Kassiopeia: a modern, extensible C++ particle tracking package

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

Furse, Daniel; Groh, Stefan; Trost, Nikolaus

The Kassiopeia particle tracking framework is an object-oriented software package using modern C++ techniques, written originally to meet the needs of the KATRIN collaboration. Kassiopeia features a new algorithmic paradigm for particle tracking simulations which targets experiments containing complex geometries and electromagnetic fields, with high priority put on calculation efficiency, customizability, extensibility, and ease-of-use for novice programmers. To solve Kassiopeia's target physics problem the software is capable of simulating particle trajectories governed by arbitrarily complex differential equations of motion, continuous physics processes that may in part be modeled as terms perturbing that equation of motion, stochastic processes that occur inmore » flight such as bulk scattering and decay, and stochastic surface processes occurring at interfaces, including transmission and reflection effects. This entire set of computations takes place against the backdrop of a rich geometry package which serves a variety of roles, including initialization of electromagnetic field simulations and the support of state-dependent algorithm-swapping and behavioral changes as a particle's state evolves. Thanks to the very general approach taken by Kassiopeia it can be used by other experiments facing similar challenges when calculating particle trajectories in electromagnetic fields. It is publicly available at https://github.com/KATRIN-Experiment/Kassiopeia.« less

Kassiopeia: a modern, extensible C++ particle tracking package

DOE PAGES

Furse, Daniel; Groh, Stefan; Trost, Nikolaus; ...

2017-05-16

The Kassiopeia particle tracking framework is an object-oriented software package using modern C++ techniques, written originally to meet the needs of the KATRIN collaboration. Kassiopeia features a new algorithmic paradigm for particle tracking simulations which targets experiments containing complex geometries and electromagnetic fields, with high priority put on calculation efficiency, customizability, extensibility, and ease-of-use for novice programmers. To solve Kassiopeia's target physics problem the software is capable of simulating particle trajectories governed by arbitrarily complex differential equations of motion, continuous physics processes that may in part be modeled as terms perturbing that equation of motion, stochastic processes that occur inmore » flight such as bulk scattering and decay, and stochastic surface processes occurring at interfaces, including transmission and reflection effects. This entire set of computations takes place against the backdrop of a rich geometry package which serves a variety of roles, including initialization of electromagnetic field simulations and the support of state-dependent algorithm-swapping and behavioral changes as a particle's state evolves. Thanks to the very general approach taken by Kassiopeia it can be used by other experiments facing similar challenges when calculating particle trajectories in electromagnetic fields. It is publicly available at https://github.com/KATRIN-Experiment/Kassiopeia.« less

Kassiopeia: a modern, extensible C++ particle tracking package

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furse, Daniel; Groh, Stefan; Trost, Nikolaus; Babutzka, Martin; Barrett, John P.; Behrens, Jan; Buzinsky, Nicholas; Corona, Thomas; Enomoto, Sanshiro; Erhard, Moritz; Formaggio, Joseph A.; Glück, Ferenc; Harms, Fabian; Heizmann, Florian; Hilk, Daniel; Käfer, Wolfgang; Kleesiek, Marco; Leiber, Benjamin; Mertens, Susanne; Oblath, Noah S.; Renschler, Pascal; Schwarz, Johannes; Slocum, Penny L.; Wandkowsky, Nancy; Wierman, Kevin; Zacher, Michael

2017-05-01

The Kassiopeia particle tracking framework is an object-oriented software package using modern C++ techniques, written originally to meet the needs of the KATRIN collaboration. Kassiopeia features a new algorithmic paradigm for particle tracking simulations which targets experiments containing complex geometries and electromagnetic fields, with high priority put on calculation efficiency, customizability, extensibility, and ease-of-use for novice programmers. To solve Kassiopeia's target physics problem the software is capable of simulating particle trajectories governed by arbitrarily complex differential equations of motion, continuous physics processes that may in part be modeled as terms perturbing that equation of motion, stochastic processes that occur in flight such as bulk scattering and decay, and stochastic surface processes occurring at interfaces, including transmission and reflection effects. This entire set of computations takes place against the backdrop of a rich geometry package which serves a variety of roles, including initialization of electromagnetic field simulations and the support of state-dependent algorithm-swapping and behavioral changes as a particle’s state evolves. Thanks to the very general approach taken by Kassiopeia it can be used by other experiments facing similar challenges when calculating particle trajectories in electromagnetic fields. It is publicly available at https://github.com/KATRIN-Experiment/Kassiopeia.

Design and implementation of a reconfigurable mixed-signal SoC based on field programmable analog arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lintao; Gao, Yuhan; Deng, Jun

2017-11-01

This work presents a reconfigurable mixed-signal system-on-chip (SoC), which integrates switched-capacitor-based field programmable analog arrays (FPAA), analog-to-digital converter (ADC), digital-to-analog converter, digital down converter , digital up converter, 32-bit reduced instruction-set computer central processing unit (CPU) and other digital IPs on a single chip with 0.18 μm CMOS technology. The FPAA intellectual property could be reconfigured as different function circuits, such as gain amplifier, divider, sine generator, and so on. This single-chip integrated mixed-signal system is a complete modern signal processing system, occupying a die area of 7 × 8 mm 2 and consuming 719 mW with a clock frequency of 150 MHz for CPU and 200 MHz for ADC/DAC. This SoC chip can help customers to shorten design cycles, save board area, reduce the system power consumption and depress the system integration risk, which would afford a big prospect of application for wireless communication. Project supported by the National High Technology and Development Program of China (No. 2012AA012303).

Computers and neurosurgery.

PubMed

Shaikhouni, Ammar; Elder, J Bradley

2012-11-01

At the turn of the twentieth century, the only computational device used in neurosurgical procedures was the brain of the surgeon. Today, most neurosurgical procedures rely at least in part on the use of a computer to help perform surgeries accurately and safely. The techniques that revolutionized neurosurgery were mostly developed after the 1950s. Just before that era, the transistor was invented in the late 1940s, and the integrated circuit was invented in the late 1950s. During this time, the first automated, programmable computational machines were introduced. The rapid progress in the field of neurosurgery not only occurred hand in hand with the development of modern computers, but one also can state that modern neurosurgery would not exist without computers. The focus of this article is the impact modern computers have had on the practice of neurosurgery. Neuroimaging, neuronavigation, and neuromodulation are examples of tools in the armamentarium of the modern neurosurgeon that owe each step in their evolution to progress made in computer technology. Advances in computer technology central to innovations in these fields are highlighted, with particular attention to neuroimaging. Developments over the last 10 years in areas of sensors and robotics that promise to transform the practice of neurosurgery further are discussed. Potential impacts of advances in computers related to neurosurgery in developing countries and underserved regions are also discussed. As this article illustrates, the computer, with its underlying and related technologies, is central to advances in neurosurgery over the last half century. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SNAVA-A real-time multi-FPGA multi-model spiking neural network simulation architecture.

PubMed

Sripad, Athul; Sanchez, Giovanny; Zapata, Mireya; Pirrone, Vito; Dorta, Taho; Cambria, Salvatore; Marti, Albert; Krishnamourthy, Karthikeyan; Madrenas, Jordi

2018-01-01

Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) for Versatile Applications (SNAVA) simulation platform is a scalable and programmable parallel architecture that supports real-time, large-scale, multi-model SNN computation. This parallel architecture is implemented in modern Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) devices to provide high performance execution and flexibility to support large-scale SNN models. Flexibility is defined in terms of programmability, which allows easy synapse and neuron implementation. This has been achieved by using a special-purpose Processing Elements (PEs) for computing SNNs, and analyzing and customizing the instruction set according to the processing needs to achieve maximum performance with minimum resources. The parallel architecture is interfaced with customized Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) to configure the SNN's connectivity, to compile the neuron-synapse model and to monitor SNN's activity. Our contribution intends to provide a tool that allows to prototype SNNs faster than on CPU/GPU architectures but significantly cheaper than fabricating a customized neuromorphic chip. This could be potentially valuable to the computational neuroscience and neuromorphic engineering communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modernizing the Mobility Air Force for Tomorrow’s Air Traffic Management System

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Decision Support System GLONASS Global’naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema [Global Navigation Satellite System] GPS Global Positioning System HF high...spreadsheet, November 2009. Eurocontrol, “Link 2000+ Programme: Frequently Asked Questions,” web page, undated(a). As of June 5, 2012: http...www.eurocontrol.int/faq/link2000 ———, “Link 2000+ Programme,” web page, undated(b). As of June 5, 2012: http://www.eurocontrol.int/programmes/link-2000-programme

The International Proteomics Tutorial Programme (IPTP): a teaching tool box for the proteomics community.

PubMed

James, Peter

2011-09-01

The most critical functions of the various proteomics organisations are the training of young scientists and the dissemination of information to the general scientific community. The education committees of the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO) and the European Proteomics Association (EuPA) together with their national counterparts are therefore launching the International Proteomics Tutorial Programme to meet these needs. The programme is being led by Peter James (Sweden), Thierry Rabilloud (France) and Kazuyuki Nakamura (Japan). It involves collaboration between the leading proteomics journals: Journal of Proteome Research, Journal of Proteomics, Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, and Proteomics. The overall level is aimed at Masters/PhD level students who are starting out their research and who would benefit from a solid grounding in the techniques used in modern protein-based research. The tutorial program will cover core techniques and basics as an introduction to scientists new to the field. At a later stage the programme may be expanded with a series of more advanced topics focussing on the application of proteomics techniques to biological problem solving. The entire series of articles and slides will be made freely available for teaching use at the Journals and Organisations homepages and at a special website, www.proteomicstutorials.org. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Method and apparatus for optical encoding with compressible imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

The present invention presents an optical encoder with increased conversion rates. Improvement in the conversion rate is a result of combining changes in the pattern recognition encoder's scale pattern with an image sensor readout technique which takes full advantage of those changes, and lends itself to operation by modern, high-speed, ultra-compact microprocessors and digital signal processors (DSP) or field programmable gate array (FPGA) logic elements which can process encoder scale images at the highest speeds. Through these improvements, all three components of conversion time (reciprocal conversion rate)--namely exposure time, image readout time, and image processing time--are minimized.

Thrust Vectoring Nozzle for Modern Military Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-05-11

Thrust Vectoring Nozzle for Modern Military Aircraft Daniel Ikaza Industria de Turbo Propulsores S.A. (ITP) Parque Tecnol6gico, edificio 300 48170...programme has only been possible with the contribution of partners and organizations, namely: Spanish Ministries of Industry and Defence, with

Immigration and the modern welfare state: the case of USA and Germany.

PubMed

Wenzel, U; Bos, M

1997-10-01

"This article presents a comparison of the inclusion of migrants into welfare programmes in the USA and in Germany. In the first part of the article a brief overview is provided of immigration categories in both countries in order to demonstrate the relevance of these administrative regulations for the opportunities of individual migrants to participate in the welfare system. In the second part we elaborate in more detail on how welfare programmes have developed as basic mechanisms to include or exclude migrants. Our findings illustrate an increasing differentiation of membership statuses parallel to the expansion of modern welfare systems. In both the USA and Germany, the territorial principle and participation in the labour market are of prime importance to the access to social rights. In both cases all migrants may profit from contributory programmes." excerpt

Postgraduate Programmes on Environmental Water Resources Engineering and Management in Greek Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latinopoulos, Pericles; Angelidis, Panagiotis

2014-01-01

The management of complex water problems is nowadays being practised through new ways and approaches. Therefore, water engineers, planners and managers should be appropriately educated through modern undergraduate curricula and by well-designed postgraduate specialisation programmes. Within this framework, a study of the specific characteristics…

Applied Linguistics and Primary School Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Sue, Ed.; McCartney, Elspeth, Ed.

2011-01-01

Modern primary teachers must adapt literacy programmes and ensure efficient learning for all. They must also support children with language and literacy difficulties, children learning English as an additional language and possibly teach a modern foreign language. To do this effectively, they need to understand the applied linguistics research…

Diderot: a Domain-Specific Language for Portable Parallel Scientific Visualization and Image Analysis.

PubMed

Kindlmann, Gordon; Chiw, Charisee; Seltzer, Nicholas; Samuels, Lamont; Reppy, John

2016-01-01

Many algorithms for scientific visualization and image analysis are rooted in the world of continuous scalar, vector, and tensor fields, but are programmed in low-level languages and libraries that obscure their mathematical foundations. Diderot is a parallel domain-specific language that is designed to bridge this semantic gap by providing the programmer with a high-level, mathematical programming notation that allows direct expression of mathematical concepts in code. Furthermore, Diderot provides parallel performance that takes advantage of modern multicore processors and GPUs. The high-level notation allows a concise and natural expression of the algorithms and the parallelism allows efficient execution on real-world datasets.

Information Literacy in Employability Training: The Experience of Inverclyde Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, John; Irving, Christine

2012-01-01

The study is an evaluation of an employability training programme provided by Inverclyde Libraries in West Central Scotland and the role of information literacy within the training programme. Inverclyde is an area with high unemployment and pockets of multiple deprivation. Modern, applicable skills are also lacking. The findings are based on…

Gymnastics and Child Abuse: An Analysis of Former International Portuguese Female Artistic Gymnasts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Maria Claudia; Pimenta, Nuno; Resende, Rui; Malcolm, Dominic

2014-01-01

The growing competitiveness of modern sport means that children, from very early ages, are increasingly submitted to intensive training programmes. These programmes are problematic for young athletes not only because their developing bodies are particularly susceptible to different kinds of injuries, but because athletes are also particularly…

Has Economics become an Elite Subject for Elite UK Universities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, James; Reeves, Alan; Talbot, Steven

2014-01-01

The decline in the number of UK universities offering undergraduate degree programmes in subjects such as sciences, mathematics, modern languages and humanities has been well documented and is now of real concern. It appears that economics may be going through a decline in new (post-1992) UK universities with many economics programmes having been…

Back-to-basics with a surgical rotation programme.

PubMed

Hall, Catherine L

This article describes the development and implementation of a rotation programme for Band 5 nurses within the surgical directorate at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. The article highlights the challenges raised for nurses with health service modernization and develops the rationale for the need for a different way of thinking. At Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, the authors evaluation has led to the development of the surgical rotation programme for Band 5 nurses. This rotation programme challenged basic clinical practice and traditional modes of staff placement. Indications, so far, are that quality of care for patients has improved and nurses satisfaction has increased as a result of the implementation of the Band 5 surgical rotation programme.

Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student Laboratories

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited FIELD PROGRAMMABLE...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student...Electronics curriculum track is the development of a design center that explores Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) control of power electronics

The Bachelor of Arts: Slipping into the Twilight or Facing a New Dawn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gannaway, Deanne

2015-01-01

Undergraduate students have historically engaged with the humanities and social sciences through the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree programme. Recent experiences suggest that the relevance and the value of the degree to the modern world is now being challenged: populist press questions the value of the humanities to the modern knowledge economy;…

Mutation Testing for Effective Verification of Digital Components of Physical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushik, N. G.; Evtushenko, N. V.; Torgaev, S. N.

2015-12-01

Digital components of modern physical systems are often designed applying circuitry solutions based on the field programmable gate array technology (FPGA). Such (embedded) digital components should be carefully tested. In this paper, an approach for the verification of digital physical system components based on mutation testing is proposed. The reference description of the behavior of a digital component in the hardware description language (HDL) is mutated by introducing into it the most probable errors and, unlike mutants in high-level programming languages, the corresponding test case is effectively derived based on a comparison of special scalable representations of the specification and the constructed mutant using various logic synthesis and verification systems.

Critical Reflections on Modern Elite Formation and Social Differentiation in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Outhwaite, Deborah; Ferri, Giuliana

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the changes in educational policy in England regarding the implementing of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (henceforth IBDP) into post-16 (sixth form) education. The aim is to illustrate the unique trajectory of the IBDP in England: from its adoption in schools and colleges across the country, to its…

A digital receiver module with direct data acquisition for magnetic resonance imaging systems.

PubMed

Tang, Weinan; Sun, Hongyu; Wang, Weimin

2012-10-01

A digital receiver module for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with detailed hardware implementations is presented. The module is based on a direct sampling scheme using the latest mixed-signal circuit design techniques. A single field-programmable gate array chip is employed to perform software-based digital down conversion for radio frequency signals. The modular architecture of the receiver allows multiple acquisition channels to be implemented on a highly integrated printed circuit board. To maintain the phase coherence of the receiver and the exciter in the context of direct sampling, an effective phase synchronization method was proposed to achieve a phase deviation as small as 0.09°. The performance of the described receiver module was verified in the experiments for both low- and high-field (0.5 T and 1.5 T) MRI scanners and was compared to a modern commercial MRI receiver system.

Modern Languages and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD): Implications of Teaching Adult Learners with Dyslexia in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallardo, Matilde; Heiser, Sarah; Arias McLaughlin, Ximena

2015-01-01

In modern language (ML) distance learning programmes, teachers and students use online tools to facilitate, reinforce and support independent learning. This makes it essential for teachers to develop pedagogical expertise in using online communication tools to perform their role. Teachers frequently raise questions of how best to support the needs…

Sri Lanka--Canada School Library & Information Services Programme Components: A School Library Study Tour. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gerald R.

This document reports on a study tour of Canadian schools conducted by the Sri Lanka Ministry of Education. The purposes of the tour were to: develop an awareness of the scope of modern school library programming; investigate the aspects of implementation of a modern school library program including staffing, facilities, educational programming,…

Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and Control Systems Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cmar, Mark D.; Maloney, Christian T.; Butala, Vishal D.

2012-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility, commonly referred to as B-2, is NASA s third largest thermal-vacuum facility with propellant systems capability. B-2 has completed a modernization effort of its facility legacy data, video and control systems infrastructure to accommodate modern integrated testing and Information Technology (IT) Security requirements. Integrated systems tests have been conducted to demonstrate the new data, video and control systems functionality and capability. Discrete analog signal conditioners have been replaced by new programmable, signal processing hardware that is integrated with the data system. This integration supports automated calibration and verification of the analog subsystem. Modern measurement systems analysis (MSA) tools are being developed to help verify system health and measurement integrity. Legacy hard wired digital data systems have been replaced by distributed Fibre Channel (FC) network connected digitizers where high speed sampling rates have increased to 256,000 samples per second. Several analog video cameras have been replaced by digital image and storage systems. Hard-wired analog control systems have been replaced by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), fiber optic networks (FON) infrastructure and human machine interface (HMI) operator screens. New modern IT Security procedures and schemes have been employed to control data access and process control flows. Due to the nature of testing possible at B-2, flexibility and configurability of systems has been central to the architecture during modernization.

Modernization of B-2 Data, Video, and Control Systems Infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cmar, Mark D.; Maloney, Christian T.; Butala, Vishal D.

2012-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station (PBS) Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility, commonly referred to as B-2, is NASA's third largest thermal-vacuum facility with propellant systems capability. B-2 has completed a modernization effort of its facility legacy data, video and control systems infrastructure to accommodate modern integrated testing and Information Technology (IT) Security requirements. Integrated systems tests have been conducted to demonstrate the new data, video and control systems functionality and capability. Discrete analog signal conditioners have been replaced by new programmable, signal processing hardware that is integrated with the data system. This integration supports automated calibration and verification of the analog subsystem. Modern measurement systems analysis (MSA) tools are being developed to help verify system health and measurement integrity. Legacy hard wired digital data systems have been replaced by distributed Fibre Channel (FC) network connected digitizers where high speed sampling rates have increased to 256,000 samples per second. Several analog video cameras have been replaced by digital image and storage systems. Hard-wired analog control systems have been replaced by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), fiber optic networks (FON) infrastructure and human machine interface (HMI) operator screens. New modern IT Security procedures and schemes have been employed to control data access and process control flows. Due to the nature of testing possible at B-2, flexibility and configurability of systems has been central to the architecture during modernization.

Challenges of the biomedical engineering education in Europe.

PubMed

Magjarevic, Ratko; Lackovic, Igor; Bliznakov, Zhivko; Pallikarakis, Nicolas

2010-01-01

Higher education in Europe has passed through a very dynamic period of changes during the last ten years. Since the signing of the Bologna Declaration in 1999 by the Ministers of Education from the EU states, European higher education system has aimed toward establishing harmonized programs enabling students and teachers to extensively exchange knowledge, ideas and skills. Education in the field of Biomedical Engineering has experienced changes also because of the research and development in the field which was more intensive than in other fields. Besides research in new power sources, it is the most intensive and productive research field. Much of the development in BME education in Europe is influenced by the European research policy expressed through the 7th Framework Programme where health is the major theme. In order to foster and support the changes in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) according to the needs of research sector and the labor market, the Tempus scheme of projects was established. Tempus scheme aims to support the modernization of higher education and create an area of co-operation in the countries surrounding the EU. Our Tempus project, CRH-BME "Curricula Reformation and Harmonization in the field of Biomedical Engineering" aims to create guidelines for updating existing curricula in the field of BME in Europe in order to meet recent and future developments in the area, address new emerging interdisciplinary domains that appear as the result of the R&D progress and respond to the BME job market demands. In this paper, some policy and economic factors affecting BME education in Europe are discussed and the results of a BME education survey we prepared within the Tempus CHR-BME project are presented. The number of BME programmes in Europe has in the last decade significantly increased and there are more BME specializations as the result of growing complexity of the research and production in the field.

The Application of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis for Managing Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) Programmes for Improved Efficiency in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adepoju, T. L.; Famade, Olu Adesola

2010-01-01

This paper reviews the current status of vocational and technical education programmes (VTE) in Nigeria and the major innovations of the Nigerian Government in the recent times in the sector vis-a-vis the demands of the modern world for vocational and technological development. It therefore, proposes a paradigm shift in the operation of VTE…

Iris unwrapping using the Bresenham circle algorithm for real-time iris recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carothers, Matthew T.; Ngo, Hau T.; Rakvic, Ryan N.; Broussard, Randy P.

2015-02-01

An efficient parallel architecture design for the iris unwrapping process in a real-time iris recognition system using the Bresenham Circle Algorithm is presented in this paper. Based on the characteristics of the model parameters this algorithm was chosen over the widely used polar conversion technique as the iris unwrapping model. The architecture design is parallelized to increase the throughput of the system and is suitable for processing an inputted image size of 320 × 240 pixels in real-time using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology. Quartus software is used to implement, verify, and analyze the design's performance using the VHSIC Hardware Description Language. The system's predicted processing time is faster than the modern iris unwrapping technique used today∗.

Thomson Scattering Diagnostic Data Acquisition Systems for Modern Fusion Systems

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

Ivanenko, S.V.; Khilchenko, A.D.; Ovchar, V.K.

2015-07-01

Uniquely designed complex data acquisition system for Thomson scattering diagnostic was developed. It allows recording short duration (3-5 ns) scattered pulses with 2 GHz sampling rate and 10-bit total resolution in oscilloscope mode. The system consists up to 48 photo detector modules with 0- 200 MHz bandwidth, 1-48 simultaneously sampling ADC modules and synchronization subsystem. The photo detector modules are based on avalanche photodiodes (APD) and ultra-low noise trans-impedance amplifiers. ADC modules include fast analog to digital converters and digital units based on the FPGA (Field- Programmable Gate Array) for data processing and storage. The synchronization subsystem is used tomore » form triggering pulses and to organize the simultaneously mode of ADC modules operation. (authors)« less

Remote monitoring and fault recovery for FPGA-based field controllers of telescope and instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yuhua; Zhu, Dan; Wang, Jianing

2012-09-01

As the increasing size and more and more functions, modern telescopes have widely used the control architecture, i.e. central control unit plus field controller. FPGA-based field controller has the advantages of field programmable, which provide a great convenience for modifying software and hardware of control system. It also gives a good platform for implementation of the new control scheme. Because of multi-controlled nodes and poor working environment in scattered locations, reliability and stability of the field controller should be fully concerned. This paper mainly describes how we use the FPGA-based field controller and Ethernet remote to construct monitoring system with multi-nodes. When failure appearing, the new FPGA chip does self-recovery first in accordance with prerecovery strategies. In case of accident, remote reconstruction for the field controller can be done through network intervention if the chip is not being restored. This paper also introduces the network remote reconstruction solutions of controller, the system structure and transport protocol as well as the implementation methods. The idea of hardware and software design is given based on the FPGA. After actual operation on the large telescopes, desired results have been achieved. The improvement increases system reliability and reduces workload of maintenance, showing good application and popularization.

