were collected on 4464 chiropractor-patient encounters from 52 chiropractors between 11 December 2010 and 28 September 2012. In most (71%) encounters, patients were aged 25-64 years; 1% of encounters were with infants (age < 1 year; 95% CI, 0.3%-3.2%). Musculoskeletal reasons for encounter were described by patients at a rate of 60 per 100 encounters (95% CI, 54-67 encounters) and maintenance and wellness or check-up reasons were described at a rate of 39 per 100 encounters (95% CI, 33-47 encounters). Back problems were managed at a rate of 62 per 100 encounters (95% CI, 55-71 encounters). The most frequent care provided by the chiropractors was spinal manipulative therapy and massage. A range of conditions are managed by chiropractors in Victoria, Australia, but most commonly these conditions are musculoskeletal-related. These results can be used by stakeholders of the chiropractic profession in workforce development, education and health care policy.

Improving electrical power systems reliability through locally controlled distributed curtailable load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehbozorgi, Mohammad Reza

2000-10-01

Improvements in power system reliability have always been of interest to both power companies and customers. Since there are no sizable electrical energy storage elements in electrical power systems, the generated power should match the load demand at any given time. Failure to meet this balance may cause severe system problems, including loss of generation and system blackouts. This thesis proposes a methodology which can respond to either loss of generation or loss of load. It is based on switching of electric water heaters using power system frequency as the controlling signal. The proposed methodology encounters, and the thesis has addressed, the following associated problems. The controller must be interfaced with the existing thermostat control. When necessary to switch on loads, the water in the tank should not be overheated. Rapid switching of blocks of load, or chattering, has been considered. The contributions of the thesis are: (A) A system has been proposed which makes a significant portion of the distributed loads connected to a power system to behave in a predetermined manner to improve the power system response during disturbances. (B) The action of the proposed system is transparent to the customers. (C) The thesis proposes a simple analysis for determining the amount of such loads which might be switched and relates this amount to the size of the disturbances which can occur in the utility. (D) The proposed system acts without any formal communication links, solely using the embedded information present system-wide. (E) The methodology of the thesis proposes switching of water heater loads based on a simple, localized frequency set-point controller. The thesis has identified the consequent problem of rapid switching of distributed loads, which is referred to as chattering. (F) Two approaches have been proposed to reduce chattering to tolerable levels. (G) A frequency controller has been designed and built according to the specifications required to switch electric water heater loads in response to power system disturbances. (H) A cost analysis for building and installing the distributed frequency controller has been carried out. (I) The proposed equipment and methodology has been implemented and tested successfully. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Technology-enhanced focus groups as a component of instrument development.

PubMed

Strout, Tania D; DiFazio, Rachel L; Vessey, Judith A

2017-06-22

Background Bullying is a critical public health problem and a screening tool for use in healthcare is needed. Focus groups are a common tool for generating qualitative data when developing an instrument and evidence suggests that technology-enhanced focus groups can be effective in simultaneously engaging participants from diverse settings. Aim To examine the use of technology-enhanced focus groups in generating an item pool to develop a youth-bullying screening tool. Discussion The authors explore methodological and ethical issues related to conducting technology-enhanced focus groups, drawing on their experience in developing a youth-bullying measure. They conducted qualitative focus groups with professionals from the front lines of bullying response and intervention. They describe the experience of conducting technology-enhanced focus group sessions, focusing on the methodological and ethical issues that researchers engaging in similar work may encounter. Challenges associated with this methodology include establishing rapport among participants, privacy concerns and limited non-verbal communication. Conclusion The use of technology-enhanced focus groups can be valuable in obtaining rich data from a wide variety of disciplines and contexts. Organising these focus groups was inexpensive and preferred by the study's participants. Implications for practice Researchers should consider using technology-enhanced focus groups to generate data to develop health-related measurement tools.

Evaluation of Fast-Time Wake Vortex Models using Wake Encounter Flight Test Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, Nashat N.; VanValkenburg, Randal L.; Bowles, Roland L.; Limon Duparcmeur, Fanny M.; Gloudesman, Thijs; van Lochem, Sander; Ras, Eelco

2014-01-01

This paper describes a methodology for the integration and evaluation of fast-time wake models with flight data. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted detailed flight tests in 1995 and 1997 under the Aircraft Vortex Spacing System Program to characterize wake vortex decay and wake encounter dynamics. In this study, data collected during Flight 705 were used to evaluate NASA's fast-time wake transport and decay models. Deterministic and Monte-Carlo simulations were conducted to define wake hazard bounds behind the wake generator. The methodology described in this paper can be used for further validation of fast-time wake models using en-route flight data, and for determining wake turbulence constraints in the design of air traffic management concepts.

Review of calcium methodologies.

PubMed

Zak, B; Epstein, E; Baginski, E S

1975-01-01

A review of calcium methodologies for serum has been described. The analytical systems developed over the past century have been classified as to type beginning with gravimetry and extending to isotope dilution-mass spectrometry by covering all of the commonly used technics which have evolved during that period. Screening and referee procedures are discussed along with comparative sensitivities encountered between atomic absorption spectrophotometry and molecular absorption spectrophotometry. A procedure involving a simple direct reaction for serum calcium using cresolphthalein complexone is recommended in which high blanks are minimized by repressing the ionization of the color reagent on lowering the dielectric constant characteristics of the mixture with dimethylsulfoxide. Reaction characteristics, errors which can be encountered, normal ranges and an interpretative resume are included in its discussion.

The Problem-Based Learning Process: Reflections of Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baysal, Zeliha Nurdan

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify the benefits acquired by third-year pre-service elementary school teachers participating in a problem-based learning process in social studies education, the issues they encountered in that process and those they are likely to encounter, and their feelings about the process. Semi-structured interviews were used as one…

Estimating prevalence and burden of major disorders of the brain in Nepal: cultural, geographic, logistic and philosophical issues of methodology.

PubMed

Risal, Ajay; Manandhar, Kedar; Steiner, Timothy J; Holen, Are; Koju, Rajendra; Linde, Mattias

2014-08-15

Headache, anxiety and depression are major disorders of the brain in terms of their prevalence and the burdens and costs they impose on society. Nationwide population-based studies of these disorders are necessary to inform health policy but, in research-naïve and resource-poor countries such as Nepal, a host of methodological problems are encountered: cultural, geographic, logistic and philosophical. Expert consensus was sought among researchers from different professional and cultural backgrounds in planning and conceptualizing an epidemiological study and adapting established methods to the special situation and circumstances of Nepal. The methodological problems were sorted into different themes: study design; climate; geography, access and transport; sociocultural issues; safety of interviewers. Each of these was dealt with separately, and their inter-relationships explored, in finding solutions that were sometimes pragmatic. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, with teams of interviewers visiting households across the three physiographic divisions (with extremes in altitude) in each of the five development regions of the country, would enable national sampling with sociocultural representativeness. However, the study instruments and interviews would be in Nepali only. Transport and access challenges were considerable, and their solutions combined travel by air, bus, river and foot, with allowances for rain-damaged roads, collapsed bridges and cancelled scheduled flights. The monsoon would render many routes impassable, and therefore set an absolute time limitation. Engaging participants willingly in the enquiry would be the key to success, and several tactics would be employed to enhance the success of this, most importantly enlisting the support of local community volunteers in each study site. Anticipating problems in advance of investing substantial resources in a large nationwide epidemiological study in Nepal was a sensible precaution. The difficulties could be resolved or circumvented without expected compromise in scientific quality. Expert consensus was an effective means of achieving this outcome.

Estimating prevalence and burden of major disorders of the brain in Nepal: cultural, geographic, logistic and philosophical issues of methodology

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Headache, anxiety and depression are major disorders of the brain in terms of their prevalence and the burdens and costs they impose on society. Nationwide population-based studies of these disorders are necessary to inform health policy but, in research-naïve and resource-poor countries such as Nepal, a host of methodological problems are encountered: cultural, geographic, logistic and philosophical. Methods Expert consensus was sought among researchers from different professional and cultural backgrounds in planning and conceptualizing an epidemiological study and adapting established methods to the special situation and circumstances of Nepal. Results The methodological problems were sorted into different themes: study design; climate; geography, access and transport; sociocultural issues; safety of interviewers. Each of these was dealt with separately, and their inter-relationships explored, in finding solutions that were sometimes pragmatic. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, with teams of interviewers visiting households across the three physiographic divisions (with extremes in altitude) in each of the five development regions of the country, would enable national sampling with sociocultural representativeness. However, the study instruments and interviews would be in Nepali only. Transport and access challenges were considerable, and their solutions combined travel by air, bus, river and foot, with allowances for rain-damaged roads, collapsed bridges and cancelled scheduled flights. The monsoon would render many routes impassable, and therefore set an absolute time limitation. Engaging participants willingly in the enquiry would be the key to success, and several tactics would be employed to enhance the success of this, most importantly enlisting the support of local community volunteers in each study site. Conclusion Anticipating problems in advance of investing substantial resources in a large nationwide epidemiological study in Nepal was a sensible precaution. The difficulties could be resolved or circumvented without expected compromise in scientific quality. Expert consensus was an effective means of achieving this outcome. PMID:25127664

Integration of PGD-virtual charts into an engineering design process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courard, Amaury; Néron, David; Ladevèze, Pierre; Ballere, Ludovic

2016-04-01

This article deals with the efficient construction of approximations of fields and quantities of interest used in geometric optimisation of complex shapes that can be encountered in engineering structures. The strategy, which is developed herein, is based on the construction of virtual charts that allow, once computed offline, to optimise the structure for a negligible online CPU cost. These virtual charts can be used as a powerful numerical decision support tool during the design of industrial structures. They are built using the proper generalized decomposition (PGD) that offers a very convenient framework to solve parametrised problems. In this paper, particular attention has been paid to the integration of the procedure into a genuine engineering design process. In particular, a dedicated methodology is proposed to interface the PGD approach with commercial software.

Artificial intelligence for multi-mission planetary operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkinson, David J.; Lawson, Denise L.; James, Mark L.

1990-01-01

A brief introduction is given to an automated system called the Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP). SHARP is designed to demonstrate automated health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. The SHARP system combines conventional computer science methodologies with artificial intelligence techniques to produce an effective method for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems. The system performs real-time analysis of spacecraft and other related telemetry, and is also capable of examining data in historical context. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager II spacecraft is the initial focus for evaluation of the prototype in a real-time operations setting during the Voyager spacecraft encounter with Neptune in August, 1989. The preliminary results of the SHARP project and plans for future application of the technology are discussed.

Ability of Social Work Students to Determine the Appropriateness of Solutions to Problems Encountered in Social Work Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturges, Jack; Yarbrough, Roy D.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an association between the amount of formal social work education completed and ability of students to judge the degree of appropriateness of proposed solutions to problems frequently encountered in social work practice, and secondarily to determine whether students' judgments of problem…

Mothers' Perceptions of Citizenship, Practices for Developing Citizenship Conscience of Their Children and Problems They Encountered

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ersoy, A. Figen

2012-01-01

Family plays an important role in the development of citizenship awareness of children. The purpose of the present study is to figure out the citizenship perceptions of mothers, their practices for developing citizenship conscience of their children and to explore the problems they have encountered. In this study, critical case sampling method has…

Tactics Employed and Problems Encountered by University English Majors in Hong Kong in Using a Dictionary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Alice Yin Wa

2005-01-01

Building on the results of a small-scale survey which investigated the general use of dictionaries by university English majors in Hong Kong using a questionnaire survey and their specific use of dictionaries using an error correction task, this article discusses the tactics these students employed and the problems they encountered when using a…

Methodological, technical, and ethical issues of a computerized data system.

PubMed

Rice, C A; Godkin, M A; Catlin, R J

1980-06-01

This report examines some methodological, technical, and ethical issues which need to be addressed in designing and implementing a valid and reliable computerized clinical data base. The report focuses on the data collection system used by four residency based family health centers, affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. It is suggested that data reliability and validity can be maximized by: (1) standardizing encounter forms at affiliated health centers to eliminate recording biases and ensure data comparability; (2) using forms with a diagnosis checklist to reduce coding errors and increase the number of diagnoses recorded per encounter; (3) developing uniform diagnostic criteria; (4) identifying sources of error, including discrepancies of clinical data as recorded in medical records, encounter forms, and the computer; and (5) improving provider cooperation in recording data by distributing data summaries which reinforce the data's applicability to service provision. Potential applications of the data for research purposes are restricted by personnel and computer costs, confidentiality considerations, programming related issues, and, most importantly, health center priorities, largely focused on patient care, not research.

Evaluating sedimentation problems in activated sludge treatment plants operating at complete sludge retention time.

PubMed

Amanatidou, Elisavet; Samiotis, Georgios; Trikoilidou, Eleni; Pekridis, George; Taousanidis, Nikolaos

2015-02-01

Zero net sludge growth can be achieved by complete retention of solids in activated sludge wastewater treatment, especially in high strength and biodegradable wastewaters. When increasing the solids retention time, MLSS and MLVSS concentrations reach a plateau phase and observed growth yields values tend to zero (Yobs ≈ 0). In this work, in order to evaluate sedimentation problems arised due to high MLSS concentrations and complete sludge retention operational conditions, two identical innovative slaughterhouse wastewater treatment plants were studied. Measurements of wastewaters' quality characteristics, treatment plant's operational conditions, sludge microscopic analysis and state point analysis were conducted. Results have shown that low COD/Nitrogen ratios increase sludge bulking and flotation phenomena due to accidental denitrification in clarifiers. High return activated sludge rate is essential in complete retention systems as it reduces sludge condensation and hydraulic retention time in the clarifiers. Under certain operational conditions sludge loading rates can greatly exceed literature limit values. The presented methodology is a useful tool for estimation of sedimentation problems encountered in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants with complete retention time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Macrofouling control in nuclear power plants

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

Ekis, E.W. Jr.; Keoplin-Gall, S.M.; McCarthy, R.E.

1991-11-01

Macrofouling of cooling-water systems is one of the more significant and costly problems encountered in the nuclear power industry. Both marine and freshwater macroinvertebrates can be responsible for losses in plant availability because of plugged intakes and heat transfer equipment. There is a greater diversity of macrofouling organisms in marine waters than in fresh waters. Marine macrofouling organisms include barnacles, mollusks, bryozoans, and hydroids. Barnacles are crustaceans with feathery appendages, which allow them to attach to a variety of surfaces. They are a major cause of severe macrofouling because they can remain attached even after death. The major freshwater macrofoulingmore » organisms include the Asiatic Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and the newest freshwater macrofouler, the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The introduction of the Zebra Mussel into the Great Lakes has created economic and ecological problems that will not easily be solved. The threat of intercontinental dispersal of the Zebra Mussel in America is serious. Research programs have been initiated around the country to develop control methods for this macrofouling problem. The various control methodologies can be classified in the following categories: biological, chemical, physical, and mechanical. Laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of Actibrom against mature Zebra Mussels.« less

Feasibility of ecological momentary assessment of hearing difficulties encountered by hearing aid users

PubMed Central

Galvez, Gino; Turbin, Mitchel B.; Thielman, Emily J.; Istvan, Joseph A.; Andrews, Judy A.; Henry, James A.

2012-01-01

Objectives Measurement of outcomes has become increasingly important to assess the benefit of audiologic rehabilitation, including hearing aids, in adults. Data from questionnaires, however, are based on retrospective recall of events and experiences, and often can be inaccurate. Questionnaires also do not capture the daily variation that typically occurs in relevant events and experiences. Clinical researchers in a variety of fields have turned to a methodology known as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess quotidian experiences associated with health problems. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using EMA to obtain real-time responses from hearing aid users describing their experiences with challenging hearing situations. Design This study required three phases: (1) develop EMA methodology to assess hearing difficulties experienced by hearing aid users; (2) utilize focus groups to refine the methodology; and (3) test the methodology with 24 hearing aid users. Phase 3 participants carried a personal digital assistant (PDA) 12 hr per day for 2 wk. The PDA alerted participants to respond to questions four times a day. Each assessment started with a question to determine if a hearing problem was experienced since the last alert. If “yes,” then up to 23 questions (depending on contingent response branching) obtained details about the situation. If “no,” then up to 11 questions obtained information that would help to explain why hearing was not a problem. Each participant completed the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) both before and after the 2-wk EMA testing period to evaluate for “reactivity” (exacerbation of self-perceived hearing problems that could result from the repeated assessments). Results Participants responded to the alerts with a 77% compliance rate, providing a total of 991 completed momentary assessments (mean = 43.1 per participant). A substantial amount of data was obtained with the methodology. Notably, participants reported a “hearing problem situation since the last alert” 37.6% of the time (372 responses). The most common problem situation involved “face-to-face conversation” (53.8% of the time). The next most common problem situation was “telephone conversation” (17.2%) followed by “TV, radio, iPod, etc.” (15.3%), “environmental sounds” (9.7%), and “movies, lecture, etc.” (4.0%). Comparison of pre- and post-EMA mean HHIE scores revealed no significant difference (p>.05), indicating that reactivity did not occur for this group. It should be noted, however, that 37.5% of participants reported a greater sense of awareness regarding their hearing loss and use of hearing aids. Conclusions Results showed participants were compliant, gave positive feedback, and did not demonstrate reactivity based on pre- and post-HHIE scores. We conclude that EMA methodology is feasible with patients who use hearing aids and could potentially inform hearing healthcare (HHC) services. The next step is to develop and evaluate EMA protocols that provide detailed daily patient information to audiologists at each stage of HHC. The advantages of such an approach would be to obtain real-life outcome measures, and to determine within- and between-day variability in outcomes and associated factors. Such information currently is not available from patients who seek and use HHC services. PMID:22531573

Feasibility of ecological momentary assessment of hearing difficulties encountered by hearing aid users.

PubMed

Galvez, Gino; Turbin, Mitchel B; Thielman, Emily J; Istvan, Joseph A; Andrews, Judy A; Henry, James A

2012-01-01

Measurement of outcomes has become increasingly important to assess the benefit of audiologic rehabilitation, including hearing aids, in adults. Data from questionnaires, however, are based on retrospective recall of events and experiences, and often can be inaccurate. Questionnaires also do not capture the daily variation that typically occurs in relevant events and experiences. Clinical researchers in a variety of fields have turned to a methodology known as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess quotidian experiences associated with health problems. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using EMA to obtain real-time responses from hearing aid users describing their experiences with challenging hearing situations. This study required three phases: (1) develop EMA methodology to assess hearing difficulties experienced by hearing aid users; (2) make use of focus groups to refine the methodology; and (3) test the methodology with 24 hearing aid users. Phase 3 participants carried a personal digital assistant 12 hr per day for 2 weeks. The personal digital assistant alerted participants to respond to questions four times a day. Each assessment started with a question to determine whether a hearing problem was experienced since the last alert. If "yes," then up to 23 questions (depending on contingent response branching) obtained details about the situation. If "no," then up to 11 questions obtained information that would help to explain why hearing was not a problem. Each participant completed the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) both before and after the 2-week EMA testing period to evaluate for "reactivity" (exacerbation of self-perceived hearing problems that could result from the repeated assessments). Participants responded to the alerts with a 77% compliance rate, providing a total of 991 completed momentary assessments (mean = 43.1 per participant). A substantial amount of data were obtained with the methodology. It is important to note that participants reported a "hearing problem situation since the last alert" 37.6% of the time (372 responses). The most common problem situation involved "face-to-face conversation" (53.8% of the time). The next most common problem situation was "telephone conversation" (17.2%) followed by "TV, radio, iPod, etc." (15.3%), "environmental sounds" (9.7%), and "movies, lecture, etc." (4.0%). Comparison of pre- and post-EMA mean HHIE scores revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05), indicating that reactivity did not occur for this group. It should be noted, however, that 37.5% of participants reported a greater sense of awareness regarding their hearing loss and use of hearing aids. Results showed participants were compliant, gave positive feedback, and did not demonstrate reactivity based on pre- and post-HHIE scores. We conclude that EMA methodology is feasible with patients who use hearing aids and could potentially inform hearing healthcare (HHC) services. The next step is to develop and evaluate EMA protocols that provide detailed daily patient information to audiologists at each stage of HHC. The advantages of such an approach would be to obtain real-life outcome measures, and to determine within- and between-day variability in outcomes and associated factors. Such information at present is not available from patients who seek and use HHC services.

Analysis of the Problems Encountered in Education of Teachers and Solution Recommendations in Accordance with the Opinions of Faculty of Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahan, Gülsün

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to put forth the problems encountered in education of teachers and solution recommendations in accordance with the opinions of faculty of education students. Within this framework, the opinions of 182 first grade students from the departments of classroom, social sciences, science and mathematics teaching at Bartin…

The work of nurses in Australian general practice: A national survey.

PubMed

Joyce, Catherine M; Piterman, Leon

2011-01-01

Following recent reforms to Australia's health system, nurses now comprise a significant and growing sector of the Australian primary care workforce, but there is little data describing the services they provide. This study aimed to describe the patient consultations of nurses in Australian general practice, including patient characteristics, reasons for the consultation, treatments provided and other actions taken. The study was a national cross-sectional survey, with each participating nurse collecting information about 50 nurse-patient encounters. General practice settings in all regions of Australia. 108 nurses volunteered in response to advertisements and 104 returned completed study materials. Participants included Registered (Division 1) and Enrolled (Division 2) nurses working in a general practice setting. Data were collected between May 2007 and May 2008 using a profile questionnaire and a series of encounter forms. Information was gathered on reasons for encounter, patient characteristics, and actions taken. Data were classified using the International Classification of Primary Care. The final data set included 5,253 nurse-patient encounters. 37.2% of patients (95% CI 33.3-41.2) were aged 65 and over, and 57.1% were female (95% CI 54.9-59.5). The majority of encounters (90.7%) were with existing patients of the practice (95% CI 89.1-92.7). The most common reasons for encounter were general and unspecified problems (35.4 per 100 encounters; 95% CI 31.8-39.1), followed by skin-related problems (20.0; 95% CI 17.3-22.8), and cardiovascular problems (11.0; 95% CI 8.7-13.3). Common management actions included medical examinations (20.7 per 100 encounters), immunisations (22.5), diagnostic tests (10.6), and dressings (15.8). Approximately 30% of encounters involved advice-giving. The findings confirm the generalist nature of the General Practice Nurse role, with a wide range of patient types and clinical conditions. There is a clear influence of current funding and organisational arrangements on work patterns, with tasks that have specific funding (including immunisations and wound care) featuring prominently in nurses' work. Whilst nurses' rates for presenting conditions were similar to doctors at a general level, specific actions taken and problems managed differed. New policy reforms in Australia are supporting greater flexibility in the General Practice Nurse role, maximising efficient use of nurses' skills in the primary health care context. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methodological and Ethical Dilemmas Encountered during Field Research of Family Violence Experienced by Adolescent Women in Buenos Aires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luxardo, Natalia; Colombo, Graciela; Iglesias, Gabriela

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine some obstacles and dilemmas related to methodological strategies and ethical considerations that arose during the fieldwork of research focused on family violence during the stages of pregnancy and childbirth in adolescent females in Buenos Aires during 2007. From this study, we are able to contribute some…

Struggling for confirmation--patients' experiences of dissatisfaction with hospital care.

PubMed

Eriksson, Ulrika; Svedlund, Marianne

2007-03-01

The aim of the study was to illuminate patients' experiences of dissatisfaction with hospital care. During the last decade, interest in measuring patient satisfaction has become an important indicator of the quality of care. Researchers have, however, criticized the concept theoretically and methodologically. Subsequently, researchers have increasingly argued that the focus of attention should shift to explore patient dissatisfaction. A qualitative approach. Narrative interviews were conducted with six people who had experienced dissatisfaction during a hospital care episode. The interview text was analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show the patients' struggle for confirmation, the feeling of distrust in health care and what they have been forced to sacrifice because of lack of treatment. A feeling of being a troublesome patient is also apparent. At the same time a positive encounter is described, as well as situations of confirmation from caregivers. The results also show hope and a will to get on with life. Dissatisfaction relating to aspects of encounter is a common problem in health care and conceivable causes and possible solutions are discussed from different perspectives. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL: Caregivers as well as patients are in need of confirmation. If management were to take notice of and confirm caregivers this could consequently help them to gain the strength and energy necessary to provide care permeated with confirmation. A veritable, trustworthy care can be established through personal presence. To take notice of, confirm and listen to patients, creates opportunities for providing them with a positive experience of human encounter, which in the long run is rewarding from all perspectives.

Determining problems experienced by student nurses in their work with clinical educators in Turkey.

PubMed

Elcigil, Ayfer; Yildirim Sari, Hatice

2007-07-01

Clinical education is considered an indispensable and vital part of nursing education. Educators have an important role in the successful completion of a student's clinical education. The clinical educator's approach, experience and knowledge have an influence on the students. Students encounter certain problems during their clinical practice under the supervision of educators. This study was conducted to determine the nature of the problems student nurses encounter during clinical training in Turkey. The focus-group interviews were used for this study. Three groups of 8, a total group of 24, composed of students completing their third year were included in the interviews. The students in this study had completed their practical training in the departments of internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and public health. Among the problems mostly encountered by students, as established by the study, were inadequate assessment by the clinical educator, judgment, negative feedback, communication problems, inadequate guidance and overload. At the end of the research, recommendations were that educators should offer information in the direction of student expectations, increase their positive feedback and lighten the academic workload of these students.

Some insights on the dust properties of nearby galaxies, as seen with Herschel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galliano, Frédéric

2017-12-01

Nearby galaxies are particularly relevant laboratories to study dust evolution due to the diversity of physical conditions they harbor and to the wealth of data at our disposal. In this paper, we review several recent advances in this field, mainly based on Herschel observations. We first discuss the problems linked with our ignorance of grain emissivities, and show that it can be constrained in some cases. New models are starting to incorporate these constraints. We then present methodological issues encountered when fitting spectral energy distributions, leading to biases in derived dust properties, and some attempts to solve them. Subsequently, we review studies scrutinizing dust evolution: (i) from a global point of view, inferring long term cosmic dust evolution; (ii) from a local point of view, looking for indices of dust processing in the ISM.

[Raising children with mental disabilities: mothers' narratives].

PubMed

Bastos, Olga Maria; Deslandes, Suely Ferreira

2008-09-01

Technical advances in neonatology have increased the life expectancy of children with serious health problems. Many of these children experience developmental delay (mental disability) and require special care. The family must adapt to better provide for the child's needs. This study aimed to identify mothers' reactions and the obstacles they face to obtain what they consider the best treatment for their children. The study methodology was based on analysis of the mothers' narratives, drawing on medical anthropology and linguistics. The most typical plots in the narratives showed the impact of the diagnosis and the search for means to adapt to the child's care, as well as the difficulties encountered in the public health system to obtain what the mothers considered adequate care. The value ascribed to characters in the support network showed the importance of such support in these situations.

The Library and Human Memory. Final Report on Mechanized Information Services in the University Library, Phase I - Planning. Part 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norman, Donald A.

This paper discusses the differences between the storage problems encountered in a large library and those encountered in the human memory. Some of the properties of the human memory system and some of the major issues which affect the interaction between human users and the existing library systems are outlined. The problem of browsing is used as…

An assessment of the potential of PFEM-2 for solving long real-time industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gimenez, Juan M.; Ramajo, Damián E.; Márquez Damián, Santiago; Nigro, Norberto M.; Idelsohn, Sergio R.

2017-07-01

The latest generation of the particle finite element method (PFEM-2) is a numerical method based on the Lagrangian formulation of the equations, which presents advantages in terms of robustness and efficiency over classical Eulerian methodologies when certain kind of flows are simulated, especially those where convection plays an important role. These situations are often encountered in real engineering problems, where very complex geometries and operating conditions require very large and long computations. The advantages that the parallelism introduced in the computational fluid dynamics making affordable computations with very fine spatial discretizations are well known. However, it is not possible to have the time parallelized, despite the effort that is being dedicated to use space-time formulations. In this sense, PFEM-2 adds a valuable feature in that its strong stability with little loss of accuracy provides an interesting way of satisfying the real-life computation needs. After having already demonstrated in previous publications its ability to achieve academic-based solutions with a good compromise between accuracy and efficiency, in this work, the method is revisited and employed to solve several nonacademic problems of technological interest, which fall into that category. Simulations concerning oil-water separation, waste-water treatment, metallurgical foundries, and safety assessment are presented. These cases are selected due to their particular requirements of long simulation times and or intensive interface treatment. Thus, large time-steps may be employed with PFEM-2 without compromising the accuracy and robustness of the simulation, as occurs with Eulerian alternatives, showing the potentiality of the methodology for solving not only academic tests but also real engineering problems.

A Comparative Study of Three Methodologies for Modeling Dynamic Stall

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankar, L.; Rhee, M.; Tung, C.; ZibiBailly, J.; LeBalleur, J. C.; Blaise, D.; Rouzaud, O.

2002-01-01

During the past two decades, there has been an increased reliance on the use of computational fluid dynamics methods for modeling rotors in high speed forward flight. Computational methods are being developed for modeling the shock induced loads on the advancing side, first-principles based modeling of the trailing wake evolution, and for retreating blade stall. The retreating blade dynamic stall problem has received particular attention, because the large variations in lift and pitching moments encountered in dynamic stall can lead to blade vibrations and pitch link fatigue. Restricting to aerodynamics, the numerical prediction of dynamic stall is still a complex and challenging CFD problem, that, even in two dimensions at low speed, gathers the major difficulties of aerodynamics, such as the grid resolution requirements for the viscous phenomena at leading-edge bubbles or in mixing-layers, the bias of the numerical viscosity, and the major difficulties of the physical modeling, such as the turbulence models, the transition models, whose both determinant influences, already present in static maximal-lift or stall computations, are emphasized by the dynamic aspect of the phenomena.

Ergonomic and organizational analysis of an association of collectors of recyclable waste.

PubMed

Maria, R; Chagas, T; Silva, V

2012-01-01

The managerial difficulties encountered by an Association of Recyclable Materials Collectors to organize and ensure the perpetuation of his work gave rise to this research. In order to overcome the difficulties encountered with regard to accounting, organizational and ergonomic work, we used a methodology capable of providing a greater interaction between researchers and collectors, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and the perpetuation of the techniques used. Improvements were seen in relation to screening, storage and organization of work.

Optical navigation during the Voyager Neptune encounter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riedel, J. E.; Owen, W. M., Jr.; Stuve, J. A.; Synnott, S. P.; Vaughan, R. M.

1990-01-01

Optical navigation techniques were required to successfully complete the planetary exploration phase of the NASA deep-space Voyager mission. The last of Voyager's planetary encounters, with Neptune, posed unique problems from an optical navigation standpoint. In this paper we briefly review general aspects of the optical navigation process as practiced during the Voyager mission, and discuss in detail particular features of the Neptune encounter which affected optical navigation. New approaches to the centerfinding problem were developed for both stars and extended bodies, and these are described. Results of the optical navigation data analysis are presented, as well as a description of the optical orbit determination system and results of its use during encounter. Partially as a result of the optical navigation processing, results of scientific significance were obtained. These results include the discovery and orbit determination of several new satellites of Neptune and the determination of the size of Triton, Neptune's largest moon.

Outcomes assessment of dental hygiene clinical teaching workshops.

