Parameter estimation of an ARMA model for river flow forecasting using goal programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Kourosh; Eslami, H. R.; Kahawita, Rene

2006-11-01

SummaryRiver flow forecasting constitutes one of the most important applications in hydrology. Several methods have been developed for this purpose and one of the most famous techniques is the Auto regressive moving average (ARMA) model. In the research reported here, the goal was to minimize the error for a specific season of the year as well as for the complete series. Goal programming (GP) was used to estimate the ARMA model parameters. Shaloo Bridge station on the Karun River with 68 years of observed stream flow data was selected to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The results when compared with the usual method of maximum likelihood estimation were favorable with respect to the new proposed algorithm.

The contribution of goal specificity to goal achievement in collaborative goal setting for the management of asthma.

PubMed

Smith, Lorraine; Alles, Chehani; Lemay, Kate; Reddel, Helen; Saini, Bandana; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia; Emmerton, Lynne; Stewart, Kay; Burton, Debbie; Krass, Ines; Armour, Carol

2013-01-01

Goal setting was investigated as part of an implementation trial of an asthma management service (PAMS) conducted in 96 Australian community pharmacies. Patients and pharmacists identified asthma-related issues of concern to the patient and collaboratively set goals to address these. Although goal setting is commonly integrated into disease state management interventions, the nature of goals, and their contribution to goal attainment and health outcomes are not well understood. To identify and describe: 1) goals set collaboratively between adult patients with asthma and their pharmacist, 2) goal specificity and goal achievement, and 3) describe the relationships between specificity, achievement, asthma control and asthma-related quality of life. Measures of goal specificity, and goal achievement were developed and applied to patient data records. Goals set were thematically analyzed into goal domains. Proportions of goals set, goals achieved and their specificity were calculated. Correlational and regression analyses were undertaken to determine the relationships between goal specificity, goal achievement, asthma control and asthma-related quality of life. Data were drawn from 498 patient records. Findings showed that patients set a wide range and number of asthma-related goals (N = 1787) and the majority (93%) were either achieved or being working toward by the end of the study. Goal achievement was positively associated with specific and moderately specific goals, but not non-specific goals. However, on closer inspection, an inconsistent pattern of relationships emerged as a function of goal domain. Findings also showed that goal setting was associated with end-of-study asthma control but not to asthma-related quality of life. Pharmacists can help patients to set achievable and specific asthma management goals, and these have the potential to directly impact health outcomes such as asthma control. Goal specificity appears to be an important feature in the achievement of goals, but other factors may also play a role. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Information Processing and Proactive Interference in Children with and without Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marton, Klara; Campanelli, Luca; Eichorn, Naomi; Scheuer, Jessica; Yoon, Jungmee

2014-01-01

Purpose: Increasing evidence suggests that children with specific language impairment (SLI) have a deficit in inhibition control, but research isolating specific abilities is scarce. The goal of this study was to examine whether children with SLI differ from their peers in resistance to proactive interference under different conditions. Method: An…

Development of a specification for flexible base construction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) currently uses Item 247 Flexible Base to specify a : pavement foundation course. The goal of this project was to evaluate the current method of base course : acceptance and investigate methods to r...

Mixed Methods in Intervention Research: Theory to Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Hitchcock, John; Sarkar, Sreeroopa; Burkholder, Gary; Varjas, Kristen; Jayasena, Asoka

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the application of mixed methods research designs to multiyear programmatic research and development projects whose goals include integration of cultural specificity when generating or translating evidence-based practices. The authors propose a set of five mixed methods designs related to different…

General constraints on sampling wildlife on FIA plots

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bailey, L.L.; Sauer, J.R.; Nichols, J.D.; Geissler, P.H.; McRoberts, Ronald E.; Reams, Gregory A.; Van Deusen, Paul C.; McWilliams, William H.; Cieszewski, Chris J.

2005-01-01

This paper reviews the constraints to sampling wildlife populations at FIA points. Wildlife sampling programs must have well-defined goals and provide information adequate to meet those goals. Investigators should choose a State variable based on information needs and the spatial sampling scale. We discuss estimation-based methods for three State variables: species richness, abundance, and patch occupancy. All methods incorporate two essential sources of variation: detectability estimation and spatial variation. FIA sampling imposes specific space and time criteria that may need to be adjusted to meet local wildlife objectives.

Participant outcomes from methods of recruitment for videogame research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The most productive methods of recruitment for a video game for health (G4H) trial are not known. Success or failure of recruitment methods have been reported for a variety of clinical trials, but few specifically for G4H trials. This study's goal was to recruit 444 overweight or obese (BMI percenti...

Methods of Scientific Research: Teaching Scientific Creativity at Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, Dennis; Ford, K. E. Saavik

2016-01-01

We present a scaling-up plan for AstroComNYC's Methods of Scientific Research (MSR), a course designed to improve undergraduate students' understanding of science practices. The course format and goals, notably the open-ended, hands-on, investigative nature of the curriculum are reviewed. We discuss how the course's interactive pedagogical techniques empower students to learn creativity within the context of experimental design and control of variables thinking. To date the course has been offered to a limited numbers of students in specific programs. The goals of broadly implementing MSR is to reach more students and early in their education—with the specific purpose of supporting and improving retention of students pursuing STEM careers. However, we also discuss challenges in preserving the effectiveness of the teaching and learning experience at scale.

Compositional Specification of Software Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penix, John; Lau, Sonie (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

This paper describes our experience using parameterized algebraic specifications to model properties of software architectures. The goal is to model the decomposition of requirements independent of the style used to implement the architecture. We begin by providing an overview of the role of architecture specification in software development. We then describe how architecture specifications are build up from component and connector specifications and give an overview of insights gained from a case study used to validate the method.

Film/chemistry selection for the earth resources technology satellite /ERTS/ ground data handling system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, R. M.

1973-01-01

A detailed description is given of the methods of choose the duplication film and chemistry currently used in the NASA-ERTS Ground Data Handling System. The major ERTS photographic duplication goals are given as background information to justify the specifications for the desirable film/chemistry combination. Once these specifications were defined, a quantitative evaluation program was designed and implemented to determine if any recommended combinations could meet the ERTS laboratory specifications. The specifications include tone reproduction, granularity, MTF and cosmetic effects. A complete description of the techniques used to measure the test response variables is given. It is anticipated that similar quantitative techniques could be used on other programs to determine the optimum film/chemistry consistent with the engineering goals of the program.

The use and evaluation of self-regulation techniques can predict health goal attainment in adults: an explorative study

PubMed Central

De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Verloigne, Maite; Crombez, Geert

2016-01-01

Background. Self-regulation tools are not always used optimally, and implementation intention plans often lack quality. Therefore, this study explored participants’ use and evaluation of self-regulation techniques and their impact on goal attainment. Methods. Data were obtained from 452 adults in a proof of concept (POC) intervention of ‘MyPlan’, an eHealth intervention using self-regulation techniques to promote three healthy behaviours (physical activity (PA), fruit intake, or vegetable intake). Participants applied self-regulation techniques to a self-selected health behaviour, and evaluated the self-regulation techniques. The quality of implementation intentions was rated by the authors as a function of instrumentality (instrumental and non-instrumental) and specificity (non-specific and medium to highly specific). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to predict goal attainment. Results. Goal attainment was significantly predicted by the motivational value of the personal advice (OR:1.86), by the specificity of the implementation intentions (OR:3.5), by the motivational value of the action plan (OR:1.86), and by making a new action plan at follow-up (OR:4.10). Interaction-effects with behaviour showed that the specificity score of the implementation intention plans (OR:4.59), the motivational value of the personal advice (OR:2.38), selecting hindering factors and solutions(OR:2.00) and making a new action plan at follow-up (OR:7.54) were predictive of goal attainment only for fruit or vegetable intake. Also, when participants in the fruit and vegetable group made more than three plans, they were more likely to attain their goal (OR:1.73), whereas the reverse was the case in the PA group (OR:0.34). Discussion. The chance that adults reach fruit and vegetable goals can be increased by including motivating personal advice, self-formulated action plans, and instructions/strategies to make specific implementation intentions into eHealth interventions. To increase the chance that adults reach short-term PA goals, it is suggested to keep eHealth PA interventions simple and focus only on developing a few implementation intentions. However, more research is needed to identify behaviour change techniques that can increase health goal attainment at long-term. PMID:26966648

Biologically-inspired robust and adaptive multi-sensor fusion and active control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosla, Deepak; Dow, Paul A.; Huber, David J.

2009-04-01

In this paper, we describe a method and system for robust and efficient goal-oriented active control of a machine (e.g., robot) based on processing, hierarchical spatial understanding, representation and memory of multimodal sensory inputs. This work assumes that a high-level plan or goal is known a priori or is provided by an operator interface, which translates into an overall perceptual processing strategy for the machine. Its analogy to the human brain is the download of plans and decisions from the pre-frontal cortex into various perceptual working memories as a perceptual plan that then guides the sensory data collection and processing. For example, a goal might be to look for specific colored objects in a scene while also looking for specific sound sources. This paper combines three key ideas and methods into a single closed-loop active control system. (1) Use high-level plan or goal to determine and prioritize spatial locations or waypoints (targets) in multimodal sensory space; (2) collect/store information about these spatial locations at the appropriate hierarchy and representation in a spatial working memory. This includes invariant learning of these spatial representations and how to convert between them; and (3) execute actions based on ordered retrieval of these spatial locations from hierarchical spatial working memory and using the "right" level of representation that can efficiently translate into motor actions. In its most specific form, the active control is described for a vision system (such as a pantilt- zoom camera system mounted on a robotic head and neck unit) which finds and then fixates on high saliency visual objects. We also describe the approach where the goal is to turn towards and sequentially foveate on salient multimodal cues that include both visual and auditory inputs.

The Goal Specificity Effect on Strategy Use and Instructional Efficiency during Computer-Based Scientific Discovery Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunsting, Josef; Wirth, Joachim; Paas, Fred

2011-01-01

Using a computer-based scientific discovery learning environment on buoyancy in fluids we investigated the "effects of goal specificity" (nonspecific goals vs. specific goals) for two goal types (problem solving goals vs. learning goals) on "strategy use" and "instructional efficiency". Our empirical findings close an important research gap,…

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

Cosgrove, F.R.

The once taboo subject of blasting near buried Natural Gas Pipelines has taken a different turn at one New England Gas Utility Company. Blasting to remove trench rock in close proximity to their facilities is rapidly becoming their most recommended method of choice as far as they are concerned. This method has become their method of choice because many projects were successfully completed due in part to a revised policy regarding blasting near their facilities that was implemented last year. The objective of this policy is to work cooperatively with the Blaster. By doing this, two very important and easilymore » obtainable goals were established of which the first goal is to crete A Very Satisfied Customer -- The Blaster. By accomplishing this goal, a natural transition was made into their second goal which is to achieve a successful completion to the project at hand while maintaining a high level of safety. Both of these goals are met through a combined effort to treat each project as a separate project which has unique characteristics that are site specific and which require the three most important elements in all projects. These three elements are: Close Coordination, Cooperation and Communication by both the Blaster and The Gas Company.« less

Problem Drift: Teaching Curriculum With(in) a World of Emerging Significance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banting, Nat; Simmt, Elaine

2017-01-01

In this paper we frame our observations in enactivism, specifically problem posing, to propose the notion of problem drift as a method to analyze the curriculum generating actions of small group learning systems in relation to teacher interventions intended to trigger specific content goals. Teacher attentiveness to problem drift is suggested to…

ROKU: a novel method for identification of tissue-specific genes.

PubMed

Kadota, Koji; Ye, Jiazhen; Nakai, Yuji; Terada, Tohru; Shimizu, Kentaro

2006-06-12

One of the important goals of microarray research is the identification of genes whose expression is considerably higher or lower in some tissues than in others. We would like to have ways of identifying such tissue-specific genes. We describe a method, ROKU, which selects tissue-specific patterns from gene expression data for many tissues and thousands of genes. ROKU ranks genes according to their overall tissue specificity using Shannon entropy and detects tissues specific to each gene if any exist using an outlier detection method. We evaluated the capacity for the detection of various specific expression patterns using synthetic and real data. We observed that ROKU was superior to a conventional entropy-based method in its ability to rank genes according to overall tissue specificity and to detect genes whose expression pattern are specific only to objective tissues. ROKU is useful for the detection of various tissue-specific expression patterns. The framework is also directly applicable to the selection of diagnostic markers for molecular classification of multiple classes.

Teaching Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derriso, Anthony

2011-01-01

Educators and educational researchers alike are discovering that inductive methods--in which learners start with specific observations, problems, or cases and infer general laws from these instances--are more effective when higher-order thinking is the primary goal (Yadav et al. 2007). For decades, the case-study method has been widely used in law…

Health goal priming as a situated intervention tool: how to benefit from nonconscious motivational routes to health behaviour.

PubMed

Papies, Esther K

2016-12-01

Recent research has shown the limited effects of intentions on behaviour, so that novel methods to facilitate behaviour change are needed that do not rely on conscious intentions. Here, it is argued that nonintentional effects on health behaviour, such as the effects of habits, impulses, and nonconscious goals, occur through the activation of cognitive structures by specific situations. Interventions should therefore be situated to change these effects, either by changing the critical cognitive structures (training interventions), or by changing which cognitive structures get activated (cueing interventions). The current article presents this framework for situated interventions, as well as examples of interventions of each type. Then, it introduces goal priming as a cueing intervention tool to activate health goals and thus facilitate healthier behaviour, even in tempting situations that typically activate short-term hedonic goals. Following a review of empirical evidence, five principles for the effective application of health goal primes are proposed, namely (1) to target individuals who value the primed goals, (2) by activating their specific motivation, (3) through effective cues (4) that attract attention at the right time. Finally, (5) an effective goal-directed behaviour needs to be known and accessible to the primed individual. These principles are illustrated with examples of different health behaviours in order to facilitate their application for successful behaviour change.

Health goal priming as a situated intervention tool: how to benefit from nonconscious motivational routes to health behaviour

PubMed Central

Papies, Esther K.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Recent research has shown the limited effects of intentions on behaviour, so that novel methods to facilitate behaviour change are needed that do not rely on conscious intentions. Here, it is argued that nonintentional effects on health behaviour, such as the effects of habits, impulses, and nonconscious goals, occur through the activation of cognitive structures by specific situations. Interventions should therefore be situated to change these effects, either by changing the critical cognitive structures (training interventions), or by changing which cognitive structures get activated (cueing interventions). The current article presents this framework for situated interventions, as well as examples of interventions of each type. Then, it introduces goal priming as a cueing intervention tool to activate health goals and thus facilitate healthier behaviour, even in tempting situations that typically activate short-term hedonic goals. Following a review of empirical evidence, five principles for the effective application of health goal primes are proposed, namely (1) to target individuals who value the primed goals, (2) by activating their specific motivation, (3) through effective cues (4) that attract attention at the right time. Finally, (5) an effective goal-directed behaviour needs to be known and accessible to the primed individual. These principles are illustrated with examples of different health behaviours in order to facilitate their application for successful behaviour change. PMID:27144729

Is an ecosystem services-based approach developed for setting specific protection goals for plant protection products applicable to other chemicals?

PubMed

Maltby, Lorraine; Jackson, Mathew; Whale, Graham; Brown, A Ross; Hamer, Mick; Solga, Andreas; Kabouw, Patrick; Woods, Richard; Marshall, Stuart

2017-02-15

Clearly defined protection goals specifying what to protect, where and when, are required for designing scientifically sound risk assessments and effective risk management of chemicals. Environmental protection goals specified in EU legislation are defined in general terms, resulting in uncertainty in how to achieve them. In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a framework to identify more specific protection goals based on ecosystem services potentially affected by plant protection products. But how applicable is this framework to chemicals with different emission scenarios and receptor ecosystems? Four case studies used to address this question were: (i) oil refinery waste water exposure in estuarine environments; (ii) oil dispersant exposure in aquatic environments; (iii) down the drain chemicals exposure in a wide range of ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic); (iv) persistent organic pollutant exposure in remote (pristine) Arctic environments. A four-step process was followed to identify ecosystems and services potentially impacted by chemical emissions and to define specific protection goals. Case studies demonstrated that, in principle, the ecosystem services concept and the EFSA framework can be applied to derive specific protection goals for a broad range of chemical exposure scenarios. By identifying key habitats and ecosystem services of concern, the approach offers the potential for greater spatial and temporal resolution, together with increased environmental relevance, in chemical risk assessments. With modifications including improved clarity on terminology/definitions and further development/refinement of the key concepts, we believe the principles of the EFSA framework could provide a methodical approach to the identification and prioritization of ecosystems, ecosystem services and the service providing units that are most at risk from chemical exposure. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cyclic Macromolecules: Dynamics and Nonlinear Rheology, Final Report DOE Award # DE-FG02-05ER46218, Texas Tech University

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

McKenna, Gregory B.; Grubbs, Robert H.; Kornfield, Julia A.

2012-04-25

The work described in the present report had the original goal to produce large, entangled, ring polymers that were uncontaminated by linear chains and to characterize by rheological methods the dynamics of these rings. While the work fell short of this specific goal, the outcomes of the research performed under support from this grant provided novel macromolecular synthesis methods, new separation methods for ring and linear chains, and novel rheological data on bottle brush polymers, wedge polymers and dendron-based ring molecules. The grant funded a total of 8 archival manuscripts and one patent, all of which are attached to themore » present report.« less

A Method for Improved Interpretation of "Spot" Biomarker Data ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A Method for Improved Interpretation of "Spot" Biomarker Data The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Difficulties Experienced in Setting and Achieving Goals by Participants of a Falls Prevention Programme: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation

PubMed Central

Mason, Wendy; Haines, Terry P.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the ability of participants of a falls prevention programme to set and achieve goals. Methods: The study used a prospective longitudinal design and a mixed-methods approach to data collection. Study participants were (1) 220 older adults participating in a 15-week combined exercise and education falls prevention programme and (2) 9 practitioners (3 home-care nurses, 5 community workers, and an exercise physiologist) involved in delivering the programme. Data from goal-setting forms were analyzed, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of appropriate goals set and achieved. Data were analyzed according to programme setting (home- or group-based) and whether or not participants were classified as being from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews with programme practitioners were thematically analyzed. Results: A total of 144 respondents (n=75 CALD group, n=41 non-CALD group, n=6 CALD home, n=22 non-CALD home) set 178 goals. Only 101 (57%) goals could be evaluated according to achievement, because participants set goals that focused on health state instead of behaviour, set goals not relevant to falls prevention, used inappropriate constructs to measure goal achievement, and either did not review their goals or dropped out of the programme before goal review. Of these 101 goals, 64 were achieved. Practitioners described their own difficulties in understanding the process of setting health behaviour goals along with communication, cultural, and logistic difficulties. Conclusions: Both CALD and non-CALD participants and those participating in both group- and home-based programmes experienced difficulty in setting and achieving goals to facilitate behaviour change for falls prevention. Data suggest that home-based participants had more difficulty in setting goals than their group-based counterparts and, to a lesser extent, that CALD participants experienced more difficulty in setting goals than their non-CALD counterparts. The use of a guided approach to goal setting and the need for more specific practitioner training and follow-up support regarding goal setting in the context of a falls prevention programme should be considered. PMID:25922563

[Should disease management be feared? (1): hospital care].

PubMed

Gaspoz, J M; Rutschmann, O

2005-11-23

The goals of disease management are: (1) an integrated health care delivery system; (2) knowledge-based care; (3) elaborate information systems; (4) continuous quality improvement. In-hospital disease management and, more specifically, critical pathways, establish standardized care plans, set goals and time actions to reach these goals. They can reduce variations in practice patterns and resource utilization without compromising quality of care. Such strategies participate to quality improvement programs in hospitals when they involve and empower all actors of a given process of care, are not imposed from outside, and use sound and rigorous development and evaluation methods.

Innovative 3D Visualization of Electro-optic Data for MCM

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-30

The long-term goal is to develop innovative methods for transforming data taken by electro - optic and acoustic MCM sensors into graphical representations better suited to human interpretation, specifically to aid mine classification.

Detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) Antibodies in Serum Using A Polystyrene Bead/SE Flagella Agglutination Assay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Serologic screening of flocks can be an important method to detect Salmonella enteritidis (SE) infections but can be labor intensive or lack specificity. Our goal was to develop a rapid agglutination assay using SE flagella adsorbed to polystyrene beads as a simple, relatively specific test to dete...

Spanish for You: Student-Centered and Languages for Specific Purposes Methods in Lower-Division Spanish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinsen, Rob A.

2015-01-01

This article investigates a project that used student-centered teaching and languages for specific purposes to increase university students' motivation to study Spanish and willingness to communicate. After reflecting on their personal goals and interests, students were required to choose a purpose or context in which they might use Spanish in…

Teacher Perceptions of Response to Intervention Implementation in Light of IDEA Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, J. Kevin; Sekayi, Dia

2016-01-01

Traditionally, school systems have identified students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) by a measured gap between achievement and ability in a specific area. Recent amendments to the IDEA allowed for the use of alternative methods of identifying students with a SLD. Some states have responded by using Response to Intervention (RTI). This…

Expected Emotional Usefulness and Emotional Preference in Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Yoon, Sunkyung; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Kim, Hyang Sook

2016-01-01

Objective Previous studies indicate that emotion regulation problems in major depressive disorder (MDD) may be caused by difficulties in preferring useful emotions according to their goals. We investigated expected emotional usefulness and emotional preference in individuals with MDD (MDDs) and healthy controls (HCs). Methods Participants were given an interpersonal scenario with two different goals (confrontation and collaboration) and rated their willingness to participate in emotion-provoking activities and the expected usefulness of a particular emotion. Results MDDs were similar to HCs in expected emotional usefulness but showed different patterns of emotional preference. HCs preferred happiness to negative emotions across goals whereas MDDs did not show such pattern. In addition, HCs displayed goal-appropriate preferences whereas MDDs did not prefer certain emotions for specific goals. Conclusion Although MDDs seemed to understand how useful an emotion can be, they did not show preference for goal-appropriate emotions. Interventions should address why MDDs have difficulty engaging in goal-appropriate emotions despite having full knowledge of the utility of emotions in achieving goals. PMID:27121431

A goal attainment pain management program for older adults with arthritis.

PubMed

Davis, Gail C; White, Terri L

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to test a pain management intervention that integrates goal setting with older adults (age > or =65) living independently in residential settings. This preliminary testing of the Goal Attainment Pain Management Program (GAPMAP) included a sample of 17 adults (mean age 79.29 years) with self-reported pain related to arthritis. Specific study aims were to: 1) explore the use of individual goal setting; 2) determine participants' levels of goal attainment; 3) determine whether changes occurred in the pain management methods used and found to be helpful by GAPMAP participants; and 4) determine whether changes occurred in selected pain-related variables (i.e., experience of living with persistent pain, the expected outcomes of pain management, pain management barriers, and global ratings of perceived pain intensity and success of pain management). Because of the small sample size, both parametric (t test) and nonparametric (Wilcoxon signed rank test) analyses were used to examine differences from pretest to posttest. Results showed that older individuals could successfully participate in setting and attaining individual goals. Thirteen of the 17 participants (76%) met their goals at the expected level or above. Two management methods (exercise and using a heated pool, tub, or shower) were used significantly more often after the intervention, and two methods (exercise and distraction) were identified as significantly more helpful. Two pain-related variables (experience of living with persistent pain and expected outcomes of pain management) revealed significant change, and all of those tested showed overall improvement.

76 FR 70954 - Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Idaho; Idaho Panhandle National Forest Noxious Weed Treatment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... registered herbicides is one of the various treatment methods that are proposed. The overall project goal is... insects; and herbicides that target specific invasive plant species. The application of herbicides would... spraying would be the primary method of applying herbicide in order to target individual and groups of...

Issues in Evaluation. Symposium 11. [AHRD Conference, 2001].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2001

This document contains three papers on issues in evaluation. "Evaluation of the Method of Modeling: A Case Study of the Finnish Steel Industry" (Ville Nurmi) describes the method of modeling as an educational strategy to support both specific goal-directed transformative learning focused on work process and learning in workplaces, and it…

Modeling the Development of Goal-Specificity in Mirror Neurons.

PubMed

Thill, Serge; Svensson, Henrik; Ziemke, Tom

2011-12-01

Neurophysiological studies have shown that parietal mirror neurons encode not only actions but also the goal of these actions. Although some mirror neurons will fire whenever a certain action is perceived (goal-independently), most will only fire if the motion is perceived as part of an action with a specific goal. This result is important for the action-understanding hypothesis as it provides a potential neurological basis for such a cognitive ability. It is also relevant for the design of artificial cognitive systems, in particular robotic systems that rely on computational models of the mirror system in their interaction with other agents. Yet, to date, no computational model has explicitly addressed the mechanisms that give rise to both goal-specific and goal-independent parietal mirror neurons. In the present paper, we present a computational model based on a self-organizing map, which receives artificial inputs representing information about both the observed or executed actions and the context in which they were executed. We show that the map develops a biologically plausible organization in which goal-specific mirror neurons emerge. We further show that the fundamental cause for both the appearance and the number of goal-specific neurons can be found in geometric relationships between the different inputs to the map. The results are important to the action-understanding hypothesis as they provide a mechanism for the emergence of goal-specific parietal mirror neurons and lead to a number of predictions: (1) Learning of new goals may mostly reassign existing goal-specific neurons rather than recruit new ones; (2) input differences between executed and observed actions can explain observed corresponding differences in the number of goal-specific neurons; and (3) the percentage of goal-specific neurons may differ between motion primitives.

The GOAL-to-HAL/S translator specification. [for space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanten, S. F.; Flanders, J. H.

1973-01-01

The specification sets forth a technical framework within which to deal with the transfer of specific GOAL features to HAL/S. Key technical features of the translator are described which communicate with the data bank, handle repeat statements, and deal with software interrupts. GOAL programs, databank information, and GOAL system subroutines are integrated into one GOAL in HAL/S. This output is fully compatible HAL/S source ready for insertion into the HAL/S compiler. The Translator uses a PASS1 to establish all the global data needed for the HAL/S output program. Individual GOAL statements are translated in PASS2. The specification document makes extensive use of flowcharts to specify exactly how each variation of each GOAL statement is to be translated. The specification also deals with definitions and assumptions, executive support structure and implementation. An appendix, entitled GOAL-to-HAL Mapping, provides examples of translated GOAL statements.

Veterans' pain management goals: Changes during the course of a peer-led pain self-management program.

PubMed

Bauer, Sarah M; McGuire, Alan B; Kukla, Marina; McGuire, Shannon; Bair, Matthew J; Matthias, Marianne S

2016-12-01

Goal setting is a common element of self-management support programs; however, little is known about the nature of patients' goals or how goals change during pain self-management. The purpose of the current study is to explore how patients' goals and views of goal setting change over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Veterans (n=16) completing a 4-month peer-led pain self-management program completed semi-structured interviews at baseline and follow-up regarding their goals for their pain. Interviews were analyzed using immersion/crystallization. Analyses revealed six themes: motivation to do something for their pain, more goal-oriented, actually setting goals, clarity of goal importance, more specific/measurable goal criteria, and more specific/measurable strategies. The current analyses illustrate how participants' goals can evolve over the course of a peer-led pain self-management program. Specifically, increased motivation, more openness to using goals, greater clarity of goal importance, more specific and measurable goals and strategies, and the influence of the peer coach relationship were described by participants. Pain self-management interventions should emphasize goal setting, and development of specific, measurable goals and plans. Trainings for providers should address the potential for the provider-patient relationship, particularly peer providers, to facilitate motivation and goal setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal Feeding Goals Described by Low-Income Mothers

PubMed Central

Goulding, Alison N.; Lumeng, Julie C.; Rosenblum, Katherine L.; Chen, Yu-Pu; Kaciroti, Niko; Miller, Alison L.

2015-01-01

Objective To identify maternal feeding goals and examine associations of number and type of goals with mother and child characteristics. Design Qualitative interviews about child feeding and quantitative assessment of goal prevalence and associations with mother and child characteristics. Setting Southeastern Michigan. Participants 287 low-income mothers (31% Hispanic or non-white) and their 4- to 8-year-old children. Main Outcome Measure Maternal feeding goals. Analysis Themes were generated using constant comparative method, individual interviews were coded, and prevalence of feeding goals determined. Regression analyses examined associations of mother and child characteristics with number and type of feeding goals. Results Thirteen maternal feeding goals were identified. The most prevalent were to restrict junk food (60%), promote autonomy around eating (54%), prevent obesity (53%), and promote fruits or vegetables (52%). The child being female and heavier with an older, non-Hispanic white, more educated mother with less chaos in the home predicted more maternal feeding goals (all p’s <.05). Specific maternal and child characteristics were associated with individual feeding goals. Conclusions and Implications Depending on their current goals for child feeding, some mothers may benefit from interventions focused on goal development, whereas other mothers may benefit from interventions designed to facilitate goal implementation. PMID:26003749

Novel high speed fiber-optic pressure sensor systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

The goal of this project is to develop a complete test of this technology for high-speed, high-accuracy applications, specifically cost-effective data acquisition techniques and practical mounting methods tailored for the subject environment. The sec...

Effective domain-dependent reuse in medical knowledge bases.

PubMed

Dojat, M; Pachet, F

1995-12-01

Knowledge reuse is now a critical issue for most developers of medical knowledge-based systems. As a rule, reuse is addressed from an ambitious, knowledge-engineering perspective that focuses on reusable general purpose knowledge modules, concepts, and methods. However, such a general goal fails to take into account the specific aspects of medical practice. From the point of view of the knowledge engineer, whose goal is to capture the specific features and intricacies of a given domain, this approach addresses the wrong level of generality. In this paper, we adopt a more pragmatic viewpoint, introducing the less ambitious goal of "domain-dependent limited reuse" and suggesting effective means of achieving it in practice. In a knowledge representation framework combining objects and production rules, we propose three mechanisms emerging from the combination of object-oriented programming and rule-based programming. We show these mechanisms contribute to achieve limited reuse and to introduce useful limited variations in medical expertise.

The moderating effect of gender on ideal-weight goals and exercise dependence symptoms.

PubMed

Cook, Brian; Hausenblas, Heather; Rossi, James

2013-03-01

Background and aims Exercise dependence is implicated in the development of eating disorders and muscle dysmorphic disorder. Although conceptually these disorders represent similar pathologies they largely affect different genders and result in opposite body composition, appearance, and ideal-weight goals (i.e., to gain or lose/maintain weight). Therefore, understanding individuals' ideal-weight goals related to engaging in exercise while simultaneously examining gender differences in exercise dependence symptoms may help to identify those whom may be most at-risk for eating disorders and muscle dysmorphic disorder. The purpose of our study was to examine the moderating effect of gender for exercise dependence symptoms in relation to weight gain, loss, or maintenance goals. Methods Self-reported exercise behavior and exercise dependence symptoms (i.e., Exercise Dependence Scale) were assessed in 513 undergraduate students. Results Our analysis revealed a moderating effect for gender on ideal-weight goals and a gender difference in exercise dependence symptoms. Specifically, men who were dissatisfied with their current weight reported more exercise dependence symptoms than women. Conclusions These results support a growing body of research and extend our understanding of the relationships among exercise dependence and gender specific body-focused psychiatric disorders.

Bike skills training for children with cerebral palsy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Toovey, Rachel; Harvey, Adrienne R; McGinley, Jennifer L; Lee, Katherine J; Shih, Sophy T F; Spittle, Alicia J

2018-01-01

Introduction Two-wheel bike riding can be a goal for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and a means of participating in physical activity. It is possible for some children with CP to ride a two-wheel bike; however, currently far fewer can ride compared with their typically developing peers. Evidence supports training targeted towards goals of the child with CP and their family; yet there is little evidence to guide best-practice bike skills training. Task-specific training may lead to attainment of two-wheel bike-specific goals. This study aims to determine if a novel task-specific approach to training two-wheel bike skills is more effective than a parent-led home programme for attaining individualised two-wheel bike-specific goals in independently ambulant children with CP aged 6–15 years. Methods and analysis Sixty eligible children with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–II) aged 6–15 years with goals relating to riding a two-wheel bike will be randomised to either a novel task-specific centre-based group programme (intervention) or a parent-led home-based programme (comparison), both involving a 1-week intervention period. The primary outcome is goal attainment in the week following the intervention period (T1). Secondary outcomes include: goal attainment and participation in physical activity at 3 months postintervention (T2) and bike skills, attendance and involvement in bike riding, self-perception and functional skills at T1 and T2. Economic appraisal will involve cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses. Adherence of clinicians and parents to the intervention and comparison protocols will be assessed. Linear and logistic regression will be used to assess the effect of the intervention, adjusted for site as used in the randomisation process. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Human Research and Ethics Committees at The Royal Children’s Hospital (#36209). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number NCT03003026; Pre-results. PMID:29431140

The multidisciplinary treatment plan: a format for enhancing activity therapy department involvement.

PubMed

Lang, E; Mattson, M

1985-01-01

A structured, goal-oriented format for enhancing the involvement of activity therapy disciplines in the multidisciplinary treatment planning process has been developed in a large private psychiatric teaching hospital. The format, an adaptation of the problem-oriented record, encompasses formal procedures for identifying and recording relevant problems, goals, methods, and objectives for activity therapy treatment. The benefits of this approach include the development of specific, measurable, attainable functional goals; increased accountability in treatment planning and delivery; less time spent in documentation; and education of other staff about the role and function of activities therapy. Patients have a better understanding of their goals and the steps needed to achieve them and show increased participation in the therapy process.

Adding a Time-Series Design Element to the Success Case Method to Improve Methodological Rigor: An Application for Nonprofit Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coryn, Chris L. S.; Schroter, Daniela C.; Hanssen, Carl E.

2009-01-01

Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method (SCM) was developed with the specific purpose of assessing the impact of organizational interventions (e.g., training and coaching) on business goals by analyzing extreme groups using case study techniques and storytelling. As an efficient and cost-effective method of evaluative inquiry, SCM is attractive in other…

ROKU: a novel method for identification of tissue-specific genes

PubMed Central

Kadota, Koji; Ye, Jiazhen; Nakai, Yuji; Terada, Tohru; Shimizu, Kentaro

2006-01-01

Background One of the important goals of microarray research is the identification of genes whose expression is considerably higher or lower in some tissues than in others. We would like to have ways of identifying such tissue-specific genes. Results We describe a method, ROKU, which selects tissue-specific patterns from gene expression data for many tissues and thousands of genes. ROKU ranks genes according to their overall tissue specificity using Shannon entropy and detects tissues specific to each gene if any exist using an outlier detection method. We evaluated the capacity for the detection of various specific expression patterns using synthetic and real data. We observed that ROKU was superior to a conventional entropy-based method in its ability to rank genes according to overall tissue specificity and to detect genes whose expression pattern are specific only to objective tissues. Conclusion ROKU is useful for the detection of various tissue-specific expression patterns. The framework is also directly applicable to the selection of diagnostic markers for molecular classification of multiple classes. PMID:16764735

Software Tools for Formal Specification and Verification of Distributed Real-Time Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-29

time systems and to evaluate the design. The evaluation of the design includes investigation of both the capability and potential usefulness of the toolkit environment and the feasibility of its implementation....The goals of Phase 1 are to design in detail a toolkit environment based on formal methods for the specification and verification of distributed real

Uniforming information management in Finnish Social Welfare.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Maarit; Kärki, Jarmo; Ailio, Erja

2012-01-01

This paper describes the phases and methods used in the National project for IT in Social Services in Finland (Tikesos). The main goals of Tikesos were to unify the client information systems in social services, to develop electronic documentation and to produce specifications for nationally organized electronic archive. The method of Enterprise Architecture was largely used in the project.

Parenting goals: predictors of parent involvement in disease management of children with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Robinson, Elizabeth M; Iannotti, Ronald J; Schneider, Stefan; Nansel, Tonja R; Haynie, Denise L; Sobel, Douglas O

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a measure of diabetes-specific parenting goals for parents of children with type 1 diabetes and to examine whether parenting goals predict a change in parenting involvement in disease management. An independent sample of primary caretakers of 87 children aged 10 to 16 years with type 1 diabetes completed the measure of parenting goals (diabetes-specific and general goals); both parent and child completed measures of parent responsibility for diabetes management at baseline and 6 months. Parents ranked diabetes-specific parenting goals as more important than general parenting goals, and rankings were moderately stable over time. Parenting goals were related to parent responsibility for diabetes management. The relative ranking of diabetes-specific parenting goals predicted changes in parent involvement over 6 months, with baseline ranking of goals predicting more parental involvement at follow-up. Parenting goals may play an important role in family management of type 1 diabetes.

Research note : field control of asphalt concrete paving mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop information and evaluate new methods for controlling quality of the AC mixture in the mat. Specifically, this research project evaluated a gyratory compactor in the field laboratory to determine mix quality. Spec...

Incorporating Health Education into Employee Assistance Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Richard E.

1985-01-01

Methods of aligning health education with the goals and functions of employee assistance programs are discussed. The role of the health educator in developing these programs is explained in a description of employee assistance program service standards and specific sub-tasks. (DF)

Methods for Optimizing CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Specificity

PubMed Central

Tycko, Josh; Myer, Vic E.; Hsu, Patrick D.

2016-01-01

Summary Advances in the development of delivery, repair, and specificity strategies for the CRISPR-Cas9 genome engineering toolbox are helping researchers understand gene function with unprecedented precision and sensitivity. CRISPR-Cas9 also holds enormous therapeutic potential for the treatment of genetic disorders by directly correcting disease-causing mutations. Although the Cas9 protein has been shown to bind and cleave DNA at off-target sites, the field of Cas9 specificity is rapidly progressing with marked improvements in guide RNA selection, protein and guide engineering, novel enzymes, and off-target detection methods. We review important challenges and breakthroughs in the field as a comprehensive practical guide to interested users of genome editing technologies, highlighting key tools and strategies for optimizing specificity. The genome editing community should now strive to standardize such methods for measuring and reporting off-target activity, while keeping in mind that the goal for specificity should be continued improvement and vigilance. PMID:27494557

Interactive Book Reading to Accelerate Word Learning by Kindergarten Children with Specific Language Impairment: Identifying Adequate Progress and Successful Learning Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storkel, Holly L.; Komesidou, Rouzana; Fleming, Kandace K.; Romine, Rebecca Swinburne

2017-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this study was to provide guidance to clinicians on early benchmarks of successful word learning in an interactive book reading treatment and to examine how encoding and memory evolution during treatment contribute to word learning outcomes by kindergarten children with specific language impairment (SLI). Method: Twenty-seven…

High Throughput Determination of Ricinine Abrine and Alpha ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Analytical Method This document provides the standard operating procedure for determination of ricinine (RIC), abrine (ABR), and α-amanitin (AMAN) in drinking water by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). This method is designed to support site-specific cleanup goals of environmental remediation activities following a homeland security incident involving one or a combination of these analytes.

Do more specific plans help you lose weight? Examining the relationship between plan specificity, weight loss goals, and plan content in the context of a weight management programme.

PubMed

Dombrowski, Stephan U; Endevelt, Ronit; Steinberg, David M; Benyamini, Yael

2016-11-01

The conditions under which planning for behaviour change is most effective are not fully understood. In the context of a weight management programme, we examined the interrelationship between plan specificity, type of behaviour planned (diet vs. exercise), and weight loss goals. Prospective design and content analysis of plans formed by participants of a 10-week weight management programme. Participants (n = 239) formulated two plans, for dietary and exercise behaviours, respectively. Plans were rated for specificity by examining the number of plan components. Weight loss goals were assessed by asking how much weight participants intend to lose. Weight was measured objectively each of the 10 weeks. Changes in body mass index (BMI) over time and the interactions between plan specificity and weight loss goals, for all plans and separately for diet and exercise, were estimated using linear mixed models. Plan specificity was unrelated to weight loss, but interacted with weight loss goals in predicting linear change in BMI (t = -2.48): More specific plans were associated with higher decreases in weight in participants with high weight loss goals. Separate interaction tests for plans formulated for diet and exercise change showed that more specific dietary plans, but not exercise plans, were associated with higher decreases in weight in participants with high weight loss goals (t = -2.21). Within a population that is highly motivated to lose weight, the combination of high weight loss goals and formulating detailed plans for changing dietary behaviours may be most effective in supporting weight loss. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? More specific plans are associated with increased performance of health-related behaviours. More motivated individuals form more specific plans. The interrelationship between plan specificity, plan content and behaviour-related goals in relation intervention effectiveness has not been explored to date. What does this study add? The effectiveness of forming specific plans may depend on the strength of behaviour-related goals as well as the behaviour selected for change. More detailed plans, in particular dietary plans, were related to greater weight loss, but only for participants with higher initial weight loss goals. Detailed exercise plans were not associated with weight loss, regardless of initial weight loss goals. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Multidimensional outcome considerations in assessing the efficacy of medical educational programs.

PubMed

Blumberg, Phyllis

2003-01-01

To be accredited, schools must evaluate the effectiveness of their programs. Educators are looking for specific indicators beyond the traditional measures. Data from multiple methods, including indicators of student performance and of the institutional environment, can be used to determine if educational program goals are met. This article outlines specific ways to consider three types of efficacy outcomes that are consistent with accreditation guidelines: educational, clinical career, and environmental outcomes. Specific measurable outcomes for each of these categories are derived from higher education literature: for example, learning approaches and information acquisition for education; professional behaviors and interpersonal dimensions for clinical career, and scholarship of teaching and teaching itself as a shared and valued activity for environmental outcomes. These outcomes address student assessment and program evaluation. Data from problem-based learning programs illustrate these outcomes. Educators can determine if educational program innovations have met their goals by collecting efficacy outcome data.

Horses for courses? A qualitative exploration of goals formulated in mental health settings by young people, parents, and clinicians.

PubMed

Jacob, Jenna; Edbrooke-Childs, Julian; Holley, Simone; Law, Duncan; Wolpert, Miranda

2016-04-01

This research sought to explore and categorise goals set by children and young people, parents/caregivers and jointly by a combination of children/young people, parents/caregivers and/or clinicians within mental health settings across the United Kingdom. Using a dataset of 441 goals formed at the outset of 180 treatment episodes (2007-2010) from UK child mental health services using the Goal-Based Outcomes tool, a grounded theory approach was taken, which built on previous research into child-rated goals to develop frameworks for parent and joint goal data which were then compared with the child goal data. A total of 19 subthemes and four overarching themes were identified for parent goals. A total of 19 subthemes in five overarching themes were identified for joint goals. These were compared with 25 subthemes and three overarching themes for child goals. A comparison of subthemes between parent, child and joint goals demonstrated many consistencies, but also differences. Most commonly rated goals from children focused on coping with specific difficulties, personal growth and independence. Parent goals focused mainly on managing specific difficulties, parent-specific goals and improving self or life. Jointly negotiated goals focused on parent-specific goals, self-confidence and understanding, hopes for the future and managing specific problems. The results suggest that goals may capture areas not captured by other normed outcome measures. In particular, goals may capture higher order, underlying factors, such as confidence, resilience, coping, and parenting factors that may not be explored by other measures. The differences across perspectives also link to existing literature suggesting a different focus on treatment based on perspectives and highlights the potential importance when jointly agreeing goals of ensuring the voice of the child/young person is heard and included in goal setting. © The Author(s) 2015.

Comparing biomarker measurements to a normal range: when ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This commentary is the second of a series outlining one specific concept in interpreting biomarkers data. In the first, an observational method was presented for assessing the distribution of measurements before making parametric calculations. Here, the discussion revolves around the next step, the choice of using standard error of the mean or the calculated standard deviation to compare or predict measurement results. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Use of fibroblast growth factor 2 for expansion of chondrocytes and tissue engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana (Inventor); Martin, Ivan (Inventor); Freed, Lisa E. (Inventor); Langer, Robert (Inventor)

2003-01-01

The present invention provides an improved method for expanding cells for use in tissue engineering. In particular the method provides specific biochemical factors to supplement cell culture medium during the expansion process in order to reproduce events occurring during embryonic development with the goal of regenerating tissue equivalents that resemble natural tissues both structurally and functionally. These specific biochemical factors improve proliferation of the cells and are capable of de-differentiation mature cells isolated from tissue so that the differentiation potential of the cells is preserved. The bioactive molecules also maintain the responsiveness of the cells to other bioactive molecules. Specifically, the invention provides methods for expanding chondrocytes in the presence of fibroblast growth factor 2 for use in regeneration of cartilage tissue.

Clinical skills-related learning goals of senior medical students after performance feedback.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Chou, Calvin L; Teherani, Arianne; Hauer, Karen E

2011-09-01

Lifelong learning is essential for doctors to maintain competence in clinical skills. With performance feedback, learners should be able to formulate specific and achievable learning goals in areas of need. We aimed to determine: (i) the type and specificity of medical student learning goals after a required clinical performance examination; (ii) differences in goal setting among low, average and high performers, and (iii) whether low performers articulate learning goals that are concordant with their learning needs. We conducted a single-site, multi-year, descriptive comparison study. Senior medical students were given performance benchmarks, individual feedback and guidelines on learning goals; each student was subsequently instructed to write two clinical skills learning goals. Investigators coded the learning goals for specificity, categorised the goals, and performed statistical analyses to determine their concordance with student performance level (low, average or high) in data gathering (history taking and physical examination) or communication skills. All 208 students each wrote two learning goals and most (n=200, 96%) wrote two specific learning goals. Nearly two-thirds of low performers in data gathering wrote at least one learning goal that referred to history taking or physical examination; one-third wrote learning goals pertaining to the organisation of the encounter. High performers in data gathering wrote significantly more patient education goals and significantly fewer history-taking goals than average or low performers. Only 50% of low performers in communication wrote learning goals related to communication skills. Low performers in communication were significantly more likely than average or high performers to identify learning goals related to improving performance in future examinations. The provision of performance benchmarking, individual feedback and brief written guidelines helped most senior medical students in our study to write specific clinical skills learning goals. Many low-performing students did not write learning goals concordant with their areas of weakness. Future work might focus on enhancing low performers' continued learning in areas of performance deficits. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

[Comparative research into sensitivity and specificity of immune-enzyme analysis with chemiluminescence and colorimetric detection for detecting antigens and antibodies to avian influenza viruses and newcastle disease].

PubMed

Vitkova, O N; Kapustina, T P; Mikhailova, V V; Safonov, G A; Vlasova, N N; Belousova, R V

2015-01-01

The goal of this work was to demonstrate the results of the development of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent tests with chemiluminescence detection and colorimetric detection of specific viral antigens and antibodies for identifying the avian influenza and the Newcastle disease viruses: high sensitivity and specificity of the immuno- chemiluminescence assay, which are 10-50 times higher than those of the ELISA colorimetric method. The high effectiveness of the results and the automation of the process of laboratory testing (using a luminometer) allow these methods to be recommended for including in primary screening tests for these infectious diseases.

Motion Imagery Processing and Exploitation (MIPE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

facial recognition —i.e., the identification of a specific person.37 Object detection is often (but not always) considered a prerequisite for instance...The goal of segmentation is to distinguish objects and identify boundaries in images. Some of the earliest approaches to facial recognition involved...methods of instance recognition are at varying levels of maturity. Facial recognition methods are arguably the most mature; the technology is well

[Andragogy: reality or utopy].

PubMed

Wautier, J L; Vileyn, F

2004-07-01

The education of adult differs from that of children and the methods, which have to be used, should take into account that adults have specific goals and diverse knowledge. As the teaching methods for children are called pedagogy, it is now known as andragogy for adults. Andragogy has lead to the development of several approaches to improve continuous education. Several tools and methodologies have been created for adult education.

Rapid and efficient differentiation of Yersinia species using high-resolution melting analysis.

PubMed

Souza, Roberto A; Frazão, Miliane R; Almeida, Alzira M P; Falcão, Juliana P

2015-08-01

The primary goal of clinical microbiology is the accurate identification of the causative agent of the disease. Here, we describe a method for differentiation between Yersinia species using PCR-HRMA. The results revealed species-specific melting profiles. The herein developed assay can be used as an effective method to differentiate Yersinia species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Difficulties experienced in setting and achieving goals by participants of a falls prevention programme: a mixed-methods evaluation.

PubMed

Haas, Romi; Mason, Wendy; Haines, Terry P

2014-01-01

To evaluate the ability of participants of a falls prevention programme to set and achieve goals. The study used a prospective longitudinal design and a mixed-methods approach to data collection. Study participants were (1) 220 older adults participating in a 15-week combined exercise and education falls prevention programme and (2) 9 practitioners (3 home-care nurses, 5 community workers, and an exercise physiologist) involved in delivering the programme. Data from goal-setting forms were analyzed, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of appropriate goals set and achieved. Data were analyzed according to programme setting (home- or group-based) and whether or not participants were classified as being from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews with programme practitioners were thematically analyzed. A total of 144 respondents (n=75 CALD group, n=41 non-CALD group, n=6 CALD home, n=22 non-CALD home) set 178 goals. Only 101 (57%) goals could be evaluated according to achievement, because participants set goals that focused on health state instead of behaviour, set goals not relevant to falls prevention, used inappropriate constructs to measure goal achievement, and either did not review their goals or dropped out of the programme before goal review. Of these 101 goals, 64 were achieved. Practitioners described their own difficulties in understanding the process of setting health behaviour goals along with communication, cultural, and logistic difficulties. Both CALD and non-CALD participants and those participating in both group- and home-based programmes experienced difficulty in setting and achieving goals to facilitate behaviour change for falls prevention. Data suggest that home-based participants had more difficulty in setting goals than their group-based counterparts and, to a lesser extent, that CALD participants experienced more difficulty in setting goals than their non-CALD counterparts. The use of a guided approach to goal setting and the need for more specific practitioner training and follow-up support regarding goal setting in the context of a falls prevention programme should be considered.

Using goal-directed design to create a novel system for improving chronic illness care.

PubMed

Fore, David; Goldenhar, Linda M; Margolis, Peter A; Seid, Michael

2013-10-29

A learning health system enables patients, clinicians, and researchers to work together to choose care based on the best evidence, drive discovery as a natural outgrowth of patient care, and ensure innovation, quality, safety, and value in health care; all in a more real-time fashion. Our paper describes how goal-directed design (GDD) methods were employed to understand the context and goals of potential participants in such a system as part of a design process to translate the concept of a learning health system into a prototype collaborative chronic care network (C3N), specifically for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Thirty-six one-on-one in-depth interviews and observations were conducted with patients (10/36, 28%), caregivers (10/36, 28%), physicians/researchers (10/36, 28%), and nurses (6/36, 17%) from a pediatric gastroenterology center participating in the ImproveCareNow network. GDD methods were used to determine the context and goals of participants. These same methods were used in conjunction with idealized design process techniques to help determine characteristics of a learning health system for this pediatric health care ecology. Research was conducted in a clinic and, in the case of some patients and caregivers, at home. Thematic analysis revealed 3 parent-child dyad personas (ie, representations of interviewees' behavior patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, and contextual information) that represented adaptation to a chronic illness over time. These were used as part of a design process to generate scenarios (potential interactions between personas and the learning health system under design) from which system requirements were derived. These scenarios in turn helped guide generation, prioritization, design, measurement, and implementation of approximately 100 prototype interventions consistent with the aim of C3N becoming a learning health network. GDD methods help ensure human goals and contexts inform the design of a network of health care interventions which reflect the shape and purpose of a C3N in pediatric chronic illness care. Developing online and in-person interventions according to well-documented context and motivations of participants increases the likelihood that a C3N will enable all participants to act in ways that achieve their goals with grace and dignity. GDD methods complemented quality-improvement methods to generate prototypes consistent with clinical and research aims, as well as the goals of patient disease management.

Looking to Score: The Dissociation of Goal Influence on Eye Movement and Meta-Attentional Allocation in a Complex Dynamic Natural Scene

PubMed Central

Taya, Shuichiro; Windridge, David; Osman, Magda

2012-01-01

Several studies have reported that task instructions influence eye-movement behavior during static image observation. In contrast, during dynamic scene observation we show that while the specificity of the goal of a task influences observers’ beliefs about where they look, the goal does not in turn influence eye-movement patterns. In our study observers watched short video clips of a single tennis match and were asked to make subjective judgments about the allocation of visual attention to the items presented in the clip (e.g., ball, players, court lines, and umpire). However, before attending to the clips, observers were either told to simply watch clips (non-specific goal), or they were told to watch the clips with a view to judging which of the two tennis players was awarded the point (specific goal). The results of subjective reports suggest that observers believed that they allocated their attention more to goal-related items (e.g. court lines) if they performed the goal-specific task. However, we did not find the effect of goal specificity on major eye-movement parameters (i.e., saccadic amplitudes, inter-saccadic intervals, and gaze coherence). We conclude that the specificity of a task goal can alter observer’s beliefs about their attention allocation strategy, but such task-driven meta-attentional modulation does not necessarily correlate with eye-movement behavior. PMID:22768058

A Maslovian Counseling Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkpatrick, J. Stephen

1979-01-01

With Maslow's hierarchy as a basis, the model provides structure for setting goals in counseling cases and overall programs. Different kinds of client concerns are identified, and suggestions are made for using these 14 categories. The article includes specific suggestions for using the model in diagnosis, evaluation, counselor education, and…

The Sunset Supply Base: Long Term COTS Supportability, Implementing Affordable Methods and Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

7 D. BENEFITS OF THE SSB SYSTEM...69 Table 11: Summary of SSB Financial and Non-Financial Benefits ................................. 73 Table 12: Alignment with...SSB Specific Goals to Derived Benefits ................................ 74 xi THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND

Ontology-based configuration of problem-solving methods and generation of knowledge-acquisition tools: application of PROTEGE-II to protocol-based decision support.