Method and infrastructure for cycle-reproducible simulation on large scale digital circuits on a coordinated set of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)

DOEpatents

Asaad, Sameh W; Bellofatto, Ralph E; Brezzo, Bernard; Haymes, Charles L; Kapur, Mohit; Parker, Benjamin D; Roewer, Thomas; Tierno, Jose A

2014-01-28

A plurality of target field programmable gate arrays are interconnected in accordance with a connection topology and map portions of a target system. A control module is coupled to the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. A balanced clock distribution network is configured to distribute a reference clock signal, and a balanced reset distribution network is coupled to the control module and configured to distribute a reset signal to the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. The control module and the balanced reset distribution network are cooperatively configured to initiate and control a simulation of the target system with the plurality of target field programmable gate arrays. A plurality of local clock control state machines reside in the target field programmable gate arrays. The local clock state machines are configured to generate a set of synchronized free-running and stoppable clocks to maintain cycle-accurate and cycle-reproducible execution of the simulation of the target system. A method is also provided.

RHrFPGA Radiation-Hardened Re-programmable Field-Programmable Gate Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, A. B.; LaBel, K. A.; McCabe, J. F.; Gardner, G. A.; Lintz, J.; Ross, C.; Golke, K.; Burns, B.; Carts, M. A.; Kim, H. S.

2004-01-01

Viewgraphs on the development of the Radiation-Hardened Re-programmable Field-Programmable Gate Array (RHrFPGA) are presented. The topics include: 1) Radiation Test Suite; 2) Testing Interface; 3) Test Configuration; 4) Facilities; 5) Test Programs; 6) Test Procedure; and 7) Test Results. A summary of heavy ion and proton testing is also included.

Scaling up family medicine training in Gezira, Sudan - a 2-year in-service master programme using modern information and communication technology: a survey study.

PubMed

Mohamed, Khalid G; Hunskaar, Steinar; Abdelrahman, Samira Hamid; Malik, Elfatih M

2014-01-21

In 2010 the Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) was initiated in Gezira state, Sudan, designed as an in-service training model. The project is a collaboration project between the University of Gezira, which aims to provide a 2-year master's programme in family medicine for practicing doctors, and the Ministry of Health, which facilitates service provision and funds the training programme. This paper presents the programme, the teaching environment, and the first batch of candidates enrolled. In this study a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect baseline data at the start of the project from doctors who joined the programme. A checklist was also used to assess the health centres where they work. A total of 188 out of 207 doctors responded (91%), while data were gathered from all 158 health centres (100%) staffed by the programme candidates. The Gezira model of in-service family medicine training has succeeded in recruiting 207 candidates in its first batch, providing health services in 158 centres, of which 84 had never been served by a doctor before. The curriculum is community oriented. The mean age of doctors was 32.5 years, 57% were males, and 32% were graduates from the University of Gezira. Respondents stated high confidence in practicing some skills such as asthma management and post-abortion uterine evacuation. They were least confident in other skills such as managing depression or inserting an intrauterine device. The majority of health centres was poorly equipped for management of noncommunicable diseases, as only 10% had an electrocardiography machine (ECG), 5% had spirometer, and 1% had a defibrillator. The Gezira model has responded to local health system needs. Use of modern information and communication technology is used to facilitate both health service provision and training. The GFMP represents an example of a large-volume scaling-up programme of family medicine in Africa.

Scaling up family medicine training in Gezira, Sudan – a 2-year in-service master programme using modern information and communication technology: a survey study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In 2010 the Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) was initiated in Gezira state, Sudan, designed as an in-service training model. The project is a collaboration project between the University of Gezira, which aims to provide a 2-year master’s programme in family medicine for practicing doctors, and the Ministry of Health, which facilitates service provision and funds the training programme. This paper presents the programme, the teaching environment, and the first batch of candidates enrolled. Methods In this study a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect baseline data at the start of the project from doctors who joined the programme. A checklist was also used to assess the health centres where they work. A total of 188 out of 207 doctors responded (91%), while data were gathered from all 158 health centres (100%) staffed by the programme candidates. Results The Gezira model of in-service family medicine training has succeeded in recruiting 207 candidates in its first batch, providing health services in 158 centres, of which 84 had never been served by a doctor before. The curriculum is community oriented. The mean age of doctors was 32.5 years, 57% were males, and 32% were graduates from the University of Gezira. Respondents stated high confidence in practicing some skills such as asthma management and post-abortion uterine evacuation. They were least confident in other skills such as managing depression or inserting an intrauterine device. The majority of health centres was poorly equipped for management of noncommunicable diseases, as only 10% had an electrocardiography machine (ECG), 5% had spirometer, and 1% had a defibrillator. Conclusions The Gezira model has responded to local health system needs. Use of modern information and communication technology is used to facilitate both health service provision and training. The GFMP represents an example of a large-volume scaling-up programme of family medicine in Africa. PMID:24443978

Performance points. The reform club.

PubMed

Edwards, Nick

2004-03-18

The improvement Partnership for Hospitals programme is the vanguard of Modernization Agency work. It is based on statistical process control to eliminate variations in performance, especially in elective service. All starred trusts will join IPH by next April.

Dominance of Sterilization and Alternative Choices of Contraception in India: An Appraisal of the Socioeconomic Impact

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Isabel Tiago; Dias, José G.; Padmadas, Sabu S.

2014-01-01

Background The recent decline in fertility in India has been unprecedented especially in southern India, where fertility is almost exclusively controlled by means of permanent contraceptive methods, mainly female sterilization, which constitutes about two-thirds of overall contraceptive use. Many Indian women undergo sterilization at relatively young ages as a consequence of early marriage and childbearing in short birth intervals. This research aims to investigate the socioeconomic factors determining the choices for alternative contraceptive choices against the dominant preference for sterilization among married women in India. Methods Data for this study are drawn from the 2005–06 National Family Health Surveys focusing on a sample of married women who reported having used a method of contraception in the five years preceding the survey. A multilevel multinomial logit regression is used to estimate the impact of socioeconomic factors on contraceptive choices, differentiating temporary modern or traditional methods versus sterilization. Findings Religious affiliation, women's education and occupation had overarching influence on method choices amongst recent users. Muslim women were at higher odds of choosing a traditional or modern temporary method than sterilization. Higher level of women's education increased the odds of modern temporary method choices but the education effect on traditional method choices was only marginally significant. Recent users belonging to wealthier households had higher odds of choosing modern methods over sterilization. Exposure to family planning messages through radio had a positive effect on modern and traditional method choices. Community variations in method choices were highly significant. Conclusion The persistent dominance of sterilization in the Indian family planning programme is largely determined by socioeconomic conditions. Reproductive health programmes should address the socioeconomic barriers and consider multiple cost-effective strategies such as mass media to promote awareness of modern temporary methods. PMID:24489759

Dominance of sterilization and alternative choices of contraception in India: an appraisal of the socioeconomic impact.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Isabel Tiago; Dias, José G; Padmadas, Sabu S

2014-01-01

The recent decline in fertility in India has been unprecedented especially in southern India, where fertility is almost exclusively controlled by means of permanent contraceptive methods, mainly female sterilization, which constitutes about two-thirds of overall contraceptive use. Many Indian women undergo sterilization at relatively young ages as a consequence of early marriage and childbearing in short birth intervals. This research aims to investigate the socioeconomic factors determining the choices for alternative contraceptive choices against the dominant preference for sterilization among married women in India. Data for this study are drawn from the 2005-06 National Family Health Surveys focusing on a sample of married women who reported having used a method of contraception in the five years preceding the survey. A multilevel multinomial logit regression is used to estimate the impact of socioeconomic factors on contraceptive choices, differentiating temporary modern or traditional methods versus sterilization. Religious affiliation, women's education and occupation had overarching influence on method choices amongst recent users. Muslim women were at higher odds of choosing a traditional or modern temporary method than sterilization. Higher level of women's education increased the odds of modern temporary method choices but the education effect on traditional method choices was only marginally significant. Recent users belonging to wealthier households had higher odds of choosing modern methods over sterilization. Exposure to family planning messages through radio had a positive effect on modern and traditional method choices. Community variations in method choices were highly significant. The persistent dominance of sterilization in the Indian family planning programme is largely determined by socioeconomic conditions. Reproductive health programmes should address the socioeconomic barriers and consider multiple cost-effective strategies such as mass media to promote awareness of modern temporary methods.

Assembly instructions to build your own attractive chemistry platform: experiences from the Chimiscope.

PubMed

Perret, Didier

2012-01-01

Taking into consideration the gap between the decreasing interest of teenagers for careers in science, and the ever-increasing need for top-ranked scientists and engineers to maintain wealthy economies, it has become of the utmost importance for governments and public institutions to devise new initiatives that bring attractive insights and fascination of modern science to the general audience and in particular to pupils. This paper is targeted toward academic institutions engaged in the process of building incentive programmes in the broad field of molecular science. It describes the step-by-step creation of the Chimiscope, the discovery and experimentation platform inaugurated in 2011 by the University of Geneva, which proposes captivation and take-home messages on the intriguing world of molecules to visitors aged 7 to 107.

A High-Throughput Processor for Flight Control Research Using Small UAVs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klenke, Robert H.; Sleeman, W. C., IV; Motter, Mark A.

2006-01-01

There are numerous autopilot systems that are commercially available for small (<100 lbs) UAVs. However, they all share several key disadvantages for conducting aerodynamic research, chief amongst which is the fact that most utilize older, slower, 8- or 16-bit microcontroller technologies. This paper describes the development and testing of a flight control system (FCS) for small UAV s based on a modern, high throughput, embedded processor. In addition, this FCS platform contains user-configurable hardware resources in the form of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that can be used to implement custom, application-specific hardware. This hardware can be used to off-load routine tasks such as sensor data collection, from the FCS processor thereby further increasing the computational throughput of the system.

Data transmission optical link for RF-GUN project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olowski, Krzysztof; Zielinski, Jerzy; Jalmuzna, Wojciech; Pozniak, Krzysztof; Romaniuk, Ryszard

2005-09-01

Today, the fast optical data transmission is one of the fundamentals of modern distributed control systems. The fibers are widely use as multi-gigabit data stream medium. For a short range transmission, the multimode fibers are in common use. The data rate for this kind of transmission exceeds 10 Gbps for 10 Gigabit Ethernet and 10G Fibre Channel protocols. The Field Programmable Gate Arrays are one of the opportunities of managing the optical transmission. This article is concerning a synchronous optical transmission system via a multimode fiber. The transmission is controlled by the FPGA of two manufacturers: Xilinx and Altera. This paper contains the newest technology overview and market device parameters. It also describes a board for the optical transmission, technical details of the transmission and optical transmission results.

Orthodontic undergraduate education: developments in a modern curriculum.

PubMed

Chadwick, Stephen M; Bearn, David R; Jack, Alan C; O'Brien, Kevin D

2002-05-01

This paper explores some modern concepts of teaching and learning, including cognitive theory, the zone of proximal development, constructivism, andragogy and learning styles and describes how they have informed the development of an undergraduate orthodontic curriculum. The changes described include student-centred learning, guided self-learning, and the incorporation of problem-based learning concepts. The details of the problem-based learning programme are described together with results of student feedback on the change in teaching and learning style.

Public health in New York City, 2002-2007: confronting epidemics of the modern era.

PubMed

Frieden, Thomas R; Bassett, Mary T; Thorpe, Lorna E; Farley, Thomas A

2008-10-01

Long after the leading causes of death in the United States shifted from infectious diseases to chronic diseases, many public health agencies have not established effective policies and programmes to prevent current health problems. Starting in 2002, the New York City health department, an agency with a long history of innovation, undertook initiatives to address chronic disease prevention and control, as well as to modernize methods to address persistent health problems. All the initiatives relied on an expansive use of epidemiology; actions to prevent disease were based on policy change to create health-promoting environments as well as engagement with the health care system to improve its focus on prevention. Examples of policy-based initiatives are: a multi-component tobacco control programme that included a tax increase, a comprehensive smoke-free air law, hard-hitting anti-tobacco advertising and cessation services; elimination of trans fats from restaurants and a mandate that restaurants post-calorie information on menu boards. Examples of health care initiatives are public health 'detailing' to primary care providers, creation of a city-wide diabetes registry and development of a public health-oriented electronic health record. The infrastructure needed by local health departments to prevent chronic diseases and other modern health problems includes strong information technology systems, skillful epidemiology, expertise in communications using modern media, policy-making authority and, most importantly, political support.

The Role of the Curator in Modern Hospitals: A Transcontinental Perspective.

PubMed

Moss, Hilary; O'Neill, Desmond

2016-12-13

This paper explores the role of the curator in hospitals. The arts play a significant role in every society; however, recent studies indicate a neglect of the aesthetic environment of healthcare. This international study explores the complex role of the curator in modern hospitals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten arts specialists in hospitals across five countries and three continents for a qualitative, phenomenological study. Five themes arose from the data: (1) Patient involvement and influence on the arts programme in hospital (2) Understanding the role of the curator in hospital (3) Influences on arts programming in hospital (4) Types of arts programmes (5) Limitations to effective curation in hospital. Recommendations arising from the research included recognition of the specialised role of the curator in hospitals; building positive links with clinical staff to effect positive hospital arts programmes and increasing formal involvement of patients in arts planning in hospital. Hospital curation can be a vibrant arena for arts development, and the role of the hospital curator is a ground-breaking specialist role that can bring benefits to hospital life. The role of curator in hospital deserves to be supported and developed by both the arts and health sectors.

[The impact of an art therapy programme for cancer patients--an analysis from different points of view].

PubMed

Geue, Kristina; Buttstädt, Marianne; Singer, Susanne; Kleinert, Evelyn; Richter, Robert; Götze, Heide; Böhler, Ursula; Becker, Cornelia; Brähler, Elmar

2011-01-01

Art therapy is used in the whole field of psycho-oncological maintenance to support coping mechanisms with creative techniques. Previous studies stated effects of art therapy just by referring to the participants' ratings. This study wants to extend the perspective by including the views of all involved parties--participating patients, dropouts, art therapist and supervisor. We developed and tested an art therapy programme for cancer patients. The participants' and dropouts' ratings were documented by using a questionnaire with open and closed questions upon completion of the intervention. The art therapist and the supervisor described their personal point of view. 74 patients took part in the intervention whereof 18 dropped out. Of these, 8 could be interviewed regarding the reasons for not participating further in the study. The dropouts evaluated the intervention positively(4/8) or could not make a final statement (3/8). 55 questionnaires were available from the 56 participants. They described the importance of the programme in several ways. Most of all, they reported of: stimulation of imagination (50/55), emotional stabilisation(48/55), enlargement of means of expression (45/55) and contact with other patients (42/55). The dropouts named several reasons for their decision to cancel: too intense focus on the disease(N = 3), modern drawing (N = 1), too much talks (N = 1) and too much sketching (N = 1) were some points of criticism. The art therapist as well as the supervisor emphasized activation as a main outcome for the participants. Positive effects of the intervention programme highlight the importance of establishing an art therapy in ambulant care. It enlarges the range of psychosocial maintenance and enables oncological patients to cope with the disease and its consequences with artistic means.

Fast and robust control of nanopositioning systems: Performance limits enabled by field programmable analog arrays.

PubMed

Baranwal, Mayank; Gorugantu, Ram S; Salapaka, Srinivasa M

2015-08-01

This paper aims at control design and its implementation for robust high-bandwidth precision (nanoscale) positioning systems. Even though modern model-based control theoretic designs for robust broadband high-resolution positioning have enabled orders of magnitude improvement in performance over existing model independent designs, their scope is severely limited by the inefficacies of digital implementation of the control designs. High-order control laws that result from model-based designs typically have to be approximated with reduced-order systems to facilitate digital implementation. Digital systems, even those that have very high sampling frequencies, provide low effective control bandwidth when implementing high-order systems. In this context, field programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) provide a good alternative to the use of digital-logic based processors since they enable very high implementation speeds, moreover with cheaper resources. The superior flexibility of digital systems in terms of the implementable mathematical and logical functions does not give significant edge over FPAAs when implementing linear dynamic control laws. In this paper, we pose the control design objectives for positioning systems in different configurations as optimal control problems and demonstrate significant improvements in performance when the resulting control laws are applied using FPAAs as opposed to their digital counterparts. An improvement of over 200% in positioning bandwidth is achieved over an earlier digital signal processor (DSP) based implementation for the same system and same control design, even when for the DSP-based system, the sampling frequency is about 100 times the desired positioning bandwidth.

Field programmable gate arrays: Evaluation report for space-flight application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandoe, Mike; Davarpanah, Mike; Soliman, Kamal; Suszko, Steven; Mackey, Susan

1992-01-01

Field Programmable Gate Arrays commonly called FPGA's are the newer generation of field programmable devices and offer more flexibility in the logic modules they incorporate and in how they are interconnected. The flexibility, the number of logic building blocks available, and the high gate densities achievable are why users find FPGA's attractive. These attributes are important in reducing product development costs and shortening the development cycle. The aerospace community is interested in incorporating this new generation of field programmable technology in space applications. To this end, a consortium was formed to evaluate the quality, reliability, and radiation performance of FPGA's. This report presents the test results on FPGA parts provided by ACTEL Corporation.

Vulnerability re-assessed: the changing face of sex work in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

PubMed

Beattie, Tara S H; Bradley, Janet E; Vanta, Uma Devi; Lowndes, Catherine M; Alary, Michel

2013-01-01

We conducted a qualitative study to examine the impact of an HIV prevention programme on female sex workers' lives in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. The study found evidence that, in addition to the HIV prevention programme, structural and environmental factors had recently changed the way sex work was being practiced. Recent closure of the brothels and implementation of a late-night street curfew by the police meant sex work had become more hidden, with clients often solicited using mobile phones from home or their work place (e.g., in the fields or factories). Sex work had become safer, with violence by non-regular partners rarely reported. Women understood the risks of unprotected vaginal sex and reported using condoms with their clients. However, clients were more frequently requesting anal sex, possibly due to recent exposure to pornography following increased accessibility to modern technologies such as mobile phones and the Internet. Anal sex with clients was common but women were often unaware of the associated risks and reported unprotected anal sex. HIV positive and/or older women faced severe financial hardship and difficulty soliciting sufficient clients, and reported unprotected vaginal and anal sex to earn enough to survive. Taken together, the findings from this study suggest changing vulnerability to HIV in this setting. It will be important for HIV prevention programmes to be flexible and creative in their approaches if they are to continue to reach this target community effectively.

FPGA-Based Front-End Electronics for Positron Emission Tomography

PubMed Central

Haselman, Michael; DeWitt, Don; McDougald, Wendy; Lewellen, Thomas K.; Miyaoka, Robert; Hauck, Scott

2010-01-01

Modern Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are capable of performing complex discrete signal processing algorithms with clock rates above 100MHz. This combined with FPGA’s low expense, ease of use, and selected dedicated hardware make them an ideal technology for a data acquisition system for positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. Our laboratory is producing a high-resolution, small-animal PET scanner that utilizes FPGAs as the core of the front-end electronics. For this next generation scanner, functions that are typically performed in dedicated circuits, or offline, are being migrated to the FPGA. This will not only simplify the electronics, but the features of modern FPGAs can be utilizes to add significant signal processing power to produce higher resolution images. In this paper two such processes, sub-clock rate pulse timing and event localization, will be discussed in detail. We show that timing performed in the FPGA can achieve a resolution that is suitable for small-animal scanners, and will outperform the analog version given a low enough sampling period for the ADC. We will also show that the position of events in the scanner can be determined in real time using a statistical positioning based algorithm. PMID:21961085

L1 track trigger for the CMS HL-LHC upgrade using AM chips and FPGAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedi, Giacomo

2017-08-01

The increase of luminosity at the HL-LHC will require the introduction of tracker information in CMS's Level-1 trigger system to maintain an acceptable trigger rate when selecting interesting events, despite the order of magnitude increase in minimum bias interactions. To meet the latency requirements, dedicated hardware has to be used. This paper presents the results of tests of a prototype system (pattern recognition ezzanine) as core of pattern recognition and track fitting for the CMS experiment, combining the power of both associative memory custom ASICs and modern Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices. The mezzanine uses the latest available associative memory devices (AM06) and the most modern Xilinx Ultrascale FPGAs. The results of the test for a complete tower comprising about 0.5 million patterns is presented, using as simulated input events traversing the upgraded CMS detector. The paper shows the performance of the pattern matching, track finding and track fitting, along with the latency and processing time needed. The pT resolution over pT of the muons measured using the reconstruction algorithm is at the order of 1% in the range 3-100 GeV/c.

EC MoDeRn Project: In-situ Demonstration of Innovative Monitoring Technologies for Geological Disposal - 12053

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

Breen, B.J.; Garcia-Sineriz, J.L.; Maurer, H.

2012-07-01

Monitoring to provide information on the evolution of geological disposal presents several challenges. The 4-year, euros M 5, EC MoDeRn Project (http://www.modern-fp7.eu/), which commenced in 2009, addresses monitoring processes, state-of-the-art technology and innovative research and development of monitoring techniques. This paper discusses some of the key drivers for the development of innovative monitoring techniques and provides outlines of the demonstration programmes being conducted within MoDeRn. The aim is to develop these innovative monitoring techniques and to demonstrate them under realistic conditions present in underground laboratories. These demonstration projects, applying a range of different monitoring techniques, are being carried out atmore » underground research facilities in different geological environments at HADES URL in Belgium (plastic clay), Bure in France (indurated clay) and at Grimsel Test Site (granite) in Switzerland. These are either built upon existing infrastructure (EC ESDRED Low pH shotcrete and TEM experiments at Grimsel; and PRACLAY experiment and underground galleries in HADES) or will be attached to infrastructure that is being developed and financed by resources outside of this project (mock-up disposal cell in Bure). At Grimsel Test Site, cross-hole and hole-to-tunnel seismic methods are being employed as a means to monitor induced changes in an artificially saturated bentonite wall confined behind a shotcrete plug. Recognising the limitations for travel-time tomography for monitoring a disposal cell, full waveform inversion techniques are being employed to enhance the capacity to monitor remote from the excavation. At the same Grimsel location, an investigation will be conducted of the potential for using a high frequency wireless (HFW) sensor network embedded within the barrier system; this will include the possibility of providing energy remotely to isolated sensors. At the HADES URL, the monitoring programme will utilise the PRACLAY gallery equipped to simulate a disposal gallery for heat-generating high-level waste evaluating fibre-optic based sensing techniques, including distributed sensing for thermal distribution and long-term reliability in harsh conditions. It also includes the potential to improve the treatment of signals from micro-seismic monitoring to enable enhanced understanding of the evolution around the gallery following its excavation due to ventilation, saturation and heating, and to image a water-bearing concretion layer. HADES URL will also be used to test wireless techniques to transmit monitoring data from the underground to the surface. The main focus of this contribution is to evaluate magneto-inductive data transmission; and to optimise energy usage. At the Bure underground facility in France, monitoring systems have been developed and will be embedded into the steel liner for the mock-up high-level waste disposal tunnel. The aim of this programme is to establish the capacity to conduct integrated monitoring activities inside the disposal cell, on the cell liner and in the near-field and to assess the capability of the monitoring to withstand construction and liner emplacement procedures. These projects, which are supported by focused development and testing of the monitoring systems, will allow the testing of both the effectiveness of these techniques applied to disposal situations and to understand the limits of these monitoring technologies. This approach should also enhance the confidence of key stakeholders in the ability to understand/confirm the changes occurring within a disposal cell. In addition, remote or 'non-intrusive' monitoring technologies are evaluated to provide a means of enhancing understanding of what is occurring in an isolated disposal cell. The projects also test solutions for embedded monitoring systems in challenging (risk of damage) situations. The outputs from this work will lead to improved understanding of these state-of-the-art techniques and allow focused development of those techniques beneficial to future monitoring programmes. It is also planned, as part of the MoDeRn programme of stakeholder engagement to show some of these monitoring demonstrations to lay stakeholders in order to receive their feed-back on the approach taken and their views on the value of this work. This feedback will help improve our understanding of how this work and future work on monitoring can be more effectively communicated. (authors)« less

A Programmable and Configurable Mixed-Mode FPAA SoC

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-17

A Programmable and Configurable Mixed-Mode FPAA SoC Sahil Shah, Sihwan Kim, Farhan Adil, Jennifer Hasler, Suma George, Michelle Collins, Richard...Abstract: The authors present a Floating-Gate based, System-On-Chip large-scale Field- Programmable Analog Array IC that integrates divergent concepts...Floating-Gate, SoC, Command Word Classification This paper presents a Floating-Gate (FG) based, System- On-Chip (SoC) large-scale Field- Programmable

Instrumental Aid by Japanese Official Development Assistance for Astronomy in Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitamura, Masatoshi

In order to promote education and research in developing countries, the Japanese Government has been providing developing countries with high-grade equipment under the framework of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) cooperation programme since 1982. Under this successful cooperation programme, 24 astronomical instruments have been donated to 19 developing countries up to the end of the Japanese fiscal year 2003. The instruments donated included university-level reflecting telescopes, as well as modern planetaria used for educational purposes, together with various accessories. This paper describes a continuation of the previous ODA donations (Astronomical Herald 1997) and the subsequent follow-up programmes provided with the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Computer-based diagnosis of illness in historical persons.