PubMed

Wallace, Juanita S; Infante, Taline D

2008-10-01

Faculty development courses related to acquiring clinical teaching skills in the health professions are limited. Consequently, the Department of Dental Hygiene at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio conducted a series of clinical teaching workshops to address clinical teaching methodology. The goal of these workshops was to promote a problem-solving learning atmosphere for dental hygiene faculty to acquire and share sound clinical teaching strategies. To determine the value of the annual workshops on clinical teaching and evaluation, a web-based qualitative program assessment was developed using software by Survey Tracker. Four open-ended questions were designed to elicit perceptions regarding what significant changes in teaching strategies were achieved, what barriers or challenges were encountered in making these changes, and what strategies were used to overcome the barriers. The assessment was sent to dental hygiene educators representing thirty-eight dental hygiene programs who had participated in two or more of these workshops. Twenty-eight programs provided collective responses to the questions, and the narrative data were analyzed, using a qualitative methodology. Responses revealed that programs had made productive changes to their clinical education curricula and the information gained from the workshops had a positive effect on clinical teaching.

Circling Around the Uncanny Valley: Design Principles for Research Into the Relation Between Human Likeness and Eeriness

PubMed Central

Brace, Nicola; Pike, Graham; Pollick, Frank

2016-01-01

The uncanny valley effect (UVE) is a negative emotional response experienced when encountering entities that appear almost human. Research on the UVE typically investigates individual, or collections of, near human entities but may be prone to methodological circularity unless the properties that give rise to the emotional response are appropriately defined and quantified. In addition, many studies do not sufficiently control the variation in human likeness portrayed in stimulus images, meaning that the nature of stimuli that elicit the UVE is also not well defined or quantified. This article describes design criteria for UVE research to overcome the above problems by measuring three variables (human likeness, eeriness, and emotional response) and by using stimuli spanning the artificial to human continuum. These criteria allow results to be plotted and compared with the hypothesized uncanny valley curve and any effect observed can be quantified. The above criteria were applied to the methods used in a subset of existing UVE studies. Although many studies made use of some of the necessary measurements and controls, few used them all. The UVE is discussed in relation to this result and research methodology more broadly. PMID:27994844

Safety management in multiemployer worksites in the manufacturing industry: opinions on co-operation and problems encountered.

PubMed

Nenonen, Sanna; Vasara, Juha

2013-01-01

Co-operation between different parties and effective safety management play an important role in ensuring safety in multiemployer worksites. This article reviews safety co-operation and factors complicating safety management in Finnish multiemployer manufacturing worksites. The paper focuses on the service providers' opinions; however, a comparison of the customers' views is also presented. The results show that safety-related co-operation between providers and customers is generally considered as successful but strongly dependent on the partner. Safety co-operation is provided through, e.g., training, orientation and risk analysis. Problems encountered include ensuring adequate communication, identifying hazards, co-ordinating work tasks and determining responsibilities. The providers and the customers encounter similar safety management problems. The results presented in this article can help companies to focus their efforts on the most problematic points of safety management and to avoid common pitfalls.

Conceiving "personality": Psychologist's challenges and basic fundamentals of the Transdisciplinary Philosophy-of-Science Paradigm for Research on Individuals.

PubMed

Uher, Jana

2015-09-01

Scientists exploring individuals, as such scientists are individuals themselves and thus not independent from their objects of research, encounter profound challenges; in particular, high risks for anthropo-, ethno- and ego-centric biases and various fallacies in reasoning. The Transdisciplinary Philosophy-of-Science Paradigm for Research on Individuals (TPS-Paradigm) aims to tackle these challenges by exploring and making explicit the philosophical presuppositions that are being made and the metatheories and methodologies that are used in the field. This article introduces basic fundamentals of the TPS-Paradigm including the epistemological principle of complementarity and metatheoretical concepts for exploring individuals as living organisms. Centrally, the TPS-Paradigm considers three metatheoretical properties (spatial location in relation to individuals' bodies, temporal extension, and physicality versus "non-physicality") that can be conceived in different forms for various kinds of phenomena explored in individuals (morphology, physiology, behaviour, the psyche, semiotic representations, artificially modified outer appearances and contexts). These properties, as they determine the phenomena's accessibility in everyday life and research, are used to elaborate philosophy-of-science foundations and to derive general methodological implications for the elementary problem of phenomenon-methodology matching and for scientific quantification of the various kinds of phenomena studied. On the basis of these foundations, the article explores the metatheories and methodologies that are used or needed to empirically study each given kind of phenomenon in individuals in general. Building on these general implications, the article derives special implications for exploring individuals' "personality", which the TPS-Paradigm conceives of as individual-specificity in all of the various kinds of phenomena studied in individuals.

The laser interferometer skin-friction meter - A numerical and experimental study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, J. D.; Westphal, R. V.

1986-01-01

Limits to the applicability of thin-film lubrication theory are established. The following two problems are considered: (1) the response of the oil film to a time-varying skin friction such as is encountered in turbulent boundary layers, and (2) a 'surface-wave instability' encountered at high skin-friction levels. Results corresponding to the first problem reveal that the laser interferometer skin-friction meter may, in principle, be applied to the measurement of instantaneous skin friction. In addressing the second problem, it is shown that the observed surface waves are not the result of a hydrodynamic instability.

Physical activity problem-solving inventory for adolescents: Development and initial validation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Youth encounter physical activity barriers, often called problems. The purpose of problem-solving is to generate solutions to overcome the barriers. Enhancing problem-solving ability may enable youth to be more physically active. Therefore, a method for reliably assessing physical activity problem-s...

Hardware problems encountered in solar heating and cooling systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cash, M.

1978-01-01

Numerous problems in the design, production, installation, and operation of solar energy systems are discussed. Described are hardware problems, which range from simple to obscure and complex, and their resolution.

Nurses' perceptions and problems in the usability of a medication safety app.

PubMed

Ankem, Kalyani; Cho, Sookyung; Simpson, Diana

2017-10-16

The majority of medication apps support medication adherence. Equally, if not more important, is medication safety. Few apps report on medication safety, and fewer studies have been conducted with these apps. The usability of a medication safety app was tested with nurses to reveal their perceptions of the graphical user interface and to discover problems they encountered in using the app. Usability testing of the app was conducted with RN-BSN students and informatics students (n = 18). Perceptions of the graphical components were gathered in pretest and posttest questionnaires, and video recordings of the usability testing were transcribed. The significance of the difference in mean performance time for 8 tasks was tested, and qualitative analysis was deployed to identify problems encountered and to rate the severity of each problem. While all participants perceived the graphical user interface as easy to understand, nurses took significantly more time to complete certain tasks. More nurses found the medication app to be lacking in intuitiveness of user interface design, in capability to match real-world data, and in providing optimal information architecture. To successfully integrate mobile devices in healthcare, developers must address the problems that nurses encountered in use of the app.

Common Methodological Problems in Research on the Addictions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathan, Peter E.; Lansky, David

1978-01-01

Identifies common problems in research on the addictions and offers suggestions for remediating these methodological problems. The addictions considered include alcoholism and drug dependencies. Problems considered are those arising from inadequate, incomplete, or biased reviews of relevant literatures and methodological shortcomings of subject…

NASA flight cell and battery issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulze, N. R.

1989-01-01

The author presents the important battery and cell problems, encompassing both test failures and accidents, which were encountered during the past year. Practical issues facing programs, which have to be considered in the development of a battery program strategy, are addressed. The problems of one program, the GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory), during the past year are focused on to illustrate the fundamental types of battery problems that occur. Problems encountered by other programs are briefly mentioned to complete the accounting. Two major categories of issues are defined, namely, whose which are quality and design related, i.e., problems having inherent manufacturing-process-related aspects with an impact on cell reliability, and these which are accident triggered or man induced, i.e., those operational issues having an impact on battery and cell reliability.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1987-01-01

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

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.

1988-01-01

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

Geogrid reinforced road subgrade influence on the pavement evenness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šiukščius, A.; Vorobjovas, V.; Vaitkus, A.

2018-05-01

As a result of increasing geogrid reinforcement applications in the road subgrade, there are number of projects where geogrid reinforcement is used to control road pavement evenness when there are small layers of peat or mud deeper under road construction. For this task geogrid reinforcement application is not documented but widely used in Lithuania for over a decade. This paper evaluates the long term influence of the geogrid reinforced soil influence on the road surface evenness, when the organic soils stratify in the deeper layers of the subgrade. The geological conditions of the investigated sections are reviewed. The experiment methodology and test results are described, which leads to the conclusions and insights how the pavement evenness depend on the geological conditions and its enhancement. The question is raised about the need for including this geogrid application to the normative documentation. Explanation of the problems that are encountered and the need for further research is given.

Reducing codon redundancy and screening effort of combinatorial protein libraries created by saturation mutagenesis.

PubMed

Kille, Sabrina; Acevedo-Rocha, Carlos G; Parra, Loreto P; Zhang, Zhi-Gang; Opperman, Diederik J; Reetz, Manfred T; Acevedo, Juan Pablo

2013-02-15

Saturation mutagenesis probes define sections of the vast protein sequence space. However, even if randomization is limited this way, the combinatorial numbers problem is severe. Because diversity is created at the codon level, codon redundancy is a crucial factor determining the necessary effort for library screening. Additionally, due to the probabilistic nature of the sampling process, oversampling is required to ensure library completeness as well as a high probability to encounter all unique variants. Our trick employs a special mixture of three primers, creating a degeneracy of 22 unique codons coding for the 20 canonical amino acids. Therefore, codon redundancy and subsequent screening effort is significantly reduced, and a balanced distribution of codon per amino acid is achieved, as demonstrated exemplarily for a library of cyclohexanone monooxygenase. We show that this strategy is suitable for any saturation mutagenesis methodology to generate less-redundant libraries.

Consistent Partial Least Squares Path Modeling via Regularization.

PubMed

Jung, Sunho; Park, JaeHong

2018-01-01

Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling is a component-based structural equation modeling that has been adopted in social and psychological research due to its data-analytic capability and flexibility. A recent methodological advance is consistent PLS (PLSc), designed to produce consistent estimates of path coefficients in structural models involving common factors. In practice, however, PLSc may frequently encounter multicollinearity in part because it takes a strategy of estimating path coefficients based on consistent correlations among independent latent variables. PLSc has yet no remedy for this multicollinearity problem, which can cause loss of statistical power and accuracy in parameter estimation. Thus, a ridge type of regularization is incorporated into PLSc, creating a new technique called regularized PLSc. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted to evaluate the performance of regularized PLSc as compared to its non-regularized counterpart in terms of power and accuracy. The results show that our regularized PLSc is recommended for use when serious multicollinearity is present.

Methodology and technological aspects of the flexible substrate preparation for ink-jet printing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarapata, Grzegorz; Marzecki, Michał

2013-10-01

The ink-jet printing technology becomes especially promising for wide volume of production of cheap sensors, consumable electronics and other dedicated applications of everyday life like smart packaging, smart textiles, smart labels, etc. To achieve this goal new materials compatible with ink-jet printing should be developed. Currently on the market there is a growing number of inks with different properties, but their use requires many tests related to its printability and their interaction with other materials. The paper presents technological problems that are encountered by people associated with fabrication of various devices with using of inkjet printing techniques. Results presented in the paper show the influence of surface preparation techniques on the quality of achieved shapes, the impact of other materials already deposited and the impact of another external factors. During carried out experiments the printer Dimatix DMP 2831 and several inks base on nanosilver or dielectric UV curable was used.

IAA Space Terminological Multilingual Data Bank Towards an On- Line Dictionary with Definitions in French and in English

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bensaid, R.

2002-01-01

It has been emphasized in previous papers that the bilingual "basic list" of the IAA multilingual terminological data bank (MTDB) needed improvement before beginning works on definitions. In this communication, in a first part, we report, on the works (corrections and additions) done to improve the scope of the "basic list" . These works have yet to be done by coordinators for the others twelve languages concerned by the IAA MTBD. In a second part, according to the decision of the IAA MTDB committee to complete the MTDB with definitions in French and in English, we describe the methodology adopted and the problems encountered to elaborate a mock-up of a space dictionary, including in a first step definitions in English and in French, of the English terms and expressions beginning by the letter "A" in the basic list.

Testing for EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) in the clinical environment.

PubMed

Paperman, D; David, Y; Martinez, M

1996-01-01

Testing for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in the clinical environment introduces a host of complex conditions not normally encountered under laboratory conditions. In the clinical environment, various radio-frequency (RF) sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) may be present throughout the entire spectrum of interest. Isolating and analyzing the impact from the sources of interference to medical devices involves a multidisciplinary approach based on training in, and knowledge of, the following: operation of medical devices and their susceptibility to EMI; RF propagation modalities and interaction theory; spectrum analysis systems and techniques (preferably with signature analysis capabilities) and calibrated antennas; the investigation methodology of suspected EMC problems, and testing protocols and standards. Using combinations of standard test procedures adapted for the clinical environment with personnel that have an understanding of radio-frequency behavior increases the probability of controlling, proactively, EMI in the clinical environment, thus providing for a safe and more effective patient care environment.

Raising the "glass ceiling" for ethnic minority women in health care management.

PubMed

Kumar, R; Johnston, G

1999-01-01

Ethnic minority women are well represented in the work force and in the health care system in general, but do not have a similar level of representation in the management sector. This paper explores three strategies for schools of health administration to consider to lessen the effect of a "glass ceiling" that may be encountered by ethnic minority women aspiring to positions of leadership in health services agencies. These strategies are advancing affirmative action, valuing ethnic women in health administration education, and investigating diversity management. Inherent in each of the three strategies is the need for acknowledgment and more open discussion of the "glass ceiling." Problem-solving in relation to the potential for systemic discrimination adversely affecting ethnic minority women in senior health care management positions, and greater study of the three strategies using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies is also needed.

Concerns and needs of children with epilepsy and their parents.

PubMed

McNelis, Angela M; Buelow, Janice; Myers, Jennifer; Johnson, Elizabeth Ann

2007-01-01

Having epilepsy often interferes with a child's and his or her family's quality of life, but specific concerns have not been explored. The purpose of the study was to explore in-depth the self-reported concerns and needs of children with epilepsy and their parents. A focus group methodology was used with 2 child groups and 2 parent groups. Themes were independently identified by each investigator, who then met to discuss the themes until 100% agreement was reached. Child themes included "talking at my level" and "feeling different from others." Parent themes included "difficulties, struggles and problems," "need for information," and "fears and concerns." Findings from this study suggest that attention needs to be directed to assessing informational and emotional support needs during the diagnostic process. Ongoing assessment is also necessary because children and parents have continuing needs beyond the initial encounter with healthcare professionals.

Sex of the GP--20 years on.

PubMed

Harrison, Christopher M; Britt, Helena C; Charles, Janice

2011-08-15

Previous research with the Australian Morbidity and Treatment Survey (1990-1991) showed significant differences in general practitioner characteristics and patient mix of male and female GPs. Even after adjusting for these, it was seen that male and female GPs managed different types of medical conditions. The proportion of female GPs increased from 19.6% in 1990-1991 to 37.1% in 2009-2010. This study investigates whether differences remain two decades later. Analysis of 2009-2010 Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) data examining GP characteristics, patient encounter characteristics, patient reasons for encounter (RFE), problem types managed and management methods used, by GP sex. Whether GP sex was an independent predictor of problem types being managed, or management methods used, was tested using multiple logistic regressions and Poisson regression. 988 GPs recorded 98 800 GP-patient encounters. Adjusted differences in clinical activity of male and female GPs. After adjustment, compared with male GPs, females recorded more RFEs about general and unspecified issues and endocrine, female genital, pregnancy and family planning problems; and fewer concerning the musculoskeletal, respiratory, skin and male genital systems. Female GPs managed more general and unspecified, digestive, circulatory, psychological, endocrine, female genital and social problems; recorded nearly 20% more clinical treatments and referrals; recorded nearly 10% more imaging and pathology tests; and 4.3% fewer medications. After two decades, even with increased numbers of female GPs, the differences in problems managed by male and female GPs remain, and will probably continue. Female GPs use more resources per encounter, but may not use more resources in terms of annual patient care.

Faith and feminism: how African American women from a storefront church resist oppression in healthcare.

PubMed

Abrums, Mary

2004-01-01

It is well documented that racism in the US healthcare system, including the objectification and disparagement of women of color, contributes to disparities in health status. However, it is a mistaken notion to characterize women of color as unknowing victims. In this study, black feminist standpoint epistemology is used in methodological approach and analysis to understand how a small group of African American church-going women use religious beliefs to help them cope with and resist the racism and discriminatory objectification they encounter in healthcare encounters.

DSN radio science system design and testing for Voyager-Neptune encounter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ham, N. C.; Rebold, T. A.; Weese, J. F.

1989-01-01

The Deep Space Network (DSN) Radio Science System presently implemented within the Deep Space Network was designed to meet stringent requirements imposed by the demands of the Voyager-Neptune encounter and future missions. One of the initial parameters related to frequency stability is discussed. The requirement, specification, design, and methodology for measuring this parameter are described. A description of special instrumentation that was developed for the test measurements and initial test data resulting from the system tests performed at Canberra, Australia and Usuda, Japan are given.

The Mariner Mars 1971 radio frequency subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, R. S.

1972-01-01

The radio frequency subsystem (RFS) for the Mariner Mars 1971 (MM'71) spacecraft is described. The MM'69 RFS was used as the baseline design for the MM'71 RFS, and the report describes the design changes made to the 1969 RFS for use on MM'71. It also cites various problems encountered during the fabrication and testing of the RFS, as well as the types of tests to which the RFS was subjected. In areas where significant problems were encountered, a detailed description of the problem and its solution is presented. In addition, some recommendations are given for modifications to the RFS and test techniques for future programs.

Further Studies of the Response of Single Rotor Helicopters to Vortex Encounters

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-09-01

This report is a continuation of the studies described in Reference where a simplified approach to the problem of predicting the uncontrolled response of a single rotor helicopter to an encounter with the wing tip vortex of a large transport aircraft...

Energy Problems and Environmental Concern

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Train, Russell E.

1973-01-01

Discusses problems encountered in energy extraction and consumption, involving nuclear power plant construction, environmental consequences of energy systems, and energy conservation ethics. Indicates that the increasing concern over environmental quality is not the true cause of present energy problems. (CC)

HFL-10 lifting body flight control system characteristics and operational experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Painter, W. D.; Sitterle, G. J.

1974-01-01

A flight evaluation was made of the mechanical hydraulic flight control system and the electrohydraulic stability augmentation system installed in the HL-10 lifting body research vehicle. Flight tests performed in the speed range from landing to a Mach number of 1.86 and the altitude range from 697 meters (2300 feet) to 27,550 meters (90,300 feet) were supplemented by ground tests to identify and correct structural resonance and limit-cycle problems. Severe limit-cycle and control sensitivity problems were encountered during the first flight. Stability augmentation system structural resonance electronic filters were modified to correct the limit-cycle problem. Several changes were made to control stick gearing to solve the control sensitivity problem. Satisfactory controllability was achieved by using a nonlinear system. A limit-cycle problem due to hydraulic fluid contamination was encountered during the first powered flight, but the problem did not recur after preflight operations were improved.

Methodology for Generating Conflict Scenarios by Time Shifting Recorded Traffic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paglione, Mike; Oaks, Robert; Bilimoria, Karl D.

2003-01-01

A methodology is presented for generating conflict scenarios that can be used as test cases to estimate the operational performance of a conflict probe. Recorded air traffic data is time shifted to create traffic scenarios featuring conflicts with characteristic properties similar to those encountered in typical air traffic operations. First, a reference set of conflicts is obtained from trajectories that are computed using birth points and nominal flight plans extracted from recorded traffic data. Distributions are obtained for several primary properties (e.g., encounter angle) that are most likely to affect the performance of a conflict probe. A genetic algorithm is then utilized to determine the values of time shifts for the recorded track data so that the primary properties of conflicts generated by the time shifted data match those of the reference set. This methodology is successfully demonstrated using recorded traffic data for the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center; a key result is that the required time shifts are less than 5 min for 99% of the tracks. It is also observed that close matching of the primary properties used in this study additionally provides a good match for some other secondary properties.

Multi-rater feedback with gap analysis: an innovative means to assess communication skill and self-insight.

PubMed

Calhoun, Aaron W; Rider, Elizabeth A; Peterson, Eleanor; Meyer, Elaine C

2010-09-01

Multi-rater assessment with gap analysis is a powerful method for assessing communication skills and self-insight, and enhancing self-reflection. We demonstrate the use of this methodology. The Program for the Approach to Complex Encounters (PACE) is an interdisciplinary simulation-based communication skills program. Encounters are assessed using an expanded Kalamazoo Consensus Statement Essential Elements Checklist adapted for multi-rater feedback and gap analysis. Data from a representative conversation were analyzed. Likert and forced-choice data with gap analysis are used to assess performance. Participants were strong in Demonstrating Empathy and Providing Closure, and needed to improve Relationship Building, Gathering Information, and understanding the Patient's/Family's Perspective. Participants under-appraised their abilities in Relationship Building, Providing Closure, and Demonstrating Empathy, as well as their overall performance. The conversion of these results into verbal feedback is discussed. We describe an evaluation methodology using multi-rater assessment with gap analysis to assess communication skills and self-insight. This methodology enables faculty to identify undervalued skills and perceptual blind spots, provide comprehensive, data driven, feedback, and encourage reflection. Implementation of graphical feedback forms coupled with one-on-one discussion using the above methodology has the potential to enhance trainee self-awareness and reflection, improving the impact of educational programs. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ambulatory EHR functionality: a comparison of functionality lists.

PubMed

Drury, Barbara M

2006-01-01

There is a proliferation of lists intended to define and clarify the functionality of an ambulatory electronic health record system. These lists come from both private and public entities and vary in terminology, granularity, usability, and comprehensiveness. For example, functionality regarding a problem list includes the following possible definitions: * "Create and maintain patient-specific problem lists," from the HL7 Electronic Health Record Draft Standard for Trial Use. * "Provide a flexible mechanism for retrieval of encounter information that can be organized by diagnosis, problem, problem type," from the Bureau of Primary Health Care. * "The system shall associate encounters, orders, medications and notes with one or more problems," from the Certification Commission on Health Information Technology. * "Displays dates of problems on problem list," from COPIC Insurance Co. * "Shall automatically close acute problems using an automated algorithm," from the Physicians Foundations HIT Subcommittee. This article will compare the attributes of these five electronic health record functionality lists and their usefulness to different audiences-clinicians, application developers and payers.

Ergonomic problems encountered by the surgical team during video endoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Kaya, Oskay I; Moran, Munevver; Ozkardes, Alper B; Taskin, Emre Y; Seker, Gaye E; Ozmen, Mahir M

2008-02-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the problems related to the ergonomic conditions faced by video endoscopic surgical teams during video endoscopic surgery by means of a questionnaire. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 medical personnel, from 8 different disciplines, who performed video endoscopic surgeries. Participants were asked to answer 13 questions related to physical, perceptive, and cognitive problems. Eighty-two questionnaires were returned. Although there were differences among the disciplines, participants assessment of various problems ranged from 32% to 72% owing to poor ergonomic conditions. As the problems encountered by the staff during video endoscopic surgery and the poor ergonomic conditions of the operating room affect the productivity of the surgical team and the safety and efficiency of the surgery, redesigning of the instruments and the operating room is required.

The Reference Encounter Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Marilyn Domas

1983-01-01

Develops model of the reference interview which explicitly incorporates human information processing, particularly schema ideas presented by Marvin Minsky and other theorists in cognitive processing and artificial intelligence. Questions are raised concerning use of content analysis of transcribed verbal protocols as methodology for studying…

Orthopaedic Problems of the Mentally Retarded

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McSweeney, Anthony

1972-01-01

Problems encountered by orthopedic surgeons treating the mentally retarded are identified, and cooperation among pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and orthopedic surgeons is recommended. (GW)

eLearning to enhance physician patient communication: a pilot test of "doc.com" and "WebEncounter" in teaching bad news delivery.

PubMed

Daetwyler, Christof J; Cohen, Diane G; Gracely, Edward; Novack, Dennis H

2010-01-01

Physician-patient communication skills help determine the nature and quality of diagnostic information elicited from patients, the quality of the physician's counseling, and the patient's adherence to treatment. In spite of their importance, surveys have demonstrated a wide variability and deficiencies in the teaching of these skills. Describe two specific methodologies for teaching physician-patient communication skills developed at our institution and pilot test them for effectiveness. Between 2004 and 2009 we developed "doc.com," a series of 41 media-rich online modules on all aspects of healthcare communication jointly with the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare. Starting in 2006, we expanded our pre-existing experience with the videoconferencing system "WebOSCE" into the online application "WebEncounter." This new methodology combines practice of communication skills on standardized patients with structured assessment and constructive feedback. We had three randomized groups: controls who did only the assessment parts of a WebOSCE on two occasions, a doc.com group who had doc.com in between the assessment occasions, and a combined group that had both doc.com and a WebEncounter between assessments. We found significant improvement in skills as components were added, and the training program was well received.

Automatic indexing and retrieval of encounter-specific evidence for point-of-care support.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Dympna M; Wilk, Szymon A; Michalowski, Wojtek J; Farion, Ken J

2010-08-01

Evidence-based medicine relies on repositories of empirical research evidence that can be used to support clinical decision making for improved patient care. However, retrieving evidence from such repositories at local sites presents many challenges. This paper describes a methodological framework for automatically indexing and retrieving empirical research evidence in the form of the systematic reviews and associated studies from The Cochrane Library, where retrieved documents are specific to a patient-physician encounter and thus can be used to support evidence-based decision making at the point of care. Such an encounter is defined by three pertinent groups of concepts - diagnosis, treatment, and patient, and the framework relies on these three groups to steer indexing and retrieval of reviews and associated studies. An evaluation of the indexing and retrieval components of the proposed framework was performed using documents relevant for the pediatric asthma domain. Precision and recall values for automatic indexing of systematic reviews and associated studies were 0.93 and 0.87, and 0.81 and 0.56, respectively. Moreover, precision and recall for the retrieval of relevant systematic reviews and associated studies were 0.89 and 0.81, and 0.92 and 0.89, respectively. With minor modifications, the proposed methodological framework can be customized for other evidence repositories. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A non-linear dimension reduction methodology for generating data-driven stochastic input models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; Zabaras, Nicholas

2008-06-01

Stochastic analysis of random heterogeneous media (polycrystalline materials, porous media, functionally graded materials) provides information of significance only if realistic input models of the topology and property variations are used. This paper proposes a framework to construct such input stochastic models for the topology and thermal diffusivity variations in heterogeneous media using a data-driven strategy. Given a set of microstructure realizations (input samples) generated from given statistical information about the medium topology, the framework constructs a reduced-order stochastic representation of the thermal diffusivity. This problem of constructing a low-dimensional stochastic representation of property variations is analogous to the problem of manifold learning and parametric fitting of hyper-surfaces encountered in image processing and psychology. Denote by M the set of microstructures that satisfy the given experimental statistics. A non-linear dimension reduction strategy is utilized to map M to a low-dimensional region, A. We first show that M is a compact manifold embedded in a high-dimensional input space Rn. An isometric mapping F from M to a low-dimensional, compact, connected set A⊂Rd(d≪n) is constructed. Given only a finite set of samples of the data, the methodology uses arguments from graph theory and differential geometry to construct the isometric transformation F:M→A. Asymptotic convergence of the representation of M by A is shown. This mapping F serves as an accurate, low-dimensional, data-driven representation of the property variations. The reduced-order model of the material topology and thermal diffusivity variations is subsequently used as an input in the solution of stochastic partial differential equations that describe the evolution of dependant variables. A sparse grid collocation strategy (Smolyak algorithm) is utilized to solve these stochastic equations efficiently. We showcase the methodology by constructing low-dimensional input stochastic models to represent thermal diffusivity in two-phase microstructures. This model is used in analyzing the effect of topological variations of two-phase microstructures on the evolution of temperature in heat conduction processes.

Developing Multiplicative Thinking from Additive Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Jennifer M.; Andreasen, Janet B.

2013-01-01

As students progress through elementary school, they encounter mathematics concepts that shift from additive to multiplicative situations (NCTM 2000). When they encounter fraction problems that require multiplicative thinking, they tend to incorrectly extend additive properties from whole numbers (Post et al. 1985). As a result, topics such as …

Clue Insensitivity in Remote Associates Test Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Steven M.; Sifonis, Cynthia M.; Angello, Genna

2012-01-01

Does spreading activation from incidentally encountered hints cause incubation effects? We used Remote Associates Test (RAT) problems to examine effects of incidental clues on impasse resolution. When solution words were seen incidentally 3-sec before initially unsolved problems were retested, more problems were resolved (Experiment 1). When…

CPR Drilling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kittleson, Mark

1980-01-01

Problems encountered by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructors are discussed and some possible solutions to these problems are suggested. Management techniques for effective use of class size, time, and instructional materials are described. (JN)

Time Trends in the Family Physician Management of Insomnia: The Australian Experience (2000-2015).

PubMed

Miller, Christopher B; Valenti, Lisa; Harrison, Christopher M; Bartlett, Delwyn J; Glozier, Nick; Cross, Nathan E; Grunstein, Ronald R; Britt, Helena C; Marshall, Nathaniel S

2017-06-15

To evaluate changes in rates of family physician (FP) management of insomnia in Australia from 2000-2015. The Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health (BEACH) program is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 1,000 newly randomly sampled family physicians' activity in Australia per year, who each record details of 100 consecutive patient encounters. This provided records of approximately 100,000 encounters each year. We identified all encounters with patients older than 15 years where insomnia or difficulty sleeping was managed and assessed trends in these encounters from 2000-2015. There was no change in the management rate of insomnia from 2000-2007 (1.54 per 100 encounters [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-1.58]). This rate was lower from 2008-2015 (1.31 per 100 encounters [95% CI: 1.27-1.35]). There was no change in FP management: pharmacotherapy was used in approximately 90% of encounters; nonpharmacological advice was given at approximately 20%; and onward referral at approximately 1% of encounters. Prescription of temazepam changed from 54.6 [95% CI: 51.4-57.9] per 100 insomnia problems in 2000-2001 to 43.6 [95% CI: 40.1-47.0] in 2014-2015, whereas zolpidem increased steadily from introduction in 2000 to 14.6 [95% CI: 12.2-17.1] per 100 insomnia problems in 2006-2007, and then decreased to 7.3 [95% CI: 5.4-9.2] by 2014-2015. Insomnia management frequency decreased after 2007 in conjunction with ecologically associated Australian media reporting of adverse effects linked to zolpidem use. Australian FPs remain reliant on pharmacotherapy for the management of insomnia. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Effects of Soundscapes on Perceived Crowding and Encounter Norms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sang-Oh; Shelby, Bo

2011-07-01

Soundscapes in recreation settings are becoming an important issue, but there are few studies of the effects of sounds on recreation experiences, especially crowding perceptions and encounter norms. This study compared effects of six types of sounds (an airplane, a truck engine, children playing, birds, water, and a control) on perceived crowding (PC) and encounter norms for hikers. Data were collected from 47 college students through lab experiments using simulated images, with moving hikers inserted in the original photo taken in the Jungmeori area of Mudeungsan Provincial Park in Korea. Overall, the motor-made sounds of the airplane and truck engine increased PC and decreased acceptability ratings, and the natural sounds of birds and water decreased PC and increased acceptability ratings. Ratings of the sound of children playing were similar to those in the control (i.e., no sound). In addition, as numbers of hikers increased, the overall effects of sounds decreased, and there were few significant differences in PC or acceptability ratings at the highest encounter levels. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed.

Effects of soundscapes on perceived crowding and encounter norms.