PubMed

Tu, S W; Eriksson, H; Gennari, J H; Shahar, Y; Musen, M A

1995-06-01

PROTEGE-II is a suite of tools and a methodology for building knowledge-based systems and domain-specific knowledge-acquisition tools. In this paper, we show how PROTEGE-II can be applied to the task of providing protocol-based decision support in the domain of treating HIV-infected patients. To apply PROTEGE-II, (1) we construct a decomposable problem-solving method called episodic skeletal-plan refinement, (2) we build an application ontology that consists of the terms and relations in the domain, and of method-specific distinctions not already captured in the domain terms, and (3) we specify mapping relations that link terms from the application ontology to the domain-independent terms used in the problem-solving method. From the application ontology, we automatically generate a domain-specific knowledge-acquisition tool that is custom-tailored for the application. The knowledge-acquisition tool is used for the creation and maintenance of domain knowledge used by the problem-solving method. The general goal of the PROTEGE-II approach is to produce systems and components that are reusable and easily maintained. This is the rationale for constructing ontologies and problem-solving methods that can be composed from a set of smaller-grained methods and mechanisms. This is also why we tightly couple the knowledge-acquisition tools to the application ontology that specifies the domain terms used in the problem-solving systems. Although our evaluation is still preliminary, for the application task of providing protocol-based decision support, we show that these goals of reusability and easy maintenance can be achieved. We discuss design decisions and the tradeoffs that have to be made in the development of the system.

From Goal-Oriented Requirements to Event-B Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aziz, Benjamin; Arenas, Alvaro E.; Bicarregui, Juan; Ponsard, Christophe; Massonet, Philippe

2009-01-01

In goal-oriented requirements engineering methodologies, goals are structured into refinement trees from high-level system-wide goals down to fine-grained requirements assigned to specific software/ hardware/human agents that can realise them. Functional goals assigned to software agents need to be operationalised into specification of services that the agent should provide to realise those requirements. In this paper, we propose an approach for operationalising requirements into specifications expressed in the Event-B formalism. Our approach has the benefit of aiding software designers by bridging the gap between declarative requirements and operational system specifications in a rigorous manner, enabling powerful correctness proofs and allowing further refinements down to the implementation level. Our solution is based on verifying that a consistent Event-B machine exhibits properties corresponding to requirements.

Don't Stop Believing: Mapping Distance Learners' Research Journeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brahme, Maria E.; Gabriel, Lizette; Stenis, Paul V.

2016-01-01

Journey mapping, a method of collecting data that illustrates individuals' paths toward a specific goal, was originally developed for use in retail/customer service environments. Much of the literature describes its application in examining customer behavior when navigating merchants' Websites, allowing researchers to examine the effectiveness,…

Trauma, Binge Eating, and the "Strong Black Woman"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Ellen F.; Crowther, Janis H.; Shipherd, Jillian C.

2010-01-01

Objective: The primary goal of this study was to test a culturally specific model of binge eating in African American female trauma survivors, investigating potential mechanisms through which trauma exposure and distress were related to binge eating symptomatology. Method: Participants were 179 African American female trauma survivors who…

Environnement et elaboration de materiel pedagogique (The Environment and the Elaboration of Instructional Materials).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capelle, Marie-Jose; Archard-Bayle, Guy

1982-01-01

Describes the method and the instructional materials entitled "Contacts," which were developed specifically for Nigeria. The discussion covers the use of audiovisual supplementary material, the essentially African sociocultural reference of the text, the methodology peculiar to the Nigeria plurilingual situation, and the goals for both…

Human Exposure Assessment: Development of methods to assess the bioaccessibility of organic contaminants sorbed to soils and house dusts

EPA Science Inventory

Research task- Are physicochemical properties of soil and house dust predictive of the bioaccessibility of sorbed organic compoundsGoalIdentify dust and soil characteristics that influence the bioaccessibility of organic compounds and provide chemical specific data on the fractio...

OPPORTUNISTIC ASPERGILLUS PATHOGENS MEASURED IN HOME AND HOSPITAL TAP WATER BY MOLD SPECIFIC QUANTITATIVE PCR (MSQPCR)

EPA Science Inventory

Opportunistic fungal pathogens are a concern because of the increasing number of immunocompromised patients. The goal of this research was to test a simple extraction method and rapid quantitative PCR (QPCR) measurement of the occurrence of potential pathogens, Aspergillus fumiga...

A High-Throughput Microenvironment for Single-Cell Operations

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

Christian, A T; Buckley, P; Miles, R R

2003-01-07

This project was conducted as a feasibility study, in preparation for including this work in the forthcoming ''Instrumented Cell'' (IC) Strategic Initiative. The goal of the IC is to study individual cells; the goal of this feasibility study was to determine the best method for isolating large numbers of individual cells in a way that facilitates various types of environmental changes and intracellular measurements. We have the capability to do this with one cell, and sought to expand the number of cells that we could study simultaneously. Our specific goal for this feasibility study was to discover a way tomore » isolate individual cells, and impale them on a nanopipette. This would enable samples to be introduced into and removed from a cell.« less

Tools and approaches to operationalize the commitment to equity, gender and human rights: towards leaving no one behind in the Sustainable Development Goals.

PubMed

Zamora, Gerardo; Koller, Theadora Swift; Thomas, Rebekah; Manandhar, Mary; Lustigova, Eva; Diop, Adama; Magar, Veronica

2018-01-01

The objective of this article is to present specific resources developed by the World Health Organization on equity, gender and human rights in order to support Member States in operationalizing their commitment to leave no one behind in the health Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other health-related goals and targets. The resources cover: (i) health inequality monitoring; (ii) barrier analysis using mixed methods; (iii) human rights monitoring; (iv) leaving no one behind in national and subnational health sector planning; and (v) equity, gender and human rights in national health programme reviews. Examples of the application of the tools in a range of country contexts are provided for each resource.

The Quality Assessment of the Services Offered to the Students of the College of Education at King Saud University Using (SERVQUAL) Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhabeeb, Abdurrahman Mohammad

2015-01-01

The goal of this study is measuring the level of quality service offered to students at the college of education at King Saud University, specifically the gap between students' perceptions and expectations of the quality of the offered service. The descriptive analytical approach has been applied in the study using SERVQUAL method to collect data…

Engine Seal Technology Requirements to Meet NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Program Goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Hendricks, Robert C.

1994-01-01

Cycle studies have shown the benefits of increasing engine pressure ratios and cycle temperatures to decrease engine weight and improve performance of commercial turbine engines. NASA is working with industry to define technology requirements of advanced engines and engine technology to meet the goals of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Initiative. As engine operating conditions become more severe and customers demand lower operating costs, NASA and engine manufacturers are investigating methods of improving engine efficiency and reducing operating costs. A number of new technologies are being examined that will allow next generation engines to operate at higher pressures and temperatures. Improving seal performance - reducing leakage and increasing service life while operating under more demanding conditions - will play an important role in meeting overall program goals of reducing specific fuel consumption and ultimately reducing direct operating costs. This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Subsonic Technology program goals, discusses the motivation for advanced seal development, and highlights seal technology requirements to meet future engine performance goals.

A Primer for Model Selection: The Decisive Role of Model Complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höge, Marvin; Wöhling, Thomas; Nowak, Wolfgang

2018-03-01

Selecting a "best" model among several competing candidate models poses an often encountered problem in water resources modeling (and other disciplines which employ models). For a modeler, the best model fulfills a certain purpose best (e.g., flood prediction), which is typically assessed by comparing model simulations to data (e.g., stream flow). Model selection methods find the "best" trade-off between good fit with data and model complexity. In this context, the interpretations of model complexity implied by different model selection methods are crucial, because they represent different underlying goals of modeling. Over the last decades, numerous model selection criteria have been proposed, but modelers who primarily want to apply a model selection criterion often face a lack of guidance for choosing the right criterion that matches their goal. We propose a classification scheme for model selection criteria that helps to find the right criterion for a specific goal, i.e., which employs the correct complexity interpretation. We identify four model selection classes which seek to achieve high predictive density, low predictive error, high model probability, or shortest compression of data. These goals can be achieved by following either nonconsistent or consistent model selection and by either incorporating a Bayesian parameter prior or not. We allocate commonly used criteria to these four classes, analyze how they represent model complexity and what this means for the model selection task. Finally, we provide guidance on choosing the right type of criteria for specific model selection tasks. (A quick guide through all key points is given at the end of the introduction.)

Advanced Launch System (ALS) actuation and power systems impact operability and cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundberg, Gale R.

1990-01-01

To obtain the Advanced Launch System (ALS) primary goals of reduced costs and improved operability, there must be significant reductions in the launch operations and servicing requirements relative to current vehicle designs and practices. One of the primary methods for achieving these goals is by using vehicle electrical power system and controls for all actuation and avionics requirements. A brief status review of the ALS and its associated Advanced Development Program is presented to demonstrate maturation of those technologies that will help meet the overall operability and cost goals. The electric power and actuation systems are highlighted as a specific technology ready not only to meet the stringent ALS goals (cryogenic field valves and thrust vector controls with peak power demands to 75 hp), but also those of other launch vehicles, military and civilian aircraft, lunar/Martian vehicles, and a multitude of commercial applications.

Advanced Launch System (ALS): Electrical actuation and power systems improve operability and cost picture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundberg, Gale R.

1990-01-01

To obtain the Advanced Launch System (ALS) primary goals of reduced costs and improved operability, there must be significant reductions in the launch operations and servicing requirements relative to current vehicle designs and practices. One of the primary methods for achieving these goals is by using vehicle electrical power system and controls for all actuation and avionics requirements. A brief status review of the ALS and its associated Advanced Development Program is presented to demonstrate maturation of those technologies that will help meet the overall operability and cost goals. The electric power and actuation systems are highlighted as a specific technology ready not only to meet the stringent ALS goals (cryogenic field valves and thrust vector controls with peak power demands to 75 hp), but also those of other launch vehicles, military and civilian aircraft, lunar/Martian vehicles, and a multitude of commercial applications.

Improving the Ar I and II branching ratio calibration method: Monte Carlo simulations of effects from photon scattering/reflecting in hollow cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawler, J. E.; Den Hartog, E. A.

2018-03-01

The Ar I and II branching ratio calibration method is discussed with the goal of improving the technique. This method of establishing a relative radiometric calibration is important in ongoing research to improve atomic transition probabilities for quantitative spectroscopy in astrophysics and other fields. Specific suggestions are presented along with Monte Carlo simulations of wavelength dependent effects from scattering/reflecting of photons in a hollow cathode.

Methods to achieve accurate projection of regional and global raster databases

USGS Publications Warehouse

Usery, E.L.; Seong, J.C.; Steinwand, D.R.; Finn, M.P.

2002-01-01

This research aims at building a decision support system (DSS) for selecting an optimum projection considering various factors, such as pixel size, areal extent, number of categories, spatial pattern of categories, resampling methods, and error correction methods. Specifically, this research will investigate three goals theoretically and empirically and, using the already developed empirical base of knowledge with these results, develop an expert system for map projection of raster data for regional and global database modeling. The three theoretical goals are as follows: (1) The development of a dynamic projection that adjusts projection formulas for latitude on the basis of raster cell size to maintain equal-sized cells. (2) The investigation of the relationships between the raster representation and the distortion of features, number of categories, and spatial pattern. (3) The development of an error correction and resampling procedure that is based on error analysis of raster projection.

Conservation: Toward firmer ground

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The following aspects of energy conservation were reviewed in order to place the problems in proper perspective: history and goals, conservation accounting-criteria, and a method to overcome obstacles. The effect of changing prices and available supplies of energy sources and their causes on consumption levels during the last few decades were described. Some examples of attainable conservation goals were listed and justified. A number of specific criteria applicable to conservation accounting were given. Finally, a discussion was presented to relate together the following aspects of energy conservation: widespread impact, involvement of government, industry, politics, moral and ethical aspects, urgency and time element.

Correlates of Mental Health among Latino Farmworkers in North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain, Rebecca; Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Schwantes, Melody; Isom, Scott; Quandt, Sara A.; Arcury, Thomas A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Latino farmworkers are a vulnerable population who confront multiple threats to their mental health. Informed by the stress-process model of psychiatric disorder, the goal of this paper is to determine primary and context-specific stressors of poor mental health among Latino farmworkers. Methods: Structured interview data were obtained…

Dynamic Framing in the Communication of Scientific Research: Texts and Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Pryce R.; Russ, Rosemary S.

2015-01-01

The fields of science education and science communication share the overarching goal of helping non-experts and non-members of the professional science community develop knowledge of the content and processes of scientific research. However, the specific audiences, methods, and aims employed in the two fields have evolved quite differently and as…

2004 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education. Update on Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2005

2005-01-01

The 2004 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education identified clear and measurable goals that focused on outcomes rather than inputs alone. To reinforce this outcomes-based approach, the plan proposed that the state develop a new funding method to reward public colleges and universities for student success. Specifically, it proposed that the…

Eliciting, Identifying, Interpreting, and Responding to Students' Ideas: Teacher Candidates' Growth in Formative Assessment Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gotwals, Amelia Wenk; Birmingham, Daniel

2016-01-01

With the goal of helping teacher candidates become well-started beginners, it is important that methods courses in teacher education programs focus on high-leverage practices. Using responsive teaching practices, specifically eliciting, identifying, interpreting, and responding to students' science ideas (i.e., formative assessment), can be used…

Quantifying a Relationship between Place-Based Learning and Environmental Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Brian; Duffin, Michael; Murphy, Michael

2012-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the degree to which school-based and nonformal education programs that focus on air quality (AQ) achieved measurable AQ improvements, and whether specific instructional methods were associated with those improvements. We completed a standardized telephone interview with representatives of 54 AQ education…

Methods for integrated modeling of landscape change: Interior Northwest Landscape Analysis System.

Treesearch

Jane L. Hayes; Alan. A. Ager; R. James Barbour

2004-01-01

The Interior Northwest Landscape Analysis System (INLAS) links a number of resource, disturbance, and landscape simulations models to examine the interactions of vegetative succession, management, and disturbance with policy goals. The effects of natural disturbance like wildfire, herbivory, forest insects and diseases, as well as specific management actions are...

Value Added: Do New Teacher Evaluation Methods Make the Grade?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Kristi

2011-01-01

Measuring a teacher's effectiveness in quantifiable ways is a logical step in a society driven by the SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely objectives) that pervade modern management. The idea of using student performance on standardized tests to judge a teacher's effectiveness picked up steam after the Obama…

Serum albumin: accuracy and clinical use.

PubMed

Infusino, Ilenia; Panteghini, Mauro

2013-04-18

Albumin is the major plasma protein and its determination is used for the prognostic assessment of several diseases. Clinical guidelines call for monitoring of serum albumin with specific target cut-offs that are independent of the assay used. This requires accurate and equivalent results among different commercially available methods (i.e., result standardization) through a consistent definition and application of a reference measurement system. This should be associated with the definition of measurement uncertainty goals based on medical relevance of serum albumin to make results reliable for patient management. In this paper, we show that, in the current situation, if one applies analytical goals for serum albumin measurement derived from its biologic variation, the uncertainty budget derived from each step of the albumin traceability chain is probably too high to fulfil established quality levels for albumin measurement and to guarantee the accuracy needed for clinical usefulness of the test. The situation is further worsened if non-specific colorimetric methods are used for albumin measurement as they represent an additional random source of uncertainty. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decision support for patient care: implementing cybernetics.

PubMed

Ozbolt, Judy; Ozdas, Asli; Waitman, Lemuel R; Smith, Janis B; Brennan, Grace V; Miller, Randolph A

2004-01-01

The application of principles and methods of cybernetics permits clinicians and managers to use feedback about care effectiveness and resource expenditure to improve quality and to control costs. Keys to the process are the specification of therapeutic goals and the creation of an organizational culture that supports the use of feedback to improve care. Daily feedback on the achievement of each patient's therapeutic goals provides tactical decision support, enabling clinicians to adjust care as needed. Monthly or quarterly feedback on aggregated goal achievement for all patients on a clinical pathway provides strategic decision support, enabling clinicians and managers to identify problems with supposed "best practices" and to test hypotheses about solutions. Work is underway at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to implement feedback loops in care and management processes and to evaluate the effects.

Krylov-Subspace Recycling via the POD-Augmented Conjugate-Gradient Method

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

Carlberg, Kevin; Forstall, Virginia; Tuminaro, Ray

This paper presents a new Krylov-subspace-recycling method for efficiently solving sequences of linear systems of equations characterized by varying right-hand sides and symmetric-positive-definite matrices. As opposed to typical truncation strategies used in recycling such as deflation, we propose a truncation method inspired by goal-oriented proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) from model reduction. This idea is based on the observation that model reduction aims to compute a low-dimensional subspace that contains an accurate solution; as such, we expect the proposed method to generate a low-dimensional subspace that is well suited for computing solutions that can satisfy inexact tolerances. In particular, we proposemore » specific goal-oriented POD `ingredients' that align the optimality properties of POD with the objective of Krylov-subspace recycling. To compute solutions in the resulting 'augmented' POD subspace, we propose a hybrid direct/iterative three-stage method that leverages 1) the optimal ordering of POD basis vectors, and 2) well-conditioned reduced matrices. Numerical experiments performed on solid-mechanics problems highlight the benefits of the proposed method over existing approaches for Krylov-subspace recycling.« less

Krylov-Subspace Recycling via the POD-Augmented Conjugate-Gradient Method

DOE PAGES

Carlberg, Kevin; Forstall, Virginia; Tuminaro, Ray

2016-01-01

This paper presents a new Krylov-subspace-recycling method for efficiently solving sequences of linear systems of equations characterized by varying right-hand sides and symmetric-positive-definite matrices. As opposed to typical truncation strategies used in recycling such as deflation, we propose a truncation method inspired by goal-oriented proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) from model reduction. This idea is based on the observation that model reduction aims to compute a low-dimensional subspace that contains an accurate solution; as such, we expect the proposed method to generate a low-dimensional subspace that is well suited for computing solutions that can satisfy inexact tolerances. In particular, we proposemore » specific goal-oriented POD `ingredients' that align the optimality properties of POD with the objective of Krylov-subspace recycling. To compute solutions in the resulting 'augmented' POD subspace, we propose a hybrid direct/iterative three-stage method that leverages 1) the optimal ordering of POD basis vectors, and 2) well-conditioned reduced matrices. Numerical experiments performed on solid-mechanics problems highlight the benefits of the proposed method over existing approaches for Krylov-subspace recycling.« less

The importance of understanding: Model space moderates goal specificity effects.

PubMed

Kistner, Saskia; Burns, Bruce D; Vollmeyer, Regina; Kortenkamp, Ulrich

2016-01-01

The three-space theory of problem solving predicts that the quality of a learner's model and the goal specificity of a task interact on knowledge acquisition. In Experiment 1 participants used a computer simulation of a lever system to learn about torques. They either had to test hypotheses (nonspecific goal), or to produce given values for variables (specific goal). In the good- but not in the poor-model condition they saw torque depicted as an area. Results revealed the predicted interaction. A nonspecific goal only resulted in better learning when a good model of torques was provided. In Experiment 2 participants learned to manipulate the inputs of a system to control its outputs. A nonspecific goal to explore the system helped performance when compared to a specific goal to reach certain values when participants were given a good model, but not when given a poor model that suggested the wrong hypothesis space. Our findings support the three-space theory. They emphasize the importance of understanding for problem solving and stress the need to study underlying processes.

Interoperability for Space Mission Monitor and Control: Applying Technologies from Manufacturing Automation and Process Control Industries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael K.

1998-01-01

Various issues associated with interoperability for space mission monitor and control are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include: 1) Space Project Mission Operations Control Architecture (SuperMOCA) goals and methods for achieving them; 2) Specifics on the architecture: open standards ad layering, enhancing interoperability, and promoting commercialization; 3) An advertisement; 4) Status of the task - government/industry cooperation and architecture and technology demonstrations; and 5) Key features of messaging services and virtual devices.

An Overview of Data Routing Approaches for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Anisi, Mohammad Hossein; Abdullah, Abdul Hanan; Razak, Shukor Abd; Ngadi, Md. Asri

2012-01-01

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in deploying large populations of microsensors that collaborate in a distributed manner to gather and process sensory data and deliver them to a sink node through wireless communications systems. Currently, there is a lot of interest in data routing for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to their unique challenges compared to conventional routing in wired networks. In WSNs, each data routing approach follows a specific goal (goals) according to the application. Although the general goal of every data routing approach in WSNs is to extend the network lifetime and every approach should be aware of the energy level of the nodes, data routing approaches may focus on one (or some) specific goal(s) depending on the application. Thus, existing approaches can be categorized according to their routing goals. In this paper, the main goals of data routing approaches in sensor networks are described. Then, the best known and most recent data routing approaches in WSNs are classified and studied according to their specific goals. PMID:23443040

Achieving Good Outcomes for Asthma Living (GOAL): mixed methods feasibility and pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of a practical intervention for eliciting, setting and achieving goals for adults with asthma.

PubMed

Hoskins, Gaylor; Williams, Brian; Abhyankar, Purva; Donnan, Peter; Duncan, Edward; Pinnock, Hilary; van der Pol, Marjon; Rauchhaus, Petra; Taylor, Anne; Sheikh, Aziz

2016-12-08

Despite being a core component of self-management, goal setting is rarely used in routine care. We piloted a primary care, nurse-led intervention called Achieving Good Outcomes for Asthma Living (GOAL) for adults with asthma. Patients were invited to identify and prioritise their goals in preparation for discussing and negotiating an action/coping plan with the nurse at a routine asthma review. The 18-month mixed methods feasibility cluster pilot trial stratified and then randomised practices to deliver usual care (UC) or a goal-setting intervention (GOAL). Practice asthma nurses and adult patients with active asthma were invited to participate. The primary outcome was asthma-specific quality of life. Semi-structured interviews with a purposive patient sample (n = 14) and 10 participating nurses explored GOAL perception. The constructs of normalisation process theory (NPT) were used to analyse and interpret data. Ten practices participated (five in each arm), exceeding our target of eight. However, only 48 patients (target 80) were recruited (18 in GOAL practices). At 6 months post-intervention, the difference in mean asthma-related quality of life (mAQLQ) between intervention and control was 0.1 (GOAL 6.20: SD 0.76 (CI 5.76-6.65) versus UC 6.1: SD 0.81 (CI 5.63-6.57)), less than the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 0.5. However, change from baseline was stronger in the intervention group: at 6 months the change in the emotions sub-score was 0.8 for intervention versus 0.2 for control. Costs were higher in the intervention group by £22.17. Routine review with goal setting was considered more holistic, enhancing rapport and enabling patients to become active rather than passive participants in healthcare. However, time was a major barrier for nurses, who admitted to screening out patient goals they believed were unrelated to asthma. The difference in AQLQ score from baseline is larger in the intervention arm than the control, indicating the intervention may have impact if appropriately strengthened. The GOAL intervention changed the review dynamic and was well received by patients, but necessitated additional time, which was problematic in the confines of the traditional nurse appointment. Modification to recruitment methods and further development of the intervention are needed before proceeding to a definitive cluster randomised controlled trial. ISRCTN18912042 . Registered on 26 June 2012.

Using formal specification in the Guidance and Control Software (GCS) experiment. Formal design and verification technology for life critical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, Doug; Jamsek, Damir

1994-01-01

The goal of this task was to investigate how formal methods could be incorporated into a software engineering process for flight-control systems under DO-178B and to demonstrate that process by developing a formal specification for NASA's Guidance and Controls Software (GCS) Experiment. GCS is software to control the descent of a spacecraft onto a planet's surface. The GCS example is simplified from a real example spacecraft, but exhibits the characteristics of realistic spacecraft control software. The formal specification is written in Larch.

To simulate or not to simulate: what are the questions?

PubMed

Dudai, Yadin; Evers, Kathinka

2014-10-22

Simulation is a powerful method in science and engineering. However, simulation is an umbrella term, and its meaning and goals differ among disciplines. Rapid advances in neuroscience and computing draw increasing attention to large-scale brain simulations. What is the meaning of simulation, and what should the method expect to achieve? We discuss the concept of simulation from an integrated scientific and philosophical vantage point and pinpoint selected issues that are specific to brain simulation.

Gene trap and gene inversion methods for conditional gene inactivation in the mouse

PubMed Central

Xin, Hong-Bo; Deng, Ke-Yu; Shui, Bo; Qu, Shimian; Sun, Qi; Lee, Jane; Greene, Kai Su; Wilson, Jason; Yu, Ying; Feldman, Morris; Kotlikoff, Michael I.

2005-01-01

Conditional inactivation of individual genes in mice using site-specific recombinases is an extremely powerful method for determining the complex roles of mammalian genes in developmental and tissue-specific contexts, a major goal of post-genomic research. However, the process of generating mice with recombinase recognition sequences placed at specific locations within a gene, while maintaining a functional allele, is time consuming, expensive and technically challenging. We describe a system that combines gene trap and site-specific DNA inversion to generate mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell clones for the rapid production of conditional knockout mice, and the use of this system in an initial gene trap screen. Gene trapping should allow the selection of thousands of ES cell clones with defined insertions that can be used to generate conditional knockout mice, thereby providing extensive parallelism that eliminates the time-consuming steps of targeting vector construction and homologous recombination for each gene. PMID:15659575

Goal setting frequency and the use of behavioral strategies related to diet and physical activity.

PubMed

Nothwehr, Faryle; Yang, Jingzhen

2007-08-01

Goal setting is an effective way to focus attention on behavior change. Theoretically, frequency of goal setting may indicate the level of commitment to diet and physical activity behavior change. Yet, little is known about the association between goal setting frequency and use of specific diet or physical activity-related strategies. This study examines whether changes in goal setting frequency predict changes in use of behavioral strategies over time, controlling for baseline strategy use, demographics and whether a person was trying to lose weight. Data are from a baseline and 1-year follow-up survey of adults in rural Iowa (n = 385). Overall, goal setting frequency was positively associated with use of the strategies measured, at baseline and overtime. Frequent goal setting that is focused specifically on diet or physical activity was more predictive of using dietary or physical activity strategies, respectively, than goal setting focused on weight loss overall. The study provides empirical support for what has been assumed theoretically, that is, frequent goal setting for weight management is an indicator of use of specific behavioral strategies. Significant challenges remain in regard to maintenance of this activity and attainment of weight loss goals.

RNA Nanostructures – Methods and Protocols | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

RNA nanotechnology is a young field with many potential applications. The goal is to utilize designed RNA strands, such that the obtained constructs have specific properties in terms of shape and functionality. RNA has potential functionalities that are comparable to that of proteins, but possesses (compared to proteins) simpler design principles akin to DNA. The promise is

Intentional Teaching, Intentional Scholarship: Applying Backward Design Principles in a Faculty Writing Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Kathryn E.; Cooper, Frank Rudy; McKenzie, Elizabeth M.; Raesch, Monika; Reeve, Patricia A.

2014-01-01

Backward design is a course creation method that encourages teachers to identify their goals for student understanding and measurable objectives for learning from the outset. In this article we explore the application of backward design to the production of scholarly articles. Specifically, we report on a writing group program that encourages…

The Effects of an Innovative Activity-Centered Biology Program on Attitude toward Elementary Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Donald A.

One of the primary goals in many teacher education programs is to design and to implement specific courses, strategies, and methods that promote positive attitude toward science and science teaching among elementary education majors. This paper describes the effects of a biology content course, patterned after innovative elementary school science…

The Pixon Method for Data Compression Image Classification, and Image Reconstruction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Puetter, Richard; Yahil, Amos

2002-01-01

As initially proposed, this program had three goals: (1) continue to develop the highly successful Pixon method for image reconstruction and support other scientist in implementing this technique for their applications; (2) develop image compression techniques based on the Pixon method; and (3) develop artificial intelligence algorithms for image classification based on the Pixon approach for simplifying neural networks. Subsequent to proposal review the scope of the program was greatly reduced and it was decided to investigate the ability of the Pixon method to provide superior restorations of images compressed with standard image compression schemes, specifically JPEG-compressed images.

Evolutionary decay and the prospects for long-term disease intervention using engineered insect vectors

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

After a long history of applying the sterile insect technique to suppress populations of disease vectors and agricultural pests, there is growing interest in using genetic engineering both to improve old methods and to enable new methods. The two goals of interventions are to suppress populations, possibly eradicating a species altogether, or to abolish the vector’s competence to transmit a parasite. New methods enabled by genetic engineering include the use of selfish genes toward either goal as well as a variety of killer-rescue systems that could be used for vector competence reduction. This article reviews old and new methods with an emphasis on the potential for evolution of resistance to these strategies. Established methods of population suppression did not obviously face a problem from resistance evolution, but newer technologies might. Resistance to these newer interventions will often be mechanism-specific, and while it is too early to know where resistance evolution will become a problem, it is at least possible to propose properties of interventions that will be more or less effective in blocking resistance evolution. PMID:26160736

Using shared goal setting to improve access and equity: a mixed methods study of the Good Goals intervention in children's occupational therapy.

PubMed

Kolehmainen, Niina; MacLennan, Graeme; Ternent, Laura; Duncan, Edward A S; Duncan, Eilidh M; Ryan, Stephen B; McKee, Lorna; Francis, Jill J

2012-08-16

Access and equity in children's therapy services may be improved by directing clinicians' use of resources toward specific goals that are important to patients. A practice-change intervention (titled 'Good Goals') was designed to achieve this. This study investigated uptake, adoption, and possible effects of that intervention in children's occupational therapy services. Mixed methods case studies (n = 3 services, including 46 therapists and 558 children) were conducted. The intervention was delivered over 25 weeks through face-to-face training, team workbooks, and 'tools for change'. Data were collected before, during, and after the intervention on a range of factors using interviews, a focus group, case note analysis, routine data, document analysis, and researchers' observations. Factors related to uptake and adoptions were: mode of intervention delivery, competing demands on therapists' time, and leadership by service manager. Service managers and therapists reported that the intervention: helped therapists establish a shared rationale for clinical decisions; increased clarity in service provision; and improved interactions with families and schools. During the study period, therapists' behaviours changed: identifying goals, odds ratio 2.4 (95% CI 1.5 to 3.8); agreeing goals, 3.5 (2.4 to 5.1); evaluating progress, 2.0 (1.1 to 3.5). Children's LoT decreased by two months [95% CI -8 to +4 months] across the services. Cost per therapist trained ranged from £1,003 to £1,277, depending upon service size and therapists' salary bands. Good Goals is a promising quality improvement intervention that can be delivered and adopted in practice and may have benefits. Further research is required to evaluate its: (i) impact on patient outcomes, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and (ii) transferability to other clinical contexts.

Open architectures for formal reasoning and deductive technologies for software development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccarthy, John; Manna, Zohar; Mason, Ian; Pnueli, Amir; Talcott, Carolyn; Waldinger, Richard

1994-01-01

The objective of this project is to develop an open architecture for formal reasoning systems. One goal is to provide a framework with a clear semantic basis for specification and instantiation of generic components; construction of complex systems by interconnecting components; and for making incremental improvements and tailoring to specific applications. Another goal is to develop methods for specifying component interfaces and interactions to facilitate use of existing and newly built systems as 'off the shelf' components, thus helping bridge the gap between producers and consumers of reasoning systems. In this report we summarize results in several areas: our data base of reasoning systems; a theory of binding structures; a theory of components of open systems; a framework for specifying components of open reasoning system; and an analysis of the integration of rewriting and linear arithmetic modules in Boyer-Moore using the above framework.

Get a taste of your goals: promoting motive-goal congruence through affect-focus goal fantasy.

PubMed

Job, Veronika; Brandstätter, Veronika

2009-10-01

Studies show that motive-goal congruence is an important predictor of well-being (Baumann, Kaschel, & Kuhl, 2005; Brunstein, Schultheiss, & Grässmann, 1998). However, little is known about the factors that promote congruence between implicit motives and goals. Relying on McClelland's (1985) concept of implicit motives and the theory of fantasy realization (Oettingen, 1999), we postulated that goal fantasies focusing on motive-specific affective incentives promote motive-congruent goal setting. This hypothesis was tested in 3 experimental studies. In Study 1 (n=46) and Study 2 (n=48), participants were asked to select goals in a hypothetical scenario. In Study 3 (n=179), they rated their commitment to personal goals for their actual life situation. The results of all 3 studies supported our hypothesis that participants who focus on motive-specific affective incentives in their goal fantasies set their goals in line with their corresponding implicit motive dispositions.

An exploratory analysis of the self-reported goals of individuals with chronic upper-extremity paresis following stroke.

PubMed

Waddell, Kimberly J; Birkenmeier, Rebecca L; Bland, Marghuretta D; Lang, Catherine E

2016-01-01

To classify the self-identified goals of individuals post-stroke with chronic upper extremity (UE) paresis, and determine if age, UE functional capacity and pre-stroke hand dominance influence overall goal selection. Sixty-five subjects participated. Using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to establish treatment goals, the top five goals were categorized using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework into five categories: activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), leisure, work and general UE movement. A Chi-square analysis determined if age, UE functional capacity (measured by the Action Research Arm Test) and UE hand dominance influenced individual goal selection. The majority of goals were in the ADL (37%) and IADL (40%) categories. A small percentage (12%) was related to general UE movement. Individuals with moderate UE functional capacity identified more ADL goals than those with higher UE functional capacity. There was not a difference between age and UE dominance across all five goal areas. Individuals with chronic UE paresis had specific goals that were not influenced by age or hand dominance, but partially influenced by severity. General UE movement goals were identified less than goals related to specific activities. Considering the specificity of individual goals following stroke, it is recommended that clinicians regularly utilize a goal setting tool to help establish client goals. It is recommended that clinicians further inquire about general goals in order to link upper extremity deficits to functional activity limitations. Age, upper extremity functional capacity and hand dominance have little influence on the rehabilitation goals for individuals with chronic paresis after stroke.

Development of a Method to Implement Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of cfDNA from Cancer Patients and a Mouse Tumor Model.

PubMed

Maggi, Elaine C; Gravina, Silvia; Cheng, Haiying; Piperdi, Bilal; Yuan, Ziqiang; Dong, Xiao; Libutti, Steven K; Vijg, Jan; Montagna, Cristina

2018-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop a method for whole genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation analysis in humans and mice with the ultimate goal to facilitate the identification of tumor derived DNA methylation changes in the blood. Plasma or serum from patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or lung cancer, and plasma from a murine model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma was used to develop a protocol for cfDNA isolation, library preparation and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of ultra low quantities of cfDNA, including tumor-specific DNA. The protocol developed produced high quality libraries consistently generating a conversion rate >98% that will be applicable for the analysis of human and mouse plasma or serum to detect tumor-derived changes in DNA methylation.

The psychology behind doping in sport.

PubMed

Ehrnborg, Christer; Rosén, Thord

2009-08-01

Drugs and methods to improve physical performance among athletes have been used since the beginning of sport history, but the use of performance enhancing drugs has not always been regarded as cheating. In short, the motives for doping are improving and maintaining physical functioning, coping with the social/psychological pressures and striving for social and psychological goals, including economic benefits. Factors such as, "doping dilemma", "win at all costs", cost versus benefit, and the specificity of some specific doping agents, also play major roles. It seems that action on the athletes' attitude about the achievement of physical improvement and creating effective methods to reveal the drug abuse, are two main ways in winning the struggle against doping.

Heat pipe manufacturing study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelstein, F.

1974-01-01

Heat pipe manufacturing methods are examined with the goal of establishing cost effective procedures that will ultimately result in cheaper more reliable heat pipes. Those methods which are commonly used by all heat pipe manufacturers have been considered, including: (1) envelope and wick cleaning, (2) end closure and welding, (3) mechanical verification, (4) evacuation and charging, (5) working fluid purity, and (6) charge tube pinch off. The study is limited to moderate temperature aluminum and stainless steel heat pipes with ammonia, Freon-21 and methanol working fluids. Review and evaluation of available manufacturers techniques and procedures together with the results of specific manufacturing oriented tests have yielded a set of recommended cost-effective specifications which can be used by all manufacturers.

Encapsulation task of the low-cost silicon solar array project. Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, P. B.; Baum, B.; White, R. A.

1978-01-01

The results of an investigation of solar module encapsulation systems applicable to the Low-Cost Solar Array Project 1986 cost and performance goals are presented. Six basic construction elements were identified and their specific uses in module construction defined. A uniform coating basis was established for each element. The survey results were also useful in revealing price ranges for classes of materials and estimating the cost allocation for each element within the encapsulating cost goal. The six construction elements were considered to be substrates, superstrates, pottants, adhesives, outer covers and back covers.

Environmental exposures and health impacts of PFAS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental exposures and health impacts of PFAS The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

The smooth (tractor) operator: insights of knowledge engineering.

PubMed

Cullen, Ralph H; Smarr, Cory-Ann; Serrano-Baquero, Daniel; McBride, Sara E; Beer, Jenay M; Rogers, Wendy A

2012-11-01

The design of and training for complex systems requires in-depth understanding of task demands imposed on users. In this project, we used the knowledge engineering approach (Bowles et al., 2004) to assess the task of mowing in a citrus grove. Knowledge engineering is divided into four phases: (1) Establish goals. We defined specific goals based on the stakeholders involved. The main goal was to identify operator demands to support improvement of the system. (2) Create a working model of the system. We reviewed product literature, analyzed the system, and conducted expert interviews. (3) Extract knowledge. We interviewed tractor operators to understand their knowledge base. (4) Structure knowledge. We analyzed and organized operator knowledge to inform project goals. We categorized the information and developed diagrams to display the knowledge effectively. This project illustrates the benefits of knowledge engineering as a qualitative research method to inform technology design and training. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL). Volume 1: Study overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A series of NASA and Contractor studies sponsored by NASA/KSC resulted in a specification for the Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL). The Cape Kennedy Facility of the IBM Corporation was given the responsibility, under existing contracts, to perform an analysis of the Language Specification, to design and develop a GOAL Compiler, to provide a specification for a data bank, to design and develop an interpretive code translator, and to perform associated application studies.

Big hopes for the children of the world: a review of the Millennium Development Goals.

PubMed

Keating, E M; Chock, M; Fischer, P R

2011-01-01

The Millennium Development Goals are a set of eight goals drafted by the United Nations in 2000 with the aim of improving the health and welfare of people worldwide. The goals provide specific targets to be met by 2015, using the 1990 basis as a standard. This review presents these goals as they relate to children, discussing progress and future aims. Although not all eight goals specifically address children, each has its own impact on global child health. Thus far, much progress has been made, but increased rates of improvement must be achieved in order to meet the goals by 2015 and improve the health of children worldwide.

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

Rowe, M.D.; Pierce, B.L.

This report presents results of tests of different final site selection methods used for siting large-scale facilities such as nuclear power plants. Test data are adapted from a nuclear power plant siting study conducted on Long Island, New York. The purpose of the tests is to determine whether or not different final site selection methods produce different results, and to obtain some understanding of the nature of any differences found. Decision rules and weighting methods are included. Decision rules tested are Weighting Summation, Power Law, Decision Analysis, Goal Programming, and Goal Attainment; weighting methods tested are Categorization, Ranking, Rating Ratiomore » Estimation, Metfessel Allocation, Indifferent Tradeoff, Decision Analysis lottery, and Global Evaluation. Results show that different methods can, indeed, produce different results, but that the probability that they will do so is controlled by the structure of differences among the sites being evaluated. Differences in weights and suitability scores attributable to methods have reduced significance if the alternatives include one or two sites that are superior to all others in many attributes. The more tradeoffs there are among good and bad levels of different attributes at different sites, the more important are the specifics of methods to the final decision. 5 refs., 14 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Interdisciplinary research on patient-provider communication: a cross-method comparison.

PubMed

Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia; Han, Paul; Pilsner, Alison; Coa, Kisha; Greenberg, Larrie; Blatt, Benjamin

2011-01-01

Patient-provider communication, a key aspect of healthcare delivery, has been assessed through multiple methods for purposes of research, education, and quality control. Common techniques include satisfaction ratings and quantitatively- and qualitatively-oriented direct observations. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches is critically important in determining the appropriate assessment method for a specific research or practical goal. Analyzing ten videotaped simulated encounters between medical students and Standardized Patients (SPs), this study compared three existing assessment methods through the same data set. Methods included: (1) dichotomized SP ratings on students' communication skills; (2) Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) analysis; and (3) inductive discourse analysis informed by sociolinguistic theories. The large dichotomous contrast between good and poor ratings in (1) was not evidenced in any of the other methods. Following a discussion of strengths and weaknesses of each approach, we pilot-tested a combined assessment done by coders blinded to results of (1)-(3). This type of integrative approach has the potential of adding a quantifiable dimension to qualitative, discourse-based observations. Subjecting the same data set to separate analytic methods provides an excellent opportunity for methodological comparisons with the goal of informing future assessment of clinical encounters.

LED-based endoscopic light source for spectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Browning, Craig M.; Mayes, Samuel; Favreau, Peter; Rich, Thomas C.; Leavesley, Silas J.

2016-03-01

Colorectal cancer is the United States 3rd leading cancer in death rates.1 The current screening for colorectal cancer is an endoscopic procedure using white light endoscopy (WLE). There are multiple new methods testing to replace WLE, for example narrow band imaging and autofluorescence imaging.2 However, these methods do not meet the need for a higher specificity or sensitivity. The goal for this project is to modify the presently used endoscope light source to house 16 narrow wavelength LEDs for spectral imaging in real time while increasing sensitivity and specificity. The process to do such was to take an Olympus CLK-4 light source, replace the light and electronics with 16 LEDs and new circuitry. This allows control of the power and intensity of the LEDs. This required a larger enclosure to house a bracket system for the solid light guide (lightpipe), three new circuit boards, a power source and National Instruments hardware/software for computer control. The results were a successfully designed retrofit with all the new features. The LED testing resulted in the ability to control each wavelength's intensity. The measured intensity over the voltage range will provide the information needed to couple the camera for imaging. Overall the project was successful; the modifications to the light source added the controllable LEDs. This brings the research one step closer to the main goal of spectral imaging for early detection of colorectal cancer. Future goals will be to connect the camera and test the imaging process.

A Serious Video Game to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Elementary Aged Youth (Squire’s Quest! II): Rationale, Design, and Methods

PubMed Central

Bhatt, Riddhi; Cullen, Karen; Baranowski, Janice; Baranowski, Tom

2012-01-01

Background Youths eat fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended. Effective methods are needed to increase and maintain their fruit and vegetable consumption. Goal setting has been an effective behavior change procedure among adults, but has had limited effectiveness among youths. Implementation intentions are specific plans to facilitate goal attainment. Redefining goal setting to include implementation intentions may be an effective way to increase effectiveness. Video games offer a controlled venue for conducting behavioral research and testing hypotheses to identify mechanisms of effect. Objective This report describes the protocol that guided the design and evaluation of Squire’s Quest! II, a video game aimed to increase child fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods Squire’s Quest! II is a 10-episode videogame promoting fruit and vegetable consumption to 4th and 5th grade children (approximately 9-11 year old youths). A four group randomized design (n=400 parent/child dyads) was used to systematically test the effect of two types of implementation intentions (action, coping) on fruit and vegetable goal attainment and consumption of 4th and 5th graders. Data collection occurred at baseline, immediately post game-play, and 3 months later. Child was the unit of assignment. Three dietary recalls were collected at each data collection period by trained interviewers using the Nutrient Data System for Research (NDSR 2009). Psychosocial and process data were also collected. Results To our knowledge, this is the first research to explore the effect of implementation intentions on child fruit and vegetable goal attainment and consumption. Conclusions This intervention will contribute valuable information regarding whether implementation intentions are effective with elementary age children. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01004094 PMID:23612366

Riparian forest restoration: Conflicting goals, trade-offs, and measures of success

Treesearch

Heather L. Bateman; David M. Merritt; J. Bradley Johnson

2012-01-01

Restoration projects can have varying goals, depending on the specific focus, rationale, and aims for restoration. When restoration projects use project-specific goals to define activities and gauge success without considering broader ecological context, determination of project implications and success can be confounding. We used case studies from the Middle Rio...

The Prevalence, Development and Domain Specificity of Elementary School Students' Achievement Goal Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen in de Wal, Joost; Hornstra, Lisette; Prins, Frans J.; Peetsma, Thea; van der Veen, Ineke

2016-01-01

This study's aim was to examine the prevalence, development and domain specificity of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students' achievement goal profiles. Achievement goals were measured for language and mathematics among 722 pupils at three points in time. These data were analysed through latent profile analysis and latent transition…

Relations between Classroom Goal Structures and Students' Goal Orientations in Mathematics Classes: When Is a Mastery Goal Structure Adaptive?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skaalvik, Einar M.; Federici, Roger A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test possible interactions between mastery and performance goal structures in mathematics classrooms when predicting students' goal orientations. More specifically, we tested if the degree of performance goal structure moderated the associations between mastery goal structure and students' goal orientations.…

Cognitive regulation alters social and dietary choice by changing attribute representations in domain-general and domain-specific brain circuits

PubMed Central

Hutcherson, Cendri A

2018-01-01

Are some people generally more successful using cognitive regulation or does it depend on the choice domain? Why? We combined behavioral computational modeling and multivariate decoding of fMRI responses to identify neural loci of regulation-related shifts in value representations across goals and domains (dietary or altruistic choice). Surprisingly, regulatory goals did not alter integrative value representations in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which represented all choice-relevant attributes across goals and domains. Instead, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) flexibly encoded goal-consistent values and predicted regulatory success for the majority of choice-relevant attributes, using attribute-specific neural codes. We also identified domain-specific exceptions: goal-dependent encoding of prosocial attributes localized to precuneus and temporo-parietal junction (not DLPFC). Our results suggest that cognitive regulation operated by changing specific attribute representations (not integrated values). Evidence of domain-general and domain-specific neural loci reveals important divisions of labor, explaining when and why regulatory success generalizes (or doesn’t) across contexts and domains. PMID:29813018

Ask "Teaching Sociology": What Should Faculty Consider before Having Students Conduct Research in a Class?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowney, Kathleen S.

2014-01-01

There are many things that sociology faculty have to consider as they begin planning a student course such as: (1) why students need to understand scientific methods, by conducting research for themselves; (2) What specific learning goals and objectives will be met by students doing research, either individually or collectively?; (3) Why do…

Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom: Practical Applications. What Works for Special-Needs Learners Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Tracey E., Ed.; Meyer, Anne, Ed.; Rose, David H., Ed.

2012-01-01

Clearly written and well organized, this book shows how to apply the principles of universal design for learning (UDL) across all subject areas and grade levels. The editors and contributors describe practical ways to develop classroom goals, assessments, materials, and methods that use UDL to meet the needs of all learners. Specific teaching…

The Universal Traveler, A Soft-Systems Guide to: Creativity, Problem Solving, and the Process of Reaching Goals. [Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koberg, Don; Bagnall, Jim

This publication provides an organizational scheme for a creative problem solving process. The authors indicate that all problems can benefit from the same logical and orderly process now employed to solve many complex problems. The principles remain constant; only specific methods change. Chapter 1 analyzes the development of creativity and fear…

The Design and Implement of Tourism Information System Based on GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chunchang, Fu; Nan, Zhang

From the geographical information system concept, discusses the main contents of the geographic information system, and the current of the geographic information system key technological measures of tourism information system, the application of tourism information system for specific requirements and goals, and analyzes a relational database model based on the tourist information system in GIS application methods of realization.

The Use of the Technology of Distance Education in a Higher Educational Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vishtak, O. V.

2007-01-01

This article discusses the use of technology of distance education in the teaching and learning process in higher education. The technology of distance education is defined as a system of methods, specific tools and forms by means of which the content of the education is transmitted and the goal-directed implementation of the aggregate set of…

Qualitative analysis of the dynamics of policy design and implementation in hospital funding reform

PubMed Central

Brown, Adalsteinn D.; Evans, Jenna M.; Marani, Husayn; Russell, Kirstie K.; Martin, Danielle; Ivers, Noah M.

2018-01-01

Background As in many health care systems, some Canadian jurisdictions have begun shifting away from global hospital budgets. Payment for episodes of care has begun to be implemented. Starting in 2012, the Province of Ontario implemented hospital funding reforms comprising three elements: Global Budgets; Health Based Allocation Method (HBAM); and Quality-Based Procedures (QBP). This evaluation focuses on implementation of QBPs, a procedure/diagnosis-specific funding approach involving a pre-set price per episode of care coupled with best practice clinical pathways. We examined whether or not there was consensus in understanding of the program theory underpinning QBPs and how this may have influenced full and effective implementation of this innovative funding model. Methods We undertook a formative evaluation of QBP implementation. We used an embedded case study method and in-depth, one-on-one, semi-structured, telephone interviews with key informants at three levels of the health care system: Designers (those who designed the QBP policy); Adoption Supporters (organizations and individuals supporting adoption of QBPs); and Hospital Implementers (those responsible for QBP implementation in hospitals). Thematic analysis involved an inductive approach, incorporating Framework analysis to generate descriptive and explanatory themes that emerged from the data. Results Five main findings emerged from our research: (1) Unbeknownst to most key informants, there was neither consistency nor clarity over time among QBP designers in their understanding of the original goal(s) for hospital funding reform; (2) Prior to implementation, the intended hospital funding mechanism transitioned from ABF to QBPs, but most key informants were either unaware of the transition or believe it was intentional; (3) Perception of the primary goal(s) of the policy reform continues to vary within and across all levels of key informants; (4) Four years into implementation, the QBP funding mechanism remains misunderstood; and (5) Ongoing differences in understanding of QBP goals and funding mechanism have created challenges with implementation and difficulties in measuring success. Conclusions Policy drift and policy layering affected both the goal and the mechanism of action of hospital funding reform. Lack of early specification in both policy goals and hospital funding mechanism exposed the reform to reactive changes that did not reflect initial intentions. Several challenges further exacerbated implementation of complex hospital funding reforms, including a prolonged implementation schedule, turnover of key staff, and inconsistent messaging over time. These factors altered the trajectory of the hospital funding reforms and created confusion amongst those responsible for implementation. Enacting changes to hospital funding policy through a process that is transparent, collaborative, and intentional may increase the likelihood of achieving intended effects. PMID:29373587

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

Baker, J.E.

Many robotic operations, e.g., mapping, scanning, feature following, etc., require accurate surface following of arbitrary targets. This paper presents a versatile surface following and mapping system designed to promote hardware, software and application independence, modular development, and upward expandability. These goals are met by: a full, a priori specification of the hardware and software interfaces; a modular system architecture; and a hierarchical surface-data analysis method, permitting application specific tuning at each conceptual level of topological abstraction. This surface following system was fully designed and independently of any specific robotic host, then successfully integrated with and demonstrated on a completely amore » priori unknown, real-time robotic system. 7 refs.« less

Dependence of Achievable Plan Quality on Treatment Technique and Planning Goal Refinement: A Head-and-Neck Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Application

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

Qi, X. Sharon, E-mail: xqi@mednet.ucla.edu; Ruan, Dan; Lee, Steve P.

2015-03-15

Purpose: To develop a practical workflow for retrospectively analyzing target and normal tissue dose–volume endpoints for various intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery techniques; to develop technique-specific planning goals to improve plan consistency and quality when feasible. Methods and Materials: A total of 165 consecutive head-and-neck patients from our patient registry were selected and retrospectively analyzed. All IMRT plans were generated using the same dose–volume guidelines for TomoTherapy (Tomo, Accuray), TrueBeam (TB, Varian) using fixed-field IMRT (TB-IMRT) or RAPIDARC (TB-RAPIDARC), or Siemens Oncor (Siemens-IMRT, Siemens). A MATLAB-based dose–volume extraction and analysis tool was developed to export dosimetric endpoints for eachmore » patient. With a fair stratification of patient cohort, the variation of achieved dosimetric endpoints was analyzed among different treatment techniques. Upon identification of statistically significant variations, technique-specific planning goals were derived from dynamically accumulated institutional data. Results: Retrospective analysis showed that although all techniques yielded comparable target coverage, the doses to the critical structures differed. The maximum cord doses were 34.1 ± 2.6, 42.7 ± 2.1, 43.3 ± 2.0, and 45.1 ± 1.6 Gy for Tomo, TB-IMRT, TB-RAPIDARC, and Siemens-IMRT plans, respectively. Analyses of variance showed significant differences for the maximum cord doses but no significant differences for other selected structures among the investigated IMRT delivery techniques. Subsequently, a refined technique-specific dose–volume guideline for maximum cord dose was derived at a confidence level of 95%. The dosimetric plans that failed the refined technique-specific planning goals were reoptimized according to the refined constraints. We observed better cord sparing with minimal variations for the target coverage and other organ at risk sparing for the Tomo cases, and higher parotid doses for C-arm linear accelerator–based IMRT and RAPIDARC plans. Conclusion: Patient registry–based processes allowed easy and systematic dosimetric assessment of treatment plan quality and consistency. Our analysis revealed the dependence of certain dosimetric endpoints on the treatment techniques. Technique-specific refinement of planning goals may lead to improvement in plan consistency and plan quality.« less

Lesson 7: From Requirements to Specific Solutions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CROMERR requirements set performance goals, they do not dictate specific system functions, operating procedures,system architecture, or technology. The task is to decide on a solution to meet the goals.

Goals Set by Patients Using the ICF Model before Receiving Botulinum Injections and Their Relation to Spasticity Distribution

PubMed Central

Choi, Kevin; Peters, Jaclyn; Tri, Andrew; Chapman, Elizabeth; Sasaki, Ayako; Ismail, Farooq; Boulias, Chris; Reid, Shannon

2017-01-01

Purpose: Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is used to assess functional gains in response to treatment. Specific characteristics of the functional goals set by individuals receiving botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) injections for spasticity management are unknown. The primary objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics of the goals set by patients before receiving BoNTA injections using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and to determine whether the pattern of spasticity distribution affected the goals set. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective chart review was carried out in an outpatient spasticity-management clinic in Toronto. A total of 176 patients with a variety of neurological lesions attended the clinic to receive BoNTA injections and completed GAS from December 2012 to December 2013. The main outcome measures were the characteristics of the goals set by the participants on the basis of ICF categories (body functions and structures, activity and participation) and the spasticity distribution using Modified Ashworth Scale scores. Results: Of the patients, 73% set activity and participation goals, and 27% set body functions and structures goals (p<0.05). In the activity and participation category, 30% of patients set moving and walking goals, 28% set self-care and dressing goals, and 12% set changing and maintaining body position goals. In the body functions and structures category, 18% set neuromuscular and movement-related goals, and 8% set pain goals. The ICF goal categories were not related to the patterns of spasticity (upper limb vs. lower limb or unilateral vs. bilateral spasticity) or type of upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our results show that patients receiving BoNTA treatment set a higher percentage of activity and participation goals than body functions and structures goals. Goal classification was not affected by type of spasticity distribution or type of UMN disorder. PMID:28539691

When and How Goals Are Contagious in Social Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palomares, Nicholas A.