PubMed

Peters, T J

2013-01-01

Retrospective diagnosis of illness in historical figures is a popular but somewhat unreliable pastime due to the lack of detailed information and reliable reports about clinical features and disease progression. Modern computer-based diagnostic programmes have been used to supplement historical documents and accounts, offering new and more objective approaches to the retrospective investigations of the medical conditions of historical persons. In the case of King George III, modern technology has been used to strengthen the findings of previous reports rejecting the popular diagnosis of variegate porphyria in the King, his grandson Augustus d'Esté and his antecedent King James VI and I. Alternative diagnoses based on these programmes are indicated. The Operational Criteria in Studies of Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) programme and the Young mania scale have been applied to the features described for George III and suggest a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The neuro-diagnostic programme SimulConsult was applied to Augustus d'Esté and suggests a diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica rather than acute porphyria with secondarily multiple sclerosis, as proposed by others. James VI and I's complex medical history and the clinical features of his behavioural traits were also subjected to SimulConsult analysis; acute porphyria was rejected and the unexpected diagnosis of attenuated (mild) Lesch-Nyhan disease offered. A brief review of these approaches along with full reference listings to the methodology including validation are provided. Textual analysis of the written and verbal outputs of historical figures indicate possible future developments in the diagnosis of medical disorders in historical figures.

Defense Industrial Base Assessment: U.S. Integrated Circuit Design and Fabrication Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

in the U.S for the period 2003-2006, with projections to 2011.6 The resulting draft OTE survey was field tested for accuracy and usability with a...custom application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Companies of all sizes can manufacture these IC...able to design one-time Electronically Programmable Gate Arrays (EPGAs) while nine are able to design Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Eight

Lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme.

PubMed

Hoy, Damian; Durand, A Mark; Hancock, Thane; Cash, Haley L; Hardie, Kate; Paterson, Beverley; Paulino, Yvette; White, Paul; Merritt, Tony; Fitzgibbons, Dawn; Gopalani, Sameer Vali; Flint, James; Edwin A Merilles, Onofre; Kashiwabara, Mina; Biaukula, Viema; Lepers, Christelle; Souares, Yvan; Nilles, Eric; Batikawai, Anaseini; Huseynova, Sevil; Patel, Mahomed; Saketa, Salanieta T; Durrheim, David; Henderson, Alden; Roth, Adam

2017-01-01

The Pacific region has widely dispersed populations, limited financial and human resources and a high burden of disease. There is an urgent need to improve the availability, reliability and timeliness of useable health data. The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme that was designed to respond to these Pacific health challenges. The pilot programme built on and further developed an existing field epidemiology training programme for Pacific health staff. The programme was delivered in country by epidemiologists working for Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network partners. The programme consisted of five courses: four one-week classroom-based courses and one field epidemiology project. Sessions were structured so that theoretical understanding was achieved through interaction and reinforced through practical hands-on group activities, case studies and other interactive practical learning methods. As of September 2016, 258 students had commenced the programme. Twenty-six course workshops were delivered and one cohort of students had completed the full five-course programme. The programme proved popular and gained a high level of student engagement. Face-to-face delivery, a low student-to-facilitator ratio, substantial group work and practical exercises were identified as key factors that contributed to the students developing skills and confidence. Close engagement of leaders and the need to quickly evaluate and adapt the curriculum were important lessons, and the collaboration between external partners was considered important for promoting a harmonized approach to health needs in the Pacific.

International treatment access and research, how you can help--interview with Dr. Peter Piot of UNAIDS. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Interview by John S. James.

PubMed

Piot, P

1996-11-01

Medical advances in the United States have greatly increased the lifespan of people with AIDS, but there is no access to modern medicine for the 90 percent of AIDS patients who live in other countries. Dr. Peter Piot of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) addresses the efforts of six U.N. agencies in improving treatment access throughout the world and improving research on natural and traditional medicines.

Detection of Visual Field Loss in Pituitary Disease: Peripheral Kinetic Versus Central Static

PubMed Central

Rowe, Fiona J.; Cheyne, Christopher P.; García-Fiñana, Marta; Noonan, Carmel P.; Howard, Claire; Smith, Jayne; Adeoye, Joanne

2015-01-01

Abstract Visual field assessment is an important clinical evaluation for eye disease and neurological injury. We evaluated Octopus semi-automated kinetic peripheral perimetry (SKP) and Humphrey static automated central perimetry for detection of neurological visual field loss in patients with pituitary disease. We carried out a prospective cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study comparing Humphrey central 30-2 SITA threshold programme with a screening protocol for SKP on Octopus perimetry. Humphrey 24-2 data were extracted from 30-2 results. Results were independently graded for presence/absence of field defect plus severity of defect. Fifty patients (100 eyes) were recruited (25 males and 25 females), with mean age of 52.4 years (SD = 15.7). Order of perimeter assessment (Humphrey/Octopus first) and order of eye tested (right/left first) were randomised. The 30-2 programme detected visual field loss in 85%, the 24-2 programme in 80%, and the Octopus combined kinetic/static strategy in 100% of eyes. Peripheral visual field loss was missed by central threshold assessment. Qualitative comparison of type of visual field defect demonstrated a match between Humphrey and Octopus results in 58%, with a match for severity of defect in 50%. Tests duration was 9.34 minutes (SD = 2.02) for Humphrey 30-2 versus 10.79 minutes (SD = 4.06) for Octopus perimetry. Octopus semi-automated kinetic perimetry was found to be superior to central static testing for detection of pituitary disease-related visual field loss. Where reliant on Humphrey central static perimetry, the 30-2 programme is recommended over the 24-2 programme. Where kinetic perimetry is available, this is preferable to central static programmes for increased detection of peripheral visual field loss. PMID:27928344

Impact of Magnetic Field on Pressures of Programmable Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Altun, Idiris; Yuksel, Kasim Zafer; Mert, Tufan

2017-01-01

To investigate whether programmable cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts are influenced by exposure to the magnetic field and to compare the effects of magnetic field in 4 different brands of programmable CSF shunts. This experimental study was performed in the laboratory using a novel design of magnetic field. Four types of programmable CSF shunts (Miethke®, Medtronic®, Sophysa® and Codman®Hakim®) were exposed to the magnetic field generated by an apparatus consisting of Helmholtz coil for 5 minutes. In every CSF shunt, initial pressures were adjusted to 110 mm H2O and pressures after exposure to magnetic field were noted. These measurements were implemented at frequencies of 5 Hz, 20 Hz, 30 Hz, 40 Hz, 60 Hz and 80 Hz. In each type, three shunts were utilized and evaluations were made twice for every shunt. At 5, 30, 40 and 60 Hz, Groups 1, 2 and 3 had significantly higher average pressures than Group 4. At 20 and 80 Hz, Groups 1 and 2 had notably different pressure values than Groups 3 and 4. Group 3 displayed the highest pressure, while Group 4 demonstrated the lowest pressure. Exposure to magnetic fields may affect the pressures of programmable CSF shunts. However, further controlled, clinical trials are warranted to elucidate the in-vivo effects of magnetic field exposure.

Lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme

PubMed Central

Durand, A Mark; Hancock, Thane; Cash, Haley L; Hardie, Kate; Paterson, Beverley; Paulino, Yvette; White, Paul; Merritt, Tony; Fitzgibbons, Dawn; Gopalani, Sameer Vali; Flint, James; Edwin A Merilles, Onofre; Kashiwabara, Mina; Biaukula, Viema; Lepers, Christelle; Souares, Yvan; Nilles, Eric; Batikawai, Anaseini; Huseynova, Sevil; Patel, Mahomed; Saketa, Salanieta T; Durrheim, David; Henderson, Alden; Roth, Adam

2017-01-01

Problem The Pacific region has widely dispersed populations, limited financial and human resources and a high burden of disease. There is an urgent need to improve the availability, reliability and timeliness of useable health data. Context The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme that was designed to respond to these Pacific health challenges. The pilot programme built on and further developed an existing field epidemiology training programme for Pacific health staff. Action The programme was delivered in country by epidemiologists working for Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network partners. The programme consisted of five courses: four one-week classroom-based courses and one field epidemiology project. Sessions were structured so that theoretical understanding was achieved through interaction and reinforced through practical hands-on group activities, case studies and other interactive practical learning methods. Outcome As of September 2016, 258 students had commenced the programme. Twenty-six course workshops were delivered and one cohort of students had completed the full five-course programme. The programme proved popular and gained a high level of student engagement. Discussion Face-to-face delivery, a low student-to-facilitator ratio, substantial group work and practical exercises were identified as key factors that contributed to the students developing skills and confidence. Close engagement of leaders and the need to quickly evaluate and adapt the curriculum were important lessons, and the collaboration between external partners was considered important for promoting a harmonized approach to health needs in the Pacific. PMID:29051838

Magnetism: Principles and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craik, Derek J.

2003-09-01

If you are studying physics, chemistry, materials science, electrical engineering, information technology or medicine, then you'll know that understanding magnetism is fundamental to success in your studies and here is the key to unlocking the mysteries of magnetism....... You can: obtain a simple overview of magnetism, including the roles of B and H, resonances and special techniques take full advantage of modern magnets with a wealth of expressions for fields and forces develop realistic general design programmes using isoparametric finite elements study the subtleties of the general theory of magnetic moments and their dynamics follow the development of outstanding materials appreciate how magnetism encompasses topics as diverse as rock magnetism, chemical reaction rates, biological compasses, medical therapies, superconductivity and levitation understand the basis and remarkable achievements of magnetic resonance imaging In his new book, Magnetism, Derek Craik throws light on the principles and applications of this fascinating subject. From formulae for calculating fields to quantum theory, the secrets of magnetism are exposed, ensuring that whether you are a chemist or engineer, physicist, medic or materials scientist Magnetism is the book for our course.

International Field Experience--What Do Student Teachers Learn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jackie Fung King

2011-01-01

This inquiry aimed to examine the benefits of having international field experience for a group of Hong Kong postgraduate student teachers who joined a six-week immersion programme in New Zealand. Through participants' reflections, interviews and programme evaluations, the present investigation found that the overseas field experience not only…

The Visualization Toolkit (VTK): Rewriting the rendering code for modern graphics cards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanwell, Marcus D.; Martin, Kenneth M.; Chaudhary, Aashish; Avila, Lisa S.

2015-09-01

The Visualization Toolkit (VTK) is an open source, permissively licensed, cross-platform toolkit for scientific data processing, visualization, and data analysis. It is over two decades old, originally developed for a very different graphics card architecture. Modern graphics cards feature fully programmable, highly parallelized architectures with large core counts. VTK's rendering code was rewritten to take advantage of modern graphics cards, maintaining most of the toolkit's programming interfaces. This offers the opportunity to compare the performance of old and new rendering code on the same systems/cards. Significant improvements in rendering speeds and memory footprints mean that scientific data can be visualized in greater detail than ever before. The widespread use of VTK means that these improvements will reap significant benefits.

Analog Module Architecture for Space-Qualified Field-Programmable Mixed-Signal Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, R. Timothy; Strohbehn, Kim; Jaskulek, Steven E.; Katz, Richard

1999-01-01

Spacecraft require all manner of both digital and analog circuits. Onboard digital systems are constructed almost exclusively from field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits providing numerous advantages over discrete design including high integration density, high reliability, fast turn-around design cycle time, lower mass, volume, and power consumption, and lower parts acquisition and flight qualification costs. Analog and mixed-signal circuits perform tasks ranging from housekeeping to signal conditioning and processing. These circuits are painstakingly designed and built using discrete components due to a lack of options for field-programmability. FPAA (Field-Programmable Analog Array) and FPMA (Field-Programmable Mixed-signal Array) parts exist but not in radiation-tolerant technology and not necessarily in an architecture optimal for the design of analog circuits for spaceflight applications. This paper outlines an architecture proposed for an FPAA fabricated in an existing commercial digital CMOS process used to make radiation-tolerant antifuse-based FPGA devices. The primary concerns are the impact of the technology and the overall array architecture on the flexibility of programming, the bandwidth available for high-speed analog circuits, and the accuracy of the components for high-performance applications.

Studying Innovation Technologies in Modern Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stukalenko, Nina M.; Zhakhina, Bariya B.; Kukubaeva, Asiya K.; Smagulova, Nurgul K.; Kazhibaeva, Gulden K.

2016-01-01

In modern society, innovation technologies expand to almost every field of human activity, including such wide field as education. Due to integrating innovation technologies into the educational process practice, this phenomenon gained special significance within improvement and modernization of the established educational system. Currently, the…

Representations in Primary Mathematics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debrenti, Edith

2013-01-01

The OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) investigates whether students have acquired the applicable knowledge essential for full participation in a modern society (they measure how students can apply their knowledge to novel situations). Meaningful learning and understanding are basic aspects of all kinds of learning and they…

Radiation effects and mitigation strategies for modern FPGAs

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

Stettler, M. W.; Caffrey, M. P.; Graham, P. S.

2004-01-01

Field Programmable Gate Array devices have become the technology of choice in small volume modern instrumentation and control systems. These devices have always offered significant advantages in flexibility, and recent advances in fabrication have greatly increased logic capacity, substantially increasing the number of applications for this technology. Unfortunately, the increased density (and corresponding shrinkage of process geometry), has made these devices more susceptible to failure due to external radiation. This has been an issue for space based systems for some time, but is now becoming an issue for terrestrial systems in elevated radiation environments and commercial avionics as well. Characterizingmore » the failure modes of Xilinx FPGAs, and developing mitigation strategies is the subject of ongoing research by a consortium of academic, industrial, and governmental laboratories. This paper presents background information of radiation effects and failure modes, as well as current and future mitigation techniques. In particular, the availability of very large FPGA devices, complete with generous amounts of RAM and embedded processor(s), has led to the implementation of complete digital systems on a single device, bringing issues of system reliability and redundancy management to the chip level. Radiation effects on a single FPGA are increasingly likely to have system level consequences, and will need to be addressed in current and future designs.« less

Alpha Control - A new Concept in SPM Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spizig, P.; Sanchen, D.; Volswinkler, G.; Ibach, W.; Koenen, J.

2006-03-01

Controlling modern Scanning Probe Microscopes demands highly sophisticated electronics. While flexibility and powerful computing power is of great importance in facilitating the variety of measurement modes, extremely low noise is also a necessity. Accordingly, modern SPM Controller designs are based on digital electronics to overcome the drawbacks of analog designs. While todays SPM controllers are based on DSPs or Microprocessors and often still incorporate analog parts, we are now introducing a completely new approach: Using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to implement the digital control tasks allows unrivalled data processing speed by computing all tasks in parallel within a single chip. Time consuming task switching between data acquisition, digital filtering, scanning and the computing of feedback signals can be completely avoided. Together with a star topology to avoid any bus limitations in accessing the variety of ADCs and DACs, this design guarantees for the first time an entirely deterministic timing capability in the nanosecond regime for all tasks. This becomes especially useful for any external experiments which must be synchronized with the scan or for high speed scans that require not only closed loop control of the scanner, but also dynamic correction of the scan movement. Delicate samples additionally benefit from extremely high sample rates, allowing highly resolved signals and low noise levels.

Is traditional contraceptive use in Moldova associated with poverty and isolation?

PubMed

Lyons-Amos, Mark J; Durrant, Gabriele B; Padmadas, Sabu S

2011-05-01

This study investigates the correlates of traditional contraceptive use in Moldova, a poor country in Europe with one of the highest proportions of traditional contraceptive method users. The high reliance on traditional methods, particularly in the context of sub-replacement level fertility rate, has not been systematically evaluated in demographic research. Using cross-sectional data on a sub-sample of 6039 sexually experienced women from the 2005 Moldovan Demographic and Health Survey, this study hypothesizes that (a) economic and spatial disadvantages increase the likelihood of traditional method use, and (b) high exposure to family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) programmes increases the propensity to modern method use. Multilevel multinomial models are used to examine the correlates of traditional method use controlling for exposure to sexual activity, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and data structure. The results show that economic disadvantage increases the probability of traditional method use, but the overall effect is small. Although higher family planning media exposure decreases the reliance on traditional methods among younger women, it has only a marginal effect in increasing modern method use among older women. Family planning programmes designed to encourage women to switch from traditional to modern methods have some success--although the effect is considerably reduced in regions outside of the capital Chisinau. The study concludes that FP/RH efforts directed towards the poorest may have limited impact, but interventions targeted at older women could reduce the burden of unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Addressing differentials in accessing modern methods could improve uptake in rural areas.

Wire like link for cycle reproducible and cycle accurate hardware accelerator

DOEpatents

Asaad, Sameh; Kapur, Mohit; Parker, Benjamin D

2015-04-07

First and second field programmable gate arrays are provided which implement first and second blocks of a circuit design to be simulated. The field programmable gate arrays are operated at a first clock frequency and a wire like link is provided to send a plurality of signals between them. The wire like link includes a serializer, on the first field programmable gate array, to serialize the plurality of signals; a deserializer on the second field programmable gate array, to deserialize the plurality of signals; and a connection between the serializer and the deserializer. The serializer and the deserializer are operated at a second clock frequency, greater than the first clock frequency, and the second clock frequency is selected such that latency of transmission and reception of the plurality of signals is less than the period corresponding to the first clock frequency.

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

Averyanov, A. V.; Bajajin, A. G.; Chepurnov, V. F.

The time-projection chamber (TPC) is the main tracking detector in the MPD/NICA. The information on charge-particle tracks in the TPC is registered by the MWPG with cathode pad readout. The frontend electronics (FEE) are developed with use of modern technologies such as application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and data transfer to a concentrator via a fast optical interface. The main parameters of the FEE are as follows: total number of channels, ∼95 000; data stream from the whole TPC, 5 GB/s; low power consumption, less than 100 mW/ch; signal to noise ratio (S/N), 30; equivalent noisemore » charge (ENC), <1000e{sup –} (C{sub in} = 10–20 pF); and zero suppression (pad signal rejection ∼90%). The article presents the status of the readout chamber construction and the data acquisition system. The results of testing FEE prototypes are presented.« less

Quantum key distribution session with 16-dimensional photonic states.

PubMed

Etcheverry, S; Cañas, G; Gómez, E S; Nogueira, W A T; Saavedra, C; Xavier, G B; Lima, G

2013-01-01

The secure transfer of information is an important problem in modern telecommunications. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides a solution to this problem by using individual quantum systems to generate correlated bits between remote parties, that can be used to extract a secret key. QKD with D-dimensional quantum channels provides security advantages that grow with increasing D. However, the vast majority of QKD implementations has been restricted to two dimensions. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using higher dimensions for real-world quantum cryptography by performing, for the first time, a fully automated QKD session based on the BB84 protocol with 16-dimensional quantum states. Information is encoded in the single-photon transverse momentum and the required states are dynamically generated with programmable spatial light modulators. Our setup paves the way for future developments in the field of experimental high-dimensional QKD.

fastSIM: a practical implementation of fast structured illumination microscopy.

PubMed

Lu-Walther, Hui-Wen; Kielhorn, Martin; Förster, Ronny; Jost, Aurélie; Wicker, Kai; Heintzmann, Rainer

2015-01-16

A significant improvement in acquisition speed of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) opens a new field of applications to this already well-established super-resolution method towards 3D scanning real-time imaging of living cells. We demonstrate a method of increased acquisition speed on a two-beam SIM fluorescence microscope with a lateral resolution of ~100 nm at a maximum raw data acquisition rate of 162 frames per second (fps) with a region of interest of 16.5  ×  16.5 µm 2 , free of mechanically moving components. We use a programmable spatial light modulator (ferroelectric LCOS) which promises precise and rapid control of the excitation pattern in the sample plane. A passive Fourier filter and a segmented azimuthally patterned polarizer are used to perform structured illumination with maximum contrast. Furthermore, the free running mode in a modern sCMOS camera helps to achieve faster data acquisition.

Self-folding origami at any energy scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinson, Matthew B.; Stern, Menachem; Carruthers Ferrero, Alexandra; Witten, Thomas A.; Chen, Elizabeth; Murugan, Arvind

2017-05-01

Programmable stiff sheets with a single low-energy folding motion have been sought in fields ranging from the ancient art of origami to modern meta-materials research. Despite such attention, only two extreme classes of crease patterns are usually studied; special Miura-Ori-based zero-energy patterns, in which crease folding requires no sheet bending, and random patterns with high-energy folding, in which the sheet bends as much as creases fold. We present a physical approach that allows systematic exploration of the entire space of crease patterns as a function of the folding energy. Consequently, we uncover statistical results in origami, finding the entropy of crease patterns of given folding energy. Notably, we identify three classes of Mountain-Valley choices that have widely varying `typical' folding energies. Our work opens up a wealth of experimentally relevant self-folding origami designs not reliant on Miura-Ori, the Kawasaki condition or any special symmetry in space.

Quantum key distribution session with 16-dimensional photonic states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etcheverry, S.; Cañas, G.; Gómez, E. S.; Nogueira, W. A. T.; Saavedra, C.; Xavier, G. B.; Lima, G.

2013-07-01

The secure transfer of information is an important problem in modern telecommunications. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides a solution to this problem by using individual quantum systems to generate correlated bits between remote parties, that can be used to extract a secret key. QKD with D-dimensional quantum channels provides security advantages that grow with increasing D. However, the vast majority of QKD implementations has been restricted to two dimensions. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using higher dimensions for real-world quantum cryptography by performing, for the first time, a fully automated QKD session based on the BB84 protocol with 16-dimensional quantum states. Information is encoded in the single-photon transverse momentum and the required states are dynamically generated with programmable spatial light modulators. Our setup paves the way for future developments in the field of experimental high-dimensional QKD.

fastSIM: a practical implementation of fast structured illumination microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu-Walther, Hui-Wen; Kielhorn, Martin; Förster, Ronny; Jost, Aurélie; Wicker, Kai; Heintzmann, Rainer

2015-03-01

A significant improvement in acquisition speed of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) opens a new field of applications to this already well-established super-resolution method towards 3D scanning real-time imaging of living cells. We demonstrate a method of increased acquisition speed on a two-beam SIM fluorescence microscope with a lateral resolution of ~100 nm at a maximum raw data acquisition rate of 162 frames per second (fps) with a region of interest of 16.5  ×  16.5 µm2, free of mechanically moving components. We use a programmable spatial light modulator (ferroelectric LCOS) which promises precise and rapid control of the excitation pattern in the sample plane. A passive Fourier filter and a segmented azimuthally patterned polarizer are used to perform structured illumination with maximum contrast. Furthermore, the free running mode in a modern sCMOS camera helps to achieve faster data acquisition.

Quantum key distribution session with 16-dimensional photonic states

PubMed Central

Etcheverry, S.; Cañas, G.; Gómez, E. S.; Nogueira, W. A. T.; Saavedra, C.; Xavier, G. B.; Lima, G.