PubMed

Kim, Sang-Oh; Shelby, Bo

2011-07-01

Soundscapes in recreation settings are becoming an important issue, but there are few studies of the effects of sounds on recreation experiences, especially crowding perceptions and encounter norms. This study compared effects of six types of sounds (an airplane, a truck engine, children playing, birds, water, and a control) on perceived crowding (PC) and encounter norms for hikers. Data were collected from 47 college students through lab experiments using simulated images, with moving hikers inserted in the original photo taken in the Jungmeori area of Mudeungsan Provincial Park in Korea. Overall, the motor-made sounds of the airplane and truck engine increased PC and decreased acceptability ratings, and the natural sounds of birds and water decreased PC and increased acceptability ratings. Ratings of the sound of children playing were similar to those in the control (i.e., no sound). In addition, as numbers of hikers increased, the overall effects of sounds decreased, and there were few significant differences in PC or acceptability ratings at the highest encounter levels. Theoretical and methodological implications are discussed.

Challenges Encountered by 17 Autistic Young Adults in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Shui-wai

2017-01-01

The self-portrayals of 17 young persons with autism spectrum disorder reveal the challenges encountered by them, including study problems, inter-personal relationships, being bullied by classmates at school, discrimination by the public in general and teachers, social workers, and peers in particular, obstacles to post-secondary education,…

Value of Family and Group Counseling Models where Grandparents Function as Parents to Their Grandchildren

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Oliver W.; Ray, Shannon L.

2010-01-01

Those involved in circumstances in which children are raised by their grandparents often encounter serious problems that require assistance from counselors. Research suggests that grandparents and parents in these families typically experience heightened stress and psychosocial distress. Additionally, the children often encounter behavioral,…

Israeli Adolescents and Military Service: Encounters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Amihay; And Others

1987-01-01

Asserts that inadequate attention has been paid to the problems of the young soldier entering army life in Israel. Delineates some areas of friction and vulnerability between the worlds of the youth and the military. Describes the systematization of these encounters into groups, creating the "Binary Model," which helps in locating and…

Engineering Complex Embedded Systems with State Analysis and the Mission Data System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ingham, Michel D.; Rasmussen, Robert D.; Bennett, Matthew B.; Moncada, Alex C.

2004-01-01

It has become clear that spacecraft system complexity is reaching a threshold where customary methods of control are no longer affordable or sufficiently reliable. At the heart of this problem are the conventional approaches to systems and software engineering based on subsystem-level functional decomposition, which fail to scale in the tangled web of interactions typically encountered in complex spacecraft designs. Furthermore, there is a fundamental gap between the requirements on software specified by systems engineers and the implementation of these requirements by software engineers. Software engineers must perform the translation of requirements into software code, hoping to accurately capture the systems engineer's understanding of the system behavior, which is not always explicitly specified. This gap opens up the possibility for misinterpretation of the systems engineer s intent, potentially leading to software errors. This problem is addressed by a systems engineering methodology called State Analysis, which provides a process for capturing system and software requirements in the form of explicit models. This paper describes how requirements for complex aerospace systems can be developed using State Analysis and how these requirements inform the design of the system software, using representative spacecraft examples.

Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Participatory Modeling to Elicit Behavioral Drivers in Environmental Dilemmas: the Case of Air Pollution in Talca, Chile.

PubMed

Meinherz, Franziska; Videira, Nuno

2018-04-10

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the exploration of environmental modeling methods based on the elicitation of stakeholders' mental models. This aim is motivated by the necessity to understand the dilemmas and behavioral rationales of individuals for supporting the management of environmental problems. The methodology developed for this paper integrates qualitative and quantitative methods by deploying focus groups for the elicitation of the behavioral rationales of the target population, and grounded theory to code the information gained in the focus groups and to guide the development of a dynamic simulation model. The approach is applied to a case of urban air pollution caused by residential heating with wood in central Chile. The results show how the households' behavior interrelates with the governmental management strategies and provide valuable and novel insights into potential challenges to the implementation of policies to manage the local air pollution problem. The experience further shows that the developed participatory modeling approach allows to overcome some of the issues currently encountered in the elicitation of individuals' behavioral rationales and in the quantification of qualitative information.

Examination of various roles for covariance matrices in the development, evaluation, and application of nuclear data

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

Smith, D.L.

The last decade has been a period of rapid development in the implementation of covariance-matrix methodology in nuclear data research. This paper offers some perspective on the progress which has been made, on some of the unresolved problems, and on the potential yet to be realized. These discussions address a variety of issues related to the development of nuclear data. Topics examined are: the importance of designing and conducting experiments so that error information is conveniently generated; the procedures for identifying error sources and quantifying their magnitudes and correlations; the combination of errors; the importance of consistent and well-characterized measurementmore » standards; the role of covariances in data parameterization (fitting); the estimation of covariances for values calculated from mathematical models; the identification of abnormalities in covariance matrices and the analysis of their consequences; the problems encountered in representing covariance information in evaluated files; the role of covariances in the weighting of diverse data sets; the comparison of various evaluations; the influence of primary-data covariance in the analysis of covariances for derived quantities (sensitivity); and the role of covariances in the merging of the diverse nuclear data information. 226 refs., 2 tabs.« less

A Management Model for International Participation in Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, Patrick J.; Pease, Gary M.; Tyburski, Timothy E.

2005-01-01

This paper proposes an engineering management model for NASA's future space exploration missions based on past experiences working with the International Partners of the International Space Station. The authors have over 25 years of combined experience working with the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Italian Space Agency, Russian Space Agency, and their respective contractors in the design, manufacturing, verification, and integration of their elements electric power system into the United States on-orbit segment. The perspective presented is one from a specific sub-system integration role and is offered so that the lessons learned from solving issues of technical and cultural nature may be taken into account during the formulation of international partnerships. Descriptions of the types of unique problems encountered relative to interactions between international partnerships are reviewed. Solutions to the problems are offered, taking into consideration the technical implications. Through the process of investigating each solution, the important and significant issues associated with working with international engineers and managers are outlined. Potential solutions are then characterized by proposing a set of specific methodologies to jointly develop spacecraft configurations that benefits all international participants, maximizes mission success and vehicle interoperability while minimizing cost.

"What constitutes a 'problem'?" Producing 'alcohol problems' through online counselling encounters.

PubMed

Savic, Michael; Ferguson, Nyssa; Manning, Victoria; Bathish, Ramez; Lubman, Dan I

2017-08-01

Typically, health policy, practice and research views alcohol and other drug (AOD) 'problems' as objective things waiting to be detected, diagnosed and treated. However, this approach to policy development and treatment downplays the role of clinical practices, tools, discourses, and systems in shaping how AOD use is constituted as a 'problem'. For instance, people might present to AOD treatment with multiple psycho-social concerns, but usually only a singular AOD-associated 'problem' is considered serviceable. As the assumed nature of 'the serviceable problem' influences what treatment responses people receive, and how they may come to be enacted as 'addicted' or 'normal' subjects, it is important to subject clinical practices of problem formulation to critical analysis. Given that the reach of AOD treatment has expanded via the online medium, in this article we examine how 'problems' are produced in online alcohol counselling encounters involving people aged 55 and over. Drawing on poststructural approaches to problematisation, we not only trace how and what 'problems' are produced, but also what effects these give rise to. We discuss three approaches to problem formulation: (1) Addiction discourses at work; (2) Moving between concerns and alcohol 'problems'; (3) Making 'problems' complex and multiple. On the basis of this analysis, we argue that online AOD counselling does not just respond to pre-existing 'AOD problems'. Rather, through the social and clinical practices of formulation at work in clinical encounters, online counselling also produces them. Thus, given a different set of circumstances, practices and relations, 'problems' might be defined or emerge differently-perhaps not as 'problems' at all or perhaps as different kinds of concerns. We conclude by highlighting the need for a critical reflexivity in AOD treatment and policy in order to open up possibilities for different ways of engaging with, and responding to, people's needs in their complexity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategy Keys as Tools for Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herold-Blasius, Raja

2017-01-01

Problem solving is one of the main competences we seek to teach students at school for use in their future lives. However, when dealing with mathematical problems, teachers encounter a wide variety of difficulties. To foster students' problem-solving skills, the authors developed "strategy keys." Strategy keys can serve as material to…

SURVIAC Bulletin: RPG Encounter Modeling, Vol 27, Issue 1, 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

return a probability of hit ( PHIT ) for the scenario. In the model, PHIT depends on the presented area of the targeted system and a set of errors infl...simplifying assumptions, is data-driven, and uses simple yet proven methodologies to determine PHIT . Th e inputs to THREAT describe the target, the RPG, and...Point on 2-D Representation of a CH-47 Th e determination of PHIT by THREAT is performed using one of two possible methodologies. Th e fi rst is a

Analytical Methodology Used To Assess/Refine Observatory Thermal Vacuum Test Conditions For the Landsat 8 Data Continuity Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fantano, Louis

2015-01-01

Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop Silver Spring, MD NCTS 21070-15 The Landsat 8 Data Continuity Mission, which is part of the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), launched February 11, 2013. A Landsat environmental test requirement mandated that test conditions bound worst-case flight thermal environments. This paper describes a rigorous analytical methodology applied to assess refine proposed thermal vacuum test conditions and the issues encountered attempting to satisfy this requirement.

Democracy in NGOs: Making the Cooperative Option Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardle, Chris

1988-01-01

Discusses several problems encountered by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that structure themselves as cooperatives, with all members being equal. Presents four problem areas--(1) decision making, (2) meetings, (3) job rotation, and (4) growth--as well as strategies to solve potential problems. (CH)

The Effect of New Vocabulary on Problem Solving in Novice Physics Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobolewski, Stanley J.

One of the difficulties encountered by novice problem solvers in introductory physics is in the area of problem solving. It has been shown in other studies that poor problem solvers are affected by the surface aspects of the problem in contrast with more efficient problem solvers who are capable of constructing a mental model of the physical…

Problems Implementing Problem-Based Learning by a Private Malaysian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tik, Chan Chang

2014-01-01

In this case study the focus is on lecturers' readiness in the design of PBL problems and to facilitate students' learning. This paper also looks into students' readiness in terms of acquiring metacognitive skills and collaborating in group to solve PBL problems. Problems encountered by both lecturers and students are discussed in the context of…

Determining the Performances of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers in Problem Posing Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Cigdem

2013-01-01

This study examined the problem posing strategies of pre-service primary school teachers in different problem posing situations (PPSs) and analysed the issues they encounter while posing problems. A problem posing task consisting of six PPSs (two free, two structured, and two semi-structured situations) was delivered to 40 participants.…

Developing a Simulated-Person Methodology Workshop: An Experiential Education Initiative for Educators and Simulators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peisachovich, Eva Hava; Nelles, L. J.; Johnson, Samantha; Nicholson, Laura; Gal, Raya; Kerr, Barbara; Celia, Popovic; Epstein, Iris; Da Silva, Celina

2017-01-01

Numerous forecasts suggest that professional-competence development depends on human encounters. Interaction between organizations, tasks, and individual providers influence human behaviour, affect organizations' or systems' performance, and are a key component of professional-competence development. Further, insufficient or ineffective…

The Future of Psychology. A Reply to Buss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahams, J. P.; And Others

1975-01-01

This paper describes the observations and experiences of a graduate student employed as a nurse's aide in a home for the aged. The difficulties encountered in attempting to apply traditional psychological methodology are discussed, and detailed anecdotal reports on individual cases are presented. (GO)

Problem solving using soft systems methodology.

PubMed

Land, L

This article outlines a method of problem solving which considers holistic solutions to complex problems. Soft systems methodology allows people involved in the problem situation to have control over the decision-making process.

Globalization and its methodological discontents: Contextualizing globalization through the study of HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

There remains considerable discontent between globalization scholars about how to conceptualize its meaning and in regards to epistemological and methodological questions concerning how we can come to understand how these processes ultimately operate, intersect and transform our lives. This article argues that to better understand what globalization is and how it affects issues such as global health, we must take a differentiating approach, which focuses on how the multiple processes of globalization are encountered and informed by different social groups and with how these encounters are experienced within particular contexts. The article examines the heuristic properties of qualitative field research as a means to help better understand how the intersections of globalization are manifested within particular locations. To do so, the article focuses on three recent case studies conducted on globalization and HIV/AIDS and explores how these cases can help us to understand the contextual permutations involved within the processes of globalization. PMID:21861895

Methodological and Ethical Challenges in a Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of a Domestic Violence Intervention

PubMed Central

Valpied, Jodie; Koziol-McLain, Jane; Glass, Nancy; Hegarty, Kelsey

2017-01-01

The use of Web-based methods to deliver and evaluate interventions is growing in popularity, particularly in a health care context. They have shown particular promise in responding to sensitive or stigmatized issues such as mental health and sexually transmitted infections. In the field of domestic violence (DV), however, the idea of delivering and evaluating interventions via the Web is still relatively new. Little is known about how to successfully navigate several challenges encountered by the researchers while working in this area. This paper uses the case study of I-DECIDE, a Web-based healthy relationship tool and safety decision aid for women experiencing DV, developed in Australia. The I-DECIDE website has recently been evaluated through a randomized controlled trial, and we outline some of the methodological and ethical challenges encountered during recruitment, retention, and evaluation. We suggest that with careful consideration of these issues, randomized controlled trials can be safely conducted via the Web in this sensitive area. PMID:28351830

Learning as discourse change: A sociocultural mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wickman, Per-Olof; Östman, Leif

2002-09-01

This paper deals with a theoretical mechanism for learning and a methodological approach for analyzing meaning making in classroom talk and action. It examines the potential of the approach for illuminating learning on a discursive level, i.e., how discourses change and how individuals become participants of new practices. Our approach involves a high-resolution analysis of how meaningful relations are built in encounters between individuals and between individuals and the world. The approach is based mainly on the work of the later Wittgenstein, but also on pragmatism and sociocultural research. To demonstrate how our approach can be used, we analyze what university students learn during a practical on insects. We specifically demonstrate how the encounters with physical pinned insects contribute to the meaning students make and how these encounters interact with other experiences during laboratory work.

Helping Students Navigate Faith Challenges in the Biblical Studies Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Carolyn J.; Clark-Soles, Jaime

2012-01-01

What happens when students encounter the academic study of the Bible in the seminary or undergraduate classroom? Does a teacher have a responsibility to help students navigate challenges to Christian faith that might arise? What pedagogical problems and opportunities does this encounter present? How does this issue manifest differently in…

Tips for Novice Researchers: Operational Difficulties Encountered in Underdeveloped Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belcher El-Nahhas, Susan M.

This paper provides a general overview of the type of problems encountered in the field of research so that individuals who are contemplating conducting research in an underdeveloped country for the first time are better prepared, and hence, better able to complete their research. The paper recounts a female researcher's personal experiences in…

Doctor-patient communication on the telephone.

PubMed

Curtis, P; Evens, S

1989-01-01

Since its invention, the telephone has been an important tool in medical practice, particularly for primary care physicians. Approximately half the calls made to a physician's office during regular consulting hours are for clinical problems and most are handled effectively over the phone without an immediate office visit. Telephone encounters are generally very brief, and managing such calls requires a pragmatic approach that is often quite different from the approach taken in the office visit. The telephone encounter should be recognized and recorded as a specific medical interaction in the medical chart for both clinical and legal reasons. Effective telephone encounters depend on good communication skills; decision making regarding disposition is a major goal. The physician's perception of a medical problem may be different from the patient's; patients are frequently seeking advice and reassurance rather than diagnosis and treatment, and may call because of anxiety and psychological stress. For physicians and their families who are not prepared for after-hours telephone encounters, calls that interrupt more "legitimate" activities may result in anger or frustration for the physician and dissatisfaction for the patient.

Problem-Solving Examples as Interactive Learning Objects for Educational Digital Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusilovsky, Peter; Yudelson, Michael; Hsiao, I-Han

2009-01-01

The paper analyzes three major problems encountered by our team as we endeavored to turn problem solving examples in the domain of programming into highly reusable educational activities, which could be included as first class objects in various educational digital libraries. It also suggests three specific approaches to resolving these problems,…

ADOPTING THE PROBLEM BASED LEARNING APPROACH IN A GIS PROJECT MANAGEMENT CLASS

EPA Science Inventory

Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a process that emphasizes the need for developing problem solving skills through hands-on project formulation and management. A class adopting the PBL method provides students with an environment to acquire necessary knowledge to encounter, unders...

Are veterans different? Understanding veterans' help-seeking behaviour for alcohol problems.

PubMed

Kiernan, Matthew D; Osbourne, Alison; McGill, Gill; Jane Greaves, Peta; Wilson, Gemma; Hill, Mick

2018-05-31

Alcohol misuse in the United Kingdom's veteran community is not an isolated phenomenon. Internationally, alcohol and wider substance misuse would appear to be an historic and current global issue within veteran communities. Although research has been undertaken both in the United Kingdom and the United States into why veterans are reluctant to seek help for mental health problems, little is understood as to why veterans encounter difficulties in engaging with treatment for alcohol misuse. The aim of this study was to understand why veterans in the United Kingdom are either reluctant or have difficulty in accessing help for alcohol problems. An applied social policy research methodology was used, employing in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 UK veterans in the North East of England, who had a history of alcohol misuse. The findings showed that participants appeared to excuse or normalise their excessive alcohol consumption, which led to a delay in meaningful engagement in substance misuse services, resulting in complex and complicated presentations to health and social care services. The findings of this study clearly suggest that veterans who misuse alcohol have a range of distinctive and unique difficulties that subtly differentiate them from the wider civilian substance misuse population, and that the use of peer-support models would appear to mitigate against them disengaging from alcohol treatment services. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Problems in Evaluating Adult Literacy Programmes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajyalakshmi, C.

1980-01-01

The study of the Functional Literacy Program in India encountered problems of opposition to evaluation, inappropriate respondents, and difficulties in contacting participants, which point to changes that should be made in the evaluation methods. (SK)

76 FR 6054 - Use of Less-Than-Lethal Force: Delegation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

... report any medical problems encountered by subjects being subdued and arrested, and no medical problems.... Therefore, for accuracy in terminology, we replace the term ``non-lethal'' with the more accurate term...

Health profiles of foreigners attending primary care clinics in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ab Rahman, Norazida; Sivasampu, Sheamini; Mohamad Noh, Kamaliah; Khoo, Ee Ming

2016-06-14

The world population has become more globalised with increasing number of people residing in another country for work or other reasons. Little is known about the health profiles of foreign population in Malaysia. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of the health problems presented by foreigners attending primary care clinics in Malaysia. Data were derived from the 2012 National Medical Care Survey (NMCS), a cross sectional survey of primary care encounters from public and private primary care clinics sampled from five regions in Malaysia. Patients with foreign nationality were identified and analysed for demographic profiles, reasons for encounter (RFEs), diagnosis, and provision of care. Foreigners accounted for 7.7 % (10,830) of all patient encounters from NMCS. Most encounters were from private clinics (90.2 %). Median age was 28 years (IQR: 24.0, 34.8) and 69.9 % were male. Most visits to the primary care clinics were for symptom-based complaints (69.5 %), followed by procedures (23.0 %) and follow-up visit (7.4 %). The commonest diagnosis in public clinics was antenatal care (21.8 %), followed by high risk pregnancies (7.5 %) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (6.8 %). Private clinics had more cases for general medical examination (13.5 %), URTI (13.1 %) and fever (3.9 %). Medications were prescribed to 76.5 % of these encounters. More foreigners were seeking primary medical care from private clinics and the encounters were for general medical examinations and acute minor ailments. Those who sought care from public clinics were for obstetric problems and chronic diseases. Medications were prescribed to two-thirds of the encounters while other interventions: laboratory investigations, medical procedures and follow-up appointment had lower rates in private clinics. Foreigners are generally of young working group and are expected to have mandatory medical checks. The preponderance of obstetrics seen in public clinics suggests a need for improved access to maternal care and pregnancy related care. This has implication on policy and health care provision and access for foreigners and future studies are needed to look into strategies to solve these problems.

Encounters and Places: Project Negotiations in Galessa, Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habermann, Birgit; Felt, Ulrike; Vogl, Christian R.; Bekele, Kassahun; Mekonnen, Kindu

2012-01-01

Purpose: Reflections on negotiation processes between farmers and scientists in research projects provide insights into issues of participation, power and equity. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how actors chose places to meet, negotiate and represent technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The research involved semi-structured…

Burn Survivors' Perceptions regarding Relevant Sexual Education Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrott, Yolan; Esmail, Shaniff

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the unique issues childhood burn survivors experience in relation to sex education and sexual development. Design/methodology/approach: Using a phenomenological approach, participants described their lived experiences with regards to sex education and the sexuality issues they encountered as child burn…

Shared decision-making in medical encounters regarding breast cancer treatment: the contribution of methodological triangulation.

PubMed

Durif-Bruckert, C; Roux, P; Morelle, M; Mignotte, H; Faure, C; Moumjid-Ferdjaoui, N

2015-07-01

The aim of this study on shared decision-making in the doctor-patient encounter about surgical treatment for early-stage breast cancer, conducted in a regional cancer centre in France, was to further the understanding of patient perceptions on shared decision-making. The study used methodological triangulation to collect data (both quantitative and qualitative) about patient preferences in the context of a clinical consultation in which surgeons followed a shared decision-making protocol. Data were analysed from a multi-disciplinary research perspective (social psychology and health economics). The triangulated data collection methods were questionnaires (n = 132), longitudinal interviews (n = 47) and observations of consultations (n = 26). Methodological triangulation revealed levels of divergence and complementarity between qualitative and quantitative results that suggest new perspectives on the three inter-related notions of decision-making, participation and information. Patients' responses revealed important differences between shared decision-making and participation per se. The authors note that subjecting patients to a normative behavioural model of shared decision-making in an era when paradigms of medical authority are shifting may undermine the patient's quest for what he or she believes is a more important right: a guarantee of the best care available. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Applications of remote sensing to water resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Analyses were made of selected long-term (1985 and beyond) objectives, with the intent of determining if significant data-related problems would be encountered and to develop alternative solutions to any potential problems. One long-term objective selected for analysis was Water Availability Forecasting. A brief overview was scheduled in FY-77 of the objective -- primarily a fact-finding study to allow Data Management personnel to gain adequate background information to perform subsequent data system analyses. This report, includes discussions on some of the larger problems currently encountered in water measurement, the potential users of water availability forecasts, projected demands of users, current sensing accuracies, required parameter monitoring, status of forecasting modeling, and some measurement accuracies likely to be achievable by 1980 and 1990.

Learning Impasses in Problem Solving

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodgson, J. P. E.

1992-01-01

Problem Solving systems customarily use backtracking to deal with obstacles that they encounter in the course of trying to solve a problem. This paper outlines an approach in which the possible obstacles are investigated prior to the search for a solution. This provides a solution strategy that avoids backtracking.

Using CAS to Solve Classical Mathematics Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Maurice J.; Burroughs, Elizabeth A.

2009-01-01

Historically, calculus has displaced many algebraic methods for solving classical problems. This article illustrates an algebraic method for finding the zeros of polynomial functions that is closely related to Newton's method (devised in 1669, published in 1711), which is encountered in calculus. By exploring this problem, precalculus students…

Improving Audio Quality in Distance Learning Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Craig H.

This paper discusses common causes of problems encountered with audio systems in distance learning networks and offers practical suggestions for correcting the problems. Problems and discussions are divided into nine categories: (1) acoustics, including reverberant classrooms leading to distorted or garbled voices, as well as one-dimensional audio…

Beyond Utility Targeting: Toward Axiological Air Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

encounter the leader- sociopath , bereft of values, quite willing to live underground in hiding and in- sensitive to the absence of human comforts...that is a mere one thousand value-analysis problems to begin solving. A more difficult problem to solve is the problem of the leader- sociopath

Fix and forget or fix and report: a qualitative study of tensions at the front line of incident reporting.

PubMed

Hewitt, Tanya Anne; Chreim, Samia

2015-05-01

Practitioners frequently encounter safety problems that they themselves can resolve on the spot. We ask: when faced with such a problem, do practitioners fix it in the moment and forget about it, or do they fix it in the moment and report it? We consider factors underlying these two approaches. We used a qualitative case study design employing in-depth interviews with 40 healthcare practitioners in a tertiary care hospital in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a thematic analysis, and compared the findings with the literature. 'Fixing and forgetting' was the main choice that most practitioners made in situations where they faced problems that they themselves could resolve. These situations included (A) handling near misses, which were seen as unworthy of reporting since they did not result in actual harm to the patient, (B) prioritising solving individual patients' safety problems, which were viewed as unique or one-time events and (C) encountering re-occurring safety problems, which were framed as inevitable, routine events. In only a few instances was 'fixing and reporting' mentioned as a way that the providers dealt with problems that they could resolve. We found that generally healthcare providers do not prioritise reporting if a safety problem is fixed. We argue that fixing and forgetting patient safety problems encountered may not serve patient safety as well as fixing and reporting. The latter approach aligns with recent calls for patient safety to be more preventive. We consider implications for practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The BAPE 2 balloon-borne CO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degnan, J. J.; Walker, H. E.; Peruso, C. J.; Johnson, E. H.; Klein, B. J.; Mcelroy, J. H.

1972-01-01

The systems and techniques which were utilized in the experiment to establish an air-to-ground CO2 laser heterodyne link are described along with the successes and problems encountered when the heterodyne receiver and laser transmitter package were removed from the controlled environment of the laboratory. Major topics discussed include: existing systems and the underlying principles involved in their operation; experimental techniques and optical alignment methods which were found to be useful; theoretical calculations of signal strengths expected under a variety of test conditions and in actual flight; and the experimental results including problems encountered and their possible solutions.

Interim report : a non-overlay cathodic protection system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

This interim report describes Virginia's experience in installing its first cathodic protection system for a bridge deck. The installation was completed with practically no problems. Very minor problems have been encountered with the rectifier/contro...

Investigation of fatigue by Australian general practice registrars: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Morgan, Simon; Henderson, Kim M; Tapley, Amanda; Thomson, Allison; Wilson, Jessica; Scott, John; Spike, Neil A; McArthur, Lawrie; van Driel, Mieke L; Magin, Parker J

2015-06-01

Fatigue is the most common undifferentiated problem presenting in general practice. Previous studies have shown that this presentation leads to multiple investigations. There is no published literature describing the management of patients with fatigue by general practice (GP) registrars. To document the investigation-ordering behaviour of GP registrars in managing patients with a new diagnosis of unexplained fatigue. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT), an ongoing cohort study of GP registrars' consultations. We established the prevalence of new diagnoses of unexplained fatigue and associations with that diagnosis, the rate of test ordering and the number and types of investigations ordered. 644 registrars contributed data from 68 986 encounters. In 0.78% of patient encounters, a new diagnosis of unexplained fatigue was made. Pathology was ordered in 78.4% of these problems (versus 18.1% in non-fatigue problems), at a rate of 488 tests per 100 new fatigue problems. Our study suggests that unexplained fatigue elicits a non-rational approach to test ordering by registrars. These findings contribute to the understanding of GP registrar management of fatigue, and undifferentiated presentations more broadly, and suggest educational approaches to improve practice, including dealing with uncertainty.

Design of the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS): a four-country multistage cluster design study.

PubMed

Schaafsma, Anne; Deurenberg, Paul; Calame, Wim; van den Heuvel, Ellen G H M; van Beusekom, Christien; Hautvast, Jo; Sandjaja; Bee Koon, Poh; Rojroongwasinkul, Nipa; Le Nguyen, Bao Khanh; Parikh, Panam; Khouw, Ilse

2013-09-01

Nutrition is a well-known factor in the growth, health and development of children. It is also acknowledged that worldwide many people have dietary imbalances resulting in over- or undernutrition. In 2009, the multinational food company FrieslandCampina initiated the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS), a combination of surveys carried out in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, to get a better insight into these imbalances. The present study describes the general study design and methodology, as well as some problems and pitfalls encountered. In each of these countries, participants in the age range of 0·5-12 years were recruited according to a multistage cluster randomised or stratified random sampling methodology. Field teams took care of recruitment and data collection. For the health status of children, growth and body composition, physical activity, bone density, and development and cognition were measured. For nutrition, food intake and food habits were assessed by questionnaires, whereas in subpopulations blood and urine samples were collected to measure the biochemical status parameters of Fe, vitamins A and D, and DHA. In Thailand, the researchers additionally studied the lipid profile in blood, whereas in Indonesia iodine excretion in urine was analysed. Biochemical data were analysed in certified laboratories. Study protocols and methodology were aligned where practically possible. In December 2011, data collection was finalised. In total, 16,744 children participated in the present study. Information that will be very relevant for formulating nutritional health policies, as well as for designing innovative food and nutrition research and development programmes, has become available.

Role of Enhancing Visual Effects Education Delivery to Encounter Career Challenges in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Lynn-Sze

2017-01-01

Problem-based Learning (PBL) is one of the most effective methods of instruction that helps Visual Effects (VFX) students to be more adaptable at encountering career challenges in Malaysia. These challenges are; lack of several important requirements such as, the basic and fundamental knowledge of VFX concepts, the ability to understand real-world…

Problem Solving Skills for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youngs, Bettie B.

This guide was written for children, to help them handle problems they might encounter, learn about other children and how they have handled similar problems, and learn what to do when things go wrong or when they feel misunderstood. In the introduction, children are assured that, even when they have problems, they can be happy again. The body of…

Problem Solving Instruction for Overcoming Students' Difficulties in Stoichiometric Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shadreck, Mandina; Enunuwe, Ochonogor Chukunoye

2017-01-01

The study sought to find out difficulties encountered by high school chemistry students when solving stoichiometric problems and how these could be overcome by using a problem-solving approach. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design. 485 participants drawn from 8 highs schools in a local education district in Zimbabwe participated in the…

Alcohol and Other Drugs on Campus: The Scope of the Problem. Infofacts/Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapner, Daniel Ari

2008-01-01

The most widespread health problem on college and university campuses in the United States is high-risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. Recent reports confirm that the nation's campuses continue to encounter significant consequences as a result of this problem. This "Infofacts/Resources" offers an overview of the problem and highlights effective…

Rethinking What Is Entrepreneurship Education: A Macro Integrative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Hongyun; Gu, Jibao

2017-01-01

Research on entrepreneurship education (EE) has encountered confusing ontological and methodological issues, such as definitional controversy, gaps between research and practice, and lack of theoretical foundations. These are factors holding back the further development of the research and practice in this field. This paper presents a whole…

76 FR 47301 - Medicare Program; Hospice Wage Index for Fiscal Year 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-04

... aggregate cap calculation methodology. This final rule will also revise the hospice requirement for a face-to-face encounter for recertification of a patient's terminal illness. Finally, this final rule will..., (410) 786-2120 for questions regarding hospice wage index and hospice face-to-face requirement. Katie...

Cultural Diversity Online: Student Engagement with Learning Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannon, John; D'Netto, Brian

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to focus on how students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds encounter online learning environments, and to assess the extent to which cultural factors impact on learners' engagement with online learning. Design/methodology/approach: The study explores how a culturally diverse cohort of…

Using Phatic Expressions in Introductions in Intercultural Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Lynn W.

2011-01-01

This study examines the use of formulaic language in an intercultural communication encounter. It focuses particularly on phatic expressions used in an online discussion about gender stereotypes in English among 167 undergraduate university students in Taiwan, Israel, and the US. Content analysis methodology was used to examine whether there are…

Characteristic Interviews, Different Strategies: Methodological Challenges in Qualitative Interviewing among Respondents with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigstad, Hanne Marie Høybråten

2014-01-01

Conducting qualitative research interviews among individuals with intellectual disabilities, including cognitive limitations and difficulties in communication, presents particular research challenges. One question is whether the difficulties that informants encounter affect interviews to such an extent that the validity of the results is weakened.…

Festival of Pacific Arts: Education in Multi-Cultural Encounters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

d'Hauteserre, Anne-Marie

2011-01-01

Can acts of support and/or revival of Pacific cultures serve to educate international tourists about Indigenous cultures? This paper examines, from a postcolonial perspective and using a qualitative methodology, whether the Festivals of Pacific Arts, to which all nations send delegations, can educate visitors about Indigenous cultures of the…

Supervising Doctorates at a Distance: Three Trans-Tasman Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrew, Martin

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of post-traditional, distance PhD supervision and suggest pedagogical interventions to bridge the distance. The paper investigates the skills and understandings necessary for mediating the supervisor-supervisee dyad within faceless encounters. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded in…

Introduction: Qualitative Approaches to Research on Plurilingual Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dooly, Melinda; Moore, Emilee

2017-01-01

This handbook has been conceived as a guide for young researchers embarking on the exciting journey of investigating different aspects of plurilingual education. The text can also serve to review ideas previously encountered, and perhaps as a means of interrogating research methodologies in plurilingual contexts for those who already have ample…

Mariner 10 Venus encounter. [scientific objectives and instruments for flyby observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunne, J. A.