2013-01-01

Goal contagion occurs when a perceiver interacts with a partner whose behavior implies he/she is pursuing a particular goal and the perceiver accurately infers and subsequently pursues the partner's goal. Goal contagion was assessed in conversations between unacquainted individuals. In 2 experiments, the ways in which goal specificity, inference…

Goal setting: an integral component of effective diabetes care.

PubMed

Miller, Carla K; Bauman, Jennifer

2014-08-01

Goal setting is a widely used behavior change tool in diabetes education and training. Prior research found specific relatively difficult but attainable goals set within a specific timeframe improved performance in sports and at the workplace. However, the impact of goal setting in diabetes self-care has not received extensive attention. This review examined the mechanisms underlying behavioral change according to goal setting theory and evaluated the impact of goal setting in diabetes intervention studies. Eight studies were identified, which incorporated goal setting as the primary strategy to promote behavioral change in individual, group-based, and primary care settings among patients with type 2 diabetes. Improvements in diabetes-related self-efficacy, dietary intake, physical activity, and A1c were observed in some but not all studies. More systematic research is needed to determine the conditions and behaviors for which goal setting is most effective. Initial recommendations for using goal setting in diabetes patient encounters are offered.

How best to structure interdisciplinary primary care teams: the study protocol for a systematic review with narrative framework synthesis.

PubMed

Wranik, W Dominika; Hayden, Jill A; Price, Sheri; Parker, Robin M N; Haydt, Susan M; Edwards, Jeanette M; Suter, Esther; Katz, Alan; Gambold, Liesl L; Levy, Adrian R

2016-10-04

Western publicly funded health care systems increasingly rely on interdisciplinary teams to support primary care delivery and management of chronic conditions. This knowledge synthesis focuses on what is known in the academic and grey literature about optimal structural characteristics of teams. Its goal is to assess which factors contribute to the effective functioning of interdisciplinary primary care teams and improved health system outcomes, with specific focus on (i) team structure contribution to team process, (ii) team process contribution to primary care goals, and (iii) team structure contribution to primary care goals. The systematic search of academic literature focuses on four chronic conditions and co-morbidities. Within this scope, qualitative and quantitative studies that assess the effects of team characteristics (funding, governance, organization) on care process and patient outcomes will be searched. Electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PAIS, Web of Science) will be searched systematically. Online web-based searches will be supported by the Grey Matters Tool. Studies will be included, if they report on interdisciplinary primary care in publicly funded Western health systems, and address the relationships between team structure, process, and/or patient outcomes. Studies will be selected in a three-stage screening process (title/abstract/full text) by two independent reviewers in each stage. Study quality will be assessed using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. An a priori framework will be applied to data extraction, and a narrative framework approach is used for the synthesis. Using an integrated knowledge translation approach, an electronic decision support tool will be developed for decision makers. It will be searchable along two axes of inquiry: (i) what primary care goals are supported by specific team characteristics and (ii) how should teams be structured to support specific primary care goals? The results of this evidence review will contribute directly to the design of interdisciplinary primary care teams. The optimized design will support the goals of primary care, contributing to the improved health of populations. PROSPERO CRD42016041884.

Participatory interaction design in user requirements specification in healthcare.

PubMed

Martikainen, Susanna; Ikävalko, Pauliina; Korpela, Mikko

2010-01-01

Healthcare information systems are accused of poor usability even in the popular media in Finland. Doctors especially have been very critical and actively expressed their opinions in public. User involvement and user-centered design methods are seen as the key solution to usability problems. In this paper we describe a research case where participatory methods were experimented within healthcare information systems development in medicinal care in a hospital. The study was part of a larger research project on Activity-driven Information Systems Development in healthcare. The study started by finding out about and modeling the present state of medicinal care in the hospital. After that it was important to define and model the goal state. The goal state, facilitated by the would-be software package, was modeled with the help of user interface drawings as one way of prototyping. Traditional usability methods were extended during the study. According to the health professionals' feedback, the use of participatory and user-centered interaction design methods, particularly user interface drawings enabled them to describe their requirements and create common understanding with the system developers.

Evaluation of increasing antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies.

PubMed

Cohrs, Corey M; Shriver, Mark D; Burke, Raymond V; Allen, Keith D

2016-12-01

We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior-specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the use of behavior-specific praise by 4 participants was found to be unaffected by goal statements that increasingly specified the behavior to be used and the conditions under which the behavior should occur. However, adherence by 3 of the 4 participants did change when goal statements included teacher-specified frequencies with which the behavior should occur. Results were systematically replicated in a second study in which, in a concurrent multiple baseline design, 3 participants showed marked increases in adherence when goal statements specified the target behavior, the conditions under which it should occur, and the frequency with which it should occur. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Informatics Tools and Methods to Enhance U.S. Cancer Surveillance Research, UG3/UH3 | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Cancer.gov

The goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to advance surveillance science by supporting the development of new and innovative tools and methods for more efficient, detailed, timely, and accurate data collection by cancer registries. Specifically, the FOA seeks applications for projects to develop, adapt, apply, scale-up, and validate tools and methods to improve the collection and integration cancer registry data and to expand the data items collected. Population-based central cancer registries (a partnership must involve at least two different registries).

High Throughput Determination of VX in Drinking Water by ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Methods Report This document provides the standard operating procedure for determination of the chemical warfare agent VX (O-Ethyl S-2-Diisopropylamino-Ethyl Methylphosphonothioate) in drinking water by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer (LC/MS/MS). This method was adapted from one that was initially developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the National Center for Environmental Health for the determination and quantitation of VX in aqueous matrices. This method is designed to support site-specific cleanup goals of environmental remediation activities following a homeland security incident involving this analyte.

Earth-moon system: Dynamics and parameter estimation; numerical considerations and program documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breedlove, W. J., Jr.

1976-01-01

Major activities included coding and verifying equations of motion for the earth-moon system. Some attention was also given to numerical integration methods and parameter estimation methods. Existing analytical theories such as Brown's lunar theory, Eckhardt's theory for lunar rotation, and Newcomb's theory for the rotation of the earth were coded and verified. These theories serve as checks for the numerical integration. Laser ranging data for the period January 1969 - December 1975 was collected and stored on tape. The main goal of this research is the development of software to enable physical parameters of the earth-moon system to be estimated making use of data available from the Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment and the Very Long Base Interferometry experiment of project Apollo. A more specific goal is to develop software for the estimation of certain physical parameters of the moon such as inertia ratios, and the third and fourth harmonic gravity coefficients.

A formal protocol test procedure for the Survivable Adaptable Fiber Optic Embedded Network (SAFENET)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

High, Wayne

1993-03-01

This thesis focuses upon a new method for verifying the correct operation of a complex, high speed fiber optic communication network. These networks are of growing importance to the military because of their increased connectivity, survivability, and reconfigurability. With the introduction and increased dependence on sophisticated software and protocols, it is essential that their operation be correct. Because of the speed and complexity of fiber optic networks being designed today, they are becoming increasingly difficult to test. Previously, testing was accomplished by application of conformance test methods which had little connection with an implementation's specification. The major goal of conformance testing is to ensure that the implementation of a profile is consistent with its specification. Formal specification is needed to ensure that the implementation performs its intended operations while exhibiting desirable behaviors. The new conformance test method presented is based upon the System of Communicating Machine model which uses a formal protocol specification to generate a test sequence. The major contribution of this thesis is the application of the System of Communicating Machine model to formal profile specifications of the Survivable Adaptable Fiber Optic Embedded Network (SAFENET) standard which results in the derivation of test sequences for a SAFENET profile. The results applying this new method to SAFENET's OSI and Lightweight profiles are presented.

Patient goal setting as a method for program improvement/development in partial hospitalization programs.

PubMed

Gates, A

1991-12-01

Data were collected from a study of 49 patients in 1990 and 106 patients in 1991 admitted into Country View Treatment Center and Green Country Counseling Center. Country View is a 30-bed chemical dependency residential center operating under St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Green Country is an evening partial hospital chemical dependency program operating under St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The tools used in this study were the Country View Patient Self-Reporting Questionnaire, the global Rating Scale, and the Model of Recovering Alcoholics Behavior Stages and Goal Setting (Wing, 1990). These assessments were specifically designed to measure the patient's perceptions of goal setting and the patient's perspective on treatment outcome. The study outcome resulted in program improvement (Green Country evening partial hospital program) and the development of the Country View Substance Abuse Intermediate Link (SAIL) Program (day partial hospital).

#2) EPA Perspective - Exposure and Effects Prediction and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Outline •Biomarkers as a risk assessment tool–exposure assessment & risk characterization•CDC’s NHANES as a source of biomarker data–history, goals & available data•Review of NHANES publications (1999-2013)–chemicals, uses, trends & challenges•NHANES biomarker case study–recommendations for future research The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Role of Performance Goals in Prose Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPorte, Ronald E.; Nath, Raghu

1976-01-01

Investigates a subject's internalized goals and the relationship of the goals to test performance as a function of different learning instructions. Stating specific goals was found to produce the most significant results among subjects. (Author/DEP)

Applications of imaging technology in radiation research.

PubMed

Lin, MingDe; Jackson, Edward F

2012-04-01

Imaging research and advances in systems engineering have enabled the transition of medical imaging from a means for accomplishing traditional anatomic visualization (i.e., orthopedic planar film X ray) to a means for noninvasively assessing a variety of functional measures. Perfusion imaging is one of the major highlights in functional imaging. In this work, various methods for measuring perfusion using widely-available commercial imaging modalities and contrast agents, specifically X ray and MR (magnetic resonance), will be described. The first section reviews general methods used for perfusion imaging, and the second section provides modality-specific information, focusing on the contrast mechanisms used to calculate perfusion-related parameters. The goal of these descriptions is to illustrate how perfusion imaging can be applied to radiation biology research.

Goal Pursuit in Individuals with Chronic Pain: A Personal Project Analysis

PubMed Central

Crombez, Geert; Lauwerier, Emelien; Goubert, Liesbet; Van Damme, Stefaan

2016-01-01

Objectives: In individuals with chronic pain (ICPs), controlling pain often is a salient goal, despite the difficulty to achieve it. This situation may bring along frustration and distress. Yet much remains unknown about the content, appraisal, and structure of goals that ICPs pursue. Here, we explore these goals, and specifically focus upon possible differences and interrelations between pain control goals (e.g., “to control my pain”) and non-pain goals (e.g., “to go to work”). Design and Methods: “Personal Project Analysis” was used in 73 ICPs (48 females; 25 males; Mage = 49.85 years; SD = 9.72) to elicit goals and goal appraisals. Interrelations between pain and non-pain goals, namely interference (i.e., negative influence), facilitation (i.e., positive influence), and necessary condition (i.e., conditional relation between pain control goal and non-pain goals) were measured with three items. Self-report measures of pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, problem solving and acceptance were completed. Results: Participants reported a variety of goals. Appraisals of pain control goals were less favorable than appraisals of non-pain goals. ICPs with higher acceptance and meaningfulness of life reported more control over pain goals, and more progress in reaching pain control goals. These individuals also reported an overall much more positive appraisal of non-pain goals (i.e., less stress, difficulty, more progress, control). In contrast, high catastrophizing and the need to solve pain were negatively related to goal appraisals. Importantly, ICP’s with high perceived meaningfulness of life despite pain experienced less necessity to achieve pain control goals in order to achieve non-pain goals. This was opposite for individuals with high levels of catastrophizing. Discussion: An understanding of why ICPs may become stuck in attempts to control their pain does not only require an understanding of how individuals appraise their pain, but also requires an understanding of how pain and non-pain goals interrelate. In particular, the view that controlling pain is necessary in order to be able to achieve other goals seems detrimental. PMID:27445928

How Analysis Informs Regulation:Success and Failure of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

How Analysis Informs Regulation:Success and Failure of Evolving Approaches to Polyfluoroalkyl Acid Contamination The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Developing Decontamination Tools and Approaches to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Developing Decontamination Tools and Approaches to Address Indoor Pesticide Contamination from Improper Bed Bug Treatments The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Tackling the Global Challenge: Humanitarian Catastrophes

PubMed Central

Iserson, Kenneth V.

2014-01-01

“Humanitarian catastrophes,” conflicts and calamities generating both widespread human suffering and destructive events, require a wide range of emergency resources. This paper answers a number of questions that humanitarian catastrophes generate: Why and how do the most-developed countries—those with the resources, capabilities, and willingness to help—intervene in specific types of disasters? What ethical and legal guidelines shape our interventions? How well do we achieve our goals? It then suggests a number of changes to improve humanitarian responses, including better NGO-government cooperation, increased research on the best disaster response methods, clarification of the criteria and roles for humanitarian (military) interventions, and development of post-2015 Millennium Development Goals with more accurate progress measures. PMID:24672618

Performance Characterization of High Energy Commercial Lithium-ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneidegger, Brianne T.

2010-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center Electrochemistry Branch performed characterization of commercial lithium-ion cells to determine the cells' performance against Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Key Performance Parameters (KPP). The goals of the ETDP Energy Storage Project require significant improvements in the specific energy of lithium-ion technology over the state-of-the-art. This work supports the high energy cell development for the Constellation customer Lunar Surface Systems (LSS). In support of these goals, testing was initiated in September 2009 with high energy cylindrical cells obtained from Panasonic and E-One Moli. Both manufacturers indicated the capability of their cells to deliver specific energy of at least 180 Wh/kg or higher. Testing is being performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to evaluate the performance of these cells under temperature, rate, and cycling conditions relevant to the ETDP goals for high energy cells. The cell-level specific energy goal for high energy technology is 180 Wh/kg at a C/10 rate and 0 C. The threshold value is 165 Wh/kg. The goal is to operate for at least 2000 cycles at 100 percent DOD with greater than 80 percent capacity retention. The Panasonic NCR18650 cells were able to deliver nearly 200 Wh/kg at the aforementioned conditions. The E-One Moli ICR18650J cells also met the specific energy goal by delivering 183 Wh/kg. Though both cells met the goal for specific energy, this testing was only one portion of the testing required to determine the suitability of commercial cells for the ETDP. The cells must also meet goals for cycle life and safety. The results of this characterization are summarized in this report.

Achievement Goals, Reasons for Goal Pursuit, and Achievement Goal Complexes as Predictors of Beneficial Outcomes: Is the Influence of Goals Reducible to Reasons?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommet, Nicolas; Elliot, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

In the present research, we proposed a systematic approach to disentangling the shared and unique variance explained by achievement goals, reasons for goal pursuit, and specific goal-reason combinations (i.e., achievement goal complexes). Four studies using this approach (involving nearly 1,800 participants) led to 3 basic sets of findings. First,…

A fuzzy logic expert system for evaluating policy progress towards sustainability goals.

PubMed

Cisneros-Montemayor, Andrés M; Singh, Gerald G; Cheung, William W L

2017-12-16

Evaluating progress towards environmental sustainability goals can be difficult due to a lack of measurable benchmarks and insufficient or uncertain data. Marine settings are particularly challenging, as stakeholders and objectives tend to be less well defined and ecosystem components have high natural variability and are difficult to observe directly. Fuzzy logic expert systems are useful analytical frameworks to evaluate such systems, and we develop such a model here to formally evaluate progress towards sustainability targets based on diverse sets of indicators. Evaluation criteria include recent (since policy enactment) and historical (from earliest known state) change, type of indicators (state, benefit, pressure, response), time span and spatial scope, and the suitability of an indicator in reflecting progress toward a specific objective. A key aspect of the framework is that all assumptions are transparent and modifiable to fit different social and ecological contexts. We test the method by evaluating progress towards four Aichi Biodiversity Targets in Canadian oceans, including quantitative progress scores, information gaps, and the sensitivity of results to model and data assumptions. For Canadian marine systems, national protection plans and biodiversity awareness show good progress, but species and ecosystem states overall do not show strong improvement. Well-defined goals are vital for successful policy implementation, as ambiguity allows for conflicting potential indicators, which in natural systems increases uncertainty in progress evaluations. Importantly, our framework can be easily adapted to assess progress towards policy goals with different themes, globally or in specific regions.

Early Detection of Cancer by Affinity Mass Spectrometry-Set Aside funds — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

A.   RATIONALE The recent introduction of multiple reaction monitoring capabilities offers unprecedented capability to the research arsenal available to protein based biomarker discovery. Specific to the discovery process this technology offers an ability to monitor specific protein changes in concentration and/or post-translational modification. The ability to accurately confirm specific biomarkers in a sensitive and reproducible manner is critical to the confirmation and pre-validation process. We are proposing two collaborative studies that promise to develop Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) work flows for the biomarker scientific community and specifically for EDRN. B.   GOALS The overall goal for this proposal is the identification of protein biomarkers that can be associated with prostate cancer detection. The underlying goal is the application of a novel technological approach aided by MRM toward biomarker discovery. An additional goal will be the dissemination of knowledge gained from these studies EDRN wide.

Creating trauma-informed correctional care: a balance of goals and environment

PubMed Central

Miller, Niki A.; Najavits, Lisa M.

2012-01-01

Background Rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and exposure to violence among incarcerated males and females in the US are exponentially higher than rates among the general population; yet, abrupt detoxification from substances, the pervasive authoritative presence and sensory and environmental trauma triggers can pose a threat to individual and institutional stability during incarceration. Objective The authors explore the unique challenges and promises of trauma-informed correctional care and suggest strategies for administrative support, staff development, programming, and relevant clinical approaches. Method A review of literature includes a comparison of gendered responses, implications for men's facilities, and the compatibility of trauma recovery goals and forensic programming goals. Results Trauma-informed care demonstrates promise in increasing offender responsivity to evidence-based cognitive behavioral programming that reduces criminal risk factors and in supporting integrated programming for offenders with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Conclusions Incorporating trauma recovery principles into correctional environments requires an understanding of criminal justice priorities, workforce development, and specific approaches to screening, assessment, and programming that unify the goals of clinical and security staff. PMID:22893828

Quantitative imaging for clinical dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardiès, Manuel; Flux, Glenn; Lassmann, Michael; Monsieurs, Myriam; Savolainen, Sauli; Strand, Sven-Erik

2006-12-01

Patient-specific dosimetry in nuclear medicine is now a legal requirement in many countries throughout the EU for targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) applications. In order to achieve that goal, an increased level of accuracy in dosimetry procedures is needed. Current research in nuclear medicine dosimetry should not only aim at developing new methods to assess the delivered radiation absorbed dose at the patient level, but also to ensure that the proposed methods can be put into practice in a sufficient number of institutions. A unified dosimetry methodology is required for making clinical outcome comparisons possible.

16th IHIW: Global analysis of registry HLA haplotypes from 20 Million individuals: Report from the IHIW Registry Diversity Group

PubMed Central

Maiers, M; Gragert, L; Madbouly, A; Steiner, D; Marsh, S G E; Gourraud, P-A; Oudshoorn, M; Zanden, H; Schmidt, A H; Pingel, J; Hofmann, J; Müller, C; Eberhard, H-P

2013-01-01

This project has the goal to validate bioinformatics methods and tools for HLA haplotype frequency analysis specifically addressing unique issues of haematopoietic stem cell registry data sets. In addition to generating new methods and tools for the analysis of registry data sets, the intent is to produce a comprehensive analysis of HLA data from 20 million donors from the Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide (BMDW) database. This report summarizes the activity on this project as of the 16IHIW meeting in Liverpool. PMID:23280139

A retrospective analysis of real-world use of the eaTracker® My Goals website by adults from Ontario and Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Lieffers, Jessica R L; Haresign, Helen; Mehling, Christine; Hanning, Rhona M

2016-09-15

Little is known about use of goal setting and tracking tools within online programs to support nutrition and physical activity behaviour change. In 2011, Dietitians of Canada added "My Goals," a nutrition and physical activity behaviour goal setting and tracking tool to their free publicly available self-monitoring website (eaTracker® ( http://www.eaTracker.ca/ )). My Goals allows users to: a) set "ready-made" SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-related) goals (choice of n = 87 goals from n = 13 categories) or "write your own" goals, and b) track progress using the "My Goals Tracker." The purpose of this study was to characterize: a) My Goals user demographics, b) types of goals set, and c) My Goals Tracker use. Anonymous data on all goals set using the My Goals feature from December 6/2012-April 28/2014 by users ≥19y from Ontario and Alberta, Canada were obtained. This dataset contained: anonymous self-reported user demographic data, user set goals, and My Goals Tracker use data. Write your own goals were categorized by topic and specificity. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to determine associations between user demographics and a) goal topic areas and b) My Goals Tracker use. Overall, n = 16,511 goal statements (75.4 % ready-made; 24.6 % write your own) set by n = 8,067 adult users 19-85y (83.3 % female; mean age 41.1 ± 15.0y, mean BMI 28.8 ± 7.6kg/m(2)) were included for analysis. Overall, 33.1 % of ready-made goals were from the "Managing your Weight" category. Of write your own goal entries, 42.3 % were solely distal goals (most related to weight management); 38.6 % addressed nutrition behaviour change (16.6 % had unspecific general eating goals); 18.1 % addressed physical activity behaviour change (47.3 % had goals without information on exercise amount and type). Many write your own goals were poor quality (e.g., non-specific (e.g., missing amounts)), and possibly unrealistic (e.g., no sugar). Few goals were tracked (<10 %). Demographic variables had statistically significant relations with goal topic areas and My Goals Tracker use. eaTracker® users had high interest in goal setting and the My Goals feature, however, self-written goals were often poor quality and goal tracking was rare. Further research is needed to better support users.

Qualitative analysis of the dynamics of policy design and implementation in hospital funding reform.

PubMed

Palmer, Karen S; Brown, Adalsteinn D; Evans, Jenna M; Marani, Husayn; Russell, Kirstie K; Martin, Danielle; Ivers, Noah M

2018-01-01

As in many health care systems, some Canadian jurisdictions have begun shifting away from global hospital budgets. Payment for episodes of care has begun to be implemented. Starting in 2012, the Province of Ontario implemented hospital funding reforms comprising three elements: Global Budgets; Health Based Allocation Method (HBAM); and Quality-Based Procedures (QBP). This evaluation focuses on implementation of QBPs, a procedure/diagnosis-specific funding approach involving a pre-set price per episode of care coupled with best practice clinical pathways. We examined whether or not there was consensus in understanding of the program theory underpinning QBPs and how this may have influenced full and effective implementation of this innovative funding model. We undertook a formative evaluation of QBP implementation. We used an embedded case study method and in-depth, one-on-one, semi-structured, telephone interviews with key informants at three levels of the health care system: Designers (those who designed the QBP policy); Adoption Supporters (organizations and individuals supporting adoption of QBPs); and Hospital Implementers (those responsible for QBP implementation in hospitals). Thematic analysis involved an inductive approach, incorporating Framework analysis to generate descriptive and explanatory themes that emerged from the data. Five main findings emerged from our research: (1) Unbeknownst to most key informants, there was neither consistency nor clarity over time among QBP designers in their understanding of the original goal(s) for hospital funding reform; (2) Prior to implementation, the intended hospital funding mechanism transitioned from ABF to QBPs, but most key informants were either unaware of the transition or believe it was intentional; (3) Perception of the primary goal(s) of the policy reform continues to vary within and across all levels of key informants; (4) Four years into implementation, the QBP funding mechanism remains misunderstood; and (5) Ongoing differences in understanding of QBP goals and funding mechanism have created challenges with implementation and difficulties in measuring success. Policy drift and policy layering affected both the goal and the mechanism of action of hospital funding reform. Lack of early specification in both policy goals and hospital funding mechanism exposed the reform to reactive changes that did not reflect initial intentions. Several challenges further exacerbated implementation of complex hospital funding reforms, including a prolonged implementation schedule, turnover of key staff, and inconsistent messaging over time. These factors altered the trajectory of the hospital funding reforms and created confusion amongst those responsible for implementation. Enacting changes to hospital funding policy through a process that is transparent, collaborative, and intentional may increase the likelihood of achieving intended effects.

2D Thermal Hydraulic Analysis and Benchmark in Support of HFIR LEU Conversion using COMSOL

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

Freels, James D; Bodey, Isaac T; Lowe, Kirk T

2010-09-01

The research documented herein was funded by a research contract between the Research Reactors Division (RRD) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering Department (MABE). The research was governed by a statement of work (SOW) which clearly defines nine specific tasks. This report is outlined to follow and document the results of each of these nine specific tasks. The primary goal of this phase of the research is to demonstrate, through verification and validation methods, that COMSOL is a viable simulation tool for thermal-hydraulic modeling of the High Fluxmore » Isotope Reactor (HFIR) core. A secondary goal of this two-dimensional phase of the research is to establish methodology and data base libraries that are also needed in the full three-dimensional COMSOL simulation to follow. COMSOL version 3.5a was used for all of the models presented throughout this report.« less

Global Representations of Goal-Directed Behavior in Distinct Cell Types of Mouse Neocortex

PubMed Central

Allen, William E.; Kauvar, Isaac V.; Chen, Michael Z.; Richman, Ethan B.; Yang, Samuel J.; Chan, Ken; Gradinaru, Viviana; Deverman, Benjamin E.; Luo, Liqun; Deisseroth, Karl

2017-01-01

SUMMARY The successful planning and execution of adaptive behaviors in mammals may require long-range coordination of neural networks throughout cerebral cortex. The neuronal implementation of signals that could orchestrate cortex-wide activity remains unclear. Here, we develop and apply methods for cortex-wide Ca2+ imaging in mice performing decision-making behavior and identify a global cortical representation of task engagement encoded in the activity dynamics of both single cells and superficial neuropil distributed across the majority of dorsal cortex. The activity of multiple molecularly defined cell types was found to reflect this representation with type-specific dynamics. Focal optogenetic inhibition tiled across cortex revealed a crucial role for frontal cortex in triggering this cortex-wide phenomenon; local inhibition of this region blocked both the cortex-wide response to task-initiating cues and the voluntary behavior. These findings reveal cell-type-specific processes in cortex for globally representing goal-directed behavior and identify a major cortical node that gates the global broadcast of task-related information. PMID:28521139

Terrain following of arbitrary surfaces using a high intensity LED proximity sensor

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

Baker, J.E.

1992-01-01

Many robotic operations, e.g., mapping, scanning, feature following, etc., require accurate surface following of arbitrary targets. This paper presents a versatile surface following and mapping system designed to promote hardware, software and application independence, modular development, and upward expandability. These goals are met by: a full, a priori specification of the hardware and software interfaces; a modular system architecture; and a hierarchical surface-data analysis method, permitting application specific tuning at each conceptual level of topological abstraction. This surface following system was fully designed and independently of any specific robotic host, then successfully integrated with and demonstrated on a completely amore » priori unknown, real-time robotic system. 7 refs.« less

Content and characteristics of goals created during a self-management intervention for people with epilepsy.

PubMed

Walker, Elizabeth Reisinger; Wexler, Bethany; Dilorio, Colleen; Escoffery, Cam; McCarty, Frances; Yeager, Katherine A

2009-12-01

Goals are presented in the chronic illness literature as effective strategies to help people adopt self-management behaviors; however, not much is known about the types and characteristics of individuals' goals. The purpose of this study was to examine goal setting among people with epilepsy who participated in the WebEase program. WebEase is an Internet-based, theory-driven, self-management program with modules on medication adherence, stress management, and sleep habits. Participants had the opportunity to create and evaluate goals over the course of 6 weeks, with 2 weeks for each module. The goals were analyzed using three dimensions: content, specificity, and proximity. Most participants in the sample wrote goals for each week of the program. Several main content areas emerged within the modules. Goal quality, measured by specificity and proximity, did not differ according to readiness for behavior change. Readiness to change did not differ between those who wrote a goal and those who did not. The diversity of goal content and quality indicates that individuals should be supported in goal development and encouraged to set their own self-management goals, regardless of their readiness for behavior change.

Considerations for Estimating Electrode Performance in Li-Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, William R.

2012-01-01

Advanced electrode materials with increased specific capacity and voltage performance are critical to the development of Li-ion batteries with increased specific energy and energy density. Although performance metrics for individual electrodes are critically important, a fundamental understanding of the interactions of electrodes in a full cell is essential to achieving the desired performance, and for establishing meaningful goals for electrode performance. This paper presents practical design considerations for matching positive and negative electrodes in a viable design. Methods for predicting cell-level discharge voltage, based on laboratory data for individual electrodes, are presented and discussed.

Goal difficulty and goal commitment affect adoption of a lower glycemic index diet in adults with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Miller, Carla K; Headings, Amy; Peyrot, Mark; Nagaraja, Haikady

2012-01-01

Few studies have examined the effect of goal difficulty on behavioral change even though goal setting is widely used in diabetes education. The effect of a goal to consume either 6 or 8 servings/day of low glycemic index (LGI) foods was evaluated in this study. Adults 40-65 years old with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to the 6 or 8 serving/day treatment group following a 5-week GI intervention. Perceived goal difficulty, commitment, satisfaction, and self-efficacy were evaluated, and four day food records assessed dietary intake. Both groups increased consumption of LGI foods (P<0.001); there were no significant differences in the change in consumption between groups. Participants who were more committed to the goal perceived the goal to be less difficult (P<0.01). Those with greater efficacy beliefs were more committed to their goal, perceived the goal to be less difficult, and were more satisfied with their performance (all P<0.05). A specific goal regarding LGI foods can facilitate the adoption of a lower GI diet. Future research is needed to determine if goal commitment or goal difficulty mediate the process. Clinicians should help clients set specific goals regarding dietary change. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Increasing Antecedent Specificity in Goal Statements on Adherence to Positive Behavior-Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohrs, Corey M.; Shriver, Mark D.; Burke, Raymond V.; Allen, Keith D.

2016-01-01

We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior-specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the…

Cross-cultural generality and specificity in self-regulation: avoidance personal goals and multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

Elliot, Andrew J; Sedikides, Constantine; Murayama, Kou; Tanaka, Ayumi; Thrash, Todd M; Mapes, Rachel R

2012-10-01

The authors examined avoidance personal goals as concurrent (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) predictors of multiple aspects of well-being in the United States and Japan. In both studies, participants adopted more avoidance personal goals in Japan relative to the United States. Both studies also demonstrated that avoidance personal goals were significant negative predictors of the most relevant aspects of well-being in each culture. Specifically, avoidance personal goals were negative predictors of intrapersonal and eudaimonic well-being in the United States and were negative predictors of interpersonal and eudaimonic well-being in Japan. The findings clarify and extend puzzling findings from prior empirical work in this area, and raise provocative possibilities about the nature of avoidance goal pursuit.

Student Goals: Psychological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muirhead, Brent; Little, Jennifer

2008-01-01

The paper will discuss research insights into student academic goals. Cognitive psychologists have found that effective goal setting procedures involves establishing specific and challenging learning objectives. Students who set difficult goals must be persistent while facing the risk of potential failure that could diminish their intrinsic…

Urban Latino children's physical activity levels and performance in interactive dance video games: effects of goal difficulty and goal specificity.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Podlog, Leslie

2012-10-01

To examine the effects of different levels of goal specificity and difficulty on Latino children's performance and physical activity (PA) levels in an after-school program incorporating an interactive dance program (Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]; Konami Corporation). Comparison study. Rose Park Elementary School, Salt Lake City, Utah. Ninety-eight Latino children in the first through sixth grades, aged 7 to 13 years. After the pretest, the participants were randomly assigned into 1 of the following 3 goal-setting conditions: (1) easy, (2) difficult, and (3) best effort (hereinafter referred to as do-your-best goal). Participants' PA levels were measured using piezoelectric pedometers, and steps per minute were used as the outcome variable. Participants' total points for their dance on television screens were retrieved as their performance scores. These outcome variables were assessed again 8 weeks later (posttest score). The multivariate analysis of covariance yielded a significant main effect for the goal-setting condition. Follow-up tests revealed that children who set specific (easy or difficult) goals had significantly greater increased PA levels (mean scores, 10.34 for easy and 22.45 for difficult) and DDR performance (0.011 for easy and 0.67 for difficult) than those in the do-your-best group (0.83 for PA and 0.17 for performance). In addition, children's increased PA levels in the difficult-goal group were significantly higher than those in the easy-goal group. The easy- and difficult-goal groups show a significant improvement on DDR performance. The difficult- goal group also displays the highest improvement on PA levels. Strategies to enhance children's DDR performance and PA levels are discussed in relation to the extant goal-setting literature.

Laser Doppler velocimetry primer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachalo, William D.

1985-01-01

Advanced research in experimental fluid dynamics required a familiarity with sophisticated measurement techniques. In some cases, the development and application of new techniques is required for difficult measurements. Optical methods and in particular, the laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) are now recognized as the most reliable means for performing measurements in complex turbulent flows. And such, the experimental fluid dynamicist should be familiar with the principles of operation of the method and the details associated with its application. Thus, the goals of this primer are to efficiently transmit the basic concepts of the LDV method to potential users and to provide references that describe the specific areas in greater detail.

Combustion and Heat Transfer Studies Utilizing Advanced Diagnostics: Combustion Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-01

Research Zone With Combustion," Turbulent Shear Flows. VoL 5. pp. 337- and Development Center, Aero Propulsion and Power 346, Springer Verlg, New ...200 words) A long-term goal of the Air Force is to develop near-stoichiometric gas turbine combustors that will burn broad-specification fuels, and...laboratory combustors. Two novel methods for CARS slit function were developed ; these made possible precise and unambiguous measurements of flame

Suitability of Using Introduced Hydrellia spp. for Management of Monoecious Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

both monoecious and dioecious hydrilla, use of small ponds to evaluate establishment in a more natural situation, evaluation of overwintering...of aquatic plant management. Using host-specific agents complements the goal of targeting nuisance vegetation while minimally affecting native ...of adult Hydrellia flies per pond was quantified using a modified soap-dish method. Soap decreases water’s surface tension, causing insects landing on

Missing the Mark: Is ICS Training Achieving Its Goal

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

method achieves learning and actually gives students new knowledge, skills, and 281 Ibid. 282 Ibid...designed to be five days (40 hours) long.331 The class assumes that the student already has a general understanding of ICS and completion of at least...35–37. 64 The entire process is time consuming, as the student must complete the in- class time (as required for the specific class ) and

An alternative method for processing northern blots after capillary transfer.

PubMed

Nilsen, Timothy W

2015-03-02

Different laboratories use different methods for the prehybridization, hybridization, and washing steps of the northern blotting procedure. In this protocol, a northern blot is pretreated with Church and Gilbert hybridization buffer to block nonspecific probe-binding sites. The immobilized RNA is then hybridized to a DNA probe specific for the RNA of interest. Finally, the membrane is washed and subjected to autoradiography or phosphorimaging. The solutions and conditions described here may be ideal for those who prefer to use fewer ingredients in their solutions. This protocol is designed to achieve the same goals as other northern blotting approaches. It minimizes background (nonspecific adherence of probe to membrane and nonspecific hybridization) and maximizes specific hybridization to RNAs immobilized on a membrane. © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Progress in the development of paper-based diagnostics for low-resource point-of-care settings

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Samantha; Thiessen, Gregory; Fu, Elain

2014-01-01

This Review focuses on recent work in the field of paper microfluidics that specifically addresses the goal of translating the multistep processes that are characteristic of gold-standard laboratory tests to low-resource point-of-care settings. A major challenge is to implement multistep processes with the robust fluid control required to achieve the necessary sensitivity and specificity of a given application in a user-friendly package that minimizes equipment. We review key work in the areas of fluidic controls for automation in paper-based devices, readout methods that minimize dedicated equipment, and power and heating methods that are compatible with low-resource point-of-care settings. We also highlight a focused set of recent applications and discuss future challenges. PMID:24256361

Computational Methods for Structural Mechanics and Dynamics, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroud, W. Jefferson (Editor); Housner, Jerrold M. (Editor); Tanner, John A. (Editor); Hayduk, Robert J. (Editor)

1989-01-01

The structural analysis methods research has several goals. One goal is to develop analysis methods that are general. This goal of generality leads naturally to finite-element methods, but the research will also include other structural analysis methods. Another goal is that the methods be amenable to error analysis; that is, given a physical problem and a mathematical model of that problem, an analyst would like to know the probable error in predicting a given response quantity. The ultimate objective is to specify the error tolerances and to use automated logic to adjust the mathematical model or solution strategy to obtain that accuracy. A third goal is to develop structural analysis methods that can exploit parallel processing computers. The structural analysis methods research will focus initially on three types of problems: local/global nonlinear stress analysis, nonlinear transient dynamics, and tire modeling.

A review on detection methods used for foodborne pathogens

PubMed Central

Priyanka, B.; Patil, Rajashekhar K.; Dwarakanath, Sulatha

2016-01-01

Foodborne pathogens have been a cause of a large number of diseases worldwide and more so in developing countries. This has a major economic impact. It is important to contain them, and to do so, early detection is very crucial. Detection and diagnostics relied on culture-based methods to begin with and have developed in the recent past parallel to the developments towards immunological methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and molecular biology-based methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The aim has always been to find a rapid, sensitive, specific and cost-effective method. Ranging from culturing of microbes to the futuristic biosensor technology, the methods have had this common goal. This review summarizes the recent trends and brings together methods that have been developed over the years. PMID:28139531

The effects of goal setting on rugby performance.

PubMed

Mellalieu, Stephen D; Hanton, Sheldon; O'Brien, Michael

2006-01-01

Goal-setting effects on selected performance behaviors of 5 collegiate rugby players were assessed over an entire competitive season using self-generated targets and goal-attainment scaling. Results suggest that goal setting was effective for enhancing task-specific on-field behavior in rugby union.

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant sewage sludge as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in the environment The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Procedural instructions, principles, and examples: how to structure instructions for procedural tasks to enhance performance, learning, and transfer.

PubMed

Eiriksdottir, Elsa; Catrambone, Richard

2011-12-01

The goal of this article is to investigate how instructions can be constructed to enhance performance and learning of procedural tasks. Important determinants of the effectiveness of instructions are type of instructions (procedural information, principles, and examples) and pedagogical goal (initial performance, learning, and transfer). Procedural instructions describe how to complete tasks in a stepwise manner, principles describe rules governing the tasks, and examples demonstrate how instances of the task are carried out. The authors review the research literature associated with each type of instruction to identify factors determining effectiveness for different pedagogical goals. The results suggest a trade-off between usability and learnability. Specific instructions help initial performance, whereas more general instructions, requiring problem solving, help learning and transfer. Learning from instructions takes cognitive effort, and research suggests that learners typically opt for low effort. However, it is possible to meet both goals of good initial performance and learning with methods such as fading and by combining different types of instructions. How instructions are constructed influences their effectiveness for the goals of good initial performance, learning, and transfer, and it is therefore important for researchers and practitioners alike to define the pedagogical goal of instructions. If the goal is good initial performance, then instructions should highly resemble the task at hand (e.g., in the form of detailed procedural instructions and examples), but if the goal is good learning and transfer, then instructions should be more abstract, inducing learners to expend the necessary cognitive effort for learning.

From Activity to Transdisciplinarity and Back Again--Preschool Teachers' Reasoning about Pedagogical Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Björklund, Camilla; Ahlskog-Björkman, Eva

2018-01-01

This study presents an analysis of preschool teachers' reasoning about pedagogical goals. Of specific interest is how teachers in a Swedish and a Finnish context describe goals for children's learning and how they describe them implementing these goals into their practice. The research question is thus: How are pedagogical goals perceived and…

How to conduct a qualitative meta-analysis: Tailoring methods to enhance methodological integrity.

PubMed

Levitt, Heidi M

2018-05-01

Although qualitative research has long been of interest in the field of psychology, meta-analyses of qualitative literatures (sometimes called meta-syntheses) are still quite rare. Like quantitative meta-analyses, these methods function to aggregate findings and identify patterns across primary studies, but their aims, procedures, and methodological considerations may vary. This paper explains the function of qualitative meta-analyses and their methodological development. Recommendations have broad relevance but are framed with an eye toward their use in psychotherapy research. Rather than arguing for the adoption of any single meta-method, this paper advocates for considering how procedures can best be selected and adapted to enhance a meta-study's methodological integrity. Through the paper, recommendations are provided to help researchers identify procedures that can best serve their studies' specific goals. Meta-analysts are encouraged to consider the methodological integrity of their studies in relation to central research processes, including identifying a set of primary research studies, transforming primary findings into initial units of data for a meta-analysis, developing categories or themes, and communicating findings. The paper provides guidance for researchers who desire to tailor meta-analytic methods to meet their particular goals while enhancing the rigor of their research.

Scientific Goals of the Human Genome Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wills, Christopher

1993-01-01

The Human Genome Project, an effort to sequence all the DNA of a human cell, is needed to better understand the behavior of chromosomes during cell division, with the ultimate goal of understanding the specific genes contributing to specific diseases and disabilities. (MSE)

The Effects of Goal Setting on Rugby Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellalieu, Stephen D.; Hanton, Sheldon; O'Brien, Michael

2006-01-01

Goal-setting effects on selected performance behaviors of 5 collegiate rugby players were assessed over an entire competitive season using self-generated targets and goal-attainment scaling. Results suggest that goal setting was effective for enhancing task-specific on-field behavior in rugby union. (Contains 1 figure.)

Long-Term Use and Perceived Benefits of Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation Training in Chronic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Loya, Fred; Novakovic-Agopian, Tatjana; Binder, Deborah; Rossi, Annemarie; Rome, Scott; Murphy, Michelle; Chen, Anthony J-W

2017-01-01

Primary Objective. To investigate the long-term use and perceived benefit(s) of strategies included in Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training (Novakovic-Agopian et al., 2011) by individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and chronic executive dysfunction. Research Design. Longitudinal follow-up of training. Methods and Procedures. Sixteen participants with chronic ABI participated in structured telephone interviews 20 months (range 11 to 31 months) following completion of GOALS training. Participants responded to questions regarding the range of strategies they continued to utilize, perceived benefit(s) of strategy use, situations in which strategy use was found helpful, and functional changes attributed to training. Results. Nearly all participants (94%) reported continued use of at least one trained strategy in their daily lives, with 75% of participants also reporting improved functioning resulting from training. However, there was considerable variability with respect to the specific strategies individuals found helpful as well as the perceived impact of training on overall functioning. Conclusions. GOALS training shows promising long-term benefits for individuals in the chronic phase of brain injury. Identifying individual- and injury-level factors that account for variability in continued strategy use and the perceived long-term benefits of training will help with ongoing intervention development.

Long-Term Use and Perceived Benefits of Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation Training in Chronic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Novakovic-Agopian, Tatjana; Binder, Deborah; Rossi, Annemarie; Rome, Scott; Murphy, Michelle; Chen, Anthony J.-W.

2017-01-01

Primary Objective. To investigate the long-term use and perceived benefit(s) of strategies included in Goal-Oriented Attentional Self-Regulation (GOALS) training (Novakovic-Agopian et al., 2011) by individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and chronic executive dysfunction. Research Design. Longitudinal follow-up of training. Methods and Procedures. Sixteen participants with chronic ABI participated in structured telephone interviews 20 months (range 11 to 31 months) following completion of GOALS training. Participants responded to questions regarding the range of strategies they continued to utilize, perceived benefit(s) of strategy use, situations in which strategy use was found helpful, and functional changes attributed to training. Results. Nearly all participants (94%) reported continued use of at least one trained strategy in their daily lives, with 75% of participants also reporting improved functioning resulting from training. However, there was considerable variability with respect to the specific strategies individuals found helpful as well as the perceived impact of training on overall functioning. Conclusions. GOALS training shows promising long-term benefits for individuals in the chronic phase of brain injury. Identifying individual- and injury-level factors that account for variability in continued strategy use and the perceived long-term benefits of training will help with ongoing intervention development. PMID:28265472

Top-down guidance in visual search for facial expressions.

PubMed

Hahn, Sowon; Gronlund, Scott D

2007-02-01

Using a visual search paradigm, we investigated how a top-down goal modified attentional bias for threatening facial expressions. In two experiments, participants searched for a facial expression either based on stimulus characteristics or a top-down goal. In Experiment 1 participants searched for a discrepant facial expression in a homogenous crowd of faces. Consistent with previous research, we obtained a shallower response time (RT) slope when the target face was angry than when it was happy. In Experiment 2, participants searched for a specific type of facial expression (allowing a top-down goal). When the display included a target, we found a shallower RT slope for the angry than for the happy face search. However, when an angry or happy face was present in the display in opposition to the task goal, we obtained equivalent RT slopes, suggesting that the mere presence of an angry face in opposition to the task goal did not support the well-known angry face superiority effect. Furthermore, RT distribution analyses supported the special status of an angry face only when it was combined with the top-down goal. On the basis of these results, we suggest that a threatening facial expression may guide attention as a high-priority stimulus in the absence of a specific goal; however, in the presence of a specific goal, the efficiency of facial expression search is dependent on the combined influence of a top-down goal and the stimulus characteristics.

Influence of Psychiatric and Personality Disorders on Smoking Cessation among Individuals in Opiate Dependence Treatment

PubMed Central

Cooperman, Nina A.; Lu, Shou-En; Richter, Kimber P.; Bernstein, Steven L.; Williams, Jill M.

2016-01-01

Objective We aimed to evaluate how psychiatric and personality disorders influence smoking cessation goals and attempts among people with opiate dependence who smoke. This information could aid the development of more effective cessation interventions for these individuals. Methods Participants (N=116) were recruited from two methadone clinics, completed the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–III, and were asked about their smoking behavior and quitting goals. We used the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method, a technique commonly used for studies with small sample sizes and large number of predictors, to develop models predicting having a smoking cessation goal, among those currently smoking daily, and ever making a quit attempt, among those who ever smoked. Results Almost all participants reported ever smoking (n = 115, 99%); 70% (n = 80) had made a serious quit attempt in the past; 89% (n = 103) reported current daily smoking; and, 59% (n = 61) had a goal of quitting smoking and staying off cigarettes. Almost all (n = 112, 97%) had clinically significant characteristics of a psychiatric or personality disorder. White race, anxiety, and a negativistic personality facet (expressively resentful) were negative predictors of having a cessation goal. Overall narcissistic personality pattern and a dependent personality facet (interpersonally submissive) were positive predictors of having a cessation goal. Somatoform disorder, overall borderline personality pattern, and a depressive personality facet (cognitively fatalistic) were negative predictors of ever making a quit attempt. Individual histrionic (gregarious self-image), antisocial (acting out mechanism), paranoid (expressively defensive), and sadistic (pernicious representations) personality disorder facets were positive predictors of ever making a quit attempt. Each model provided good discrimination for having a smoking cessation goal or not (C-statistic of .76, 95% CI[0.66, 0.85]) and ever making a quit attempt or not (C-statistic of .79, 95% CI[0.70, 0.88]). Conclusions Compared to existing treatments, smoking cessation treatments that can be tailored to address the individual needs of people with specific psychiatric disorders or personality disorder traits may better help those in opiate dependence treatment to set a cessation goal, attempt to quit, and eventually quit smoking. PMID:27064523

Understanding how adherence goals promote adherence behaviours: a repeated measure observational study with HIV seropositive patients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The extent to which patients follow treatments as prescribed is pivotal to treatment success. An exceptionally high level (> 95%) of HIV medication adherence is required to suppress viral replication and protect the immune system and a similarly high level (> 80%) of adherence has also been suggested in order to benefit from prescribed exercise programmes. However, in clinical practice, adherence to both often falls below the desirable level. This project aims to investigate a wide range of psychological and personality factors that may lead to adherence/non-adherence to medical treatment and exercise programmes. Methods HIV positive patients who are referred to the physiotherapist-led 10-week exercise programme as part of the standard care are continuously recruited. Data on social cognitive variables (attitude, intention, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and outcome beliefs) about the goal and specific behaviours, selected personality factors, perceived quality of life, physical activity, self-reported adherence and physical assessment are collected at baseline, at the end of the exercise programme and again 3 months later. The project incorporates objective measures of both exercise (attendance log and improvement in physical measures such as improved fitness level, weight loss, improved circumferential anthropometric measures) and medication adherence (verified by non-invasive hair analysis). Discussion The novelty of this project comes from two key aspects, complemented with objective information on exercise and medication adherence. The project assesses beliefs about both the underlying goal such as following prescribed treatment; and about the specific behaviours such as undertaking the exercise or taking the medication, using both implicit and explicit assessments of patients’ beliefs and attitudes. We predict that i) the way people think about the underlying goal of their treatments explains medication and exercise behaviours over and above the effects of the behaviour-specific thinking and ii) the relationship between adherence to exercise and to medical treatment is stronger among those with more favourable views about the goal. Results from this study should identify the key contributing factors to inform subsequent adherence research and afford a more streamlined assessment matrix. The project also aims to inform patient care practices. UK Clinical Research Network registration number UKCRN 7842. PMID:22853824

Goal planning: a retrospective audit of rehabilitation process and outcome.

PubMed

Duff, Jane; Evans, Matthew J; Kennedy, Paul

2004-05-01

To consider the effectiveness of a goal planning programme for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and address some of the current evidence gaps in goal setting. Retrospective audit. Consecutive series of 65 newly injured SCI patients. The Needs Assessment Checklist (NAC) has been specifically developed for the SCI population, and is used to assess patient attainment in core rehabilitation areas. A 'Goal Planning Progress' form was also used to specifically detail the goal planning process. Across the 65 patients, 396 goal planning meetings were held with 6176 goals set in total. Seventy-two per cent of the goals set at the first goal planning meeting were achieved by the second meeting. The rate of achievement at subsequent meetings was 68%. Significant differences in the number of planned rehabilitation days, number of goal planning meetings, and goals set were identified between injury categories. Significant positive correlations were found between the number of goals set and achievement, as measured by the NAC, in certain rehabilitation domains. The findings of this study demonstrate that the Needs Assessment and Goal Planning framework is effective in planning SCI rehabilitation. The capacity of this goal planning system to reflect individual need has also been established. Further systematic analyses of this process could potentially lead to more efficient rehabilitation and the identification of care pathways within clinical areas.

Parental Goals and Talk with Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Meredith L.; Casillas, Allison

2011-01-01

Myriad studies support a relation between parental beliefs and behaviours. This study adds to the literature by focusing on the specific relationship between parental goals and their communication with toddlers. Do parents with different goals talk about different topics with their children? Parents' goals for their 30-month olds were gathered…

General Chemistry Students' Goals for Chemistry Laboratory Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeKorver, Brittland K.; Towns, Marcy H.

2015-01-01

Little research exists on college students' learning goals in chemistry, let alone specifically pertaining to laboratory coursework. Because students' learning goals are linked to achievement and dependent on context, research on students' goals in the laboratory context may lead to better understanding about the efficacy of lab curricula. This…

Education as a Moderator of Goal Setting Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivancevich, John M.; McMahon, J. Timothy

1977-01-01

Skilled technicians (N=128) working under an assigned goal setting program were studied to learn about the moderating impact of education on relationships between performance and six goal setting properties. Speculation is advanced as to why education is an important moderator variable for specific types of goal setting properties. (Author)

Motivating Readers: Helping Students Set and Attain Personal Reading Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabral-Márquez, Consuelo

2015-01-01

The motivational, cognitive, and performance benefits associated with setting goals are presented in light of goal-setting theory. These theoretical principles provide a framework that teachers can use to guide students in setting and pursuing personal reading goals that are proximal, specific, and compatible with students' reading abilities…

A GEO Initiative to Support the Sustainable Development Goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.

2016-12-01

The United Nations Agenda 2030 serves as a global development agenda for progress on economic, social and environmental sustainability. These Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have a specific provision for the use of Earth observations and geospatial information to support progress. The international Group on Earth Observations, GEO, has a dedicated initiative focused on the SDGs. This initiative supports efforts to integrate Earth observations and geospatial information into national development and monitoring frameworks for the SDGs. It helps enables countries and stakeholders to leverage Earth observations to support the implementation, planning, measuring, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the SDGs. This paper will present an overview of the GEO initiative and ways that Earth observations support the development goals. It will address how information and knowledge can be shared on effective methods to apply Earth observations to the SDGs and their associated targets and indicators. It will also highlight some existing information sources and tools on the SDGs, which can help identify key approaches for developing a knowledge base.

TU-CD-213-00: Administrative Aspects of Medical Physics

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

NONE

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-01: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Johnson, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-03: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Wells, M.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-04: Panel Discussion

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

Johnson, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

TU-CD-213-02: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

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

Clements, J.

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas suchmore » as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.« less

Aligning corporate greenhouse-gas emissions targets with climate goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krabbe, Oskar; Linthorst, Giel; Blok, Kornelis; Crijns-Graus, Wina; van Vuuren, Detlef P.; Höhne, Niklas; Faria, Pedro; Aden, Nate; Pineda, Alberto Carrillo

2015-12-01

Corporate climate action is increasingly considered important in driving the transition towards a low-carbon economy. For this, it is critical to ensure translation of global goals to greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets at company level. At the moment, however, there is a lack of clear methods to derive consistent corporate target setting that keeps cumulative corporate GHG emissions within a specific carbon budget (for example, 550-1,300 GtCO2 between 2011 and 2050 for the 2 °C target). Here we propose a method for corporate emissions target setting that derives carbon intensity pathways for companies based on sectoral pathways from existing mitigation scenarios: the Sectoral Decarbonization Approach (SDA). These company targets take activity growth and initial performance into account. Next to target setting on company level, the SDA can be used by companies, policymakers, investors or other stakeholders as a benchmark for tracking corporate climate performance and actions, providing a mechanism for corporate accountability.

On methodological standards in training and transfer experiments.