2013-01-01

The secure transfer of information is an important problem in modern telecommunications. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides a solution to this problem by using individual quantum systems to generate correlated bits between remote parties, that can be used to extract a secret key. QKD with D-dimensional quantum channels provides security advantages that grow with increasing D. However, the vast majority of QKD implementations has been restricted to two dimensions. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using higher dimensions for real-world quantum cryptography by performing, for the first time, a fully automated QKD session based on the BB84 protocol with 16-dimensional quantum states. Information is encoded in the single-photon transverse momentum and the required states are dynamically generated with programmable spatial light modulators. Our setup paves the way for future developments in the field of experimental high-dimensional QKD. PMID:23897033

Field programmable chemistry: integrated chemical and electronic processing of informational molecules towards electronic chemical cells.

PubMed

Wagler, Patrick F; Tangen, Uwe; Maeke, Thomas; McCaskill, John S

2012-07-01

The topic addressed is that of combining self-constructing chemical systems with electronic computation to form unconventional embedded computation systems performing complex nano-scale chemical tasks autonomously. The hybrid route to complex programmable chemistry, and ultimately to artificial cells based on novel chemistry, requires a solution of the two-way massively parallel coupling problem between digital electronics and chemical systems. We present a chemical microprocessor technology and show how it can provide a generic programmable platform for complex molecular processing tasks in Field Programmable Chemistry, including steps towards the grand challenge of constructing the first electronic chemical cells. Field programmable chemistry employs a massively parallel field of electrodes, under the control of latched voltages, which are used to modulate chemical activity. We implement such a field programmable chemistry which links to chemistry in rather generic, two-phase microfluidic channel networks that are separated into weakly coupled domains. Electric fields, produced by the high-density array of electrodes embedded in the channel floors, are used to control the transport of chemicals across the hydrodynamic barriers separating domains. In the absence of electric fields, separate microfluidic domains are essentially independent with only slow diffusional interchange of chemicals. Electronic chemical cells, based on chemical microprocessors, exploit a spatially resolved sandwich structure in which the electronic and chemical systems are locally coupled through homogeneous fine-grained actuation and sensor networks and play symmetric and complementary roles. We describe how these systems are fabricated, experimentally test their basic functionality, simulate their potential (e.g. for feed forward digital electrophoretic (FFDE) separation) and outline the application to building electronic chemical cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curriculum Preparation for Adult Education Programme--An Indian Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doraiswami, S.

Traditional adult education has been literacy-oriented, but the curriculum content and methodology has been inadequate in maintaining motivation and interest. An important effort to eradicate these problems has been the Farmer's Functional Literacy Program in India. This major project relates adult education and training in modern agricultural…

Agriculture and Biology Teaching. Science and Technology Education Document Series 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, A. N.; Pritchard, Alan J.

The six-chapter document is part of Unesco's Science and Technology Education Programme to encourage an international exchange of ideas and information on science and technology education. Chapters discuss: (1) development of agriculture (beginning and modern); (2) agroecosystems (land utilization, soils, food production, irrigation, and…

Returns to ICT Skills. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 134

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falck, Oliver; Heimisch, Alexandra; Wiederhold, Simon

2016-01-01

How important is mastering information and communication technologies (ICT) in modern labour markets? We present the first evidence on this question, drawing on unique data that provide internationally comparable information on ICT skills in 19 countries from the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Our…

Using the ELP as a Basis for Self- and Peer Assessment When Selecting "Best" Work in Modern-Language Degree Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalziel, Fiona; Davies, Gillian; Han, Amy

2016-01-01

The European Language Portfolio (ELP) was designed as a tool that "supports reflective learning and fosters the development of learner autonomy" (Little 2009, "The European Language Portfolio: Where pedagogy and assessment meet". Strasbourg: Council of Europe.…

Interactive Visualization of Assessment Data: The Software Package Mondrian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unlu, Ali; Sargin, Anatol

2009-01-01

Mondrian is state-of-the-art statistical data visualization software featuring modern interactive visualization techniques for a wide range of data types. This article reviews the capabilities, functionality, and interactive properties of this software package. Key features of Mondrian are illustrated with data from the Programme for International…

EHWPACK: An evolvable hardware environment using the SPICE simulator and the Field Programmable Transistor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keymeulen, D.; Klimeck, G.; Zebulum, R.; Stoica, A.; Jin, Y.; Lazaro, C.

2000-01-01

This paper describes the EHW development system, a tool that performs the evolutionary synthesis of electronic circuits, using the SPICE simulator and the Field Programmable Transistor Array hardware (FPTA) developed at JPL.

Thermal protective uniforms and hoods: impact of design modifications and water content on burn prevention in New York City firefighters: laboratory and field results

PubMed Central

Prezant, D; Malley, K; Barker, R; Guerth, C; Kelly, K

2001-01-01

Objectives—To determine (1) the effectiveness of hoods in reducing head burns, (2) the impact of clothes worn under the protective outer uniform (modern = long sleeve shirt and long pants; modified modern = short sleeve T-shirt and short pants) on burns, and (3) whether water content (dry, damp or saturated) affects the level of thermal protection. Setting—Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). Methods—Laboratory tests (fully dressed manikin) evaluated the different uniform and water conditions when exposed to an average 24 cal/cm2 heat flux, approximately 2250°F air temperature. FDNY field results compared (1) head burns during winters wearing the hood to winters without hood and (2) upper and lower extremity burns during summers wearing traditional, modern, and modified modern uniforms. Results—Laboratory tests showed that thermal protection was: (1) dramatically improved by the hood with protection increasing as water content increased and (2) not significantly different between modern and modified modern uniforms, regardless of water content. FDNY field results confirmed these tests showing (1) significant decreases in neck burns (by 54%), ear burns (by 60%), and head burn totals (by 46%) wearing the hood and (2) no significant differences in upper or lower extremity burns wearing modern compared with modified modern uniforms. Conclusions—Based on combined laboratory and field results, we strongly recommend the use of modern thermal protective hoods and the modified modern uniform. PMID:11565971

PREFACE: Modern Archaeoastronomy: From Material Culture to Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Daniel

2016-02-01

The Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) 2014 was hosted by the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) at the University of Portsmouth. It was held from June 23-26 2014 and was sponsored by the RAS, STFC, SEPnet and Winton Capital. As part of this meeting a session stream titled Modern Archaeoastronomy: From Material Culture to Cosmology took place on Monday 23rd proposed and organized by Brian Sheen (Roseland Observatory) and Daniel Brown (Nottingham Trent University). It consisted of an illustration of the many aspects of archaeoastronomy or cultural-astronomy as it has developed and embraced areas such as anthropology, public engagement and sociology. Anita Heward (Press Officer NAM) stated that 'sessions on the history of astronomy have been a feature of many NAM programmes over the years, but NAM 2014 was the first to include a dedicated session on archaeoastronomy.' It was motivated from past decades where our understanding of astronomy of our ancestors has become more strongly based on factual data. As such it allowed researchers to identify possible traces of astronomical knowledge in archaeological remains and artefacts. Archaeoastronomy is an ideal example of the advancement in this area as well as the power of interdisciplinary work that in recent times has started to interpret these findings through cultural, anthropological and educational research. This session will offer an opportunity to present a multitude of different approaches of analyzing the perception and origins of astronomy in ancient and modern cultures, and also bring together young researchers and students in the field to present their research to a wider community.

THE UPTAKE OF MODERN CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE ATTENDING MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH AND FAMILY PLANNING (MCH/FP) CLINICS.

PubMed

Mukthar, V K; Maranga, A K; Kulei, S J; Chemoiwa, R K

2014-12-01

To determine the uptake ana factors associated with the uptake of modern contraceptives among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) attending Maternal Child Health and Family Planning Clinics/Units in Rift Valley Provincial Hospital in Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional study. Rift Valley Provincial hospital which is a level five health facility situated in Nakuru County, Kenya. Women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who were attending Maternal Child Health and Family Planning Clinics at the Rift Valley Provincial Hospital. The respondents were identified by systematic random sampling Modern contraceptive uptake is over ninety percent (90.4, n = 218). The factors that are significantly associated with uptake of modern contraceptives are perceived convenience to use modern contraceptives (OR 0.39, CI: 0.16 - 0.93, p value- 0.04), experience of unmet needs of contraception (OR 0.08, CI: 0.03 - 0.2, p value- 0.001), history of a modern contraception discontinuation (OR 5.5, CI: 1.7 - 9.2, p value- 0.036) and knowledge of modern contraceptives (OR 19.1, CI: 12.3 - 27.5, p value-0.001). Conclusion: This study concluded that uptake of modern contraceptive is relatively high in Nakuru, Kenya and there is need for programmes to focus more on the client of modern contraceptive and the attributes of the modern contraceptives in up-scaling the uptake of modern contraceptives.

Professional Field in the Accreditation Process: Examining Information Technology Programmes at Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frederik, Hans; Hasanefendic, Sandra; van der Sijde, Peter

2017-01-01

In this paper, we analyse 53 Dutch accreditation reports in the field of information technology to assess the mechanisms of the reported involvement of the professional field in the undergraduate programmes of universities of applied sciences. The results of qualitative content analysis reveal a coupling effect in reporting on mechanisms of…

Promoting Field Trip Confidence: Teachers Providing Insights for Pre-Service Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ateskan, Armagan; Lane, Jennie F.

2016-01-01

Pre-service teachers need experiences in practical matters as a part of field trip preparations programmes. For 14 years, a private, non-profit university in Turkey has involved pre-service teachers in field trip planning, implementation and evaluation. A programme assessment was conducted through a case study to examine the long-term effects of…

Fielding a Division Staff in the Modern Day

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

FIELDING A DIVISION STAFF IN THE MODERN DAY A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff ...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Fielding a Division Staff in the Modern Day 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...ADDRESS(ES) U.S. Army Command and General Staff College ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2301 8. PERFORMING ORG REPORT NUMBER 9

The Chinese path to individualization.

PubMed

Yan, Yunxiang

2010-09-01

This article explores the rise of the individual and the consequential individualization of society which should be viewed as a reflexive part of China's state-sponsored quest for modernity. It traces the origin of the individualization process to the Maoist era, arguing that some collectivist programmes of social engineering and the socialist path of modernization under Maoism ironically resulted in a partial individualization of Chinese society. Examining profound social changes during the three decades of the post-Mao reforms, the article reveals a number of similarities with the individualization process in Western Europe but also demonstrates some important differences. In the last section, the theoretical implications of the Chinese case in light of Ulrich Beck's theory of individualization and second modernity are discussed. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2010.

Measuring interdisciplinary research and education outcomes in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

The interdisciplinary postgraduate research and education programme - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems - was initiated in 2009. To date, 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members have been engaged in the Programme, from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). The Programme aims to develop research students with the capacity to work across the disciplines, to conduct cutting edge research and foster an international perspective. To do this, a variety of mechanisms are adopted that include research cluster groups, joint study sites, joint supervision, a basic study programme and a research semester abroad. The Programme offers a unique case study to explore if and how these mechanisms lead to research and education outcomes. Outcomes are grouped according to whether they are tangible (publications with co-authors from more than one research field, analysis of graduate profiles and career destinations) or non-tangible (interaction between researchers, networks and trust). A mixed methods approach that includes bibliometric analysis combined with interviews with students is applied. Bibliometric analysis shows that as the Programme has evolved the amount of multi-disciplinary work has increased (32% of the 203 full papers produced by the programme's researchers have authors from more than one research field). Network analysis to explore which research fields collaborate most frequently show that hydrology plays a significant role and has collaborated with seven of the ten research fields. Hydrology researchers seem to interact the most strongly with other research fields as they contribute understanding on water system processes. Network analysis to explore which individuals collaborate shows that much joint work takes place through the five research cluster groups (water resource management, land-surface processes, Hydrological Open Air Laboratory, water and health, modelling and risk). Student interviews highlight that trust between colleagues and supervisors, and the role of spaces for interaction (joint study sites, cluster group meetings, shared offices etc.) are important for joint work. Graduate analysis shows that students develop skills and confidence to work across disciplines through collaborating on their doctoral research. Working collaboratively during the doctorate appears to be strongly correlated with continuing to work in this way after graduation.

Semantically Aware Foundation Environment (SAFE) for Clean-Slate Design of Resilient, Adaptive Secure Hosts (CRASH)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

system consists of a high-fidelity hardware simulation using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), with a set of runtime services (ConcreteWare...perimeter protection, patch, and pray” is not aligned with the threat. Programmers will not bail us out of this situation (by writing defect free code...hosted on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), with a set of runtime services (concreteware) running on the hardware. Secure applications can be

Contraceptive social marketing in Albania - the NESMARK story.

PubMed

Paravani, Ardian; Orgocka, Aida

2013-06-01

To present the history of social marketing of modern contraceptives in Albania. We review documentation and activity of NESMARK, an Albanian non-governmental social marketing organisation, and national data on adoption of modern contraception. During 15 years of awareness raising, sales of affordable products, and provider training, NESMARK has impacted the introduction and adoption of modern contraception in Albania. NESMARK is the country's main distributor of emergency contraception (EC) and complements the public sector in the distribution of condoms and oral contraceptives. NESMARK has made major efforts to overcome prevalent taboos and misinformation held by medical and nursing personnel, pharmacists and the general public, regarding the effectiveness and safety of condoms, oral contraceptives, and EC. NESMARK has contributed to increasing the choices for modern contraception methods in Albania by providing affordable contraceptives, training providers, and educating the general population. However, widespread use of withdrawal coupled with the belief that it is as or more effective than modern contraception, continues to limit uptake of new methods and is a significant challenge to comprehensive and sustained social marketing programmes.

Do Apprentices' Communities of Practice Block Unwelcome Knowledge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sligo, Frank; Tilley, Elspeth; Murray, Niki

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine how well print-literacy support being provided to New Zealand Modern Apprentices (MAs) is supporting their study and practical work. Design/methodology/approach: The authors undertook a qualitative analysis of a database of 191 MAs in the literacy programme, then in 14 case studies completed 46 interviews with…

The Effectiveness of Screencasts and Cognitive Tools as Scaffolding for Novice Object-Oriented Programmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Mark J. W.; Pradhan, Sunam; Dalgarno, Barney

2008-01-01

Modern information technology and computer science curricula employ a variety of graphical tools and development environments to facilitate student learning of introductory programming concepts and techniques. While the provision of interactive features and the use of visualization can enhance students' understanding and assist them in grasping…

The Gendered Nature of Apprenticeship: Employers? and Young People's Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Alison; Beck, Vanessa; Unwin, Lorna

2005-01-01

Purpose -- Gender segregation has been a persistent feature of apprenticeship programmes in countries around the world. In the UK, the Modern Apprenticeship was launched ten years ago as the governments flagship initiative for training new entrants in a range of occupational sectors. One of its priorities was to increase male and female…

Microgrids | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

algorithms for microgrid integration Controller hardware-in-the-loop testing, where the physical controller interacts with a model of the microgrid and associated power devices Power hardware-in-the-loop testing of operation was validated in a power hardware-in-the-loop experiment using a programmable DC power supply to

Meme Engineers: Children as Producers of Musical Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Margaret

2003-01-01

This paper examines the ways in which young children construct and negotiate musical meaning as song-makers in a post-modern consumerist musical world. A critical analysis of the presentation of music in two popular Australian children's television programmes (Play School and Hi-5) and the ways in which such media impact upon children's…

Troubled Times: The Role of Instructional Design in a Modern Dual-Mode University?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyle, Clifford Omodele; Moseley, Alexander; Hayes, Nichola

2012-01-01

Reduced higher education funding and other austerity measures imposed by governments and institutions have resulted in cascading cuts in resources for programme design, delivery and revision. The instructional design function is often the first casualty of these cuts in many universities. This paper considers the roles and functions of…

New quality assurance program integrating "modern radiotherapy" within the German Hodgkin Study Group.

PubMed

Kriz, J; Baues, C; Engenhart-Cabillic, R; Haverkamp, U; Herfarth, K; Lukas, P; Schmidberger, H; Marnitz-Schulze, S; Fuchs, M; Engert, A; Eich, H T

2017-02-01

Field design changed substantially from extended-field RT (EF-RT) to involved-field RT (IF-RT) and now to involved-node RT (IN-RT) and involved-site RT (IS-RT) as well as treatment techniques in radiotherapy (RT) of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the establishment of a quality assurance program (QAP) including modern RT techniques and field designs within the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG). In the era of modern conformal RT, this QAP had to be fundamentally adapted and a new evaluation process has been intensively discussed by the radiotherapeutic expert panel of the GHSG. The expert panel developed guidelines and criteria to analyse "modern" field designs and treatment techniques. This work is based on a dataset of 11 patients treated within the sixth study generation (HD16-17). To develop a QAP of "modern RT", the expert panel defined criteria for analysing current RT procedures. The consensus of a modified QAP in ongoing and future trials is presented. With this schedule, the QAP of the GHSG could serve as a model for other study groups.

The influence of local policy on contraceptive provision and use in three locales in the Philippines.

PubMed

Lee, Romeo B; Nacionales, Lourdes P; Pedroso, Luis

2009-11-01

The Philippines has a family planning programme, but modern contraceptive prevalence has been moderate. Among low-income women, fewer are using modern methods, resulting in a fertility rate among them of 5.9. This limited use is due to lack of consistent national and local government support for modern methods because of religious opposition. Following devolution of responsibility for health services to local government in 1991, three local leaders - in Laguna Province and the cities of Manila and Puerto Princesa - passed anti-modern contraceptive policies. This paper analyses the status and impact of these policies, using information from interviews with local government officials and family planning officers, published data and studies, and accounts in national newspapers. In Laguna Province and Puerto Princesa, the policies were ineffectually implemented or short-lived. The strictly-enforced Manila law, however, has severely disrupted the city's provision of free contraception to and method use by low-income women. The great majority of Filipinos (89%) approve of modern contraceptives. There is an urgent need to improve low-income women's access to modern contraceptives through itinerant and community-based distribution, especially in poor neighbourhoods in Manila, but also throughout the country. Strategies for increasing local government support for and provision of modern methods are also needed.

Undergraduate training in palliative medicine: is more necessarily better?

PubMed

Mason, Stephen R; Ellershaw, John E

2010-04-01

The General Medical Council's call to modernize medical education prompted the University of Liverpool Medical School to develop a new undergraduate programme, integrating palliative medicine as 'core' curricula. Following successful piloting, the palliative medicine training programme was further developed and expanded. This paper examines whether the additional investment produces improved outcomes. In 1999, fourth year undergraduate medical students (Cohort 1, n = 217) undertook a 2-week pilot education programme in palliative medicine. Subsequently, the training programme was refined and extended, incorporating advanced communication skills training, an ethics project and individual case presentations (Cohort 2, n = 443). Congruent with the study's theoretical driver of self-efficacy, both cohorts were surveyed pre- and post-programme with validated measures of: (i) self-efficacy in palliative care scale; (ii) thanatophobia scale. No significant differences between cohorts' pre-programme scores were identified. Within each cohort, statistically and educationally significant post-education improvements were recorded in both scales. Further post-education analysis indicated that the extended programme produces significantly greater improvements in all domains of the self-efficacy in palliative care scale (communication, t =-7.28, patient management, t =-5.96, multidisciplinary team-working t =-3.77 at p < 0.000), but not thanatophobia. Although improvements were recorded in both cohorts, participation in the extended education programme resulted in further statistically significant gains. Interpreted through the theoretical model employed, improved self-efficacy and outcome expectancies will result in behavioural change that leads to improved practice and better patient care.

Pattern of radiotherapy care in Bulgaria

PubMed Central

Hadjieva, Tatiana

2015-01-01

The paper reveals the changing pattern of Bulgarian Radiotherapy (RT) care after the successful implementation of 15 projects for 100 million euro under the European Regional Development Fund in Operational Programme for Regional Development 2007–2013. The project enables a total one-step modernization of 14 Bulgarian RT Centres and creation of a new one. At the end of the Programme (mid 2015), 16 new Linacs and 2 modern cobalt machines will be available together with 11 virtual CT simulators, 5 CT simulators, 1 MRI and 1 PET CT for RT planning and all dosimetry facilities needed. Such a modernization has moved Bulgarian RT forward, with 2.7 MV units per one million of population (MV/mln.inh) in comparison with 0.9 MV/mln.inh in 2012. Guild of Bulgarian Radiotherapists includes 70 doctors, 46 physicists and 10 engineers, together with 118 RTTs and 114 nurses and they all have treated 16,447 patients in 2013. Major problems are inadequate reimbursement from the monopolistic Health Insurance Fund (900 euro for 3D conformal RT and 1500 euro for IMRT); fragmentation of RT care with 1–2 MV units per Centre; no payment for patient travel expenses; need for quick and profound education of 26% of doctors and 46% of physicists without RT license, along with continuous education for all others; and resource for 5000–9000 more patients to be treated yearly by RT in order to reach 45–50% from current service of 32%. After 15 years of struggle of RT experts, finally the pattern of Bulgarian RT care at 2014–2015 is approaching the level of modern European RT. PMID:26549991

Adaptation, Evaluation and Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basson, R.

2011-01-01

In this article I reflect on a recent development currently shaping programme evaluation as field, which makes the case for evaluators facilitating evaluation training evaluees to self-evaluate and improve the programmes they teach. Fetterman argues persuasively that the practice was incipient in the field and required formalization and acceptance…

Convolutional Neural Network on Embedded Linux(trademark) System-on-Chip: A Methodology and Performance Benchmark

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

A9 CPU and 15 W for the i7 CPU. A method of accelerating this computation is by using a customized hardware unit called a field- programmable gate...implementation of custom logic to accelerate com- putational workloads. This FPGA fabric, in addition to the standard programmable logic, contains 220...chip; field- programmable gate array Daniel Gebhardt U U U U 18 (619) 553-2786 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION 84300 Library (2) 85300 Archive/Stock (1

Convolutional Neural Network on Embedded Linux System-on-Chip: A Methodology and Performance Benchmark

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

A9 CPU and 15 W for the i7 CPU. A method of accelerating this computation is by using a customized hardware unit called a field- programmable gate...implementation of custom logic to accelerate com- putational workloads. This FPGA fabric, in addition to the standard programmable logic, contains 220...chip; field- programmable gate array Daniel Gebhardt U U U U 18 (619) 553-2786 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION 84300 Library (2) 85300 Archive/Stock (1

Environmental Learning Using a Problem-Based Approach in the Field: A Case Study of a Hong Kong School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwan, Tammy; So, Max

2008-01-01

This study investigated the environmental learning of a group of senior geography students through a problem-based learning (PBL) field programme to see if the goals of education "for" the environment could be accomplished. In the PBL field programme, the students were given a problem statement concerning a real-life scenario of an old…

An evidence-based review of enhanced recovery interventions in knee replacement surgery

PubMed Central

Alazzawi, S; Nizam, I; Haddad, FS

2013-01-01

Introduction Total knee replacement (TKR) is a very common surgical procedure. Improved pain management techniques, surgical practices and the introduction of novel interventions have enhanced the patient’s postoperative experience after TKR. Safe, efficient pathways are needed to address the increasing need for knee arthroplasty in the UK. Enhanced recovery programmes can help to reduce hospital stays following knee replacements while maintaining patient safety and satisfaction. This review outlines common evidence-based pre, intra and postoperative interventions in use in enhanced recovery protocols following TKR. Methods A thorough literature search of the electronic healthcare databases (MEDLINE®, Embase™ and the Cochrane Library) was conducted to identify articles and studies concerned with enhanced recovery and fast track pathways for TKR. Results A literature review revealed several non-operative and operative interventions that are effective in enhanced recovery following TKR including preoperative patient education, pre-emptive and local infiltration analgesia, preoperative nutrition, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic fields, perioperative rehabilitation, modern wound dressings, different standard surgical techniques, minimally invasive surgery and computer assisted surgery. Conclusions Enhanced recovery programmes require a multidisciplinary team of dedicated professionals, principally involving preoperative education, multimodal pain control and accelerated rehabilitation; this will be boosted if combined with minimally invasive surgery. The current economic climate and restricted healthcare budget further necessitate brief hospitalisation while minimising costs. These non-operative interventions are the way forward to achieve such requirements. PMID:24025284

An evidence-based review of enhanced recovery interventions in knee replacement surgery.