1974-01-01

Review of the scientific objectives of the Mariner 10 mission with regard to observations of Venus during a flyby, and description of the equipment installed on the spacecraft to fulfill these objectives. A detailed description is given of the hardware modifications made to the payload specifically for the Venus sequence. In discussing the encounter operations, two spacecraft problems which significantly affected the Venus encounter sequence are cited - namely, a failure of the television optic heaters to come on shortly after launch, and the occurrence of a roll gyro oscillation.

Automation--planning to implementation; the problems en route.

PubMed Central

Pizer, I H

1976-01-01

Once the major decision to automate library processes is made, there are a variety of problems which may be encountered before the planned system becomes operational. These include problems of personnel, budget, procurement of adjunct services, institutional priorities, and manufacturing uncertainties. Actual and potential difficulties are discussed. PMID:1247703

Conceptualizing Perseverance in Problem Solving as Collective Enterprise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sengupta-Irving, Tesha; Agarwal, Priyanka

2017-01-01

Students are expected to learn mathematics such that when they encounter challenging problems they will persist. Creating opportunities for students to persist in problem solving is therefore argued as essential to effective teaching and to children developing positive dispositions in mathematical learning. This analysis takes a novel approach to…

Financial Stress, Parental Depressive Symptoms, Parenting Practices, and Children's Externalizing Problem Behaviors: Underlying Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chih-Yuan Steven; Lee, Jaerim; August, Gerald J.

2011-01-01

This study examined the relationships among financial stress encountered by families, parents' social support, parental depressive symptoms, parenting practices, and children's externalizing problem behaviors to advance our understanding of the processes by which family financial stress is associated with children's problem behaviors. We also…

Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollak, Ave

This guide is intended for use in presenting a three-session course designed to develop the problem-solving skills required of persons employed in the manufacturing and service industries. The course is structured so that, upon its completion, students will be able to accomplish the following: describe and analyze problems encountered at work;…

Twenty Recent Novels (and More) about Adolescents for Bibliotherapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipple, Ted; Comer, Melissa; Boren, Dodie

1997-01-01

Lists 20 problems adolescents may encounter, with a description of one young adult novel in which that problem is a central feature. Some of the problems addressed include abuse, AIDS, alcohol, alienation, crime, death, disabilities, divorce, drugs, ethics, homosexuality, peer pressure, pregnancy, prejudice, rape, religious pressure, school, sex,…

Support Services for Remote Users of Online Public Access Catalogs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalin, Sally W.

1991-01-01

Discusses the needs of remote users of online public access catalogs (OPACs). User expectations are discussed; problems encountered by remote-access users are examined, including technical problems and searching problems; support services are described, including instruction, print guides, and online help; and differences from the needs of…

Exploring Principals' Nonroutine Problems in Bilingual Immersion Schools: Lessons Learned for Multicultural Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwabsky, Nitza

2013-01-01

The present study examines the nonroutine problems that eight Anglo-American principals encountered in managing three elementary bilingual immersion schools in the Northwest United States. Using qualitative inquiry to collect data, I employed the multisited ethnographic research model. The principals reported nonroutine problems in the following…

Another Look at the Language Difficulties of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yanyin; Mi, Yinan

2010-01-01

International students encounter language-related problems in their academic studies. Specific problem areas have been identified and possible underlying causes have been explored. The present study investigates the impact of two variables--length of study and academic disciplines--in relation to the problems. The findings from a survey and…

Applying Metacognition Through Patient Encounters and Illness Scripts to Create a Conceptual Framework for Basic Science Integration, Storage, and Retrieval.

PubMed

Hennrikus, Eileen F; Skolka, Michael P; Hennrikus, Nicholas

2018-01-01

Medical school curriculum continues to search for methods to develop a conceptual educational framework that promotes the storage, retrieval, transfer, and application of basic science to the human experience. To achieve this goal, we propose a metacognitive approach that integrates basic science with the humanistic and health system aspects of medical education. During the week, via problem-based learning and lectures, first-year medical students were taught the basic science underlying a disease. Each Friday, a patient with the disease spoke to the class. Students then wrote illness scripts, which required them to metacognitively reflect not only on disease pathophysiology, complications, and treatments but also on the humanistic and health system issues revealed during the patient encounter. Evaluation of the intervention was conducted by measuring results on course exams and national board exams and analyzing free responses on the illness scripts and student course feedback. The course exams and National Board of Medical Examiners questions were divided into 3 categories: content covered in lecture, problem-based learning, or patient + illness script. Comparisons were made using Student t -test. Free responses were inductively analyzed using grounded theory methodology. This curricular intervention was implemented during the first 13-week basic science course of medical school. The main objective of the course, Scientific Principles of Medicine, is to lay the scientific foundation for subsequent organ system courses. A total of 150 students were enrolled each year. We evaluated this intervention over 2 years, totaling 300 students. Students scored significantly higher on illness script content compared to lecture content on the course exams (mean difference = 11.1, P  = .006) and national board exams given in December (mean difference = 21.8, P  = .0002) and June (mean difference = 12.7, P  = .016). Themes extracted from students' free responses included the following: relevance of basic science, humanistic themes of empathy, resilience, and the doctor-patient relationship, and systems themes of cost, barriers to care, and support systems. A metacognitive approach to learning through the use of patient encounters and illness script reflections creates stronger conceptual frameworks for students to integrate, store, retain, and retrieve knowledge.

Transit security : a description of problems and countermeasures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-10-01

This report provides a broad perspective on transit security. It examines a wide range of transit security problems encountered by transit systems, namely: crime against passengers and employees; crimes involving revenues, including fare evasion by p...

Evaluation of the HARDMAN comparability methodology for manpower, personnel and training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, W.; Butler, R.; Gray, V.; Rosenberg, L.

1984-01-01

The methodology evaluation and recommendation are part of an effort to improve Hardware versus Manpower (HARDMAN) methodology for projecting manpower, personnel, and training (MPT) to support new acquisition. Several different validity tests are employed to evaluate the methodology. The methodology conforms fairly well with both the MPT user needs and other accepted manpower modeling techniques. Audits of three completed HARDMAN applications reveal only a small number of potential problem areas compared to the total number of issues investigated. The reliability study results conform well with the problem areas uncovered through the audits. The results of the accuracy studies suggest that the manpower life-cycle cost component is only marginally sensitive to changes in other related cost variables. Even with some minor problems, the methodology seem sound and has good near term utility to the Army. Recommendations are provided to firm up the problem areas revealed through the evaluation.

A question of style: method, integrity and the meaning of proper science.

PubMed

Penders, Bart; Vos, Rein; Horstman, Klasien

2009-09-01

Controversies in science often centre on methodology and integrity; these are the gatekeepers of proper science. But what exactly defines proper science as proper is not universal, especially in collaborative fields of enquiry where different perspectives meet. These encounters often result in friction, yet may equally give rise to new perspectives on proper science. A tour of collaborative endeavours like structural biology and nutrigenomics highlights some of those frictions and the controversies that can result from the encounter of 'wet' and 'dry' science. Attuning scientists to the plurality of proper science may safeguard many a scientist's integrity from being questioned unjustly.

Adaptation of Social Problem Solving for Children Questionnaire in 6 Age Groups and its Relationships with Preschool Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dereli-Iman, Esra

2013-01-01

Social Problem Solving for Child Scale is frequently used to determine behavioral problems of children with their own word and to identify ways of conflict encountered in daily life, and interpersonal relationships in abroad. The primary purpose of this study was to adapt the Wally Child Social Problem-Solving Detective Game Test. In order to…

Solid sorbent air sampling and analytical procedure for methyl-, dimethyl-, ethyl-, and diethylamine

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

Elskamp, C.J.; Schultz, G.R.

1986-01-01

A sampling and analytical procedure for methyl-, dimethyl-, ethyl-, and diethylamine was developed in order to avoid problems typically encountered in the sampling and analysis of low molecular weight aliphatic amines. Samples are collected with adsorbent tubes containing Amberlite XAD-7 resin coated with the derivatizing reagent, NBD chloride (7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole). Analysis is performed by high performance liquid chromatography with the use of a fluorescence and/or UV/visible detector. All four amines can be monitored simultaneously, and neither collection nor storage is affected by humidity. Samples are stable at room temperature for at least two weeks. The methodology has been tested for eachmore » of the four amines at sample loadings equivalent to air concentration ranges of 0.5 to 30 ppm for a sample volume of 10 liters. The method shows promise for determining other airborne primary and secondary low molecular weight aliphatic amines.« less

Preemptive financial strategies help IPAs avoid insolvency.

PubMed

Karling, J; Silberman, L

2000-11-01

The 1999 collapse in California of practice management giants FPA Medical Management, Inc. and MedPartners, Inc. has caused healthcare provider organizations, particularly independent practice associations (IPAs), to examine critical issues related to financial solvency. Problems such as declining membership, ineffective management, weak contracting, and lack of strategic vision frequently are encountered by troubled provider organizations. The common thread that runs through IPA failures is a combination of unreliable accounting data and inadequate reporting systems. This lack of satisfactory financial and reporting information impairs the ability of the provider group to maintain sufficient funds to cover expenses and pay physicians. Successful, financially stable provider networks use well-defined reporting procedures based on fundamental accounting and financial concepts, as well as a sound methodology for measuring and calculating claims liability estimates. In California, new regulations aimed at encouraging provider organizations to assume preemptive financial strategies are in the process of being adopted. IPAs in every state should consider reviewing these regulations as benchmarks by which to assess their financial procedures.

Hypervelocity impact effects on solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rose, M. Frank

1993-01-01

One of the space hazards of concern is the problem of natural matter and space debris impacting spacecraft. This phenomena has been studied since the early sixties and a methodology has been established to determine the relative abundance of meteoroids as a function of mass. As the mass decreases, the probability of suffering collisions increases, resulting in a constant bombardment from particles in the sub-micron range. The composition of this 'cosmic dust' is primarily Fe, Ni, Al, Mg, Na, Ca, Cr, H, O, and Mn. In addition to mechanical damage, impact velocities greater than 5 k m/sec can produce shock induced ionization effects with resultant surface charging and complex chemical interactions. The upper limit of the velocity distribution for these particles is on the order of 70 km/sec. The purpose of this work was to subject samples from solar power arrays to debris flux typical of what would be encountered in space, and measure the degradation of the panels after impact.

Consistent Partial Least Squares Path Modeling via Regularization

PubMed Central

Jung, Sunho; Park, JaeHong

2018-01-01

Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling is a component-based structural equation modeling that has been adopted in social and psychological research due to its data-analytic capability and flexibility. A recent methodological advance is consistent PLS (PLSc), designed to produce consistent estimates of path coefficients in structural models involving common factors. In practice, however, PLSc may frequently encounter multicollinearity in part because it takes a strategy of estimating path coefficients based on consistent correlations among independent latent variables. PLSc has yet no remedy for this multicollinearity problem, which can cause loss of statistical power and accuracy in parameter estimation. Thus, a ridge type of regularization is incorporated into PLSc, creating a new technique called regularized PLSc. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted to evaluate the performance of regularized PLSc as compared to its non-regularized counterpart in terms of power and accuracy. The results show that our regularized PLSc is recommended for use when serious multicollinearity is present. PMID:29515491

Experiences with serial and parallel algorithms for channel routing using simulated annealing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brouwer, Randall Jay

1988-01-01

Two algorithms for channel routing using simulated annealing are presented. Simulated annealing is an optimization methodology which allows the solution process to back up out of local minima that may be encountered by inappropriate selections. By properly controlling the annealing process, it is very likely that the optimal solution to an NP-complete problem such as channel routing may be found. The algorithm presented proposes very relaxed restrictions on the types of allowable transformations, including overlapping nets. By freeing that restriction and controlling overlap situations with an appropriate cost function, the algorithm becomes very flexible and can be applied to many extensions of channel routing. The selection of the transformation utilizes a number of heuristics, still retaining the pseudorandom nature of simulated annealing. The algorithm was implemented as a serial program for a workstation, and a parallel program designed for a hypercube computer. The details of the serial implementation are presented, including many of the heuristics used and some of the resulting solutions.

Lattice Boltzmann computation of creeping fluid flow in roll-coating applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajan, Isac; Kesana, Balashanker; Perumal, D. Arumuga

2018-04-01

Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) has advanced as a class of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods used to solve complex fluid systems and heat transfer problems. It has ever-increasingly attracted the interest of researchers in computational physics to solve challenging problems of industrial and academic importance. In this current study, LBM is applied to simulate the creeping fluid flow phenomena commonly encountered in manufacturing technologies. In particular, we apply this novel method to simulate the fluid flow phenomena associated with the "meniscus roll coating" application. This prevalent industrial problem encountered in polymer processing and thin film coating applications is modelled as standard lid-driven cavity problem to which creeping flow analysis is applied. This incompressible viscous flow problem is studied in various speed ratios, the ratio of upper to lower lid speed in two different configurations of lid movement - parallel and anti-parallel wall motion. The flow exhibits interesting patterns which will help in design of roll coaters.

Ethical problems and moral sensitivity in physiotherapy: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Kulju, Kati; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2013-08-01

This study identified and described ethical problems encountered by physiotherapists in their practice and physiotherapists' moral sensitivity in ethical situations. A questionnaire-based survey was constructed to identify ethical problems, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire Revised version was used to measure moral sensitivity. Physiotherapists (n = 116) working in public health services responded to the questionnaire. Based on the results, most of the physiotherapists encounter ethical problems weekly. They concern mainly financial considerations, equality and justice, professionalism, unethical conduct of physiotherapists or other professions and patients' self-determination. The dimension of moral strength was emphasised in physiotherapists' self-evaluations of their moral sensitivity. As a conclusion, ethical problems do occur not only at individual level but also at organisational and society level. Physiotherapists seem to have moral strength for speaking on behalf of the patient. Scarce resources make them feel insufficient but much could still be done to provide quality care in co-operation with other health-care professionals.

Reasons for encounter and disease patterns in Danish primary care: changes over 16 years.

PubMed

Moth, Grete; Olesen, Frede; Vedsted, Peter

2012-06-01

Approximately 98% of Danish citizens are listed with a general practice which they consult for medical advice. Although 85% of the population contact their general practitioner (GP) every year, little is known about these contacts. The aim of the present paper is to gain updated knowledge about patients' reasons for encounter and the GP activities and to make comparisons with a similar study from 1993. All GPs in the Central Denmark Region were invited to register all contacts during one randomly chosen day within a year. The registration included questions about patients' reasons for encounter, the types and contents of the contacts, referrals, and distribution between new episodes and follow-up contacts. Aggregated data were compared with the results from 1993. A total of 404 (46%) GPs participated. The number of contacts per 1000 inhabitants had risen by 19.7%. The reasons for encounter and final diagnoses resembled those in 1993. Musculoskeletal, psychological, and respiratory problems were the most common reasons for encounter, psychological problems being the only type to increase over the period. Interestingly, the proportion of diagnoses within the ICPC 'A' chapter rose from 13.5 to 19.7%. The referral rate rose by 2% (relative: 18.7%) from 10.7% to 12.7% and the share of follow-up contacts rose from 45.9% to 50.4% (relative: 8.7%). Quite small changes were seen in the patterns of reasons for encounter and diagnoses from 1993 to 2009. However, an increase was found in contacts with general practice and referrals and in the proportion of follow-ups.

An analysis of the cultural problems encountered during caregiving by the nurses working in two different regions of Turkey.

PubMed

Kilic, Serap Parlar; Besen, Dilek Buyukkaya; Tokem, Yasemin; Fadiloglu, Cicek; Karadag, Gulendam

2014-06-01

The aim of this study was to identify the cultural problems encountered during caregiving by the nurses working in two university hospitals located in western and eastern Turkey. This descriptive, comparative study was conducted between July 2008 and October 2009 with 338 nurses who volunteered to take part in the study. The study data were collected using an individual description questionnaire consisting of 10 questions and another questionnaire consisting of 14 questions to identify the cultural problems encountered by nurses when giving care. The study showed with respect to training received on transcultural nursing that only 59 nurses had this training, but the percentage was higher in the nurses working at the hospital in the west (54.2%) (P > 0.05). It was found that a large number of nurses in the sample group (n = 286) gave care to at least one individual from another culture, but the percentage was significantly higher in the nurses working in the west (56.7%) than in the nurses working in the east (43.3%) (P < 0.05). When the problems experienced by the nurses during caregiving because of cultural characteristics of patients were explored, it was found that they experienced problems mostly in 'communication', and the percentage of those having problems was higher in the nurses working in the west (60.8%) (P > 0.05). The problem experienced in this area was mostly because of the fact that patients 'did not speak Turkish' (63.8%). In conclusion, the nurses gave care to patients from different cultures, and most of them had trouble when giving care to patients from different cultures. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Radio science ground data system for the Voyager-Neptune encounter, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kursinski, E. R.; Asmar, S. W.

1991-01-01

The Voyager radio science experiments at Neptune required the creation of a ground data system array that includes a Deep Space Network complex, the Parkes Radio Observatory, and the Usuda deep space tracking station. The performance requirements were based on experience with the previous Voyager encounters, as well as the scientific goals at Neptune. The requirements were stricter than those of the Uranus encounter because of the need to avoid the phase-stability problems experienced during that encounter and because the spacecraft flyby was faster and closer to the planet than previous encounters. The primary requirement on the instrument was to recover the phase and amplitude of the S- and X-band (2.3 and 8.4 GHz) signals under the dynamic conditions encountered during the occultations. The primary receiver type for the measurements was open loop with high phase-noise and frequency stability performance. The receiver filter bandwidth was predetermined based on the spacecraft's trajectory and frequency uncertainties.

Some problems of the design of highly directional spacecraft antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prigoda, B. A.

1974-01-01

Problems of optimization and selection of the most expedient forms of design of directional antenna systems encountered in spacecraft design are discussed. Selection of a given type of antenna depends on its characteristic size, weight, and potential.

Community Work and Local Authority Decision Making: Potential and Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corina, Lewis

1976-01-01

British local authority and decision making procedures are described for community developers. Included are potential ways of influencing the authority system, and problems and areas of weakness that may be encountered in dealing with the system. (ABM)

The Influence of Problems Faced during Internships on Interns' Views of Their Profession and Their Intention to Work in the Tourism Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasli, Mehmet; Ilban, Mehmet Oguzhan

2013-01-01

Problem Statement: The problem of this research is identifying the difficulties that undergraduate students experience during their internships and assessing their future intention to work in the tourism industry. Purpose of Study: This research aims to identify the problems undergraduate students encounter as interns in tourism programs and to…

NOTES: a review of the technical problems encountered and their solutions.

PubMed

Mintz, Yoav; Horgan, Santiago; Cullen, John; Stuart, David; Falor, Eric; Talamini, Mark A

2008-08-01

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is currently investigated and developed worldwide. In the past few years, multiple groups have confronted this challenge. Many technical problems are encountered in this technique due to the currently available tools for this approach. Some of the unique technical problems in NOTES include: blindly performed primary incisions; uncontrolled pneumoperitoneal pressure; no support for the endoscope in the abdominal cavity; inadequate vision; insufficient illumination; limited retraction and exposure; and the complexity of suturing and performing a safe anastomosis. In this paper, we review the problems encountered in NOTES and provide possible temporary solutions. Acute and survival studies were performed on 15 farm pigs. The hybrid technique approach (i.e., endoscopic surgery with the aid of laparoscopic vision) was performed in all cases. Procedures performed included liver biopsies, bilateral tubal ligation, oophprectomy, cholecystectomy, splenectomy and small bowel resection, and anastomosis. All attempted procedures were successfully performed. New methods and techniques were developed to overcome the technical problems. Closure of the gastrotomy was achieved by T-bar sutures and by stapler closure of the stomach incision. Small bowel anastomosis was achieved by the dual-lumen NOTES technique. The hybrid technique serves as a temporary approach to aid in developing the NOTES technique. A rectal or vaginal port of entry enables and facilitates gastrointestinal NOTES by using available laparoscopic instruments. The common operations performed today in the laparoscopic fashion could be probably performed in the NOTES approach. The safety of these procedures, however, is yet to be determined.

A method for communication analysis in prosthodontics.

PubMed

Sondell, K; Söderfeldt, B; Palmqvist, S

1998-02-01

Particularly in prosthodontics, in which the issues of esthetic preferences and possibilities are abundant, improved knowledge about dentist patient communication during clinical encounters is important. Because previous studies on communication used different methods and patient materials, the results are difficult to evaluate. There is, therefore, a need for methodologic development. One method that makes it possible to quantitatively describe different interaction behaviors during clinical encounters is the Roter Method of Interaction Process Analysis (RIAS). Since the method was developed in the USA for use in the medical context, a translation of the method into Swedish and a modification of the categories for use in prosthodontics were necessary. The revised manual was used to code 10 audio recordings of dentist patient encounters at a specialist clinic for prosthodontics. No major alterations of the RIAS manual were made during the translation and modification. The study shows that it is possible to distinguish patterns of communication in audio-recorded dentist patient encounters. The method also made the identification of different interaction profiles possible. These profiles distinguished well among the audio-recorded encounters. The coding procedures were tested for intra-rater reliability and found to be 97% for utterance classification and lambda = 0.76 for categorization definition. It was concluded that the revised RIAS method is applicable in communication studies in prosthodontics.

Acts of Attention: An Exploration of Teacher Candidates' Attention to Educational Encounters, and How It Relates to Task Formulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Victoria A.

2015-01-01

This study begins with the belief that the ways in which teachers see and attend to educational encounters matter for their actions in classrooms. Using microethnography as a framework, this dissertation explores the relationship between teacher candidate attention, problem formulation, and action. Through analysis of the M.Ed. inquiry reports of…

Unethical Behaviours Preservice Teachers Encounter on Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deveci Topal, Arzu; Kolburan Gecer, Aynur

2015-01-01

The development of web 2.0 technology has resulted in an increase in internet sharing. The scope of this study is social networking, which is one of the web 2.0 tools most heavily used by internet users. In this paper, the unethical behaviours that preservice teachers encounter on social networks and the ways to deal with these problems are…

Applications of Genetic Methods to NASA Design and Operations Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, Philip D.

1996-01-01

We review four recent NASA-funded applications in which evolutionary/genetic methods are important. In the process we survey: the kinds of problems being solved today with these methods; techniques and tools used; problems encountered; and areas where research is needed. The presentation slides are annotated briefly at the top of each page.

Having the Memory of an Elephant: Long-Term Retrieval and the Use of Analogues in Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Zhe; Mo, Lei; Honomichl, Ryan

2004-01-01

The authors report 4 experiments exploring long-term analogical transfer from problem solutions in folk tales participants heard during childhood, many years before encountering the target problems. Substantial culture-specific analogical transfer was found when American and Chinese participants' performance was compared on isomorphs of problems…

Applying an Information Problem-Solving Model to Academic Reference Work: Findings and Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cottrell, Janet R.; Eisenberg, Michael B.

2001-01-01

Examines the usefulness of the Eisenberg-Berkowitz Information Problem-Solving model as a categorization for academic reference encounters. Major trends in the data include a high proportion of questions about location and access of sources, lack of synthesis or production activities, and consistent presence of system problems that impede the…

Data System Implementation: A Leader Navigates People Problems around Technology and Data Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Vincent; Jimerson, Jo Beth; Wayman, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

Computer data systems have become a lynchpin to supporting school data use. However, successfully implementing such systems is no easy task. In this case, readers explore the ways in which "technology problems" and "people problems" can be intertwined. The case follows Dr. Molly Winters as she encounters social and…

Why Do Disadvantaged Filipino Children Find Word Problems in English Difficult?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Debbie; Mulligan, Joanne

2010-01-01

Young Filipino students are expected to solve mathematical word problems in English, a language that many encounter only in schools. Using individual interviews of 17 Filipino children, we investigated why word problems in English are difficult and the extent to which the language interferes with performance. Results indicate that children could…

School Nurses' Perceived Prevalence and Competence to Address Student Mental Health Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephan, Sharon H.; Connors, Elizabeth H.

2013-01-01

Due to under-identification of student mental health problems and limited specialty mental health providers in schools, school nurses are often faced with identifying and addressing student mental health needs. This exploratory study assessed prevalence and types of student mental health problems encountered by school nurses, as well as their…

The empowerment of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Managing life with the disease

PubMed Central

Fallahi-Khoshknab, Masoud; Pourhabib, Ali

2017-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious health problem that has significant effects on the life status of elderly persons. Use of the empowerment approach is necessary for health promotion in older people with COPD, but little attention has so far been paid to all the dimensions of empowerment in the management of COPD, which would provide useful knowledge regarding elders with COPD. This article reports on a study exploring people’s experiences of the empowerment of older people with COPD. This study adopted an exploratory qualitative design and was carried out using grounded theory methodology. Grounded theory was considered appropriate for this study because of its focus on how people respond to and act on the problems that they encounter. We collected data by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews and taking field notes. Twenty-four participants were selected through purposive sampling. The results showed that in encountering the complexity of disease and in response to difficulties induced by COPD, three strategies were applied. Elderly persons with COPD, their family caregivers, and professional team members engaged in “managing life with COPD,” “striving to keep abreast of life,” “preparing for battle with disease,” and “helping to stabilize the elder’s life.” The outcome of these strategies was “co-existence with disease.” The potential of “managing life with COPD” was influenced by the following factors: “co-existence with ageing,” “personal potential,” “a challenged health system,” and “weak social support.” “Managing life with COPD” enables the elder to feel in control and live optimally. This is a fragile balance, however, and the unpredictability of COPD can tip the elder into “self-efficacy.” Understanding the experiences of the empowerment process of older people with COPD can help health professionals provide more focused elderly care. PMID:28369069

Molten salt corrosion of SiC and Si3N4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, N. S.; Smialek, J. L.; Fox, D. S.

1986-01-01

The most severe type of corrosion encountered in heat engines is corrosion by molten sodium sulfate, formed by the reaction of ingested sodium chloride and sulfur impurities in the fuel. This problem was studied extensively for superalloys, but only recently examined for ceramics. This problem is addressed with laboratory studies to understand the fundamental reaction mechanisms and with burner studies to provide a more realistic simulation of the conditions encountered in a heat engine. In addition the effect of corrosion on the strengths of these materials was assessed. Each of these aspects will be reviewed and some ideas toward possible solutions will be discussed.

Comparison of Low-Energy Lunar Transfer Trajectories to Invariant Manifolds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Rodney L.; Parker, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

In this study, transfer trajectories from the Earth to the Moon that encounter the Moon at various flight path angles are examined, and lunar approach trajectories are compared to the invariant manifolds of selected unstable orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem. Previous work focused on lunar impact and landing trajectories encountering the Moon normal to the surface, and this research extends the problem with different flight path angles in three dimensions. The lunar landing geometry for a range of Jacobi constants are computed, and approaches to the Moon via invariant manifolds from unstable orbits are analyzed for different energy levels.

The Voyager spacecraft /James Watt International Gold Medal Lecture/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heacock, R. L.

1980-01-01

The Voyager Project background is reviewed with emphasis on selected features of the Voyager spacecraft. Investigations by the Thermo-electric Outer Planets Spacecraft Project are discussed, including trajectories, design requirements, and the development of a Self Test and Repair computer, and a Computer Accessed Telemetry System. The design and configuration of the spacecraft are described, including long range communications, attitude control, solar independent power, sequencing and control data handling, and spacecraft propulsion. The development program, maintained by JPL, experienced a variety of problems such as design deficiencies, and process control and manufacturing problems. Finally, the spacecraft encounter with Jupiter is discussed, and expectations for the Saturn encounter are expressed.

A subcutaneous channeling probe for implanting long leads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lund, G. F.; Simmonds, R. C.; Williams, B. A.

1977-01-01

The channeling probe described in the present paper was designed to overcome surgical problems of the type that were encountered when a multichannel radio transmitter had to be implanted in a cow. The probe was made of a flexible but sufficiently stiff 9.5-mm-diam nylon rod, consisting of 46-cm sections for convenience in sterilization and surgical handling. Stainless steel sleaves reinforced the threaded connecting joints. At one end, arrowhead-shaped channeling heads could be attached to produce wide channels for large sensors. The other end was tapered for narrow channels. Postoperative problems were not encountered in the use of this probe in cows, sheep, and dogs.

General Methodology for Designing Spacecraft Trajectories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condon, Gerald; Ocampo, Cesar; Mathur, Ravishankar; Morcos, Fady; Senent, Juan; Williams, Jacob; Davis, Elizabeth C.

2012-01-01

A methodology for designing spacecraft trajectories in any gravitational environment within the solar system has been developed. The methodology facilitates modeling and optimization for problems ranging from that of a single spacecraft orbiting a single celestial body to that of a mission involving multiple spacecraft and multiple propulsion systems operating in gravitational fields of multiple celestial bodies. The methodology consolidates almost all spacecraft trajectory design and optimization problems into a single conceptual framework requiring solution of either a system of nonlinear equations or a parameter-optimization problem with equality and/or inequality constraints.

Understanding Social and Legal Justice Issues for Aboriginal Women within the Context of an Indigenous Australian Studies Classroom: A Problem-Based Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackinlay, Elizabeth; Thatcher, Kristy; Seldon, Camille

2004-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach in which students encounter a problem and systematically set about finding ways to understand the problem through dialogue and research. PBL is an active process where students take responsibility for their learning by asking their own questions about the problem and in this paper we explore…

Administrative encounters in general practice: low value or hidden value care?

PubMed

Trevena, Lyndal J; Harrison, Christopher; Britt, Helena C

2018-02-19

To determine the frequency of general practice administrative encounters, and to determine whether they represent low value care. Secondary analysis of data from the Bettering Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) dataset. 1 568 100 GP-patient encounters in Australia, 2000-01 to 2015-16. An annual nationally representative random sample of about 1000 GPs, who each recorded the details of 100 consecutive encounters with patients. Proportions of general practice encounters that were potentially low value care encounters (among the patient's reasons for the encounter was at least one administrative, medication, or referral request) and potentially low value care only encounters (such reasons were the sole reason for the encounter). For 2015-16, we also examined other health care provided by GPs at these encounters. During 2015-16, 18.5% (95% CI, 17.7-19.3%) of 97 398 GP-patient encounters were potentially low value care request encounters; 7.4% (95% CI, 7.0-7.9%) were potentially low value care only encounters. Administrative work was requested at 3.8% (95% CI, 3.5-4.0%) of GP visits, 35.4% of which were for care planning and coordination, 33.5% for certification, and 31.2% for other reasons. Medication requests were made at 13.1% (95% CI, 12.4-13.7%) of encounters; other health care was provided at 57.9% of medication request encounters, counselling, advice or education at 23.4%, and pathology testing was ordered at 16.7%. Referrals were requested at 2.8% (95% CI, 1.7-3.0%) of visits, at 69.4% of which additional health care was provided. The problems managed most frequently at potentially low value care only encounters were chronic diseases. Most patients requested certificates, medications and referrals in the context of seeking help for other health needs. Additional health care, particularly for chronic diseases, was provided at most GP administrative encounters. The MBS Review should consider the hidden value of these encounters.