PubMed

Green, C Shawn; Strobach, Tilo; Schubert, Torsten

2014-11-01

The past two decades have seen a tremendous surge in scientific interest in the extent to which certain types of training-be it aerobic, athletic, musical, video game, or brain trainer-can result in general enhancements in cognitive function. While there are certainly active debates regarding the results in these domains, what is perhaps more pressing is the fact that key aspects of methodology remain unsettled. Here we discuss a few of these areas including expectation effects, test-retest effects, the size of the cognitive test battery, the selection of control groups, group assignment methods, difficulties in comparing results across studies, and in interpreting null results. Specifically, our goal is to highlight points of contention as well as areas where the most commonly utilized methods could be improved upon. Furthermore, because each of the sub-areas above (aerobic training through brain training) share strong similarities in goal, theoretical framework, and experimental approach, we seek to discuss these issues from a general perspective that considers each as members of the same broad "training" domain.

A Serious Video Game to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Elementary Aged Youth (Squire's Quest! II): Rationale, Design, and Methods.

PubMed

Thompson, Debbe; Bhatt, Riddhi; Lazarus, Melanie; Cullen, Karen; Baranowski, Janice; Baranowski, Tom

2012-11-21

Youths eat fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended. Effective methods are needed to increase and maintain their fruit and vegetable consumption. Goal setting has been an effective behavior change procedure among adults, but has had limited effectiveness among youths. Implementation intentions are specific plans to facilitate goal attainment. Redefining goal setting to include implementation intentions may be an effective way to increase effectiveness. Video games offer a controlled venue for conducting behavioral research and testing hypotheses to identify mechanisms of effect. This report describes the protocol that guided the design and evaluation of Squire's Quest! II, a video game aimed to increase child fruit and vegetable consumption. Squire's Quest! II is a 10-episode videogame promoting fruit and vegetable consumption to 4th and 5th grade children (approximately 9-11 year old youths). A four group randomized design (n=400 parent/child dyads) was used to systematically test the effect of two types of implementation intentions (action, coping) on fruit and vegetable goal attainment and consumption of 4th and 5th graders. Data collection occurred at baseline, immediately post game-play, and 3 months later. Child was the unit of assignment. Three dietary recalls were collected at each data collection period by trained interviewers using the Nutrient Data System for Research (NDSR 2009). Psychosocial and process data were also collected. To our knowledge, this is the first research to explore the effect of implementation intentions on child fruit and vegetable goal attainment and consumption. This intervention will contribute valuable information regarding whether implementation intentions are effective with elementary age children. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01004094.

Current HPLC Methods for Assay of Nano Drug Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Tekkeli, Serife Evrim Kepekci; Kiziltas, Mustafa Volkan

2017-01-01

In nano drug formulations the mechanism of release is a critical process to recognize controlled and targeted drug delivery systems. In order to gain high bioavailability and specificity from the drug to reach its therapeutic goal, the active substance must be loaded into the nanoparticles efficiently. Therefore, the amount in biological fluids or tissues and the remaining amount in nano carriers are very important parameters to understand the potential of the nano drug delivery systems. For this aim, suitable and validated quantitation methods are required to determine released drug concentrations from nano pharmaceutical formulations. HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) is one of the most common techniques used for determination of released drug content out of nano drug formulations, in different physical conditions, over different periods of time. Since there are many types of HPLC methods depending on detector and column types, it is a challenge for the researchers to choose a suitable method that is simple, fast and validated HPLC techniques for their nano drug delivery systems. This review's goal is to compare HPLC methods that are currently used in different nano drug delivery systems in order to provide detailed and useful information for researchers. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Flight Weight Design Nickel-Hydrogen Cells Using Lightweight Nickel Fiber Electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britton, Doris L.; Willis, Bob; Pickett, David F.

2003-01-01

The goal of this program is to develop a lightweight nickel electrode for advanced aerospace nickel-hydrogen cells and batteries with improved specific energy and specific volume. The lightweight nickel electrode will improve the specific energy of a nickel-hydrogen cell by >50%. These near-term advanced batteries will reduce power system mass and volume, while decreasing the cost, thus increasing mission capabilities and enabling small spacecraft missions. This development also offers a cost savings over the traditional sinter development methods for fabrication. The technology has been transferred to Eagle-Picher, a major aerospace battery manufacturer, who has scaled up the process developed at NASA GRC and fabricated electrodes for incorporation into flight-weight nickel-hydrogen cells.

Specification for Visual Requirements of Work-Centered Software Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

no person shall be subject to any penity for fallng to comply wih a collection of N ilo ration it does not display a currenty valid OMB control...work- aiding systems. Based on the design concept for a work- centered support system (WCSS), these software systems support user tasks and goals...through both direct and indirect aiding methods within the interface client. In order to ensure the coherent development and delivery of work- centered

Impact of Domain Analysis on Reuse Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-06

return on the investment. The potential negative effects a "bad" domain analysis has on developing systems in the domain also increases the risks of a...importance of domain analysis as part of a software reuse program. A particular goal is to assist in avoiding the potential negative effects of ad hoc or...are specification objects discovered by performing object-oriented analysis. Object-based analysis approaches thus serve to capture a model of reality

The software-cycle model for re-engineering and reuse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, John W.; Basili, Victor R.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on the progress of a study which will contribute to our ability to perform high-level, component-based programming by describing means to obtain useful components, methods for the configuration and integration of those components, and an underlying economic model of the costs and benefits associated with this approach to reuse. One goal of the study is to develop and demonstrate methods to recover reusable components from domain-specific software through a combination of tools, to perform the identification, extraction, and re-engineering of components, and domain experts, to direct the applications of those tools. A second goal of the study is to enable the reuse of those components by identifying techniques for configuring and recombining the re-engineered software. This component-recovery or software-cycle model addresses not only the selection and re-engineering of components, but also their recombination into new programs. Once a model of reuse activities has been developed, the quantification of the costs and benefits of various reuse options will enable the development of an adaptable economic model of reuse, which is the principal goal of the overall study. This paper reports on the conception of the software-cycle model and on several supporting techniques of software recovery, measurement, and reuse which will lead to the development of the desired economic model.

Evaluation of empowerment processes in a workplace health promotion intervention based on learning in Sweden.

PubMed

Arneson, Hanna; Ekberg, Kerstin

2005-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a theory-based method for workplace health promotion (WHP) with regard to possible facilitation of empowerment processes. The intervention tool was the pedagogic method known as problem-based learning (PBL). The aim of the intervention was to promote empowerment and health among the employees. The intervention was implemented in three organizations within the public sector in Sweden, in a bottom-up approach. All employees, including management, in each organization, were offered the opportunity to participate (n = 113) and 87% (n = 97) participated. The intervention was implemented in 13 groups of six to eight participants who met once a week over a period of 4 months. The predetermined overall goal of the intervention was to promote employee health within the organizational setting. A facilitator in each group and a group-specific mutual agreement guided the intervention, as did the problem solving process. The participants set goals and developed strategies to reach their goals between the meetings. Thirty informants were interviewed in seven focus groups after the intervention about the intervention method and the process, following a semi-structured theme guide. The phenomenographic analysis resulted in six descriptive categories: reflection, awareness and insight, self-direction and self-management, group coherence, social support and actions. The results correspond to established theories of components of empowerment processes. The method initiated processes of change at organizational, workplace and individual levels as the participants examined their work situation, determined problems and initiated solutions. Social support and group coherence were expressed as essential in order to transform challenging strategies into action and goal realization. The findings indicate that systematic improvements of social support and group coherence among employees ought to be facilitated by the organization as a health-promoting arena. PBL appears to be a profitable and powerful instrument with the potential to enable empowerment.

Exercise-related goals and self-efficacy as correlates of aquatic exercise in individuals with arthritis.

PubMed

Gyurcsik, Nancy C; Estabrooks, Paul A; Frahm-Templar, Melissa J

2003-06-15

To examine whether aquatic exercise-related goals, task self-efficacy, and scheduling self-efficacy are predictive of aquatic exercise attendance in individuals with arthritis. A secondary objective was to determine whether high attendees differed from low attendees on goals and self-efficacy. The sample comprised 216 adults with arthritis (mean age 69.21 years). Measures included exercise-related goal difficulty and specificity, task and scheduling self-efficacy, and 8-week aquatic exercise attendance. Results of a multiple hierarchical regression analysis were significant (P < 0.01). Goal difficulty, specificity, and task self-efficacy were independent predictors of attendance (P < 0.05). A significant multivariate analysis of variance (P < 0.01) indicated that high attendees had higher task and scheduling self-efficacy and lower goal difficulty than did low attendees (P < 0.05). Support for the importance of exercise-related goal setting and self-efficacy was demonstrated. Implications pertain to the design of interventions to impact aquatic exercise.

[Definition and specification requirements for PAC-systems (picture archiving and communication system). A performance index with reference to the standard "IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Requirement Specifications"].

PubMed

König, H; Klose, K J

1999-04-01

The formulation of requirements is necessary to control the goals of a PACS project. Furthermore, in this way, the scope of functionality necessary to support radiological working processes becomes clear. Definitions of requirements and specification are formulated independently of systems according to the IEEE standard "Recommended Practice for Software Requirements Specifications". Definitions are given in the Request for Information, specifications in the Request for Proposal. Functional and non-functional requirements are distinguished. The solutions are rated with respect to scope, appropriateness and quality of implementation. A PACS checklist was created according to the methods described above. It is published on the homepage of the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Informationstechnologie" (AGIT) within the "Deutsche Röntgengesellschaft" (DRG) (http://www.uni-marburg.de/mzr/agit). The checklist provides a discussion forum which should contribute to an agreement on accepted basic PACS functionalities.

Comparison of strategies for the isolation of PCR-compatible, genomic DNA from a municipal biogas plants.

PubMed

Weiss, Agnes; Jérôme, Valérie; Freitag, Ruth

2007-06-15

The goal of the project was the extraction of PCR-compatible genomic DNA representative of the entire microbial community from municipal biogas plant samples (mash, bioreactor content, process water, liquid fertilizer). For the initial isolation of representative DNA from the respective lysates, methods were used that employed adsorption, extraction, or precipitation to specifically enrich the DNA. Since no dedicated method for biogas plant samples was available, preference was given to kits/methods suited to samples that resembled either the bioreactor feed, e.g. foodstuffs, or those intended for environmental samples including wastewater. None of the methods succeeded in preparing DNA that was directly PCR-compatible. Instead the DNA was found to still contain considerable amounts of difficult-to-remove enzyme inhibitors (presumably humic acids) that hindered the PCR reaction. Based on the isolation method that gave the highest yield/purity for all sample types, subsequent purification was attempted by agarose gel electrophoresis followed by electroelution, spermine precipitation, or dialysis through nitrocellulose membrane. A combination of phenol/chloroform extraction followed by purification via dialysis constituted the most efficient sample treatment. When such DNA preparations were diluted 1:100 they did no longer inhibit PCR reactions, while they still contained sufficient genomic DNA to allow specific amplification of specific target sequences.

Status Report on Institutional Effectiveness, 1993-1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Losak, John

This annual report provides evaluation of specific academic centers at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reflecting specific goals, associated outcome measures, and attainment status relative to the goals. Twelve sections focus on the: (1) Abraham S. Fischler Center for the Advancement of Education; (2) Center for Computer…

The national strategic plan for federal aquaculture research, specific goal #4: Improve production efficiency and well-being

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The 2014-2019 National Strategic Plan for Federal Aquaculture Research identifies a series of specific goals that identify research priorities for Federal agency and interagency research programs. Collectively, these priorities define research activities with the broad outcome of supporting aquacul...

Reconceptualizing the motive/environment link in recreation choice behavior

Treesearch

Richard Schreyer; Richard C. Knopf; Daniel R. Williams

1985-01-01

Effective inventory, management, and planning for recreation resources depend upon knowing why persons choose certain environments to attain specific goals, and what elements in those environments facilitate goal-attainment. Research focused on relating motives for participation to specific components in the environment has had only limited success. This paper proposes...

Impact of Goal Setting and Goal Attainment Methods on Asthma Outcomes: Findings From an Asthma Self-Management Intervention for African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aaron, Micah; Nelson, Belinda W.; Kaltsas, Elena; Brown, Randall W.; Thomas, Lara J.; Patel, Minal R.

2017-01-01

Optimal use of goal-setting strategies in self-management efforts with high-risk individuals with asthma is not well understood. This study aimed to describe factors associated with goal attainment in an asthma self-management intervention for African American women with asthma and determine whether goal attainment methods proved beneficial to…

On Classification in the Study of Failure, and a Challenge to Classifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wasson, Kimberly S.

2003-01-01

Classification schemes are abundant in the literature of failure. They serve a number of purposes, some more successfully than others. We examine several classification schemes constructed for various purposes relating to failure and its investigation, and discuss their values and limits. The analysis results in a continuum of uses for classification schemes, that suggests that the value of certain properties of these schemes is dependent on the goals a classification is designed to forward. The contrast in the value of different properties for different uses highlights a particular shortcoming: we argue that while humans are good at developing one kind of scheme: dynamic, flexible classifications used for exploratory purposes, we are not so good at developing another: static, rigid classifications used to trap and organize data for specific analytic goals. Our lack of strong foundation in developing valid instantiations of the latter impedes progress toward a number of investigative goals. This shortcoming and its consequences pose a challenge to researchers in the study of failure: to develop new methods for constructing and validating static classification schemes of demonstrable value in promoting the goals of investigations. We note current productive activity in this area, and outline foundations for more.

Corporate Culture and University Goal Achievement in South-West Zone, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdulkareem, Rasaq L.; Sheu, Adaramaja A.; Kayode, David J.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between culture and university goal achievement in South west geo-political zone, Nigeria. Specifically, the purpose was to find out the nature of the corporate culture and university goal achievement as well as to determine the relationship between corporate culture and university goal achievement in South…

The Relationship between Student Teachers' Perception of Intelligence and Their Goal Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyaztas, Dilek Ilhan; Kapti, Suzan Beyza; Hymer, Barry

2017-01-01

This study examines the views of student teachers in a Turkish university about intelligence (entity theory vs incremental theory) and goal orientation (performance goal orientation vs learning goal orientation) and the relationship between the two. Specifically, it seeks to understand whether there are any differences in participants' perceptions…

The Language Factor in Development Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamgbose, Ayo

2014-01-01

Although development goals are usually set as targets that must be achieved in a development process, experience with development goals in Africa has tended to underscore underperformance either in terms of a shortfall in the targets attained or in terms of inadequate pursuit of specific goals. To illustrate this syndrome, the African Union's New…

Analytical method for optimal source reduction with monitored natural attenuation in contaminated aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Widdowson, M.A.; Chapelle, F.H.; Brauner, J.S.; ,

2003-01-01

A method is developed for optimizing monitored natural attenuation (MNA) and the reduction in the aqueous source zone concentration (??C) required to meet a site-specific regulatory target concentration. The mathematical model consists of two one-dimensional equations of mass balance for the aqueous phase contaminant, to coincide with up to two distinct zones of transformation, and appropriate boundary and intermediate conditions. The solution is written in terms of zone-dependent Peclet and Damko??hler numbers. The model is illustrated at a chlorinated solvent site where MNA was implemented following source treatment using in-situ chemical oxidation. The results demonstrate that by not taking into account a variable natural attenuation capacity (NAC), a lower target ??C is predicted, resulting in unnecessary source concentration reduction and cost with little benefit to achieving site-specific remediation goals.

The psychological context of quality of life: a psychometric analysis of a novel idiographic measure of bladder cancer patients' personal goals and concerns prior to surgery

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing focus on quality of life outcomes in urological diseases. Patient-reported outcomes research has relied on structured assessments that constrain interpretation of the impact of disease and treatments. In this study, we present content analysis and psychometric evaluation of the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Our evaluation of this measure is a prelude to a prospective comparison of quality of life outcomes of reconstructive procedures after cystectomy. Methods Fifty patients with bladder cancer were interviewed prior to surgery using the Quality of Life Appraisal Profile. Patients also completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and demographics. Analysis included content coding of personal goal statements generated by the Appraisal Profile, examination of the relationship of goal attainment to content, and association of goal-based measures with QLQ-C30 scales. Results Patients reported an average of 10 personal goals, reflecting motivational themes of achievement, problem solving, avoidance of problems, maintaining desired circumstances, letting go of roles and responsibilities, acceptance of undesirable situations, and attaining milestones. 503 goal statements were coded using 40 different content categories. Progress toward goal attainment was positively correlated with relationships and activities goals, but negatively correlated with health concerns. Associations among goal measures provided evidence for construct validity. Goal content also differed according to age, gender, employment, and marital status, lending further support for construct validity. QLQ-C30 functioning and symptom scales were correlated with goal content, but not with progress toward goal attainment, suggesting that patients may calibrate progress ratings relative to their specific goals. Alternately, progress may reflect a unique aspect of quality of life untapped by more standard scales. Conclusions The Brief Quality of Life Appraisal Profile was associated with measures of motivation, goal content and progress, as well as relationships with demographic and standard quality of life measures. This measure identifies novel concerns and issues in treating patients with bladder cancer, necessary for a more comprehensive evaluations of their health-related quality of life. PMID:21324146

DNA-binding specificity prediction with FoldX.

PubMed

Nadra, Alejandro D; Serrano, Luis; Alibés, Andreu

2011-01-01

With the advent of Synthetic Biology, a field between basic science and applied engineering, new computational tools are needed to help scientists reach their goal, their design, optimizing resources. In this chapter, we present a simple and powerful method to either know the DNA specificity of a wild-type protein or design new specificities by using the protein design algorithm FoldX. The only basic requirement is having a good resolution structure of the complex. Protein-DNA interaction design may aid the development of new parts designed to be orthogonal, decoupled, and precise in its target. Further, it could help to fine-tune the systems in terms of specificity, discrimination, and binding constants. In the age of newly developed devices and invented systems, computer-aided engineering promises to be an invaluable tool. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hierarchical Brain Networks Active in Approach and Avoidance Goal Pursuit

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A.

2013-01-01

Effective approach/avoidance goal pursuit is critical for attaining long-term health and well-being. Research on the neural correlates of key goal-pursuit processes (e.g., motivation) has long been of interest, with lateralization in prefrontal cortex being a particularly fruitful target of investigation. However, this literature has often been limited by a lack of spatial specificity and has not delineated the precise aspects of approach/avoidance motivation involved. Additionally, the relationships among brain regions (i.e., network connectivity) vital to goal-pursuit remain largely unexplored. Specificity in location, process, and network relationship is vital for moving beyond gross characterizations of function and identifying the precise cortical mechanisms involved in motivation. The present paper integrates research using more spatially specific methodologies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging) with the rich psychological literature on approach/avoidance to propose an integrative network model that takes advantage of the strengths of each of these literatures. PMID:23785328

Hierarchical brain networks active in approach and avoidance goal pursuit.

PubMed

Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A

2013-01-01

Effective approach/avoidance goal pursuit is critical for attaining long-term health and well-being. Research on the neural correlates of key goal-pursuit processes (e.g., motivation) has long been of interest, with lateralization in prefrontal cortex being a particularly fruitful target of investigation. However, this literature has often been limited by a lack of spatial specificity and has not delineated the precise aspects of approach/avoidance motivation involved. Additionally, the relationships among brain regions (i.e., network connectivity) vital to goal-pursuit remain largely unexplored. Specificity in location, process, and network relationship is vital for moving beyond gross characterizations of function and identifying the precise cortical mechanisms involved in motivation. The present paper integrates research using more spatially specific methodologies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging) with the rich psychological literature on approach/avoidance to propose an integrative network model that takes advantage of the strengths of each of these literatures.

Experimental Quasi-Microwave Whole-Body Averaged SAR Estimation Method Using Cylindrical-External Field Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, Yoshifumi; Hikage, Takashi; Nojima, Toshio

The aim of this study is to develop a new whole-body averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) estimation method based on the external-cylindrical field scanning technique. This technique is adopted with the goal of simplifying the dosimetry estimation of human phantoms that have different postures or sizes. An experimental scaled model system is constructed. In order to examine the validity of the proposed method for realistic human models, we discuss the pros and cons of measurements and numerical analyses based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. We consider the anatomical European human phantoms and plane-wave in the 2GHz mobile phone frequency band. The measured whole-body averaged SAR results obtained by the proposed method are compared with the results of the FDTD analyses.

Preliminary design and analysis of an advanced rotorcraft transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Z. S.

1990-01-01

Future rotorcraft transmissions of the 1990s and beyond the year 2000 require the incorporation of key emerging material and component technologies using advanced and innovative design practices in order to meet the requirements for a reduced weight-to-power ratio, a decreased noise level, and a substantially increased reliability. The specific goals for future rotocraft transmissions when compared with current state-of-the-art transmissions are a 25 percent weight reduction, a 10-dB reduction in the transmitted noise level, and a system reliability of 5000 hours mean-time-between-removal for the transmission. This paper presents the results of the design studies conducted to meet the stated goals for an advanced rotorcraft transmission. These design studies include system configuration, planetary gear train selection, and reliability prediction methods.

Alignment of Canadian Primary Care With the Patient Medical Home Model: A QUALICO-PC Study

PubMed Central

Katz, Alan; Herpai, Nicole; Smith, Glenys; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Breton, Mylaine; Boivin, Antoine; Hogg, William; Miedema, Baukje; Pang, Jocelyn; Wodchis, Walter P.; Wong, Sabrina T.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE The patient medical home (PMH) model aims to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes in Canada, but since its introduction in 2009, there has been no evaluation of the extent to which primary care conforms with PMH attributes. Our objective was to compare current primary care across Canada with the 10 goals of the PMH model. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of primary care organization and delivery was conducted in Canadian provinces to evaluate the PMH-based attributes of primary care practices. Family physician and patient responses were mapped to the 10 goals of the PMH model. We used regression models to describe the provinces’ success in meeting the goals, taking specific practice characteristics into account. We created a PMH composite score by weighting each goal equally for each practice and aggregating these by province. The PMH score is the sum of the values for each goal, which were scored from 0 to 1; a score of 10 indicates that all 10 goals of the PMH model were achieved. RESULTS Seven hundred seventy-two primary care practices and 7,172 patients participated in the survey. The average national PMH score was 5.36 (range 4.75–6.23) of 10. Ontario was the only province to score significantly higher than Canada as a whole, whereas Québec, Newfoundland/Labrador, and New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island scored below the national average. There was little variation, however, among provinces in achieving the 10 PMH goals. CONCLUSIONS Provincial PMH scores indicate considerable room for improvement if the PMH goals are to be fully implemented in Canada. PMID:28483888

Dose escalation methods in phase I cancer clinical trials.

PubMed

Le Tourneau, Christophe; Lee, J Jack; Siu, Lillian L

2009-05-20

Phase I clinical trials are an essential step in the development of anticancer drugs. The main goal of these studies is to establish the recommended dose and/or schedule of new drugs or drug combinations for phase II trials. The guiding principle for dose escalation in phase I trials is to avoid exposing too many patients to subtherapeutic doses while preserving safety and maintaining rapid accrual. Here we review dose escalation methods for phase I trials, including the rule-based and model-based dose escalation methods that have been developed to evaluate new anticancer agents. Toxicity has traditionally been the primary endpoint for phase I trials involving cytotoxic agents. However, with the emergence of molecularly targeted anticancer agents, potential alternative endpoints to delineate optimal biological activity, such as plasma drug concentration and target inhibition in tumor or surrogate tissues, have been proposed along with new trial designs. We also describe specific methods for drug combinations as well as methods that use a time-to-event endpoint or both toxicity and efficacy as endpoints. Finally, we present the advantages and drawbacks of the various dose escalation methods and discuss specific applications of the methods in developmental oncotherapeutics.

Modeling and E-M estimation of haplotype-specific relative risks from genotype data for a case-control study of unrelated individuals.

PubMed

Stram, Daniel O; Leigh Pearce, Celeste; Bretsky, Phillip; Freedman, Matthew; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Altshuler, David; Kolonel, Laurence N; Henderson, Brian E; Thomas, Duncan C

2003-01-01

The US National Cancer Institute has recently sponsored the formation of a Cohort Consortium (http://2002.cancer.gov/scpgenes.htm) to facilitate the pooling of data on very large numbers of people, concerning the effects of genes and environment on cancer incidence. One likely goal of these efforts will be generate a large population-based case-control series for which a number of candidate genes will be investigated using SNP haplotype as well as genotype analysis. The goal of this paper is to outline the issues involved in choosing a method of estimating haplotype-specific risk estimates for such data that is technically appropriate and yet attractive to epidemiologists who are already comfortable with odds ratios and logistic regression. Our interest is to develop and evaluate extensions of methods, based on haplotype imputation, that have been recently described (Schaid et al., Am J Hum Genet, 2002, and Zaykin et al., Hum Hered, 2002) as providing score tests of the null hypothesis of no effect of SNP haplotypes upon risk, which may be used for more complex tasks, such as providing confidence intervals, and tests of equivalence of haplotype-specific risks in two or more separate populations. In order to do so we (1) develop a cohort approach towards odds ratio analysis by expanding the E-M algorithm to provide maximum likelihood estimates of haplotype-specific odds ratios as well as genotype frequencies; (2) show how to correct the cohort approach, to give essentially unbiased estimates for population-based or nested case-control studies by incorporating the probability of selection as a case or control into the likelihood, based on a simplified model of case and control selection, and (3) finally, in an example data set (CYP17 and breast cancer, from the Multiethnic Cohort Study) we compare likelihood-based confidence interval estimates from the two methods with each other, and with the use of the single-imputation approach of Zaykin et al. applied under both null and alternative hypotheses. We conclude that so long as haplotypes are well predicted by SNP genotypes (we use the Rh2 criteria of Stram et al. [1]) the differences between the three methods are very small and in particular that the single imputation method may be expected to work extremely well. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Goal specificity: a proxy measure for improvements in environmental outcomes in collaborative governance.

PubMed

Biddle, Jennifer C; Koontz, Tomas M

2014-12-01

Collaborative governance critics continually call for evidence to support its prevalent use. As is often the case in environmental policy, environmental outcomes occur at a rate incompatible with political agendas. In addition, a multitude of possibly confounding variables makes it difficult to correlate collaborative governance processes with environmental outcomes. The findings of this study offer empirical evidence that collaborative processes have a measurable, beneficial effect on environmental outcomes. Through the use of a unique paired-waterbody design, our dataset reduced the potential for confounding variables to impact our environmental outcome measurements. The results of a path analysis indicate that the output of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is significantly related to watershed partnerships' level of attainment of their environmental improvement goals. The action of setting specific goals (e.g. percentage of load reductions in pollutant levels) is fostered by sustained participation from partnership members throughout the lifecycle of the collaborative. In addition, this study demonstrates the utility of logic modeling for environmental planning and management, and suggests that the process of setting specific pollutant reduction goals is a useful proxy measure for reporting progress towards improvements in environmental outcomes when long-term environmental data are not available. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using formal methods to scope performance challenges for Smart Manufacturing Systems: focus on agility.

PubMed

Jung, Kiwook; Morris, K C; Lyons, Kevin W; Leong, Swee; Cho, Hyunbo

2015-12-01

Smart Manufacturing Systems (SMS) need to be agile to adapt to new situations by using detailed, precise, and appropriate data for intelligent decision-making. The intricacy of the relationship of strategic goals to operational performance across the many levels of a manufacturing system inhibits the realization of SMS. This paper proposes a method for identifying what aspects of a manufacturing system should be addressed to respond to changing strategic goals. The method uses standard modeling techniques in specifying a manufacturing system and the relationship between strategic goals and operational performance metrics. Two existing reference models related to manufacturing operations are represented formally and harmonized to support the proposed method. The method is illustrated for a single scenario using agility as a strategic goal. By replicating the proposed method for other strategic goals and with multiple scenarios, a comprehensive set of performance challenges can be identified.

Using formal methods to scope performance challenges for Smart Manufacturing Systems: focus on agility

PubMed Central

Jung, Kiwook; Morris, KC; Lyons, Kevin W.; Leong, Swee; Cho, Hyunbo

2016-01-01

Smart Manufacturing Systems (SMS) need to be agile to adapt to new situations by using detailed, precise, and appropriate data for intelligent decision-making. The intricacy of the relationship of strategic goals to operational performance across the many levels of a manufacturing system inhibits the realization of SMS. This paper proposes a method for identifying what aspects of a manufacturing system should be addressed to respond to changing strategic goals. The method uses standard modeling techniques in specifying a manufacturing system and the relationship between strategic goals and operational performance metrics. Two existing reference models related to manufacturing operations are represented formally and harmonized to support the proposed method. The method is illustrated for a single scenario using agility as a strategic goal. By replicating the proposed method for other strategic goals and with multiple scenarios, a comprehensive set of performance challenges can be identified. PMID:27141209

Assessing Patients’ Experiences with Communication Across the Cancer Care Continuum

PubMed Central

Mazor, Kathleen M.; Street, Richard L.; Sue, Valerie M.; Williams, Andrew E.; Rabin, Borsika A.; Arora, Neeraj K.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the relevance, performance and potential usefulness of the Patient Assessment of cancer Communication Experiences (PACE) items. Methods Items focusing on specific communication goals related to exchanging information, fostering healing relationships, responding to emotions, making decisions, enabling self-management, and managing uncertainty were tested via a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Analyses examined response frequencies, inter-item correlations, and coefficient alpha. Results A total of 366 adults were included in the analyses. Relatively few selected “Does Not Apply”, suggesting that items tap relevant communication experiences. Ratings of whether specific communication goals were achieved were strongly correlated with overall ratings of communication, suggesting item content reflects important aspects of communication. Coefficient alpha was ≥.90 for each item set, indicating excellent reliability. Variations in the percentage of respondents selecting the most positive response across items suggest results can identify strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion The PACE items tap relevant, important aspects of communication during cancer care, and may be useful to cancer care teams desiring detailed feedback. PMID:26979476

Using In-vivo Fluorescence Imaging in Personalized Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy, an Image and Treat Paradigm

PubMed Central

Ardeshirpour, Yasaman; Chernomordik, Victor; Capala, Jacek; Hassan, Moinuddin; Zielinsky, Rafal; Griffiths, Gary; Achilefu, Samuel; Smith, Paul; Gandjbakhckhe, Amir

2013-01-01

The major goal in developing drugs targeting specific tumor receptors, such as Monoclonal AntiBodies (MAB), is to make a drug compound that targets selectively the cancer-causing biomarkers, inhibits their functionality, and/or delivers the toxin specifically to the malignant cells. Recent advances in MABs show that their efficacy depends strongly on characterization of tumor biomarkers. Therefore, one of the main tasks in cancer diagnostics and treatment is to develop non-invasive in-vivo imaging techniques for detection of cancer biomarkers and monitoring their down regulation during the treatment. Such methods can potentially result in a new imaging and treatment paradigm for cancer therapy. In this article we have reviewed fluorescence imaging approaches, including those developed in our group, to detect and monitor Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 (HER2) receptors before and during therapy. Transition of these techniques from the bench to bedside is the ultimate goal of our project. Similar approaches can be used potentially for characterization of other cancer related cell biomarkers. PMID:22066595

Goal orientation, perceived task outcome and task demands in mathematics tasks: effects on students' attitude in actual task settings.

PubMed

Seegers, Gerard; van Putten, Cornelis M; de Brabander, Cornelis J

2002-09-01

In earlier studies, it has been found that students' domain-specific cognitions and personal learning goals (goal orientation) influence task-specific appraisals of actual learning tasks. The relations between domain-specific and task-specific variables have been specified in the model of adaptive learning. In this study, additional influences, i.e., perceived task outcome on a former occasion and variations in task demands, were investigated. The purpose of this study was to identify personality and situational variables that mediate students' attitude when confronted with a mathematics task. Students worked on a mathematics task in two subsequent sessions. Effects of perceived task outcome at the first session on students' attitude at the second session were investigated. In addition, we investigated how differences in task demands influenced students' attitude. Variations in task demands were provoked by different conditions in task-instruction. In one condition, students were told that the result on the test would add to their mark on mathematics. This outcome orienting condition was contrasted with a task-orienting condition where students were told that the results on the test would not be used to give individual grades. Participants were sixth grade students (N = 345; aged 11-12 years) from 14 primary schools. Multivariate and univariate analyses of (co)variance were applied to the data. Independent variables were goal orientation, task demands, and perceived task outcome, with task-specific variables (estimated competence for the task, task attraction, task relevance, and willingness to invest effort) as the dependent variables. The results showed that previous perceived task outcome had a substantial impact on students' attitude. Additional but smaller effects were found for variation in task demands. Furthermore, effects of previous perceived task outcome and task demands were related to goal orientation. The resulting pattern confirmed that, in general, performance-oriented learning goals emphasised the negative impact of failure experiences, whereas task-oriented learning goals had a strengthening effect on how success experiences influenced students' attitude.

Development and Use of Engineering Standards for Computational Fluid Dynamics for Complex Aerospace Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Hyung B.; Ghia, Urmila; Bayyuk, Sami; Oberkampf, William L.; Roy, Christopher J.; Benek, John A.; Rumsey, Christopher L.; Powers, Joseph M.; Bush, Robert H.; Mani, Mortaza

2016-01-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other advanced modeling and simulation (M&S) methods are increasingly relied on for predictive performance, reliability and safety of engineering systems. Analysts, designers, decision makers, and project managers, who must depend on simulation, need practical techniques and methods for assessing simulation credibility. The AIAA Guide for Verification and Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations (AIAA G-077-1998 (2002)), originally published in 1998, was the first engineering standards document available to the engineering community for verification and validation (V&V) of simulations. Much progress has been made in these areas since 1998. The AIAA Committee on Standards for CFD is currently updating this Guide to incorporate in it the important developments that have taken place in V&V concepts, methods, and practices, particularly with regard to the broader context of predictive capability and uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods and approaches. This paper will provide an overview of the changes and extensions currently underway to update the AIAA Guide. Specifically, a framework for predictive capability will be described for incorporating a wide range of error and uncertainty sources identified during the modeling, verification, and validation processes, with the goal of estimating the total prediction uncertainty of the simulation. The Guide's goal is to provide a foundation for understanding and addressing major issues and concepts in predictive CFD. However, this Guide will not recommend specific approaches in these areas as the field is rapidly evolving. It is hoped that the guidelines provided in this paper, and explained in more detail in the Guide, will aid in the research, development, and use of CFD in engineering decision-making.

Let's Get Together: More Institutions Are Including Alumni Engagement in Campaign Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scully, Maura King

2012-01-01

A growing number of U.S. institutions are recognizing the importance of reaching out to and involving alumni in meaningful ways--so much so that it's encoded as a specific campaign goal. But, like fundraising goals, alumni engagement goals are not realized easily, overnight, or just because they're committed to paper. Lasting engagement takes…

Goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation for children with motor disabilities: a scoping review.

PubMed

Pritchard-Wiart, Lesley; Phelan, Shanon K

2018-02-01

The three objectives of this scoping review were to (1) identify key conceptual/theoretical frameworks and the extent to which they are used to inform goal setting related to rehabilitation goal setting with children with motor disabilities, (2) describe research that has evaluated goal setting processes and outcomes, and (3) summarize the purposes of goal setting described in paediatric rehabilitation literature. The scoping review process described by Arksey and O'Malley was used to guide article selection and data extraction. A total of 62 articles were included in the final review. While the concept of family-centered care was well represented, theoretical frameworks specific to goal setting (i.e. goal setting theory described by Locke and Latham, mastery motivation, social cognitive, personal construct, and self-determination theories) were rarely addressed. No articles reviewed addressed prominent behavior change theory. With the exception of the description of tools specifically designed for use with children, the role of the child in the goal setting process was generally absent or not well described. Few studies ( n = 6) discussed the linkage between goals and intervention strategies explicitly. Only two studies in the review evaluated outcomes associated with goal setting. The primary purpose for goal setting identified in the literature was to develop goals that are meaningful to families ( n = 49). The results highlight significant gaps in the literature explicating a sound theoretical basis for goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation and research evaluating the effects of goal qualities and goal setting processes on the achievement of meaningful outcomes.

Prediction of TF target sites based on atomistic models of protein-DNA complexes

PubMed Central

Angarica, Vladimir Espinosa; Pérez, Abel González; Vasconcelos, Ana T; Collado-Vides, Julio; Contreras-Moreira, Bruno

2008-01-01

Background The specific recognition of genomic cis-regulatory elements by transcription factors (TFs) plays an essential role in the regulation of coordinated gene expression. Studying the mechanisms determining binding specificity in protein-DNA interactions is thus an important goal. Most current approaches for modeling TF specific recognition rely on the knowledge of large sets of cognate target sites and consider only the information contained in their primary sequence. Results Here we describe a structure-based methodology for predicting sequence motifs starting from the coordinates of a TF-DNA complex. Our algorithm combines information regarding the direct and indirect readout of DNA into an atomistic statistical model, which is used to estimate the interaction potential. We first measure the ability of our method to correctly estimate the binding specificities of eight prokaryotic and eukaryotic TFs that belong to different structural superfamilies. Secondly, the method is applied to two homology models, finding that sampling of interface side-chain rotamers remarkably improves the results. Thirdly, the algorithm is compared with a reference structural method based on contact counts, obtaining comparable predictions for the experimental complexes and more accurate sequence motifs for the homology models. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that atomic-detail structural information can be feasibly used to predict TF binding sites. The computational method presented here is universal and might be applied to other systems involving protein-DNA recognition. PMID:18922190

Generating social impact scenarios, a key step in making technology assessment studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, M. V.

1972-01-01

The social impact scenario, a method used to trace the effects of new technological applications, is discussed. The research seeks to anticipate the secondary social impacts that arise from: (1) government or private programs that cope with major social problems like poverty, environmental pollution, or public safety; and (2) a concerted national effort to achieve a widely supported specific goal like landing a man on the moon or finding a cure for cancer.

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 5: Ocean optics protocols for SeaWiFS validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, James L.; Austin, Roswell W.; Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor)

1992-01-01

Protocols are presented for measuring optical properties, and other environmental variables, to validate the radiometric performance of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), and to develop and validate bio-optical algorithms for use with SeaWiFS data. The protocols are intended to establish foundations for a measurement strategy to verify the challenging SeaWiFS accuracy goals of 5 percent in water-leaving radiances and 35 percent in chlorophyll alpha concentration. The protocols first specify the variables which must be measured, and briefly review rationale. Subsequent chapters cover detailed protocols for instrument performance specifications, characterizing and calibration instruments, methods of making measurements in the field, and methods of data analysis. These protocols were developed at a workshop sponsored by the SeaWiFS Project Office (SPO) and held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California (9-12 April, 1991). This report is the proceedings of that workshop, as interpreted and expanded by the authors and reviewed by workshop participants and other members of the bio-optical research community. The protocols are a first prescription to approach unprecedented measurement accuracies implied by the SeaWiFS goals, and research and development are needed to improve the state-of-the-art in specific areas. The protocols should be periodically revised to reflect technical advances during the SeaWiFS Project cycle.

Specific features of goal setting in road traffic safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesov, V. I.; Danilov, O. F.; Petrov, A. I.

2017-10-01

Road traffic safety (RTS) management is inherently a branch of cybernetics and therefore requires clear formalization of the task. The paper aims at identification of the specific features of goal setting in RTS management under the system approach. The paper presents the results of cybernetic modeling of the cause-to-effect mechanism of a road traffic accident (RTA); in here, the mechanism itself is viewed as a complex system. A designed management goal function is focused on minimizing the difficulty in achieving the target goal. Optimization of the target goal has been performed using the Lagrange principle. The created working algorithms have passed the soft testing. The key role of the obtained solution in the tactical and strategic RTS management is considered. The dynamics of the management effectiveness indicator has been analyzed based on the ten-year statistics for Russia.

Personal Goal Setting and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study of Adult Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingraham, Frank

2017-01-01

This mixed methods study was designed to examine the potential impactful relationship between personal goal setting and the quality of life satisfaction (built upon the Goal Setting Theory of motivation and performance). The study aimed to determine how influential the goal achievement process is (or is not) regarding personal fulfillment and…

Identification of hemoglobin variants by top-down mass spectrometry using selected diagnostic product ions.

PubMed

Coelho Graça, Didia; Hartmer, Ralf; Jabs, Wolfgang; Beris, Photis; Clerici, Lorella; Stoermer, Carsten; Samii, Kaveh; Hochstrasser, Denis; Tsybin, Yury O; Scherl, Alexander; Lescuyer, Pierre

2015-04-01

Hemoglobin disorder diagnosis is a complex procedure combining several analytical steps. Due to the lack of specificity of the currently used protein analysis methods, the identification of uncommon hemoglobin variants (proteoforms) can become a hard task to accomplish. The aim of this work was to develop a mass spectrometry-based approach to quickly identify mutated protein sequences within globin chain variants. To reach this goal, a top-down electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry method was developed for hemoglobin β chain analysis. A diagnostic product ion list was established with a color code strategy allowing to quickly and specifically localize a mutation in the hemoglobin β chain sequence. The method was applied to the analysis of rare hemoglobin β chain variants and an (A)γ-β fusion protein. The results showed that the developed data analysis process allows fast and reliable interpretation of top-down electron transfer dissociation mass spectra by nonexpert users in the clinical area.

Predicting Numbers of Problems in Development of Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simonds, Charles H.

2005-01-01

A method has been formulated to enable prediction of the amount of work that remains to be performed in developing flight software for a spacecraft. The basic concept embodied in the method is that of using an idealized curve (specifically, the Weibull function) to interpolate from (1) the numbers of problems discovered thus far to (2) a goal of discovering no new problems after launch (or six months into the future for software already in use in orbit). The steps of the method can be summarized as follows: 1. Take raw data in the form of problem reports (PRs), including the dates on which they are generated. 2. Remove, from the data collection, PRs that are subsequently withdrawn or to which no response is required. 3. Count the numbers of PRs created in 1-week periods and the running total number of PRs each week. 4. Perform the interpolation by making a least-squares fit of the Weibull function to (a) the cumulative distribution of PRs gathered thus far and (b) the goal of no more PRs after the currently anticipated launch date. The interpolation and the anticipated launch date are subject to iterative re-estimation.

Spacecraft optical disk recorder memory buffer control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodson, Robert F.

1992-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for use in the control electronics of the Spacecraft Optical Disk Recorder (SODR). Specifically, this project is to design an extendable memory buffer controller ASIC for rate matching between a system Input/Output port and the SODR's device interface. The aforementioned goal can be partitioned into the following sub-goals: (1) completion of ASIC design and simulation (on-going via ASEE fellowship); (2) ASIC Fabrication (at ASIC manufacturer); and (3) ASIC Testing (NASA/LaRC, Christopher Newport University).

NASA's strategic plan for education. A strategy for change, 1993-1998

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

NASA's education vision is to promote excellence in America's education system through enhancing and expanding scientific and technological competence. In doing so, NASA strives to be recognized by the education community as the premier mission agency in support of the National Education Goals and in the development and implementation of education standards. To realize this vision, NASA has clearly defined and developed three specific goals to promote excellence in education. Specific objectives and milestones are defined for each goal in the body of this strategic plan.

The Efficacy of Goal Setting in Cardiac Rehabilitation-a Gender-Specific Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Stamm-Balderjahn, Sabine; Brünger, Martin; Michel, Anne; Bongarth, Christa; Spyra, Karla

2016-08-08

Patients with coronary heart disease undergo cardiac rehabilitation in order to reduce their cardiovascular risk factors. Often, however, the benefit of rehabilitation is lost over time. It is unclear whether this happens in the same way to men and women. We studied whether the setting of gender-specific behavior goals with an agreement between the doctor and the patient at the end of rehabilitation can prolong its positive effects. This study was performed with a mixed-method design. It consisted of qualitative interviews and group discussions with patients, doctors and other treating personnel, and researchers, as well as a quantitative, randomized, controlled intervention trial in which data were acquired at four time points (the beginning and end of rehabilitation and then 6 and 12 months later). 545 patients, 262 of them women (48.1%), were included. The patients were assigned to a goal checking group (n = 132), a goal setting group (n = 143), and a control group (n = 270). The primary endpoints were health-related behavior (exercise, diet, tobacco consumption), subjective state of health, and medication adherence. The secondary endpoints included physiological protection and risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol (HDL, LDL, and total), blood sugar, HbA1c, and body-mass index. The intervention had no demonstrable effect on the primary or secondary endpoints. The percentage of smokers declined to a similar extent in all groups from the beginning of rehabilitation to 12 months after its end (overall figures: 12.4% to 8.6%, p <0.05). The patients' exercise behavior, diet, and subjective state of health also improved over the entire course of the study. Women had a healthier diet than men. Subgroup analyses indicated a possible effect of the intervention on exercise behavior in women who were employed and in men who were not (p<0.01). The efficacy of goal setting was not demonstrated. Therefore, no indication for its routine provision can be derived from the study results.

A method for the development of disease-specific reference standards vocabularies from textual biomedical literature resources

PubMed Central

Wang, Liqin; Bray, Bruce E.; Shi, Jianlin; Fiol, Guilherme Del; Haug, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Objective Disease-specific vocabularies are fundamental to many knowledge-based intelligent systems and applications like text annotation, cohort selection, disease diagnostic modeling, and therapy recommendation. Reference standards are critical in the development and validation of automated methods for disease-specific vocabularies. The goal of the present study is to design and test a generalizable method for the development of vocabulary reference standards from expert-curated, disease-specific biomedical literature resources. Methods We formed disease-specific corpora from literature resources like textbooks, evidence-based synthesized online sources, clinical practice guidelines, and journal articles. Medical experts annotated and adjudicated disease-specific terms in four classes (i.e., causes or risk factors, signs or symptoms, diagnostic tests or results, and treatment). Annotations were mapped to UMLS concepts. We assessed source variation, the contribution of each source to build disease-specific vocabularies, the saturation of the vocabularies with respect to the number of used sources, and the generalizability of the method with different diseases. Results The study resulted in 2588 string-unique annotations for heart failure in four classes, and 193 and 425 respectively for pulmonary embolism and rheumatoid arthritis in treatment class. Approximately 80% of the annotations were mapped to UMLS concepts. The agreement among heart failure sources ranged between 0.28 and 0.46. The contribution of these sources to the final vocabulary ranged between 18% and 49%. With the sources explored, the heart failure vocabulary reached near saturation in all four classes with the inclusion of minimal six sources (or between four to seven sources if only counting terms occurred in two or more sources). It took fewer sources to reach near saturation for the other two diseases in terms of the treatment class. Conclusions We developed a method for the development of disease-specific reference vocabularies. Expert-curated biomedical literature resources are substantial for acquiring disease-specific medical knowledge. It is feasible to reach near saturation in a disease-specific vocabulary using a relatively small number of literature sources. PMID:26971304

Relationships Among Goal Contents, Exercise Motivations, Physical Activity, and Aerobic Fitness in University Physical Education Courses.

PubMed

Sibley, Benjamin A; Bergman, Shawn M

2016-04-01

The current research examined the relationships among exercise goal contents, behavioral regulation, physical activity, and aerobic fitness within the context of eight-week university physical education courses. Participants were undergraduate students (M age = 20.2 year, SD = 2.3) enrolled in activity courses (N = 461) during the 2010 Fall semester. At pretest, participants completed a demographic survey, Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire and the Goal Contents in Exercise Questionnaire. At eight-week posttest, participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adults and the PACER aerobic fitness test. Relative intrinsic goal content was found to predict physical activity indirectly and aerobic fitness via behavioral regulation. Specific goal contents related to health management and skill development were found to predict physical activity and aerobic fitness via a fully mediated path through identified and intrinsic regulation. Results supported the efficacy of goal contents and self-determination theory in describing physical activity behavior and fitness. Examining specific types of goal contents and behavioral regulations revealed relationships that were masked by the utilization of omnibus scoring protocols. © The Author(s) 2016.

TRANSDIAGNOSTIC DIMENSIONS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION MODERATE MOTIVATION-RELATED BRAIN NETWORKS DURING GOAL MAINTENANCE

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Miller, Gregory A.; Warren, Stacie L.; Sutton, Bradley P.; Banich, Marie; Heller, Wendy

2015-01-01

Background Advancing research on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of psychopathology requires the field to move beyond modular conceptualizations of neural dysfunction toward understanding disturbance in key brain networks. Although some studies of anxiety and depression have begun doing so, they typically suffer from several drawbacks, including: (1) a categorical approach ignoring transdiagnostic processes, (2) failure to account for substantial anxiety and depression comorbidity, (3) examination of networks at rest, which overlooks disruption manifesting only when networks are challenged. Accordingly, the present study examined relationships between transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression and patterns of functional connectivity while goal maintenance was challenged. Methods Participants (n = 179, unselected community members and undergraduates selected to be high/low on anxiety/depression) performed a task in which goal maintenance was challenged (color-word Stroop) while fMRI data were collected. Analyses examined moderation by anxiety/depression of condition-dependent coupling between regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) previously associated with approach and avoidance motivation and amygdala/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Results Anxious arousal was positively associated with amygdala↔right dlPFC coupling. Depression was positively associated with OFC↔right dlPFC coupling and negatively associated with OFC↔left dlPFC coupling. Conclusions Findings advance the field toward an integrative model of the neural instantiation of anxiety/depression by identifying specific, distinct dysfunctions associated with anxiety and depression in networks important for maintaining approach and avoidance goals. Specifically, findings shed light on potential neural mechanisms involved in attentional biases in anxiety and valuation biases in depression and underscore the importance of examining transdiagnostic dimensions of anxiety/depression while networks are challenged. PMID:24753242

The Effects of the Maryland Online Individualized Education Program Goal Wizard on Writing Standards Based Annual Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Kimberly A.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the Maryland Online Individualized Education Program Goal Wizard on writing standards based annual goals. Specifically, 100 novice special education teachers form a large urban school system in Maryland were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received one…

The role of goal representations, cultural identity, and dispositional optimism in the depressive experiences of American Indian youth from a Northern Plains tribe.

PubMed

Tyser, Jason; Scott, Walter D; Readdy, Tucker; McCrea, Sean M

2014-03-01

American Indian researchers and scholars have emphasized the importance of identifying variables that promote resilience and protect against the development of psychopathology in American Indian youth. The present study examined the role of self-regulation, specifically goal characteristics (i.e., goal self-efficacy, goal specificity, intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation, and goal conflict) and dispositional optimism, as well as cultural identity and self-reported academic grades in the depressive experiences of American Indian youth from a North American plains tribe. One hundred and sixty-four participants (53% female) completed measures of goal representations, cultural identity, dispositional optimism, academic performance, and depressive symptoms. Results supported a model in which higher goal self-efficacy, American Indian cultural identity, grade point average, and dispositional optimism each significantly predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Moreover, grade point average and goal self-efficacy had both direct and indirect (through dispositional optimism) relationships with depressive symptoms. Our findings underscore the importance of cognitive self-regulatory processes and cultural identity in the depressive experiences for these American Indian youth and may have implications for youth interventions attempting to increase resiliency and decrease risk for depressive symptoms.

Student Motivation and Program Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Robert C.; Bertoch, Sara Cummings

2010-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between goal instability and participation in a career planning program (course) using the goal instability scale (GIS) and a completed course performance contract. Specifically, this study addressed the following question: What is the relationship between motivation, as measured by goal instability,…

Goal specificity and knowledge acquisition in statistics problem solving: evidence for attentional focus.

PubMed

Trumpower, David L; Goldsmith, Timothy E; Guynn, Melissa J

2004-12-01

Solving training problems with nonspecific goals (NG; i.e., solving for all possible unknown values) often results in better transfer than solving training problems with standard goals (SG; i.e., solving for one particular unknown value). In this study, we evaluated an attentional focus explanation of the goal specificity effect. According to the attentional focus view, solving NG problems causes attention to be directed to local relations among successive problem states, whereas solving SG problems causes attention to be directed to relations between the various problem states and the goal state. Attention to the former is thought to enhance structural knowledge about the problem domain and thus promote transfer. Results supported this view because structurally different transfer problems were solved faster following NG training than following SG training. Moreover, structural knowledge representations revealed more links depicting local relations following NG training and more links to the training goal following SG training. As predicted, these effects were obtained only by domain novices.

The effects of treatment adherence and treatment-specific therapeutic competencies on outcome and goal attainment in telephone-based therapy with caregivers of people with dementia.

PubMed

Schinköthe, Denise; Altmann, Uwe; Wilz, Gabriele

2015-01-01

Contradictory results have been found for the impact of therapist's adherence and competence on intervention outcomes. Most studies focus on generic aspects of competence and adherence, rather than taking into account treatment-specific aspects or specific challenges of the clientele. Appropriate analyses are lacking for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with caregivers of people with dementia. In a sample of 43 caregivers, we examined adherence and different competence ratings of 80 complete sessions, as predictors of symptom change and goal attainment. Therapist's competence was evaluated by four raters, using an adapted version of the cognitive therapy scale (CTS) on three subscales of competence: General therapeutic (GT), session-structuring (SS), and treatment-specific CBT technique (CT). Therapist's adherence to the manual was also assessed. The results show that GT competencies were associated with lower post-test depression scores and that CT competencies predicted a decrease in caregiver burden and higher goal attainment, while SS competencies predicted higher post-test burden. Therapist's adherence had no relationship to outcome, but the higher application of modifying dysfunctional thoughts was associated with higher goal attainment. The results suggest the importance of treatment-specific competencies for outcome. Future research should identify empirically what kind of therapeutic behavior is appropriate to the challenges of a specific clientele such as caregivers of people with dementia.