PubMed

Ibrahim, M S; Alazzawi, S; Nizam, I; Haddad, F S

2013-09-01

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a very common surgical procedure. Improved pain management techniques, surgical practices and the introduction of novel interventions have enhanced the patient's postoperative experience after TKR. Safe, efficient pathways are needed to address the increasing need for knee arthroplasty in the UK. Enhanced recovery programmes can help to reduce hospital stays following knee replacements while maintaining patient safety and satisfaction. This review outlines common evidence-based pre, intra and postoperative interventions in use in enhanced recovery protocols following TKR. A thorough literature search of the electronic healthcare databases (MEDLINE(®), Embase™ and the Cochrane Library) was conducted to identify articles and studies concerned with enhanced recovery and fast track pathways for TKR. A literature review revealed several non-operative and operative interventions that are effective in enhanced recovery following TKR including preoperative patient education, pre-emptive and local infiltration analgesia, preoperative nutrition, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic fields, perioperative rehabilitation, modern wound dressings, different standard surgical techniques, minimally invasive surgery and computer assisted surgery. Enhanced recovery programmes require a multidisciplinary team of dedicated professionals, principally involving preoperative education, multimodal pain control and accelerated rehabilitation; this will be boosted if combined with minimally invasive surgery. The current economic climate and restricted healthcare budget further necessitate brief hospitalisation while minimising costs. These non-operative interventions are the way forward to achieve such requirements.

8-Channel acquisition system for Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting.

PubMed

Antonioli, S; Miari, L; Cuccato, A; Crotti, M; Rech, I; Ghioni, M

2013-06-01

Nowadays, an increasing number of applications require high-performance analytical instruments capable to detect the temporal trend of weak and fast light signals with picosecond time resolution. The Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting (TCSPC) technique is currently one of the preferable solutions when such critical optical signals have to be analyzed and it is fully exploited in biomedical and chemical research fields, as well as in security and space applications. Recent progress in the field of single-photon detector arrays is pushing research towards the development of high performance multichannel TCSPC systems, opening the way to modern time-resolved multi-dimensional optical analysis. In this paper we describe a new 8-channel high-performance TCSPC acquisition system, designed to be compact and versatile, to be used in modern TCSPC measurement setups. We designed a novel integrated circuit including a multichannel Time-to-Amplitude Converter with variable full-scale range, a D∕A converter, and a parallel adder stage. The latter is used to adapt each converter output to the input dynamic range of a commercial 8-channel Analog-to-Digital Converter, while the integrated DAC implements the dithering technique with as small as possible area occupation. The use of this monolithic circuit made the design of a scalable system of very small dimensions (95 × 40 mm) and low power consumption (6 W) possible. Data acquired from the TCSPC measurement are digitally processed and stored inside an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), while a USB transceiver allows real-time transmission of up to eight TCSPC histograms to a remote PC. Eventually, the experimental results demonstrate that the acquisition system performs TCSPC measurements with high conversion rate (up to 5 MHz/channel), extremely low differential nonlinearity (<0.04 peak-to-peak of the time bin width), high time resolution (down to 20 ps Full-Width Half-Maximum), and very low crosstalk between channels.

Report of the Director-General on the Long-Term Programme in the Field of Hydrology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). General Conference.

The report describes the principal orientations of the International Hydrological Programme, as well as the procedures suggested for its execution. The origin and justification of the programme are presented. The objectives of the 1975 programme are stated and the contents, which include the activities, themes, application of new techniques in…

Enhancing Learning Effectiveness in Digital Design Courses through the Use of Programmable Logic Boards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Yi; Weng, T.; Cheng, Chung-Kuan

2009-01-01

Incorporating programmable logic devices (PLD) in digital design courses has become increasingly popular. The advantages of using PLDs, such as complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), have been discussed before. However, previous studies have focused on the experiences from the point of view of the…

Ecologically sound management: aspects of modern sustainable deer farming systems.

PubMed

Pearse, A J; Drew, K R

1998-01-01

Modern deer farming systems have become increasingly intensive allowing strategic feeding for production and genetic improvement programmes. Meeting feeding standards that account for changing nutritional demands related to seasonality and reproductive state is critical. As the industry matures there is a growing awareness of the balance between retaining natural behaviour in producing breeding stock on larger extensive holdings and intensification systems for performance in young stock. Stocking rates are critical determinants of success as land use and capability needs are matched with an increasing stratification of stock type and purpose. Food product safety and welfare considerations of farmed deer are being driven by consumer demands. Farm quality assurance and codes of practice are developing to ensure that deer farming meets and exceeds international expectations of land use and deer welfare in modern deer farming systems.

PREFACE: European Workshop on Advanced Control and Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulte, Horst; Georg, Sören

2014-12-01

The European Workshop on Advanced Control and Diagnosis is an annual event that has been organised since 2003 by Control Engineering departments of several European universities in Germany, France, the UK, Poland, Italy, Hungary and Denmark. The overall planning of the workshops is conducted by the Intelligent Control and Diagnosis (ICD) steering committee. This year's ACD workshop took place at HTW Berlin (University of Applied Sciences) and was organised by the Control Engineering group of School of Engineering I of HTW Berlin. 38 papers were presented at ACD 2014, with contributions spanning a variety of fields in modern control science: Discrete control, nonlinear control, model predictive control, system identification, fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control, control applications, applications of fuzzy logic, as well as modelling and simulation, the latter two forming a basis for all tasks in modern control. Three interesting and high-quality plenary lectures were delivered. The first plenary speaker was Wolfgang Weber from Pepperl+Fuchs, a German manufacturer of state-of-the-art industrial sensors and process interfaces. The second and third plenary speakers were two internationally high-ranked researchers in their respective fields, Prof. Didier Theilliol from Université de Lorraine and Prof. Carsten Scherer from Universität Stuttgart. Taken together, the three plenary lectures sought to contribute to closing the gap between theory and applications. On behalf of the whole ACD 2014 organising committee, we would like to thank all those who submitted papers and participated in the workshop. We hope it was a fruitful and memorable event for all. Together we are looking forward to the next ACD workshop in 2015 in Pilsen, Czech Republic. Horst Schulte (General Chair), Sören Georg (Programme Chair)

Web-based DAQ systems: connecting the user and electronics front-ends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenzi, Thomas

2016-12-01

Web technologies are quickly evolving and are gaining in computational power and flexibility, allowing for a paradigm shift in the field of Data Acquisition (DAQ) systems design. Modern web browsers offer the possibility to create intricate user interfaces and are able to process and render complex data. Furthermore, new web standards such as WebSockets allow for fast real-time communication between the server and the user with minimal overhead. Those improvements make it possible to move the control and monitoring operations from the back-end servers directly to the user and to the front-end electronics, thus reducing the complexity of the data acquisition chain. Moreover, web-based DAQ systems offer greater flexibility, accessibility, and maintainability on the user side than traditional applications which often lack portability and ease of use. As proof of concept, we implemented a simplified DAQ system on a mid-range Spartan6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) development board coupled to a digital front-end readout chip. The system is connected to the Internet and can be accessed from any web browser. It is composed of custom code to control the front-end readout and of a dual soft-core Microblaze processor to communicate with the client.

Field trauma care in the 21st century.

PubMed

O'Reilly, D; König, T; Tai, N

2008-12-01

The nature of trauma care on the modern battlefield is changing quickly. Leading figures in UK field trauma care spoke at a recent meeting of the Haywood Club. The challenge of modern warfare, the evolving evacuation chain and the command and governance of field trauma care were explored.

How Can Visual Arts Help Doctors Develop Medical Insight?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonds, Kathleen; Hammond, Margaret F.

2012-01-01

This research project examines how using the visual arts can develop medical insight, as part of a pilot programme for two groups of medical students. It was a UK study; a collaboration between Liverpool and Glyndw University's and Tate Liverpool's learning team. Tate Liverpool is the home of the National Collection of Modern Arts in the North of…

Optimism and Hope versus Anxiety and Narcissism: Some Thoughts on Children's Welfare Yesterday and Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrick, Harry

2007-01-01

This article seeks to raise a number of issues concerning children's well-being in late modernity. In order to provide historical contrasts, the first part of the article considers three "optimistic" periods: the Liberal Reform Programme, 1906-1911; interwar developments in New Psychology, progressive education and child guidance; the post-1945…

FASTQ quality control dashboard

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

2016-07-25

FQCDB builds up existing open source software, FastQC, implementing a modern web interface for across parsed output of FastQC. In addition, FQCDB is extensible as a web service to include additional plots of type line, boxplot, or heatmap, across data formatted according to guidelines. The interface is also configurable via more readable JSON format, enabling customization by non-web programmers.

An Exploration of Reasons for Shanghai's Success in the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minxuan, Zhang; Lingshuai, Kong

2012-01-01

The outstanding performance of Shanghai students in the 4th Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2009) gained widespread attention at home and abroad. In this paper, the authors attribute this outstanding performance to three traditional factors and six modern factors. The traditional factors are high parental expectations, belief…

Geospace simulations using modern accelerator processor technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Germaschewski, K.; Raeder, J.; Larson, D. J.

2009-12-01

OpenGGCM (Open Geospace General Circulation Model) is a well-established numerical code simulating the Earth's space environment. The most computing intensive part is the MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) solver that models the plasma surrounding Earth and its interaction with Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind flowing in from the sun. Like other global magnetosphere codes, OpenGGCM's realism is currently limited by computational constraints on grid resolution. OpenGGCM has been ported to make use of the added computational powerof modern accelerator based processor architectures, in particular the Cell processor. The Cell architecture is a novel inhomogeneous multicore architecture capable of achieving up to 230 GFLops on a single chip. The University of New Hampshire recently acquired a PowerXCell 8i based computing cluster, and here we will report initial performance results of OpenGGCM. Realizing the high theoretical performance of the Cell processor is a programming challenge, though. We implemented the MHD solver using a multi-level parallelization approach: On the coarsest level, the problem is distributed to processors based upon the usual domain decomposition approach. Then, on each processor, the problem is divided into 3D columns, each of which is handled by the memory limited SPEs (synergistic processing elements) slice by slice. Finally, SIMD instructions are used to fully exploit the SIMD FPUs in each SPE. Memory management needs to be handled explicitly by the code, using DMA to move data from main memory to the per-SPE local store and vice versa. We use a modern technique, automatic code generation, which shields the application programmer from having to deal with all of the implementation details just described, keeping the code much more easily maintainable. Our preliminary results indicate excellent performance, a speed-up of a factor of 30 compared to the unoptimized version.

FPGA-Based Pulse Pile-Up Correction With Energy and Timing Recovery.

PubMed

Haselman, M D; Pasko, J; Hauck, S; Lewellen, T K; Miyaoka, R S

2012-10-01

Modern field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are capable of performing complex discrete signal processing algorithms with clock rates well above 100 MHz. This, combined with FPGA's low expense, ease of use, and selected dedicated hardware make them an ideal technology for a data acquisition system for a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The University of Washington is producing a high-resolution, small-animal PET scanner that utilizes FPGAs as the core of the front-end electronics. For this scanner, functions that are typically performed in dedicated circuits, or offline, are being migrated to the FPGA. This will not only simplify the electronics, but the features of modern FPGAs can be utilized to add significant signal processing power to produce higher quality images. In this paper we report on an all-digital pulse pile-up correction algorithm that has been developed for the FPGA. The pile-up mitigation algorithm will allow the scanner to run at higher count rates without incurring large data losses due to the overlapping of scintillation signals. This correction technique utilizes a reference pulse to extract timing and energy information for most pile-up events. Using pulses acquired from a Zecotech Photonics MAPD-N with an LFS-3 scintillator, we show that good timing and energy information can be achieved in the presence of pile-up utilizing a moderate amount of FPGA resources.

Expectations of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) Stakeholders on the Ulul Albab Curriculum at a MARA Junior Science College (MRSM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manaf, Umi Kalthom Abdul; Alias, Nurul Fitriah; Azman, Ady Hameme Nor; Rahman, Fadzilah Abdul; Zulkifli, Hafizah

2014-01-01

Ulul Albab is an educational programme of integration between the existing programmes in MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) with the religious school programme including Tahfiz Al-Quran. MRSM Ulul Albab education programme is designed to produce professional experts, entrepreneurs and technocrats that are well versed in the field of religion-based…

Transition to blended learning: experiences from the first year of our blended learning Bachelor of Nursing Studies programme.

PubMed

Sweeney, Mary-Rose; Kirwan, Anne; Kelly, Mary; Corbally, Melissa; O Neill, Sandra; Kirwan, Mary; Hourican, Susan; Matthews, Anne; Hussey, Pamela

2016-10-01

The School of Nursing at Dublin City University offered a new blended learning Bachelor of Nursing Studies programme in the academic year 2011. To document the experiences of the academic team making the transition from a face-to-face classroom-delivered programme to the new blended learning format. Academics who delivered the programme were asked to describe their experiences of developing the new programme via two focus groups. Five dominant themes were identified: Staff Readiness; Student Readiness; Programme Delivery and Student Engagement; Assessment of Module Learning Outcomes and Feedback; and Reflecting on the First Year and Thinking of the Future. Face-to-face tutorials were identified as very important to both academics and students. Reservations about whether migrating the programme to an online format encouraged students to engage in additional practices of plagiarism were expressed by some. Student ability/readiness to engage with technology-enhanced learning was an important determinant of their own success academically. In the field of nursing blended learning is a relatively new and emerging field which will require huge cultural shifts for staff and students alike.

Walking the Talk: Towards a More Inclusive Field of Disability Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Opini, Bathseba

2016-01-01

This paper is a conversation about growing an inclusive field of disability studies. The paper draws on data collected through an analysis of existing disability studies programmes in selected Canadian universities. The paper makes a case for including diverse perspectives, experiences, viewpoints, and voices in these programmes. In this work, I…

Development of a Low-Cost and High-speed Single Event Effects Testers based on Reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, J. W.; Kim, H.; Berg, M.; LaBel, K. A.; Stansberry, S.; Friendlich, M.; Irwin, T.

2006-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on the development of a low cost, high speed tester reconfigurable Field Programmable Gata Array (FPGA) is shown. The topics include: 1) Introduction; 2) Objectives; 3) Tester Descriptions; 4) Tester Validations and Demonstrations; 5) Future Work; and 6) Summary.

Beyond Constructivism: The Progressive Research Programme into Learning Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taber, Keith S.

2006-01-01

In this paper, it is suggested that while there are a variety of frames or perspectives that guide research into learning science, a pre-paradigmatic field need not be a "free-for-all". Lakatos suggested that academic research fields were characterised by research programmes (RP), which offered heuristic guidance to researchers, and which…

A simple laser locking system based on a field-programmable gate array.

PubMed

Jørgensen, N B; Birkmose, D; Trelborg, K; Wacker, L; Winter, N; Hilliard, A J; Bason, M G; Arlt, J J

2016-07-01

Frequency stabilization of laser light is crucial in both scientific and industrial applications. Technological developments now allow analog laser stabilization systems to be replaced with digital electronics such as field-programmable gate arrays, which have recently been utilized to develop such locking systems. We have developed a frequency stabilization system based on a field-programmable gate array, with emphasis on hardware simplicity, which offers a user-friendly alternative to commercial and previous home-built solutions. Frequency modulation, lock-in detection, and a proportional-integral-derivative controller are programmed on the field-programmable gate array and only minimal additional components are required to frequency stabilize a laser. The locking system is administered from a host-computer which provides comprehensive, long-distance control through a versatile interface. Various measurements were performed to characterize the system. The linewidth of the locked laser was measured to be 0.7 ± 0.1 MHz with a settling time of 10 ms. The system can thus fully match laser systems currently in use for atom trapping and cooling applications.

A simple laser locking system based on a field-programmable gate array

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

Jørgensen, N. B.; Birkmose, D.; Trelborg, K.

Frequency stabilization of laser light is crucial in both scientific and industrial applications. Technological developments now allow analog laser stabilization systems to be replaced with digital electronics such as field-programmable gate arrays, which have recently been utilized to develop such locking systems. We have developed a frequency stabilization system based on a field-programmable gate array, with emphasis on hardware simplicity, which offers a user-friendly alternative to commercial and previous home-built solutions. Frequency modulation, lock-in detection, and a proportional-integral-derivative controller are programmed on the field-programmable gate array and only minimal additional components are required to frequency stabilize a laser. The lockingmore » system is administered from a host-computer which provides comprehensive, long-distance control through a versatile interface. Various measurements were performed to characterize the system. The linewidth of the locked laser was measured to be 0.7 ± 0.1 MHz with a settling time of 10 ms. The system can thus fully match laser systems currently in use for atom trapping and cooling applications.« less

Introducing integrated product and process development into the education of science and engineering undergraduates: a lecture course with an accompanying case-study programme at the ETH chemistry department.

PubMed

Fenner, K; Jödicke, G; Alean-Kirkpatrick, P; Hungerbühler, K

2001-04-01

Increased quality requirements in the development of chemical products and a growing awareness within society of the activities of chemical companies present a new challenge to the education of young scientists. Nowadays, the teaching of chemists, chemical engineers and environmental scientists at universities has to go beyond the traditional, discipline-orientated knowledge acquisition. The students also have to learn to work and communicate in interdisciplinary teams, to solve application-oriented tasks and to integrate scientific, economical, ecological and social aspects into their work. For this reason, a case-study programme was launched at the chemistry department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. In this paper, we describe the organisational aspects of the programme, its inclusion into academic and industrial environments and summarise some of the scientific methodologies applied. One of the seven case-studies, an assessment of a modern insecticide, is presented in more detail. Finally, we discuss how far the case-study programme is suitable for introducing a new mode of knowledge production to universities.

Rethinking programme evaluation in health professions education: beyond 'did it work?'.

PubMed

Haji, Faizal; Morin, Marie-Paule; Parker, Kathryn

2013-04-01

For nearly 40 years, outcome-based models have dominated programme evaluation in health professions education. However, there is increasing recognition that these models cannot address the complexities of the health professions context and studies employing alternative evaluation approaches that are appearing in the literature. A similar paradigm shift occurred over 50 years ago in the broader discipline of programme evaluation. Understanding the development of contemporary paradigms within this field provides important insights to support the evolution of programme evaluation in the health professions. In this discussion paper, we review the historical roots of programme evaluation as a discipline, demonstrating parallels with the dominant approach to evaluation in the health professions. In tracing the evolution of contemporary paradigms within this field, we demonstrate how their aim is not only to judge a programme's merit or worth, but also to generate information for curriculum designers seeking to adapt programmes to evolving contexts, and researchers seeking to generate knowledge to inform the work of others. From this evolution, we distil seven essential elements of educational programmes that should be evaluated to achieve the stated goals. Our formulation is not a prescriptive method for conducting programme evaluation; rather, we use these elements as a guide for the development of a holistic 'programme of evaluation' that involves multiple stakeholders, uses a combination of available models and methods, and occurs throughout the life of a programme. Thus, these elements provide a roadmap for the programme evaluation process, which allows evaluators to move beyond asking whether a programme worked, to establishing how it worked, why it worked and what else happened. By engaging in this process, evaluators will generate a sound understanding of the relationships among programmes, the contexts in which they operate, and the outcomes that result from them. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013.

Postgraduate education in nutrition in south Asia: a huge mismatch between investments and needs

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite decades of nutrition advocacy and programming, the nutrition situation in South Asian countries is alarming. We assume that modern training in nutrition at the post graduate level is an important contributor to building the capacity of individuals to think and act effectively when combating undernutrition. In this context, this paper presents a regional situation analysis of master’s level academic initiatives in nutrition with a special focus on the type of programme we think is most likely to be helpful in addressing undernutrition at the population level: Public Health Nutrition (PHN). Methods This situational analysis of Masters in nutrition across South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan was conducted using an intensive and systematic Internet search. Further, detailed information was extracted from the individual institute websites and library visits. Results Of the131 master’s degree programmes we identified one that was in PHN while another 15 had modules in PHN. Most of these universities and institutions were found in India with a few in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In the rest of the countries, neither nutrition nor PHN emerged as an academic discipline at the master’s level. In terms of eligibility Indian and Sri Lankan programmes were most inclusive, with the remaining countries restricting eligibility to those with health qualifications. On modules, no country had any on nutrition policy or on nutrition’s interactions with agriculture, social protection, water and sanitation or women’s empowerment. Conclusion If a strong focus on public health nutrition is key to reducing undernutrition, then the poor availability of such courses in the region is cause for concern. Nutrition master’s courses in general focus too little on the kinds of strategies highlighted in the recent Lancet series on nutrition. Governments seeking to accelerate declines in undernutrition should incentivize the delivery of postgraduate programmes in nutrition and Public Health Nutrition (PHN) that reflect the modern consensus on priority actions. In the absence of PHN type programmes, the competence to scale up nutrition capacity is likely to be impaired and the human potential of millions of infants will continue to be squandered. PMID:24397258

Postgraduate education in nutrition in south Asia: a huge mismatch between investments and needs.

PubMed

Khandelwal, Shweta; Paul, Tanusree; Haddad, Lawrence; Bhalla, Surbhi; Gillespie, Stuart; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

2014-01-07

Despite decades of nutrition advocacy and programming, the nutrition situation in South Asian countries is alarming. We assume that modern training in nutrition at the post graduate level is an important contributor to building the capacity of individuals to think and act effectively when combating undernutrition. In this context, this paper presents a regional situation analysis of master's level academic initiatives in nutrition with a special focus on the type of programme we think is most likely to be helpful in addressing undernutrition at the population level: Public Health Nutrition (PHN). This situational analysis of Masters in nutrition across South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan was conducted using an intensive and systematic Internet search. Further, detailed information was extracted from the individual institute websites and library visits. Of the 131 master's degree programmes we identified one that was in PHN while another 15 had modules in PHN. Most of these universities and institutions were found in India with a few in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In the rest of the countries, neither nutrition nor PHN emerged as an academic discipline at the master's level. In terms of eligibility Indian and Sri Lankan programmes were most inclusive, with the remaining countries restricting eligibility to those with health qualifications. On modules, no country had any on nutrition policy or on nutrition's interactions with agriculture, social protection, water and sanitation or women's empowerment. If a strong focus on public health nutrition is key to reducing undernutrition, then the poor availability of such courses in the region is cause for concern. Nutrition master's courses in general focus too little on the kinds of strategies highlighted in the recent Lancet series on nutrition. Governments seeking to accelerate declines in undernutrition should incentivize the delivery of postgraduate programmes in nutrition and Public Health Nutrition (PHN) that reflect the modern consensus on priority actions. In the absence of PHN type programmes, the competence to scale up nutrition capacity is likely to be impaired and the human potential of millions of infants will continue to be squandered.

An Undergraduate Course and Laboratory in Digital Signal Processing with Field Programmable Gate Arrays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer-Base, U.; Vera, A.; Meyer-Base, A.; Pattichis, M. S.; Perry, R. J.

2010-01-01

In this paper, an innovative educational approach to introducing undergraduates to both digital signal processing (DSP) and field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based design in a one-semester course and laboratory is described. While both DSP and FPGA-based courses are currently present in different curricula, this integrated approach reduces the…

Charismatic authority in modern healthcare: the case of the 'diabetes specialist podiatrist'.