Evaluation of the Trade Space Between UAS Maneuver Performance and SAA System Performance Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jack, Devin P.; Hoffler, Keith D.; Johnson, Sally C.

2014-01-01

A need exists to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System. Replacing manned aircraft's see-and-avoid capability in the absence of an onboard pilot is one of the key challenges associated with safe integration. Sense-and-avoid (SAA) systems will have to achieve yet-to-be-determined required separation distances for a wide range of encounters. They will also need to account for the maneuver performance of the UAS they are paired with. The work described in this paper is aimed at developing an understanding of the trade space between UAS maneuver performance and SAA system performance requirements. An assessment of current manned and unmanned aircraft performance was used to establish potential UAS performance test matrix bounds. Then, nearterm UAS integration work was used to narrow down the scope. A simulator was developed with sufficient fidelity to assess SAA system performance requirements for a wide range of encounters. The simulator generates closest-point-of-approach (CPA) data from the wide range of UAS performance models maneuvering against a single intruder with various encounter geometries. The simulator is described herein and has both a graphical user interface and batch interface to support detailed analysis of individual UAS encounters and macro analysis of a very large set of UAS and encounter models, respectively. Results from the simulator using approximate performance data from a well-known manned aircraft is presented to provide insight into the problem and as verification and validation of the simulator. Analysis of climb, descent, and level turn maneuvers to avoid a collision is presented. Noting the diversity of backgrounds in the UAS community, a description of the UAS aerodynamic and propulsive design and performance parameters is included. Initial attempts to model the results made it clear that developing maneuver performance groups is required. Discussion of the performance groups developed and how to know in which group an aircraft belongs for a given flight condition and encounter is included. The groups are specific to airplane, flight condition, and encounter, rather than airplane-only specific. Results and methodology for developing UAS maneuver performance requirements are presented for each maneuver as well. Results for the vertical maneuver indicate that a minimum specific excess power value can assure a minimum CPA for a given time-to-go prediction. However, smaller values of specific excess power may achieve or exceed the same CPA if the UAS has sufficient speed to trade for altitude. Level turn results are less impacted by specific excess power and are presented as a function of turn rate. The effect of altitude is also discussed for the turns. Next steps and future work are discussed. Future studies will lead to better quantification of the preliminary results and cover the remainder of the proposed test matrix. It is anticipated that this will be done in conjunction with RTCA SC-228 over the next few months.

Principals on L-Plates: Rear View Mirror Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildy, Helen; Clarke, Simon

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to the literature on beginning the principalship by identifying and illustrating key challenges that novice principals encounter in their first year for which they would benefit from improved preparation. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a synthesis of a decade of research focusing on the principal…

A Systematic Comparison of Teaching Hospital and Remote-Site Clinical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Friedman, Charles P.

1978-01-01

A methodology is presented for examining activities of medical students on multisite clinical clerkships in obstetrics and gynecology. Five variables are explored: distribution of student activities, type or class of clinical conditions encountered, degree of "esoterism" of those conditions, type of student role, and flexibility of student role.…

Facilitating Small-Scale Implementation of Inquiry-Based Teaching: Encounters and Experiences of Experimento Multipliers in One South African Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudu, Washington Takawira

2017-01-01

This paper explores the experiences of 37 physical science high school teachers who participated in a professional development (PD) programme coordinated by three Experimento multipliers. The Experimento programme is a Siemens Stiftung international educational programme aimed at providing didactic and methodological approaches to classroom…

Co-Researching School Spaces of Dispossession: A Story of Survival

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krueger-Henney, Patricia

2013-01-01

Through combining the methodology of portraiture with the epistemological stance of youth participatory action research, this article positions Latino/a youth as experts with their encounters with the school-to-prison pipeline. This article examines what it's like to live within the tight and probational spaces of criminal justice-based school…

Transition to Science Teacher Educator: Tensions Experienced While Learning to Teach Lesson Sequencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiebke, Heidi; Park Rogers, Meredith

2014-01-01

This self-study investigated the tensions that I (Heidi) encountered when teaching elementary preservice teachers how to develop a coherent sequence of five science lessons. Four lesson planning components guided me in developing a series of lessons to support the preservice teachers with this exercise. Employing self-study methodology, data…

Shifting Priorities: Reflections on Teaching Qualitative Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booker, Keonya C.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe pedagogical approaches to qualitative methodology by an instructor of educational psychology at a large research university. The essay begins with an overview of how my graduate training influenced my orientation to empirical study. Next, I will focus on the obstacles encountered when instructing graduate…

Video Analysis in Cross-Cultural Environments and Methodological Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montandon, Christiane

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the use of videography combined with group interviews, as a way to better understand the informal learnings of 11-12 year old children in cross-cultural encounters during French-German school exchanges. The complete, consistent video data required the researchers to choose the most significant sequences to highlight the…

Authenticity in Learning--Nursing Students' Experiences at a Clinical Education Ward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manninen, Katri; Henriksson, Elisabet Welin; Scheja, Max; Silen, Charlotte

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to explore and understand first year nursing students' experiences of learning at a clinical education ward. Design/methodology/approach: The setting is a clinical education ward for nursing students at a department of infectious diseases. A qualitative study was carried out exploring students' encounters with patients,…

Digital London: Creating a Searchable Web of Interlinked Sources on Eighteenth Century London

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoemaker, Robert

2005-01-01

Purpose: To outline the conceptual and technical difficulties encountered, as well as the opportunities created, when developing an interlinked collection of web-based digitised primary sources on eighteenth century London. Design/methodology/approach: As a pilot study for a larger project, a variety of primary sources, including the "Old…

Cultural Relevance in Research Methodology/Paradigm/Terminology: Dilemma, Contradiction and Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maina, Faith

This paper describes an incident between an academic researcher and a community member. The encounter, in which a researcher asked questions about farming practices, shows how cultural misunderstanding and failure to communicate the gains of research to the community has the potential to generate distorted information. The academic researcher has…

California Women and the Strategies Utilized on the Path to the Superintendency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzman, Anna-Maria

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify leadership strategies utilized and the barriers encountered by females in pursuit of the role of superintendent. This study also intended to identify the strategies women used to overcome these barriers. Methodology: This study utilized descriptive research. Descriptive research involves gathering…

Knowledge and Transformative Social Action: The Encounter of Selected Traditions of Participatory (Action) Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streck, Danilo Romeu

2014-01-01

The argument in this paper is that action and participatory research developed within the context of social and political movements aimed at promoting democratic relationships and institutions represents a methodological strategy for deconstructing and reconstructing the hegemonic perspective of knowledge and knowledge production. After a brief…

A personal encounter with psychology (1937-2002).

PubMed

Kendler, H H

2002-02-01

An undergraduate assistantship with Abraham Maslow, research with Solomon Asch, and an indirect exposure to Ernest Nagel's philosophy of science encouraged Howard H. Kendler to become involved with methodological issues in psychology. Graduate training with Kenneth Spence led to an active research career that was initially immersed in the latent learning controversy and later, with the collaboration of his wife Tracy Kendler, in the extension of the Hull-Spence model of cognitive development. Methodological concerns from a variety of sources encouraged Kendler to express his ideas on the methodology and history of psychology as well as its role in ethical and social policy issues. A productive symbiotic relationship is created from the interaction of democracy, natural-science psychology, and moral pluralism.

The application of operations research methodologies to the delivery of care model for traumatic spinal cord injury: the access to care and timing project.

PubMed

Noonan, Vanessa K; Soril, Lesley; Atkins, Derek; Lewis, Rachel; Santos, Argelio; Fehlings, Michael G; Burns, Anthony S; Singh, Anoushka; Dvorak, Marcel F

2012-09-01

The long-term impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the health care system imposes a need for greater efficiency in the use of resources and the management of care. The Access to Care and Timing (ACT) project was developed to model the health care delivery system in Canada for patients with traumatic SCI. Techniques from Operations Research, such as simulation modeling, were used to predict the impact of best practices and policy initiatives on outcomes related to both the system and patients. These methods have been used to solve similar problems in business and engineering and may offer a unique solution to the complexities encountered in SCI care delivery. Findings from various simulated scenarios, from the patients' point of injury to community re-integration, can be used to inform decisions on optimizing practice across the care continuum. This article describes specifically the methodology and implications of producing such simulations for the care of traumatic SCI in Canada. Future publications will report on specific practices pertaining to the access to specialized services and the timing of interventions evaluated using the ACT model. Results from this type of research will provide the evidence required to support clinical decision making, inform standards of care, and provide an opportunity to engage policymakers.

The Application of Operations Research Methodologies to the Delivery of Care Model for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: The Access to Care and Timing Project

PubMed Central

Noonan, Vanessa K.; Soril, Lesley; Atkins, Derek; Lewis, Rachel; Santos, Argelio; Fehlings, Michael G.; Burns, Anthony S.; Singh, Anoushka

2012-01-01

Abstract The long-term impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the health care system imposes a need for greater efficiency in the use of resources and the management of care. The Access to Care and Timing (ACT) project was developed to model the health care delivery system in Canada for patients with traumatic SCI. Techniques from Operations Research, such as simulation modeling, were used to predict the impact of best practices and policy initiatives on outcomes related to both the system and patients. These methods have been used to solve similar problems in business and engineering and may offer a unique solution to the complexities encountered in SCI care delivery. Findings from various simulated scenarios, from the patients' point of injury to community re-integration, can be used to inform decisions on optimizing practice across the care continuum. This article describes specifically the methodology and implications of producing such simulations for the care of traumatic SCI in Canada. Future publications will report on specific practices pertaining to the access to specialized services and the timing of interventions evaluated using the ACT model. Results from this type of research will provide the evidence required to support clinical decision making, inform standards of care, and provide an opportunity to engage policymakers. PMID:22800432

Tests for informative cluster size using a novel balanced bootstrap scheme.

PubMed

Nevalainen, Jaakko; Oja, Hannu; Datta, Somnath

2017-07-20

Clustered data are often encountered in biomedical studies, and to date, a number of approaches have been proposed to analyze such data. However, the phenomenon of informative cluster size (ICS) is a challenging problem, and its presence has an impact on the choice of a correct analysis methodology. For example, Dutta and Datta (2015, Biometrics) presented a number of marginal distributions that could be tested. Depending on the nature and degree of informativeness of the cluster size, these marginal distributions may differ, as do the choices of the appropriate test. In particular, they applied their new test to a periodontal data set where the plausibility of the informativeness was mentioned, but no formal test for the same was conducted. We propose bootstrap tests for testing the presence of ICS. A balanced bootstrap method is developed to successfully estimate the null distribution by merging the re-sampled observations with closely matching counterparts. Relying on the assumption of exchangeability within clusters, the proposed procedure performs well in simulations even with a small number of clusters, at different distributions and against different alternative hypotheses, thus making it an omnibus test. We also explain how to extend the ICS test to a regression setting and thereby enhancing its practical utility. The methodologies are illustrated using the periodontal data set mentioned earlier. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

First UMTA and AoA National Conference on Transportation for the Elderly and Handicapped

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-05-01

The Conference was highly successful in detailing problems now encountered in : providing transportation services to the elderly and handicapped and in : recommending specific solutions to those problems. There was a strong focus on : realistic, prac...

Motor carrier concerns about transportation problems in Oregon : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-03-01

This report summarizes an analysis of data from a statewide survey of freight motor carrier firms, conducted by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in the summer of 2001, to identify freight industry concerns about problems they encounter ...

Minding Your Business: How to Avoid the Seven Deadly Financial Pitfalls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Keith

1990-01-01

Describes financial management problems typically encountered by child care center directors and owners. Offers suggestions for planning and management techniques to overcome problems of cash flow, budgeting, rising costs, underpricing, declining revenues, fee collection, and liquidity. (NH)

A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity based on enzyme-controlled gold nanoparticles growth in situ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yan; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Lei; Huang, Wei; Huo, Fengwei; Tian, Danbi

2015-03-01

A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity was developed based on one-pot nanoparticle growth. Tween 80 was selected not only as the substrate for lipase recognition but also as the reducing and stabilizing agent for the sensor fabrication. The different molecular groups in Tween 80 could have different roles in the fabrication procedure; the H2O2 produced by the autoxidation of the ethylene oxide subunits in Tween 80 could reduce the AuCl4- ions to Au atoms, meanwhile, the lipase could hydrolyze its carboxyl ester bond, which could, in turn, control the rate of nucleation of the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tailor the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNP transducers. The color changes, which depend on the absence or presence of the lipase, could be used to sense the lipase activity. A linear response ranging from 0.025 to 4 mg mL-1 and a detection limit of the lipase as low as 3.47 μg mL-1 were achieved. This strategy circumvents the problems encountered by general enzyme assays that require sophisticated instruments and complicated assembling steps. The methodology can benefit the assays of heterogeneous-catalyzed enzymes.A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity was developed based on one-pot nanoparticle growth. Tween 80 was selected not only as the substrate for lipase recognition but also as the reducing and stabilizing agent for the sensor fabrication. The different molecular groups in Tween 80 could have different roles in the fabrication procedure; the H2O2 produced by the autoxidation of the ethylene oxide subunits in Tween 80 could reduce the AuCl4- ions to Au atoms, meanwhile, the lipase could hydrolyze its carboxyl ester bond, which could, in turn, control the rate of nucleation of the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tailor the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNP transducers. The color changes, which depend on the absence or presence of the lipase, could be used to sense the lipase activity. A linear response ranging from 0.025 to 4 mg mL-1 and a detection limit of the lipase as low as 3.47 μg mL-1 were achieved. This strategy circumvents the problems encountered by general enzyme assays that require sophisticated instruments and complicated assembling steps. The methodology can benefit the assays of heterogeneous-catalyzed enzymes. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Zeta potential measurements, optimization of assay conditions, pH-stat method. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr07579j

A new hybrid transfinite element computational methodology for applicability to conduction/convection/radiation heat transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tamma, Kumar K.; Railkar, Sudhir B.

1988-01-01

This paper describes new and recent advances in the development of a hybrid transfinite element computational methodology for applicability to conduction/convection/radiation heat transfer problems. The transfinite element methodology, while retaining the modeling versatility of contemporary finite element formulations, is based on application of transform techniques in conjunction with classical Galerkin schemes and is a hybrid approach. The purpose of this paper is to provide a viable hybrid computational methodology for applicability to general transient thermal analysis. Highlights and features of the methodology are described and developed via generalized formulations and applications to several test problems. The proposed transfinite element methodology successfully provides a viable computational approach and numerical test problems validate the proposed developments for conduction/convection/radiation thermal analysis.

Use of computer modeling to investigate a dynamic interaction problem in the Skylab TACS quad-valve package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesser, R. J.; Gershman, R.

1975-01-01

A valve opening-response problem encountered during development of a control valve for the Skylab thruster attitude control system (TACS) is described. The problem involved effects of dynamic interaction among valves in the quad-redundant valve package. Also described is a detailed computer simulation of the quad-valve package which was helpful in resolving the problem.

The in-house education of clinical clerks in surgery and the role of housestaff.

PubMed

Minor, Sam; Poenaru, Dan

2002-11-01

While on surgical rotations, clinical clerks spend more time on the ward and in the emergency department than in any other location. Consequently, their in-house experience is of great importance to their education-yet the teaching processes in these settings have never been fully explored. Unlike the structured pre-clerkship years, the exact breakdown of a clerk's hospital-based education is difficult to elucidate. To effectively evaluate a clerkship curriculum, it is essential to know what clerks are being taught outside of seminars, how that teaching occurs, and by whom. This study proposes a methodology by which a surgical clerkship curriculum can be evaluated. For the purpose of the study, surgery clerks carried written and audio logs of their informal teaching encounters during one on-call period (30 hours). These included who taught them, where, by what methods, for how long, and what prompted the teaching. A survey of similar variables was administered to all clerks who rotated through general surgery over 4 months and to all general surgery residents. Four clerks returned completed logs (100% response rate), and 17 clerks (85% response) and 15 residents (100% response) were surveyed. Audiotaped and written logs were similar, demonstrating good recall. Students recorded an average of 11 teaching encounters (range 3 to 20) per 30 hour period, lasting a total of 73 minutes (range 17 to 178) and each 6.7 +/- 14 minutes long. Both logs and surveys identified most teaching as unsolicited, done mostly by junior and chief residents, focused chiefly on diagnosis and using a Socratic style. Most teaching occurred in the operating room, yet its occurrence was unpredictable; in surveys the emergency room and clinic settings were perceived as more important. Staff surgeons contributed 27% of the logged encounters yet were perceived in surveys as the least contributors. Residents' and clerks' perceptions of teaching were similar except for residents overvaluing the amount of senior teaching (P = 0.04). The resident level correlated significantly with the comfort of teaching (r = 0.618, P = 0.04). Senior residents encouraged more problem-solving, whereas juniors favored minilectures. Only one resident had received formal teaching instruction. Informal teaching of surgery clerks is variable and occurs through multiple short encounters in many settings and by various trainees. Efforts to improve the teaching process should focus on providing formal teaching instruction early in residency, specifically geared toward short encounters in flexible settings. Both the operating room as a learning environment and staff surgeons as informal teachers must be intentionally integrated into the teaching process.

A non-linear dimension reduction methodology for generating data-driven stochastic input models

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

Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; Zabaras, Nicholas

Stochastic analysis of random heterogeneous media (polycrystalline materials, porous media, functionally graded materials) provides information of significance only if realistic input models of the topology and property variations are used. This paper proposes a framework to construct such input stochastic models for the topology and thermal diffusivity variations in heterogeneous media using a data-driven strategy. Given a set of microstructure realizations (input samples) generated from given statistical information about the medium topology, the framework constructs a reduced-order stochastic representation of the thermal diffusivity. This problem of constructing a low-dimensional stochastic representation of property variations is analogous to the problem ofmore » manifold learning and parametric fitting of hyper-surfaces encountered in image processing and psychology. Denote by M the set of microstructures that satisfy the given experimental statistics. A non-linear dimension reduction strategy is utilized to map M to a low-dimensional region, A. We first show that M is a compact manifold embedded in a high-dimensional input space R{sup n}. An isometric mapping F from M to a low-dimensional, compact, connected set A is contained in R{sup d}(d<

In Print or Out of Print? The Continuing Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayden, Mimi

1982-01-01

Briefly describes the problems encountered by libraries in attempting to purchase out-of-stock books and discusses some of the reasons for changes in the way publishers handle backlist materials, including sales volume and its relation to increased printing costs. (JL)

The Impaired Social Worker.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reamer, Frederic G.

1992-01-01

Discusses concept of the impaired professional; reviews research on various types of impairment (personality disorders, depression and other emotional problems, marital problems, and physical illness), prevalence and causes of impairment, and responses to it; and outlines model assessment and action plan for social workers who encounter an…

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipsitt, Lewis P., Ed.

1999-01-01

These 12 monthly issues from 1999 explore problems encountered by children and adolescents. Regular features include "Keep Your Eye On...," brief accounts of research into childhood and adolescent problems; "What's New in Research," summarizing research from recent publications and professional conferences;…

Practical Parenting: Successful Strategies for Solving Your Child's Behaviour Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stenhouse, Glen

Recognizing that all parents encounter challenges in raising their children, this book presents practical strategies for solving common behavior problems. Chapter 1, "Bonding," concerns the development of parent-child attachment. Chapter 2, "Encouraging Development," discusses "hot-housing," language development, and…

Segregation of asphalt mixes caused by surge silos : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

Segregation of asphalt mixes continues to be a problem in Virginia, particularly with base mixes and coarse surface mixes. Although the problem is encountered primarily on jobs using surge silos, it has been related to other factors such as mix desig...

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipsitt, Lewis P., Ed.

1998-01-01

These 12 monthly issues from 1998 explore problems encountered by children and adolescents. Regular features include "Keep Your Eye On...," brief accounts of research into childhood and adolescent problems, "What's New in Research," summarizing research from recent publications and professional conferences;…

Leaders' mental health at work: Empirical, methodological, and policy directions.

PubMed

Barling, Julian; Cloutier, Anika

2017-07-01

While employees' mental health is the focus of considerable attention from researchers, the public, and policymakers, leaders' mental health has almost escaped attention. We start by considering several reasons for this, followed by discussions of the effects of leaders' mental health on their own leadership behaviors, the emotional toll of high-quality leadership, and interventions to enhance leaders' mental health. We offer 8 possible directions for future research on leaders' mental health. Finally, we discuss methodological obstacles encountered when investigating leaders' mental health, and policy dilemmas raised by leaders' mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Dynamic monitoring of compliant bodies impacting the water surface through local strain measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panciroli, Riccardo; Biscarini, Chiara; Jannelli, Elio; Ubertini, Filippo; Ubertini, Stefano

2016-04-01

The understanding and the experimental characterization of the evolution of impulsive loading is crucial in several fields in structural, mechanical and ocean engineering, naval architecture and aerospace. In this regards, we developed an experimental methodology to reconstruct the deformed shape of compliant bodies subjected to impulsive loadings, as those encountered in water entry events, starting from a finite number of local strain measurements performed through Fiber Bragg Gratings. The paper discusses the potential applications of the proposed methodology for: i) real-time damage detection and structural health monitoring, ii) fatigue assessment and iii) impulsive load estimation.

Methodological issues in medical workforce analysis: implications for regional Australia.

PubMed

Hays, R B; Veitch, P C; Franklin, L; Crossland, L

1998-02-01

Medical workforce data have a profound impact on health policy formulation, but derived doctor population ratios (DPR) are often more relevant to plotting national trends than providing a detailed regional or local workforce perspective. Regional workforce data may be more useful if national approaches are augmented by local information. In developing a detailed workforce analysis for one region of Australia, the authors encountered several challenging methodological issues, including the accuracy of medical workforce databases, clarity of definition of community boundaries, interpretation of workforce definitions and the difficulty accounting for local community needs. This paper discusses the implications for regional workforce research.

Cumulative impact assessment: Application of a methodology

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

Witmer, G.W.; Bain, M.B.; Irving, J.S.

We expanded upon the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Cluster Impact Assessment Procedure (CIAP) to provide a practical methodology for assessing potential cumulative impacts from multiple hydroelectric projects within a river basin. The objectives in designing the methodology were to allow the evaluation of a large number of combinations of proposed projects and to minimize constraints on the use of ecological knowledge for planning and regulating hydroelectric development at the river basin level. Interactive workshops and evaluative matrices were used to identify preferred development scenarios in the Snohomish (Washington) and Salmon (Idaho) River Basins. Although the methodology achieved its basicmore » objectives, some difficulties were encountered. These revolved around issues of (1) data quality and quantity, (2) alternatives analysis, (3) determination of project interactions, (4) determination of cumulative impact thresholds, and (5) the use of evaluative techniques to express degrees of impact. 8 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less

Some Findings Concerning Requirements in Agile Methodologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, Pilar; Yagüe, Agustín; Alarcón, Pedro P.; Garbajosa, Juan

Agile methods have appeared as an attractive alternative to conventional methodologies. These methods try to reduce the time to market and, indirectly, the cost of the product through flexible development and deep customer involvement. The processes related to requirements have been extensively studied in literature, in most cases in the frame of conventional methods. However, conclusions of conventional methodologies could not be necessarily valid for Agile; in some issues, conventional and Agile processes are radically different. As recent surveys report, inadequate project requirements is one of the most conflictive issues in agile approaches and better understanding about this is needed. This paper describes some findings concerning requirements activities in a project developed under an agile methodology. The project intended to evolve an existing product and, therefore, some background information was available. The major difficulties encountered were related to non-functional needs and management of requirements dependencies.

Obstacles Related to Structuring for Mathematization Encountered by Students When Solving Physics Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niss, Martin

2017-01-01

This paper studies the cognitive obstacles related to one aspect of mathematization in physics problem-solving, namely, what might be called "structuring for mathematization," where the problem situation is structured in such a way that a translation to a mathematical universe can be done. We report the results of an analysis of four…

Tree planting - strip-mined area in Maryland

Treesearch

Fred L. Bagley

1980-01-01

This report is written to elucidate some of the problems encountered in the planting of trees on strip-mined areas in Maryland. When problems are recognized, normally a solution (or at least, an improvement) can be instituted to alleviate the problem. The methods cited herein are those of experienced foresters engaged in strip-mine planting during the past seventeen...

Reflective Teaching via a Problem Exploration--Teaching Adaptations--Resolution Cycle: A Mixed Methods Study of Preservice Teachers' Reflective Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, H. Emily; Chiu, Ming Ming

2015-01-01

We explore development of elementary preservice teachers' reflective practices as they solved problems encountered while teaching in a reading clinic. Written reflections (N = 175) were collected across 8 weeks from 23 preservice teachers and analyzed to investigate relationships among problem exploration, teaching adaptations, and problem…

Problem Solving in Technology Rich Contexts: Mathematics Sense Making in Out-of-School Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowrie, Tom

2005-01-01

This investigation describes the way in which a case study participant (aged 7) represented, posed and solved problems in a technology game-based environment. The out-of-school problem-solving context placed numeracy demands on the participant that were more complex and sophisticated than the type of mathematics experiences he encountered in…

Modelling Difficulties and Their Overcoming Strategies in the Solution of a Modelling Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dede, Ayse Tekin

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to reveal the elementary mathematics student teachers' difficulties encountered in the solution of a modelling problem, the strategies to overcome those difficulties and whether the strategies worked or not. Nineteen student teachers solved the modelling problem in their four or five-person groups, and the video records…

Complex Problem Solving in Radiologic Technology: Understanding the Roles of Experience, Reflective Judgment, and Workplace Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Jennifer L.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to explore the process of learning and development of problem solving skills in radiologic technologists. The researcher sought to understand the nature of difficult problems encountered in clinical practice, to identify specific learning practices leading to the development of professional expertise, and to…

Functional Behavioral Assessment for a Boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Problem Behavior: A Case Study from Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodoridou, Zoe; Koutsoklenis, Athanasios

2013-01-01

This article focuses on the application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to design a positive behavior intervention (PBI) for a boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who encounters serious difficulties at the mainstream school because of behavioral problems and physical limitations. After the definition of problem behavior and its…

Science Curriculum from the Perspectives of Turkish Teachers: Problems Encountered and Suggestions for Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bekmezci, Sinan Muhammet; Ates, Özlem

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to identify the problems that teachers have experienced during the implementation of the science curriculum and their suggestions for solution to these problems. In the research, survey model has been used among the descriptive research methods in which quantitative and qualitative data have been used together. The…

An Analysis of Problems in College Students' Participation in the Western China Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yumei, Yi

2008-01-01

Since its initiation in 2003, the College Student Western China Program has had several satisfying achievements. At the same time, however, problems exist in the project. This article gives a brief analysis of problems encountered in the project from the aspects of publicity and campaign work, plans and schedules, student participation, voluntary…

Young Filipino Students Making Sense of Arithmetic Word Problems in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Debbie; Mulligan, Joanne; Mitchelmore, Michael

2009-01-01

Young Filipino children are expected to solve mathematical word problems in English, a task which they typically encounter only in schools. In this exploratory study, task-based interviews were conducted with seven Filipino children from a public school. The children were asked to read and solve addition and subtraction word problems in English or…

Soft Systems Methodology and Problem Framing: Development of an Environmental Problem Solving Model Respecting a New Emergent Reflexive Paradigm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, Benoit; And Others

1997-01-01

Identifies the more representative problem-solving models in environmental education. Suggests the addition of a strategy for defining a problem situation using Soft Systems Methodology to environmental education activities explicitly designed for the development of critical thinking. Contains 45 references. (JRH)

Reminder Cards Improve Physician Documentation of Obesity But Not Obesity Counseling.

PubMed

Shungu, Nicholas; Miller, Marshal N; Mills, Geoffrey; Patel, Neesha; de la Paz, Amanda; Rose, Victoria; Kropa, Jill; Edi, Rina; Levy, Emily; Crenshaw, Margaret; Hwang, Chris

2015-01-01

Physicians frequently fail to document obesity and obesity-related counseling. We sought to determine whether attaching a physical reminder card to patient encounter forms would increase electronic medical record (EMR) assessment of and documentation of obesity and dietary counseling. Reminder cards for obesity documentation were attached to encounter forms for patient encounters over a 2-week intervention period. For visits in the intervention period, the EMR was retrospectively reviewed for BMI, assessment of "obesity" or "morbid obesity" as an active problem, free-text dietary counseling within physician notes, and assessment of "dietary counseling" as an active problem. These data were compared to those collected through a retrospective chart review during a 2-week pre-intervention period. We also compared physician self-report of documentation via reminder cards with EMR documentation. We found significant improvement in the primary endpoint of assessment of "obesity" or "morbid obesity" as an active problem (42.5% versus 28%) compared to the pre-intervention period. There was no significant difference in the primary endpoints of free-text dietary counseling or assessment of "dietary counseling" as an active problem between the groups. Physician self-reporting of assessment of "obesity" or "morbid obesity" as an active problem (77.7% versus 42.5%), free-text dietary counseling on obesity (69.1% versus 35.4%) and assessment of "dietary counseling" as an active problem (54.3% versus 25.2%) were all significantly higher than those reflected in EMR documentation. This study demonstrates that physical reminder cards are a successful means of increasing obesity documentation rates among providers but do not necessarily increase rates of obesity-related counseling or documentation of counseling. Our study suggests that even with such interventions, physicians are likely under-documenting obesity and counseling compared to self-reported rates.

Medical support for law enforcement-extended operations incidents.

PubMed

Levy, Matthew J; Tang, Nelson

2014-01-01

As the complexity and frequency of law enforcement-extended operations incidents continue to increase, so do the opportunities for adverse health and well-being impacts on the responding officers. These types of clinical encounters have not been well characterized nor have the medical response strategies which have been developed to effectively manage these encounters been well described. The purpose of this article is to provide a descriptive epidemiology of the clinical encounters reported during extended law enforcement operations, as well as to describe a best practices approach for their effective management. This study retrospectively examined the clinical encounters of the Maryland State Police (MSP) Tactical Medical Unit (TMU) during law enforcement extended operations incidents lasting 8 or more hours. In addition, a qualitative analysis was performed on clinical data collected by federal law enforcement agencies during their extended operations. Forty-four percent of missions (455/1,047) supported by the MSP TMU lasted 8 or more hours. Twenty-six percent of these missions (117/455) resulted in at least one patient encounter. Nineteen percent of patient chief complaints (45/238) were related to heat illness/ dehydration. Fifteen percent of encounters (36/238) were for musculoskeletal injury/pain. Eight percent of patients (19/238) had nonspecific sick call (minor illness) complaints. The next most common occurring complaints were cold-related injuries, headache, sinus congestion, and wound/laceration, each of which accounted for 7 percent of patients (16/238), respectively. Analysis of federal law enforcement agencies' response to such events yielded similar clinical encounters. A wide range of health problems are reported by extended law enforcement operations personnel. Timely and effective treatment of these problems can help ensure that the broader operations mission is not compromised. An appropriate operational strategy for managing health complaints reported during extended operations involves the deployment of a well-trained medical support team using the core concepts of tactical emergency medical support.

Using video to introduce clinical materials.