Applying an Integrative Framework of Executive Function to Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapa, Leah L.; Plante, Elena; Doubleday, Kevin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The first goal of this research was to compare verbal and nonverbal executive function abilities between preschoolers with and without specific language impairment (SLI). The second goal was to assess the group differences on 4 executive function components in order to determine if the components may be hierarchically related as suggested…

Policies to Support Wind Power Deployment: Key Considerations and Good Practices

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

Cox, Sadie; Tegen, Suzanne; Baring-Gould, Ian

2015-05-19

Policies have played an important role in scaling up wind deployment and increasing its economic viability while also supporting country-specific economic, social, and environmental development goals. Although wind power has become cost-competitive in several contexts, challenges to wind power deployment remain. Within the context of country-specific goals and challenges, policymakers are seeking

The Impact of Goal Achievement Orientation on Student Technology Usage in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGloin, Rory; McGillicuddy, Kara T.; Christensen, John L.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether students with differing goal achievement orientations were more likely to engage in on-task or off-task mobile device usage, as well as whether particular devices (specifically, laptops and smartphones) have a positive or negative relationship with specific task usage. The results of this study…

Training Grapheme-Colour Associations Produces a Synaesthetic Stroop Effect, but Not a Conditioned Synaesthetic Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, Beat; Rothen, Nicolas

2009-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate whether behavioural and physiological consequences of synaesthesia can be elicited by training specific letter-colour associations. Towards this goal 20 non-synaesthetic individuals were trained for 10 min on 7 consecutive days to associate four different letters with four specific colours. After training,…

Impact of integrated upper limb spasticity management including botulinum toxin A on patient-centred goal attainment: rationale and protocol for an international prospective, longitudinal cohort study (ULIS-III)

PubMed Central

Turner-Stokes, Lynne; Ashford, Stephen; Jacinto, Jorge; Maisonobe, Pascal; Balcaitiene, Jovita; Fheodoroff, Klemens

2016-01-01

Objectives Describe the rationale and protocol for the Upper Limb International Spasticity (ULIS)-III study, which aims to evaluate the impact of integrated spasticity management, involving multiple botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection cycles and concomitant therapies, on patient-centred goal attainment. Outline novel outcome assessment methods for ULIS-III and report initial evaluation data from goal setting in early stages of the study. Design Large international longitudinal cohort study of integrated upper limb spasticity management, including BoNT-A. Participants and setting ULIS-III is a 2-year study expected to enrol >1000 participants at 58 study centres across 14 countries. Interventions The study design is non-interventional and intended to reflect real-life clinical practice. It will describe injection practices and additional treatment strategies, and record clinical decision-making in a serial approach to long-term spasticity management. Outcome measures ULIS-III will use a goal-directed approach to selection of targeted standardised measures to capture the diversity of presentation, goals and outcomes. ULIS-III will implement the Upper Limb Spasticity Index, a battery of assessments including a structured approach to goal attainment scaling (Goal Attainment Scaling—Evaluation of Outcomes for Upper Limb Spasticity tool), alongside a limited set of standardised measures, chosen according to patients' selected goal areas. Concomitant therapy inputs, patient satisfaction with engagement in goal setting, health economic end points and health-related quality of life data will also be captured. Results of initial evaluation of goal quality Recruitment started in January 2015. By June 2015, 58 sites had been identified and initial data collected for 79 patients across 13 sites in 3 countries. Goal setting data were quality-checked and centres rated on the basis of function-related and Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed (SMART) characteristics of goal statements. Overall, 11/13 centres achieved the highest rating (A++). Conclusions ULIS-III will provide valuable information regarding treatment of and outcomes from real-life upper limb spasticity management worldwide. Trial registration number NCT02454803; Pre-results. PMID:27315835

Cell-specific transmembrane injection of molecular cargo with gold nanoparticle-generated transient plasmonic nanobubbles

PubMed Central

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina Y.; Wagner, Daniel S.; Brenner, Malcolm K.; Lapotko, Dmitri O.

2012-01-01

Optimal cell therapies require efficient, selective and rapid delivery of molecular cargo into target cells without compromising their viability. Achieving these goals ex vivo in bulk heterogeneous multi-cell systems such as human grafts is impeded by low selectivity and speed of cargo delivery and by significant damage to target and non-target cells. We have developed a cell level approach for selective and guided trans-membrane injection of extracellular cargo into specific target cells using transient plasmonic nanobubbles (PNB) as cell-specific nano-injectors. As a technical platform for this method we developed a laser flow cell processing system. The PNB injection method and flow system were tested in heterogeneous cell suspensions of target and non-target cells for delivery of Dextran-FITC dye into squamous cell carcinoma HN31 cells and transfection of human T-cells with a green fluorescent protein-encoding plasmid. In both models the method demonstrated single cell type selectivity, high efficacy of delivery (96% both for HN31 cells T-cells), speed of delivery (nanoseconds) and viability of treated target cells (96% for HN31 cells and 75% for T-cells). The PNB injection method may therefore be beneficial for real time processing of human grafts without removal of physiologically important cells. PMID:22521612

Cell-specific transmembrane injection of molecular cargo with gold nanoparticle-generated transient plasmonic nanobubbles.

PubMed

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina Y; Wagner, Daniel S; Brenner, Malcolm K; Lapotko, Dmitri O

2012-07-01

Optimal cell therapies require efficient, selective and rapid delivery of molecular cargo into target cells without compromising their viability. Achieving these goals ex vivo in bulk heterogeneous multi-cell systems such as human grafts is impeded by low selectivity and speed of cargo delivery and by significant damage to target and non-target cells. We have developed a cell level approach for selective and guided transmembrane injection of extracellular cargo into specific target cells using transient plasmonic nanobubbles (PNB) as cell-specific nano-injectors. As a technical platform for this method we developed a laser flow cell processing system. The PNB injection method and flow system were tested in heterogeneous cell suspensions of target and non-target cells for delivery of Dextran-FITC dye into squamous cell carcinoma HN31 cells and transfection of human T-cells with a green fluorescent protein-encoding plasmid. In both models the method demonstrated single cell type selectivity, high efficacy of delivery (96% both for HN31 cells T-cells), speed of delivery (nanoseconds) and viability of treated target cells (96% for HN31 cells and 75% for T-cells). The PNB injection method may therefore be beneficial for real time processing of human grafts without removal of physiologically important cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protein immobilization techniques for microfluidic assays

PubMed Central

Kim, Dohyun; Herr, Amy E.

2013-01-01

Microfluidic systems have shown unequivocal performance improvements over conventional bench-top assays across a range of performance metrics. For example, specific advances have been made in reagent consumption, throughput, integration of multiple assay steps, assay automation, and multiplexing capability. For heterogeneous systems, controlled immobilization of reactants is essential for reliable, sensitive detection of analytes. In most cases, protein immobilization densities are maximized, while native activity and conformation are maintained. Immobilization methods and chemistries vary significantly depending on immobilization surface, protein properties, and specific assay goals. In this review, we present trade-offs considerations for common immobilization surface materials. We overview immobilization methods and chemistries, and discuss studies exemplar of key approaches—here with a specific emphasis on immunoassays and enzymatic reactors. Recent “smart immobilization” methods including the use of light, electrochemical, thermal, and chemical stimuli to attach and detach proteins on demand with precise spatial control are highlighted. Spatially encoded protein immobilization using DNA hybridization for multiplexed assays and reversible protein immobilization surfaces for repeatable assay are introduced as immobilization methods. We also describe multifunctional surface coatings that can perform tasks that were, until recently, relegated to multiple functional coatings. We consider the microfluidics literature from 1997 to present and close with a perspective on future approaches to protein immobilization. PMID:24003344

Motion Pattern Encapsulation for Data-Driven Constraint-Based Motion Editing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, Schubert R.; Boulic, Ronan; Thalmann, Daniel

The growth of motion capture systems have contributed to the proliferation of human motion database, mainly because human motion is important in many applications, ranging from games entertainment and films to sports and medicine. However, the captured motions normally attend specific needs. As an effort for adapting and reusing captured human motions in new tasks and environments and improving the animator's work, we present and discuss a new data-driven constraint-based animation system for interactive human motion editing. This method offers the compelling advantage that it provides faster deformations and more natural-looking motion results compared to goal-directed constraint-based methods found in the literature.

Detection of electrophysiology catheters in noisy fluoroscopy images.

PubMed

Franken, Erik; Rongen, Peter; van Almsick, Markus; ter Haar Romeny, Bart

2006-01-01

Cardiac catheter ablation is a minimally invasive medical procedure to treat patients with heart rhythm disorders. It is useful to know the positions of the catheters and electrodes during the intervention, e.g. for the automatization of cardiac mapping. Our goal is therefore to develop a robust image analysis method that can detect the catheters in X-ray fluoroscopy images. Our method uses steerable tensor voting in combination with a catheter-specific multi-step extraction algorithm. The evaluation on clinical fluoroscopy images shows that especially the extraction of the catheter tip is successful and that the use of tensor voting accounts for a large increase in performance.

A method and technical equipment for an acute human trial to evaluate retinal implant technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornig, Ralf; Laube, Thomas; Walter, Peter; Velikay-Parel, Michaela; Bornfeld, Norbert; Feucht, Matthias; Akguel, Harun; Rössler, Gernot; Alteheld, Nils; Lütke Notarp, Dietmar; Wyatt, John; Richard, Gisbert

2005-03-01

This paper reports on methods and technical equipment to investigate the epiretinal stimulation of the retina in blind human subjects in acute trials. Current is applied to the retina through a thin, flexible microcontact film (microelectrode array) with electrode diameters ranging from 50 to 360 µm. The film is mounted in a custom-designed surgical tool that is hand-held by the surgeon during stimulation. The eventual goal of the work is the development of a chronically implantable retinal prosthesis to restore a useful level of vision to patients who are blind with outer retinal degenerations, specifically retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.

Electrodynamic tethers for energy conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nobles, W.

1986-01-01

Conductive tethers have been proposed as a new method for converting orbital mechanical energy into electrical power for use on-board a satellite (generator mode) or conversely (motor mode) as a method of providing electric propulsion using electrical energy from the satellite. The operating characteristics of such systems are functionally dependent on orbit altitude and inclination. Effects of these relationships are examined to determine acceptable regions of application. To identify system design considerations, a specific set of system performance goals and requirements are selected. The case selected is for a 25 kW auxiliary power system for use on Space Station. Appropriate system design considerations are developed, and the resulting system is described.

An overview of methods for comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Meyer, Anne-Marie; Wheeler, Stephanie B; Weinberger, Morris; Chen, Ronald C; Carpenter, William R

2014-01-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is a broad category of outcomes research encompassing many different methods employed by researchers and clinicians from numerous disciplines. The goal of cancer-focused CER is to generate new knowledge to assist cancer stakeholders in making informed decisions that will improve health care and outcomes of both individuals and populations. There are numerous CER methods that may be used to examine specific questions, including randomized controlled trials, observational studies, systematic literature reviews, and decision sciences modeling. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. To both inform and serve as a reference for readers of this issue of Seminars in Radiation Oncology as well as the broader oncology community, we describe CER and several of the more commonly used approaches and analytical methods. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Causality and Causal Inference in Social Work: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives

PubMed Central

Palinkas, Lawrence A.

2015-01-01

Achieving the goals of social work requires matching a specific solution to a specific problem. Understanding why the problem exists and why the solution should work requires a consideration of cause and effect. However, it is unclear whether it is desirable for social workers to identify cause and effect, whether it is possible for social workers to identify cause and effect, and, if so, what is the best means for doing so. These questions are central to determining the possibility of developing a science of social work and how we go about doing it. This article has four aims: (1) provide an overview of the nature of causality; (2) examine how causality is treated in social work research and practice; (3) highlight the role of quantitative and qualitative methods in the search for causality; and (4) demonstrate how both methods can be employed to support a “science” of social work. PMID:25821393

Heuristic Identification of Biological Architectures for Simulating Complex Hierarchical Genetic Interactions

PubMed Central

Moore, Jason H; Amos, Ryan; Kiralis, Jeff; Andrews, Peter C

2015-01-01

Simulation plays an essential role in the development of new computational and statistical methods for the genetic analysis of complex traits. Most simulations start with a statistical model using methods such as linear or logistic regression that specify the relationship between genotype and phenotype. This is appealing due to its simplicity and because these statistical methods are commonly used in genetic analysis. It is our working hypothesis that simulations need to move beyond simple statistical models to more realistically represent the biological complexity of genetic architecture. The goal of the present study was to develop a prototype genotype–phenotype simulation method and software that are capable of simulating complex genetic effects within the context of a hierarchical biology-based framework. Specifically, our goal is to simulate multilocus epistasis or gene–gene interaction where the genetic variants are organized within the framework of one or more genes, their regulatory regions and other regulatory loci. We introduce here the Heuristic Identification of Biological Architectures for simulating Complex Hierarchical Interactions (HIBACHI) method and prototype software for simulating data in this manner. This approach combines a biological hierarchy, a flexible mathematical framework, a liability threshold model for defining disease endpoints, and a heuristic search strategy for identifying high-order epistatic models of disease susceptibility. We provide several simulation examples using genetic models exhibiting independent main effects and three-way epistatic effects. PMID:25395175

5 CFR 451.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... achievement that contributes to meeting organizational goals or improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and..., performance goals, measurement systems, award formulas, or payout schedules. Award program means the specific...

Questioning Art: Factors Affecting Students' Cognitive Engagement in Responding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Julia E.; Lummis, Geoffrey W.; Lock, Graeme

2017-01-01

The "Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians" (MCEETYA, 2008) cited confident and creative citizens as a key goal for Australian students. This goal aligns with global research on visual arts, specifically visual literacy. Being visually literate means decoding images, understanding the relationship between image…

Characterizing a psychiatric symptom dimension related to deficits in goal-directed control.

PubMed

Gillan, Claire M; Kosinski, Michal; Whelan, Robert; Phelps, Elizabeth A; Daw, Nathaniel D

2016-03-01

Prominent theories suggest that compulsive behaviors, characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction, are driven by shared deficits in goal-directed control, which confers vulnerability for developing rigid habits. However, recent studies have shown that deficient goal-directed control accompanies several disorders, including those without an obvious compulsive element. Reasoning that this lack of clinical specificity might reflect broader issues with psychiatric diagnostic categories, we investigated whether a dimensional approach would better delineate the clinical manifestations of goal-directed deficits. Using large-scale online assessment of psychiatric symptoms and neurocognitive performance in two independent general-population samples, we found that deficits in goal-directed control were most strongly associated with a symptom dimension comprising compulsive behavior and intrusive thought. This association was highly specific when compared to other non-compulsive aspects of psychopathology. These data showcase a powerful new methodology and highlight the potential of a dimensional, biologically-grounded approach to psychiatry research.

The nonconscious cessation of goal pursuit: when goals and negative affect are coactivated.

PubMed

Aarts, Henk; Custers, Ruud; Holland, Rob W

2007-02-01

Extending on the recent investigation into the implicit affective processes underlying motivation and decision making, 5 studies examined the role of negative affect in moderating goal priming effects. Specifically, experimental effects on measures that typify motivational qualities of goal systems, such as keeping a goal at a heightened level of mental accessibility and exerting effort to work for a goal and experiencing desire to attain the goal, showed that the motivation and resultant operation of social goals cease when these goals are primed in temporal proximity of negatively valenced information. These goal cessation effects resulting from the mere coactivation of a goal and negative affect are discussed against the background of present research on nonconscious goal pursuit and the role of accessibility and desirability in the regulation of automatic goal-directed behavior. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Specifying content and mechanisms of change in interventions to change professionals' practice: an illustration from the Good Goals study in occupational therapy.

PubMed

Kolehmainen, Niina; Francis, Jill J

2012-10-18

It is widely agreed that interventions to change professionals' practice need to be clearly specified. This involves (1) selecting and defining the intervention techniques, (2) operationalising the techniques and deciding their delivery, and (3) formulating hypotheses about the mechanisms through which the techniques are thought to result in change. Descriptions of methods to achieve these objectives are limited. This paper reports methods and illustrates outputs from a study to meet these objectives, specifically from the Good Goals study to improve occupational therapists' caseload management practice. (1) Behaviour change techniques were identified and selected from an existing matrix that maps techniques to determinants. An existing coding manual was used to define the techniques. (2) A team of occupational therapists generated context-relevant, acceptable modes of delivery for the techniques; these data were compared and contrasted with previously collected data, literature on caseload management, and the aims of the intervention. (3) Hypotheses about the mechanisms of change were formulated by drawing on the matrix and on theories of behaviour change. (1) Eight behaviour change techniques were selected: goal specified; self-monitoring; contract; graded tasks; increasing skills (problem solving, decision making, goal setting); coping skills; rehearsal of relevant skills; social processes of encouragement, support, and pressure; demonstration by others; and feedback. (2) A range of modes of delivery were generated (e.g., graded tasks' consisting of series of clinical cases and situations that become increasingly difficult). Conditions for acceptable delivery were identified (e.g., 'self-monitoring' was acceptable only if delivered at team level). The modes of delivery were specified as face-to-face training, task sheets, group tasks, DVDs, and team-based weekly meetings. (3) The eight techniques were hypothesized to target caseload management practice through eleven mediating variables. Three domains were hypothesized to be most likely to change: beliefs about capabilities, motivation and goals, and behavioural regulation. The project provides an exemplar of a systematic and reportable development of a quality-improvement intervention, with its methods likely to be applicable to other projects. A subsequent study of the intervention has provided early indication that use of systematic methods to specify interventions may help to maximize acceptability and effectiveness.

Science and technology convergence: with emphasis for nanotechnology-inspired convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bainbridge, William S.; Roco, Mihail C.

2016-07-01

Convergence offers a new universe of discovery, innovation, and application opportunities through specific theories, principles, and methods to be implemented in research, education, production, and other societal activities. Using a holistic approach with shared goals, convergence seeks to transcend existing human limitations to achieve improved conditions for work, learning, aging, physical, and cognitive wellness. This paper outlines ten key theories that offer complementary perspectives on this complex dynamic. Principles and methods are proposed to facilitate and enhance science and technology convergence. Several convergence success stories in the first part of the 21st century—including nanotechnology and other emerging technologies—are discussed in parallel with case studies focused on the future. The formulation of relevant theories, principles, and methods aims at establishing the convergence science.

An Assessment of Nondestructive Evaluation Capability for Complex Additive Manufacturing Aerospace Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, James; Beshears, Ron; Lambert, Dennis; Tilson, William

2016-01-01

The primary focus of this work is to investigate some of the fundamental relationships between processing, mechanical testing, materials characterization, and NDE for additively manufactured (AM) components using the powder bed fusion direct melt laser sintered process. The goal is to understand the criticality of defects unique to the AM process and then how conventional nondestructive evaluation methods as well as some of the more non-traditional methods such as computed tomography, are effected by the AM material. Specific defects including cracking, porosity and partially/unfused powder will be addressed. Besides line-of-site NDE, as appropriate these inspection capabilities will be put into the context of complex AM geometries where hidden features obscure, or inhibit traditional NDE methods.

Automated Sample Preparation (ASP): Development of a Rapid Method to Sequentially Isolate Nucleic Acids and Protein from Any Sample Type by a Cartridge-Based System

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-27

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: CUBRC has developed an in-line, multi-analyte isolation technology that utilizes solid phase extraction chemistries to purify...goals. Specifically, CUBRC will design and manufacture a prototype cartridge(s) and test the prototype cartridge for its ability to isolate each...display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. CUBRC , Inc. P. O. Box 400 Buffalo, NY 14225 -1955

Trajectory determinations and collection of micrometeoroids on the space station. Report of the Workshop on Micrometeorite Capture Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoerz, F. (Editor)

1986-01-01

Summaries of papers presented at the Workshop on Micrometeorite Capture Experiments are compiled. The goals of the workshop were to define the scientific objectives and the resulting performance requirements of a potential Space Station facility and to identify the major elements of a coherent development program that would generate the desired capabilities within the next decade. Specific topics include cosmic dust and space debris collection techniques, particle trajectory and source determination, and specimen analysis methods.

Announcing the Launch of CPTAC’s Proteogenomics DREAM Challenge | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

This week, we are excited to announce the launch of the National Cancer Institute’s Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) Proteogenomics Computational DREAM Challenge.  The aim of this Challenge is to encourage the generation of computational methods for extracting information from the cancer proteome and for linking those data to genomic and transcriptomic information.  The specific goals are to predict proteomic and phosphoproteomic data from other multiple data types including transcriptomics and genetics.

Automated real-time software development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Denise R.; Walker, Carrie K.; Turkovich, John J.

1993-01-01

A Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) system has been developed at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL) under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center. The CSDL CASE tool provides an automated method of generating source code and hard copy documentation from functional application engineering specifications. The goal is to significantly reduce the cost of developing and maintaining real-time scientific and engineering software while increasing system reliability. This paper describes CSDL CASE and discusses demonstrations that used the tool to automatically generate real-time application code.

Sonic Boom Modeling Technical Challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Brenda M.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the technical challenges in modeling sonic booms. The goal of this program is to develop knowledge, capabilities and technologies to enable overland supersonic flight. The specific objectives of the modeling are: (1) Develop and validate sonic boom propagation model through realistic atmospheres, including effects of turbulence (2) Develop methods enabling prediction of response of and acoustic transmission into structures impacted by sonic booms (3) Develop and validate psychoacoustic model of human response to sonic booms under both indoor and outdoor listening conditions, using simulators.

Internal dosimetry monitoring equipment: Present and future

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

Selby, J.; Carbaugh, E.H.; Lynch, T.P.

1993-09-01

We have attempted to characterize the current and future status of in vivo and in vitro measurement programs coupled with the associated radioanalytical methods and workplace monitoring. Developments in these areas must be carefully integrated by internal dosimetrists, radiochemists and field health physicists. Their goal should be uniform improvement rather than to focus on one specific area (e.g., dose modeling) to the neglect of other areas where the measurement capabilities are substantially less sophisticated and, therefore, the potential source of error is greatest.

Meteoroid Protection Methods for Spacecraft Radiators Using Heat Pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ernst, D. M.

1979-01-01

Various aspects of achieving a low mass heat pipe radiator for the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft were studied. Specific emphasis was placed on a concept applicable to a closed Brayton cycle power sub-system. Three aspects of inter-related problems were examined: (1) the armor for meteoroid protection, (2) emissivity of the radiator surface, and (3) the heat pipe itself. The study revealed several alternatives for the achievement of the stated goal, but a final recommendation for the best design requires further investigation.

Introduction and Goals for the National Children’s Study

PubMed Central

Hirschfeld, Steven

2018-01-01

The National Children’s Study (NCS) evolved in concept and planning to become an integrated systems based initiative to assess a full spectrum of health and capture the environmental factors and other influences that shape the trajectory of child development. The NCS built on prior work in health assessment, epidemiology, logistics, and methodology in order to address the broad goals of its mandate. To develop the specific methods and tools to conduct a study in multiple environments outside conventional health care delivery clinics the NCS invested in new approaches such as informatics, study operations, and the establishment of a Health Measurements Network to provide accurate, cost effective, and scientifically valid data that would be interoperable with data collected by other longitudinal studies around the world as well as with major national and international health improvement initiatives. PMID:29520353

Multiobjective optimization techniques for structural design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, S. S.

1984-01-01

The multiobjective programming techniques are important in the design of complex structural systems whose quality depends generally on a number of different and often conflicting objective functions which cannot be combined into a single design objective. The applicability of multiobjective optimization techniques is studied with reference to simple design problems. Specifically, the parameter optimization of a cantilever beam with a tip mass and a three-degree-of-freedom vabration isolation system and the trajectory optimization of a cantilever beam are considered. The solutions of these multicriteria design problems are attempted by using global criterion, utility function, game theory, goal programming, goal attainment, bounded objective function, and lexicographic methods. It has been observed that the game theory approach required the maximum computational effort, but it yielded better optimum solutions with proper balance of the various objective functions in all the cases.

Development of a software safety process and a case study of its use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, John C.

1993-01-01

The goal of this research is to continue the development of a comprehensive approach to software safety and to evaluate the approach with a case study. The case study is a major part of the project, and it involves the analysis of a specific safety-critical system from the medical equipment domain. The particular application being used was selected because of the availability of a suitable candidate system. We consider the results to be generally applicable and in no way particularly limited by the domain. The research is concentrating on issues raised by the specification and verification phases of the software lifecycle since they are central to our previously-developed rigorous definitions of software safety. The theoretical research is based on our framework of definitions for software safety. In the area of specification, the main topics being investigated are the development of techniques for building system fault trees that correctly incorporate software issues and the development of rigorous techniques for the preparation of software safety specifications. The research results are documented. Another area of theoretical investigation is the development of verification methods tailored to the characteristics of safety requirements. Verification of the correct implementation of the safety specification is central to the goal of establishing safe software. The empirical component of this research is focusing on a case study in order to provide detailed characterizations of the issues as they appear in practice, and to provide a testbed for the evaluation of various existing and new theoretical results, tools, and techniques. The Magnetic Stereotaxis System is summarized.

Designing a Leadership Development Program for Surgeons

PubMed Central

Jaffe, Gregory A.; Pradarelli, Jason C.; Lemak, Christy Harris; Mulholland, Michael W.; Dimick, Justin B.

2015-01-01

Background Although numerous leadership development programs exist in healthcare, no programs have been specifically designed to meet the needs of surgeons. This study aimed to elicit practicing surgeons’ motivations and desired goals for leadership training in order to design an evidence-based Leadership Development Program (LDP) in surgery. Materials and Methods At a large academic health center, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 surgical faculty members who voluntarily applied and were selected for participation in a newly created LDP. Transcriptions of the interviews were analyzed using analyst triangulation and thematic coding in order to extract major themes regarding surgeons’ motivations and perceived needs for leadership knowledge and skills. Themes from interview responses were then used to design the program curriculum specifically to meet the leadership needs of surgical faculty. Results Three major themes emerged regarding surgeons’ motivations for seeking leadership training: 1) Recognizing key gaps in their formal preparation for leadership roles; 2) Exhibiting an appetite for personal self-improvement; and 3) Seeking leadership guidance for career advancement. Participants’ interviews revealed four specific domains of knowledge and skills that they indicated as desired takeaways from a leadership development program: 1) leadership and communication; 2) team building; 3) business acumen/finance; and 4) greater understanding of the healthcare context. Conclusions Interviews with surgical faculty members identified gaps in prior leadership training and demonstrated concrete motivations and specific goals for participating in a formal leadership program. A Leadership Development Program that is specifically tailored to address the needs of surgical faculty may benefit surgeons at a personal and institutional level. PMID:26323368

How the gastroenterology nurse can establish and meet career goals.

PubMed

Greenwald, Beverly

2006-01-01

A career goal promotes professional growth for the gastroenterology nurse. Short-term goals (achievable in less than one year) focus toward attaining a long-term goal (achievable in 5 to 10 years). The steps to achieving a career goal are self-assessment, career goal development, action plan development, implementation of the action plan, evaluation, and the establishment of a new goal. A career goal must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and have a specified time frame. A tailor-made action plan is a list of interventions to promote goal achievement within the specified time frame. A goal posted in a prominent area is less likely to be forgotten and can guide day-to-day activities. A career goal should be reviewed and revised at least annually. A professional resume documents these career achievements.

Field Guide for Designing Human Interaction with Intelligent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Thronesbery, Carroll G.

1998-01-01

The characteristics of this Field Guide approach address the problems of designing innovative software to support user tasks. The requirements for novel software are difficult to specify a priori, because there is not sufficient understanding of how the users' tasks should be supported, and there are not obvious pre-existing design solutions. When the design team is in unfamiliar territory, care must be taken to avoid rushing into detailed design, requirements specification, or implementation of the wrong product. The challenge is to get the right design and requirements in an efficient, cost-effective manner. This document's purpose is to describe the methods we are using to design human interactions with intelligent systems which support Space Shuttle flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at NASA/Johnson Space Center. Although these software systems usually have some intelligent features, the design challenges arise primarily from the innovation needed in the software design. While these methods are tailored to our specific context, they should be extensible, and helpful to designers of human interaction with other types of automated systems. We review the unique features of this context so that you can determine how to apply these methods to your project Throughout this Field Guide, goals of the design methods are discussed. This should help designers understand how a specific method might need to be adapted to the project at hand.

Comparative multi-goal tradeoffs in systems engineering of microbial metabolism

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Metabolic engineering design methodology has evolved from using pathway-centric, random and empirical-based methods to using systems-wide, rational and integrated computational and experimental approaches. Persistent during these advances has been the desire to develop design strategies that address multiple simultaneous engineering goals, such as maximizing productivity, while minimizing raw material costs. Results Here, we use constraint-based modeling to systematically design multiple combinations of medium compositions and gene-deletion strains for three microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Shewanella oneidensis) and six industrially important byproducts (acetate, D-lactate, hydrogen, ethanol, formate, and succinate). We evaluated over 435 million simulated conditions and 36 engineering metabolic traits, including product rates, costs, yields and purity. Conclusions The resulting metabolic phenotypes can be classified into dominant clusters (meta-phenotypes) for each organism. These meta-phenotypes illustrate global phenotypic variation and sensitivities, trade-offs associated with multiple engineering goals, and fundamental differences in organism-specific capabilities. Given the increasing number of sequenced genomes and corresponding stoichiometric models, we envisage that the proposed strategy could be extended to address a growing range of biological questions and engineering applications. PMID:23009214

Enabling Comprehension of Patient Subgroups and Characteristics in Large Bipartite Networks: Implications for Precision Medicine

PubMed Central

Bhavnani, Suresh K.; Chen, Tianlong; Ayyaswamy, Archana; Visweswaran, Shyam; Bellala, Gowtham; Rohit, Divekar; Kevin E., Bassler

2017-01-01

A primary goal of precision medicine is to identify patient subgroups based on their characteristics (e.g., comorbidities or genes) with the goal of designing more targeted interventions. While network visualization methods such as Fruchterman-Reingold have been used to successfully identify such patient subgroups in small to medium sized data sets, they often fail to reveal comprehensible visual patterns in large and dense networks despite having significant clustering. We therefore developed an algorithm called ExplodeLayout, which exploits the existence of significant clusters in bipartite networks to automatically “explode” a traditional network layout with the goal of separating overlapping clusters, while at the same time preserving key network topological properties that are critical for the comprehension of patient subgroups. We demonstrate the utility of ExplodeLayout by visualizing a large dataset extracted from Medicare consisting of readmitted hip-fracture patients and their comorbidities, demonstrate its statistically significant improvement over a traditional layout algorithm, and discuss how the resulting network visualization enabled clinicians to infer mechanisms precipitating hospital readmission in specific patient subgroups. PMID:28815099

Failure Analysis for Composition of Web Services Represented as Labeled Transition Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadkarni, Dinanath; Basu, Samik; Honavar, Vasant; Lutz, Robyn

The Web service composition problem involves the creation of a choreographer that provides the interaction between a set of component services to realize a goal service. Several methods have been proposed and developed to address this problem. In this paper, we consider those scenarios where the composition process may fail due to incomplete specification of goal service requirements or due to the fact that the user is unaware of the functionality provided by the existing component services. In such cases, it is desirable to have a composition algorithm that can provide feedback to the user regarding the cause of failure in the composition process. Such feedback will help guide the user to re-formulate the goal service and iterate the composition process. We propose a failure analysis technique for composition algorithms that views Web service behavior as multiple sequences of input/output events. Our technique identifies the possible cause of composition failure and suggests possible recovery options to the user. We discuss our technique using a simple e-Library Web service in the context of the MoSCoE Web service composition framework.

Quality of Individualised Education Programme Goals and Objectives for Preschool Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rakap, Salih

2015-01-01

Individualised education programmes (IEPs) are the road maps for individualising services for children with disabilities, specifically through the development of high-quality child goals/objectives. High-quality IEP goals/objectives that are developed based on a comprehensive assessment of child functioning and directly connected to intervention…

The Decision Tree: A Tool for Achieving Behavioral Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saren, Dru

1999-01-01

Presents a "Decision Tree" process for structuring team decision making and problem solving about specific student behavioral goals. The Decision Tree involves a sequence of questions/decisions that can be answered in "yes/no" terms. Questions address reasonableness of the goal, time factors, importance of the goal, responsibilities, safety,…

Feasibility of a shorter Goal Attainment Scaling method for a pediatric spasticity clinic - The 3-milestones GAS.

PubMed

Krasny-Pacini, A; Pauly, F; Hiebel, J; Godon, S; Isner-Horobeti, M-E; Chevignard, M

2017-07-01

Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) is a method for writing personalized evaluation scales to quantify progress toward defined goals. It is useful in rehabilitation but is hampered by the experience required to adequately "predict" the possible outcomes relating to a particular goal before treatment and the time needed to describe all 5 levels of the scale. Here we aimed to investigate the feasibility of using GAS in a clinical setting of a pediatric spasticity clinic with a shorter method, the "3-milestones" GAS (goal setting with 3 levels and goal rating with the classical 5 levels). Secondary aims were to (1) analyze the types of goals children's therapists set for botulinum toxin treatment and (2) compare the score distribution (and therefore the ability to predict outcome) by goal type. Therapists were trained in GAS writing and prepared GAS scales in the regional spasticity-management clinic they attended with their patients and families. The study included all GAS scales written during a 2-year period. GAS score distribution across the 5 GAS levels was examined to assess whether the therapist could reliably predict outcome and whether the 3-milestones GAS yielded similar distributions as the original GAS method. In total, 541 GAS scales were written and showed the expected score distribution. Most scales (55%) referred to movement quality goals and fewer (29%) to family goals and activity domains. The 3-milestones GAS method was feasible within the time constraints of the spasticity clinic and could be used by local therapists in cooperation with the hospital team. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Academic Self-Handicapping and Achievement Goals: A Further Examination.

PubMed

Midgley, Carol; Urdan, Tim

2001-01-01

This study extends previous research on the relations among students' personal achievement goals, perceptions of the classroom goal structure, and reports of the use of self-handicapping strategies. Surveys, specific to the math domain, were given to 484 7th-grade students in nine middle schools. Personal performance-avoid goals positively predicted handicapping, whereas personal performance-approach goals did not. Personal task goals negatively predicted handicapping. Perceptions of a performance goal structure positively predicted handicapping, and perceptions of a task goal structure negatively predicted handicapping, independent of personal goals. Median splits used to examine multiple goal profiles revealed that students high in performance-avoid goals used handicapping more than did those low in performance-avoid goals regardless of the level of task goals. Students low in performance-avoid goals and high in task goals handicapped less than those low in both goals. Level of performance-approach goals had little effect on the relation between task goals and handicapping. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

A Systematic Literature Review of US Engineering Ethics Interventions.

PubMed

Hess, Justin L; Fore, Grant

2018-04-01

Promoting the ethical formation of engineering students through the cultivation of their discipline-specific knowledge, sensitivity, imagination, and reasoning skills has become a goal for many engineering education programs throughout the United States. However, there is neither a consensus throughout the engineering education community regarding which strategies are most effective towards which ends, nor which ends are most important. This study provides an overview of engineering ethics interventions within the U.S. through the systematic analysis of articles that featured ethical interventions in engineering, published in select peer-reviewed journals, and published between 2000 and 2015. As a core criterion, each journal article reviewed must have provided an overview of the course as well as how the authors evaluated course-learning goals. In sum, 26 articles were analyzed with a coding scheme that included 56 binary items. The results indicate that the most common methods for integrating ethics into engineering involved exposing students to codes/standards, utilizing case studies, and discussion activities. Nearly half of the articles had students engage with ethical heuristics or philosophical ethics. Following the presentation of the results, this study describes in detail four articles to highlight less common but intriguing pedagogical methods and evaluation techniques. The findings indicate that there is limited empirical work on ethics education within engineering across the United States. Furthermore, due to the large variation in goals, approaches, and evaluation methods described across interventions, this study does not detail "best" practices for integrating ethics into engineering. The science and engineering education community should continue exploring the relative merits of different approaches to ethics education in engineering.

What barriers thwart postpartum women's physical activity goals during a 12-month intervention? A process evaluation of the Nā Mikimiki Project.

PubMed

Albright, Cheryl L; Saiki, Kara; Steffen, Alana D; Woekel, Erica

2015-01-01

Approximately 70% of new mothers do not meet national guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The Nā Mikimiki ("the active ones") Project (2008-2011) was designed to increase MVPA among women with infants 2-12 months old. Participants' barriers to exercising and achievement of specific MVPA goals were discussed during telephone counseling calls over 12 months. Healthy, inactive women (n = 115, mean age = 31 ± 5 years, infants' mean age = 5.5 ± 3 months; 80% racial/ethnic minorities) received a total of 17 calls over 12 months in three phases. During Phase 1 weekly calls were made for a month, in Phase 2 biweekly calls were made for 2 months, and in Phase 3 monthly calls were made for 9 months. Across all phases, the most frequent barriers to achieving MVPA goals were: time/too busy (25%), sick child (11%), and illness (10%). Goals for MVPA minutes per week were achieved or surpassed 40.6% of the time during weekly calls, 39.9% during biweekly calls, and 42.0% during monthly calls. The least likely MVPA goals to be achieved (p < 0.04) were those which the woman encountered and for which she failed to overcome the barriers she had previously anticipated would impair her improvement of MVPA. This process evaluation demonstrated that telephone counseling somewhat facilitated the resolution of barriers and achievement of MVPA goals; thus, if clinical settings adopted such methods, chronic disease risks could be reduced in this vulnerable population of new mothers.

Using Predictive Evaluation to Design, Evaluate, and Improve Training for Polio Volunteers

PubMed Central

Traicoff, Denise A.; Basarab, Dave; Ehrhardt, Derek T.; Brown, Sandi; Celaya, Martin; Jarvis, Dennis; Howze, Elizabeth H.

2018-01-01

Background Predictive Evaluation (PE) uses a four-step process to predict results then designs and evaluates a training intervention accordingly. In 2012, the Sustainable Management Development Program (SMDP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used PE to train Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program volunteers. Methods Stakeholders defined specific beliefs and practices that volunteers should demonstrate. These predictions and adult learning practices were used to design a curriculum to train four cohorts. At the end of each workshop, volunteers completed a beliefs survey and wrote goals for intended actions. The goals were analyzed for acceptability based on four PE criteria. The percentage of acceptable goals and the beliefs survey results were used to define the quality of the workshop. A postassignment adoption evaluation was conducted for two cohorts, using an online survey and telephone or in-person structured interviews. The results were compared with the end of workshop findings. Results The percentage of acceptable goals across the four cohorts ranged from 49% to 85%. In the adoption evaluation of two cohorts, 88% and 94% of respondents reported achieving or making significant progress toward their goal. A comparison of beliefs survey responses across the four cohorts indicated consistencies in beliefs that aligned with stakeholders’ predictions. Conclusions Goal statements that participants write at the end of a workshop provide data to evaluate training quality. Beliefs surveys surface attitudes that could help or hinder workplace performance. The PE approach provides an innovative framework for health worker training and evaluation that emphasizes performance. PMID:29457126

A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Motivations, Goals, and Aspirations of Male and Female Academic Medical Faculty.

PubMed

Jones, Rochelle DeCastro; Griffith, Kent A; Ubel, Peter A; Stewart, Abigail; Jagsi, Reshma

2016-08-01

Understanding the goals and aspirations of the physician-scientist workforce can inform policies to promote retention. The authors explored gender differences therein, given women's increasing representation. In 2010-2011, the authors qualitatively analyzed interviews with 100 former recipients of National Institutes of Health career development awards and 28 of their mentors. They also compared survey responses of 1,267 clinician-investigators who received these awards from 2006 to 2009, using logistic regression to evaluate gender differences after adjusting for other characteristics. Interview participants described relatively consistent career goals, including scientific contribution and desire to positively affect lives through research, clinical care, and teaching. For many, the specific ways they sought to achieve and measure goal attainment evolved over time. Survey respondents endorsed a goal of publishing high-quality research with highest frequency (97.3%, no significant gender difference). Women were more likely to endorse the importance of balancing work and other activities (95.5% vs. 90.5%, P < .001). There were no significant gender differences in the importance of patient care (86.6%), teaching (71.6%), or publishing prolifically (64.9%). Men were more likely than women to consider salary (49.4% vs. 41.8%, P < .001), reputation (84.2% vs. 77.6%, P = .004), and leadership positions (38.9% vs. 34.3%, P = .03) important. In an elite research-oriented sample, gender differences in initial aspirations were generally limited. Gender differences in career outcomes in such groups are unlikely to exclusively result from different baseline aspirations. Goals appear to evolve in response to challenges experienced.

Probabilistic drug connectivity mapping

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of connectivity mapping is to match drugs using drug-treatment gene expression profiles from multiple cell lines. This can be viewed as an information retrieval task, with the goal of finding the most relevant profiles for a given query drug. We infer the relevance for retrieval by data-driven probabilistic modeling of the drug responses, resulting in probabilistic connectivity mapping, and further consider the available cell lines as different data sources. We use a special type of probabilistic model to separate what is shared and specific between the sources, in contrast to earlier connectivity mapping methods that have intentionally aggregated all available data, neglecting information about the differences between the cell lines. Results We show that the probabilistic multi-source connectivity mapping method is superior to alternatives in finding functionally and chemically similar drugs from the Connectivity Map data set. We also demonstrate that an extension of the method is capable of retrieving combinations of drugs that match different relevant parts of the query drug response profile. Conclusions The probabilistic modeling-based connectivity mapping method provides a promising alternative to earlier methods. Principled integration of data from different cell lines helps to identify relevant responses for specific drug repositioning applications. PMID:24742351

Engineering entrainment and adaptation in limit cycle systems : From biological inspiration to applications in robotics.

PubMed

Buchli, Jonas; Righetti, Ludovic; Ijspeert, Auke Jan

2006-12-01

Periodic behavior is key to life and is observed in multiple instances and at multiple time scales in our metabolism, our natural environment, and our engineered environment. A natural way of modeling or generating periodic behavior is done by using oscillators, i.e., dynamical systems that exhibit limit cycle behavior. While there is extensive literature on methods to analyze such dynamical systems, much less work has been done on methods to synthesize an oscillator to exhibit some specific desired characteristics. The goal of this article is twofold: (1) to provide a framework for characterizing and designing oscillators and (2) to review how classes of well-known oscillators can be understood and related to this framework. The basis of the framework is to characterize oscillators in terms of their fundamental temporal and spatial behavior and in terms of properties that these two behaviors can be designed to exhibit. This focus on fundamental properties is important because it allows us to systematically compare a large variety of oscillators that might at first sight appear very different from each other. We identify several specifications that are useful for design, such as frequency-locking behavior, phase-locking behavior, and specific output signal shape. We also identify two classes of design methods by which these specifications can be met, namely offline methods and online methods. By relating these specifications to our framework and by presenting several examples of how oscillators have been designed in the literature, this article provides a useful methodology and toolbox for designing oscillators for a wide range of purposes. In particular, the focus on synthesis of limit cycle dynamical systems should be useful both for engineering and for computational modeling of physical or biological phenomena.

Central station market development strategies for photovoltaics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Federal market development strategies designed to accelerate the market penetration of central station applications of photovoltaic energy system are analyzed. Since no specific goals were set for the commercialization of central station applications, strategic principles are explored which, when coupled with specific objectives for central stations, can produce a market development implementation plan. The study includes (1) background information on the National Photovoltaic Program, photovoltaic technology, and central stations; (2) a brief market assessment; (3) a discussion of the viewpoints of the electric utility industry with respect to solar energy; (4) a discussion of commercialization issues; and (5) strategy principles. It is recommended that a set of specific goals and objectives be defined for the photovoltaic central station program, and that these goals and objectives evolve into an implementation plan that identifies the appropriate federal role.

Central station market development strategies for photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-11-01

Federal market development strategies designed to accelerate the market penetration of central station applications of photovoltaic energy system are analyzed. Since no specific goals were set for the commercialization of central station applications, strategic principles are explored which, when coupled with specific objectives for central stations, can produce a market development implementation plan. The study includes (1) background information on the National Photovoltaic Program, photovoltaic technology, and central stations; (2) a brief market assessment; (3) a discussion of the viewpoints of the electric utility industry with respect to solar energy; (4) a discussion of commercialization issues; and (5) strategy principles. It is recommended that a set of specific goals and objectives be defined for the photovoltaic central station program, and that these goals and objectives evolve into an implementation plan that identifies the appropriate federal role.

Inventory of Amphibians and Reptiles in Southern Colorado Plateau National Parks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Persons, Trevor B.; Nowak, Erika M.

2006-01-01

In fiscal year 2000, the National Park Service (NPS) initiated a nationwide program to inventory vertebrates andvascular plants within the National Parks, and an inventory plan was developed for the 19 park units in the Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network. We surveyed 12 parks in this network for reptiles and amphibians between 2001 and 2003. The overall goals of our herpetofaunal inventories were to document 90% of the species present, identify park-specific species of special concern, and, based on the inventory results, make recommendations for the development of an effective monitoring program. We used the following standardized herpetological methods to complete the inventories: time-area constrained searches, visual encounter ('general') surveys, and nighttime road cruising. We also recorded incidental species sightings and surveyed existing literature and museum specimen databases. We found 50 amphibian and reptile species during fieldwork. These included 1 salamander, 11 anurans, 21 lizards, and 17 snakes. Literature reviews, museum specimen data records, and personal communications with NPS staff added an additional eight species, including one salamander, one turtle, one lizard, and five snakes. It was necessary to use a variety of methods to detect all species in each park. Randomly-generated 1-ha time-area constrained searches and night drives produced the fewest species and individuals of all the methods, while general surveys and randomly-generated 10-ha time-areas constrained searches produced the most. Inventory completeness was likely compromised by a severe drought across the region during our surveys. In most parks we did not come close to the goal of detecting 90% of the expected species present; however, we did document several species range extensions. Effective monitoring programs for herpetofauna on the Colorado Plateau should use a variety of methods to detect species, and focus on taxa-specific methods. Randomly-generated plots must take into account microhabitat and aquatic features to be effective at sampling for herpetofauna.

The role of goal-focused leadership in enabling the expression of conscientiousness.

PubMed

Colbert, Amy E; Witt, L A

2009-05-01

The authors tested the hypothesis that goal-focused leadership enables conscientious workers to perform effectively by helping them to accurately understand organizational goal priorities. Data collected from 162 workers in a private sector document processing organization supported the hypotheses that goal-focused leadership moderates the relationship between conscientiousness and job performance and that person-organization goal congruence mediates this moderated relationship. Specifically, conscientiousness was more strongly positively related to performance among workers who perceived that their supervisors effectively set goals and defined roles, responsibilities, and priorities than among workers who did not perceive this type of goal-focused leadership. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

A World Fit for Children: Millennium Development Goals; Special Session on Children Documents; The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

In May 2002, participants at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Children committed to a set of specific goals for children and youth and a basic framework for meeting these goals. This report compiles the commitments that were part of the Special Session: (1) the Millennium Development Goals, earlier pledged to by all 189…

Dysregulation in level of goal and action identification across psychological disorders.

PubMed

Watkins, Edward

2011-03-01

Goals, events, and actions can be mentally represented within a hierarchical framework that ranges from more abstract to more concrete levels of identification. A more abstract level of identification involves general, superordinate, and decontextualized mental representations that convey the meaning of goals, events, and actions, "why" an action is performed, and its purpose, ends, and consequences. A more concrete level of identification involves specific and subordinate mental representations that include contextual details of goals, events, and actions, and the specific "how" details of an action. This review considers three lines of evidence for considering that dysregulation of level of goal/action identification may be a transdiagnostic process. First, there is evidence that different levels of identification have distinct functional consequences and that in non-clinical samples level of goal/action identification appears to be regulated in a flexible and adaptive way to match the level of goal/action identification to circumstances. Second, there is evidence that level of goal/action identification causally influences symptoms and processes involved in psychological disorders, including emotional response, repetitive thought, impulsivity, problem solving and procrastination. Third, there is evidence that the level of goal/action identification is biased and/or dysregulated in certain psychological disorders, with a bias towards more abstract identification for negative events in depression, GAD, PTSD, and social anxiety. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dysregulation in level of goal and action identification across psychological disorders

PubMed Central

Watkins, Edward

2011-01-01

Goals, events, and actions can be mentally represented within a hierarchical framework that ranges from more abstract to more concrete levels of identification. A more abstract level of identification involves general, superordinate, and decontextualized mental representations that convey the meaning of goals, events, and actions, “why” an action is performed, and its purpose, ends, and consequences. A more concrete level of identification involves specific and subordinate mental representations that include contextual details of goals, events, and actions, and the specific “how” details of an action. This review considers three lines of evidence for considering that dysregulation of level of goal/action identification may be a transdiagnostic process. First, there is evidence that different levels of identification have distinct functional consequences and that in non-clinical samples level of goal/action identification appears to be regulated in a flexible and adaptive way to match the level of goal/action identification to circumstances. Second, there is evidence that level of goal/action identification causally influences symptoms and processes involved in psychological disorders, including emotional response, repetitive thought, impulsivity, problem solving and procrastination. Third, there is evidence that the level of goal/action identification is biased and/or dysregulated in certain psychological disorders, with a bias towards more abstract identification for negative events in depression, GAD, PTSD, and social anxiety. PMID:20579789

Pro-Social Goals in Achievement Situations: Amity Goal Orientation Enhances the Positive Effects of Mastery Goal Orientation.

PubMed

Levontin, Liat; Bardi, Anat

2018-04-01

Research has neglected the utility of pro-social goals within achievement situations. In this article, four studies demonstrate that amity goal orientation, promoting mutual success of oneself together with others, enhances the utility of mastery goal orientation. We demonstrate this in longitudinally predicting performance (Studies 1 and 2) and in maintaining motivation after a disappointing performance (Studies 3 and 4). The studies demonstrate the same interaction effect in academic and in work achievement contexts. Specifically, whereas amity goal orientation did not predict achievement on its own, it enhanced the positive effect of mastery goal orientation. Together, these studies establish the importance of amity goal orientation while also advancing our understanding of the effects of other achievement goal orientations. We suggest future directions in examining the utility of amity goals in other contexts.

3D hierarchical spatial representation and memory of multimodal sensory data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosla, Deepak; Dow, Paul A.; Huber, David J.

2009-04-01

This paper describes an efficient method and system for representing, processing and understanding multi-modal sensory data. More specifically, it describes a computational method and system for how to process and remember multiple locations in multimodal sensory space (e.g., visual, auditory, somatosensory, etc.). The multimodal representation and memory is based on a biologically-inspired hierarchy of spatial representations implemented with novel analogues of real representations used in the human brain. The novelty of the work is in the computationally efficient and robust spatial representation of 3D locations in multimodal sensory space as well as an associated working memory for storage and recall of these representations at the desired level for goal-oriented action. We describe (1) A simple and efficient method for human-like hierarchical spatial representations of sensory data and how to associate, integrate and convert between these representations (head-centered coordinate system, body-centered coordinate, etc.); (2) a robust method for training and learning a mapping of points in multimodal sensory space (e.g., camera-visible object positions, location of auditory sources, etc.) to the above hierarchical spatial representations; and (3) a specification and implementation of a hierarchical spatial working memory based on the above for storage and recall at the desired level for goal-oriented action(s). This work is most useful for any machine or human-machine application that requires processing of multimodal sensory inputs, making sense of it from a spatial perspective (e.g., where is the sensory information coming from with respect to the machine and its parts) and then taking some goal-oriented action based on this spatial understanding. A multi-level spatial representation hierarchy means that heterogeneous sensory inputs (e.g., visual, auditory, somatosensory, etc.) can map onto the hierarchy at different levels. When controlling various machine/robot degrees of freedom, the desired movements and action can be computed from these different levels in the hierarchy. The most basic embodiment of this machine could be a pan-tilt camera system, an array of microphones, a machine with arm/hand like structure or/and a robot with some or all of the above capabilities. We describe the approach, system and present preliminary results on a real-robotic platform.

A Method for Capturing and Reconciling Stakeholder Intentions Based on the Formal Concept Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoyama, Mikio

Information systems are ubiquitous in our daily life. Thus, information systems need to work appropriately anywhere at any time for everybody. Conventional information systems engineering tends to engineer systems from the viewpoint of systems functionality. However, the diversity of the usage context requires fundamental change compared to our current thinking on information systems; from the functionality the systems provide to the goals the systems should achieve. The intentional approach embraces the goals and related aspects of the information systems. This chapter presents a method for capturing, structuring and reconciling diverse goals of multiple stakeholders. The heart of the method lies in the hierarchical structuring of goals by goal lattice based on the formal concept analysis, a semantic extension of the lattice theory. We illustrate the effectiveness of the presented method through application to the self-checkout systems for large-scale supermarkets.

Classification of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences after breast conservation therapy can predict patient prognosis and facilitate treatment planning

PubMed Central

Yi, Min; Buchholz, Thomas A.; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Bedrosian, Isabelle; Hwang, Rosa F.; Ross, Merrick I.; Kuerer, Henry M.; Luo, Sheng; Gonzalez-Angulo, Ana M.; Buzdar, Aman U.; Symmans, W. Fraser; Feig, Barry W.; Lucci, Anthony; Huang, Eugene H.; Hunt, Kelly K.

2015-01-01

Objective To classify ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTR) as either new primary tumors (NP) or true local recurrence (TR). We utilized two different methods and compared sensitivities and specificities between them. Our goal was to determine whether distinguishing NP from TR had prognostic value. Summary Background Data After breast-conservation therapy (BCT), IBTR may be classified into two distinct types (NP and TR). Studies have attempted to classify IBTR by using tumor location, histologic subtype, DNA flow cytometry data, or gene-expression profiling data. Methods 447 (7.9%) of 5660 patients undergoing BCT from 1970 to 2005 experienced IBTR. Clinical data from 397 patients were available for review. We classified IBTRs as NP or TR on the basis of either tumor location and histologic subtype (method 1) or tumor location, histologic subtype, estrogen receptor (ER) status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) status (method 2). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to evaluate overall and disease-specific survival (DSS) differences between the two groups. Classification methods were validated by calculating sensitivity and specificity values using a Bayesian method. Results Of 397 patients, 196 (49.4%) were classified as NP by method 1 and 212 (53.4%) were classified as NP by method 2. The sensitivity and specificity values were 0.812 and 0.867 for method 1 and 0.870 and 0.800 for method 2, respectively. Regardless of method used, patients classified as NP developed contralateral breast carcinoma more often but had better 10-year overall and DSS rates than those classified as TR. Patients with TR were more likely to develop metastatic disease after IBTR. Conclusion IBTR classified as TR and NP had clinically different features, suggesting that classifying IBTR may provide clinically significant data for the management of IBTR. PMID:21209588

National-Level Wetland Policy Specificity and Goals Vary According to Political and Economic Indicators.