PubMed

Bacon, Dawn; Borthwick, Alan M

2013-09-01

Professional specialisation is broadly considered to result from increased complexity in professional knowledge and to be linked to specialist education, formalised credentials and registration. However, the degree of formal organisation may vary across professions. In healthcare, although medical specialisation is linked to rigorous selection criteria, formal training programmes and specialist registration, some forms of specialisation in the allied health professions are much less formal. Drawing on Weber's concept of charismatic authority, the establishment of a specialist role in podiatry, the 'diabetes specialist podiatrist', in the absence of codified or credentialed authority, is explored. 'Charismatic' leaders in podiatry, having attracted a following of practitioners, were able to constitute a speciality area of practice in the absence of established career pathways and acquire a degree of legitimacy in the medical field of diabetology. © 2012 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/JohnWiley & Sons Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

From Lattice Boltzmann to hydrodynamics in dissipative relativistic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbana, Alessandro; Mendoza, Miller; Succi, Sauro; Tripiccione, Raffaele

2017-11-01

Relativistic fluid dynamics is currently applied to several fields of modern physics, covering many physical scales, from astrophysics, to atomic scales (e.g. in the study of effective 2D systems such as graphene) and further down to subnuclear scales (e.g. quark-gluon plasmas). This talk focuses on recent progress in the largely debated connection between kinetic transport coefficients and macroscopic hydrodynamic parameters in dissipative relativistic fluid dynamics. We use a new relativistic Lattice Boltzmann method (RLBM), able to handle from ultra-relativistic to almost non-relativistic flows, and obtain strong evidence that the Chapman-Enskog expansion provides the correct pathway from kinetic theory to hydrodynamics. This analysis confirms recently obtained theoretical results, which can be used to obtain accurate calibrations for RLBM methods applied to realistic physics systems in the relativistic regime. Using this calibration methodology, RLBM methods are able to deliver improved physical accuracy in the simulation of the physical systems described above. European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 642069.

Compact, Low-Overhead, MIL-STD-1553B Controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard; Barto, Rod

2009-01-01

A compact and flexible controller has been developed to provide MIL-STD- 1553B Remote Terminal (RT) communications and supporting and related functions with minimal demand on the resources of the system in which the controller is to be installed. (MIL-STD-1553B is a military standard that encompasses a method of communication and electrical-interface requirements for digital electronic subsystems connected to a data bus. MIL-STD-1553B is commonly used in defense and space applications.) Many other MIL-STD-1553B RT controllers are complicated, and to enable them to function, it is necessary to provide software and to use such ancillary separate hardware devices as microprocessors and dual-port memories. The present controller functions without need for software and any ancillary hardware. In addition, it contains a flexible system interface and extensive support hardware while including on-chip error-checking and diagnostic support circuitry. This controller is implemented within part of a modern field-programmable gate array.

Toward a Post-Modern Agenda in Instructional Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, David L.

2000-01-01

Discusses the concept of post-modernism and relates it to the field of instructional technology. Topics include structuralism; semiotics; poststructuralism; deconstruction; knowledge and power; critical theory; self-concept; post-modern assumptions; and potential contributions of post-modern concepts in instructional technology. (Contains 80…

L. V. Keldysh’s “Ionization in the Field of a Strong Electromagnetic Wave” and modern physics of atomic interaction with a strong laser field

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

Fedorov, M. V., E-mail: fedorov@gmail.com

2016-03-15

Basic premises, approximations, and results of L.V. Keldysh’s 1964 work on multiphoton ionization of atoms are discussed, as well as its influence on the modern science of the interaction of atomic–molecular systems with a strong laser field.

School Inclusion Programmes (SIPS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drossinou-Korea, Maria; Matousi, Dimitra; Panopoulos, Nikolaos; Paraskevopoulou, Aikaterini

2016-01-01

The purpose of this work was to understand the school inclusion programmes (SIPs) for students with special educational needs (SEN). The methodology was conducted in the field of special education (SE) and focuses on three case studies of students who was supported by SIPs. The Targeted, Individual, Structured, Inclusion Programme for students…

Agricultural Management Education in Australia: Genesis of a New Degree Programme in Ecological Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochrane, Kerry; Raman, Anantanarayanan; McKenzie, Anthony

2007-01-01

While the science community continues to ask how its responsibility to society needs to be expressed in the modern world, higher education grapples with issues of its own, including issues embroiled in the perennial tug-of-war between principle and economic pragmatism. In this paper, the authors give an account of the origins and development of a…

Delivering Distance Education for Modern Government: The F4Gov Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talbot, Jon

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to describe the development and operation of an innovative, work based, distance delivered foundation degree developed by the University of Chester and the British Civil Service. The paper is both a case study in its own right but also the basis for a further quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the…

Effects of dance on anxiety.

PubMed

Lesté, A; Rust, J

1984-06-01

The study investigated the effects of modern dance on anxiety. State anxiety was assessed before and after a 3-mo. education programme, using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The target group followed a class in modern dance. Control groups were (1) a physical education group to control for the effects of exercise, (2) a music group to control for aesthetic sensitivity training, and (3) a mathematics group. Several concomitant variables were measured: age, sex, attitude towards dance, and previous experience in sport, dance, and relaxation. Dance training significantly reduced anxiety, but no control activities did so. Examination of the concomitant variables showed that the result could not be accounted for by any obvious artifacts.

[Modern didactics in surgical education--between demand and reality].

PubMed

Pape-Köhler, C; Chmelik, C; Rose, M; Heiss, M M

2010-12-01

Surgical residency contains an inadequate amount of hands-on training in the operating room and time constraints further make this type of education on the floor unlikely. Due to these deficits in residency training, private surgical courses outside of the established residency programmes are in high demand. Therefore, surgical residents must spend their own resources and time in addition to their residency training in order to receive adequate clinical exposure. Didactic approaches like problem-based learning have begun to influence our modern education. These novel education approaches along with visualisation training, video-based presentations, and multimedia-based training can be useful adjuncts to traditional surgical training. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York.

Femoral vessel injuries in modern warfare since Vietnam.

PubMed

Pearl, Jonathan P; McNally, Michael P; Perdue, Philip W

2003-09-01

The incidence of lower extremity injuries is high in modern warfare; however the mortality rate from these injuries is low. Despite the overall low mortality of lower extremity injuries, many deaths in modern conflicts are due to femoral vessel injury. The modern warfare literature was reviewed. In Somalia, 1 of the 14 reported deaths was due to a laceration of the superficial femoral artery. In the Persian Gulf, three deaths were reported in an Army field hospital, one resulted from uncontrolled hemorrhage from a profunda femoris artery wound and two others resulted from traumatic amputations with consequent major arterial injury. Despite the advances in modern body armor, the groin is left unprotected. A strategy to help minimize U.S. casualties in modern warfare may be a method of field hemostasis specifically designed for femoral vessel injury.

Seven years of the field epidemiology training programme (FETP) at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: an internal evaluation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background During 2001–2007, the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India admitted 80 trainees in its two-year Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP). We evaluated the first seven years of the programme to identify strengths and weaknesses. Methods We identified core components of the programme and broke them down into input, process, output and outcome. We developed critical indicators to reflect the logic model. We reviewed documents including fieldwork reports, abstracts listed in proceedings and papers published in Medline-indexed journals. We conducted an anonymous online survey of the graduates to collect information on self-perceived competencies, learning activities, field assignments, supervision, curriculum, relevance to career goals, strengths and weaknesses. Results Of the 80 students recruited during 2001–2007, 69 (86%) acquired seven core competencies (epidemiology, surveillance, outbreaks, research, human subjects protection, communication and management) and graduated through completion of at least six field assignments. The faculty-to-student ratio ranged between 0.4 and 0.12 (expected: 0.25). The curriculum was continuously adapted with all resources available on-line. Fieldwork led to the production of 158 scientific communications presented at international meetings and to 29 manuscripts accepted in indexed, peer-reviewed journals. The online survey showed that while most graduates acquired competencies, unmet needs persisted in laboratory sciences, data analysis tools and faculty-to-student ratio. Conclusions NIE adapted the international FETP model to India. However, further efforts are required to scale up the programme and to develop career tracks for field epidemiologists in the country. PMID:23013473

[Impact of dissemination of a diet and physical activity pamphlet to 8th grade students in France].

PubMed

Mathiot, Hélène; Nugier, Angélique; Nguyen-Thanh, Viêt

"J'aime manger, j'aime bouger, le guide nutrition pour les adolescents", ("I love to eat and move, the nutrition pamphlet for teenagers"), which is one of the eight information guides of the French Nutritional and Health Programme, is distributed annually by Santé publique France, the national public health agency, to 8th grade students by their biology teachers. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of this dissemination plan and the way 8th grade students and biology teachers perceive the pamphlet. Teenagers' knowledge of the French Nutritional and Health Programme's recommendations was also assessed. This study was based on a mixed method and was conducted in 2015 on 432 8th grade students by face-to-face interviews at home and 20 8th grade biology teachers interviewed individually or during focus groups. The pamphlet obtained a recognition score of 40% among young people, who mostly saw it during a course at high school. 30% of teenagers reported having read or only skimmed through it and more than three-quarters reported that they liked the pamphlet. Teenagers and teachers found the pamphlet clear and accessible and globally appreciated the content, but they considered that it could be modernized. Systematic distribution of the guide to students of a specific school grade is an efficient strategy to reach a maximum number of young people. It should be continued in the future. Modernization of the guide and improved support to teachers to distribute the guide could improve the performance of the programme.

Vegetation and substrate properties of aeolian dune fields in the Colorado River corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, Amy E.

2011-01-01

This report summarizes vegetation and substrate properties of aeolian landscapes in the Colorado River corridor through Grand Canyon, Arizona, in Grand Canyon National Park. Characterizing these parameters provides a basis from which to assess future changes in this ecosystem, including the spread of nonnative plant species. Differences are apparent between aeolian dune fields that are downwind of where modern controlled flooding deposits new sandbars (modern-fluvial-sourced dune fields) and those that have received little or no new windblown sand since river regulation began in the 1960s (relict-fluvial-sourced dune fields). The most substantial difference between modern- and relict-fluvial-sourced aeolian dune fields is the greater abundance of biologic soil crust in relict dune fields. These findings can be used with similar investigations in other geomorphic settings in Grand Canyon and elsewhere in the Colorado River corridor to evaluate the health of the Colorado River ecosystem over time.

Those Who Can, Teach: The Academic Quality of Preservice Students in Teacher Education Programmes in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Hsiou-Huai; Huang, Chin-Chun

2016-01-01

Difficulty in recruiting high-calibre individuals into teaching is a perennial issue in the field of teacher education. In some countries, students in teacher programmes are in general found to be lower in academic standing than their counterparts in other fields, which might lead to belief in the old saying that "those who cannot,…

The Broad Effectiveness of Seventy-Four Field Instances of Abstinence-Based Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birch, Paul James; White, Joseph M.; Fellows, Kaylene

2017-01-01

Evaluations of a large federally funded sexual risk avoidance education (SRAE) efforts in the USA have not been widely reported in the wake of funding cuts. The purpose of this study is to report results from a broad set of programmes to demonstrate the breadth of field effectiveness of these programmes. Twenty-seven separate community-based SRAE…

Systems and methods for detecting a failure event in a field programmable gate array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ng, Tak-Kwong (Inventor); Herath, Jeffrey A. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

An embodiment generally relates to a method of self-detecting an error in a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The method includes writing a signature value into a signature memory in the FPGA and determining a conclusion of a configuration refresh operation in the FPGA. The method also includes reading an outcome value from the signature memory.

They Give Us Homework! Transition to Higher Education: The Case of Initial Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murtagh, Lisa

2010-01-01

This article examines some issues surrounding transition to higher education. It is based on the case study of a cohort of Year 1 students in a modern university in England. The purpose of the study was to ascertain any potential transitional issues and therefore any areas for development in our Year 1 programmes to aid student progress. Data were…

Evaluating a Greek National Action on Students' Training on ICT and Programming Competences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riviou, Katerina; Papakonstantinou, Katerina; Tsanakas, Panayotis

It is well understood that university graduates, regardless of discipline, must have appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) competencies to function and be employable in the modern world. Nevertheless, the results of surveys indicate significant deficiencies in the use of ICT by students of higher education. e-kpaidefteite.gr is an initiative launched by the Greek government that aims to train and certify students of higher education on ICT. This paper presents the results of two separate surveys that took place during the period December 2008 - January 2009. The first survey targeted the students that have completed the programme and the second one the educational providers that participated in the programme and offered the training to the beneficiaries.

Single Event Analysis and Fault Injection Techniques Targeting Complex Designs Implemented in Xilinx-Virtex Family Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; LaBel, Kenneth; Kim, Hak

2014-01-01

An informative session regarding SRAM FPGA basics. Presenting a framework for fault injection techniques applied to Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Introduce an overlooked time component that illustrates fault injection is impractical for most real designs as a stand-alone characterization tool. Demonstrate procedures that benefit from fault injection error analysis.

Skills Utilisation at Work, the Quality of the Study Programme and Fields of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Støren, Liv Anne; Arnesen, Clara Åse

2016-01-01

This paper examines the factors that may have impact on the extent to which the knowledge and skills of master's degree graduates in Norway are utilised at work, three years after graduation. The focus is on the impact of the quality of the study programme as well as the graduates' fields of study, when also taking into account other factors…

Television programming and advertisements: help or hindrance to effective science education?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McSharry, Gabrielle

2002-05-01

Investigations were carried out to find the amount of science portrayed by terrestrial television in the UK and the public comprehension of that science as shown on television. UK terrestrial programming was derived from the Radio Times. Advertisement information was derived from UK terrestrial commercial television commercials. Public opinions were solicited by a survey of 200 members of the public (n = 196). Science-based programming formed 5.36% of all terrestrial broadcasting time, with people watching an average of 1.75 science programmes per week (approx. 0.2% of programmes possible). 65% of all television advertisements were found to be science-based, although only 26% of advertisement categories were recognized as being science-based by the public. If interest in science is reflected in the amount of science programmes watched then the public are not interested in science. The lack of comprehension of the scientific basis of many advertisements is indicative of the lack of relevance of science education to people in modern society.

Leadership and leadership development in healthcare settings – a simplistic solution to complex problems?

PubMed Central

McDonald, Ruth

2014-01-01

There is a trend in health systems around the world to place great emphasis on and faith in improving ‘leadership’. Leadership has been defined in many ways and the elitist implications of traditional notions of leadership sit uncomfortably with modern healthcare organisations. The concept of distributed leadership incorporates inclusivity, collectiveness and collaboration, with the result that, to some extent, all staff, not just those in senior management roles, are viewed as leaders. Leadership development programmes are intended to equip individuals to improve leadership skills, but we know little about their effectiveness. Furthermore, the content of these programmes varies widely and the fact that many lack a sense of how they fit with individual or organisational goals raises questions about how they are intended to achieve their aims. It is important to avoid simplistic assumptions about the ability of improved leadership to solve complex problems. It is also important to evaluate leadership development programmes in ways that go beyond descriptive accounts. PMID:25337595

Leadership and leadership development in healthcare settings - a simplistic solution to complex problems?

PubMed

McDonald, Ruth

2014-10-01

There is a trend in health systems around the world to place great emphasis on and faith in improving 'leadership'. Leadership has been defined in many ways and the elitist implications of traditional notions of leadership sit uncomfortably with modern healthcare organisations. The concept of distributed leadership incorporates inclusivity, collectiveness and collaboration, with the result that, to some extent, all staff, not just those in senior management roles, are viewed as leaders. Leadership development programmes are intended to equip individuals to improve leadership skills, but we know little about their effectiveness. Furthermore, the content of these programmes varies widely and the fact that many lack a sense of how they fit with individual or organisational goals raises questions about how they are intended to achieve their aims. It is important to avoid simplistic assumptions about the ability of improved leadership to solve complex problems. It is also important to evaluate leadership development programmes in ways that go beyond descriptive accounts.

Review of integrated digital systems: evolution and adoption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritz, Lawrence W.

The factors that are influencing the evolution of photogrammetric and remote sensing technology to transition into fully integrated digital systems are reviewed. These factors include societal pressures for new, more timely digital products from the Spatial Information Sciencesand the adoption of rapid technological advancements in digital processing hardware and software. Current major developments in leading government mapping agencies of the USA, such as the Digital Production System (DPS) modernization programme at the Defense Mapping Agency, and the Automated Nautical Charting System II (ANCS-II) programme and Integrated Digital Photogrammetric Facility (IDPF) at NOAA/National Ocean Service, illustrate the significant benefits to be realized. These programmes are examples of different levels of integrated systems that have been designed to produce digital products. They provide insights to the management complexities to be considered for very large integrated digital systems. In recognition of computer industry trends, a knowledge-based architecture for managing the complexity of the very large spatial information systems of the future is proposed.

Exploring the Development of Existing Sex Education Programmes for People with Intellectual Disabilities: An Intervention Mapping Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaafsma, Dilana; Stoffelen, Joke M. T.; Kok, Gerjo; Curfs, Leopold M. G.

2013-01-01

Background: People with intellectual disabilities face barriers that affect their sexual health. Sex education programmes have been developed by professionals working in the field of intellectual disabilities with the aim to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to explore the development of these programmes. Methods: Sex education…

Metrology in electricity and magnetism: EURAMET activities today and tomorrow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piquemal, F.; Jeckelmann, B.; Callegaro, L.; Hällström, J.; Janssen, T. J. B. M.; Melcher, J.; Rietveld, G.; Siegner, U.; Wright, P.; Zeier, M.

2017-10-01

Metrology dedicated to electricity and magnetism has changed considerably in recent years. It encompasses almost all modern scientific, industrial, and societal challenges, e.g. the revision of the International System of Units, the profound transformation of industry, changes in energy use and generation, health, and environment, as well as nanotechnologies (including graphene and 2D materials) and quantum engineering. Over the same period, driven by the globalization of worldwide trade, the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (referred to as the CIPM MRA) was set up. As a result, the regional metrology organizations (RMOs) of national metrology institutes have grown in significance. EURAMET is the European RMO and has been very prominent in developing a strategic research agenda (SRA) and has established a comprehensive research programme. This paper reviews the highlights of EURAMET in electrical metrology within the European Metrology Research Programme and its main contributions to the CIPM MRA. In 2012 EURAMET undertook an extensive roadmapping exercise for proposed activities for the next decade which will also be discussed in this paper. This work has resulted in a new SRA of the second largest European funding programme: European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research.

Dental nursing education and the introduction of technology-assisted learning.

PubMed

Sheridan, C; Gorman, T; Claffey, N

2008-11-01

The aim of this paper is to explore the profile of dental nursing students in the National Dental Nurse Training Programme of Ireland and their adjustment to a technology-assisted learning environment. Evaluation by students of the course and their reactions to the course were analysed. Dental nurses must possess the skills and knowledge to proficiently function in the modern day dental surgery. The implementation of a dental nurse programme that is heavily reliant on technology has started to create a group of dental nurses equipped with basic skills to access and retrieve information over a lifetime. However, the transition to a technology-assisted learning environment including online learning activities requires adaptation and expertise by educators and students alike. Careful evaluation and stakeholder feedback is imperative in the creation and maintaining of a quality programme. In conclusion, the students in this study responded well to the transition to a technology-based learning environment. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest that the use of an online environment is an effective and stimulating learning environment for the students of a dental nurse programme; however, familiarity skills and knowledge of information technology is a prerequisite for success.

New pathways in the evaluation of programmes for men who perpetrate violence against their female partners.

PubMed

Wojnicka, Katarzyna; Scambor, Christian; Kraus, Heinrich

2016-08-01

Today, evaluation research in the field of intervention programmes for men who perpetrate violence against their female partners still makes a fragmentary impression. Across Europe various evaluation studies have been performed. However, the methodologies applied are too heterogeneous to allow the combination of the results in a meta-analytical way. In this paper we propose a future pathway for organising outcome evaluation studies of domestic violence perpetrator programmes in community settings, so that today's problems in this field can be overcome. In a pragmatic framework that acknowledges the limited pre-conditions for evaluation studies in the area of domestic violence perpetrator programmes as it is today, feasible approaches for outcome evaluation are outlined, with recent developments in the field taken as starting points. The framework for organising future evaluation studies of work with perpetrators of domestic violence is presented together with a strategy to promote this framework. International networks of practitioners and researchers play a central role in this strategy through upskilling the area of practical work, preparing the ground for evaluation research and improving cooperation between practitioners and researchers. This paper is based on the results of the European funded project IMPACT (under the Daphne-III-funding programme of the European Commission). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demonstration of Efficient Nonreciprocity in a Microwave Optomechanical Circuit*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, G. A.; Lecocq, F.; Cicak, K.; Simmonds, R. W.; Aumentado, J.; Teufel, J. D.

2017-07-01

The ability to engineer nonreciprocal interactions is an essential tool in modern communication technology as well as a powerful resource for building quantum networks. Aside from large reverse isolation, a nonreciprocal device suitable for applications must also have high efficiency (low insertion loss) and low output noise. Recent theoretical and experimental studies have shown that nonreciprocal behavior can be achieved in optomechanical systems, but performance in these last two attributes has been limited. Here, we demonstrate an efficient, frequency-converting microwave isolator based on the optomechanical interactions between electromagnetic fields and a mechanically compliant vacuum-gap capacitor. We achieve simultaneous reverse isolation of more than 20 dB and insertion loss less than 1.5 dB. We characterize the nonreciprocal noise performance of the device, observing that the residual thermal noise from the mechanical environments is routed solely to the input of the isolator. Our measurements show quantitative agreement with a general coupled-mode theory. Unlike conventional isolators and circulators, these compact nonreciprocal devices do not require a static magnetic field, and they allow for dynamic control of the direction of isolation. With these advantages, similar devices could enable programmable, high-efficiency connections between disparate nodes of quantum networks, even efficiently bridging the microwave and optical domains.

COCARDE: new view on old mounds - an international network of carbonate mound research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rüggeberg, A.; Foubert, A.; Vertino, A.; van Rooij, D.; Spezzaferri, S.; Henriet, J.-P.; Dullo, W.-C.; Cocarde Science Community

2012-04-01

Carbonate mounds are important contributors of life in different settings, from warm-water to cold-water environments, and throughout geological history. Research on modern cold-water coral carbonate mounds over the last decades made a major contribution to our overall understanding of these particular sedimentary systems. By looking to the modern carbonate mound community with cold-water corals as main framework builders, some fundamental questions could be addressed, until now not yet explored in fossil mound settings. The international network COCARDE (http://www.cocarde.eu) is a platform for exploring new insights in carbonate mound research of recent and ancient mound systems. The aim of the COCARDE network is to bring together scientific communities, studying Recent carbonate mounds in midslope environments in the present ocean and investigating fossil mounds spanning the whole Phanerozoic time, respectively. Scientific challenges in modern and ancient carbonate mound research got well defined during the ESF Magellan Workshop COCARDE in Fribourg, Switzerland (21.-24.01.2009). The Special Volume Cold-water Carbonate Reservoir systems in Deep Environments - COCARDE (Marine Geology, Vol. 282) was the major outcome of this meeting and highlights the diversity of Recent carbonate mound studies. The following first joint Workshop and Field Seminar held in Oviedo, Spain (16.-20.09.2009) highlighted ongoing research from both Recent and fossil academic groups integrating the message from the industry. The field seminar focused on mounds from the Carboniferous platform of Asturias and Cantabria, already intensively visited by industrial and academic researchers. However, by comparing ancient, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic mound systems of Cantabria with the Recent ones in the Porcupine Seabight, striking similarities in their genesis and processes in mound development asked for an integrated drilling campaign to understand better the 3D internal mound build-up. The Oviedo Workshop and Field Seminar led to the submission of a White Paper on Carbonate Mound Drilling and the initiation of the ESF European Research Network Programme Cold-Water Carbonate Mounds in Shallow and Deep Time - The European Research Network (COCARDE-ERN) launched in June 2011. The second COCARDE Workshop and Field Seminar was held in Rabat, Morocco (24.-30.10.2011) and thematically focussed on carbonate mounds of(f) Morocco. The compact workshop invited students from Moroccan Universities to experience ongoing carbonate mound research in Recent and Ancient environments of Morocco. Two Round Tables discussed innovative approaches in carbonate mound research in Morocco (Recent vs. Ancient - offshore vs. onshore) and reviewed together with oil industry opportunities of international collaboration. The outcome of this workshop will lead into joint research projects, drilling campaigns on- and offshore, and expansion of COCARDE onto the African continent.

Stability of Programmable Shunt Valve Settings with Simultaneous Use of the Optune Transducer Array: A Case Report.