PubMed

Kommalage, Mahinda; Senadheera, Chandanie

2012-08-01

The early introduction of clinical material is a recognised strategy in medical education. The University of Ruhana Medical School, where a traditional curriculum is followed, offers students pre-clinical subjects without clinical exposure during their first and second years. Clinical materials in the form of videos were introduced to first-year students. In the videos, patients and their relatives described the diseases and related problems. Students were instructed to identify the problems encountered by patients and relatives. Each video was followed by a discussion of the problems identified by the students. The medical, social and economic problems encountered by patients and relatives were emphasised during post-video discussions. A lecture was conducted linking the contents of the videos to subsequent lectures. The aim of this study is to investigate whether combining teaching preclinical material with a video presentation of relevant clinical cases facilitates the interest and understanding of students. Quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire, whereas qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions. Quantitative data showed that students appreciated the video, had 'better' knowledge acquisition and a 'better' understanding of problems encountered by patients. Qualitative analysis highlighted the following themes: increased interest; enhanced understanding; relevance of basic knowledge to clinical practice; orientation to profession; and personalising theories. The introduction of patients in the form of videos helped students to understand the relevance of subject material for clinical practice, increased their interest and facilitated a better understanding of the subject material. Therefore, it seems video is a feasible medium to introduce clinical materials to first-year students who follow a traditional curriculum in a resource-limited environment. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

Some Problems in Studying the English Elements in the Main European Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filipovic, Rudolf

1972-01-01

A study is being done, to be reported on subsequently, on the infiltrations of English into the languages of Europe. Objectives of the project, some problems encountered, and planned results and products are discussed. See FL 508 197 for availability. (RM)

Academic Value of Internships in Agronomy: A Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring, Matthew D.; And Others

1990-01-01

A survey of the academic requirements of internships, benefits in taking part in an internship, and problems encountered in internship programs are described. Results indicated that one of the problems with internship programs occurred when faculty did not have direct control over the experience. (CW)

The Powers That Be: AAVE as the Composition Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Elaine

This Powerpoint presentation argues that the problems encountered in implementing African-centered curriculum into the university composition classroom attest to the need for African centered education in kindergarten through university level educational institutions. The solution of the problem of African American students' disproportionate…

"Unequal Diversity" as a Knowledge Alliance: An Encounter of Paulo Freire's Dialogical Approach and Transdisciplinarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novy, Andreas

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this self-reflective paper is to focus on practical efforts to combat inequality and foster intercultural dialogue in education. It introduces "knowledge alliances", a type of social practice open for education technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is structured in a theoretical and an empirical…

Action Researchers Encountering Ethical Review: A Literature Synthesis on Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouché, Christa B.; Chubb, Laura A.

2017-01-01

Action research (AR) comprises a diverse family of methodologies. Common amongst most types of AR are both an emergent design--leading to action or change--and participation or community involvement. While this type of research has expanded considerably since the early 2000s, the criteria used for ethical review have apparently been slow to adapt…

Cognitive Difficulties in Struggling Comprehenders and Their Relation to Reading Comprehension: A Comparison of Group Selection and Regression-Based Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Marcia A.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Barth, Amy E.; Francis, David J.

2016-01-01

Difficulties suppressing previously encountered but currently irrelevant information from working memory characterize less skilled comprehenders in studies in which they are matched to skilled comprehenders on word decoding and nonverbal IQ. These "extreme" group designs are associated with several methodological issues. When sample size…

The Development and Application of Distance Learning Courses on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuks, Hugo; Gerosa, Marco Aurelio; Lucena, Carlos Jose Pereira de

2002-01-01

Presents the methodology, results, and difficulties encountered in the development and delivery of a course through the Internet at a university in Rio de Janeiro. Provides a model for group work, including group discussions; and shows how a Web-based environment can be used to provide support and to facilitate cooperative learning. (Author/LRW)

What Makes a Social Encounter Meaningful: The Impact of Social Encounters of Homeschooled Children on Emotional and Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guterman, Oz; Neuman, Ari

2017-01-01

In modern society, a large part of the socialization process occurs in schools. Therefore, one of the most significant questions raised with regard to homeschooling concerns the impact of this type of education on the emotional world of the child. However, there is almost no mention in the research of how the nature of the social activity of…

Lifetime of binary asteroids versus gravitational encounters and collisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chauvineau, Bertrand; Farinella, Paolo; Mignard, F.

1992-01-01

We investigate the effect on the dynamics of a binary asteroid in the case of a near encounter with a third body. The dynamics of the binary is modeled as a two-body problem perturbed by an approaching body in the following ways: near encounters and collisions with a component of the system. In each case, the typical value of the two-body energy variation is estimated, and a random walk for the cumulative effect is assumed. Results are applied to some binary asteroid candidates. The main conclusion is that the collisional disruption is the dominant effect, giving lifetimes comparable to or larger than the age of the solar system.

Social Problems in Turkish Social Studies Coursebooks and Workbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yesiltas, Erkan; Eryilmaz, Önder; Pehlivan, Aysegül

2016-01-01

In Turkey, the social studies course, which is taught in elementary 5th to 7th grades, prepares students to solve problems they may encounter in their future life. Therefore, the teaching of social problems to help students get to know them is one of the most important issues for the social studies course. The primary aim of this study is to…

"Students Get Bogged Down": How Religious Israeli Elementary Teachers View Problems and Solutions in Bible Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walfish, Ruth A.; Brody, David L.

2018-01-01

Bible teachers in contemporary society confront serious problems related to the nature of the biblical text and the socio-cultural context of their teaching. This study, based on semi-structured interviews, examines the problems that five expert religious Israeli elementary school teachers encounter in their teaching and the solutions they employ.…

The Real World of the Beginning Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC. National Commission on Teacher Education and Professional Standards.

Problems and goals of beginning teachers are the subject of these speeches presented by both experienced and beginning teachers at the 1965 national conference of the National Commission on Teacher Education and Professional Standards. The problems include the differences between teacher expectations and encounters, unrealistic teaching and…

Virtual Bridge Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisogno, Janet; JeanPierre, Bobby

2008-01-01

The West Point Bridge Design (WPBD) building project engages students in project-based learning by giving them a real-life problem to solve. By using technology, students are able to become involved in solving problems that they normally would not encounter. Involvement with interactive websites, such as WPBD, assists students in using…

Objective Sleep in Pediatric Anxiety Disorders and Major Depressive Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Erika E.; Bertocci, Michele A.; Gregory, Alice M.; Ryan, Neal D.; Axelson, David A.; Birmaher, Boris; Dahl, Ronald E.

2008-01-01

A study to examine sleep problems encountered in anxiety and depressive disorders among children and adolescents is conducted. Results indicated subjective and objective sleep problems in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and need to be kept in mind when treating young anxious people.

Bereavement Support for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auman, Mary Jo

2007-01-01

The death of a parent is one of the most significant and stressful events children can encounter. Surviving children may experience psychiatric problems and social dysfunction during their childhood and possibly throughout their adult lives. Children surviving a sibling's death may develop behavioral problems, because no one can fill the emptiness…

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipsitt, Lewis P., Ed.

1997-01-01

These 12 monthly issues, one special report, and index from 1997 explore problems encountered by children and adolescents. Regular features include "Keep Your Eye On...," brief accounts of research into childhood and adolescent problems; "What's New in Research," summarizing research from recent publications and professional…

Problemes linguistiques des enfants de travailleurs migrants (Linguistic Problems of the Children of Migrant Workers).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Greve, Marcel, Ed.; Rosseel, Eddy, Ed.

Papers on language difficulties encountered by migrant workers' children include: "Anomie in Bicultural Education" (Hugo Baetens Beardsmore); "An Investigation into Bilingual Education for Children from Favoured Socio-Economic Backgrounds" (Hugo Baetens Beardsmore); "Orientations of Foreign Children Relating to Placement…

Bronchobiliary fistula: principles of management.

PubMed

Chua, H K; Allen, M S; Deschamps, C; Miller, D L; Pairolero, P C

2000-10-01

Bronchobiliary fistula is an uncommon entity. Recently, we encountered 2 patients with this problem. Both were treated successfully with resection of the involved pulmonary tissue and interposition of viable tissue between the lung and the fistulous tract. This approach, although invasive, provided a rapid resolution of the patients' problem.

Vibration characteristics of the HPOTP (High-Pressure Oxygen Turbopump) of the SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, D. W.; Moyer, D. S.

1984-01-01

Attention is given to rotor dynamic problems that have been encountered and eliminated in the course of Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) development, as well as continuing, subsynchronous problems which are being encountered in the development of a 109-percent power level engine. The basic model for the SSME's High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump (HPOTP) encompasses a structural dynamic model for the rotor and housing, and component models for the liquid and gas seals, turbine clearance excitation forces, and impeller diffuser forces. Linear model results are used to examine the synchronous response and stability characteristics of the HPOTP, with attention to bearing load and stability problems associated with the second critical speed. Differences between linear and nonlinear model results are discussed and explained in terms of simple models. Simulation results indicate that while synchronous bearing loads can be reduced, subsynchronous motion is not eliminated by seal modifications.

Trapped particle absorption by the Ring of Jupiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fillius, W.

1983-01-01

The interaction of trapped radiation with the ring of Jupiter is investigated. Because it is an identical problem, the rings of Saturn and Uranus are also examined. Data from the Pioneer II encounter, deductions for some of the properties of the rings of Jupiter and Saturn. Over a dozen Jupiter magnetic field models are available in a program that integrates the adiabatic invariants to compute B and L. This program is to label our UCSD Pioneer II encounter data with the most satisfactory of these models. The expected effects of absorbing material on the trapped radiation are studied to obtain the loss rate as a function of ring properties. Analysis of the particle diffusion problem rounds out the theoretical end of the ring absorption problem. Other projects include identification of decay products for energetic particle albedo off the rings and moons of Saturn and a search for flux transfer events at the Jovian magnetopause.

Analysis of severe atmospheric disturbances from airline flight records

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wingrove, R. C.; Bach, R. E., Jr.; Schultz, T. A.

1989-01-01

Advanced methods were developed to determine time varying winds and turbulence from digital flight data recorders carried aboard modern airliners. Analysis of several cases involving severe clear air turbulence encounters at cruise altitudes has shown that the aircraft encountered vortex arrays generated by destabilized wind shear layers above mountains or thunderstorms. A model was developed to identify the strength, size, and spacing of vortex arrays. This model is used to study the effects of severe wind hazards on operational safety for different types of aircraft. The study demonstrates that small remotely piloted vehicles and executive aircraft exhibit more violent behavior than do large airliners during encounters with high-altitude vortices. Analysis of digital flight data from the accident at Dallas/Ft. Worth in 1985 indicates that the aircraft encountered a microburst with rapidly changing winds embedded in a strong outflow near the ground. A multiple-vortex-ring model was developed to represent the microburst wind pattern. This model can be used in flight simulators to better understand the control problems in severe microburst encounters.

How Entrustment Is Informed by Holistic Judgments Across Time in a Family Medicine Residency Program: An Ethnographic Nonparticipant Observational Study.

PubMed

Sagasser, Margaretha H; Fluit, Cornelia R M G; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Kramer, Anneke W M

2017-06-01

Entrustment has mainly been conceptualized as delegating discrete professional tasks. Because residents provide most of their patient care independently, not all resident performance is visible to supervisors; the entrustment process involves more than granting discrete tasks. This study explored how supervisors made entrustment decisions based on residents' performance in a long-term family medicine training program. A qualitative nonparticipant observational study was conducted in 2014-2015 at competency-based family medicine residency programs in the Netherlands. Seven supervisor-resident pairs participated. During two days, one researcher observed first-year residents' patient encounters, debriefing sessions, and supervisor-resident educational meetings and interviewed them separately afterwards. Data were collected and analyzed using iterative, phenomenological inductive research methodology. The entrustment process developed over three phases. Supervisors based their initial entrustment on prior knowledge about the resident. In the ensuing two weeks, entrustment decisions regarding independent patient care were derived from residents' observed general competencies necessary for a range of health problems (clinical reasoning, decision making, relating to patients); medical knowledge and skills; and supervisors' intuition. Supervisors provided supervision during and after encounters. Once residents performed independently, supervisors kept reevaluating their decisions, informed by residents' overall growth in competencies rather than by adhering to a predefined set of tasks. Supervisors in family medicine residency training took a holistic approach to trust, based on general competencies, knowledge, skills, and intuition. Entrustment started before training and developed over time. Building trust is a mutual process between supervisor and resident, requiring a good working relationship.

Ambulatory Morning Report: A Case-Based Method of Teaching EBM Through Experiential Learning.

PubMed

Luciano, Gina L; Visintainer, Paul F; Kleppel, Reva; Rothberg, Michael B

2016-02-01

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills are important to daily practice, but residents generally feel unskilled incorporating EBM into practice. The Kolb experiential learning theory, as applied to curricular planning, offers a unique methodology to help learners build an EBM skill set based on clinical experiences. We sought to blend the learner-centered, case-based merits of the morning report with an experientially based EBM curriculum. We describe and evaluate a patient-centered ambulatory morning report combining the User's Guides to the Medical Literature approach to EBM and experiential learning theory in the internal medicine department at Baystate Medical Center. The Kolb experiential learning theory postulates that experience transforms knowledge; within that premise we designed a curriculum to build EBM skills incorporating residents' patient encounters. By developing structured clinical questions based on recent clinical problems, residents activate prior knowledge. Residents acquire new knowledge through selection and evaluation of an article that addresses the structured clinical questions. Residents then apply and use new knowledge in future patient encounters. To assess the curriculum, we designed an 18-question EBM test, which addressed applied knowledge and EBM skills based on the User's Guides approach. Of the 66 residents who could participate in the curriculum, 61 (92%) completed the test. There was a modest improvement in EBM knowledge, primarily during the first year of training. Our experiential curriculum teaches EBM skills essential to clinical practice. The curriculum differs from traditional EBM curricula in that ours blends experiential learning with an EBM skill set; learners use new knowledge in real time.

Eco-analytical Methodology in Environmental Problems Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agienko, M. I.; Bondareva, E. P.; Chistyakova, G. V.; Zhironkina, O. V.; Kalinina, O. I.

2017-01-01

Among the problems common to all mankind, which solutions influence the prospects of civilization, the problem of ecological situation monitoring takes very important place. Solution of this problem requires specific methodology based on eco-analytical comprehension of global issues. Eco-analytical methodology should help searching for the optimum balance between environmental problems and accelerating scientific and technical progress. The fact that Governments, corporations, scientists and nations focus on the production and consumption of material goods cause great damage to environment. As a result, the activity of environmentalists is developing quite spontaneously, as a complement to productive activities. Therefore, the challenge posed by the environmental problems for the science is the formation of geo-analytical reasoning and the monitoring of global problems common for the whole humanity. So it is expected to find the optimal trajectory of industrial development to prevent irreversible problems in the biosphere that could stop progress of civilization.

Between normality and deviance: the breakdown of batterers' identity following police intervention.

PubMed

Buchbinder, Eli; Eisikovits, Zvi

2004-04-01

With the transformation of intimate violence from private trouble to social problem, police intervention in domestic violence cases became more prevalent. Research has focused mainly on battered women's perception of police intervention, their evaluations, and their level of satisfaction with the intervention. However, there is little research examining the perpetrators' subjective perceptions of such interventions. The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze battering men's perceptions of police intervention. The study is based on semistructured, in-depth interviews with 20 batterers who had repeated encounters with police. Findings show a continuum of self-management, ranging from attempts to preserve a normative identity in the first encounter to struggling against criminalization in the second encounter and adopting a victim identity in the third encounter. The findings are discussed in the context of gender identity and power relations.

Exploring Education. Students from Overseas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Alfred, Ed.

Students entering college for the first time are often confronted with adjustment problems that seem to them unsurmountable and impossible. There is the transition from living dependently with parents to semi-independent living on the college campus, in addition to the many problems encountered in academic areas. If a student, accustomed to the…

New Territory: Problems of Adjusting to the First Year of a Social Science PhD.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hockey, John

1994-01-01

Problems encountered by first-year social science doctoral students in adjusting to their new status as novice researchers are examined, including intellectual solitariness, professional and social isolation, new work organization requirements, anxiety concerning time and productivity, intellectual life, and supervision. Factors contributing to…

Theory Oriented Research: Problems and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greer, John T.

This paper discusses problems the author encountered in attempting to conduct a study of teacher motivation as influenced by a combination of participative decision-making and financial rewards. Over a 3-year period, teacher motivation was to be viewed as influenced by two independent variables--participative decision-making and financial rewards;…

Examples of Cross-Cultural Problems Encountered by Americans Working Overseas; An Instructor's Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Robert J.

Intended mainly as a source book for instructors in area training programs, this handbook contains summary accounts of events illustrating problems frequently met by Americans working overseas, especially those providing technical assistance in developing nations. Examples are drawn from case studies, interviews, anthropology texts, and other…

Identifying Fallacies of Reference in Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Jim

2009-01-01

The experience of teaching informal logic (sometimes called practical logic) at the introductory level over the last fifteen years has allowed the author the opportunity to identify some interesting problems. These problems have been encountered by students attempting to understand some of the ideas presented in the informal logic course and by…

Efficacy of a Latino Mother-Child Communication Intervention in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNaughton, Diane B.; Cowell, Julia Muennich; Fogg, Louis

2015-01-01

Children of Latino immigrants in the United States encounter ecological stressors that heighten their risk for depressive symptoms, externalizing behavior, and problems in school. Studies have shown that affirming parent-child communication is protective of child depressive symptoms and accompanying problems. The purpose of this study was to…

Understanding Critical Thinking to Create Better Doctors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zayapragassarazan, Zayabalaradjane; Menon, Vikas; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar; Batmanabane, Gitanjali

2016-01-01

Medical students master an enormous body of knowledge, but lack systematic problem solving ability and effective clinical decision making. High profile reports have called for reforms in medical education to create a better generation of doctors who can cope with the system based problems they would encounter in an interdisciplinary and…

Anatomy of a bearing torque problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, Damon D.

1987-01-01

In the early 1970s, an antenna despin drive was developed for MBB solar science satellite HELIOS. A problem with high bearing drag torque that was encountered on the two flight models of this drive, after successful tests were completed on twelve bearings, an engineering model, and the qualification unit is discussed.

SOME PROBLEMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELECTRON LINEAR ACCELERATOR (in Dutch)

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

Verhaeghe, J.; Vanhuyse, V.; Van Leuven, P.

1959-01-01

Special problems encountered in the construction of the electron linear accelerator of the Natuurkundig Laboratorium der Rijksuniversiteit of Ghent are discussed. The subjects considered are magnetic focusing, magnetic screening of the electron gun cathode, abnormal attenuation-multipactor effects, and electron energy control. (J.S.R.)

Difficulties for University Students with Mental Health Problems: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markoulakis, Roula; Kirsh, Bonnie

2013-01-01

Postsecondary institutions are witnessing an increase in the number and severity of student mental health problems, necessitating an understanding of the difficulties these students encounter in striving for higher education. The authors conducted a critical interpretive synthesis of 10 articles pertaining to difficulties experienced by students…

English Preservice Teaching: Problems and Suggested Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naeem, Marwa Ahmed Refat

2014-01-01

The present study investigated the problems faced by Egyptian EFL prospective teachers during their first encounter with preservice teaching. The sample for the study included 135 prospective EFL teachers trained in five preparatory (middle) schools in Kafr El-Sheikh city, Egypt. At the end of their first year training course, the prospective…

Education's Role in National Development Plans: Ten Country Cases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, R. Murray, Ed.

The place education has been assigned in the national development programs of 10 nations is discussed, the problems that these countries have encountered in managing education are examined, and the measures adopted to solve educational problems are assessed. Included are the following papers: (1) "The Nature of National Development…

Human Gene Discovery Laboratory: A Problem-Based Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonds, Wesley D., Sr.; Paolella, Mary Jane

2006-01-01

A single-semester elective combines Mendelian and molecular genetics in a problem-solving format. Students encounter a genetic disease scenario, construct a family pedigree, and try to confirm their medical diagnoses through laboratory experiences. Encouraged to generate ideas as they test their hypotheses, students realize the importance of data…

Turkish EFL Pre-Service Teachers' Pronunciation Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardakçi, Mehmet

2015-01-01

This classroom research deals with pronunciation problems that Turkish EFL teacher candidates would encounter. The participants were 22 EFL pre-service teachers with B2 level of proficiency in English. The presentations which were carried out by these participants were analyzed both by the participants themselves and the researcher. The results…

Knowledge Inertia and Organizational Learning as the Explanation of Organizational Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aküzüm, Cemal

2014-01-01

Knowledge is an important concept for individuals and organizations both as a power and source. Thus, knowledge management has become important subject for researchers. However, when people encounter problems, they usually try to produce solutions by utilizing their previous knowledge and experience. Such problem solving strategies are called…

Establishing a Child Care Substitute Caregiver System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Lynne

Substitute caregivers are needed by day care centers in every state. Indeed, some areas are experiencing severe shortages of applicants for child care positions and short-term substitute work. This article describes problems encountered in current substitute caregiver systems and suggests ways of dealing with such problems. Specifically discussed…

Introspection in Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jäkel, Frank; Schreiber, Cornell

2013-01-01

Problem solving research has encountered an impasse. Since the seminal work of Newell und Simon (1972) researchers do not seem to have made much theoretical progress (Batchelder and Alexander, 2012; Ohlsson, 2012). In this paper we argue that one factor that is holding back the field is the widespread rejection of introspection among cognitive…

Maintaining "Professional Distance": A Dilemma for the ABE Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willing, Delight C.; Haney, Hutch

1994-01-01

Too often, many adult educators are unaware of the problems resulting from failing to maintain an appropriate "professional distance" from their adult basic education (ABE) or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students when those students encounter personal problems or crises that appear to be interfering with their learning. ABE…

Student Problems. Adult Literacy Independent Learning Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koefer, Ann M.

This independent learning packet, which is designed for administrators, teachers, counselors, and tutors in Pennsylvania's Region 7 Tri-Valley Literacy Staff Development area as well as for their adult students, examines the following seven problems encountered by students: the job market, child care, single parenting/parenting skills, divorce,…

Impact Assessment of Problem-Based Learning in an Engineering Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasr, Karim J.; Ramadan, Bassem H.

2008-01-01

This paper presents the development and implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in an engineering thermodynamics course at Kettering University. In this project, the thermodynamics course was restructured as modules presenting practical applications first, whereas principles were introduced just-in-time and as encountered. Theoretical…

Problems Relating to Examinations in Three-Year Technical/Natural Science Courses of Study at the Federal Armed Forces University, Munich.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulbricht, Kurt; Zimmermann, Peter

1981-01-01

Problems encountered in testing in aerospace engineering courses in an accelerated technical program of a German military university are outlined. Four common grading procedures are compared, and the optimum length of written tests is discussed. (MSE)

Alleviating Comprehension Problems in Movies. Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatsuki, Donna

This paper describes the various barriers to comprehension that learners may encounter when viewing feature films in a second language. Two clusters of interfacing factors that may contribute to comprehension hot spots emerged from a quantitative analysis of problems noted in student logbooks. One cluster had a strong acoustic basis, whereas the…

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipsitt, Lewis P., Ed.

1996-01-01

These 12 monthly newsletters from 1996 explore the many problems encountered by children and adolescents as they grow up. Regular departments in the newsletter issues include "Keep Your Eye On...," which briefly presents results of research into childhood and adolescent problems; "What's New in Research," summarizing research…

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipsitt, Lewis P., Ed.

1995-01-01

These 12 monthly newsletters from 1995 explore the myriad problems encountered by children and adolescents as they grow up. Regular departments in the newsletter issues include "Keep Your Eye On...," which briefly presents results of research into childhood and adolescent problems; "New Research," summarizing research from recent publications and…

Dynamic Decision Making under Uncertainty and Partial Information

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-30

order to address these problems, we investigated efficient computational methodologies for dynamic decision making under uncertainty and partial...information. In the course of this research, we developed and studied efficient simulation-based methodologies for dynamic decision making under...uncertainty and partial information; (ii) studied the application of these decision making models and methodologies to practical problems, such as those

Atmospheric Propagation and Combining of High-Power Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-08

Brightness-scaling potential of actively phase- locked solid state laser arrays,” IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron., vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 460–472, May...attempting to phase- lock high-power lasers, which is not encountered when phase- locking low-power lasers, for example mW power levels. Regardless, we...technology does not currently exist. This presents a challenging problem when attempting to phase- lock high-power lasers, which is not encountered when

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operational Test and Evaluation Lessons Learned

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

prevented during the test design phase. Test designers should ensure that the appropriate data can be collected in sample sizes large enough to support...encountered during previous tests in an attempt to prevent them from occurring in future tests. The focus of this paper is on UAVs acquired to perform...CHAPTER III TEST DESIGN III. TEST DESIGN Many of the problems encountered during UAV OT could have been prevented during the test

New Tools in Orthology Analysis: A Brief Review of Promising Perspectives

PubMed Central

Nichio, Bruno T. L.; Marchaukoski, Jeroniza Nunes; Raittz, Roberto Tadeu

2017-01-01

Nowadays defying homology relationships among sequences is essential for biological research. Within homology the analysis of orthologs sequences is of great importance for computational biology, annotation of genomes and for phylogenetic inference. Since 2007, with the increase in the number of new sequences being deposited in large biological databases, researchers have begun to analyse computerized methodologies and tools aimed at selecting the most promising ones in the prediction of orthologous groups. Literature in this field of research describes the problems that the majority of available tools show, such as those encountered in accuracy, time required for analysis (especially in light of the increasing volume of data being submitted, which require faster techniques) and the automatization of the process without requiring manual intervention. Conducting our search through BMC, Google Scholar, NCBI PubMed, and Expasy, we examined more than 600 articles pursuing the most recent techniques and tools developed to solve most the problems still existing in orthology detection. We listed the main computational tools created and developed between 2011 and 2017, taking into consideration the differences in the type of orthology analysis, outlining the main features of each tool and pointing to the problems that each one tries to address. We also observed that several tools still use as their main algorithm the BLAST “all-against-all” methodology, which entails some limitations, such as limited number of queries, computational cost, and high processing time to complete the analysis. However, new promising tools are being developed, like OrthoVenn (which uses the Venn diagram to show the relationship of ortholog groups generated by its algorithm); or proteinOrtho (which improves the accuracy of ortholog groups); or ReMark (tackling the integration of the pipeline to turn the entry process automatic); or OrthAgogue (using algorithms developed to minimize processing time); and proteinOrtho (developed for dealing with large amounts of biological data). We made a comparison among the main features of four tool and tested them using four for prokaryotic genomas. We hope that our review can be useful for researchers and will help them in selecting the most appropriate tool for their work in the field of orthology. PMID:29163633

New Tools in Orthology Analysis: A Brief Review of Promising Perspectives.

PubMed

Nichio, Bruno T L; Marchaukoski, Jeroniza Nunes; Raittz, Roberto Tadeu

2017-01-01

Nowadays defying homology relationships among sequences is essential for biological research. Within homology the analysis of orthologs sequences is of great importance for computational biology, annotation of genomes and for phylogenetic inference. Since 2007, with the increase in the number of new sequences being deposited in large biological databases, researchers have begun to analyse computerized methodologies and tools aimed at selecting the most promising ones in the prediction of orthologous groups. Literature in this field of research describes the problems that the majority of available tools show, such as those encountered in accuracy, time required for analysis (especially in light of the increasing volume of data being submitted, which require faster techniques) and the automatization of the process without requiring manual intervention. Conducting our search through BMC, Google Scholar, NCBI PubMed, and Expasy, we examined more than 600 articles pursuing the most recent techniques and tools developed to solve most the problems still existing in orthology detection. We listed the main computational tools created and developed between 2011 and 2017, taking into consideration the differences in the type of orthology analysis, outlining the main features of each tool and pointing to the problems that each one tries to address. We also observed that several tools still use as their main algorithm the BLAST "all-against-all" methodology, which entails some limitations, such as limited number of queries, computational cost, and high processing time to complete the analysis. However, new promising tools are being developed, like OrthoVenn (which uses the Venn diagram to show the relationship of ortholog groups generated by its algorithm); or proteinOrtho (which improves the accuracy of ortholog groups); or ReMark (tackling the integration of the pipeline to turn the entry process automatic); or OrthAgogue (using algorithms developed to minimize processing time); and proteinOrtho (developed for dealing with large amounts of biological data). We made a comparison among the main features of four tool and tested them using four for prokaryotic genomas. We hope that our review can be useful for researchers and will help them in selecting the most appropriate tool for their work in the field of orthology.

Caring in context: caring practices in a sample of Hong Kong nurses.

PubMed

Arthur, D; Pang, S; Wong, T

1998-12-01

In an effort to place the international literature and research in nursing in a Chinese cultural context a study was commenced to examine the caring practices of nurses in Hong Kong. In view of a recent study (Wilkes & Wallis, 1993) which utilised Roach's 5Cs of caring (Roach, 1987, 1992), a pilot study was commenced on a sample of 77 Hong Kong Registered Nurses studying a Diploma of Nursing. An open ended questionnaire was designed which asked nurses to respond to questions about caring in general and the 5Cs: compassion, competence, confidence, conscience and commitment. The questions asked what each of the concepts meant to them as a nurse. Data was analysed into themes based on key words for each of the six areas revealing that the sample of Hong Kong nurses viewed caring in a similar light to those in overseas studies. The sample highlighted compassion and competence as their major features and it is suggested that methodological problems may have inhibited a deeper analysis of their caring attributes and behaviours. When asked to expand on the 5 Cs in terms of their own practice they were able to supply themes which were closely related to Roach's definitions but which may have been more 'textbook' in their origin and certainly lacked a richness of response. The paucity of responses in terms of clarity and richness of data, followed by discussions with the participants led to conclusions about the methodological issues of cross-cultural research and recommendations for future research are made. Highlighted are the problems with attempting to use concepts such as the 5 Cs across cultures and the problems encountered with translation of concepts related to caring from Chinese into English, and vice-versa. The study has provided some insights into the concepts of caring in Hong Kong Chinese nurses. In the light of advances in China and unification of previously separate countries these findings provide and offer insights into nursing in China and are encouraging for future research.

Hypersonics. Volume 1 - Defining the hypersonic environment; Proceedings of the First Joint Europe/U.S. Short Course on Hypersonics, Paris, France, Dec. 7-11, 1987

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertin, John J.; Glowinski, Roland; Periaux, Jacques

1989-05-01

The present work discusses the general characterization of hypersonic flows, the hypersonic phenomena to be encountered by the Hermes spacecraft, industrial methodologies for the design of hypersonic vehicles, the definition of aerodynamic methodology, and hypersonic airbreathing-propulsion vehicle design practices applicable to the U.S. National Aerospace Plane. Also discussed are real gas effects in the hypersonic regime, the influence of thermochemistry and of nonequilibrium and surface catalysis on hypersonic vehicle design, the modelling of nonequilibrium effects in high speed flows, air-dissociation thermochemistry, and rarefied gas dynamics effects for spacecraft.

Reducing Conservatism of Analytic Transient Response Bounds via Shaping Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwan, Aiyueh; Bedrossian, Nazareth; Jan, Jiann-Woei; Grigoriadis, Karolos; Hua, Tuyen (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Recent results show that the peak transient response of a linear system to bounded energy inputs can be computed using the energy-to-peak gain of the system. However, analytically computed peak response bound can be conservative for a class of class bounded energy signals, specifically pulse trains generated from jet firings encountered in space vehicles. In this paper, shaping filters are proposed as a Methodology to reduce the conservatism of peak response analytic bounds. This Methodology was applied to a realistic Space Station assembly operation subject to jet firings. The results indicate that shaping filters indeed reduce the predicted peak response bounds.

Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society on the Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: Methodology and Discussion.