PubMed

Peimer, Alex W; Krzywicka, Adrianna E; Cohen, Dora B; Van den Bosch, Kyle; Buxton, Valerie L; Stevenson, Natalie A; Matthews, Jeffrey W

2017-01-01

Growing recognition of the importance of wetlands to human and ecosystem well-being has led countries worldwide to implement wetland protection policies. Different countries have taken different approaches to wetland protection by implementing various policies, including territorial exclusion, market-based offsetting, and incentive programs for land users. Our objective was to describe the relationship between components of national-level wetland protection policies and national characteristics, including natural resource, economic, social, and political factors. We compiled data on the wetland policies of all 193 countries recognized by the U.N. and described the relationships among wetland policy goals and wetland protection mechanisms using non-metric multidimensional scaling. The first non-metric multidimensional scaling axis strongly correlated with whether a country had a wetland-specific environmental policy in place. Adoption of a comprehensive, wetland-specific policy was positively associated with degree of democracy and a commitment to establishing protected areas. The second non-metric multidimensional scaling axis defined a continuum of policy goals and mechanisms by which wetlands are protected, with goals to protect wetland ecosystem services on one end of the spectrum and goals to protect biodiversity on the other. Goals for protecting ecosystem services were frequently cited in policy documents of countries with agriculture-based economies, whereas goals associated with wetland biodiversity tended to be associated with tourism-based economies. We argue that the components of a country's wetland policies reflect national-level resource and economic characteristics. Understanding the relationship between the type of wetland policy countries adopt and national-level characteristics is critical for international efforts to protect wetlands.

National-Level Wetland Policy Specificity and Goals Vary According to Political and Economic Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peimer, Alex W.; Krzywicka, Adrianna E.; Cohen, Dora B.; Van den Bosch, Kyle; Buxton, Valerie L.; Stevenson, Natalie A.; Matthews, Jeffrey W.

2017-01-01

Growing recognition of the importance of wetlands to human and ecosystem well-being has led countries worldwide to implement wetland protection policies. Different countries have taken different approaches to wetland protection by implementing various policies, including territorial exclusion, market-based offsetting, and incentive programs for land users. Our objective was to describe the relationship between components of national-level wetland protection policies and national characteristics, including natural resource, economic, social, and political factors. We compiled data on the wetland policies of all 193 countries recognized by the U.N. and described the relationships among wetland policy goals and wetland protection mechanisms using non-metric multidimensional scaling. The first non-metric multidimensional scaling axis strongly correlated with whether a country had a wetland-specific environmental policy in place. Adoption of a comprehensive, wetland-specific policy was positively associated with degree of democracy and a commitment to establishing protected areas. The second non-metric multidimensional scaling axis defined a continuum of policy goals and mechanisms by which wetlands are protected, with goals to protect wetland ecosystem services on one end of the spectrum and goals to protect biodiversity on the other. Goals for protecting ecosystem services were frequently cited in policy documents of countries with agriculture-based economies, whereas goals associated with wetland biodiversity tended to be associated with tourism-based economies. We argue that the components of a country's wetland policies reflect national-level resource and economic characteristics. Understanding the relationship between the type of wetland policy countries adopt and national-level characteristics is critical for international efforts to protect wetlands.

Program Development: Identification and Formulation of Desirable Educational Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodlad, John I.

In this speech, the author suggests that the success of public schools depends heavily on commitment to and large-scale agreement on educational goals. He examines the difficulty in creating rational programs to carry out specific behavioral goals and the more remote ends usually stated for educational systems. The author then discusses the…

An Analysis of Training Focused on Improving SMART Goal Setting for Specific Employee Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worden, Jeannie M.

2014-01-01

This quantitative study examined the proficiency of employee SMART goal setting following the intervention of employee SMART goal setting training. Current challenges in higher education substantiate the need for employees to align their performance with the mission, vision, and strategic directions of the organization. A performance management…

A Process for Developing and Articulating Learning Goals or Competencies for Social and Emotional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Nick; Dusenbury, Linda

2017-01-01

Developing and articulating clear goals for student social and emotional learning (SEL) involves a number of important steps. This document focuses specifically on the articulation of learning goals (sometimes called "competencies" or "standards" in state and district policy) and suggests a process for those state teams that…

Moving Sustainability Forward: Energy Efficient Renovations and Solar Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Bill

2011-01-01

For any goal to be a "smart goal" it needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time sensitive. This is equally true for sustainability goals for educational facilities. Evidence abounds that "green strategies" greatly impact both the academic and operational performance of a school. Agencies from the U.S. Environmental Protection…

Applying organization science to assess the management performance of Marine Protected Areas: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Scianna, Claudia; Niccolini, Federico; Bianchi, Carlo Nike; Guidetti, Paolo

2018-06-18

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are important tools to achieve marine conservation and resources management goals. The management effectiveness of MPAs (the degree to which MPAs achieve their goals) is highly variable and can be affected by many MPA attributes, for example their design, enforcement and age. Another key factor possibly affecting MPA management effectiveness is the management performance, here conceived according to Horigue et al. definition (2014) as the "level of effort exerted to enhance and sustain management of MPAs". Organization Science (OS), the discipline that studies organizations, can offer a useful framework to assess and interpret MPA management performance. Using an exploratory multiple case study approach, we applied OS principles to 11 Mediterranean MPAs in order to: i) characterize several MPA organizational features; ii) assess MPA management performance (evaluated as the effort deployed in, for example, planning the future, formalizing measurable goals, and implementing specific strategies). Results show that a number of organizational features and networking attributes are highly variable among the MPAs we have studied. For instance, goals are seldom measurable and the strategy to achieve goals is not systematically pursued. Two relevant outcomes emerge from this exploratory study: i) the management performance of the MPAs considered needs considerable improvements; ii) the methods and the approach proposed could help MPAs' managers and policy makers to understand how to improve their management performance and, consequently, their effectiveness. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

In sport and now in medical school: examining students’ well-being and motivations for learning

PubMed Central

Mosewich, Amber

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate relationships between students’ past level of involvement in physical activity/sport and their motivations for learning (achievement goals) and well-being in medical school. In doing so, we provide evidence to medical programs to inform admission processes and curriculum planning. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Out of 640 medical students, 267 completed an online questionnaire with measures of: achievement goals, academic burnout, physical activity/sport involvement, and demographics. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (frequency, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, Cronbach alpha, Spearman correlation). Results Students who had pursued physical activity/sport at higher levels of involvement had lower academic burnout scores and endorsed maladaptive achievement goals to a less degree. Specifically, the level of students’ involvement in physical activity/sport was negatively correlated with academic burnout (r=-0.15, p=0.014) and with achievement goals of performance approach (r=-0.15, p=0.014), performance avoidance (r=-0.21, p=0.001), and mastery avoidance (r=-0.24, p<0.001). Conclusions Pursuit of dedicated personal activities such as sport appears to be associated with the desired quality of motivation and well-being of medical students. A school culture that fosters resilience of newly admitted students through extracurricular activities and raises students’ awareness of maladaptive and adaptive achievement goals is likely to be beneficial in addressing academic burnout and improving the mental health of medical students.   PMID:28968223

How to engage across sectors: lessons from agriculture and nutrition in the Brazilian School Feeding Program

PubMed Central

Hawkes, Corinna; Brazil, Bettina Gerken; de Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro; Jaime, Patricia Constante

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals. METHODS The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program. Main actors involved with the development of the law were interviewed and their narratives were analyzed using a well-established theoretical framework. RESULTS The study provides five key lessons for promoting intersectorality. First, nutrition and health practitioners can afford to embrace bold ideas when working with other sectors. Second, they should engage with more powerful sectors (or subsectors) and position nutrition goals as providing solutions that meet the interests of these sector. Third is the need to focus on a common goal – which may not be explicitly nutrition-related – as the focus of the intersectoral action. Fourth, philosophical, political, and governance spaces are needed to bring together different sectors. Fifth, evidence on the success of the intersectoral approach increases the acceptance of the process. CONCLUSIONS This study on policy processes shows how a convergence of factors enabled a link between family farming and school feeding in Brazil. It highlights that there are strategies to engage other sectors toward nutrition goals which provides benefits for all sectors involved. PMID:27533363

Implementing a framework for goal setting in community based stroke rehabilitation: a process evaluation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Goal setting is considered ‘best practice’ in stroke rehabilitation; however, there is no consensus regarding the key components of goal setting interventions or how they should be optimally delivered in practice. We developed a theory-based goal setting and action planning framework (G-AP) to guide goal setting practice. G-AP has 4 stages: goal negotiation, goal setting, action planning & coping planning and appraisal & feedback. All stages are recorded in a patient-held record. In this study we examined the implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits of G-AP in one community rehabilitation team with people recovering from stroke. Methods G-AP was implemented for 6 months with 23 stroke patients. In-depth interviews with 8 patients and 8 health professionals were analysed thematically to investigate views of its implementation, acceptability and perceived benefits. Case notes of interviewed patients were analysed descriptively to assess the fidelity of G-AP implementation. Results G-AP was mostly implemented according to protocol with deviations noted at the planning and appraisal and feedback stages. Each stage was felt to make a useful contribution to the overall process; however, in practice, goal negotiation and goal setting merged into one stage and the appraisal and feedback stage included an explicit decision making component. Only two issues were raised regarding G-APs acceptability: (i) health professionals were concerned about the impact of goal non-attainment on patient’s well-being (patients did not share their concerns), and (ii) some patients and health professionals found the patient-held record unhelpful. G-AP was felt to have a positive impact on patient goal attainment and professional goal setting practice. Collaborative partnerships between health professionals and patients were apparent throughout the process. Conclusions G-AP has been perceived as both beneficial and broadly acceptable in one community rehabilitation team; however, implementation of novel aspects of the framework was inconsistent. The regulatory function of goal non-attainment and the importance of creating flexible partnerships with patients have been highlighted. Further development of the G-AP framework, training package and patient held record is required to address the specific issues highlighted by this process evaluation. Further evaluation of G-AP is required across diverse community rehabilitation settings. PMID:23705824

Liability of concrete performance-based specification for Georgia DOT projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Performance-based specifications provide an alternative means of designing concrete to meet : specific performance-related goals. Instead of specifying materials, means, and proportions, as : current prescriptive specifications do, a performance-base...

Do People with Schizophrenia Have Difficulty Anticipating Pleasure, Engaging in Effortful Behavior, or Both?

PubMed Central

Gard, David E.; Sanchez, Amy H.; Cooper, Kathryn; Fisher, Melissa; Garrett, Coleman; Vinogradov, Sophia

2014-01-01

Motivation deficits are common in schizophrenia, but little is known about underlying mechanisms, or the specific goals that people with schizophrenia set in daily life. Using neurobiological heuristics of pleasure anticipation and effort assessment, we examined the quality of activities and goals of 47 people with and 41 people without schizophrenia, utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment. Participants were provided cell phones and called four times a day for seven days, and were asked about their current activities and anticipation of upcoming goals. Activities and goals were later coded by independent raters on pleasure and effort. In line with recent laboratory findings on effort computation deficits in schizophrenia, relative to healthy participants, people with schizophrenia reported engaging in less effortful activities and setting less effortful goals, which were related to patient functioning. In addition, patients showed some inaccuracy in estimating how difficult an effortful goal would be, which in turn was associated with lower neurocognition. In contrast to previous research, people with schizophrenia engaged in activities and set goals that were more pleasure-based, and anticipated goals as being more pleasurable than controls. Thus, this study provided evidence for difficulty with effortful behavior and not anticipation of pleasure. These findings may have psychosocial treatment implications, focusing on effort assessment/effort expenditure. For example, in order to help people with schizophrenia engage in more meaningful goal pursuits, treatment providers may leverage low-effort pleasurable goals by helping patients to break down larger, more complex goals into smaller, lower-effort steps that are associated with specific pleasurable rewards. PMID:25133986

Cp[prime]M(NO)R[sub 2]: 16-electron piano-stool molecules of molybdenum and tungsten

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

Legzdins, P.; Veltheer, J.E.

1993-02-01

A long-term goal of this research program is the development of organometallic nitrosyl complexes as specific reactants or selective catalysts for organic or organometallic transformations of practical significance. To attain this goal specifically with Cp[prime]M(NO)R[sub 2] system the authors developed new methods for their synthesis, established their characteristic physical and chemical properties, and are currently endeavoring to exploit those properties which are unique to the complexes. During our investigations, the authors have discovered that the Cp[prime]M(NO)R[sub 2] complexes react with a variety of small molecules, often in an unprecedented manner. The authors have also established several unique transformations that aremore » not exhibited by all members of this group of complexes. Indeed, the authors found that the chemical properties of these systems are often dependent on the metal, the nature of the R groups, and the type of Cp[prime] ligand. In this Account the authors summarize the synthesis, characterization, comparative reactivity, and distinctive chemical properties of the 16-electron Cp[prime]M(NO)R[sub 2] complexes known to date. 35 refs., 7 figs.« less

Towards numerical simulations of fluid-structure interactions for investigation of obstructive sleep apnea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chien-Jung; White, Susan M.; Huang, Shao-Ching; Mallya, Sanjay; Eldredge, Jeff D.

2014-11-01

Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is a medical condition characterized by repetitive partial or complete occlusion of the airway during sleep. The soft tissues in the airway of OSA patients are prone to collapse under the low pressure loads incurred during breathing. The numerical simulation with patient-specific upper airway model can provide assistance for diagnosis and treatment assessment. The eventual goal of this research is the development of numerical tool for air-tissue interactions in the upper airway of patients with OSA. This tool is expected to capture collapse of the airway in respiratory flow conditions, as well as the effects of various treatment protocols. Here, we present our ongoing progress toward this goal. A sharp-interface embedded boundary method is used on Cartesian grids for resolving the air-tissue interface in the complex patient-specific airway geometries. For the structure simulation, a cut-cell FEM is used. Non-linear Green strains are used for properly resolving the large tissue displacements in the soft palate structures. The fluid and structure solvers are strongly coupled. Preliminary results will be shown, including flow simulation inside the 3D rigid upper airway of patients with OSA, and several validation problem for the fluid-structure coupling.

A Task-oriented Approach for Hydrogeological Site Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin, Y.; Nowak, W.; de Barros, F.

2010-12-01

Hydrogeological site characterization is a challenging task from several reasons: (1) the large spatial variability and scarcity of prior information render the outcome of any planned sampling campaign uncertain; (2) there are no simple tools for comparing between the many alternative measurement techniques and data acquisition strategies, and (3) physical and budgetary constraints associated with data acquisition. This paper presents several ideas on how to plan sampling campaigns in a rational manner while addressing these challenges. The first idea is to recognize that different sites and different problems require different characterization strategies. Hence the idea is to plan data acquisition according to its capability for meeting site-specific goals. For example, the characterization needs at a “research problem” site (e.g., a site intended to investigate the transport of uranium in the subsurface such as in Hanford) are different from those of a “problem” site (e.g., contaminated site associated with a health risk to human such as Camp Lejeune, or determining the safe yield of an aquifer). This distinction requires planners to define the characterization goal(s) in a quantitative manner. The second idea is to define metrics that could link specific data types and data acquisition strategies with the site-specific goals in a way that would allow planners to compare between strongly different, alternatives strategies at the design stage (even prior to data acquisition) and to modify the strategies as more data become available. To meet this goal, we developed the concept of the (comparative) information yield curve. Finally, we propose to look at site characterization from the perspective of statistical hypothesis testing, whereby data acquisition strategies could be evaluated in terms of their ability to support or refute various hypotheses made with regard to the characterization goals, and the strategies could be modified once the test is completed. Accept/reject regions for hypothesis testing can be determined based on goals determined by regulations or by agreement between the stakeholders. Hypothesis-driven design could help in minimizing the chances of making wrong decision (false positives or false negatives) with regard to the site-specific goals.

The German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study (GOAL Study): design of a mixed-method study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In order to perform at top levels, elite athletes have to both protect and risk their health at the same time. Adolescent elite athletes have the additional challenge of coping with substantial physical, psychological and social transformations. The contradictory phenomenon of protecting and risking the adolescent athletes' health in sports challenges the development of health promotion and protection strategies. The GOAL Study (German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study) analyzes the individual and organizational management of health in adolescent elite sports. Methods/design We combine quantitative and qualitative approaches in a mixed-method study. This allows us to gather a broad range of representative information on squad athletes from all Olympic disciplines as well as in-depth information on four selected Olympic disciplines (artistic gymnastics, biathlon, handball and wrestling). Within the quantitative section we attempt to identify the young athletes' health and nutrition behavior, their subjective health state and their lay health representations, health-related social networks, and structures of medical attendance. 1138 national team level athletes born between 1992 and 1995 from 51 Olympic disciplines responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 61,75%). The qualitative section investigates the meaning and relevance of health and nutrition within the athletes' sports specific surroundings, the impact of biographic backgrounds on individual health behavior, and sports specific cultures of health, nutrition and risk. We interviewed 24 athletes and 28 coaching and medical experts, and carried out 14 multi-day participant observations at training sessions and competitions. Conclusions The studies' results will serve as the basis for developing tailored health promotion strategies to be in cooperation with German elite sports associations. PMID:21627777

Integrated methods for teaching population health.

PubMed

Sistrom, Maria Gilson; Zeigen, Laura; Jones, Melissa; Durham, Korana Fiol; Boudrot, Thomas

2011-01-01

The Institute of Medicine recommends reforms to public health education to better prepare the public health workforce. This study addresses the application of two of the recommended reforms in the population health nursing curriculum at one university: use of an ecological model and distance learning methods. Using interdisciplinary faculty, integrated teaching and learning methods, and a multimedia curriculum, this study examined the following question: can distance learning be designed to support learning goals and outcomes specific to an ecological approach and population health concepts in general? Course content was evaluated using students' perception of practice utility and understanding of population health concepts. Integrated teaching methods were evaluated using a scale as well as comparison to other student distance learning experiences within the university. Findings demonstrated that both the ecological model and distance learning methods were successfully used to teach population health to a large nursing student cohort. 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

International Technical Working Group Round Robin Tests

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

Dudder, Gordon B.; Hanlen, Richard C.; Herbillion, Georges M.

The goal of nuclear forensics is to develop a preferred approach to support illicit trafficking investigations. This approach must be widely understood and accepted as credible. The principal objectives of the Round Robin Tests are to prioritize forensic techniques and methods, evaluate attribution capabilities, and examine the utility of database. The HEU (Highly Enriched Uranium) Round Robin, and previous Plutonium Round Robin, have made tremendous contributions to fulfilling these goals through a collaborative learning experience that resulted from the outstanding efforts of the nine participating internal laboratories. A prioritized list of techniques and methods has been developed based on thismore » exercise. Current work is focused on the extent to which the techniques and methods can be generalized. The HEU Round Robin demonstrated a rather high level of capability to determine the important characteristics of the materials and processes using analytical methods. When this capability is combined with the appropriate knowledge/database, it results in a significant capability to attribute the source of the materials to a specific process or facility. A number of shortfalls were also identified in the current capabilities including procedures for non-nuclear forensics and the lack of a comprehensive network of data/knowledge bases. The results of the Round Robin will be used to develop guidelines or a ''recommended protocol'' to be made available to the interested authorities and countries to use in real cases.« less

Learning to reach by reinforcement learning using a receptive field based function approximation approach with continuous actions.

PubMed

Tamosiunaite, Minija; Asfour, Tamim; Wörgötter, Florentin

2009-03-01

Reinforcement learning methods can be used in robotics applications especially for specific target-oriented problems, for example the reward-based recalibration of goal directed actions. To this end still relatively large and continuous state-action spaces need to be efficiently handled. The goal of this paper is, thus, to develop a novel, rather simple method which uses reinforcement learning with function approximation in conjunction with different reward-strategies for solving such problems. For the testing of our method, we use a four degree-of-freedom reaching problem in 3D-space simulated by a two-joint robot arm system with two DOF each. Function approximation is based on 4D, overlapping kernels (receptive fields) and the state-action space contains about 10,000 of these. Different types of reward structures are being compared, for example, reward-on- touching-only against reward-on-approach. Furthermore, forbidden joint configurations are punished. A continuous action space is used. In spite of a rather large number of states and the continuous action space these reward/punishment strategies allow the system to find a good solution usually within about 20 trials. The efficiency of our method demonstrated in this test scenario suggests that it might be possible to use it on a real robot for problems where mixed rewards can be defined in situations where other types of learning might be difficult.

Practical approach to subject-specific estimation of knee joint contact force.

PubMed

Knarr, Brian A; Higginson, Jill S

2015-08-20

Compressive forces experienced at the knee can significantly contribute to cartilage degeneration. Musculoskeletal models enable predictions of the internal forces experienced at the knee, but validation is often not possible, as experimental data detailing loading at the knee joint is limited. Recently available data reporting compressive knee force through direct measurement using instrumented total knee replacements offer a unique opportunity to evaluate the accuracy of models. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of subject-specificity in increasing the accuracy of model predictions; however, these techniques may be unrealistic outside of a research setting. Therefore, the goal of our work was to identify a practical approach for accurate prediction of tibiofemoral knee contact force (KCF). Four methods for prediction of knee contact force were compared: (1) standard static optimization, (2) uniform muscle coordination weighting, (3) subject-specific muscle coordination weighting and (4) subject-specific strength adjustments. Walking trials for three subjects with instrumented knee replacements were used to evaluate the accuracy of model predictions. Predictions utilizing subject-specific muscle coordination weighting yielded the best agreement with experimental data; however this method required in vivo data for weighting factor calibration. Including subject-specific strength adjustments improved models' predictions compared to standard static optimization, with errors in peak KCF less than 0.5 body weight for all subjects. Overall, combining clinical assessments of muscle strength with standard tools available in the OpenSim software package, such as inverse kinematics and static optimization, appears to be a practical method for predicting joint contact force that can be implemented for many applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practical approach to subject-specific estimation of knee joint contact force

PubMed Central

Knarr, Brian A.; Higginson, Jill S.

2015-01-01

Compressive forces experienced at the knee can significantly contribute to cartilage degeneration. Musculoskeletal models enable predictions of the internal forces experienced at the knee, but validation is often not possible, as experimental data detailing loading at the knee joint is limited. Recently available data reporting compressive knee force through direct measurement using instrumented total knee replacements offer a unique opportunity to evaluate the accuracy of models. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of subject-specificity in increasing the accuracy of model predictions; however, these techniques may be unrealistic outside of a research setting. Therefore, the goal of our work was to identify a practical approach for accurate prediction of tibiofemoral knee contact force (KCF). Four methods for prediction of knee contact force were compared: (1) standard static optimization, (2) uniform muscle coordination weighting, (3) subject-specific muscle coordination weighting and (4) subject-specific strength adjustments. Walking trials for three subjects with instrumented knee replacements were used to evaluate the accuracy of model predictions. Predictions utilizing subject-specific muscle coordination weighting yielded the best agreement with experimental data, however this method required in vivo data for weighting factor calibration. Including subject-specific strength adjustments improved models’ predictions compared to standard static optimization, with errors in peak KCF less than 0.5 body weight for all subjects. Overall, combining clinical assessments of muscle strength with standard tools available in the OpenSim software package, such as inverse kinematics and static optimization, appears to be a practical method for predicting joint contact force that can be implemented for many applications. PMID:25952546

Ecosystem-Based Management and the Sustainable Delivery of Marine Ecosystem Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogarty, M.; Schwing, F. B.

2016-12-01

Ecosystem-Based Management can provide an essential framework for the sustainable delivery of a broad spectrum of marine Ecosystem Services (ES) essential to human well being. Key elements of the approach involve the specification of clearly articulated goals for EBM; the development of an accompanying Marine Ecosystem Services Assessment (MESA) designed to evaluate the status of delivery of these services; and strategies for the implementation of management options designed to achieve the stated goals of the program. The specification of goals is the purview of managers. In the United States under the provisions of the National Ocean Policy, Regional Planning Bodies are charged with the responsibility of articulating goals and developing strategies to meet these goals. Government agencies, in concert with the broader scientific community, hold the responsibility for assessing the status of the delivery of ecosystem services in relation to designated objectives and advising on appropriate management strategies. In this presentation, I will illustrate the specification of a MESA for the Northwest U.S Continental Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NES LME). The approach focuses on the evaluation of ES indicators and additional metrics related to threats and impacts to the sustainable delivery of these services. Results are combined into an overall index of status of the NES LME.

A new analytical method for characterizing nonlinear visual processes with stimuli of arbitrary distribution: Theory and applications.

PubMed

Hayashi, Ryusuke; Watanabe, Osamu; Yokoyama, Hiroki; Nishida, Shin'ya

2017-06-01

Characterization of the functional relationship between sensory inputs and neuronal or observers' perceptual responses is one of the fundamental goals of systems neuroscience and psychophysics. Conventional methods, such as reverse correlation and spike-triggered data analyses are limited in their ability to resolve complex and inherently nonlinear neuronal/perceptual processes because these methods require input stimuli to be Gaussian with a zero mean. Recent studies have shown that analyses based on a generalized linear model (GLM) do not require such specific input characteristics and have advantages over conventional methods. GLM, however, relies on iterative optimization algorithms and its calculation costs become very expensive when estimating the nonlinear parameters of a large-scale system using large volumes of data. In this paper, we introduce a new analytical method for identifying a nonlinear system without relying on iterative calculations and yet also not requiring any specific stimulus distribution. We demonstrate the results of numerical simulations, showing that our noniterative method is as accurate as GLM in estimating nonlinear parameters in many cases and outperforms conventional, spike-triggered data analyses. As an example of the application of our method to actual psychophysical data, we investigated how different spatiotemporal frequency channels interact in assessments of motion direction. The nonlinear interaction estimated by our method was consistent with findings from previous vision studies and supports the validity of our method for nonlinear system identification.

Planning and setting objectives in field studies: Chapter 2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Robert N.; Dodd, C. Kenneth

2016-01-01

This chapter enumerates the steps required in designing and planning field studies on the ecology and conservation of reptiles, as these involve a high level of uncertainty and risk. To this end, the chapter differentiates between goals (descriptions of what one intends to accomplish) and objectives (the measurable steps required to achieve the established goals). Thus, meeting a specific goal may require many objectives. It may not be possible to define some of them until certain experiments have been conducted; often evaluations of sampling protocols are needed to increase certainty in the biological results. And if sampling locations are fixed and sampling events are repeated over time, then both study-specific covariates and sampling-specific covariates should exist. Additionally, other critical design considerations for field study include obtaining permits, as well as researching ethics and biosecurity issues.

Designing eHealth that Matters via a Multidisciplinary Requirements Development Approach

PubMed Central

Wentzel, Jobke; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia EWC

2013-01-01

Background Requirements development is a crucial part of eHealth design. It entails all the activities devoted to requirements identification, the communication of requirements to other developers, and their evaluation. Currently, a requirements development approach geared towards the specifics of the eHealth domain is lacking. This is likely to result in a mismatch between the developed technology and end user characteristics, physical surroundings, and the organizational context of use. It also makes it hard to judge the quality of eHealth design, since it makes it difficult to gear evaluations of eHealth to the main goals it is supposed to serve. Objective In order to facilitate the creation of eHealth that matters, we present a practical, multidisciplinary requirements development approach which is embedded in a holistic design approach for eHealth (the Center for eHealth Research roadmap) that incorporates both human-centered design and business modeling. Methods Our requirements development approach consists of five phases. In the first, preparatory, phase the project team is composed and the overall goal(s) of the eHealth intervention are decided upon. Second, primary end users and other stakeholders are identified by means of audience segmentation techniques and our stakeholder identification method. Third, the designated context of use is mapped and end users are profiled by means of requirements elicitation methods (eg, interviews, focus groups, or observations). Fourth, stakeholder values and eHealth intervention requirements are distilled from data transcripts, which leads to phase five, in which requirements are communicated to other developers using a requirements notation template we developed specifically for the context of eHealth technologies. Results The end result of our requirements development approach for eHealth interventions is a design document which includes functional and non-functional requirements, a list of stakeholder values, and end user profiles in the form of personas (fictitious end users, representative of a primary end user group). Conclusions The requirements development approach presented in this article enables eHealth developers to apply a systematic and multi-disciplinary approach towards the creation of requirements. The cooperation between health, engineering, and social sciences creates a situation in which a mismatch between design, end users, and the organizational context can be avoided. Furthermore, we suggest to evaluate eHealth on a feature-specific level in order to learn exactly why such a technology does or does not live up to its expectations. PMID:23796508

Intrinsic motivation, performance, and the mediating role of mastery goal orientation: a test of self-determination theory.

PubMed

Cerasoli, Christopher P; Ford, Michael T

2014-01-01

Although intrinsic motivation has been linked repeatedly to performance and outcomes, the causal relationship between the two has remained unclear. To explain the link, this study considered the focusing influence of mastery goals. Using a three-wave panel study and hypotheses drawn from self-determination theory and achievement goal theory, the current study sought to clarify the relationships between intrinsic motivation, mastery goal orientation, and performance. Specifically, the current study hypothesized and found that mastery goals mediated (explained) the relationship between intrinsic motivation and performance.

Computational reproducibility of "Goal relevance and goal conduciveness appraisals lead to differential autonomic reactivity in emotional responding to performance feedback" (Kreibig, Gendolla, & Scherer, 2012): A guide and new evidence.

PubMed

Kreibig, Sylvia D

2017-09-01

The emerging field of the psychophysiology of motivation bears many new findings, but little replication. Using my own data (Kreibig, Gendolla, & Scherer, 2012), I test the reproducibility of this specific study, provide the necessary materials to make the study reproducible, and instantiate proper reproducibility practices that other researchers can use as a road map toward the same goal. In addition, based on re-analyses of the original data, I report new evidence for the motivational effects of emotional responding to performance feedback. Specifically, greater appraisal of goal relevance amplifies the emotional response to events appraised as conducive (i.e., effort mobilization), but not to those appraised as obstructive to a person's goals (i.e., effort withdrawal). I conclude by providing a ten-step road map of best practices to facilitate computational reproducibility for future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the Function of Boredom

PubMed Central

Bench, Shane W.; Lench, Heather C.

2013-01-01

Boredom is frequently considered inconsequential and has received relatively little research attention. We argue that boredom has important implications for human functioning, based on emotion theory and empirical evidence. Specifically, we argue that boredom motivates pursuit of new goals when the previous goal is no longer beneficial. Exploring alternate goals and experiences allows the attainment of goals that might be missed if people fail to reengage. Similar to other discrete emotions, we propose that boredom has specific and unique impacts on behavior, cognition, experience and physiology. Consistent with a broader argument that boredom encourages the behavioral pursuit of alternative goals, we argue that, while bored, attention to the current task is reduced, the experience of boredom is negative and aversive, and that boredom increases autonomic arousal to ready the pursuit of alternatives. By motivating desire for change from the current state, boredom increases opportunities to attain social, cognitive, emotional and experiential stimulation that could have been missed. We review the limited extant literature to support these claims, and call for more experimental boredom research. PMID:25379249

Characterizing a psychiatric symptom dimension related to deficits in goal-directed control

PubMed Central

Gillan, Claire M; Kosinski, Michal; Whelan, Robert; Phelps, Elizabeth A; Daw, Nathaniel D

2016-01-01

Prominent theories suggest that compulsive behaviors, characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction, are driven by shared deficits in goal-directed control, which confers vulnerability for developing rigid habits. However, recent studies have shown that deficient goal-directed control accompanies several disorders, including those without an obvious compulsive element. Reasoning that this lack of clinical specificity might reflect broader issues with psychiatric diagnostic categories, we investigated whether a dimensional approach would better delineate the clinical manifestations of goal-directed deficits. Using large-scale online assessment of psychiatric symptoms and neurocognitive performance in two independent general-population samples, we found that deficits in goal-directed control were most strongly associated with a symptom dimension comprising compulsive behavior and intrusive thought. This association was highly specific when compared to other non-compulsive aspects of psychopathology. These data showcase a powerful new methodology and highlight the potential of a dimensional, biologically-grounded approach to psychiatry research. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11305.001 PMID:26928075

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

Doczi, Julian, Dorr, Tobias; Mason, Nathaniel; Scott, Andrew

In this new working paper, the authors focus specifically on what would be necessary to achieve High Level Panel-style goals and targets for water, energy and transport, if these were to be eventually adopted by world leaders. In all three cases, much of the advocacy - and the proposed High Level Panel goals - have emphasized the need to strive for universal and sustainable access to at least basic levels of services from these sectors. Many of the proposals for post-2015 goals and targets appear ambitious, but what would it take to achieve them? This paper assesses what is neededmore » to achieve goals for universal and sustainable access to infrastructure, specifically water, energy and transport. Using illustrative goals and targets, the paper reviews the development challenges in each sector, and what will be necessary to overcome the barriers to universal and sustainable access to water, energy and transport infrastructure services, in the areas of governance, finance, capacity development and environmental protection. The paper ends with general conclusions about infrastructure in the post-2015 development agenda.« less

Aquatic ecosystem protection and restoration: Advances in methods for assessment and evaluation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bain, M.B.; Harig, A.L.; Loucks, D.P.; Goforth, R.R.; Mills, K.E.

2000-01-01

Many methods and criteria are available to assess aquatic ecosystems, and this review focuses on a set that demonstrates advancements from community analyses to methods spanning large spatial and temporal scales. Basic methods have been extended by incorporating taxa sensitivity to different forms of stress, adding measures linked to system function, synthesizing multiple faunal groups, integrating biological and physical attributes, spanning large spatial scales, and enabling simulations through time. These tools can be customized to meet the needs of a particular assessment and ecosystem. Two case studies are presented to show how new methods were applied at the ecosystem scale for achieving practical management goals. One case used an assessment of biotic structure to demonstrate how enhanced river flows can improve habitat conditions and restore a diverse fish fauna reflective of a healthy riverine ecosystem. In the second case, multitaxonomic integrity indicators were successful in distinguishing lake ecosystems that were disturbed, healthy, and in the process of restoration. Most methods strive to address the concept of biological integrity and assessment effectiveness often can be impeded by the lack of more specific ecosystem management objectives. Scientific and policy explorations are needed to define new ways for designating a healthy system so as to allow specification of precise quality criteria that will promote further development of ecosystem analysis tools.

Similarity based false-positive reduction for breast cancer using radiographic and pathologic imaging features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, Akshay; Samala, Ravi K.; Zhang, Jianying; Qian, Wei

2010-03-01

Mammography reading by radiologists and breast tissue image interpretation by pathologists often leads to high False Positive (FP) Rates. Similarly, current Computer Aided Diagnosis (CADx) methods tend to concentrate more on sensitivity, thus increasing the FP rates. A novel method is introduced here which employs similarity based method to decrease the FP rate in the diagnosis of microcalcifications. This method employs the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the similarity metrics in order to achieve the proposed goal. The training and testing set is divided into generalized (Normal and Abnormal) and more specific (Abnormal, Normal, Benign) classes. The performance of this method as a standalone classification system is evaluated in both the cases (general and specific). In another approach the probability of each case belonging to a particular class is calculated. If the probabilities are too close to classify, the augmented CADx system can be instructed to have a detailed analysis of such cases. In case of normal cases with high probability, no further processing is necessary, thus reducing the computation time. Hence, this novel method can be employed in cascade with CADx to reduce the FP rate and also avoid unnecessary computational time. Using this methodology, a false positive rate of 8% and 11% is achieved for mammography and cellular images respectively.

The Bremerton enrollment capacity model: an enrollment capacity model supporting the military health system optimization plan.

PubMed

Helmers, S

2001-12-01

The Department of Defense has launched several initiatives to improve efficiency and quality of care in the military health system. The goal of empaneling 1,300 to 1,500 patients per primary care manager did not correlate well with Naval Hospital Bremerton's experience and did not accurately account for military-specific requirements. The Bremerton Model Task Force was chartered to assess current business practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop a capacity model reflecting military readiness and residency training requirements. Methods included a 12-month review of patient visits and staff surveys of how providers spent their day, with time-and-motion analysis to verify assumptions. Our capacity results (average, 791 enrollees per primary care manager) demonstrated that objective measures at the local level do not support enrollment to Department of Defense-specified levels. Significant changes in "corporate culture" are necessary to accomplish the military health system goals.

Activities and Accomplishments of ICAM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tiwari, S. N.

1997-01-01

A brief historical background on establishing the Institute for Computational and Applied Mechanics (ICAM) is presented and basic goals and objectives are discussed. It is emphasized that the goal of the ICAM has been to develop and maintain a self-sustaining center of excellence in computational methods at Old Dominion University (ODU). Information is provided on funding sources and budget disposition, recent activities and accomplishments, list of graduate students supported on the program, and number of students who received graduate degrees (M.S. as well as Ph.D.). Information is also provided on research coordination with various scientists and engineers, and on different reports specifically written for ICAM. ICAM has been supported, in part, by NASA Langley Research Center through Grant NAG-1-363. This report constitutes the final report for ICAM for the period ending December 1996. The grant has been monitored by the University Affairs Officers at NASA Langley.

Increasing productivity through Total Reuse Management (TRM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuler, M. P.

1991-01-01

Total Reuse Management (TRM) is a new concept currently being promoted by the NASA Langley Software Engineering and Ada Lab (SEAL). It uses concepts similar to those promoted in Total Quality Management (TQM). Both technical and management personnel are continually encouraged to think in terms of reuse. Reuse is not something that is aimed for after a product is completed, but rather it is built into the product from inception through development. Lowering software development costs, reducing risk, and increasing code reliability are the more prominent goals of TRM. Procedures and methods used to adopt and apply TRM are described. Reuse is frequently thought of as only being applicable to code. However, reuse can apply to all products and all phases of the software life cycle. These products include management and quality assurance plans, designs, and testing procedures. Specific examples of successfully reused products are given and future goals are discussed.

Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to Teach About Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schafer, K.; Spenner, C.

2017-12-01

The traditional methods of teaching science, or any particular discipline, are not necessarily well suited for preparing students to solve big messy problems like sustainable development, climate change and resource management. We have developed a summer course entitled, "Human Ecology: Our Place in Nature," with the goal of addressing such issues through a series of case studies. The goal of these case studies is to explore how people interact with nature through Agriculture, Fisheries and Energy Use issues and could easily be adapted to specific geographical regions with different land use challenges. The course was divided into two segments: the first took place at locations near our school in San Jose, California and the second piece at various locations in Southeastern Alaska. Students learned about the interdisciplinary nature of these issues and developed an individual project of their choosing to explore some aspect of the course in greater depth.

#2 - An Empirical Assessment of Exposure Measurement Error ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background• Differing degrees of exposure error acrosspollutants• Previous focus on quantifying and accounting forexposure error in single-pollutant models• Examine exposure errors for multiple pollutantsand provide insights on the potential for bias andattenuation of effect estimates in single and bipollutantepidemiological models The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Utility of video-EEG monitoring in a tertiary care epilepsy center.

PubMed

Kumar-Pelayo, M; Oller-Cramsie, M; Mihu, N; Harden, C

2013-09-01

Our video-EEG monitoring (VEEG) unit is part of a typical metropolitan tertiary care center that services a diverse patient population. We aimed to determine if the specific clinical reason for inpatient VEEG was actually resolved. Our method was to retrospectively determine the stated goal of inpatient VEEG and to analyze the outcome of one hundred consecutive adult patients admitted for VEEG. The reason for admission fit into one of four categories: 1) to characterize paroxysmal events as either epileptic or nonepileptic, 2) to localize epileptic foci, 3) to characterize the epilepsy syndrome, and 4) to attempt safe antiepileptic drug adjustment. We found that VEEG was successful in accomplishing the goal of admission in 77% of cases. The remaining 23% failed primarily due to lack of typical events during monitoring. Furthermore, of the overall study cohort, VEEG outcomes altered medical management in 53% and surgery was pursued in 5%. © 2013.

Effectiveness of functional hand splinting and the cognitive orientation to occupational performance (CO-OP) approach in children with cerebral palsy and brain injury: two randomised controlled trial protocols

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) and brain injury (BI) are common conditions that have devastating effects on a child’s ability to use their hands. Hand splinting and task-specific training are two interventions that are often used to address deficits in upper limb skills, both in isolation or concurrently. The aim of this paper is to describe the method to be used to conduct two randomised controlled trials (RCT) investigating (a) the immediate effect of functional hand splints, and (b) the effect of functional hand splints used concurrently with task-specific training compared to functional hand splints alone, and to task-specific training alone in children with CP and BI. The Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach will be the task-specific training approach used. Methods/Design Two concurrent trials; a two group, parallel design, RCT with a sample size of 30 participants (15 per group); and a three group, parallel design, assessor blinded, RCT with a sample size of 45 participants (15 per group). Inclusion criteria: age 4-15 years; diagnosis of CP or BI; Manual Abilities Classification System (MACS) level I – IV; hand function goals; impaired hand function; the cognitive, language and behavioural ability to participate in CO-OP. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of 3 groups; (1) functional hand splint only (n=15); (2) functional hand splint combined with task-specific training (n=15); (3) task-specific training only (n=15). Allocation concealment will be achieved using sequentially numbered, sealed opaque envelopes opened by an off-site officer after baseline measures. Treatment will be provided for a period of 2 weeks, with outcome measures taken at baseline, 1 hour after randomisation, 2 weeks and 10 weeks. The functional hand splint will be a wrist cock-up splint (+/- thumb support or supination strap). Task-specific training will involve 10 sessions of CO-OP provided in a group of 2-4 children. Primary outcome measures will be the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS). Analysis will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Discussion This paper outlines the protocol for two randomised controlled trials investigating functional hand splints and CO-OP for children with CP and BI. PMID:25023385

[Relapse prevention in drug addicts].

PubMed

Rácz, József

2013-12-01

The literature review deals with methods of relapse prevention. Relapse prevention is the key in the treatment of clients with drug addictions according to the transtheoretical model of change. If relapse prevention is more effective then not only the relapse would be prevented, but the client would leave the circulus vitiosus of relapses. Among psychotherapies cognitive behavioural methods are proven effective. Shorter forms of cognitive therapies are also available: for example, cognitive bias modification. Pharmacotherapy partly decreases craving of the clients or ceases the effects of psychoactive substances. Specific pharmacotherapeutic methods prevent relapses in a non-abstinent treatment design. Here the goal is not the abstinence in a short time, but the reduction of harms associated with drug use. In this way, a new target group of drug users can be involved in treatment.

Feasibility of new breeding techniques for organic farming.

PubMed

Andersen, Martin Marchman; Landes, Xavier; Xiang, Wen; Anyshchenko, Artem; Falhof, Janus; Østerberg, Jeppe Thulin; Olsen, Lene Irene; Edenbrandt, Anna Kristina; Vedel, Suzanne Elizabeth; Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark; Sandøe, Peter; Gamborg, Christian; Kappel, Klemens; Palmgren, Michael G

2015-07-01

Organic farming is based on the concept of working 'with nature' instead of against it; however, compared with conventional farming, organic farming reportedly has lower productivity. Ideally, the goal should be to narrow this yield gap. In this review, we specifically discuss the feasibility of new breeding techniques (NBTs) for rewilding, a process involving the reintroduction of properties from the wild relatives of crops, as a method to close the productivity gap. The most efficient methods of rewilding are based on modern biotechnology techniques, which have yet to be embraced by the organic farming movement. Thus, the question arises of whether the adoption of such methods is feasible, not only from a technological perspective, but also from conceptual, socioeconomic, ethical, and regulatory perspectives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cumulative Risk and Impact Modeling on Environmental Chemical and Social Stressors.

PubMed

Huang, Hongtai; Wang, Aolin; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Lam, Juleen; Sirota, Marina; Padula, Amy; Woodruff, Tracey J

2018-03-01

The goal of this review is to identify cumulative modeling methods used to evaluate combined effects of exposures to environmental chemicals and social stressors. The specific review question is: What are the existing quantitative methods used to examine the cumulative impacts of exposures to environmental chemical and social stressors on health? There has been an increase in literature that evaluates combined effects of exposures to environmental chemicals and social stressors on health using regression models; very few studies applied other data mining and machine learning techniques to this problem. The majority of studies we identified used regression models to evaluate combined effects of multiple environmental and social stressors. With proper study design and appropriate modeling assumptions, additional data mining methods may be useful to examine combined effects of environmental and social stressors.

The NSF/RANN FY 1975 program for geothermal resources research and technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruger, P.

1974-01-01

The specific goal of the NSF geothermal program is the rapid development by industry of the nation's geothermal resources that can be demonstrated to be commercially, environmentally and socially acceptable as alternate energy sources. NSF, as the lead agency for the federal geothermal energy research program, is expediting a program which encompasses the objectives necessary for significant utilization. These include: acceleration of exploration and assessment methods to identify commercial geothermal resources; development of innovative and improved technology to achieve economic feasibility; evaluation of policy options to resolve environmental, legal, and institutional problems; and support of experimental research facilities for each type of geothermal resource. Specific projects in each of these four objective areas are part of the NSF program for fiscal year 1975.

Tailoring a software production environment for a large project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, D. R.

1984-01-01

A software production environment was constructed to meet the specific goals of a particular large programming project. These goals, the specific solutions as implemented, and the experiences on a project of over 100,000 lines of source code are discussed. The base development environment for this project was an ordinary PWB Unix (tm) system. Several important aspects of the development process required support not available in the existing tool set.

76 FR 58277 - Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act; Public Meeting; Request for Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-20

... including specific suggestions for changes to the goals referred to in section 740A(a) of FD&C Act; (3... performance goals for certain submissions over 5 years from fiscal year (FY) 2009 through FY 2013. These review performance goals strive to expedite the review of abbreviated new animal drug applications...

Antecedents of Approach-Avoidance Achievement Goal Adoption: An Analysis of Two Physical Education Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warburton, Victoria; Spray, Christopher

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between implicit theories of ability and competence perceptions to changes in approach-avoidance goal adoption in two specific activities in the curriculum. Four hundred and thirty pupils, aged 11-15 years, completed measures of approach-avoidance goals, perceived competence and implicit…

Teaching as Regulation and Dealing with Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boshuizen, H. P. A.

2016-01-01

At an abstract level, teaching a class can be perceived as one big regulation problem. For an optimal result, teachers must continuously (re)align their goals and sub-goals, and need to get timely and valid information on how they are doing in reaching these goals. This discussion describes the specific difficulties due to the time characteristics…

Goals, Components, and Factors Considered in University Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussin, Sufean; Ismail, Aziah

2009-01-01

It is generally known that the general goals of universities are to produce high-quality graduates for the job market, to continuously advance the frontier of knowledge in all the disciplines, and ultimately to advance human civilization. There can, however, be numerous specific goals which differ from one university to the other. Whatever it is,…

Achievement Goals and Achievement Emotions: Testing a Model of Their Joint Relations with Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekrun, Reinhard; Elliot, Andrew J.; Maier, Markus A.

2009-01-01

The authors propose a theoretical model linking achievement goals and achievement emotions to academic performance. This model was tested in a prospective study with undergraduates (N = 213), using exam-specific assessments of both goals and emotions as predictors of exam performance in an introductory-level psychology course. The findings were…

Career Conversations in Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses: A Competitive Advantage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgen, William A.; Butterfield, Lee D.; Lalande, Vivian

2013-01-01

Career conversations are career-related dialogues between managers and employees that are intended to facilitate the development of specific goals and a plan for employee development that is mutually beneficial--to align the career goals of the employee with the organization's goals. The aim of these conversations is to address the turnover,…

Effects of the Protestant Work Ethic and Perceived Challenge on Time Allocated to an Experimental Task.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Thomas Li-Ping

Goal-setting literature has suggested that specific, difficult goals will produce higher performance levels than easy goals. A difficult task or one with negative performance feedback may increase an individual's perceived challenge of the task which may in turn enhance his motivation. Effects of the Protestant work ethic and perceived challenge…

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Promoting Health and Well-Being through Physical Education Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Timothy

2016-01-01

This paper shares a health and wellbeing partnership, modelling implementation of physical education (PE) advocated by the United Nations (UN). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) exemplifies global efforts towards equality, specifically Goal 3 and 4 address health and wellbeing. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into cross…

Assessing precision, bias and sigma-metrics of 53 measurands of the Alinity ci system.

PubMed

Westgard, Sten; Petrides, Victoria; Schneider, Sharon; Berman, Marvin; Herzogenrath, Jörg; Orzechowski, Anthony

2017-12-01

Assay performance is dependent on the accuracy and precision of a given method. These attributes can be combined into an analytical Sigma-metric, providing a simple value for laboratorians to use in evaluating a test method's capability to meet its analytical quality requirements. Sigma-metrics were determined for 37 clinical chemistry assays, 13 immunoassays, and 3 ICT methods on the Alinity ci system. Analytical Performance Specifications were defined for the assays, following a rationale of using CLIA goals first, then Ricos Desirable goals when CLIA did not regulate the method, and then other sources if the Ricos Desirable goal was unrealistic. A precision study was conducted at Abbott on each assay using the Alinity ci system following the CLSI EP05-A2 protocol. Bias was estimated following the CLSI EP09-A3 protocol using samples with concentrations spanning the assay's measuring interval tested in duplicate on the Alinity ci system and ARCHITECT c8000 and i2000 SR systems, where testing was also performed at Abbott. Using the regression model, the %bias was estimated at an important medical decisions point. Then the Sigma-metric was estimated for each assay and was plotted on a method decision chart. The Sigma-metric was calculated using the equation: Sigma-metric=(%TEa-|%bias|)/%CV. The Sigma-metrics and Normalized Method Decision charts demonstrate that a majority of the Alinity assays perform at least at five Sigma or higher, at or near critical medical decision levels. More than 90% of the assays performed at Five and Six Sigma. None performed below Three Sigma. Sigma-metrics plotted on Normalized Method Decision charts provide useful evaluations of performance. The majority of Alinity ci system assays had sigma values >5 and thus laboratories can expect excellent or world class performance. Laboratorians can use these tools as aids in choosing high-quality products, further contributing to the delivery of excellent quality healthcare for patients. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying and applying psychological theory to setting and achieving rehabilitation goals.

PubMed

Scobbie, Lesley; Wyke, Sally; Dixon, Diane

2009-04-01

Goal setting is considered to be a fundamental part of rehabilitation; however, theories of behaviour change relevant to goal-setting practice have not been comprehensively reviewed. (i) To identify and discuss specific theories of behaviour change relevant to goal-setting practice in the rehabilitation setting. (ii) To identify 'candidate' theories that that offer most potential to inform clinical practice. The rehabilitation and self-management literature was systematically searched to identify review papers or empirical studies that proposed a specific theory of behaviour change relevant to setting and/or achieving goals in a clinical context. Data from included papers were extracted under the headings of: key constructs, clinical application and empirical support. Twenty-four papers were included in the review which proposed a total of five theories: (i) social cognitive theory, (ii) goal setting theory, (iii) health action process approach, (iv) proactive coping theory, and (v) the self-regulatory model of illness behaviour. The first three of these theories demonstrated most potential to inform clinical practice, on the basis of their capacity to inform interventions that resulted in improved patient outcomes. Social cognitive theory, goal setting theory and the health action process approach are theories of behaviour change that can inform clinicians in the process of setting and achieving goals in the rehabilitation setting. Overlapping constructs within these theories have been identified, and can be applied in clinical practice through the development and evaluation of a goal-setting practice framework.

Teachers' Achievement Goals: A Mixed Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirtas, Zeynep; Arslan, Nihan

2018-01-01

In this study, the first aim of the research is to adjust the scale of teachers' achievement goals to the Turkish culture. The second aim of the research is to get point of view about their achievement goals within the qualitative questions prepared by base on scale items. The mixed method has been used in the survey. The qualitative and…

Redesigning the specificity of protein-DNA interactions with Rosetta.

PubMed

Thyme, Summer; Baker, David

2014-01-01

Building protein tools that can selectively bind or cleave specific DNA sequences requires efficient technologies for modifying protein-DNA interactions. Computational design is one method for accomplishing this goal. In this chapter, we present the current state of protein-DNA interface design with the Rosetta macromolecular modeling program. The LAGLIDADG endonuclease family of DNA-cleaving enzymes, under study as potential gene therapy reagents, has been the main testing ground for these in silico protocols. At this time, the computational methods are most useful for designing endonuclease variants that can accommodate small numbers of target site substitutions. Attempts to engineer for more extensive interface changes will likely benefit from an approach that uses the computational design results in conjunction with a high-throughput directed evolution or screening procedure. The family of enzymes presents an engineering challenge because their interfaces are highly integrated and there is significant coordination between the binding and catalysis events. Future developments in the computational algorithms depend on experimental feedback to improve understanding and modeling of these complex enzymatic features. This chapter presents both the basic method of design that has been successfully used to modulate specificity and more advanced procedures that incorporate DNA flexibility and other properties that are likely necessary for reliable modeling of more extensive target site changes.

[Integrative approach in the psychotherapy of borderline personality disorder].

PubMed

Kuritárné Szabó, Ildikó

2012-01-01

In the last 20 years six psychotherapy methods have been developed specifically for borderline personality disorder. Solid RCT evidences suggests the efficacy of all the methods. Roughly equivalent improvement was obtained from the different types of psychotherapies. Today we have reached a new phase of the borderline "psychotherapy boom", the integrative approach. According to the integrative treatment advocates we should not choose among these effective treatments but we can incorporate in the therapy all the components that work. The integrative approach uses general factors common to all effective therapies, combined with specific treatment techniques taken from different therapies in order to treat the given patient's psychopathology. These common factors are: coherent framework; attention to strategies for building strong positive alliance and maintaining patient motivation; creating a safe and structured therapeutic environment; clear treatment frame; transparency of the goals and roles; focus upon presenting problems; higher level therapeutic activity; here-and-now focus; and facilitating self-reflection. Treatment focuses on change while maintaining a validating and supportive stance. General strategies can be supplemented by more specific techniques such as cognitive-behavioral interventions for reducing maladaptive behavior, training for developing emotion regulation skills and interpersonal skills coming from dialectical behavior therapy. Methods drawn from psychodynamic approaches can be used for the modification of underlying interpersonal cognitive-emotional schemas.

Nonenzymatic microorganism identification based on ribosomal RNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ives, Jeffrey T.; Pierini, Alicia M.; Stokes, Jeffrey A.; Wahlund, Thomas M.; Read, Betsy; Bechtel, James H.; Bronk, Burt V.