PubMed

Chan, Andrew K; Birk, Harjus S; Winkler, Ethan A; Viner, Jennifer A; Taylor, Jennie W; McDermott, Michael W

2016-07-07

The Optune® transducer array (Novocure Ltd., Haifa, Israel) is an FDA-approved noninvasive regional therapy that aims to inhibit the growth of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells via utilization of alternating electric fields. Some patients with GBM may develop hydrocephalus and benefit from subsequent shunt placement, but special attention must be paid to patients in whom programmable valves are utilized, given the potential effect of the magnetic fields on valve settings. We present the first case report illustrating the stability of programmable shunt valve settings in a neurosurgical patient undergoing therapy with the Optune device. In this study, shunt valve settings were stable over a period of five days despite Optune therapy. This is reassuring for patients with GBM who require simultaneous treatment with both the Optune device and a programmable shunt system.

Feasibility of Tactical Air Delivery Resupply Using Gliders

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

using modern design and manufacturing techniques including AutoCAD, 3D printing , laser cutting and CorelDraw, and conducting field testing and...Sparrow,” using modern design and manufacturing techniques including AutoCAD, 3D printing , laser cutting and CorelDraw, and conducting field testing and...the desired point(s) of impact due to the atmospheric three-dimensional ( 3D ) wind and density field encountered by the descending load under canopy

Pious Science: The Gulen Community and the Making of a Conservative Modernity in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Berna

2009-01-01

This dissertation explores the ways in which the Islamic Fethullah Gulen community engages with science as a response to globalization and modernity. Framed with the theoretical discussions on multiple modernities, it investigates how the community contests for hegemony in the field of science against the project of secular modernity, and…

Code-Switching Functions in Modern Hebrew Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilead, Yona

2016-01-01

The teaching and learning of Modern Hebrew outside of Israel is essential to Jewish education and identity. One of the most contested issues in Modern Hebrew pedagogy is the use of code-switching between Modern Hebrew and learners' first language. Moreover, this is one of the longest running disputes in the broader field of second language…

Programmable valve shunts: are they really better?

PubMed

Kataria, Rashim; Kumar, Vimal; Mehta, Veer Singh

2012-01-01

Programmable valve shunts allows selection of opening pressure of shunt valve. In the presented article, a unique complication pertaining to programmable shunts has been discussed. A 5-year-old boy who had tectal plate low grade glioma with obstructive hydrocephalus was managed with Codman programmable ventriculoperitoneal shunt. There was a spontaneous change in the opening pressure of the shunt valve leading to shunt malfunction. Routinely used household appliances produce a magnetic field strong enough to cause change in the setting of shunt valve pressure and may lead to valve malfunction. Other causes of programmable valve malfunction also discussed.

Gendered Obstacles Faced by Historical Women in Physics and Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Kristen M.

2007-12-01

A gender gap still exists in modern science; this is especially evident in the fields of physics and astronomy. The cause of such a gap is the center of debate. Is this discrepancy the result of inherent ability or socialization? Most studies have focused on modern issues and how women are socialized today. The role of historical gender perspectives and social opinions in creating the field of modern science and any discrepancies within it has not yet been explored in depth. This project investigates the obstacles faced by historical women in physics and astronomy that stem from the officialized gender biases that accompanied the establishment of modern science. Such obstacles are both formal and informal. Four women were chosen to span the three hundred year period between the standardization of the field and the modern day: Laura Bassi, Mary Somerville, Lise Meitner, and Jocelyn Bell Burnell. The investigation reveals that formal obstacles significantly decreased over the time period, while informal obstacles eroded more gradually. Obstacles also reflected historical events such as the World Wars and the Enlightenment. Trends in obstacles faced by four prominent women physicists indicate that education, finances, support networks, and social opinion played a large role in determining success in the field. The applicability to modern day physics issues and the gender gap is discussed. Many thanks to the Pathways Scholars Program and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program for funding for this project.

Exploring the development of existing sex education programmes for people with intellectual disabilities: an intervention mapping approach.

PubMed

Schaafsma, Dilana; Stoffelen, Joke M T; Kok, Gerjo; Curfs, Leopold M G

2013-03-01

People with intellectual disabilities face barriers that affect their sexual health. Sex education programmes have been developed by professionals working in the field of intellectual disabilities with the aim to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to explore the development of these programmes. Sex education programmes geared to people with intellectual disabilities were examined in the context of the Intervention Mapping protocol. Data were obtained via interviews with the programme developers. All programmes lack specific programme outcomes, do not have a theoretical basis, did not involve members of relevant groups in the development process and lack systematic evaluation. Based on our findings and the literature, we conclude that these programmes are unlikely to be effective. Future programmes should be developed using a more systematic and theory- and evidence-based approach. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Automatic Digital Hardware Synthesis

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

VHDL to PALASM, a hardware synthesis language. The PALASM description is then directly implemented into a field programmable gate array (FPGAI using...process of translating VHDL to PALASM, a hardware synthesis language. The PALASM description is then directly implemented into a field programmable gate...allows the engineer to use VHDL to create and validate a design, and then to implement it in a gate array. The development of software o translate VHDL

Roll Angle Estimation Using Thermopiles for a Flight Controlled Mortar

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

Using Xilinx’s System generator, the entire design was implemented at a relatively high level within Malab’s Simulink. This allowed VHDL code to...thermopile data with a Recursive Least Squares (RLS) filter implemented on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). These results demonstrate the...accurately estimated by processing the thermopile data with a Recursive Least Squares (RLS) filter implemented on a field programmable gate array (FPGA

Maladjustment of programmable ventricular shunt valves by inadvertent exposure to a common hospital device.

PubMed

Fujimura, R; Lober, R; Kamian, K; Kleiner, L

2018-01-01

Programmable ventricular shunt valves are commonly used to treat hydrocephalus. They can be adjusted to allow for varying amounts of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow using an external magnetic programming device, and are susceptible to maladjustment from inadvertent exposure to magnetic fields. We describe the case of a 3-month-old girl treated for hydrocephalus with a programmable Strata TM II valve found at the incorrect setting on multiple occasions during her hospitalization despite frequent reprogramming and surveillance. We found that the Vocera badge, a common hands-free wireless communication system worn by our nursing staff, had a strong enough magnetic field to unintentionally change the shunt setting. The device is worn on the chest bringing it into close proximity to the shunt valve when care providers hold the baby, resulting in the maladjustment. Some commonly used medical devices have a magnetic field strong enough to alter programmable shunt valve settings. Here, we report that the magnetic field from the Vocera hands-free wireless communication system, combined with the worn position, results in shunt maladjustment for the Strata TM II valve. Healthcare facilities using the Vocera badges need to put protocols in place and properly educate staff members to ensure the safety of patients with Strata TM II valves.

Urology training in the developing world: The trainees’ perspective in Kurdistan, Iraq

PubMed Central

Friad, Goran; Sabah, Kawa; Ameen, Ismaeel Hama

2013-01-01

Objective To analyse the advanced systems of urology residency in the developed world, to compare them to a system in the developing world, and thereby identify the shortcomings and make recommendations to improve residency programmes for urology in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Methods A survey was conducted amongst the urology Residents (55) in the three governorates of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to assess the accessibility of the training programme, the types of the residency programmes, skills acquisition, the use of modern technology for teaching and assessment, the environment of the settings of practice, and the status of research in their training. Results An overwhelming majority (88%) of trainees reported difficulty in securing a training position. A high proportion (43%) felt disappointed at the beginning of their training. There is no unified curriculum of training, and more than two-thirds of the respondents reported a lack of a proper evidence-based medical education. There is no formal subspecialty training programme. Of the respondents, 65% referred to the difficulties in the environment for training, and that there was a low level of research involvement (12%). Conclusions Urology training is not easily accessible, there is no unified programme of residency, there are limited facilities, and a minimal assessment of practical skills. The environment for practice needs enormous improvements and a strong foundation for research should be created. PMID:26019913

Urology training in the developing world: The trainees' perspective in Kurdistan, Iraq.

PubMed

Friad, Goran; Sabah, Kawa; Ameen, Ismaeel Hama

2014-03-01

To analyse the advanced systems of urology residency in the developed world, to compare them to a system in the developing world, and thereby identify the shortcomings and make recommendations to improve residency programmes for urology in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A survey was conducted amongst the urology Residents (55) in the three governorates of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to assess the accessibility of the training programme, the types of the residency programmes, skills acquisition, the use of modern technology for teaching and assessment, the environment of the settings of practice, and the status of research in their training. An overwhelming majority (88%) of trainees reported difficulty in securing a training position. A high proportion (43%) felt disappointed at the beginning of their training. There is no unified curriculum of training, and more than two-thirds of the respondents reported a lack of a proper evidence-based medical education. There is no formal subspecialty training programme. Of the respondents, 65% referred to the difficulties in the environment for training, and that there was a low level of research involvement (12%). Urology training is not easily accessible, there is no unified programme of residency, there are limited facilities, and a minimal assessment of practical skills. The environment for practice needs enormous improvements and a strong foundation for research should be created.

English-Medium Programmes at Austrian Business Faculties: A Status Quo Survey on National Trends and a Case Study on Programme Design and Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unterberger, Barbara

2012-01-01

Internationalisation processes have accelerated the implementation of English-medium programmes (EMPs) across European higher education institutions. The field of business and management studies has been particularly affected by this trend (Wachter & Maiworm 2008: 46) with numerous new EMPs introduced each year. This paper presents key…

Innovative E-portal for prevention and therapeutic programme for treatment of the obesity and overweight in health-tourism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuzda, Jolanta G.; Półjanowicz, Wiesław; Latosiewicz, Robert; Borkowski, Piotr; Bierkus, Mirosław; Moska, Owidiusz

2017-11-01

Modern technologies enable overweight and obesity people to enjoy physical activity. We have developed electronic portal containing rotational exercises useful in fight against those disorders. Easy access is provided with QR codes placed on web-site and simply accessed with electronic personal equipment (smartphones). QR codes can also be printed and hanged in different places of health tourism facilities.

Researching the Uses of the English Language in the Law Job Market in the Sultanate of Oman: Implications for Policy-Practice Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Issa, Ali S. M.

2014-01-01

The Sultanate of Oman is a developing country that has accepted the English language as a significant tool for modernization. This was best interpreted in the opening of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in 1986, which has delivered its different academic programmes totally or partially through the English language. One of the colleges of SQU has…

Spanish nursing under Franco: reinvention, modernization and repression (1956-1976).

PubMed

Miró, Margalida; Gastaldo, Denise; Nelson, Sioban; Gallego, Gloria

2012-09-01

This article examines Spanish nursing during a critical 20-year period (1956-76) when, under the dictatorial government of General Franco, nursing became the target of a modernization strategy. In the national standardized system of state-run schools, the previously distinct nursing and midwifery programmes were merged into a new training programme which created the single professional denomination of ATS-Ayudante Técnico Sanitario (Technical Sanitary Assistant). Under the leadership of medicine, and with the blessing of the Catholic Church and the Sección Femenina (Women's Section of the Falangist Party), nursing was positioned as feminized and subordinate to medicine, a predominantly male profession in mid-twentieth century Spain. This article discusses this crucial phase of Spanish nursing history by focusing on one influential historical document (published in 1956), Professional Moral Orientation for the Sanitary Technical Assistants, a nursing textbook on professional morals for first-year nursing students written by Rosamaria Miranda, a Catholic nun and a trained nurse. Our analysis reveals that gender-related and technical discourses concerning disciplinary and pastoral power relations presented in this textbook legitimate the core beliefs of Franquism put forward by the politically powerful women's branch of the ruling Falangist Party in mid-twentieth century Spain. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[The role of medical university in modern prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Examples from Medical University of Gdańsk].

PubMed

Zdrojewski, Tomasz; Wierucki, Lukasz; Ignaszewska-Wyrzykowska, Agata; Zarzeczna-Baran, Marzena; Wojdak-Haasa, Ewa; Mogilnaya, Irina; Narkiewicz, Krzysztof; Szczech, Radosław; Rutkowski, Marcin; Bandosz, Piotr; Januszko, Wiktor; Krupa-Wojciechowska, Barbara; Wyrzykowski, Bogdan

2005-01-01

Constant worsening of epidemiological situation in cardiovascular diseases in Poland in the 70's and 80's called for intensive measures in the field of preventive cardiology. Thus in 90's, in order to change this situation, among others, team from Department of Hypertension and Diabetology from Medical University of Gdańsk started, in cooperation with other medical universities, important regional and national research programs and preventive interventions. The aim of the educational program carried out in years 1999-2001 for Members of the Polish Parliament, opinion leaders and decision makers was to increase knowledge of the Polish elites about epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in our country. These actions made possible receiving greater support from the government for new epidemiological and preventive programs in this field. Thanks to NATPOL PLUS project, carried out on the representative sample of adults in 2002, we determined for the first time the prevalence and control of main cardiovascular risk factors in Poland. Results of this program helped planning preventive tasks in the National Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention and Treatment Program POLKARD 2003-2005. The aim of the preventive programmes: SOPKARD and Polish Four-Cities Project was to work out standards of modern, comprehensive interventions. They permitted planning and introduction of the largest preventive program: the Polish 400 Cities Project (PP400M). The PP400M is addressed to citizens of all small towns (to 8000 citizens) and surrounding villages in the whole country. All these accomplishments in the field of quickly expanded clinical epidemiology and cardiovascular prevention are directed mainly to Pomeranian and Polish citizens, especially those who are not aware of high risk of myocardial infarction or stroke. The main principle of our strategy is the role of university as an expert in preparation and supervision of the programs, which were carried out by the specialized organizations and firms such as PBS in Sopot. The second important component of our strategy was an intensive cooperation with other leading research centres in Poland that allowed taking advantage of the joint achievements.

Early postdisaster health outreach to modern families: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Haga, Jon Magnus; Stene, Lise Eilin; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Thoresen, Siri; Dyb, Grete

2015-12-17

This study investigated whether the early outreach programme following the Utøya massacre reached out to the parents of the young survivors. Additionally, we explored whether specialised mental healthcare services were provided to parents presenting elevated levels of PTSD and depression reactions. Cross-sectional survey, face-to-face interviews and questionnaires. Norway, aftermath of the Utøya massacre, 4-7 months postdisaster. Following the Utøya massacre, proactive early outreach programmes were launched in all municipalities that were affected, facilitating access to appropriate healthcare services. A total of 453 parents of the Utøya survivors aged 13-33 years took part. Overall, 59.8% of the survivors were represented by one or more parent in our study. Engagement with the proactive early outreach programme (psychosocial crisis teams and contact persons in the municipalities), utilisation of healthcare services (general practitioner and specialised mental healthcare services) and mental distress (UCLA PTSD-RI and HSCL-8). A majority of the participants reported contact with the proactive early outreach programme (crisis team, 73.9%; and contact person, 73.0%). Failure of outreach to parents was significantly associated with non-intact family structure (crisis team: OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.72, p=0.032) and non-Norwegian origin (crisis team: OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.14 to 4.98, p=0.021). Gender of the parent was not significantly associated with failure of the outreach programme (p ≥ 0.075). Provision of specialised mental healthcare services was significantly associated with higher levels of PTSD (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.79, p<0.001) and depression (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.43, p<0.001) and not with the sociodemography (p ≥ 0.122). Proactive early outreach strategies may be helpful in identifying healthcare needs and facilitating access to the required services in a population struck by disaster. Our findings prompt increased attention to the complexity of family structures in reaching out universally to modern families following a disaster. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Radiation Effects on Current Field Programmable Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, R.; LaBel, K.; Wang, J. J.; Cronquist, B.; Koga, R.; Penzin, S.; Swift, G.

1997-01-01

Manufacturers of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAS) take different technological and architectural approaches that directly affect radiation performance. Similar y technological and architectural features are used in related technologies such as programmable substrates and quick-turn application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). After analyzing current technologies and architectures and their radiation-effects implications, this paper includes extensive test data quantifying various devices total dose and single event susceptibilities, including performance degradation effects and temporary or permanent re-configuration faults. Test results will concentrate on recent technologies being used in space flight electronic systems and those being developed for use in the near term. This paper will provide the first extensive study of various configuration memories used in programmable devices. Radiation performance limits and their impacts will be discussed for each design. In addition, the interplay between device scaling, process, bias voltage, design, and architecture will be explored. Lastly, areas of ongoing research will be discussed.

Delivery and postpartum practices among new mothers in Laputta, Myanmar: intersecting traditional and modern practices and beliefs.

PubMed

Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Thet, May Me; Khaing, Ei Ei; Sudhinaraset, May

2016-09-01

Myanmar is witnessing increased access to modern maternity care, along with shifting norms and practices. Past research has documented low rates of facility-based deliveries in the country, along with adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Research has also documented diverse traditional practices in the postpartum period, related to maternity care and maternal food intake. Through 34 qualitative interviews with women who recently gave birth and their mothers-in-law in one township in Myanmar (Laputta), we explore factors influencing decision-making around postpartum care and the practices that women engage in. We find that women use both modern and traditional providers because different types of providers play particular roles in the delivery and postpartum period. Despite knowledge of about healthy foods to eat postpartum, many women restrict the intake of certain foods, and mothers-in-laws' beliefs in these practices are particularly strong. Findings suggest that women and their families are balancing two different sets of practices and beliefs, which at times come in conflict. Educational campaigns and programmes should address both modern and traditional beliefs and practices to help women be better able to access safe care and improve their own and their children's health.

NEPP Update of Independent Single Event Upset Field Programmable Gate Array Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie; Label, Kenneth; Campola, Michael; Pellish, Jonathan

2017-01-01

This presentation provides a NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program update of independent Single Event Upset (SEU) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) testing including FPGA test guidelines, Microsemi RTG4 heavy-ion results, Xilinx Kintex-UltraScale heavy-ion results, Xilinx UltraScale+ single event effect (SEE) test plans, development of a new methodology for characterizing SEU system response, and NEPP involvement with FPGA security and trust.

Making the Most Out of School-Based Prevention: Lessons from the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Neil; Lendrum, Ann; Wigelsworth, Michael

2013-01-01

This paper considers the role played by universal, school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programmes in addressing the mental health needs of children and young people. Theory and research in the field are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme in England, a flagship…

Field-programmable logic devices with optical input-output.

PubMed

Szymanski, T H; Saint-Laurent, M; Tyan, V; Au, A; Supmonchai, B

2000-02-10

A field-programmable logic device (FPLD) with optical I/O is described. FPLD's with optical I/O can have their functionality specified in the field by means of downloading a control-bit stream and can be used in a wide range of applications, such as optical signal processing, optical image processing, and optical interconnects. Our device implements six state-of-the-art dynamically programmable logic arrays (PLA's) on a 2 mm x 2 mm die. The devices were fabricated through the Lucent Technologies-Advanced Research Projects Agency-Consortium for Optical and Optoelectronic Technologies in Computing (Lucent/ARPA/COOP) workshop by use of 0.5-microm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor-self-electro-optic device technology and were delivered in 1998. All devices are fully functional: The electronic data paths have been verified at 200 MHz, and optical tests are pending. The device has been programmed to implement a two-stage optical switching network with six 4 x 4 crossbar switches, which can realize more than 190 x 10(6) unique programmable input-output permutations. The same device scaled to a 2 cm x 2 cm substrate could support as many as 4000 optical I/O and 1 Tbit/s of optical I/O bandwidth and offer fully programmable digital functionality with approximately 110,000 programmable logic gates. The proposed optoelectronic FPLD is also ideally suited to realizing dense, statically reconfigurable crossbar switches. We describe an attractive application area for such devices: a rearrangeable three-stage optical switch for a wide-area-network backbone, switching 1000 traffic streams at the OC-48 data rate and supporting several terabits of traffic.

[CRISPR/Cas system for genome editing in pluripotent stem cells].

PubMed

Vasil'eva, E A; Melino, D; Barlev, N A

2015-01-01

Genome editing systems based on site-specific nucleases became very popular for genome editing in modern bioengineering. Human pluripotent stem cells provide a unique platform for genes function study, disease modeling, and drugs testing. Consequently, technology for fast, accurate and well controlled genome manipulation is required. CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated) system could be employed for these purposes. This system is based on site-specific programmable nuclease Cas9. Numerous advantages of the CRISPR/Cas system and its successful application to human stem cells provide wide opportunities for genome therapy and regeneration medicine. In this publication, we describe and compare the main genome editing systems based on site-specific programmable nucleases and discuss opportunities and perspectives of the CRISPR/Cas system for application to pluripotent stem cells.

Trends and patterns of modern contraceptive use and relationships with high-risk births and child mortality in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Maïga, Abdoulaye; Hounton, Sennen; Amouzou, Agbessi; Akinyemi, Akanni; Shiferaw, Solomon; Baya, Banza; Bahan, Dalomi; Barros, Aluisio J D; Walker, Neff; Friedman, Howard

2015-01-01

In sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have stressed the importance of spatial heterogeneity analysis in modern contraceptive use and the relationships with high-risk births. This paper aims to analyse the association between modern contraceptive use, distribution of birth risk, and under-five child mortality at both national and regional levels in Burkina Faso. The last three Demographic and Health Surveys - conducted in Burkina Faso in 1998, 2003, and 2010 - enabled descriptions of differentials, trends, and associations between modern contraceptive use, total fertility rates (TFR), and factors associated with high-risk births and under-five child mortality. Multivariate models, adjusted by covariates of cultural and socio-economic background and contact with health system, were used to investigate the relationship between birth risk factors and modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR). Overall, Burkina Faso's modern contraception level remains low (15.4% in 2010), despite significant increases during the last decade. However, there are substantial variations in mCPR by region, and health facility contact was positively associated with mCPR increase. Women's fertility history and cultural and socio-economic background were also significant factors in predicting use of modern contraception. Low modern contraceptive use is associated with higher birth risks and increased child mortality. This association is stronger in the Sahel, Est, and Sud-Ouest regions. Even though all factors in high-risk births were associated with under-five mortality, it should be stressed that short birth spacing ranked as the highest risk in relation to mortality of children. Programmes that target sub-national differentials and leverage women's health system contacts to inform women about family planning opportunities may be effective in improving coverage, quality, and equity of modern contraceptive use. Improving the demand satisfied for modern contraception may result in a reduction in the percentage of women experiencing high-risk births and may also reduce child mortality.