PubMed

Watson, Nathaniel F; Badr, M Safwan; Belenky, Gregory; Bliwise, Donald L; Buxton, Orfeu M; Buysse, Daniel; Dinges, David F; Gangwisch, James; Grandner, Michael A; Kushida, Clete; Malhotra, Raman K; Martin, Jennifer L; Patel, Sanjay R; Quan, Stuart F; Tasali, Esra

2015-08-01

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recently released a Consensus Statement regarding the recommended amount of sleep to promote optimal health in adults. This paper describes the methodology, background literature, voting process, and voting results for the consensus statement. In addition, we address important assumptions and challenges encountered during the consensus process. Finally, we outline future directions that will advance our understanding of sleep need and place sleep duration in the broader context of sleep health. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Computational Evidence that Frequency Trajectory Theory Does Not Oppose but Emerges from Age-of-Acquisition Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mermillod, Martial; Bonin, Patrick; Meot, Alain; Ferrand, Ludovic; Paindavoine, Michel

2012-01-01

According to the age-of-acquisition hypothesis, words acquired early in life are processed faster and more accurately than words acquired later. Connectionist models have begun to explore the influence of the age/order of acquisition of items (and also their frequency of encounter). This study attempts to reconcile two different methodological and…

Tutoring the Elderly on the Use of Recommending Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savvopoulos, Anastasios; Virvou, Maria

2010-01-01

Purpose: The elderly are often unfamiliar with computer technology and can encounter great difficulties. Moreover, the terms used in such systems may prove to be a challenge for these users. The aim of this research is to tutor the elderly on using an adaptive e-shop system in order to buy products easily. Design/methodology/approach: In view of…

How Homeless Sector Workers Deal with the Death of Service Users: A Grounded Theory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakeman, Richard

2011-01-01

Homeless sector workers often encounter the deaths of service users. A modified grounded theory methodology project was used to explore how workers make sense of, respond to, and cope with sudden death. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 16 paid homeless sector workers who had experienced the death of someone with whom they worked.…

Proximity with under Two-Year-Olds in Early Childhood Education: A Silent Pedagogical Encounter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Elizabeth Jayne; Redder, Bridgette

2015-01-01

Using mixed methods to analyse the experience of a 4-month-old and a 10-month-old infant in a high-quality New Zealand education and care setting, this paper utilises dialogic methodology to foreground the importance of key teacher proximity to infant relationships with adults, peers and artefacts in a group context. Quantitative findings…

Is It Because of Partners or Partnerships?: An Investigation into the Main Obstacles of Developing International Partnerships in Four UK Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayoubi, Rami M.; Massoud, Hiba

2012-01-01

Purpose: The main aim of the current study is to explore and model the major obstacles that UK universities encounter when developing international partnerships with overseas universities. Design/methodology/approach: Focusing on the obstacles to developing international partnerships, the study results are developed from 24 interviews with senior…

Using Yes-No Recognition Tests to Assess Student Memory for Course Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Dale L.; Barker, Lewis

2008-01-01

We report 3 experiments using yes-no recognition tests of student memory for course content. Each test consisted of items encountered in the course and an equal number of foils. Experiment 1 involved an initial test of the methodology and addressed test reliability. Experiments 2 and 3 examined performance before and after completion of courses in…

Post-Structural Methodology at the Quilting Point: Intercultural Encounters.

PubMed

Gillett, Grant

Lacan's quilting point connects a network of signifiers with the lived world as a place of voices, memory, and adaptation "seen in" the mirror of language. Crossing cultures can obscure the ways we make sense of the world. Some planes of signification, in aiming to be universal in their knowledge (such as the natural sciences), try to track objects and events independent of our thoughts about them and the ways that signifiers may slide past each other. However, cross-structural comparison and the analysis of cross cultural encounters cannot treat its objects of interest that way. Thus we need a theory and methodology that effectively connects the multilayered discourses of subjectivities from diverse cultures and allows triangulation between them in relation to points of shared experience. At such points we need a critical attitude to our own framework and an openness to the uneasy reflective equilibrium that uncovers assumptions and modes of thinking that will hamper us. Quilting points are such points where different discourses converge on a single event or set of events so as to mark "vertical" connections allowing tentative alignments between ways of meaning so that we can begin to build real cross-cultural understanding.

Group structure and group process for effective space station astronaut teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicholas, J. M.; Kagan, R. S.

1985-01-01

Space Station crews will encounter new problems, many derived from the social interaction of groups working in space for extended durations. Solutions to these problems must focus on the structure of groups and the interaction of individuals. A model of intervention is proposed to address problems of interpersonal relationships and emotional stress, and improve the morale, cohesiveness, and productivity of astronaut teams.

A review of the Los Alamos effort in the development of nuclear rocket propulsion

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

Durham, F.P.; Kirk, W.L.; Bohl, R.J.

1991-01-01

This paper reviews the achievements of the Los Alamos nuclear rocket propulsion program and describes some specific reactor design and testing problems encountered during the development program along with the progress made in solving these problems. The relevance of these problems to a renewed nuclear thermal rocket development program for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) is discussed. 11 figs.

Shuttle payload S-band communications system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batson, B. H.; Teasdale, W. E.; Pawlowski, J. F.; Schmidt, O. L.

1985-01-01

The Shuttle payload S-band communications system design, operational capabilities, and performance are described in detail. System design requirements, overall system and configuration and operation, and laboratory/flight test results are presented. Payload communications requirements development is discussed in terms of evolvement of requirements as well as the resulting technical challenges encountered in meeting the initial requirements. Initial design approaches are described along with cost-saving initiatives that subsequently had to be made. The resulting system implementation that was finally adopted is presented along with a functional description of the system operation. A description of system test results, problems encountered, how the problems were solved, and the system flight experience to date is presented. Finally, a summary of the advancements made and the lessons learned is discussed.

[Problems encountered during the installation of an automated anesthesia documentation system (AIMS)].

PubMed

Müller, H; Naujoks, F; Dietz, S

2002-08-01

Problems encountered during the installation and introduction of an automated anaesthesia documentation system are discussed. Difficulties have to be expected in the area of staff training because of heterogeneous experience in computer usage and in the field of online documentation of vital signs. Moreover the areas of net administration and hardware configuration as well as general administrative issues also represent possible sources of drawbacks. System administration and reliable support provided by personnel of the department of anaesthesiology assuring staff motivation and reducing time of system failures require adequately staffed departments. Based on our own experiences, we recommend that anaesthesiology departments considering the future installation and use of an automated anaesthesia documentation system should verify sufficient personnel capacities prior to their decision.

Do general practice patients with and without appointment differ? Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Riedl, Bernhard; Kehrer, Simon; Werner, Christoph U; Schneider, Antonius; Linde, Klaus

2018-06-23

Even in practices with a comprehensive appointment system a minority of patients walks in without prior notice, sometimes causing problems for practice service quality. We aimed to explore differences between patients consulting primary care practices with and without appointment. Consecutive patients visiting five primary care practices without an appointment and following patients with an appointment were asked to fill in a four-page questionnaire addressing socio-demographic characteristics, the reason for encounter, urgency of seeing a physician, depressive, somatic and anxiety symptoms, personality traits, and satisfaction with the practice. Physicians also documented the reason for encounter and assessed the urgency. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate methods. Two hundred fifty-one patients without and 250 patients with appointment participated. Patients without appointment were significantly younger (mean age 44 vs. 50 years) and reported less often chronic diseases (29% vs. 45%). Also, reasons for encounter differed (e.g., 27% vs. 16% with a respiratory problem). Patients' ratings of urgency did not differ between groups (p = 0.46), but physicians rated urgency higher among patients without appointment (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analyses younger age, male gender, absence of chronic disease, positive screening for at least one mental disorder, low values on the personality trait openness for experience, a high urgency rating by the physician, and a respiratory or musculoskeletal problem as reason for encounter were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of being a patient without appointment. In this study, younger age and a high urgency rating by physicians were the variables most consistently associated with the likelihood of being a patient without appointment. Overall, differences between patients seeking general practices with a comprehensive appointment system without prior notice and patients with appointments were relatively minor.

[Evaluation of the standard application of Delphi in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occupational irritant chemicals].

PubMed

Zhao, L; Yan, Y J

2017-11-20

Objective: To investigate the problems encountered in the application of the standard (hereinafter referred to as standard) for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occu-pational irritant chemicals, to provide reference for the revision of the new standard, to reduce the number of missed patients in occupational COPD, and to get rid of the working environment of those who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases due to long-term exposure to poisons., slowing the progression of the disease. Methods: Using Delphi (Delphi) Expert research method, after the senior experts to demonstrate, to under-stand the GBZ 237-2011 "occupational irritant chemicals to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease" standard evaluation of the system encountered problems, to seek expert advice, The problems encoun-tered during the clinical implementation of the standards promulgated in 2011 are presented. Results: Through the Delphi Expert investigation method, it is found that experts agree on the content evaluation and implemen-tation evaluation in the standard, but the operational evaluation of the standard is disputed. According to the clinical experience, the experts believe that the range of occupational irritant gases should be expanded, and the operation of the problem of smoking, seniority determination and occupational contact history should be challenged during the diagnosis. Conclusions: Since the promulgation in 2011 of the criteria for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occupational stimulant chemicals, there have been some problems in the implementation process, which have caused many occupationally exposed to irritating gases to suffer from "occupational chronic respiratory Diseases" without a definitive diagnosis.

Methodological issues in the study of violence against women

PubMed Central

Ruiz‐Pérez, Isabel; Plazaola‐Castaño, Juncal; Vives‐Cases, Carmen

2007-01-01

The objective of this paper is to review the methodological issues that arise when studying violence against women as a public health problem, focusing on intimate partner violence (IPV), since this is the form of violence that has the greatest consequences at a social and political level. The paper focuses first on the problems of defining what is meant by IPV. Secondly, the paper describes the difficulties in assessing the magnitude of the problem. Obtaining reliable data on this type of violence is a complex task, because of the methodological issues derived from the very nature of the phenomenon, such as the private, intimate context in which this violence often takes place, which means the problem cannot be directly observed. Finally, the paper examines the limitations and bias in research on violence, including the lack of consensus with regard to measuring events that may or may not represent a risk factor for violence against women or the methodological problem related to the type of sampling used in both aetiological and prevalence studies. PMID:18000113

A critical theory of medical discourse: how patients and health professionals deal with social problems.

PubMed

Waitzkin, H; Britt, T

1989-01-01

Criticism of social context does not generally appear in medical encounters. When contextual issues arise in medical discourse, messages of ideology and social control may become apparent, usually without the conscious awareness of the participants. By easing the physical or psychological impact of contextual difficulties, or by encouraging patients' conformity to mainstream expectations of desirable behavior, encounters with doctors can help win patients' consent to troubling social conditions. Seen in this light, doctor-patient encounters become micropolitical situations that do not typically encourage explicit statements or actions by health professionals to change contextual sources of their patients' difficulties. A critical theory influenced by structuralism suggests that the surface meanings of signs in medical discourse prove less important than their structural relationships. In addition, a theoretical approach adopting elements of post-structuralism and Marxist literary criticism emphasizes the marginal, absent, or excluded elements of medical discourse. Contextual features that shape a text include social class, sex, age, and race. Through the underlying structure of medical discourse, contextual problems are expressed, marginalized, and managed.

Parallel software support for computational structural mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Harry F.

1987-01-01

The application of the parallel programming methodology known as the Force was conducted. Two application issues were addressed. The first involves the efficiency of the implementation and its completeness in terms of satisfying the needs of other researchers implementing parallel algorithms. Support for, and interaction with, other Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) researchers using the Force was the main issue, but some independent investigation of the Barrier construct, which is extremely important to overall performance, was also undertaken. Another efficiency issue which was addressed was that of relaxing the strong synchronization condition imposed on the self-scheduled parallel DO loop. The Force was extended by the addition of logical conditions to the cases of a parallel case construct and by the inclusion of a self-scheduled version of this construct. The second issue involved applying the Force to the parallelization of finite element codes such as those found in the NICE/SPAR testbed system. One of the more difficult problems encountered is the determination of what information in COMMON blocks is actually used outside of a subroutine and when a subroutine uses a COMMON block merely as scratch storage for internal temporary results.

SHARP: A multi-mission artificial intelligence system for spacecraft telemetry monitoring and diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, Denise L.; James, Mark L.

1989-01-01

The Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP) is a system designed to demonstrate automated health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager 2 spacecraft is the initial focus for the SHARP system demonstration which will occur during Voyager's encounter with the planet Neptune in August, 1989, in parallel with real time Voyager operations. The SHARP system combines conventional computer science methodologies with artificial intelligence techniques to produce an effective method for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems. The system performs real time analysis of spacecraft and other related telemetry, and is also capable of examining data in historical context. A brief introduction is given to the spacecraft and ground systems monitoring process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The current method of operation for monitoring the Voyager Telecommunications subsystem is described, and the difficulties associated with the existing technology are highlighted. The approach taken in the SHARP system to overcome the current limitations is also described, as well as both the conventional and artificial intelligence solutions developed in SHARP.

Adjoint acceleration of Monte Carlo simulations using TORT/MCNP coupling approach: a case study on the shielding improvement for the cyclotron room of the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital.

PubMed

Sheu, R J; Sheu, R D; Jiang, S H; Kao, C H

2005-01-01

Full-scale Monte Carlo simulations of the cyclotron room of the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital were carried out to improve the original inadequate maze design. Variance reduction techniques are indispensable in this study to facilitate the simulations for testing a variety of configurations of shielding modification. The TORT/MCNP manual coupling approach based on the Consistent Adjoint Driven Importance Sampling (CADIS) methodology has been used throughout this study. The CADIS utilises the source and transport biasing in a consistent manner. With this method, the computational efficiency was increased significantly by more than two orders of magnitude and the statistical convergence was also improved compared to the unbiased Monte Carlo run. This paper describes the shielding problem encountered, the procedure for coupling the TORT and MCNP codes to accelerate the calculations and the calculation results for the original and improved shielding designs. In order to verify the calculation results and seek additional accelerations, sensitivity studies on the space-dependent and energy-dependent parameters were also conducted.

Performance evaluation of restaurant food waste and biowaste to biogas pilot projects in China and implications for national policy.

PubMed

De Clercq, Djavan; Wen, Zongguo; Fan, Fei

2017-03-15

The objective of this research was to conduct a performance evaluation of three food waste/biowaste-to-biogas pilot projects across 7 scenarios in China based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodology. The projects ranked included a food waste-biogas project in Beijing, a food waste-biogas project in Suzhou and a co-digestion project producing biomethane in Hainan. The projects were ranked from best to worst based on technical, economic and environmental criteria under the MCDA framework. The results demonstrated that some projects are encountering operational problems. Based on these findings, six national policy recommendations were provided: (1) shift away from capital investment subsidies to performance-based subsidies; (2) re-design feed in tariffs; (3) promote bio-methane and project clustering; (4) improve collection efficiency by incentivizing FW producers to direct waste to biogas projects; (5) incentivize biogas projects to produce multiple outputs; (6) incentivize food waste-based projects to co-digest food waste with other substrates for higher gas output. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automotive technicians' training as a community-of-practice: implications for the design of an augmented reality teaching aid.

PubMed

Anastassova, Margarita; Burkhardt, Jean-Marie

2009-07-01

The paper presents an ergonomic analysis carried out in the early phases of an R&D project. The purpose was to investigate the functioning of today's Automotive Service Technicians (ASTs) training in order to inform the design of an Augmented Reality (AR) teaching aid. The first part of the paper presents a literature review of some major problems encountered by ASTs today. The benefits of AR as technological aid are also introduced. Then, the methodology and the results of two case studies are presented. The first study is based on interviews with trainers and trainees; the second one on observations in real training settings. The results support the assumption that today's ASTs' training could be regarded as a community-of-practice (CoP). Therefore, AR could be useful as a collaboration tool, offering a shared virtual representation of real vehicle's parts, which are normally invisible unless dismantled (e.g. the parts of a hydraulic automatic transmission). We conclude on the methods and the technologies to support the automotive CoP.

A rational approach to the child with mental retardation for the paediatrician

PubMed Central

Lemay, Jean-François; Herbert, Anthony R; Dewey, Deborah M; Innes, A Micheil

2003-01-01

Mental Retardation (MR) is a problem encountered in almost all paediatric clinical settings. The assessment of a child with MR is a common diagnostic and management dilemma for paediatricians. The field of MR research is currently in a state of flux regarding not just our understanding of the condition, but also in the language and the processes we use in naming, defining and describing MR. This article will provide a better understanding and a rational approach toward MR. Prevalence rates for MR are variable in the literature and may be attributable to the variation in major classification systems and the diversity in study operation definitions and methodologies. Etiologies of MR are diverse and include many different influences. MR most often presents during infancy or preschool years as developmental delay. There is no universally accepted approach to the etiological work-up of mental retardation. The number of medical conditions associated with MR that are completely treatable by medical means remains small. The paediatrician plays a key role establishing short and long term treatment goals, as well as providing support to families who have children with MR. PMID:20052328

[The male nurses' experiences of adaptation in clinical setting].

PubMed

Son, Haeng-Mi; Koh, Moon-Hee; Kim, Chun-Mi; Moon, Jin-Ha; Yi, Myung-Sun

2003-02-01

The purpose of this study was to identified the male nurses' encounter in adapting themselves in the hospital settings dominated by the female nurses in number. Data were collected through the in-depth interview of 16 male nurses and analysed through the grounded theory methodology. The behaviors of male nurses for job-adaptation can be summarized as a series of struggles to consolidate their own ground. They have made tremendous efforts to hold their own ground in the nursing profession composed of a large numbers of female nurses, while they have experienced many difficulties and problems as minorities. They have struggled to adapt themselves professionally through efforts such as; challenging the social and professional barriers, identifying the job identity, empowering themselves through self-development and dedication, expanding their influence among colleagues. In spite of these efforts, they had the perception that nursing is not a lifelong occupation for them. Thus, they had tendency to find outlets of change to occupations. A specific strategy is needed to provide an environment that is helpful for males in integrating into and adapting to the nursing profession.

SHARP: A multi-mission AI system for spacecraft telemetry monitoring and diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, Denise L.; James, Mark L.

1989-01-01

The Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP) is a system designed to demonstrate automated health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager II spacecraft is the initial focus for the SHARP system demonstration which will occur during Voyager's encounter with the planet Neptune in August, 1989, in parallel with real-time Voyager operations. The SHARP system combines conventional computer science methodologies with artificial intelligence techniques to produce an effective method for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems. The system performs real-time analysis of spacecraft and other related telemetry, and is also capable of examining data in historical context. A brief introduction is given to the spacecraft and ground systems monitoring process at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The current method of operation for monitoring the Voyager Telecommunications subsystem is described, and the difficulties associated with the existing technology are highlighted. The approach taken in the SHARP system to overcome the current limitations is also described, as well as both the conventional and artificial intelligence solutions developed in SHARP.

Exploring representations and experiences of case-management users: towards difficulties and solutions to leading qualitative interviews with older people with complex living conditions.

PubMed

Balard, Frédéric; Corre, Stéphanie Pin Le; Trouvé, Hélène; Saint-Jean, Olivier; Somme, Dominique

2013-01-01

By matching needs to resource services, case management could be a useful tool for improving the care of older people with complex living conditions. Collecting and analysing the users' experiences represents a good way to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a case-management service. However, in the literature, fieldwork is very rarely considered and the users included in qualitative research seem to be the most accessible. This study was undertaken to describe the challenges of conducting qualitative research with older people with complex living conditions in order to understand their experiences with case-management services. Reflective analysis was applied to describe the process of recruiting and interviewing older people with complex living conditions in private homes, describing the protocol with respect to fieldwork chronology. The practical difficulties inherent in this type of study are addressed, particularly in terms of defining a sample, the procedure for contacting the users and conducting the interview. The users are people who suffer from a loss of autonomy because of cognitive impairment, severe disease and/or psychiatric or social problems. Notably, most of them refuse care and assistance. Reflective analysis of our protocol showed that the methodology and difficulties encountered constituted the first phase of data analysis. Understanding the experience of users of case management to analyse the outcomes of case-management services requires a clear methodology for the fieldwork.

Expert knowledge elicitation using computer simulation: the organization of frail elderly case management as an illustration.

PubMed

Chiêm, Jean-Christophe; Van Durme, Thérèse; Vandendorpe, Florence; Schmitz, Olivier; Speybroeck, Niko; Cès, Sophie; Macq, Jean

2014-08-01

Various elderly case management projects have been implemented in Belgium. This type of long-term health care intervention involves contextual factors and human interactions. These underlying complex mechanisms can be usefully informed with field experts' knowledge, which are hard to make explicit. However, computer simulation has been suggested as one possible method of overcoming the difficulty of articulating such elicited qualitative views. A simulation model of case management was designed using an agent-based methodology, based on the initial qualitative research material. Variables and rules of interaction were formulated into a simple conceptual framework. This model has been implemented and was used as a support for a structured discussion with experts in case management. The rigorous formulation provided by the agent-based methodology clarified the descriptions of the interventions and the problems encountered regarding: the diverse network topologies of health care actors in the project; the adaptation time required by the intervention; the communication between the health care actors; the institutional context; the organization of the care; and the role of the case manager and his or hers personal ability to interpret the informal demands of the frail older person. The simulation model should be seen primarily as a tool for thinking and learning. A number of insights were gained as part of a valuable cognitive process. Computer simulation supporting field experts' elicitation can lead to better-informed decisions in the organization of complex health care interventions. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A review of the current state-of-the-art methodology for handling bias and uncertainty in performing criticality safety evaluations. Final report

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

Disney, R.K.

1994-10-01

The methodology for handling bias and uncertainty when calculational methods are used in criticality safety evaluations (CSE`s) is a rapidly evolving technology. The changes in the methodology are driven by a number of factors. One factor responsible for changes in the methodology for handling bias and uncertainty in CSE`s within the overview of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is a shift in the overview function from a ``site`` perception to a more uniform or ``national`` perception. Other causes for change or improvement in the methodology for handling calculational bias and uncertainty are; (1) an increased demand for benchmark criticalsmore » data to expand the area (range) of applicability of existing data, (2) a demand for new data to supplement existing benchmark criticals data, (3) the increased reliance on (or need for) computational benchmarks which supplement (or replace) experimental measurements in critical assemblies, and (4) an increased demand for benchmark data applicable to the expanded range of conditions and configurations encountered in DOE site restoration and remediation.« less

Training effectiveness assessment: Methodological problems and issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Kenneth D.

1992-01-01

The U.S. military uses a large number of simulators to train and sustain the flying skills of helicopter pilots. Despite the enormous resources required to purchase, maintain, and use those simulators, little effort has been expended in assessing their training effectiveness. One reason for this is the lack of an evaluation methodology that yields comprehensive and valid data at a practical cost. Some of these methodological problems and issues that arise in assessing simulator training effectiveness, as well as problems with the classical transfer-of-learning paradigm were discussed.

Practical guidelines for workload assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tattersall, Andrew J.

1994-01-01

The practical problems that might be encountered in carrying out workload evaluations in work settings have been outlined. Different approaches have been distinguished that may determine the type of research design used and provide assistance in the difficult choice between workload assessment techniques. One approach to workload assessment is to examine the short-term consequences of combining various tasks. Theoretical models of attention allocation will underpin specific studies of interference and the consequences of task demand and task conflict for performance. A further approach with a different temporal orientation may lead us to a better understanding of the relationships between work demands and strain through the analysis of individual differences in cognitive control processes. The application of these processes may depend on individual differences in long term styles and short term strategies, but may be used to prevent decrements in work performance under difficult conditions. However, control may attract costs as well as benefits in terms of changes in effective state and physiological activity. Thus, strain associated with work demands may only be measurable in the form of tradeoffs between performance and other domains of individual activity. The methodological implications are to identify patterns of adjustment to workload variations using repeated measures and longitudinal sampling of performance as well as subjective and physiological measures. Possible enhancements to workplace design must take into account these human factors considerations of workload in order to avoid potential decrements in individual performance and associated organizational problems.

Ethical and Safety Issues in Doing Sex Work Research: Reflections From a Field-Based Ethnographic Study in Kolkata, India

PubMed Central

Sinha, Sunny

2016-01-01

While much has been said about the risks and safety issues experienced by female sex workers in India, there is a considerable dearth of information about the difficulties and problems that sex work researchers, especially female researchers, experience when navigating the highly political, ideological, and stigmatized environment of the Indian sex industry. As noted by scholars, there are several methodological and ethical issues involved with sex work research, such as privacy and confidentiality of the participants, representativeness of the sample, and informed consent. Yet, there has been reluctance among scholars to comment on their research process, especially with regard to how they deal with the protocols for research ethics when conducting social and behavioral epidemiological studies among female sex workers in India and elsewhere. Drawing on my 7 months of field-based ethnographic research with “flying” or non-brothel-based female sex workers in Kolkata, India, I provide in this article a reflexive account of the problems encountered in implementing the research process, particularly the ethical and safety issues involved in gaining access and acceptance into the sex industry and establishing contact and rapport with the participants. In doing so, it is my hope that future researchers can develop the knowledge necessary for the design of ethical and non-exploitative research projects with sex workers. PMID:27651071

Ethical and Safety Issues in Doing Sex Work Research: Reflections From a Field-Based Ethnographic Study in Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Sinha, Sunny

2017-05-01

While much has been said about the risks and safety issues experienced by female sex workers in India, there is a considerable dearth of information about the difficulties and problems that sex work researchers, especially female researchers, experience when navigating the highly political, ideological, and stigmatized environment of the Indian sex industry. As noted by scholars, there are several methodological and ethical issues involved with sex work research, such as privacy and confidentiality of the participants, representativeness of the sample, and informed consent. Yet, there has been reluctance among scholars to comment on their research process, especially with regard to how they deal with the protocols for research ethics when conducting social and behavioral epidemiological studies among female sex workers in India and elsewhere. Drawing on my 7 months of field-based ethnographic research with "flying" or non-brothel-based female sex workers in Kolkata, India, I provide in this article a reflexive account of the problems encountered in implementing the research process, particularly the ethical and safety issues involved in gaining access and acceptance into the sex industry and establishing contact and rapport with the participants. In doing so, it is my hope that future researchers can develop the knowledge necessary for the design of ethical and non-exploitative research projects with sex workers.

Households encountering with catastrophic health expenditures in Ferdows, Iran.

PubMed

Ghoddoosinejad, Javad; Jannati, Ali; Gholipour, Kamal; Baghban Baghestan, Elham

2014-08-01

Out-of-pocket payments are the main sources of healthcare financing in most developing countries. Healthcare services can impose a massive cost burden on households, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to calculate households encountered with catastrophic healthcare expenditures in Ferdows, Iran. The sample included 100 households representing 20% of all households in Ferdows, Iran. The data were collected using self-administered questionnaire. The ability to pay of households was calculated, and then if costs of household health were at least 40% of their ability to pay, it was considered as catastrophic expenditures. Rate of households encountered to catastrophic health expenditures was estimated to be 24%, of which dentistry services had the highest part in catastrophic health expenditures. Low ability to pay of households should be supported against these expenditures. More equitable health system would solve the problem, although more financial aid should be provided for households encountered to catastrophic costs.

Adding value to the learning process by online peer review activities: towards the elaboration of a methodology to promote critical thinking in future engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dominguez, Caroline; Nascimento, Maria M.; Payan-Carreira, Rita; Cruz, Gonçalo; Silva, Helena; Lopes, José; Morais, Maria da Felicidade A.; Morais, Eva

2015-09-01

Considering the results of research on the benefits and difficulties of peer review, this paper describes how teaching faculty, interested in endorsing the acquisition of communication and critical thinking (CT) skills among engineering students, has been implementing a learning methodology throughout online peer review activities. While introducing a new methodology, it is important to weight the advantages found and the conditions that might have restrained the activity outcomes, thereby modulating its overall efficiency. Our results show that several factors are decisive for the success of the methodology: the use of specific and detailed orientation guidelines for CT skills, the students' training on how to deliver a meaningful feedback, the opportunity to counter-argument, the selection of good assignments' examples, and the constant teacher's monitoring of the activity. Results also tackle other aspects of the methodology such as the thinking skills evaluation tools (grades and tests) that most suit our reality. An improved methodology is proposed taking in account the encountered limitations, thus offering the possibility to other interested institutions to use/test and/or improve it.

Ethical and Legal Implications of the Methodological Crisis in Neuroimaging.

PubMed

Kellmeyer, Philipp

2017-10-01

Currently, many scientific fields such as psychology or biomedicine face a methodological crisis concerning the reproducibility, replicability, and validity of their research. In neuroimaging, similar methodological concerns have taken hold of the field, and researchers are working frantically toward finding solutions for the methodological problems specific to neuroimaging. This article examines some ethical and legal implications of this methodological crisis in neuroimaging. With respect to ethical challenges, the article discusses the impact of flawed methods in neuroimaging research in cognitive and clinical neuroscience, particularly with respect to faulty brain-based models of human cognition, behavior, and personality. Specifically examined is whether such faulty models, when they are applied to neurological or psychiatric diseases, could put patients at risk, and whether this places special obligations on researchers using neuroimaging. In the legal domain, the actual use of neuroimaging as evidence in United States courtrooms is surveyed, followed by an examination of ways that the methodological problems may create challenges for the criminal justice system. Finally, the article reviews and promotes some promising ideas and initiatives from within the neuroimaging community for addressing the methodological problems.

Making sense of grounded theory in medical education.

PubMed

Kennedy, Tara J T; Lingard, Lorelei A

2006-02-01

Grounded theory is a research methodology designed to develop, through collection and analysis of data that is primarily (but not exclusively) qualitative, a well-integrated set of concepts that provide a theoretical explanation of a social phenomenon. This paper aims to provide an introduction to key features of grounded theory methodology within the context of medical education research. In this paper we include a discussion of the origins of grounded theory, a description of key methodological processes, a comment on pitfalls encountered commonly in the application of grounded theory research, and a summary of the strengths of grounded theory methodology with illustrations from the medical education domain. The significant strengths of grounded theory that have resulted in its enduring prominence in qualitative research include its clearly articulated analytical process and its emphasis on the generation of pragmatic theory that is grounded in the data of experience. When applied properly and thoughtfully, grounded theory can address research questions of significant relevance to the domain of medical education.

Pediatrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spackman, T. J.

1978-01-01

The utilization of the Lixiscope in pediatrics was investigated. The types of images that can presently be obtained are discussed along with the problems encountered. Speculative applications for the Lixiscope are also presented.

Client Contacts Improve Quality of Copywriting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCann, Guy

1988-01-01

Discusses the advantages of using real-life clients for class assignments in copywriting courses. Presents suggestions for client sources and identifies possible problems which may be encountered. (MM)

A Brief Comparison of the Current Approaches in Teaching Pronunciation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Selami; Akyüz, Serhat

2017-01-01

Though pronunciation has an important place in English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning, it is evident that EFL teachers experience some problems in pronunciation classes. Thus, this study aims to review some studies on teaching pronunciation to present essential information and solutions to the problems encountered in…

The Academy in the Age of Digital Labor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glaros, Michelle

2004-01-01

In this article, the author addresses a problem encountered in her own professional life as a teacher of writing in the context of computing, a teaching field often referred to as "computers and writing," "electronic writing," or "computer-assisted writing instruction." The problem she has observed has to do with teaching technology in a…

Learners' Perceptions of Listening Comprehension Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasan, Ali S.

2000-01-01

Reports a study of listening problems encountered in the English-as-a-foreign-language classroom in the English for Specific Purposes Centre at Damascus University in Syria. Looks particularly at learner strategies, features of the listening text, characteristics of the speaker, attitudes of the listener, the task to be completed as a result of…

Signal-Detection Analyses of Conditional Discrimination and Delayed Matching-to-Sample Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Brent

2004-01-01

Quantitative analyses of stimulus control and reinforcer control in conditional discriminations and delayed matching-to-sample procedures often encounter a problem; it is not clear how to analyze data when subjects have not made errors. The present article examines two common methods for overcoming this problem. Monte Carlo simulations of…

Overcoming Barriers for Displaced Homemakers in Nontraditional Occupations. A Manual of Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Far West Lab. for Educational Research and Development, San Francisco, CA.