1999-11-01

Effective defense against biological warfare (BW) agents requires rapid, fieldable and accurate systems. For micro- organisms like bacteria and viruses, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) provides a valuable target with multiple advantages of species specificity and intrinsic target amplification. Vegetative and spore forms of bacteria contain approximately 104 copies of rRNA. Direct detection of rRNA copies can eliminate some of the interference and preparation difficulties involved in enzymatic amplification methods. In order to apply the advantages of rRNA to BW defense, we are developing a fieldable system based on 16S rRNA, physical disruption of the micro-organism, solid phase hybridization, and fluorescence detection. Our goals include species-specific identification, complete operation from raw sample to identification in 15 minutes or less, and compact, fieldable instrumentation. Initial work on this project has investigated the lysis and hybridization steps, the species-specificity of oligonucleotides probes, and the development of a novel electromagnetic method to physically disrupt the micro- organisms. Target bacteria have been Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). Continuing work includes further development of methods to rapidly disrupt the micro-organisms and release the rRNA, improved integration and processing, and extension to bacterial and mammalian viruses like MS2 and vesicular stomatitis virus.

Measuring Health Information Dissemination and Identifying Target Interest Communities on Twitter: Methods Development and Case Study of the @SafetyMD Network.

PubMed

Kandadai, Venk; Yang, Haodong; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Christopher C; Fleisher, Linda; Winston, Flaura Koplin

2016-05-05

Little is known about the ability of individual stakeholder groups to achieve health information dissemination goals through Twitter. This study aimed to develop and apply methods for the systematic evaluation and optimization of health information dissemination by stakeholders through Twitter. Tweet content from 1790 followers of @SafetyMD (July-November 2012) was examined. User emphasis, a new indicator of Twitter information dissemination, was defined and applied to retweets across two levels of retweeters originating from @SafetyMD. User interest clusters were identified based on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of a random sample of 170 followers. User emphasis of keywords remained across levels but decreased by 9.5 percentage points. PCA and HCA identified 12 statistically unique clusters of followers within the @SafetyMD Twitter network. This study is one of the first to develop methods for use by stakeholders to evaluate and optimize their use of Twitter to disseminate health information. Our new methods provide preliminary evidence that individual stakeholders can evaluate the effectiveness of health information dissemination and create content-specific clusters for more specific targeted messaging.

An investigation of motivational variables in CrossFit facilities.

PubMed

Partridge, Julie A; Knapp, Bobbi A; Massengale, Brittany D

2014-06-01

CrossFit is a growing fitness trend in the United States; however, little systematic research has addressed specific motivational principles within this unique exercise environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of gender and membership time on perceptions of motivational climate and goals within the CrossFit environment. Specifically, people may set goals related to self-improvement (i.e., mastery) or focus on their performance in comparison to others (i.e., performance). Motivational climate refers to an individual's perception of being encouraged to focus on either mastery or performance goals from CrossFit trainers. A total of 144 members (88 females; 56 males) completed questionnaires to assess participants' perceptions of CrossFit goal structures and perceptions of the motivational climate encouraged by the trainer within their CrossFit box. Results indicated a significant main effect for gender on preferred goals (p ≤ 0.05), with males reporting higher levels of performance approach goals and females reporting higher levels of master avoidance goals. Participants who reported shorter membership times were found to have significantly higher mastery-related goals than individuals who reported longer membership times (p ≤ 0.05). The results from the study suggest that practitioners should consider how perceptions of the motivational climate and goals in group-based exercise settings such as CrossFit may vary based on demographic variables, and that these differences may impact how to most effectively motivate, encourage, and instruct group members, particularly with regard to helping members set goals that most effectively address their approach to the CrossFit regimen.

EDITORIAL: SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING

EPA Science Inventory

A foremost goal in biology is understanding the molecular basis of single cell behavior, as well as cell interactions that result in functioning tissues. Accomplishing this goal requires quantitative analysis of multiple, specific macromolecules (e.g. proteins, ligands and enzyme...

Growth goals, maturity, and well-being.

PubMed

Bauer, Jack J; McAdams, Dan P

2004-01-01

In 2 studies (125 college students and 51 adults), 2 forms of growth goals (exploratory and intrinsic) were compared with 2 forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being). Participants whose narratives of major life goals emphasized conceptual exploration were especially likely to have high levels of maturity (measured as ego development; J. Loevinger, 1976), whereas those whose goals emphasized intrinsic interests (K. M. Sheldon & T. Kasser, 1995) were especially likely to have high levels of well-being. Participants who had coherent hierarchies of growth goals on the levels of major life goals and everyday goals were especially likely to have high levels of personality development. Finally, growth goals accounted for some relationships between age and personality development. Growth goals are discussed in terms of intentional self-development and specific developmental paths. (c) 2003 APA

Exercise adherence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an exploration of motivation and goals.

PubMed

Davis, Amy H T

2007-01-01

Adherence to an exercise regimen is challenging. Motivation is an important factor that can enhance exercise adherence. A key component of motivation is the setting and accomplishment of specified goals. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between patients' motivation and goals. Motivation and goal orientation in 14 participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were assessed. Participants were also interviewed to explore their exercise and activity goals. Motivation was significantly associated with goal orientation. In addition, participants reported many explicit activity goals, but few participants had set specific exercise goals. The inconsistency between activity and exercise goals has not been reported previously. Findings from this preliminary study provide novel and relevant information that may help care providers understand factors that may influence exercise adherence in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Integrated analysis of large space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, J. P.

1980-01-01

Based on the belief that actual flight hardware development of large space systems will necessitate a formalized method of integrating the various engineering discipline analyses, an efficient highly user oriented software system capable of performing interdisciplinary design analyses with tolerable solution turnaround time is planned Specific analysis capability goals were set forth with initial emphasis given to sequential and quasi-static thermal/structural analysis and fully coupled structural/control system analysis. Subsequently, the IAC would be expanded to include a fully coupled thermal/structural/control system, electromagnetic radiation, and optical performance analyses.

How Formal Methods Impels Discovery: A Short History of an Air Traffic Management Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Hagen, George; Maddalon, Jeffrey M.; Munoz, Cesar A.; Narkawicz, Anthony; Dowek, Gilles

2010-01-01

In this paper we describe a process of algorithmic discovery that was driven by our goal of achieving complete, mechanically verified algorithms that compute conflict prevention bands for use in en route air traffic management. The algorithms were originally defined in the PVS specification language and subsequently have been implemented in Java and C++. We do not present the proofs in this paper: instead, we describe the process of discovery and the key ideas that enabled the final formal proof of correctness

Enhancing Pseudo-Telepathy in the Magic Square Game

PubMed Central

Pawela, Łukasz; Gawron, Piotr; Puchała, Zbigniew; Sładkowski, Jan

2013-01-01

We study the possibility of reversing an action of a quantum channel. Our principal objective is to find a specific channel that reverses as accurately as possible an action of a given quantum channel. To achieve this goal we use semidefinite programming. We show the benefits of our method using the quantum pseudo-telepathy Magic Square game with noise. Our strategy is to move the pseudo-telepathy region to higher noise values. We show that it is possible to reverse the action of a noise channel using semidefinite programming. PMID:23762246

Data Management System (DMS) Evolution Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglas, Katherine

1990-01-01

The all encompassing goal for the Data Management System (DMS) Evolution Analysis task is to develop an advocacy for ensuring that growth and technology insertion issues are properly and adequately addressed during DMS requirements specification, design, and development. The most efficient methods of addressing those issues are via planned and graceful evolution, technology transparency, and system growth margins. It is necessary that provisions, such as those previously mentioned, are made to accommodate advanced missions requirements (e.g., Human Space Exploration Programs) in addition to evolving Space Station Freedom operations and user requirements .

The most successful method in teaching nursing students infection control - E-learning or lecture?

PubMed

Reime, Marit Hegg; Harris, Anette; Aksnes, June; Mikkelsen, Jane

2008-10-01

Approximately 33% of all health care-associated infections are preventable. It is therefore important to provide training for nursing students about this topic. In collaboration with the local hospital, the Department of Nursing evaluated a newly developed e-learning program on infection control normally used among employees in the hospital but now tried in the setting of bachelor students. The students received learning goals for the course and were divided into two groups: one group used the e-learning program, and the other group had 3-h-long lectures. After the course they took a multiple-choice test. In addition, three focus groups were established. The students were satisfied with both teaching approaches. The lectures provided a good introduction to the recommended reading. The e-learning program was rated as good on design, academic content, and the integrated tests were motivating for their learning. Specific learning goals were found to be useful. Gender and age, depending on the teaching approach used, were significant in determining the results of the test, the same were the number of sources used in preparing for the test. E-learning has to be viewed as a resource in the same way as a lecture. It is important that the students are competent in ICT, because they will need to use this tool in their clinical practice. In addition, a degree level course needs to use many different teaching methods to achieve goals related to in-depth and superficial learning.

Goal-oriented networks and capacity building for natural hazards - examples in the Dresden region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutter, G.

2013-04-01

Networks and networking are important to build social capacities for natural hazards. However, up to now, it is an open question which types of networks contribute to capacity building under certain circumstances. The paper focuses on the type of a goal-oriented network. The distinction between goal orientation and goal directedness is used to show the following: goal directedness of networks to build capacities for natural hazards involves intensive and continuous processes of sensemaking (Weick, 1995) to specify the network goal. This process of specifying an initial goal statement is important in small and large networks. The governance form of a lead organization network facilitates goal specification. The paper illustrates these findings through evidence from two case studies conducted in the Dresden region in Germany.

A new model for the mental health nursing change of shift report.

PubMed

Priest, C S; Holmberg, S K

2000-08-01

Nursing shift reports are intended to enhance the continuity and quality of nursing care delivered by providing results of nursing assessments, summarizing medical information, and drawing attention to specific nursing interventions and goals anticipated during the upcoming shift. In this article, contemporary literature on shift reports is reviewed with specific attention to the unique characteristics and problems that commonly occur in change of shift reports in a mental health setting. The framework proposed is Gordon's functional health patterns because it provides a holistic structure for organizing patient data in a clear, objective manner. Additional methods for enhancing shift reports are recommended, including the use of specific behavioral descriptions, the inclusion of data from targeted nursing assessments, and the discussion of alternative care approaches that support the development of consistent, collaborative nursing interventions across shifts. A case example is used for demonstration.

Detection of magnetically enhanced cancer tumors using SQUID magnetometry: A feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenning, G. G.; Rodriguez, R.; Zotev, V. S.; Moslemi, A.; Wilson, S.; Hawel, L.; Byus, C.; Kovach, J. S.

2005-01-01

Nanoparticles bound to various biological molecules and pharmacological agents can be administered systemically, to humans without apparent toxicity. This opens an era in the targeting of specific tissues and disease processes for noninvasive imaging and treatment. An important class of particles used predominantly for magnetic resonance imaging is based on iron-oxide ferrites. We performed computer simulations using experimentally determined values for concentrations of superparamagnetic particles achievable in specific tissues of the mouse in vivo and concentrations of particles linked to monoclonal antibodies specific to antigens of two human cancer cell lines in vitro. An instrument to target distance of 12cm, into the body, was selected as relevant to our goal of developing a rapid inexpensive method of scanning the body for occult disease. The simulations demonstrate the potential feasibility of superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry to detect induced magnetic fields in focal concentrations of superparamagnetic particles targeted, in vivo, to sites of disease.

Goal striving, goal attainment, and well-being: adapting and testing the self-concordance model in sport.

PubMed

Smith, Alison; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Duda, Joan

2007-12-01

Grounded in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) and the self-concordance model (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999), this study examined the motivational processes underlying goal striving in sport as well as the role of perceived coach autonomy support in the goal process. Structural equation modeling with a sample of 210 British athletes showed that autonomous goal motives positively predicted effort, which, in turn, predicted goal attainment. Goal attainment was positively linked to need satisfaction, which, in turn, predicted psychological well-being. Effort and need satisfaction were found to mediate the associations between autonomous motives and goal attainment and between attainment and well-being, respectively. Controlled motives negatively predicted well-being, and coach autonomy support positively predicted both autonomous motives and need satisfaction. Associations of autonomous motives with effort were not reducible to goal difficulty, goal specificity, or goal efficacy. These findings support the self-concordance model as a framework for further research on goal setting in sport.

Associations among multiple markers and complex disease: models, algorithms, and applications.

PubMed

Assimes, Themistocles L; Olshen, Adam B; Narasimhan, Balasubramanian; Olshen, Richard A

2008-01-01

This chapter is a report on collaborations among its authors and others over many years. It devolves from our goal of understanding genes, their main and epistatic effects combined with interactions involving demographic and environmental features also, as together they predict genetically complex diseases. Thus, our goal is "association." Particular phenotypes of interest to us are hypertension, insulin resistance, angina, and myocardial infarction. Prediction of complex disease is notoriously difficult, though it would be made easier were we given strand-specific information on genotype. Unfortunately, with current technology, genotypic information comes to us "unphased." While obviously we have strand-specific information when genotype is homozygous, we do not have such information when genotype is heterozygous. To summarize, the ultimate goals of approaches we provide is to predict phenotype, typically untoward or not, within a specific window of time. Our approach is neither through linkage nor from finding haplotype frequencies per se.

Automatic affective-motivational regulation processes underlying supportive dyadic coping: the role of increased implicit positive attitudes toward communal goals in response to a stressed relationship partner.

PubMed

Koranyi, Nicolas; Hilpert, Peter; Job, Veronika; Bodenmann, Guy

2017-09-01

We examined the implicit affective mechanisms underlying provision of support in intimate dyads. Specifically, we hypothesized that in individuals with high relationship satisfaction, the perception that one's partner is stressed leads to increased implicit positive attitudes toward communal goals. In turn, this change in implicit attitudes facilitates supportive behavior. In two studies, we induced partner stress by instructing participants to either recall a situation where their partner was highly stressed (Study 1; N = 47 university students) or imagine a specific stressful event (excessive workload; Study 2; N = 85 university students). Subsequently, implicit attitudes toward communal goals were assessed with an Implicit Association Test. In both studies, we found that among participants with high relationship satisfaction partner stress increases preferences for communal goals. In addition, implicit preferences for communal goals predicted stronger inclinations to engage in supportive dyadic coping (Study 2). The current findings provide important insights into the implicit cognitive-affective mechanics of dyadic coping. Moreover, they can explain how people manage to avoid experiencing motivational conflicts between partner-oriented and self-oriented goals in situations characterized by high partner stress.

Goal Setting to Promote a Health Lifestyle.

PubMed

Paxton, Raheem J; Taylor, Wendell C; Hudnall, Gina Evans; Christie, Juliette

2012-01-01

The purpose of this parallel-group study was to determine whether a feasibility study based on newsletters and telephone counseling would improve goal- setting constructs; physical activity (PA); and fruit and vegetable (F & V) intake in a sample of older adults. Forty-three older adults ( M age = 70 years, >70% Asian, 54% female) living in Honolulu, Hawaii were recruited and randomly assigned to either a PA or F & V intake condition. All participants completed measures of PA, F & V intake, and goal setting mechanisms (i.e., specificity, difficulty, effort, commitment, and persistence) at baseline and 8-weeks. Paired t -tests were used to evaluate changes across time. We found that F & V participants significantly increased F & V intake and mean scores of goal specificity, effort, commitment, and persistence (all p < .05). No statistically significant changes in PA or goal setting mechanisms were observed for participants in the PA condition. Overall, our results show that a short-term intervention using newsletters and motivational calls based on goal- setting theory was effective in improving F & V intake; however, more research is needed to determine whether these strategies are effective for improving PA among a multiethnic sample of older adults.

Identity-Specific Reward Representations in Orbitofrontal Cortex Are Modulated by Selective Devaluation

PubMed Central

Howard, James D.

2017-01-01

Goal-directed behavior is sensitive to the current value of expected outcomes. This requires independent representations of specific rewards, which have been linked to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function. However, the mechanisms by which the human brain updates specific goals on the fly, and translates those updates into choices, have remained unknown. Here we implemented selective devaluation of appetizing food odors in combination with pattern-based neuroimaging and a decision-making task. We found that in a hungry state, participants chose to smell high-intensity versions of two value-matched food odor rewards. After eating a meal corresponding to one of the two odors, participants switched choices toward the low intensity of the sated odor but continued to choose the high intensity of the nonsated odor. This sensory-specific behavioral effect was mirrored by pattern-based changes in fMRI signal in lateral posterior OFC, where specific reward identity representations were altered after the meal for the sated food odor but retained for the nonsated counterpart. In addition, changes in functional connectivity between the OFC and general value coding in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted individual differences in satiety-related choice behavior. These findings demonstrate how flexible representations of specific rewards in the OFC are updated by devaluation, and how functional connections to vmPFC reflect the current value of outcomes and guide goal-directed behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is critical for goal-directed behavior. A recent proposal is that OFC fulfills this function by representing a variety of state and task variables (“cognitive maps”), including a conjunction of expected reward identity and value. Here we tested how identity-specific representations of food odor reward are updated by satiety. We found that fMRI pattern-based signatures of reward identity in lateral posterior OFC were modulated after selective devaluation, and that connectivity between this region and general value coding ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) predicted choice behavior. These results provide evidence for a mechanism by which devaluation modulates a cognitive map of expected reward in OFC and thereby alters general value signals in vmPFC to guide goal-directed behavior. PMID:28159906

Effects of Achievement Goals on Perceptions of Competence in Conditions of Unfavourable Social Comparisons: The Mastery Goal Advantage Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamarova, Sviatlana; Chatzisarantis, Nikos L. D.; Hagger, Martin S.; Lintunen, Taru; Hassandra, Mary; Papaioannou, Athanasios

2017-01-01

Background: Previous prospective studies have documented that mastery-approach goals are adaptive because they facilitate less negative psychological responses to unfavourable social comparisons than performance-approach goals. Aims: This study aimed to confirm this so-called "mastery goal advantage" effect experimentally. Methods: A…

Impaired Context Processing is Attributable to Global Neuropsychological Impairment in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Hill, S. Kristian; Gold, James M.; Keefe, Richard S. E.; Clementz, Brett A.; Gershon, Elliot; Keshavan, Matcheri S.; Pearlson, Godfrey; Tamminga, Carol A.; Sweeney, John A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Context processing may reflect a specific cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Whether impaired context processing is observed across psychotic disorders or among relatives of affected individuals, and whether it is a deficit that is independent from the generalized neuropsychological deficits seen in psychotic disorders, are less established. Methods: Schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and psychotic bipolar probands (n = 660), their first-degree relatives (n = 741), and healthy individuals (n = 308) studied by the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes consortium performed an expectancy task requiring use of contextual information to overcome a pre-potent response. Sensitivity for target detection and false alarm rates on trials requiring inhibition or goal maintenance were measured. Results: Proband groups and relatives with psychosis spectrum personality traits demonstrated reduced target sensitivity and elevated false alarm rates. False alarm rate was higher under inhibition vs goal maintenance conditions although this difference was attenuated in schizophrenia and schizoaffective proband groups. After accounting for global neuropsychological impairment, as reflected by the composite score from the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia neuropsychological battery, deficits in schizophrenia and bipolar proband groups were no longer significant. Performance measures were moderately familial. Conclusion: Reduced target detection, but not a specific deficit in context processing, is observed across psychotic disorders. Impairments in both goal maintenance and response inhibition appear to contribute comparably to deficits in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, whereas greater difficulty with response inhibition underlies deficits in bipolar disorder. Yet, these deficits are not independent from the generalized neurocognitive impairment observed in schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder. PMID:27306316

The specification of a hospital cost function. A comment on the recent literature.

PubMed

Breyer, F

1987-06-01

In the empirical estimation of hospital cost functions, two radically different types of specifications have been chosen to date, ad-hoc forms and flexible functional forms based on neoclassical production theory. This paper discusses the respective strengths and weaknesses of both approaches and emphasizes the apparently unreconcilable conflict between the goals of maintaining functional flexibility and keeping the number of variables manageable if at the same time patient heterogeneity is to be adequately reflected in the case mix variables. A new specification is proposed which strikes a compromise between these goals, and the underlying assumptions are discussed critically.

Ground Operations Aerospace Language (GOAL). Volume 4: Interpretive code translator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

This specification identifies and describes the principal functions and elements of the Interpretive Code Translator which has been developed for use with the GOAL Compiler. This translator enables the user to convert a compliled GOAL program to a highly general binary format which is designed to enable interpretive execution. The translator program provides user controls which are designed to enable the selection of various output types and formats. These controls provide a means for accommodating many of the implementation options which are discussed in the Interpretive Code Guideline document. The technical design approach is given. The relationship between the translator and the GOAL compiler is explained and the principal functions performed by the Translator are described. Specific constraints regarding the use of the Translator are discussed. The control options are described. These options enable the user to select outputs to be generated by the translator and to control vrious aspects of the translation processing.

A mass spectrometry primer for mass spectrometry imaging

PubMed Central

Rubakhin, Stanislav S.; Sweedler, Jonathan V.

2011-01-01

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), a rapidly growing subfield of chemical imaging, employs mass spectrometry (MS) technologies to create single- and multi-dimensional localization maps for a variety of atoms and molecules. Complimentary to other imaging approaches, MSI provides high chemical specificity and broad analyte coverage. This powerful analytical toolset is capable of measuring the distribution of many classes of inorganics, metabolites, proteins and pharmaceuticals in chemically and structurally complex biological specimens in vivo, in vitro, and in situ. The MSI approaches highlighted in this Methods in Molecular Biology volume provide flexibility of detection, characterization, and identification of multiple known and unknown analytes. The goal of this chapter is to introduce investigators who may be unfamiliar with MS to the basic principles of the mass spectrometric approaches as used in MSI. In addition to guidelines for choosing the most suitable MSI method for specific investigations, cross-references are provided to the chapters in this volume that describe the appropriate experimental protocols. PMID:20680583

Three-dimensional visualization of the craniofacial patient: volume segmentation, data integration and animation.

PubMed

Enciso, R; Memon, A; Mah, J

2003-01-01

The research goal at the Craniofacial Virtual Reality Laboratory of the School of Dentistry in conjunction with the Integrated Media Systems Center, School of Engineering, University of Southern California, is to develop computer methods to accurately visualize patients in three dimensions using advanced imaging and data acquisition devices such as cone-beam computerized tomography (CT) and mandibular motion capture. Data from these devices were integrated for three-dimensional (3D) patient-specific visualization, modeling and animation. Generic methods are in development that can be used with common CT image format (DICOM), mesh format (STL) and motion data (3D position over time). This paper presents preliminary descriptive studies on: 1) segmentation of the lower and upper jaws with two types of CT data--(a) traditional whole head CT data and (b) the new dental Newtom CT; 2) manual integration of accurate 3D tooth crowns with the segmented lower jaw 3D model; 3) realistic patient-specific 3D animation of the lower jaw.

Generation of a conditional analog-sensitive kinase in human cells using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering.

PubMed

Moyer, Tyler C; Holland, Andrew J

2015-01-01

The ability to rapidly and specifically modify the genome of mammalian cells has been a long-term goal of biomedical researchers. Recently, the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system from bacteria has been exploited for genome engineering in human cells. The CRISPR system directs the RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease to a specific genomic locus to induce a DNA double-strand break that may be subsequently repaired by homology-directed repair using an exogenous DNA repair template. Here we describe a protocol using CRISPR/Cas9 to achieve bi-allelic insertion of a point mutation in human cells. Using this method, homozygous clonal cell lines can be constructed in 5-6 weeks. This method can also be adapted to insert larger DNA elements, such as fluorescent proteins and degrons, at defined genomic locations. CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering offers exciting applications in both basic science and translational research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping social behavior-induced brain activation at cellular resolution in the mouse

PubMed Central

Kim, Yongsoo; Venkataraju, Kannan Umadevi; Pradhan, Kith; Mende, Carolin; Taranda, Julian; Turaga, Srinivas C.; Arganda-Carreras, Ignacio; Ng, Lydia; Hawrylycz, Michael J.; Rockland, Kathleen; Seung, H. Sebastian; Osten, Pavel

2014-01-01

Understanding how brain activation mediates behaviors is a central goal of systems neuroscience. Here we apply an automated method for mapping brain activation in the mouse in order to probe how sex-specific social behaviors are represented in the male brain. Our method uses the immediate early gene c-fos, a marker of neuronal activation, visualized by serial two-photon tomography: the c-fos-GFP-positive neurons are computationally detected, their distribution is registered to a reference brain and a brain atlas, and their numbers are analyzed by statistical tests. Our results reveal distinct and shared female and male interaction-evoked patterns of male brain activation representing sex discrimination and social recognition. We also identify brain regions whose degree of activity correlates to specific features of social behaviors and estimate the total numbers and the densities of activated neurons per brain areas. Our study opens the door to automated screening of behavior-evoked brain activation in the mouse. PMID:25558063

Polyaniline particles: Material properties when synthesized with aqueous nonionic micelles and environmental stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobaica, Stephen Charles

Polyaniline is a member of the class of electrically conducting polymers, which have possible commercial applications as anticorrosive or static charge removal coatings. Aqueous-based polyaniline coatings are preferred over organic solvent or strong acid based coatings because the water used in these coatings does not pollute the environment. The overall goal of this dissertation was to further the development of useful water-based polyaniline coatings by studying new methods of synthesizing polyaniline particles for water-based coatings, to investigate the material properties of these particles such as molecular weight, electrical conductivity, particle size distribution, and stability of polyaniline in air and water. One method of polymerizing polyaniline for aqueous-based coatings uses micelles, which are composed of a cluster of amphiphile surfactants. Micelles can change the local environment by aligning and absorbing the monomer, and may yield polymers with improved material properties and reaction rates. Nonionic micelles have not been extensively investigated. Therefore the first specific goal of this work was to use an aqueous nonionic micelle solution of nonylphenoxypoly(ethyleneoxy) ethanol surfactant (NP-30 surfactant) to comprehensively investigate a one step chemical polymerization of polyaniline conducted at -3°C, in 1.25 M HCl, with ammonium peroxydisulfate oxidizer. The results show that increasing surfactant concentrations caused a decrease in molecular weight, electrical conductivity and sharper particle size distribution of the polymer. The second specific objective of this dissertation was to determine the effect of water and air on polyaniline. The results showed no degradation of molecular weight, a decrease in chloride and hydrogen composition, and decrease in electrical conductivity for polyaniline immersed in water for extended periods. A chloride ion diffusion coefficient of 2.5 to 74 x 10-9 cm2/hour was measured. The aging of polyaniline powders in a desiccator for 5 years showed no effect on the molecular structure as indicated by the FTIR spectrum. The third specific goal of the research was to measure the real and imaginary refractive index of polyaniline saturated with 1.25 M HCl, which was found to be 1.345 to 1.355 and 0.025 to 0.027, respectively. This information is crucial to measuring the distribution of polyaniline colloids by light scattering.

Designing eHealth that Matters via a Multidisciplinary Requirements Development Approach.

PubMed

Van Velsen, Lex; Wentzel, Jobke; Van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia Ewc

2013-06-24

Requirements development is a crucial part of eHealth design. It entails all the activities devoted to requirements identification, the communication of requirements to other developers, and their evaluation. Currently, a requirements development approach geared towards the specifics of the eHealth domain is lacking. This is likely to result in a mismatch between the developed technology and end user characteristics, physical surroundings, and the organizational context of use. It also makes it hard to judge the quality of eHealth design, since it makes it difficult to gear evaluations of eHealth to the main goals it is supposed to serve. In order to facilitate the creation of eHealth that matters, we present a practical, multidisciplinary requirements development approach which is embedded in a holistic design approach for eHealth (the Center for eHealth Research roadmap) that incorporates both human-centered design and business modeling. Our requirements development approach consists of five phases. In the first, preparatory, phase the project team is composed and the overall goal(s) of the eHealth intervention are decided upon. Second, primary end users and other stakeholders are identified by means of audience segmentation techniques and our stakeholder identification method. Third, the designated context of use is mapped and end users are profiled by means of requirements elicitation methods (eg, interviews, focus groups, or observations). Fourth, stakeholder values and eHealth intervention requirements are distilled from data transcripts, which leads to phase five, in which requirements are communicated to other developers using a requirements notation template we developed specifically for the context of eHealth technologies. The end result of our requirements development approach for eHealth interventions is a design document which includes functional and non-functional requirements, a list of stakeholder values, and end user profiles in the form of personas (fictitious end users, representative of a primary end user group). The requirements development approach presented in this article enables eHealth developers to apply a systematic and multi-disciplinary approach towards the creation of requirements. The cooperation between health, engineering, and social sciences creates a situation in which a mismatch between design, end users, and the organizational context can be avoided. Furthermore, we suggest to evaluate eHealth on a feature-specific level in order to learn exactly why such a technology does or does not live up to its expectations.

Goal-setting to Promote a Healthier Lifestyle in Later Life: Qualitative Evaluation of the AgeWell Trial

PubMed Central

Nelis, Sharon M.; Thom, Jeanette M.; Jones, Ian Rees; Hindle, John V.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: We report a mixed method evaluation of the feasibility and implementation of the AgeWell goal-setting intervention to promote healthy ageing later life. Method: Researcher field notes, goal-setting interview content, and semi-structured interviews with participants were content analysed to review trial implementation and participants’ perspective on the goal-setting and mentoring intervention. Results: 75 people were recruited: 21 in the goal-setting and 22 in the goal-setting with mentoring arms of the intervention. Goal-setting was feasible in the main domains of interest. Adherence to the protocol was good and the mentoring schedule was adhered to. Participants reported satisfaction with their goal attainment, but barriers for non-achievement were also identified. Recommendations for small changes to the intervention included reducing the number of goals. Conclusions: Participants understood the goal-setting process, and were able to set realistic and achievable lifestyle goals. The intervention and the procedures were acceptable but changes in how goal-setting is both introduced and monitored are needed for wider implementation. Clinical Implications: Goal-setting can be a useful process to help people alter their lifestyle to allow them to age more successfully and reduce risk factors associated with dementia. PMID:29308992

Automated detection of irradiated food with the comet assay.

PubMed

Verbeek, F; Koppen, G; Schaeken, B; Verschaeve, L

2008-01-01

Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to ionising radiation in order to disinfect, sanitise, sterilise and preserve food or to provide insect disinfestation. Irradiated food should be adequately labelled according to international and national guidelines. In many countries, there are furthermore restrictions to the product-specific maximal dose that can be administered. Therefore, there is a need for methods that allow detection of irradiated food, as well as for methods that provide a reliable dose estimate. In recent years, the comet assay was proposed as a simple, rapid and inexpensive method to fulfil these goals, but further research is required to explore the full potential of this method. In this paper we describe the use of an automated image analysing system to measure DNA comets which allow the discrimination between irradiated and non-irradiated food as well as the set-up of standard dose-response curves, and hence a sufficiently accurate dose estimation.

A Tissue Relevance and Meshing Method for Computing Patient-Specific Anatomical Models in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audette, M. A.; Hertel, I.; Burgert, O.; Strauss, G.

This paper presents on-going work on a method for determining which subvolumes of a patient-specific tissue map, extracted from CT data of the head, are relevant to simulating endoscopic sinus surgery of that individual, and for decomposing these relevant tissues into triangles and tetrahedra whose mesh size is well controlled. The overall goal is to limit the complexity of the real-time biomechanical interaction while ensuring the clinical relevance of the simulation. Relevant tissues are determined as the union of the pathology present in the patient, of critical tissues deemed to be near the intended surgical path or pathology, and of bone and soft tissue near the intended path, pathology or critical tissues. The processing of tissues, prior to meshing, is based on the Fast Marching method applied under various guises, in a conditional manner that is related to tissue classes. The meshing is based on an adaptation of a meshing method of ours, which combines the Marching Tetrahedra method and the discrete Simplex mesh surface model to produce a topologically faithful surface mesh with well controlled edge and face size as a first stage, and Almost-regular Tetrahedralization of the same prescribed mesh size as a last stage.

An overview on the emerging area of identification, characterization, and assessment of health apps.

PubMed

Paglialonga, Alessia; Lugo, Alessandra; Santoro, Eugenio

2018-05-28

The need to characterize and assess health apps has inspired a significant amount of research in the past years, in search for methods able to provide potential app users with relevant, meaningful knowledge. This article presents an overview of the recent literature in this field and categorizes - by discussing some specific examples - the various methodologies introduced so far for the identification, characterization, and assessment of health apps. Specifically, this article outlines the most significant web-based resources for app identification, relevant frameworks for descriptive characterization of apps' features, and a number of methods for the assessment of quality along its various components (e.g., evidence base, trustworthiness, privacy, or user engagement). The development of methods to characterize the apps' features and to assess their quality is important to define benchmarks and minimum requirements. Similarly, such methods are important to categorize potential risks and challenges in the field so that risks can be minimized, whenever possible, by design. Understanding methods to assess apps is key to raise the standards of quality of health apps on the market, towards the final goal of delivering apps that are built on the pillars of evidence-base, reliability, long-term effectiveness, and user-oriented quality. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Intact goal-directed control in treatment-seeking drug users indexed by outcome-devaluation and Pavlovian to instrumental transfer: Critique of habit theory.

PubMed

Hogarth, Lee; Lam-Cassettari, Christa; Pacitti, Helena; Currah, Tara; Mahlberg, Justin; Hartley, Lucie; Moustafa, Ahmed

2018-05-22

Animal studies have demonstrated that chronic exposure to drugs of abuse impairs goal-directed control over action selection indexed by the outcome-devaluation and specific Pavlovian to instrumental transfer procedures, suggesting this impairment might underpin addiction. However, there is currently only weak evidence for impaired goal-directed control in human drug users. Two experiments were undertaken in which treatment-seeking drug users and non-matched normative reference samples (controls) completed outcome-devaluation and specific Pavlovian to instrumental transfer procedures notionally translatable to animal procedures (Experiment 2 used a more challenging biconditional schedule). The two experiments found significant outcome-devaluation and specific Pavlovian to instrumental transfer effects overall and there was no significant difference between groups in the magnitude of these effects. Moreover, Bayes factor supported the null hypothesis for these group comparisons. Although limited by non-matched group comparisons and small sample sizes, the two studies suggest that treatment-seeking drug users have intact goal-directed control over action selection, adding uncertainty to already mixed evidence concerning the role of habit learning in human drug dependence. Neuro-interventions might seek to tackle goal-directed drug-seeking rather than habit formation in drug users. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Context-specific metabolic networks are consistent with experiments.

PubMed

Becker, Scott A; Palsson, Bernhard O

2008-05-16

Reconstructions of cellular metabolism are publicly available for a variety of different microorganisms and some mammalian genomes. To date, these reconstructions are "genome-scale" and strive to include all reactions implied by the genome annotation, as well as those with direct experimental evidence. Clearly, many of the reactions in a genome-scale reconstruction will not be active under particular conditions or in a particular cell type. Methods to tailor these comprehensive genome-scale reconstructions into context-specific networks will aid predictive in silico modeling for a particular situation. We present a method called Gene Inactivity Moderated by Metabolism and Expression (GIMME) to achieve this goal. The GIMME algorithm uses quantitative gene expression data and one or more presupposed metabolic objectives to produce the context-specific reconstruction that is most consistent with the available data. Furthermore, the algorithm provides a quantitative inconsistency score indicating how consistent a set of gene expression data is with a particular metabolic objective. We show that this algorithm produces results consistent with biological experiments and intuition for adaptive evolution of bacteria, rational design of metabolic engineering strains, and human skeletal muscle cells. This work represents progress towards producing constraint-based models of metabolism that are specific to the conditions where the expression profiling data is available.

Novel Solution for Massive Glenoid Defects in Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Patient-Specific Glenoid Vault Reconstruction System.

PubMed

Dines, David M; Gulotta, Lawrence; Craig, Edward V; Dines, Joshua S

Complex glenoid deformities present the most difficult challenges in shoulder arthroplasty. These deformities may be caused by severe degenerative or congenital deformity, posttraumatic anatomy, tumor, or, in most cases, bone loss after glenoid failure in anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty. Methods of treating severe bone loss have included inlay and onlay bone-graft options with augmented fixation and, in severe cases, salvage hemiarthroplasty with limited goal expectations. Unfortunately, none of these methods has provided consistently satisfactory reproducible results. In fact, each has had high rates of failure and complications. Borrowing from hip and knee arthroplasty surgeons' experience in using CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) patient-specific implants to fill significant bony defects, Dr. D. M. Dines developed a glenoid vault reconstruction system (VRS) in conjunction with the Comprehensive Shoulder Arthroplasty System (Zimmer Biomet) to treat severe glenoid bone deficiency. The VRS is patient-specific; each case involves making a preoperative plan based on 3-dimensional reconstruction of a 2-dimensional computed tomography scan. The patient-specific implant and instrumentation that are created are used to reconstruct the deformed glenoid in an anatomical position without the need for additional bone graft. In this article, we describe the implant and its indications, technical aspects of production, and surgical technique.

U.S. Virgin Islands Transportation Petroleum Reduction Plan

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

Johnson, C.

2011-09-01

This NREL technical report determines a way for USVI to meet its petroleum reduction goal in the transportation sector. It does so first by estimating current petroleum use and key statistics and characteristics of USVI transportation. It then breaks the goal down into subordinate goals and estimates the petroleum impacts of these goals with a wedge analysis. These goals focus on reducing vehicle miles, improving fuel economy, improving traffic flow, using electric vehicles, using biodiesel and renewable diesel, and using 10% ethanol in gasoline. The final section of the report suggests specific projects to achieve the goals, and ranks themore » projects according to cost, petroleum reduction, time frame, and popularity.« less

Moving formal methods into practice. Verifying the FTPP Scoreboard: Results, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivas, Mandayam; Bickford, Mark

1992-01-01

This report documents the Phase 1 results of an effort aimed at formally verifying a key hardware component, called Scoreboard, of a Fault-Tolerant Parallel Processor (FTPP) being built at Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL). The Scoreboard is part of the FTPP virtual bus that guarantees reliable communication between processors in the presence of Byzantine faults in the system. The Scoreboard implements a piece of control logic that approves and validates a message before it can be transmitted. The goal of Phase 1 was to lay the foundation of the Scoreboard verification. A formal specification of the functional requirements and a high-level hardware design for the Scoreboard were developed. The hardware design was based on a preliminary Scoreboard design developed at CSDL. A main correctness theorem, from which the functional requirements can be established as corollaries, was proved for the Scoreboard design. The goal of Phase 2 is to verify the final detailed design of Scoreboard. This task is being conducted as part of a NASA-sponsored effort to explore integration of formal methods in the development cycle of current fault-tolerant architectures being built in the aerospace industry.

Numerical tool development of fluid-structure interactions for investigation of obstructive sleep apnea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chien-Jung; White, Susan; Huang, Shao-Ching; Mallya, Sanjay; Eldredge, Jeff

2016-11-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition characterized by repetitive partial or complete occlusion of the airway during sleep. The soft tissues in the upper airway of OSA patients are prone to collapse under the low pressure loads incurred during breathing. The ultimate goal of this research is the development of a versatile numerical tool for simulation of air-tissue interactions in the patient specific upper airway geometry. This tool is expected to capture several phenomena, including flow-induced vibration (snoring) and large deformations during airway collapse of the complex airway geometry in respiratory flow conditions. Here, we present our ongoing progress toward this goal. To avoid mesh regeneration, for flow model, a sharp-interface embedded boundary method is used on Cartesian grids for resolving the fluid-structure interface, while for the structural model, a cut-cell finite element method is used. Also, to properly resolve large displacements, non-linear elasticity model is used. The fluid and structure solvers are connected with the strongly coupled iterative algorithm. The parallel computation is achieved with the numerical library PETSc. Some two- and three- dimensional preliminary results are shown to demonstrate the ability of this tool.

Final technical report

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

Edward DeLong

2011-10-07

Our overarching goals in this project were to: Develop and improve high-throughput sequencing methods and analytical approaches for quantitative analyses of microbial gene expression at the Hawaii Ocean Time Series Station and the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series Station; Conduct field analyses following gene expression patterns in picoplankton microbial communities in general, and Prochlorococcus flow sorted from that community, as they respond to different environmental variables (light, macronutrients, dissolved organic carbon), that are predicted to influence activity, productivity, and carbon cycling; Use the expression analyses of flow sorted Prochlorococcus to identify horizontally transferred genes and gene products, in particular those thatmore » are located in genomic islands and likely to confer habitat-specific fitness advantages; Use the microbial community gene expression data that we generate to gain insights, and test hypotheses, about the variability, genomic context, activity and function of as yet uncharacterized gene products, that appear highly expressed in the environment. We achieved the above goals, and even more over the course of the project. This includes a number of novel methodological developments, as well as the standardization of microbial community gene expression analyses in both field surveys, and experimental modalities. The availability of these methods, tools and approaches is changing current practice in microbial community analyses.« less

Age-related differences in goals: testing predictions from selection, optimization, and compensation theory and socioemotional selectivity theory.

PubMed

Penningroth, Suzanna L; Scott, Walter D

2012-01-01

Two prominent theories of lifespan development, socioemotional selectivity theory and selection, optimization, and compensation theory, make similar predictions for differences in the goal representations of younger and older adults. Our purpose was to test whether the goals of younger and older adults differed in ways predicted by these two theories. Older adults and two groups of younger adults (college students and non-students) listed their current goals, which were then coded by independent raters. Observed age group differences in goals generally supported both theories. Specifically, when compared to younger adults, older adults reported more goals focused on maintenance/loss prevention, the present, emotion-focus and generativity, and social selection, and less goals focused on knowledge acquisition and the future. However, contrary to prediction, older adults also showed less goal focusing than younger adults, reporting goals from a broader set of life domains (e.g., health, property/possessions, friendship).

The struggle of giving up personal goals: affective, physiological, and cognitive consequences of an action crisis.

PubMed

Brandstätter, Veronika; Herrmann, Marcel; Schüler, Julia

2013-12-01

A critical phase in goal striving occurs when setbacks accumulate and goal disengagement becomes an issue. This critical phase is conceptualized as an action crisis and assumed to be characterized by an intrapsychic conflict in which the individual becomes torn between further goal pursuit and goal disengagement. Our theorizing converges with Klinger's conceptualization of goal disengagement as a process, rather than a discrete event. Two longitudinal field studies tested and found support for the hypothesis that an action crisis not only compromises an individual's psychological and physiological well-being, but also dampens the cognitive evaluation of the respective goal. In Study 3, marathon runners experiencing an action crisis in their goal of running marathons showed a stronger cortisol secretion and a lower performance in the race 2 weeks later. Results are interpreted in terms of action-phase-specific mindsets with a focus on self-regulatory processes in goal disengagement.

Where Do Self-Concordant Goals Come From? The Role of Domain-Specific Psychological Need Satisfaction.

PubMed

Milyavskaya, Marina; Nadolny, Daniel; Koestner, Richard

2014-06-01

Previous research has shown that self-concordant goals are more likely to be attained. But what leads someone to adopt a self-concordant goal in the first place? The present research addresses this question by looking at the domains in which goals are set, focusing on the amount of psychological need satisfaction experienced in these domains. Across three experimental studies, we demonstrate that domain-related need satisfaction predicts the extent to which people adopt self-concordant goals in a given domain, laying the foundation for successful goal pursuit. In addition, we show that need satisfaction influences goal self-concordance because in need-satisfying domains people are both more likely to choose the most self-concordant goal (among a set of comparable choices), and are more likely to internalize the possible goals. The implications of this research for goal setting and pursuit as well as for the importance of examining goals within their broader motivational framework are discussed. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Gamification for health promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques in smartphone apps

PubMed Central

Lumsden, J; Rivas, C; Steed, L; Thiyagarajan, A; Sohanpal, R; Caton, H; Griffiths, C J; Munafò, M R; Taylor, S; Walton, R T

2016-01-01

Objective Smartphone games that aim to alter health behaviours are common, but there is uncertainty about how to achieve this. We systematically reviewed health apps containing gaming elements analysing their embedded behaviour change techniques. Methods Two trained researchers independently coded apps for behaviour change techniques using a standard taxonomy. We explored associations with user ratings and price. Data sources We screened the National Health Service (NHS) Health Apps Library and all top-rated medical, health and wellness and health and fitness apps (defined by Apple and Google Play stores based on revenue and downloads). We included free and paid English language apps using ‘gamification’ (rewards, prizes, avatars, badges, leaderboards, competitions, levelling-up or health-related challenges). We excluded apps targeting health professionals. Results 64 of 1680 (4%) health apps included gamification and met inclusion criteria; only 3 of these were in the NHS Library. Behaviour change categories used were: feedback and monitoring (n=60, 94% of apps), reward and threat (n=52, 81%), and goals and planning (n=52, 81%). Individual techniques were: self-monitoring of behaviour (n=55, 86%), non-specific reward (n=49, 82%), social support unspecified (n=48, 75%), non-specific incentive (n=49, 82%) and focus on past success (n=47, 73%). Median number of techniques per app was 14 (range: 5–22). Common combinations were: goal setting, self-monitoring, non-specific reward and non-specific incentive (n=35, 55%); goal setting, self-monitoring and focus on past success (n=33, 52%). There was no correlation between number of techniques and user ratings (p=0.07; rs=0.23) or price (p=0.45; rs=0.10). Conclusions Few health apps currently employ gamification and there is a wide variation in the use of behaviour change techniques, which may limit potential to improve health outcomes. We found no correlation between user rating (a possible proxy for health benefits) and game content or price. Further research is required to evaluate effective behaviour change techniques and to assess clinical outcomes. Trial registration number CRD42015029841. PMID:27707829

Goal-oriented networks and capacity building for natural hazards - examples in the Dresden region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutter, G.

2014-01-01

Networks and networking are important for building social capacities for natural hazards. However, up to now, it has been an open question which types of networks contribute to capacity building under certain circumstances. The paper focuses on the type of a goal-oriented network. The distinction between goal orientation and goal directedness is used to show the following: goal directedness of networks to build capacities for natural hazards involves intensive and continuous processes of "sensemaking" (Weick, 1995) to specify the network goal. This process of specifying an initial goal statement is important in small and large networks at the regional level. The governance form of a lead organization network facilitates goal specification. The paper illustrates these findings through evidence from two case studies conducted in the Dresden region in Germany.

Self-Reported Goals of Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Huang, Elbert S.; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Chin, Marshall H.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES New diabetes mellitus guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society promote the individualization of treatment goals and plans for patients aged 65 and older. Communicating with older patients about such complex medical decisions presents new challenges for providers. The self-reported healthcare goals, factors influencing these goals, and self-care practices of older patients with diabetes mellitus were explored. DESIGN Exploratory study involving semistructured interviews. SETTING Four clinics of a midwestern, urban academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Patients aged 65 and older with type II diabetes mellitus (N = 28). MEASUREMENTS Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and evaluated for recurring themes using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS The majority of patients expressed their health-care goals in a social and functional language, in contrast to the biomedical language of risk factor control and complication prevention, even when specifically asked about goals for diabetes mellitus care. Patient’s predominant healthcare goals centered on maintaining their independence and their activities of daily living (71%). Medical experiences of friends and family (50%), social comparison with peers (7%), and medical professionals (43%) shaped patients’ goals. Self-reported medication adherence and glucose monitoring was high, but more than one-quarter of patients failed to adhere to any dietary recommendations, and one-third failed to adhere to their exercise regimens. CONCLUSION As diabetes mellitus care recommendations for older patients grow more complex, providers could enhance their communication about such medical decisions by exploring patients’ specific circumstances and reframing diabetes mellitus treatment goals in patients’ own language. These may be crucial steps to developing successful individualized care plans PMID:15673357

Self-reported goals of older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Huang, Elbert S; Gorawara-Bhat, Rita; Chin, Marshall H

2005-02-01

New diabetes mellitus guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society promote the individualization of treatment goals and plans for patients aged 65 and older. Communicating with older patients about such complex medical decisions presents new challenges for providers. The self-reported healthcare goals, factors influencing these goals, and self-care practices of older patients with diabetes mellitus were explored. Exploratory study involving semistructured interviews. Four clinics of a midwestern, urban academic medical center. Patients aged 65 and older with type II diabetes mellitus (N=28). Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and evaluated for recurring themes using a grounded theory approach. The majority of patients expressed their healthcare goals in a social and functional language, in contrast to the biomedical language of risk factor control and complication prevention, even when specifically asked about goals for diabetes mellitus care. Patient's predominant healthcare goals centered on maintaining their independence and their activities of daily living (71%). Medical experiences of friends and family (50%), social comparison with peers (7%), and medical professionals (43%) shaped patients' goals. Self-reported medication adherence and glucose monitoring was high, but more than one-quarter of patients failed to adhere to any dietary recommendations, and one-third failed to adhere to their exercise regimens. As diabetes mellitus care recommendations for older patients grow more complex, providers could enhance their communication about such medical decisions by exploring patients' specific circumstances and reframing diabetes mellitus treatment goals in patients' own language. These may be crucial steps to developing successful individualized care plans.

Final Technical Report [Scalable methods for electronic excitations and optical responses of nanostructures: mathematics to algorithms to observables

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

Saad, Yousef

2014-03-19

The master project under which this work is funded had as its main objective to develop computational methods for modeling electronic excited-state and optical properties of various nanostructures. The specific goals of the computer science group were primarily to develop effective numerical algorithms in Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT). There were essentially four distinct stated objectives. The first objective was to study and develop effective numerical algorithms for solving large eigenvalue problems such as those that arise in Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods. The second objective was to explore so-called linear scaling methods ormore » Methods that avoid diagonalization. The third was to develop effective approaches for Time-Dependent DFT (TDDFT). Our fourth and final objective was to examine effective solution strategies for other problems in electronic excitations, such as the GW/Bethe-Salpeter method, and quantum transport problems.« less

Toward the definition of specific protection goals for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals: A perspective on environmental regulation in Europe.

PubMed

Brown, A Ross; Whale, Graham; Jackson, Mathew; Marshall, Stuart; Hamer, Mick; Solga, Andreas; Kabouw, Patrick; Galay-Burgos, Malyka; Woods, Richard; Nadzialek, Stephanie; Maltby, Lorraine

2017-01-01

This critical review examines the definition and implementation of environmental protection goals for chemicals in current European Union (EU) legislation, guidelines, and international agreements to which EU countries are party. The European chemical industry is highly regulated, and prospective environmental risk assessments (ERAs) are tailored for different classes of chemical, according to their specific hazards, uses, and environmental exposure profiles. However, environmental protection goals are often highly generic, requiring the prevention of "unacceptable" or "adverse" impacts on "biodiversity" and "ecosystems" or the "environment as a whole." This review aims to highlight working examples, challenges, solutions, and best practices for defining specific protection goals (SPGs), which are seen to be essential for refining and improving ERA. Specific protection goals hinge on discerning acceptable versus unacceptable adverse effects on the key attributes of relevant, sensitive ecological entities (ranging from organisms to ecosystems). Some isolated examples of SPGs for terrestrial and aquatic biota can be found in prospective ERA guidance for plant protection products (PPPs). However, SPGs are generally limited to environmental or nature legislation that requires environmental monitoring and retrospective ERA. This limitation is due mainly to the availability of baselines, which define acceptable versus unacceptable environmental effects on the key attributes of sentinel species, populations and/or communities, such as reproductive status, abundance, or diversity. Nevertheless, very few regulatory case examples exist in which SPGs incorporate effect magnitude, spatial extent, and temporal duration. We conclude that more holistic approaches are needed for defining SPGs, particularly with respect to protecting population sustainability, ecosystem function, and integrity, which are implicit in generic protection goals and explicit in the International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS) definition of "adverse effect." A possible solution, which the chemical industry is currently assessing, is wider application of the ecosystem services approach proposed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the risk assessment of PPPs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:17-37. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Joint-Specific Play Controller for Upper Extremity Therapy: Feasibility Study in Children With Wrist Impairment

PubMed Central

Wilkins, Megan M.; Basseches, Benjamin; Schwartz, Joel B.; Kerman, Karen; Trask, Christine; Brideau, Holly; Crisco, Joseph J.

2016-01-01

Background Challenges with any therapeutic program for children include the level of the child's engagement or adherence. Capitalizing on one of the primary learning avenues of children, play, the approach described in this article is to develop therapeutic toy and game controllers that require specific and repetitive joint movements to trigger toy/game activation. Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate a specially designed wrist flexion and extension play controller in a cohort of children with upper extremity motor impairments (UEMIs). The aim was to understand the relationship among controller play activity, measures of wrist and forearm range of motion (ROM) and spasticity, and ratings of fun and difficulty. Design This was a cross-sectional study of 21 children (12 male, 9 female; 4–12 years of age) with UEMIs. Methods All children participated in a structured in-clinic play session during which measurements of spasticity and ROM were collected. The children were fitted with the controller and played with 2 toys and 2 computer games for 5 minutes each. Wrist flexion and extension motion during play was recorded and analyzed. In addition, children rated the fun and difficulty of play. Results Flexion and extension goal movements were repeatedly achieved by children during the play session at an average frequency of 0.27 Hz. At this frequency, 15 minutes of play per day would result in approximately 1,700 targeted joint motions per week. Play activity was associated with ROM measures, specifically supination, but toy perception ratings of enjoyment and difficulty were not correlated with clinical measures. Limitations The reported results may not be representative of children with more severe UEMIs. Conclusions These outcomes indicate that the therapeutic controllers elicited repetitive goal movements and were adaptable, enjoyable, and challenging for children of varying ages and UEMIs. PMID:27197824

The Behavioral Intervention Technology Model: An Integrated Conceptual and Technological Framework for eHealth and mHealth Interventions

PubMed Central

Schueller, Stephen M; Montague, Enid; Burns, Michelle Nicole; Rashidi, Parisa

2014-01-01

A growing number of investigators have commented on the lack of models to inform the design of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). BITs, which include a subset of mHealth and eHealth interventions, employ a broad range of technologies, such as mobile phones, the Web, and sensors, to support users in changing behaviors and cognitions related to health, mental health, and wellness. We propose a model that conceptually defines BITs, from the clinical aim to the technological delivery framework. The BIT model defines both the conceptual and technological architecture of a BIT. Conceptually, a BIT model should answer the questions why, what, how (conceptual and technical), and when. While BITs generally have a larger treatment goal, such goals generally consist of smaller intervention aims (the "why") such as promotion or reduction of specific behaviors, and behavior change strategies (the conceptual "how"), such as education, goal setting, and monitoring. Behavior change strategies are instantiated with specific intervention components or “elements” (the "what"). The characteristics of intervention elements may be further defined or modified (the technical "how") to meet the needs, capabilities, and preferences of a user. Finally, many BITs require specification of a workflow that defines when an intervention component will be delivered. The BIT model includes a technological framework (BIT-Tech) that can integrate and implement the intervention elements, characteristics, and workflow to deliver the entire BIT to users over time. This implementation may be either predefined or include adaptive systems that can tailor the intervention based on data from the user and the user’s environment. The BIT model provides a step towards formalizing the translation of developer aims into intervention components, larger treatments, and methods of delivery in a manner that supports research and communication between investigators on how to design, develop, and deploy BITs. PMID:24905070

INTEGRATION OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PRINCIPLES INTO A REHABILITATION PROGRAM

PubMed Central

Lorenz, Daniel S.