This manual examines problems the displaced homemaker encounters on the job and offers strategies which vocational educators, counselors, and other service providers can suggest to nontraditional students for overcoming these problems. A brief overview of the displaced homemaker is provided and the term "nontraditional occupation" is defined. An…

The English Translation and Testing of the Problems after Discharge Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Diane E.; Mistiaen, Patriek; Knafl, George J.; Bowles, Kathryn H.

2011-01-01

The quality of hospital discharge planning assessments determines whether patients receive the health and social services they need or are sent home with unmet needs and without services. There is a valid and reliable Dutch instrument that measures problems and unmet needs patients encounter after discharge. This article describes the translation…

Listening: The Ignored Skill in EFL Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulum, Ömer Gökhan

2015-01-01

Listening is clearly the weakest skill of EFL students who encounter different kinds of listening problems. It is the most underestimated skill in EFL context, though. This study seeks to examine the listening problems faced by a group of first year university students whose English proficiency level is elementary. 50 EFL students from three…

Foundation Officers, Evaluation, and Ethical Problems: A Pilot Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Michael

2007-01-01

Ethical problems encountered by foundation officers in their evaluation-related work were identified via an email survey of a sample of Council on Foundations member organizations. Of the respondents who had worked with evaluators, one-third indicated that they had faced ethical challenges. Most challenges fell into one of four categories:…

Obstacles in Qualitative Research: Possible Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poggenpoel, M.; Myburgh, C. P. H.

2005-01-01

In conducting research, the identified problem in the field will determine the research strategies chosen to address the problem. When a qualitative research strategy is deemed as the most appropriate strategy to get answers to research questions, the researcher should be aware of obstacles that can be encountered in the research process. If the…

The Chronically Ill Child in the School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sexson, Sandra; Madan-Swain, Avi

1995-01-01

Examines the effects of chronic illness on the school-age population. Facilitating successful functioning of chronically ill youths is a growing problem. Focuses on problems encountered by the chronically ill student who has either been diagnosed with a chronic illness or who has survived such an illness. Discusses the role of the school…

Operant Strategies in the Training of Community Action Organizers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vargas, Ernest A.; Breslaw, Jerome

Planning, funding and operating anti-poverty programs require skilled community organizers. Training organizers deals with problems of how to motivate others and what tactics should be used when difficulty is encountered. Two approaches to these problems determined by images of 20th Century Man have been employed: (1) rational economic man who…

Teaching Consumer Skills and How to Survive in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Farren

These consumer education activities will help secondary students become aware of the social and economic problems they will be encountering after they graduate. Interdisciplinary in nature, the activities can be used in a number of ways. They can be integrated into the curriculum through U.S. history, modern problems, sociology, psychology, home…

A Genetic Algorithm Approach to Nonlinear Least Squares Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olinsky, Alan D.; Quinn, John T.; Mangiameli, Paul M.; Chen, Shaw K.

2004-01-01

A common type of problem encountered in mathematics is optimizing nonlinear functions. Many popular algorithms that are currently available for finding nonlinear least squares estimators, a special class of nonlinear problems, are sometimes inadequate. They might not converge to an optimal value, or if they do, it could be to a local rather than…

Persistent Problems and Promising Solutions in Inservice Education. Report of Selected REGI Project Directors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigsby, Greg

This report summarizes and presents information from interviews with 22 National Inservice Network project directors. The purpose was to identify problems and solutions encountered in directing regular education inservice (REGI) projects. The projects were sponsored by institutions of higher education, state and local education agencies, and an…

Geometric Reasoning in an Active-Engagement Upper-Division E&M Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerny, Leonard Thomas

2012-01-01

A combination of theoretical perspectives is used to create a rich description of student reasoning when facing a highly-geometric electricity and magnetism problem in an upper-division active-engagement physics classroom at Oregon State University. Geometric reasoning as students encounter problem situations ranging from familiar to novel is…

Elites, Bureaucrats, Ostriches, and Pussycats: Managing Research in Policy Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Catherine

Female researchers conducting field research in educational politics encounter special problems of access, entry, reciprocity, and ethics. Accordingly, this study focuses first on field research methods in policy settings as a general topic, then on problems specific to women in this area. A researcher must be aware of informal coalitions or…

Meanings Given to Algebraic Symbolism in Problem-Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cañadas, María C.; Molina, Marta; del Río, Aurora

2018-01-01

Some errors in the learning of algebra suggest that students might have difficulties giving meaning to algebraic symbolism. In this paper, we use problem posing to analyze the students' capacity to assign meaning to algebraic symbolism and the difficulties that students encounter in this process, depending on the characteristics of the algebraic…

A study of effects of hyperthermia on large, short-haired male dogs : a simulated air transport environmental stress.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-03-01

When dogs are shipped by air transport, they can encounter environmental temperatures as high as 130.0 F during the summer months. Heat- induced hyperthermia can be a major problem in dogs. : To assess some aspects of the heat stress problem, 20 dogs...

Social Relationships and Interpersonal Skills: A Guide for People with Sensory and Physical Limitations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Information Studies, Falls Church, VA.

Intended for individuals with physical or sensory handicaps, the guide explores the social and interpersonal implication of disability and suggests alternative ways of dealing with related problems. Chapter 1 looks at the social environment that people with disabilities encounter. Potential social problems and types of situations the disabled may…

Seeing Deep Structure from the Interactions of Surface Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chi, Michelene T. H.; VanLehn, Kurt A.

2012-01-01

Transfer is typically thought of as requiring individuals to "see" what is the same in the deep structure between a new target problem and a previously encountered source problem, even though the surface features may be dissimilar. We propose that experts can "see" the deep structure by considering the first-order interactions…

Engineering Encounters: The Tightrope Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Bill

2014-01-01

In order to prepare students to become the next innovators, teachers need to provide real-world challenges that allow children to exercise their innovation muscles. Innovation starts with a problem and innovators work to solve a problem by planning, creating, and testing. The real-world innovation process does not happen on a worksheet, and it…

A Pilot Study of Problems and Practices in the Induction of Beginning Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchard, John B.; Hull, Ronald E.

A pilot study was designed to test the practicality of gathering data through interviews and to provide tentative information on induction problems and practices encountered by beginning teachers in the Cattaraugus-Chautauqua County area of New York. Fifty-three elementary self-contained classroom teachers and secondary academic subject-matter…

Using Real World Experience to Teach Science and Environmental Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Sharon M.

The use of interpretive reporting techniques and programs offering real world training to writers may provide solutions to the problems encountered in writing about science for the mass media. Both science and environmental writers have suggested that the problems they face would be decreased by the use of more interpretive and investigative…

Mental Health Needs and Treatment of New Hampshire Unemployed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarzombek, Michael

2010-01-01

The intent of this research is to understand the types of mental health problems individuals encounter during periods of unemployment, and the severity of those problems from an individual, family and community-based perspective. Of primary importance is determining whether or not treatment services are utilized, and if so, the sensitivity…

Organizational factors in fire prevention: roles, obstacles, and recommendations

Treesearch

John R. Christiansen; William S. Folkman; Keith W. Warner; Michael L. Woolcott

1976-01-01

Problems being encountered in implementing fire prevention programs were explored by studying the organization for fire prevention at the Fish Lake, Uinta, and Wasatch National Forests in Utah. The study focused on role congruency in fire prevention activities and on the social and organizational obstacles to effective programs. The problems identified included lack of...

An Interdisciplinary Program in Technical Communications: Problems Encountered.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckman, Martha

The need for experts in technical communication is growing significantly while the number of college graduates in the field accounts for less than one percent of the need. Three major types of problems should be considered in trying to establish a technical communication program: those involving society's need for better technical communicators,…

34 CFR 356.11 - What types of problems may be researched under the fellowship program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... REHABILITATION RESEARCH: RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS What Kinds of Activities Does the Department Support Under This... encountered by individuals with disabilities in their daily lives that are due to the presence of a disabling... disabilities, and problems connected with the conduct of disability research may be addressed under this...

34 CFR 356.11 - What types of problems may be researched under the fellowship program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... REHABILITATION RESEARCH: RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS What Kinds of Activities Does the Department Support Under This... encountered by individuals with disabilities in their daily lives that are due to the presence of a disabling... disabilities, and problems connected with the conduct of disability research may be addressed under this...

Problematic Situations in the Lives of Urban African American Middle School Students: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Albert D.; Erwin, Elizabeth H.; Allison, Kevin W.; Meyer, Aleta; Sullivan, Terri; Camou, Suzanne; Kliewer, Wendy; Esposito, Layla

2007-01-01

Qualitative methods were used to identify problem situations encountered by adolescents in urban middle schools serving a predominantly African American student population. Interviews focusing on identifying problem situations and the context in which they occur were conducted with 60 adolescents including students and peer mediators at middle…

Improving Problem-Solving Skills with the Help of Plane-Space Analogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budai, László

2013-01-01

We live our lives in three-dimensional space and encounter geometrical problems (equipment instructions, maps, etc.) every day. Yet there are not sufficient opportunities for high school students to learn geometry. New teaching methods can help remedy this. Specifically our experience indicates that there is great promise for use of geometry…

Evaluation of Distant Education Programs with Regards to Various Shareholder Opinions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonbuloglu, Betül; Gürol, Aysun

2016-01-01

The strong demand and rapid increase in the number of programs concerning distant education programs has put the quality problem of distant education services into the agenda. It is crucial to determine the strengths and weaknesses of distant education programs, the problems encountered by these programs and making the required improvements. The…

Getting down to cases: the revival of casuistry in bioethics.

PubMed

Arras, J D

1991-02-01

This article examines the emergence of casuistical case analysis as a methodological alternative to more theory-driven approaches in bioethics research and education. Focusing on The Abuse of Casuistry by A. Jonsen and S. Toulmin, the article articulates the most characteristic features of this modern-day casuistry (e.g., the priority allotted to case interpretation and analogical reasoning over abstract theory, the resemblance of casuistry to common law traditions, the 'open texture' of its principles, etc.) and discusses some problems with casuistry as an 'anti-theoretical' method. It is argued that casuistry so defined is 'theory modest' rather than 'theory free' and that ethical theory can still play a significant role in casuistical analysis; that casuistical analyses will encounter conflicting 'deep' interpretations of our social practices and institutions, and are therefore unlikely sources of increased social consensus on controversial bioethical questions; that its conventionalism raises questions about casuistry's ability to criticize norms embedded in the societal consensus; and that casuistry's emphasis upon analogical reasoning may tend to reinforce the individualistic nature of much bioethical writing. It is concluded that, not-withstanding these problems, casuistry represents a promising alternative to the regnant model of 'applied ethics' (i.e., to the ritualistic invocation of the so-called 'principles of bioethics'). The pedagogical implications of casuistry are addressed throughout the paper and include the following recommendations: (1) use real cases, (2) make them long, richly detailed and comprehensive, (3) present complex sequences of cases, (4) stress the problem of 'moral diagnosis', and (5) be ever mindful of the limits of casuistical analysis.

Science and Technology Teachers' Opinions about Problems Faced While Teaching 8th Grade Science Unit "Force and Motion" and Suggestions for Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozdogan, Aykut Emre; Uzoglu, Mustafa

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the problems encountered while teaching force and motion unit in 8th grade science and technology course from teachers' perspectives and offer solutions to eliminate these problems. The study was conducted with 248 science and technology teachers working in 7 regions in Turkey in 2012-2013 academic year.…

A Study of Moroccan Pupils' Difficulties at Second Baccalaureate Year in Solving Chemistry Problems Relating to the Reactivity of Ethanoate Ions and to Copper-Aluminium Cells

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ouasri, Ali

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the difficulties that Moroccan pupils (18-19) of the second Baccalaureate year encountered in solving chemical equilibrium problems relating to ethanoate ions' reactivity with water and methanoic acid, and to copper-aluminum cells. The pupils were asked to provide answers to questions derived from two problems. The…

L'Education des Adultes et les Problemes de Main-D'Oeuvre (Adult Education and Manpower Problems). Les Cahiers de L'I.C.E., 6-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Inst. for Adult Education, Montreal (Quebec).

The impact of continuing education on the complex problems encountered in developing and implementing overall manpower policies is discussed and documented in this anthology. An introductory chapter on adult education and the labor force is followed by surveys and critiques of manpower policy and the organization of the labor market in Sweden, the…

The extraction of accurate coordinates of images on photographic plates by means of a scanning type measuring machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, B. E.

1971-01-01

The Moire method experimental stress analysis is similar to a problem encountered in astrometry. It is necessary to extract accurate coordinates from images on photographic plates. The solution to the mutual problem found applicable to the field of experimental stress analysis is presented to outline the measurement problem. A discussion of the photo-reading device developed to make the measurements follows.

Micromechanisms with floating pivot

DOEpatents

Garcia, Ernest J.

2001-03-06

A new class of tilting micromechanical mechanisms have been developed. These new mechanisms use floating pivot structures to relieve some of the problems encountered in the use of solid flexible pivots.

Virtual-pulse time integral methodology: A new explicit approach for computational dynamics - Theoretical developments for general nonlinear structural dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Xiaoqin; Tamma, Kumar K.; Sha, Desong

1993-01-01

The present paper describes a new explicit virtual-pulse time integral methodology for nonlinear structural dynamics problems. The purpose of the paper is to provide the theoretical basis of the methodology and to demonstrate applicability of the proposed formulations to nonlinear dynamic structures. Different from the existing numerical methods such as direct time integrations or mode superposition techniques, the proposed methodology offers new perspectives and methodology of development, and possesses several unique and attractive computational characteristics. The methodology is tested and compared with the implicit Newmark method (trapezoidal rule) through a nonlinear softening and hardening spring dynamic models. The numerical results indicate that the proposed explicit virtual-pulse time integral methodology is an excellent alternative for solving general nonlinear dynamic problems.

Herpetofaunal Inventories of the National Parks of South Florida and the Caribbean: Volume IV. Biscayne National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Kenneth G.; Waddle, J. Hardin; Crockett, Marquette E.; Bugbee, Christopher D.; Jeffery, Brian M.; Percival, H. Franklin

2007-01-01

Amphibian declines and extinctions have been documented around the world, often in protected natural areas. Concern for this alarming trend has prompted the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service to document all species of amphibians that occur within U.S. National Parks and to search for any signs that amphibians may be declining. This study, an inventory of amphibian species in Biscayne National Park, was conducted during 2002 and 2003. The goals of the project were to create a georeferenced inventory of amphibian species, use new analytical techniques to estimate proportion of sites occupied by each species, look for evidence of known stressors or problems that may lead to amphibian population decline (invasive species, disease, die-offs, and so forth), and to establish a baseline and methodology that could be used for future monitoring efforts. Four sampling methods were used to accomplish these goals. Visual encounter surveys and anuran vocalization surveys were conducted at a total of 236 visits to 37 sites in all habitats throughout Biscayne National Park to estimate the proportion of sites or proportion of area occupied (PAO) by each amphibian species in each habitat. More than 100 individuals of 7 amphibian species were detected during standard sampling, and 24 individuals of 6 species of amphibians and 37 individuals of 12 species of reptiles were encountered during opportunistic collections and nighttime road surveys used to augment the visual encounter methods for more rare or cryptic species opportunistically. The software PRESENCE was used to provide PAO estimates for each of the anuran species based on the visual encounter surveys and anuran vocalization data. Amphibian species (six native and three non-native) were documented in Biscayne National Park during this project. The proportion of area occupied estimates obtained for the six most common amphibians will serve as a comparative baseline for future monitoring efforts. There were fourteen non-marine reptile species detected during this study. The proportion of area occupied for reptile species was not estimated because there were too few encounters during this study. The methods used in this study are adequate to produce reliable estimates of the proportion of sites occupied by most anuran species. Therefore, future sampling at regular intervals could be a cost-effective way of following amphibian occupancy trends. This study identified some threats to amphibians in Biscayne National Park, especially introduced species including the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis), the marine or cane toad (Bufo marinus), and the greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris planirostris) that were collectively detected nearly three times as often as native species.

Standards of quality for river use within the Fort Niobrara wilderness area

Treesearch

John B. Davis; Mark Lindvall

2000-01-01

The visual survey methodology of Manning and others (1996) was used to measure visitor response to the number of other floaters encountered on the Niobrara River within the Fort Niobrara Wilderness in Nebraska. An optical scanner and photo-editing software were used to produce 12 composite photographs of the Niobrara River, depicting a range of visitor use levels. In a...

Applying industrial engineering practices to radiology.

PubMed

Rosen, Len

2004-01-01

Seven hospitals in Oregon and Washington have successfully adopted the Toyota Production System (TPS). Developed by Taiichi Ohno, TPS focuses on finding efficiencies and cost savings in manufacturing processes. A similar effort has occurred in Canada, where Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children has developed a database for its diagnostic imaging department built on the principles of TPS applied to patient encounters. Developed over the last 5 years, the database currently manages all interventional patient procedures for quality assurance, inventory, equipment, and labor. By applying industrial engineering methodology to manufacturing processes, it is possible to manage these constraints, eliminate the obstacles to achieving streamlined processes, and keep the cost of delivering products and services under control. Industrial engineering methodology has encouraged all stakeholders in manufacturing plants to become participants in dealing with constraints. It has empowered those on the shop floor as well as management to become partners in the change process. Using a manufacturing process model to organize patient procedures enables imaging department and imaging centers to generate reports that can help them understand utilization of labor, materials, equipment, and rooms. Administrators can determine the cost of individual procedures as well as the total and average cost of specific procedure types. When Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children first implemented industrial engineering methodology to medical imaging interventional radiology patient encounters, it focused on materials management. Early in the process, the return on investment became apparent as the department improved its management of more than 500,000 dollars of inventory. The calculated accumulated savings over 4 years for 10,000 interventional procedures alone amounted to more than 140,000 dollars. The medical imaging department in this hospital is only now beginning to apply what it has learned to other factors contributing to case cost. It has started to analyze its service contracts with equipment vendors. The department also is accumulating data to measure room, equipment, and labor utilization. The hospital now has a true picture of the real cost associated with each patient encounter in medical imaging. It can now begin to manage case costs, perform better capacity planning, create more effective relationships with its material suppliers, and optimize scheduling of patients and staff.

Towards a Cognitively Realistic Computational Model of Team Problem Solving Using ACT-R Agents and the ELICIT Experimentation Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

intelligence analysis processes. However, as has been noted in previous work (e.g., [42]), there are a number of important differences between the nature of the...problem encountered in the context of the ELICIT task and the problems dealt with by intelligence analysts. Perhaps most importantly, the fact that a...see Section 7). 6 departure from the reality of most intelligence analysis situations: in most real-world intelligence analysis problems agents have

A study of dynamical behavior of space environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. T.

1974-01-01

Studies have covered a wide range of problems in the space environment, such as the problems of the dynamical behavior of the thermosphere, hydromagnetic wave propagation in the ionosphere, and interplanetary space environment. The theories used to analyze these problems range from a continuum theory of magnetohydrodynamics to the kinetic theory of free molecular flow. This is because the problems encountered covered the entire range of the Knudsen number (i.e., the ratio of mean free path to the characteristic length). Significant results are summarized.

Sunlight Diffusing Tent for Lunar Worksite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burleson, Blair; Clark, Todd; Deese, Todd; Gentry, Ernest; Samad, Abdul

1990-01-01

The purpose is to provide a solution to problems astronauts encounter with sunlight on the lunar surface. Due to the absence of an atmosphere the Moon is subjected to intense sunlight creating problems with color and contrast. This problem can be overcome by providing a way to reduce intensity and diffuse the light in a working environment. The solution to the problem utilizes an umbrella, tent-like structure covered with a diffusing material. The design takes into account structural materials, stresses, fabrics, and deployment.

Conceptual, Methodological, and Ethical Problems in Communicating Uncertainty in Clinical Evidence

PubMed Central

Han, Paul K. J.

2014-01-01

The communication of uncertainty in clinical evidence is an important endeavor that poses difficult conceptual, methodological, and ethical problems. Conceptual problems include logical paradoxes in the meaning of probability and “ambiguity”— second-order uncertainty arising from the lack of reliability, credibility, or adequacy of probability information. Methodological problems include questions about optimal methods for representing fundamental uncertainties and for communicating these uncertainties in clinical practice. Ethical problems include questions about whether communicating uncertainty enhances or diminishes patient autonomy and produces net benefits or harms. This article reviews the limited but growing literature on these problems and efforts to address them and identifies key areas of focus for future research. It is argued that the critical need moving forward is for greater conceptual clarity and consistent representational methods that make the meaning of various uncertainties understandable, and for clinical interventions to support patients in coping with uncertainty in decision making. PMID:23132891

Twenty-seven Strategies for Teaching Contraception to Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesler, Joan

1980-01-01

Research on the effects of education on adolescents' contraceptive behaviors is summarized and 27 teaching strategies, each related to a particular contraceptive problem adolescents encounter, are outlined. (JMF)

48 CFR 2919.812 - Contract administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... conduct periodic evaluations of the performance of an 8(a) contract at various stages of the contract period of performance. Any problems encountered during the performance evaluation, which cannot be...

The application of the statistical theory of extreme values to gust-load problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Press, Harry

1950-01-01

An analysis is presented which indicates that the statistical theory of extreme values is applicable to the problems of predicting the frequency of encountering the larger gust loads and gust velocities for both specific test conditions as well as commercial transport operations. The extreme-value theory provides an analytic form for the distributions of maximum values of gust load and velocity. Methods of fitting the distribution are given along with a method of estimating the reliability of the predictions. The theory of extreme values is applied to available load data from commercial transport operations. The results indicate that the estimates of the frequency of encountering the larger loads are more consistent with the data and more reliable than those obtained in previous analyses. (author)

The ESA mission to Comet Halley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhard, R.

1981-01-01

The Europeon Space Agency's approximately Giotto mission plans for a launch in July 1985 with a Halley encounter in mid-March 1986 4 weeks after the comet's perihelion passage. Giotto carries 10 scientific experiments, a camera, neutral, ion and dust mass spectrometers, a dust impact detector system, various plasma analyzers, a magnetometer and an optical probe. The instruments are described, the principles on which they are based are described, and the experiment key performance data are summarized. The launch constraints the helicentric transfer trajectory, and the encounter scenario are analyzed. The Giotto spacecraft major design criteria, spacecraft subsystem and the ground system are described. The problem of hypervelocity dust particle impacts in the innermost part of the coma, the problem of spacecraft survival, and the adverse effects of impact-generated plasma aroung the spacecraft are considered.

Issues encountered in a qualitative secondary analysis of help-seeking in the prodrome to psychosis.

PubMed

Gladstone, Brenda M; Volpe, Tiziana; Boydell, Katherine M

2007-10-01

Primary data are rarely used explicitly as a source of data outside of the original research purpose for which they were collected. As a result, qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) has been described as an "invisible enterprise" for which there is a "notable silence" amongst the qualitative research community. In this paper, we report on the methodological implications of conducting a secondary analysis of qualitative data focusing on parents' narratives of help-seeking activities in the prodrome to psychosis. We review the literature on QSA, highlighting the main characteristics of the approach, and discuss issues and challenges encountered in conducting a secondary analysis. We conclude with some thoughts on the implications for conducting a QSA in children's mental health services and research.

Multidimensional Simulation Applied to Water Resources Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camara, A. S.; Ferreira, F. C.; Loucks, D. P.; Seixas, M. J.

1990-09-01

A framework for an integrated decision aiding simulation (IDEAS) methodology using numerical, linguistic, and pictorial entities and operations is introduced. IDEAS relies upon traditional numerical formulations, logical rules to handle linguistic entities with linguistic values, and a set of pictorial operations. Pictorial entities are defined by their shape, size, color, and position. Pictorial operators include reproduction (copy of a pictorial entity), mutation (expansion, rotation, translation, change in color), fertile encounters (intersection, reunion), and sterile encounters (absorption). Interaction between numerical, linguistic, and pictorial entities is handled through logical rules or a simplified vector calculus operation. This approach is shown to be applicable to various environmental and water resources management analyses using a model to assess the impacts of an oil spill. Future developments, including IDEAS implementation on parallel processing machines, are also discussed.

Science aspects of a 1980 flyby of Comet Encke with a Pioneer spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, L. D.; Elachi, C.; Giffin, C. E.; Huntress, W.; Newburn, R. L.; Parker, R. H.; Taylor, F. W.; Thorpe, T. E.

1974-01-01

Results are presented of an investigation of the feasibility of a 1980 flyby of Comet Encke using a Pioneer class spacecraft. Specific areas studied include: science objectives and rationale; science observables; effects of encounter velocity; science encounter and targeting requirements; selection and description of science instruments; definition of a candidate science payload; engineering characteristics of suggested payload; value of a separable probe; science instruments for a separable probe; science payload integration problems; and science operations profile.

The ethical junior: a typology of ethical problems faced by house officers

PubMed Central

McDougall, Rosalind; Sokol, Daniel K

2008-01-01

Although many studies have explored the experiences of doctors in their first postgraduate year, few have focused on the ethical issues encountered by this group. Based on an extensive literature review of research involving house officers, we argue that these doctors encounter a broad range of ‘everyday’ ethical challenges, from truth-telling to working in non-ideal conditions. We propose a typology of house officers' ethical issues and advocate prioritizing these issues in undergraduate medical ethics and law curricula. PMID:18299625

Challenges of implementing intervention research in persons with dementia: example of a glider swing intervention.

PubMed

Snyder, M; Tseng, Y H; Brandt, C; Croghan, C; Hanson, S; Constantine, R; Kirby, L

2001-01-01

Intervention studies for persons with dementia present many challenges. This article describes challenges encountered in conducting a glider swing intervention study for persons with dementia and the strategies used to manage the problems encountered. The overall purpose of a quasi-experimental study was to explore the effects of a glider swing intervention on emotions, relaxation, and aggressive behaviors in nursing home residents with dementia. Suggestions for investigators conducting intervention studies for persons with dementia are provided.

Abdomino-perineal approach for management of traumatic strictured posterior urethra.

PubMed

Ezzat, M I

1990-01-01

Twelve patients with traumatic posterior urethral stricture have been treated using a combined transpubic-transperineal approach. The strictured segments were long and associated with complicated problems in 4 patients. Three of them have had bulbo-vesical anastomosis operation, and iatrogenic urethro-rectal fistula was encountered in the fourth patient. Combined approach provided the best chance for success. Our results of urethral lumen patency and continence of urine were excellent. However, we encountered 7 patients dissatisfied with their erection.

[Methodological problems in the use of information technologies in physical education].

PubMed

Martirosov, E G; Zaĭtseva, G A

2000-01-01

The paper considers methodological problems in the use of computer technologies in physical education by applying diagnostic and consulting systems, educational and educational-and-training process automation systems, and control and self-control programmes for athletes and others.

Cardiac emergencies and problems of the critical care patient.

PubMed

Marr, Celia M

2004-04-01

Cardiac disease and dysfunction can occur as a primary disorder(ie, with pathology situated in one or more of the cardiac structures) or can be classified as a secondary problem when it occurs in patients with another primary problem that has affected the heart either directly or indirectly. Primary cardiac problems are encountered in horses presented to emergency clinics; however,this occurs much less frequently in equine critical patients than cardiac problems arising secondary to other conditions. Nevertheless,if primary or secondary cardiac problems are not identified and addressed, they certainly contribute to the morbidity and mortality of critical care patients.

Procedures for estimating the frequency of commercial airline flights encountering high cabin ozone levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holdeman, J. D.

1979-01-01

Three analytical problems in estimating the frequency at which commercial airline flights will encounter high cabin ozone levels are formulated and solved: namely, estimating flight-segment mean levels, estimating maximum-per-flight levels, and estimating the maximum average level over a specified flight interval. For each problem, solution procedures are given for different levels of input information - from complete cabin ozone data, which provides a direct solution, to limited ozone information, such as ambient ozone means and standard deviations, with which several assumptions are necessary to obtain the required estimates. Each procedure is illustrated by an example case calculation that uses simultaneous cabin and ambient ozone data obtained by the NASA Global Atmospheric Sampling Program. Critical assumptions are discussed and evaluated, and the several solutions for each problem are compared. Example calculations are also performed to illustrate how variations in lattitude, altitude, season, retention ratio, flight duration, and cabin ozone limits affect the estimated probabilities.

Reduction of Complications of Local Anaesthesia in Dental Healthcare Setups by Application of the Six Sigma Methodology: A Statistical Quality Improvement Technique.

PubMed

Akifuddin, Syed; Khatoon, Farheen

2015-12-01

Health care faces challenges due to complications, inefficiencies and other concerns that threaten the safety of patients. The purpose of his study was to identify causes of complications encountered after administration of local anaesthesia for dental and oral surgical procedures and to reduce the incidence of complications by introduction of six sigma methodology. DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control) process of Six Sigma was taken into consideration to reduce the incidence of complications encountered after administration of local anaesthesia injections for dental and oral surgical procedures using failure mode and effect analysis. Pareto analysis was taken into consideration to analyse the most recurring complications. Paired z-sample test using Minitab Statistical Inference and Fisher's exact test was used to statistically analyse the obtained data. The p-value <0.05 was considered as significant value. Total 54 systemic and 62 local complications occurred during three months of analyse and measure phase. Syncope, failure of anaesthesia, trismus, auto mordeduras and pain at injection site was found to be most recurring complications. Cumulative defective percentage was 7.99 in case of pre-improved data and decreased to 4.58 in the control phase. Estimate for difference was 0.0341228 and 95% lower bound for difference was 0.0193966. p-value was found to be highly significant with p= 0.000. The application of six sigma improvement methodology in healthcare tends to deliver consistently better results to the patients as well as hospitals and results in better patient compliance as well as satisfaction.

Employing an ethnographic approach: key characteristics.

PubMed

Lambert, Veronica; Glacken, Michele; McCarron, Mary

2011-01-01

Nurses are increasingly embracing ethnography as a useful research methodology. This paper presents an overview of some of the main characteristics we considered and the challenges encountered when using ethnography to explore the nature of communication between children and health professionals in a children's hospital. There is no consensual definition or single procedure to follow when using ethnography. This is largely attributable to the re-contextualisation of ethnography over time through diversification in and across many disciplines. Thus, it is imperative to consider some of ethnography's trademark features. To identify core trademark features of ethnography, we collated data following a scoping review of pertinent ethnographic textbooks, journal articles, attendance at ethnographic workshops and discussions with principle ethnographers. This is a methodological paper. Essentially, ethnography is a field-orientated activity that has cultural interpretations at its core, although the levels of those interpretations vary. We identified six trademark features to be considered when embracing an ethnographic approach: naturalism; context; multiple data sources; small case numbers; 'emic' and 'etic' perspectives, and ethical considerations. Ethnography has an assortment of meanings, so it is not often used in a wholly orthodox way and does not fall under the auspices of one epistemological belief. Yet, there are core criteria and trademark features that researchers should take into account alongside their particular epistemological beliefs when embracing an ethnographic inquiry. We hope this paper promotes a clearer vision of the methodological processes to consider when embarking on ethnography and creates an avenue for others to disseminate their experiences of and challenges encountered when applying ethnography's trademark features in different healthcare contexts.

A Multivariate Examination of the Child-Abuse Potential of Parents with Children Aged 0-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Zeynep; Ozozen Danaci, Miray

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Child abuse, defined by the World Health Organization as "intentional or unintentional behavior by adults, society, or a country with negative consequences for the health and physical development of the child," is a social problem frequently encountered in all cultures and societies. It is need to this study because of…