2011-01-01

Background and Purpose: Rehabilitation and strength and conditioning are often seen as two separate entities in athletic injury recovery. Traditionally an athlete progresses from the rehabilitation environment under the care of a physical therapist and/or athletic trainer to the strength and conditioning coach for specific return to sport training. These two facets of return to sport are often considered to have separate goals. Initial goals of each are often different due to the timing of their implementation encompassing different stages of post-injury recovery. The initial focus of post injury rehabilitation includes alleviation of dysfunction, enhancement of tissue healing, and provision of a systematic progression of range-of-motion and strength. During the return to function phases, specific return to play goals are paramount. Understanding of specific principles and program parameters is necessary when designing and implementing an athlete's rehabilitation program. Communication and collaboration amongst all individuals caring for the athlete is a must. The purpose of this review is to outline the current evidence supporting utilization of training principles in athletic rehabilitation, as well as provide suggested implementation of such principles throughout different phases of a proposed rehabilitation program. Evidence Acquisition: The following electronic databases were used to identify research relevant to this clinical commentary: MEDLINE (from 1950–June 2011) and CINAHL (1982–June 2011), for all relevant journal articles written in English. Additional references were accrued by independent searching of references from relevant articles. Results: Currently evidence is lacking in the integration of strength and conditioning principles into the rehabilitation program for the injured athlete. Numerous methods are suggested for possible utilization by the clinician in practice to improve strength, power, speed, endurance, and metabolic capacity. Conclusion: Despite abundance of information on the implementation of training principles in the strength and conditioning field, investigation regarding the use of these principles in a properly designed rehabilitation program is lacking. PMID:21904701

The behavioral intervention technology model: an integrated conceptual and technological framework for eHealth and mHealth interventions.

PubMed

Mohr, David C; Schueller, Stephen M; Montague, Enid; Burns, Michelle Nicole; Rashidi, Parisa

2014-06-05

A growing number of investigators have commented on the lack of models to inform the design of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs). BITs, which include a subset of mHealth and eHealth interventions, employ a broad range of technologies, such as mobile phones, the Web, and sensors, to support users in changing behaviors and cognitions related to health, mental health, and wellness. We propose a model that conceptually defines BITs, from the clinical aim to the technological delivery framework. The BIT model defines both the conceptual and technological architecture of a BIT. Conceptually, a BIT model should answer the questions why, what, how (conceptual and technical), and when. While BITs generally have a larger treatment goal, such goals generally consist of smaller intervention aims (the "why") such as promotion or reduction of specific behaviors, and behavior change strategies (the conceptual "how"), such as education, goal setting, and monitoring. Behavior change strategies are instantiated with specific intervention components or "elements" (the "what"). The characteristics of intervention elements may be further defined or modified (the technical "how") to meet the needs, capabilities, and preferences of a user. Finally, many BITs require specification of a workflow that defines when an intervention component will be delivered. The BIT model includes a technological framework (BIT-Tech) that can integrate and implement the intervention elements, characteristics, and workflow to deliver the entire BIT to users over time. This implementation may be either predefined or include adaptive systems that can tailor the intervention based on data from the user and the user's environment. The BIT model provides a step towards formalizing the translation of developer aims into intervention components, larger treatments, and methods of delivery in a manner that supports research and communication between investigators on how to design, develop, and deploy BITs.

Understanding and benchmarking health service achievement of policy goals for chronic disease

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Key challenges in benchmarking health service achievement of policy goals in areas such as chronic disease are: 1) developing indicators and understanding how policy goals might work as indicators of service performance; 2) developing methods for economically collecting and reporting stakeholder perceptions; 3) combining and sharing data about the performance of organizations; 4) interpreting outcome measures; 5) obtaining actionable benchmarking information. This study aimed to explore how a new Boolean-based small-N method from the social sciences—Qualitative Comparative Analysis or QCA—could contribute to meeting these internationally shared challenges. Methods A ‘multi-value QCA’ (MVQCA) analysis was conducted of data from 24 senior staff at 17 randomly selected services for chronic disease, who provided perceptions of 1) whether government health services were improving their achievement of a set of statewide policy goals for chronic disease and 2) the efficacy of state health office actions in influencing this improvement. The analysis produced summaries of configurations of perceived service improvements. Results Most respondents observed improvements in most areas but uniformly good improvements across services were not perceived as happening (regardless of whether respondents identified a state health office contribution to that improvement). The sentinel policy goal of using evidence to develop service practice was not achieved at all in four services and appears to be reliant on other kinds of service improvements happening. Conclusions The QCA method suggested theoretically plausible findings and an approach that with further development could help meet the five benchmarking challenges. In particular, it suggests that achievement of one policy goal may be reliant on achievement of another goal in complex ways that the literature has not yet fully accommodated but which could help prioritize policy goals. The weaknesses of QCA can be found wherever traditional big-N statistical methods are needed and possible, and in its more complex and therefore difficult to empirically validate findings. It should be considered a potentially valuable adjunct method for benchmarking complex health policy goals such as those for chronic disease. PMID:23020943

Goal-Directed Reading of Complex, Embedded Hypertexts: Effects of Goal and Interest on Search Strategies and Selective Attention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillingham, Mark G.

A study examined what happened when a group of adult students read a hypertext for the goal of answering specific questions. Subjects, 30 students enrolled in an upper-division psychology course at a state university in the northwestern United States, read a binary tree-structured hypertext to answer three two-part questions on the topic of…

A Descriptive Case Study of Writing Standards-Based Individualized Education Plan Goals via Problem-Based Learning in a Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Peter J.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the professional development experiences of two contrastive participants while they were creating standards-based individualized education plan (IEP) goals using a virtual world called TeacherSim. Two specific focuses of the study were on how special educators engaged with the task of creating standards-based…

Administrative goals and safety standards for hazard control on forested recreation sites

Treesearch

Lee A. Paine

1973-01-01

For efficient control of tree hazard on recreation sites, a specific administrative goal must be selected. A safety standard designed to achieve the selected goal and a uniform hazard-rating procedure will then promote a consistent level of safety at an acceptable cost. Safety standards can be established with the aid of data for past years, and dollar evaluations are...

The three principles of action: a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer hypothesis

PubMed Central

Cartoni, Emilio; Puglisi-Allegra, Stefano; Baldassarre, Gianluca

2013-01-01

Pavlovian conditioned stimuli can influence instrumental responding, an effect called Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). During the last decade, PIT has been subdivided into two types: specific PIT and general PIT, each having its own neural substrates. Specific PIT happens when a conditioned stimulus (CS) associated with a reward enhances an instrumental response directed to the same reward. Under general PIT, instead, the CS enhances a response directed to a different reward. While important progress has been made into identifying the neural substrates, the function of specific and general PIT and how they interact with instrumental responses are still not clear. In the experimental paradigm that distinguishes specific and general PIT an effect of PIT inhibition has also been observed and is waiting for an explanation. Here we propose an hypothesis that links these three PIT effects (specific PIT, general PIT and PIT inhibition) to three aspects of action evaluation. These three aspects, which we call “principles of action”, are: context, efficacy, and utility. In goal-directed behavior, an agent has to evaluate if the context is suitable to accomplish the goal, the efficacy of his action in getting the goal, and the utility of the goal itself: we suggest that each of the three PIT effects is related to one of these aspects of action evaluation. In particular, we link specific PIT with the estimation of efficacy, general PIT with the evaluation of utility, and PIT inhibition with the adequacy of context. We also provide a latent cause Bayesian computational model that exemplifies this hypothesis. This hypothesis and the model provide a new framework and new predictions to advance knowledge about PIT functioning and its role in animal adaptation. PMID:24312025

Key Relation Extraction from Biomedical Publications.

PubMed

Huang, Lan; Wang, Ye; Gong, Leiguang; Kulikowski, Casimir; Bai, Tian

2017-01-01

Within the large body of biomedical knowledge, recent findings and discoveries are most often presented as research articles. Their number has been increasing sharply since the turn of the century, presenting ever-growing challenges for search and discovery of knowledge and information related to specific topics of interest, even with the help of advanced online search tools. This is especially true when the goal of a search is to find or discover key relations between important concepts or topic words. We have developed an innovative method for extracting key relations between concepts from abstracts of articles. The method focuses on relations between keywords or topic words in the articles. Early experiments with the method on PubMed publications have shown promising results in searching and discovering keywords and their relationships that are strongly related to the main topic of an article.

A spatially-explicit data driven approach to assess the effect of agricultural land occupation on species groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshout, P.; van Zelm, R.; Karuppiah, R.; Laurenzi, I.; Huijbregts, M.

2013-12-01

Change of vegetation cover and increased land use intensity can directly affect the natural habitat and the wildlife it houses. The actual impact of agricultural land use is region specific as crops are grown under various climatic conditions and ways of cultivation and refining. Furthermore, growing a specific crop in a tropical region may require clearance of rainforest while the same crop may replace natural grasslands in temperate regions. Within life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), methods to address impacts of land use on a global scale are still in need of development. We aim to extend existing methods to improve the robustness of LCIA by allowing spatial differentiation of agricultural land use impacts. The goal of this study is to develop characterization factors for the direct impact of land use on biodiversity, which results from the replacement of natural habitat with farmland. The characterization factor expresses the change in species richness under crop cultivation compared to the species richness in the natural situation over a certain area. A second goal was to identify the differences in impacts caused by cultivation of different crop types, sensitivity of different taxonomic groups, and differences in natural land cover. Empirical data on species richness were collected from literature for both natural reference situations and agricultural land use situations. Reference situations were selected on an ecoregion or biome basis. We calculated characterization factors for four crop groups (oil palm, low crops, cereals, and perennial grasses), four species groups (arthropods, birds, mammals, vascular plants), and six biomes.

Introducing a new family of short-range potentials and their numerical solutions using the asymptotic iteration method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assi, I. A.; Sous, A. J.

2018-05-01

The goal of this work is to derive a new class of short-range potentials that could have a wide range of physical applications, specially in molecular physics. The tridiagonal representation approach has been developed beyond its limitations to produce new potentials by requiring the representation of the Schrödinger wave operator to be multidiagonal and symmetric. This produces a family of Hulthén potentials that has a specific structure, as mentioned in the introduction. As an example, we have solved the nonrelativistic wave equation for the new four-parameter short-range screening potential numerically using the asymptotic iteration method, where we tabulated the eigenvalues for both s -wave and arbitrary l -wave cases in tables.

A Model-Free Machine Learning Method for Risk Classification and Survival Probability Prediction.

PubMed

Geng, Yuan; Lu, Wenbin; Zhang, Hao Helen

2014-01-01

Risk classification and survival probability prediction are two major goals in survival data analysis since they play an important role in patients' risk stratification, long-term diagnosis, and treatment selection. In this article, we propose a new model-free machine learning framework for risk classification and survival probability prediction based on weighted support vector machines. The new procedure does not require any specific parametric or semiparametric model assumption on data, and is therefore capable of capturing nonlinear covariate effects. We use numerous simulation examples to demonstrate finite sample performance of the proposed method under various settings. Applications to a glioma tumor data and a breast cancer gene expression survival data are shown to illustrate the new methodology in real data analysis.

Complete Hexose Isomer Identification with Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagy, Gabe; Pohl, Nicola L. B.

2015-04-01

The first analytical method is presented for the identification and absolute configuration determination of all 24 aldohexose and 2-ketohexose isomers, including the D and L enantiomers for allose, altrose, galactose, glucose, gulose, idose, mannose, talose, fructose, psicose, sorbose, and tagatose. Two unique fixed ligand kinetic method combinations were discovered to create significant enough energetic differences to achieve chiral discrimination among all 24 hexoses. Each of these 24 hexoses yields unique ratios of a specific pair of fragment ions that allows for simultaneous determination of identification and absolute configuration. This mass spectrometric-based methodology can be readily employed for accurate identification of any isolated monosaccharide from an unknown biological source. This work provides a key step towards the goal of complete de novo carbohydrate analysis.

Which design for which question? An exploration toward a translation table for comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Montori, Victor M; Kim, Simon P; Guyatt, Gordon H; Shah, Nilay D

2012-05-01

In this paper, we explore the relative value that different methods offer in answering some stereotypical comparative effectiveness research questions with the goal of informing development of a 'translation table'--a selection tool for choosing appropriate methods for specific comparative effectiveness research questions. This paper was written as a parallel effort to Greenfield and Kaplan (also in this volume) to support the endeavor described in the manuscript by Tunis et al. (also in this volume). Originally based on four cases, the current article has been shortened to two cases for the current discussion. These cases represent research priorities proposed to orient the work of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, comparative clinical effectiveness and comparative health services.

Achievement motivation and memory: achievement goals differentially influence immediate and delayed remember-know recognition memory.

PubMed

Murayama, Kou; Elliot, Andrew J

2011-10-01

Little research has been conducted on achievement motivation and memory and, more specifically, on achievement goals and memory. In the present research, the authors conducted two experiments designed to examine the influence of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals on immediate and delayed remember-know recognition memory. The experiments revealed differential effects for achievement goals over time: Performance-approach goals showed higher correct remember responding on an immediate recognition test, whereas mastery-approach goals showed higher correct remember responding on a delayed recognition test. Achievement goals had no influence on overall recognition memory and no consistent influence on know responding across experiments. These findings indicate that it is important to consider quality, not just quantity, in both motivation and memory, when studying relations between these constructs.

Motivational Implications of Pain: Chronicity, Psychological Distress, and Work Goal Construal in a National Sample of Adults

PubMed Central

Karoly, Paul; Ruehlman, Linda S.

2005-01-01

A heterogeneous national sample of adults (mean age = 40 years) employed in management positions was contacted by random digit dialing procedures and interviewed about current pain experience, work-goal cognitions, and psychological status (depression and anxiety). In accord with predictions, persistent pain experience was differentially related to the construal of work-related goals. Specifically, individuals with both persistent and episodic pain (relative to those with no pain) reported lower levels of goal-centered value, self-efficacy, and positive arousal and heightened perceptions of goal-based self-criticism, negative arousal, and conflict between work and nonwork goals. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that goal cognition accounted for unique variance in depression and anxiety over and above the contribution of pain chronicity. PMID:8891717

Experimental Methods to Evaluate Science Utility Relative to the Decadal Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Widergren, Cynthia

2012-01-01

The driving factor for competed missions is the science that it plans on performing once it has reached its target body. These science goals are derived from the science recommended by the most current Decadal Survey. This work focuses on science goals in previous Venus mission proposals with respect to the 2013 Decadal Survey. By looking at how the goals compare to the survey and how much confidence NASA has in the mission's ability to accomplish these goals, a method was created to assess the science return utility of each mission. This method can be used as a tool for future Venus mission formulation and serves as a starting point for future development of create science utility assessment tools.

Exploring the Specific Needs of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis for mHealth Solutions for Physical Activity: Mixed-Methods Study

PubMed Central

Kool, Jan; Rivera Romero, Octavio; Dorronzoro Zubiete, Enrique

2018-01-01

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world’s most common neurologic disorders, with symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive problems, and issues with mobility. Evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) helps people with MS reduce fatigue and improve quality of life. The use of mobile technologies for health has grown in recent years with little involvement from relevant stakeholders. User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy with the goal of creating solutions specific to the needs and tasks of the intended users. UCD involves stakeholders early and often in the design process. In a preliminary study, we assessed the landscape of commercially available MS mobile health (mHealth) apps; to our knowledge, no study has explored what persons with MS and their formal care providers think of mHealth solutions for PA. Objective The aim of this study was to (1) explore MS-specific needs for MS mHealth solutions for PA, (2) detect perceived obstacles and facilitators for mHealth solutions from persons with MS and health care professionals, and (3) understand the motivational aspects behind adoption of mHealth solutions for MS. Methods A mixed-methods design study was conducted in Kliniken Valens, Switzerland, a clinic specializing in neurological rehabilitation. We explored persons with MS and health care professionals who work with them separately. The study had a qualitative part comprising focus groups and interviews, and a quantitative part with standardized tools such as satisfaction with life scale and electronic health (eHealth) literacy. Results A total of 12 persons with relapsing-remitting MS and 12 health care professionals from different backgrounds participated in the study. Participants were well-educated with an even distribution between genders. Themes identified during analysis were MS-related barriers and facilitators, mHealth design considerations, and general motivational aspects. The insights generated were used to create MS personas for design purposes. Desired mHealth features were as follows: (1) activity tracking, (2) incentives for completing tasks and objectives, (3) customizable goal setting, (4) optional sociability, and (5) game-like attitude among others. Potential barriers to mHealth apps adoption were as follows: (1) rough on-boarding experiences, (2) lack of clear use benefits, and (3) disruption of the health care provider-patient relationship. Potential facilitators were identified: (1) endorsements from experts, (2) playfulness, and (3) tailored to specific persons with MS needs. A total of 4 MS personas were developed to provide designers and computer scientists means to help in the creation of future mHealth solutions for MS. Conclusions mHealth solutions for increasing PA in persons with MS hold promise. Allowing for realistic goal setting and positive feedback, while minimizing usability burdens, seems to be critical for the adoption of such apps. Fatigue management is especially important in this population; more attention should be brought to this area. PMID:29426814

Cutting force measurement of electrical jigsaw by strain gauges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazup, L.; Varadine Szarka, A.

2016-11-01

This paper describes a measuring method based on strain gauges for accurate specification of electric jigsaw's cutting force. The goal of the measurement is to provide an overall perspective about generated forces in a jigsaw's gearbox during a cutting period. The lifetime of the tool is affected by these forces primarily. This analysis is part of the research and development project aiming to develop a special linear magnetic brake for realizing automatic lifetime tests of electric jigsaws or similar handheld tools. The accurate specification of cutting force facilitates to define realistic test cycles during the automatic lifetime test. The accuracy and precision resulted by the well described cutting force characteristic and the possibility of automation provide new dimension for lifetime testing of the handheld tools with alternating movement.

Spectroscopic imaging, diffraction, and holography with x-ray photoemission

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

Not Available

1992-02-01

X-ray probes are capable of determining the spatial structure of an atom in a specific chemical state, over length scales from about a micron all the way down to atomic resolution. Examples of these probes include photoemission microscopy, energy-dependent photoemission diffraction, photoelectron holography, and X-ray absorption microspectroscopy. Although the method of image formation, chemical-state sensitivity, and length scales can be very different, these X-ray techniques share a common goal of combining a capability for structure determination with chemical-state specificity. This workshop will address recent advances in holographic, diffraction, and direct imaging techniques using X-ray photoemission on both theoretical and experimentalmore » fronts. A particular emphasis will be on novel structure determinations with atomic resolution using photoelectrons.« less

Microarray Detection Call Methodology as a Means to Identify and Compare Transcripts Expressed within Syncytial Cells from Soybean (Glycine max) Roots Undergoing Resistant and Susceptible Reactions to the Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines)

PubMed Central

Klink, Vincent P.; Overall, Christopher C.; Alkharouf, Nadim W.; MacDonald, Margaret H.; Matthews, Benjamin F.

2010-01-01

Background. A comparative microarray investigation was done using detection call methodology (DCM) and differential expression analyses. The goal was to identify genes found in specific cell populations that were eliminated by differential expression analysis due to the nature of differential expression methods. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate nearly homogeneous populations of plant root cells. Results. The analyses identified the presence of 13,291 transcripts between the 4 different sample types. The transcripts filtered down into a total of 6,267 that were detected as being present in one or more sample types. A comparative analysis of DCM and differential expression methods showed a group of genes that were not differentially expressed, but were expressed at detectable amounts within specific cell types. Conclusion. The DCM has identified patterns of gene expression not shown by differential expression analyses. DCM has identified genes that are possibly cell-type specific and/or involved in important aspects of plant nematode interactions during the resistance response, revealing the uniqueness of a particular cell population at a particular point during its differentiation process. PMID:20508855

THE COLLEGE COMMISSIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FOOKS, JOYCE LANE

THE HISTORIES, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, MODES OF OPERATION, GOALS, AND SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES OF EIGHT COLLEGE SCIENCE COMMISSIONS ARE PRESENTED. THE GOAL OF THE EIGHT COLLEGE SCIENCE COMMISSIONS IS TO BRING UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE INSTRUCTION CLOSER TO THE RESEARCH FRONTIER, UPDATE COURSES, AND FOSTER THE SPIRIT OF INQUIRY. INTERCOMMISSION…

The Selfish Goal

PubMed Central

Bargh, John A.; Green, Michelle; Fitzsimons, Gráinne

2008-01-01

Three experiments tested the hypothesis that consciously intended goal pursuits have unintended consequences for social judgment and behavior. From evolutionary theory (Dawkins 1976/2006) and empirical evidence of a nonconscious mode of goal pursuit (Bargh, 2005) we derive the hypothesis that most human goal pursuits are open-ended in nature: Once active, goals will operate on goal-relevant content in the environment, even if that content is not the intended focus of the conscious goal. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that goals to evaluate a job applicant for either a waiter or crime reporter position also shape impressions of incidental bystanders in the situation, such that the bystander is later liked or disliked not on his own merits, but on how well his behavior matches the criteria consciously applied in evaluating the job applicant. Experiment 3 finds that a goal to help a specific target person spills over to influence actions toward incidental bystanders, but only while active. Implications of these findings for goal pursuit in everyday life are discussed. PMID:19081795

Why people stereotype affects how they stereotype: the differential influence of comprehension goals and self-enhancement goals on stereotyping.

PubMed

van den Bos, Arne; Stapel, Diederik A

2009-01-01

In four studies, the authors examined the hypothesis that the way people stereotype is determined by the motives that instigate it. Study 1 measured and demonstrated the effectiveness of a commonly used priming technique to manipulate comprehension and self-enhancement goals. Study 2 demonstrated that why people stereotype determines how they stereotype: When a comprehension goal was salient, positive as well as negative stereotypes were applied, whereas a salient self-enhancement goal led to the application of negative but not positive stereotypes. Study 3 replicated these effects with different stereotypes. Study 4 replicated these effects and gave more insight in the consequences of goal fulfillment on stereotyping. Results indicated the fulfillment of a salient self-enhancement or comprehension goal led to the reduction of stereotyping. These effects were goal specific: Fulfillment of a self-enhancement goal decreased enhancement-driven but not comprehension-driven stereotyping; fulfillment of a comprehension goal decreased comprehension-driven but not enhancement-driven stereotyping.

NASA's Indigenous Capacity Building Initiative: Balancing Traditional Knowledge and Existing Remote Sensing Training to Inform Management Decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCullum, A. J. K.; Schmidt, C.; Palacios, S. L.; Ly, V.

2017-12-01

NASA's Indigenous Capacity Building Initiative is aimed to provide remote sensing training, mentoring, and research opportunities to the indigenous community. A key programmatic goal is the co-production of place-based trainings where participants have the opportunity to address specific natural resource research and management issues facing their tribal lands. Three primary strategies have been adopted to engage with our tribal partners, these include: (1) the use of existing tribal networks and conferences such as the National Tribal GIS Conference, (2) coordination with other federal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and tribal liaisons at regional Climate Science Centers, and (3) connecting with tribes directly. Regional partner visits with tribes, such as meetings with the Samish Indian Nation, are integral to cultivate trusting, collaborative, and sustained partnerships and an understanding of how Earth Observations can be applied to the unique set of challenges and goals each tribe faces. As the program continues to grow, we aim to increase our incorporation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into technical methods and to develop trainings tailored to thematic areas of interest to specific tribes. Engagement and feedback are encouraged to refine our approaches to increase capacity within the indigenous community to utilize NASA Earth Observations.

The CTSA as an Exemplar Framework for Developing Multidisciplinary Translational Teams

PubMed Central

Calhoun, William J.; Wooten, Kevin; Bhavnani, Suresh; Anderson, Karl E.; Freeman, Jean

2012-01-01

Abstract Translational science requires that scientists from multiple disciplines work together to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. Although a literature exists on the design and management of multidisciplinary teams, little has been written on multidisciplinary translational teams (MTTs). MTTs are distinct hybrid entities, with goals taken from both industry and academic models. We identified 30 design factors in 10 domains from a literature survey relevant to our MTT model: specific goals, structures, and processes. These dimensions were adapted to our own institutional environment in the selection and management of 11 MTTs that exploited resources of University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards (CTSA). Case illustrations of two specific MTTs illustrate some of the challenges encountered and opportunities realized in terms of education and scientific advances. Network depiction of disciplinarity indicated that CTSA KRs and CTSA leadership contributed to discipline diversity especially in small (or nascent) MTTs. A separate depiction of MTT‐KR utilization indicated that data analysis, translational technologies, and novel methods were heavily utilized by MTTs, whereas other KRs contributed significant effort to infrastructure development. We conclude that the CTSA can provide a rich 
infrastructural framework and scientific environment for the development of successful MTTs. Clin Trans Sci 2013; Volume 6: 60–71 PMID:23399092

Applying an Integrative Framework of Executive Function to Preschoolers With Specific Language Impairment

PubMed Central

Plante, Elena; Doubleday, Kevin

2017-01-01

Purpose The first goal of this research was to compare verbal and nonverbal executive function abilities between preschoolers with and without specific language impairment (SLI). The second goal was to assess the group differences on 4 executive function components in order to determine if the components may be hierarchically related as suggested within a developmental integrative framework of executive function. Method This study included 26 4- and 5-year-olds diagnosed with SLI and 26 typically developing age- and sex-matched peers. Participants were tested on verbal and nonverbal measures of sustained selective attention, working memory, inhibition, and shifting. Results The SLI group performed worse compared with typically developing children on both verbal and nonverbal measures of sustained selective attention and working memory, the verbal inhibition task, and the nonverbal shifting task. Comparisons of standardized group differences between executive function measures revealed a linear increase with the following order: working memory, inhibition, shifting, and sustained selective attention. Conclusion The pattern of results suggests that preschoolers with SLI have deficits in executive functioning compared with typical peers, and deficits are not limited to verbal tasks. A significant linear relationship between group differences across executive function components supports the possibility of a hierarchical relationship between executive function skills. PMID:28724132

Feasibility of Group Lifestyle Intervention for Diabetes Prevention in Arab Americans

PubMed Central

Jaber, Linda A.; Pinelli, Nicole R.; Brown, Morton B.; Funnell, Martha M.; Anderson, Robert; Hammad, Adnan; Herman, William H.

2010-01-01

AIMS To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a community-based, culturally-specific, Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)-adapted, group lifestyle intervention in Arab-Americans. METHODS Overweight (BMI≥27 kg/m2) Arab-Americans aged ≥30 years and without a history of diabetes were recruited to participate in a 24-week group lifestyle intervention. The DPP core-curriculum was culturally rewritten, translated into Arabic, and delivered in weekly sessions over a 12-week period. Follow-up was performed at week-24. The primary goals were to achieve ≥7% weight loss and ≥150 minutes/week of physical activity. An intent-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS Of the 71 participants (mean age±SD 47±10 years, 38% males), 44% achieved ≥7% weight loss, 59% achieved ≥5% reduction in weight, and 78% reached the physical activity goal of ≥150-minutes/week. The mean±SD weight loss was 5.2±4.4 kg at week-24 (p<0.0001), Marked reduction in body measurements, daily energy and fat intake were noted. Retention was high with 86% completing the intervention. CONCLUSIONS This trial demonstrates that a culturally-specific, DPP-adapted, group lifestyle intervention implemented in a community setting is feasible and effective in Arab-Americans. PMID:21168232

NASA strategic plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

NASA's Plan summarizes the Agency's vision, mission, and values. Specific goals are listed for each externally focused Enterprise: Mission to Planet Earth, Aeronautics, Human Exploration and Development of Space, Space Science, and Space Technology. These Enterprises satisfy the needs of customers external to NASA. The Strategic Functions (Space Communications, Human Resources, and Physical Resources) are necessary in order to meet the goals of the Enterprises. The goals of these Functions are also presented. All goals must be met while adhering to the discussed values and operating principles of NASA. A final section outlines the implementing strategy.

The essential role of medical ethics education in achieving professionalism: the Romanell Report.

PubMed

Carrese, Joseph A; Malek, Janet; Watson, Katie; Lehmann, Lisa Soleymani; Green, Michael J; McCullough, Laurence B; Geller, Gail; Braddock, Clarence H; Doukas, David J

2015-06-01

This article-the Romanell Report-offers an analysis of the current state of medical ethics education in the United States, focusing in particular on its essential role in cultivating professionalism among medical learners. Education in ethics has become an integral part of medical education and training over the past three decades and has received particular attention in recent years because of the increasing emphasis placed on professional formation by accrediting bodies such as the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Yet, despite the development of standards, milestones, and competencies related to professionalism, there is no consensus about the specific goals of medical ethics education, the essential knowledge and skills expected of learners, the best pedagogical methods and processes for implementation, and optimal strategies for assessment. Moreover, the quality, extent, and focus of medical ethics instruction vary, particularly at the graduate medical education level. Although variation in methods of instruction and assessment may be appropriate, ultimately medical ethics education must address the overarching articulated expectations of the major accrediting organizations. With the aim of aiding medical ethics educators in meeting these expectations, the Romanell Report describes current practices in ethics education and offers guidance in several areas: educational goals and objectives, teaching methods, assessment strategies, and other challenges and opportunities (including course structure and faculty development). The report concludes by proposing an agenda for future research.

Less is More: Membrane Protein Digestion Beyond Urea–Trypsin Solution for Next-level Proteomics*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xi

2015-01-01

The goal of next-level bottom-up membrane proteomics is protein function investigation, via high-coverage high-throughput peptide-centric quantitation of expression, modifications and dynamic structures at systems scale. Yet efficient digestion of mammalian membrane proteins presents a daunting barrier, and prevalent day-long urea–trypsin in-solution digestion proved insufficient to reach this goal. Many efforts contributed incremental advances over past years, but involved protein denaturation that disconnected measurement from functional states. Beyond denaturation, the recent discovery of structure/proteomics omni-compatible detergent n-dodecyl-β-d-maltopyranoside, combined with pepsin and PNGase F columns, enabled breakthroughs in membrane protein digestion: a 2010 DDM-low-TCEP (DLT) method for H/D-exchange (HDX) using human G protein-coupled receptor, and a 2015 flow/detergent-facilitated protease and de-PTM digestions (FDD) for integrative deep sequencing and quantitation using full-length human ion channel complex. Distinguishing protein solubilization from denaturation, protease digestion reliability from theoretical specificity, and reduction from alkylation, these methods shifted day(s)-long paradigms into minutes, and afforded fully automatable (HDX)-protein-peptide-(tandem mass tag)-HPLC pipelines to instantly measure functional proteins at deep coverage, high peptide reproducibility, low artifacts and minimal leakage. Promoting—not destroying—structures and activities harnessed membrane proteins for the next-level streamlined functional proteomics. This review analyzes recent advances in membrane protein digestion methods and highlights critical discoveries for future proteomics. PMID:26081834

The Value of Nonmeasurable Goals in Vision Rehabilitation: Two Case Studies from the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Gregg

2017-01-01

Since much of what constitutes successful vision rehabilitation is measurable, specific quantifiable goals are key to ensuring a commitment that is shared by the patient. There are many nonmeasurable goals, however, that are also important, and these areas had not been addressed in a system based on metrics. The consideration of how the patient's…

The motivational properties of hope in goal striving.

PubMed

Nelissen, Rob M A

2017-02-01

We argue that hope is not an expectancy based on beliefs about pathways to desired goals and personal capacities to act on them, but an experience of the mere possibility of a desired outcome. We propose that in the latter sense, hope has unique motivational consequences for goal striving. Specifically, we predicted that hope buffers against the detrimental impact of negative feedback on goal-progress. The results of the two studies confirmed this prediction. In Study 1, we measured participants' hopes of attaining a weight-loss goal. In Study 2, we induced hope at solving an unsolvable mathematical puzzle. In both studies, receiving negative feedback on goal-progress resulted in lower levels of success (Study 1) and persistence (Study 2) in goal-striving, but not for participants who experienced hope. We discuss the role of hope as an affective mechanism that functions to regulate energy expenditure in goal-striving.

Aiming at a Moving Target: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in the Study of Intraindividual Goal Conflict between Personal Goals

PubMed Central

Gorges, Julia; Grund, Axel

2017-01-01

Multiple-goal pursuit and conflict between personal life-defining goals can be considered part of everyday business in most individuals' lives. Given the potentially detrimental effects of goal conflict—for example, impaired well-being or poor performance—the literature on goal conflict is surprisingly scattered due to heterogeneous methodological approaches and technical terms. Little empirical research has addressed the conceptualization of goal conflict against the background of differing understandings from a structure-like and a process-like perspective. In the present article, we outline theoretical foundations of goal conflict from two perspectives: a structure- and a process-like perspective. Based on a comparative analysis and integration of these two perspectives, we systematically review empirical studies on goal conflict over 30 years of research. In doing so, we identify and discuss important conceptual dimensions of goal conflict, namely, goal conflict as a cognitive construct and an experiential instance, a focus on goal interrelations or on specific goal properties, and resource vs. inherent conflict, and the potential of these distinctions to further research on goal conflict. Finally, we present major challenges and pose questions that need to be addressed by future research. PMID:29201013

Aiming at a Moving Target: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in the Study of Intraindividual Goal Conflict between Personal Goals.

PubMed

Gorges, Julia; Grund, Axel

2017-01-01

Multiple-goal pursuit and conflict between personal life-defining goals can be considered part of everyday business in most individuals' lives. Given the potentially detrimental effects of goal conflict-for example, impaired well-being or poor performance-the literature on goal conflict is surprisingly scattered due to heterogeneous methodological approaches and technical terms. Little empirical research has addressed the conceptualization of goal conflict against the background of differing understandings from a structure-like and a process-like perspective. In the present article, we outline theoretical foundations of goal conflict from two perspectives: a structure- and a process-like perspective. Based on a comparative analysis and integration of these two perspectives, we systematically review empirical studies on goal conflict over 30 years of research. In doing so, we identify and discuss important conceptual dimensions of goal conflict, namely, goal conflict as a cognitive construct and an experiential instance, a focus on goal interrelations or on specific goal properties, and resource vs. inherent conflict, and the potential of these distinctions to further research on goal conflict. Finally, we present major challenges and pose questions that need to be addressed by future research.

Achievement Goal Orientations and Identity Formation Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Avi; Flum, Hanoch

2010-01-01

The present article points to shared underlying theoretical assumptions and central processes of a prominent academic motivation perspective--achievement goal theory--and recent process perspectives in the identity formation literature, and more specifically, identity formation styles. The review highlights the shared definition of achievement…

Mathematics Education: Student Terminal Goals, Program Goals, and Behavioral Objectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

Behavioral objectives are listed for the primary, intermediate and junior high mathematics curriculum in the Mesa Public Schools (Arizona). Lists of specific objectives are given by level for sets, symbol recognition, number operations, mathematical structures, measurement and problem solving skills. (JP)

Psychological drivers in doping: The life-cycle model of performance enhancement

PubMed Central

Petróczi, Andrea; Aidman, Eugene

2008-01-01

Background Performance enhancement (PE) is a natural and essential ingredient of competitive sport. Except for nutritional supplement contamination, accidental use of doping is highly unlikely. It requires deliberation, planning and commitment; and is influenced by a host of protective and risk factors. Hypothesis In the course of their career, athletes constantly set goals and make choices regarding the way these goals can be achieved. The cycle of choice – goal commitment – execution – feedback on goal attainment – goal evaluation/adjustment has numerous exit points, each providing an opportunity for behaviour change, which may or may not be related to the use of prohibited methods. The interplay between facilitating and inhibiting systemic and personality factors, constantly influenced by situational factors could result in an outcome vector of 'doping attitudes', which combines with subjective norms to influence intentions to choose prohibited PE methods. These influences also vary from one stage of athlete development to the next, making some athletes more vulnerable to engaging in doping practices than others, and more vulnerable at certain time periods – and not others. Testing the hypothesis Model-testing requires a series of carefully planned and coordinated studies. Correlational studies can establish relationships where the directionality is not-known or not important. Experimental studies with the manipulation of doping expectancies and risk factors can be used to demonstrate causality and evaluate potential intervention strategies. The final model can be tested via a behavioural simulation, with outcomes compared to those expected from literature precedence or used as a simulated computer game for empirical data collection. Implications A hypothesized life-cycle model of PE identifies vulnerability factors across the stages of athlete development with the view of informing the design of anti-doping assessment and intervention. The model suggests that, instead of focusing on the actual engagement in prohibited PE practices, deterrence strategies are likely to be more effective if they target the influencing factors at the appropriate stage and identify groups of athletes and their respective career stages, which pose particular risks of engagement in doping practices. This enables a more effective intervention approach by targeting specific risk factors and expectancies. PMID:18331645

Toward isolating the role of dopamine in the acquisition of incentive salience attribution.

PubMed

Chow, Jonathan J; Nickell, Justin R; Darna, Mahesh; Beckmann, Joshua S

2016-10-01

Stimulus-reward learning has been heavily linked to the reward-prediction error learning hypothesis and dopaminergic function. However, some evidence suggests dopaminergic function may not strictly underlie reward-prediction error learning, but may be specific to incentive salience attribution. Utilizing a Pavlovian conditioned approach procedure consisting of two stimuli that were equally reward-predictive (both undergoing reward-prediction error learning) but functionally distinct in regard to incentive salience (levers that elicited sign-tracking and tones that elicited goal-tracking), we tested the differential role of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors and nucleus accumbens dopamine in the acquisition of sign- and goal-tracking behavior and their associated conditioned reinforcing value within individuals. Overall, the results revealed that both D1 and D2 inhibition disrupted performance of sign- and goal-tracking. However, D1 inhibition specifically prevented the acquisition of sign-tracking to a lever, instead promoting goal-tracking and decreasing its conditioned reinforcing value, while neither D1 nor D2 signaling was required for goal-tracking in response to a tone. Likewise, nucleus accumbens dopaminergic lesions disrupted acquisition of sign-tracking to a lever, while leaving goal-tracking in response to a tone unaffected. Collectively, these results are the first evidence of an intraindividual dissociation of dopaminergic function in incentive salience attribution from reward-prediction error learning, indicating that incentive salience, reward-prediction error, and their associated dopaminergic signaling exist within individuals and are stimulus-specific. Thus, individual differences in incentive salience attribution may be reflective of a differential balance in dopaminergic function that may bias toward the attribution of incentive salience, relative to reward-prediction error learning only. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manpower goals in American surgery. Implications for residency training. Future surgical manpower in the framework of total United States physicians.

PubMed Central

Moore, F D

1976-01-01

Constraints on manpower are intrinsic in the establishment of standards of excellence. When such constraints are exerted by individual Boards, Societies, Colleges or Academies they should act to improve the quality of care; their weakness lies in their lack of control over non-members, or those who have failed to pass the examinations. Such manpower constraints become specific objectives or goals when the number of accredited specialists is specifically related to the size of the population served. Any such manpower planning must recognize the many uncertainties in the future of American medicine, and maintain wide elasticity in the planning process. Social and economic pressures render the consideration of specific manpower goals essential at this time. Data from the national surgical study (SOSSUS) make it possible to consider such goals. Manpower objectives for surgery or any other branch of medicine should be considered as a part of the total medical manpower outlook for the United States. Pressures to reduce the number of surgeons entering practice are notable at this time. These should be evaluated against other pressures to maintain or increase the number of hospital-based specialists in all fields as the total number of practitioners undergoes a major expansion over the next 25 years, and the pressure for specialty care is thereby increased. A reasonable balance between these two pressures would be a manpower goal for surgery that allowed a modest growth rate over the next 25-50 years. An example of such is the goal of limiting surgical practitioner growth to a 1% increase in the ratio to population, every 5 years. This would be in sharp contrast to the continuous explosive growth of numbers of surgeons, since World War II. PMID:952562

A Mobile Internet Service for Self-Management of Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Challenges in Advancing the Co-Design Process During the Requirements Specification Phase

PubMed Central

Martin, Cathrin; H. Opava, Christina; Brusewitz, Maria; Keller, Christina; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

2015-01-01

Background User involvement in the development of health care services is important for the viability, usability, and effectiveness of services. This study reports on the second step of the co-design process. Objective The aim was to explore the significant challenges in advancing the co-design process during the requirements specification phase of a mobile Internet service for the self-management of physical activity (PA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A participatory action research design was used to involve lead users and stakeholders as co-designers. Lead users (n=5), a clinical physiotherapist (n=1), researchers (n=2) with knowledge in PA in RA and behavioral learning theories, an eHealth strategist (n=1), and an officer from the patient organization (n=1) collaborated in 4 workshops. Data-collection methods included video recordings and naturalistic observations. Results The inductive qualitative video-based analysis resulted in 1 overarching theme, merging perspectives, and 2 subthemes reflecting different aspects of merging: (1) finding a common starting point and (2) deciding on design solutions. Seven categories illustrated the specific challenges: reaching shared understanding of goals, clarifying and handling the complexity of participants’ roles, clarifying terminology related to system development, establishing the rationale for features, negotiating features, transforming ideas into concrete features, and participants’ alignment with the agreed goal and task. Conclusions Co-designing the system requirements of a mobile Internet service including multiple stakeholders was a complex and extensive collaborative decision-making process. Considering, valuing, counterbalancing, and integrating different perspectives into agreements and solutions (ie, the merging of participants’ perspectives) were crucial for moving the process forward and were considered the core challenges of co-design. Further research is needed to replicate the results and to increase knowledge on key factors for a successful co-design of health care services. PMID:26381221

Newborn Jaundice Technologies: Unbound Bilirubin and Bilirubin Binding Capacity In Neonates

PubMed Central

Amin, Sanjiv B.; Lamola, Angelo A.

2011-01-01

Neonatal jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia), extremely common in neonates, can be associated with neurotoxicity. A safe level of bilirubin has not been defined in either premature or term infants. Emerging evidence suggest that the level of unbound (or “free”) bilirubin has a better sensitivity and specificity than total serum bilirubin for bilirubin-induced neurotoxicity. Although recent studies suggest the usefulness of free bilirubin measurements in managing high-risk neonates including premature infants, there currently exists no widely available method to assay the serum free bilirubin concentration. To keep pace with the growing demand, in addition to reevaluation of old methods, several promising new methods are being developed for sensitive, accurate, and rapid measurement of free bilirubin and bilirubin binding capacity. These innovative methods need to be validated before adopting for clinical use. We provide an overview of some promising methods for free bilirubin and binding capacity measurements with the goal to enhance research in this area of active interest and apparent need. PMID:21641486

Fusing Symbolic and Numerical Diagnostic Computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark

2007-01-01

X-2000 Anomaly Detection Language denotes a developmental computing language, and the software that establishes and utilizes the language, for fusing two diagnostic computer programs, one implementing a numerical analysis method, the other implementing a symbolic analysis method into a unified event-based decision analysis software system for realtime detection of events (e.g., failures) in a spacecraft, aircraft, or other complex engineering system. The numerical analysis method is performed by beacon-based exception analysis for multi-missions (BEAMs), which has been discussed in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles. The symbolic analysis method is, more specifically, an artificial-intelligence method of the knowledge-based, inference engine type, and its implementation is exemplified by the Spacecraft Health Inference Engine (SHINE) software. The goal in developing the capability to fuse numerical and symbolic diagnostic components is to increase the depth of analysis beyond that previously attainable, thereby increasing the degree of confidence in the computed results. In practical terms, the sought improvement is to enable detection of all or most events, with no or few false alarms.

Proceedings of the November 2011 Traceability Research Summit: this report is the third in a series on Traceability Summits sponsored by IFT beginning in July 2011.

PubMed

Hickey, Caitlin; Bhatt, Tejas

2013-12-01

Fifty thought leaders in the area of food traceability met for a 3rd time to discuss methodologies and finalize the principles that define their vision for traceability. Participants in the summit included representatives from industry, trade associations, government, academia, consumer groups, and more. One main focus of this summit included a discussion on the current regulations and voluntary initiatives in place regarding traceability. Overall, it was recognized that the recommendations from this summit group would be more specific and stringent in comparison to these current regulations and initiatives. The participants sought to be leaders in the traceability arena, with their recommendations leading the industry to optimal traceability systems and methods. Participants agreed on many principles for their vision of traceability, emphasizing the importance of access to traceability data. They discussed having industry be asked for "basic" tracing data prior to the need for a large-scale investigation, having standards for sharing data, and having the data in electronic form. Participants foresaw the importance of capturing data electronically in the future, although they recognized that many firms do not currently do this. The group also saw a need for a transition period to implement changes, and to provide implementation training and resource aid to small businesses. Summit participants discussed specific definitions and examples for key data elements and critical tracking events that could be used by industry to capture tracing data at specific points within the supply chain. Overall, participants refined the goals of the summit group and started to identify specific ways to achieve those goals. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Reflexive Principlism as an Effective Approach for Developing Ethical Reasoning in Engineering.

PubMed

Beever, Jonathan; Brightman, Andrew O

2016-02-01

An important goal of teaching ethics to engineering students is to enhance their ability to make well-reasoned ethical decisions in their engineering practice: a goal in line with the stated ethical codes of professional engineering organizations. While engineering educators have explored a wide range of methodologies for teaching ethics, a satisfying model for developing ethical reasoning skills has not been adopted broadly. In this paper we argue that a principlist-based approach to ethical reasoning is uniquely suited to engineering ethics education. Reflexive Principlism is an approach to ethical decision-making that focuses on internalizing a reflective and iterative process of specification, balancing, and justification of four core ethical principles in the context of specific cases. In engineering, that approach provides structure to ethical reasoning while allowing the flexibility for adaptation to varying contexts through specification. Reflexive Principlism integrates well with the prevalent and familiar methodologies of reasoning within the engineering disciplines as well as with the goals of engineering ethics education.

Mastering social and organization goals: strategy use by two children with Asperger syndrome during cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance.

PubMed

Rodger, Sylvia; Vishram, Alysha

2010-11-01

Preliminary data supports the effectiveness of Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) for children with Asperger syndrome (AS). Children with AS often experience social and organizational difficulties spanning daily occupations. This case study explored the pattern of Global Strategies and Domain-Specific Strategies (DSS) use, the type of guidance, and dimensions of time on task used by two children with AS (aged 10 and 12 years) in addressing social and organizational goals during the CO-OP intervention. Coding of the videotaped CO-OP sessions suggested that both children (a) utilized all the Global strategies, particularly "understanding the context” and "plan"; (b) used six common DSS, namely transitional supports, affective supports, attending, task-specification, task modification, and supplementing task knowledge, with task-specification being most prominent; (c) required minimal guidance while "doing"; and (d) engaged in considerable time "talking about the task.” The results provide initial insights into strategies that may enable children with AS to achieve social and organizational goals.

Preliminary remediation goals for use at the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Operations Office

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

NONE

1995-06-01

This report presents Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) for use in human health risk assessment efforts under the United States Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations Office Environmental Restoration (ER) Division. Chemical-specific PRGs are concentration goals for individual chemicals for specific medium and land use combinations. The PRGs are referred to as risk-based because they have been calculated using risk assessment procedures. Risk-based calculations set concentration limits using both carcinogenic or noncarcinogenic toxicity values under specific exposure pathways. The PRG is a concentration that is derived from a specified excess cancer risk level or hazard quotient. This report provides the ERmore » Division with standardized PRGs which are integral to the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study process. By managing the assumptions and systems used in PRG derivation, the Environmental Restoration Risk Assessment Program will be able to control the level of quality assurance associated with these risk-based guideline values.« less

Capturing Requirements for Autonomous Spacecraft with Autonomy Requirements Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vassev, Emil; Hinchey, Mike

2014-08-01

The Autonomy Requirements Engineering (ARE) approach has been developed by Lero - the Irish Software Engineering Research Center within the mandate of a joint project with ESA, the European Space Agency. The approach is intended to help engineers develop missions for unmanned exploration, often with limited or no human control. Such robotics space missions rely on the most recent advances in automation and robotic technologies where autonomy and autonomic computing principles drive the design and implementation of unmanned spacecraft [1]. To tackle the integration and promotion of autonomy in software-intensive systems, ARE combines generic autonomy requirements (GAR) with goal-oriented requirements engineering (GORE). Using this approach, software engineers can determine what autonomic features to develop for a particular system (e.g., a space mission) as well as what artifacts that process might generate (e.g., goals models, requirements specification, etc.). The inputs required by this approach are the mission goals and the domain-specific GAR reflecting specifics of the mission class (e.g., interplanetary missions).

Applying the Chronic Care Model to Support Ostomy Self-Management: Implications for Oncology Nursing Practice

PubMed Central

Ercolano, Elizabeth; Grant, Marcia; McCorkle, Ruth; Tallman, Nancy J.; Cobb, Martha D.; Wendel, Christopher; Krouse, Robert

2017-01-01

Background Each year at least 40,000 individuals receive an ostomy due to cancer. Living with an ostomy requires daily site and equipment care, lifestyle changes, emotional management, and social role adjustments. The Chronic Care Ostomy Self-management Training Program (CCOSMTP) offers an ostomy self-management curriculum; emphasizing problem-solving, self-efficacy, reframing cognitive responses, and goal setting. Objectives The qualitative method of content analysis was employed to categorize self-reported goals of ostomates identified during a nurse-led feasibility trial testing the CCOSMTP. Methods Thirty-eight ostomates identified goals at three CCOSMTP sessions. The goals were classified according to the City of Hope Health-Related Qualify of Life Model, a validated multi-dimensional framework, describing physical, psychological, social and spiritual ostomy-related effects. Nurse experts coded the goals independently and then collaborated to reach 100% consensus on the goals’ classification. Findings One-hundred and eighteen goals were identified by 38 participants. Eighty-seven goals (77.2%) were physical goals, related to the care of the skin, placement of the pouch/bag and management of leaks. There were 26 social goals (22.0%) addressing engagement in social/recreation roles and daily activities and five (0.8%) psychological goals on confidence and controlling negative thinking. While ostomy cancer survivors’ goals are variable, physical goals are most common in self-management training. PMID:27206293

FBI fingerprint identification automation study: AIDS 3 evaluation report. Volume 8: Measures of effectiveness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulhall, B. D. L.

1980-01-01

The development of both quantitative criteria that were used to evaluate conceptional systems for automating the functions for the FBI Identification Division is described. Specific alternative systems for automation were compared by using these developed criteria, defined as Measures of Effectiveness (MOE), to gauge system's performance in attempting to achieve certain goals. The MOE, essentially measurement tools that were developed through the combination of suitable parameters, pertain to each conceivable area of system operation. The methods and approaches used, both in selecting the parameters and in using the resulting MOE, are described.

[Gene expression analyses of kidney biopsies: the European renal cDNA bank--Kröner-Fresenius biopsy bank].

PubMed

Cohen, C D; Kretzler, M

2009-03-01

Histological analysis of kidney biopsies is an essential part of our current diagnostic workup of patients with renal disease. Besides the already established diagnostic tools, new methods allow extensive analysis of the sample tissue's gene expression. Using results from a European multicenter study on gene expression analysis of renal biopsies, in this review we demonstrate that this novel approach not only expands the scope of so-called basic research but also might supplement future biopsy diagnostics. The goals are improved diagnosis and more specific therapy choice and prognosis estimates.

Synthesis and use of 2-[ 18F]fluoromalondialdehyde, an accessible synthon for bioconjugation

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

Hooker, Jacob M.

We proposed methods for the synthesis and purification of 2-[ 18F]fluoromalondialdehyde, which will be a readily accessible synthon for bioconjugation. Our achievements in these areas will specifically address a stated goal of the DOE providing a transformational technology for macromolecule radiolabeling. Accomplishment of our aims will serve both DOE mission-related research as well as nuclear medicine research supported by the NIH and industry. At the heart of our proposal is the aim to “improve synthetic methodology for rapidly and efficiently incorporating radionuclides into a wide range of organic compounds.”

A modular method for the extraction of DNA and RNA, and the separation of DNA pools from diverse environmental sample types

PubMed Central

Lever, Mark A.; Torti, Andrea; Eickenbusch, Philip; Michaud, Alexander B.; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Jørgensen, Bo Barker

2015-01-01

A method for the extraction of nucleic acids from a wide range of environmental samples was developed. This method consists of several modules, which can be individually modified to maximize yields in extractions of DNA and RNA or separations of DNA pools. Modules were designed based on elaborate tests, in which permutations of all nucleic acid extraction steps were compared. The final modular protocol is suitable for extractions from igneous rock, air, water, and sediments. Sediments range from high-biomass, organic rich coastal samples to samples from the most oligotrophic region of the world's oceans and the deepest borehole ever studied by scientific ocean drilling. Extraction yields of DNA and RNA are higher than with widely used commercial kits, indicating an advantage to optimizing extraction procedures to match specific sample characteristics. The ability to separate soluble extracellular DNA pools without cell lysis from intracellular and particle-complexed DNA pools may enable new insights into the cycling and preservation of DNA in environmental samples in the future. A general protocol is outlined, along with recommendations for optimizing this general protocol for specific sample types and research goals. PMID:26042110