Trends and patterns of modern contraceptive use and relationships with high-risk births and child mortality in Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Maïga, Abdoulaye; Hounton, Sennen; Amouzou, Agbessi; Akinyemi, Akanni; Shiferaw, Solomon; Baya, Banza; Bahan, Dalomi; Barros, Aluisio J. D.; Walker, Neff; Friedman, Howard

2015-01-01

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have stressed the importance of spatial heterogeneity analysis in modern contraceptive use and the relationships with high-risk births. Objective This paper aims to analyse the association between modern contraceptive use, distribution of birth risk, and under-five child mortality at both national and regional levels in Burkina Faso. Design The last three Demographic and Health Surveys – conducted in Burkina Faso in 1998, 2003, and 2010 – enabled descriptions of differentials, trends, and associations between modern contraceptive use, total fertility rates (TFR), and factors associated with high-risk births and under-five child mortality. Multivariate models, adjusted by covariates of cultural and socio-economic background and contact with health system, were used to investigate the relationship between birth risk factors and modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR). Results Overall, Burkina Faso's modern contraception level remains low (15.4% in 2010), despite significant increases during the last decade. However, there are substantial variations in mCPR by region, and health facility contact was positively associated with mCPR increase. Women's fertility history and cultural and socio-economic background were also significant factors in predicting use of modern contraception. Low modern contraceptive use is associated with higher birth risks and increased child mortality. This association is stronger in the Sahel, Est, and Sud-Ouest regions. Even though all factors in high-risk births were associated with under-five mortality, it should be stressed that short birth spacing ranked as the highest risk in relation to mortality of children. Conclusions Programmes that target sub-national differentials and leverage women's health system contacts to inform women about family planning opportunities may be effective in improving coverage, quality, and equity of modern contraceptive use. Improving the demand satisfied for modern contraception may result in a reduction in the percentage of women experiencing high-risk births and may also reduce child mortality. PMID:26562142

Ecologists can enable communities to implement malaria vector control in Africa

PubMed Central

Mukabana, W Richard; Kannady, Khadija; Kiama, G Michael; Ijumba, Jasper N; Mathenge, Evan M; Kiche, Ibrahim; Nkwengulila, Gamba; Mboera, Leonard; Mtasiwa, Deo; Yamagata, Yoichi; van Schayk, Ingeborg; Knols, Bart GJ; Lindsay, Steven W; de Castro, Marcia Caldas; Mshinda, Hassan; Tanner, Marcel; Fillinger, Ulrike; Killeen, Gerry F

2006-01-01

Background Integrated vector management (IVM) for malaria control requires ecological skills that are very scarce and rarely applied in Africa today. Partnerships between communities and academic ecologists can address this capacity deficit, modernize the evidence base for such approaches and enable future scale up. Methods Community-based IVM programmes were initiated in two contrasting settings. On Rusinga Island, Western Kenya, community outreach to a marginalized rural community was achieved by University of Nairobi through a community-based organization. In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ilala Municipality established an IVM programme at grassroots level, which was subsequently upgraded and expanded into a pilot scale Urban Malaria Control Programme with support from national academic institutes. Results Both programmes now access relevant expertise, funding and policy makers while the academic partners benefit from direct experience of community-based implementation and operational research opportunities. The communities now access up-to-date malaria-related knowledge and skills for translation into local action. Similarly, the academic partners have acquired better understanding of community needs and how to address them. Conclusion Until sufficient evidence is provided, community-based IVM remains an operational research activity. Researchers can never directly support every community in Africa so community-based IVM strategies and tactics will need to be incorporated into undergraduate teaching programmes to generate sufficient numbers of practitioners for national scale programmes. Academic ecologists at African institutions are uniquely positioned to enable the application of practical environmental and entomological skills for malaria control by communities at grassroots level and should be supported to fulfil this neglected role. PMID:16457724

Structured Doctoral Education in Hannover - Joint Programme IMPRS-GW and geo-Q RTG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawazoe, Fumiko; Bruns, Sandra

2018-02-01

Two structured doctoral programmes that we have in Hannover, the IMPRS on Gravitational Wave Astronomy and SFB on relativistic geodesy and gravimetry with quantum sensors geo-Q, have not only become major resources for education in each field but have also started to provide substantial synergy to members of both programmes. Our strong crossdisciplinary approach to create a joint programme has received excellent feedback not only from researchers inside the programme but also from various external committee. Building on experience that we have acquired over the last decade, we propose to set up a common doctoral programme within the international gravitational wave astronomy and physics. We envisage that with a common doctoral programme we will create a strong team of young researchers who will carry on building a strong network of third generation gravitational wave detectors and observatories.

Carl Sagan and Joseph Shklovsky: Intelligent Life in the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurt, Vladimir

J. S. Shklovsky and Carl Sagan played an outstanding role in modern astronomy. Their names are well known not only to professional astronomers, but also to millions of educated people in many countries, which are interested in modern state of science research. Among these trends of modern science, which are difficult to define, are such problems, as the creation of Solar system, the origin of life on Earth, the evolution of living organisms on Earth from the simplest viruses to Homo Sapiens, the evolution of intelligence and technology. Finally, both outstanding scientists were deeply interested in the problem of SETI (Search Extraterrestrial Intelligence), i.e. search of extraterrestrial civilizations and methods of making contacts with them. And both scientists were high professionals in their fields. Joseph Shklovsky was a theoretical astronomer in all fields of modern astronomy (geophysics and physics of the upper atmosphere of the Earth, Sun and Solar Corona, Interplanetary Medium and Solar Wind, Interstellar Medium, Supernova and their remnants, the Galaxy and galaxies, Quasars and Cosmology). There is hardly a field in modern astrophysics (except perhaps the theory of the interior structure of stars), where Joseph Shklovsky has not l a bright stamp of his talent…

Absolute Position Encoders With Vertical Image Binning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B.

2005-01-01

Improved optoelectronic patternrecognition encoders that measure rotary and linear 1-dimensional positions at conversion rates (numbers of readings per unit time) exceeding 20 kHz have been invented. Heretofore, optoelectronic pattern-recognition absoluteposition encoders have been limited to conversion rates <15 Hz -- too low for emerging industrial applications in which conversion rates ranging from 1 kHz to as much as 100 kHz are required. The high conversion rates of the improved encoders are made possible, in part, by use of vertically compressible or binnable (as described below) scale patterns in combination with modified readout sequences of the image sensors [charge-coupled devices (CCDs)] used to read the scale patterns. The modified readout sequences and the processing of the images thus read out are amenable to implementation by use of modern, high-speed, ultra-compact microprocessors and digital signal processors or field-programmable gate arrays. This combination of improvements makes it possible to greatly increase conversion rates through substantial reductions in all three components of conversion time: exposure time, image-readout time, and image-processing time.

Small Microprocessor for ASIC or FPGA Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleyner, Igor; Katz, Richard; Blair-Smith, Hugh

2011-01-01

A small microprocessor, suitable for use in applications in which high reliability is required, was designed to be implemented in either an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The design is based on commercial microprocessor architecture, making it possible to use available software development tools and thereby to implement the microprocessor at relatively low cost. The design features enhancements, including trapping during execution of illegal instructions. The internal structure of the design yields relatively high performance, with a significant decrease, relative to other microprocessors that perform the same functions, in the number of microcycles needed to execute macroinstructions. The problem meant to be solved in designing this microprocessor was to provide a modest level of computational capability in a general-purpose processor while adding as little as possible to the power demand, size, and weight of a system into which the microprocessor would be incorporated. As designed, this microprocessor consumes very little power and occupies only a small portion of a typical modern ASIC or FPGA. The microprocessor operates at a rate of about 4 million instructions per second with clock frequency of 20 MHz.

Systems-on-chip approach for real-time simulation of wheel-rail contact laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, T. X.; Zhou, Y. J.

2013-04-01

This paper presents the development of a systems-on-chip approach to speed up the simulation of wheel-rail contact laws, which can be used to reduce the requirement for high-performance computers and enable simulation in real time for the use of hardware-in-loop for experimental studies of the latest vehicle dynamic and control technologies. The wheel-rail contact laws are implemented using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device with a design that substantially outperforms modern general-purpose PC platforms or fixed architecture digital signal processor devices in terms of processing time, configuration flexibility and cost. In order to utilise the FPGA's parallel-processing capability, the operations in the contact laws algorithms are arranged in a parallel manner and multi-contact patches are tackled simultaneously in the design. The interface between the FPGA device and the host PC is achieved by using a high-throughput and low-latency Ethernet link. The development is based on FASTSIM algorithms, although the design can be adapted and expanded for even more computationally demanding tasks.

Single-Event Effect (SEE) Survey of Advanced Reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays: NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Gregory

2011-01-01

The NEPP Reconfigurable Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) task has been charged to evaluate reconfigurable FPGA technologies for use in space. Under this task, the Xilinx single-event-immune, reconfigurable FPGA (SIRF) XQR5VFX130 device was evaluated for SEE. Additionally, the Altera Stratix-IV and SiliconBlue iCE65 were screened for single-event latchup (SEL).

Implementing a Microcontroller Watchdog with a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straka, Bartholomew

2013-01-01

Reliability is crucial to safety. Redundancy of important system components greatly enhances reliability and hence safety. Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are useful for monitoring systems and handling the logic necessary to keep them running with minimal interruption when individual components fail. A complete microcontroller watchdog with logic for failure handling can be implemented in a hardware description language (HDL.). HDL-based designs are vendor-independent and can be used on many FPGAs with low overhead.

Field Evaluation of Programmable Thermostats

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

Sachs, O.; Tiefenbeck, V.; Duvier, C.

2012-12-01

Prior research suggests that poor programmable thermostats usability may prevent their effective use to save energy. The Fraunhofer team hypothesized that home occupants with high-usability thermostats would be more likely to use them to save energy than people with a basic thermostats. In this report, the team discusses results of a project in which the team monitored and compared programmable thermostats with basic thermostats in an affordable housing apartment complex.

Economics and planning in the veterinary undergraduate programme: a model for sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Mlangwa, J E; Kisauzi, D N

1993-09-01

Veterinarians in sub-Saharan Africa work in resource-deficient environments. Decisions taken by veterinarians in this sub-region, on animal health, animal husbandry and public health issues, are therefore influenced by economic factors including macro-economic considerations related to the current structural adjustment programmes being implemented in the sub-region. In turn, decisions or advice given by veterinarians have socio-economic consequences on clients, on the effectiveness of the delivery systems for veterinary services and on the growth of national economies. For these reasons, economics and planning should be essential components of all modern veterinary undergraduate programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, in order to give veterinarians a basis for making decisions and giving advice which is both technically and economically sound. The authors argue that principles of livestock economics, livestock enterprise management, livestock investment analysis and economics of animal health care are necessary elements in economics and planning courses. They propose a division of these elements into discrete course units to allow for flexibility and adaptability to the different curriculum structures of schools in sub-Saharan Africa and, possibly, continuing professional development courses. The resource requirement for teaching the courses, the integration of the units in the undergraduate programme and the problems which are likely to be encountered in developing the courses are discussed.

DNA barcoding in diverse educational settings: five case studies

PubMed Central

Imondi, Ralph; James, Karen; Spencer, Diana; Steinke, Dirk

2016-01-01

Despite 250 years of modern taxonomy, there remains a large biodiversity knowledge gap. Most species remain unknown to science. DNA barcoding can help address this gap and has been used in a variety of educational contexts to incorporate original research into school curricula and informal education programmes. A growing body of evidence suggests that actively conducting research increases student engagement and retention in science. We describe case studies in five different educational settings in Canada and the USA: a programme for primary and secondary school students (ages 5–18), a year-long professional development programme for secondary school teachers, projects embedding this research into courses in a post-secondary 2-year institution and a degree-granting university, and a citizen science project. We argue that these projects are successful because the scientific content is authentic and compelling, DNA barcoding is conceptually and technically straightforward, the workflow is adaptable to a variety of situations, and online tools exist that allow participants to contribute high-quality data to the international research effort. Evidence of success includes the broad adoption of these programmes and assessment results demonstrating that participants are gaining both knowledge and confidence. There are exciting opportunities for coordination among educational projects in the future. This article is part of the themed issue ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’. PMID:27481792

The National Resuscitation Council, Singapore, and 34 years of resuscitation training: 1983 to 2017.

PubMed

Anantharaman, Venkataraman

2017-07-01

Training in the modern form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) started in Singapore in 1983. For the first 15 years, the expansion of training programmes was mainly owing to the interest of a few individuals. Public training in the skill was minimal. In an area of medical care where the greatest opportunity for benefit lies in employing core resuscitation skills in the prehospital environment, very little was being done to address such a need. In 1998, a group of physicians, working together with the Ministry of Health, set up the National Resuscitation Council (NRC). Over the years, the NRC has created national guidelines on resuscitation and reviewed them at five-yearly intervals. Provider training manuals are now available for most programmes. The NRC has set up an active accreditation system for monitoring and maintaining standards of life support training. This has led to a large increase in the number of training centres, as well as recognition and adoption of the council's guidelines in the country. The NRC has also actively promoted the use of bystander CPR through community-based programmes, resulting in a rise in the number of certified providers. Improving the chain of survival, through active community-based training programmes, will likely lead to more lives being saved from sudden cardiac arrest. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

The National Resuscitation Council, Singapore, and 34 years of resuscitation training: 1983 to 2017

PubMed Central

Anantharaman, Venkataraman

2017-01-01

Training in the modern form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) started in Singapore in 1983. For the first 15 years, the expansion of training programmes was mainly owing to the interest of a few individuals. Public training in the skill was minimal. In an area of medical care where the greatest opportunity for benefit lies in employing core resuscitation skills in the prehospital environment, very little was being done to address such a need. In 1998, a group of physicians, working together with the Ministry of Health, set up the National Resuscitation Council (NRC). Over the years, the NRC has created national guidelines on resuscitation and reviewed them at five-yearly intervals. Provider training manuals are now available for most programmes. The NRC has set up an active accreditation system for monitoring and maintaining standards of life support training. This has led to a large increase in the number of training centres, as well as recognition and adoption of the council’s guidelines in the country. The NRC has also actively promoted the use of bystander CPR through community-based programmes, resulting in a rise in the number of certified providers. Improving the chain of survival, through active community-based training programmes, will likely lead to more lives being saved from sudden cardiac arrest. PMID:28741008

DNA barcoding in diverse educational settings: five case studies.

PubMed

Henter, Heather J; Imondi, Ralph; James, Karen; Spencer, Diana; Steinke, Dirk

2016-09-05

Despite 250 years of modern taxonomy, there remains a large biodiversity knowledge gap. Most species remain unknown to science. DNA barcoding can help address this gap and has been used in a variety of educational contexts to incorporate original research into school curricula and informal education programmes. A growing body of evidence suggests that actively conducting research increases student engagement and retention in science. We describe case studies in five different educational settings in Canada and the USA: a programme for primary and secondary school students (ages 5-18), a year-long professional development programme for secondary school teachers, projects embedding this research into courses in a post-secondary 2-year institution and a degree-granting university, and a citizen science project. We argue that these projects are successful because the scientific content is authentic and compelling, DNA barcoding is conceptually and technically straightforward, the workflow is adaptable to a variety of situations, and online tools exist that allow participants to contribute high-quality data to the international research effort. Evidence of success includes the broad adoption of these programmes and assessment results demonstrating that participants are gaining both knowledge and confidence. There are exciting opportunities for coordination among educational projects in the future.This article is part of the themed issue 'From DNA barcodes to biomes'. © 2016 The Authors.

A hospital-based child protection programme evaluation instrument: a modified Delphi study.

PubMed

Wilson, Denise; Koziol-McLain, Jane; Garrett, Nick; Sharma, Pritika

2010-08-01

Refine instrument for auditing hospital-based child abuse and neglect violence intervention programmes prior to field-testing. A modified Delphi study to identify and rate items and domains indicative of an effective and quality child abuse and neglect intervention programme. Experts participated in four Delphi rounds: two surveys, a one-day workshop and the opportunity to comment on the penultimate instrument. New Zealand. Twenty-four experts in the field of care and protection of children. Items with panel agreement >or=85% and mean importance rating >or=4.0 (scale from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important)). There was high-level consensus on items across Rounds 1 and 2 (89% and 85%, respectively). In Round 3 an additional domain (safety and security) was agreed upon and cultural issues, alert systems for children at risk, and collaboration among primary care, community, non-government and government agencies were discussed. The final instrument included nine domains ('policies and procedures', 'safety and security', 'collaboration', 'cultural environment', 'training of providers', 'intervention services', 'documentation' 'evaluation' and 'physical environment') and 64 items. The refined instrument represents the hallmarks of an ideal child abuse and neglect programme given current knowledge and experience. The instrument enables rigorous evaluations of hospital-based child abuse and neglect intervention programmes for quality improvement and benchmarking with other programmes.

Health programmes for school employees: improving quality of life, health and productivity.

PubMed

Kolbe, Lloyd J; Tirozzi, Gerald N; Marx, Eva; Bobbitt-Cooke, Mary; Riedel, Sara; Jones, Jack; Schmoyer, Michael

2005-01-01

School health programmes in the 21st century could include eight components: 1) health services; 2) health education; 3) healthy physical and psychosocial environments; 4) psychological, counselling, and social services; 5) physical education and other physical activities; 6) healthy food services; and 7) integrated efforts of schools, families, and communities to improve the health of school students and employees. The eighth component of modern school health programmes, health programmes for school employees, is the focus of this article. Health programmes for school employees could be designed to increase the recruitment, retention, and productivity of school employees by partially focusing each of the preceding seven components of the school health programme on improving the health and quality of life of school employees as well as students. Thus, efforts to improve the quality of life, health, and productivity of school employees may be distinct from, but integrated with, efforts to improve the quality of life, health, and education of students. School employee health programmes can improve employee: 1) recruitment; 2) morale; 3) retention; and 4) productivity. They can reduce employee: 5) risk behaviours (e.g., physical inactivity); 6) risk factors (e.g., stress, obesity, high blood pressure); (7) illnesses; 8) work-related injuries; 9) absentee days; 10) worker compensation and disability claims; and 11) health care and health insurance costs. Further, if we hope to improve our schools' performance and raise student achievement levels, developing effective school employee health programmes can increase the likelihood that employees will: 12) serve as healthy role models for students; 13) implement effective school health programmes for students; and 14) present a positive image of the school to the community. If we are to improve the quality of life, health, and productivity of school employees in the 21st century: school administrators, employees, and policymakers must be informed about the need and the means to do so; school employee health programmes must become part of the culture of education and the expectation of educators; and colleges that prepare school administrators and other school employees must provide the pre-service and in-service training, research, development, and leadership to make it happen. This article outlines ten actions that can be taken by school districts to build or improve school employee health programmes, and a list of websites that provides more detailed information about such programmes.

Field-Free Programmable Spin Logics via Chirality-Reversible Spin-Orbit Torque Switching.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Wan, Caihua; Kong, Wenjie; Zhang, Xuan; Xing, Yaowen; Fang, Chi; Tao, Bingshan; Yang, Wenlong; Huang, Li; Wu, Hao; Irfan, Muhammad; Han, Xiufeng

2018-06-21

Spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching exhibits chirality (clockwise or counterclockwise), which offers the prospect of programmable spin-logic devices integrating nonvolatile spintronic memory cells with logic functions. Chirality is usually fixed by an applied or effective magnetic field in reported studies. Herein, utilizing an in-plane magnetic layer that is also switchable by SOT, the chirality of a perpendicular magnetic layer that is exchange-coupled with the in-plane layer can be reversed in a purely electrical way. In a single Hall bar device designed from this multilayer structure, three logic gates including AND, NAND, and NOT are reconfigured, which opens a gateway toward practical programmable spin-logic devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Post Modernity Theory and Its Educational Applications in School Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Baz, Maaly Bent Mohamed Saleh

2017-01-01

This paper aims to identify the fundamental principles on which the post modernity theory is based and to notice this in the field of Education, since this theory deals with two basic rules on which the postmodernist orientation is based, one of them denies on the absolute truth on Ontology level (related to the existence nature), and the other…

Strengthening Indonesia’s Field Epidemiology Training Programme to address International Health Regulations requirements

PubMed Central

Samaan, Gina; Santoso, Hari; Kushadiwijaya, Haripurnomo; Juwita, Ratna; Mohadir, Andi; Aditama, Tjandra

2010-01-01

Abstract Problem According to the International Health Regulations (IHR), countries need to strengthen core capacity for disease surveillance and response systems. Many countries are establishing or enhancing their field epidemiology training programmes (FETPs) to meet human resource needs but face challenges in sustainability and training quality. Indonesia is facing these challenges, which include limited resources for field training and limited coordination in a newly decentralized health system. Approach A national FETP workplan was developed based on an evaluation of the existing programme and projected human resource needs. A Ministry of Health Secretariat linking universities, national and international partners was established to oversee revision and implementation of the FETP. Local setting The FETP is integrated into the curriculum of Indonesian universities and field training is conducted in district and provincial health offices under the coordination of the universities and the FETP Secretariat. Relevant changes The FETP was included in the Ministry of Health workforce development strategy through governmental decree. Curricula have been enhanced and field placements strengthened to provide trainees with better learning experiences. To improve sustainability of the FETP, links were established with the Indonesian Epidemiologists’ Association, local governments and donors to cultivate future FETP champions and maintain funding. Courses, competitions and discussion forums were established for field supervisors and alumni. These changes have increased the geographic distribution of students, intersectoral and international participation and the quality of student performance. Lessons learnt The main lesson learnt is that linkages with universities, ministries and international agencies such as the World Health Organization are critical for building a sustainable high-quality programme. The most critical factors were development of trusting relationships and clear definitions of the responsibilities of each stakeholder. PMID:20428389

All-optical central-frequency-programmable and bandwidth-tailorable radar

PubMed Central

Zou, Weiwen; Zhang, Hao; Long, Xin; Zhang, Siteng; Cui, Yuanjun; Chen, Jianping

2016-01-01

Radar has been widely used for military, security, and rescue purposes, and modern radar should be reconfigurable at multi-bands and have programmable central frequencies and considerable bandwidth agility. Microwave photonics or photonics-assisted radio-frequency technology is a unique solution to providing such capabilities. Here, we demonstrate an all-optical central-frequency-programmable and bandwidth-tailorable radar architecture that provides a coherent system and utilizes one mode-locked laser for both signal generation and reception. Heterodyning of two individually filtered optical pulses that are pre-chirped via wavelength-to-time mapping generates a wideband linearly chirped radar signal. The working bands can be flexibly tailored with the desired bandwidth at a user-preferred carrier frequency. Radar echoes are first modulated onto the pre-chirped optical pulse, which is also used for signal generation, and then stretched in time or compressed in frequency several fold based on the time-stretch principle. Thus, digitization is facilitated without loss of detection ability. We believe that our results demonstrate an innovative radar architecture with an ultra-high-range resolution. PMID:26795596

Oral health information systems--towards measuring progress in oral health promotion and disease prevention.

PubMed Central

Petersen, Poul Erik; Bourgeois, Denis; Bratthall, Douglas; Ogawa, Hiroshi

2005-01-01

This article describes the essential components of oral health information systems for the analysis of trends in oral disease and the evaluation of oral health programmes at the country, regional and global levels. Standard methodology for the collection of epidemiological data on oral health has been designed by WHO and used by countries worldwide for the surveillance of oral disease and health. Global, regional and national oral health databanks have highlighted the changing patterns of oral disease which primarily reflect changing risk profiles and the implementation of oral health programmes oriented towards disease prevention and health promotion. The WHO Oral Health Country/Area Profile Programme (CAPP) provides data on oral health from countries, as well as programme experiences and ideas targeted to oral health professionals, policy-makers, health planners, researchers and the general public. WHO has developed global and regional oral health databanks for surveillance, and international projects have designed oral health indicators for use in oral health information systems for assessing the quality of oral health care and surveillance systems. Modern oral health information systems are being developed within the framework of the WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance of noncommunicable, chronic disease, and data stored in the WHO Global InfoBase may allow advanced health systems research. Sound knowledge about progress made in prevention of oral and chronic disease and in health promotion may assist countries to implement effective public health programmes to the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged population groups worldwide. PMID:16211160

The Development of the Foundations of Modern Pedagogy: Paradigmal and Methodological Aspects of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dmitrenko, ?amara ?.; Lavryk, Tatjana V.; Yaresko, Ekaterina V.

2015-01-01

Changes in the various fields of knowledge influenced the pedagogical science. The article explains the structure of the foundations of modern pedagogy through paradigmal and methodological aspects. Bases of modern pedagogy include complex of paradigms, object and subject of science, general and specific principles, methods and technologies.…

The Missing Dimension of Modern Education: Values Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenan, Seyfi

2009-01-01

Modern education today, some argue, easily integrates and adjusts to new technological developments through flexible curricula in the areas where these developments are taking place such as in the field of information technology or in the widespread use of the Internet. However, modern education can be criticized for ignoring or failing to lead…

Single Event Test Methodologies and System Error Rate Analysis for Triple Modular Redundant Field Programmable Gate Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Gregory; Edmonds, Larry D.; Swift, Gary; Carmichael, Carl; Tseng, Chen Wei; Heldt, Kevin; Anderson, Scott Arlo; Coe, Michael

2010-01-01

We present a test methodology for estimating system error rates of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) mitigated with Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR). The test methodology is founded in a mathematical model, which is also presented. Accelerator data from 90 nm Xilins Military/Aerospace grade FPGA are shown to fit the model. Fault injection (FI) results are discussed and related to the test data. Design implementation and the corresponding impact of multiple bit upset (MBU) are also discussed.

Using Programmable Calculators to Solve Electrostatics Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yerian, Stephen C.; Denker, Dennis A.

1985-01-01

Provides a simple routine which allows first-year physics students to use programmable calculators to solve otherwise complex electrostatic problems. These problems involve finding electrostatic potential and electric field on the axis of a uniformly charged ring. Modest programing skills are required of students. (DH)

Power estimation on functional level for programmable processors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, M.; Blume, H.; Noll, T. G.

2004-05-01

In diesem Beitrag werden verschiedene Ansätze zur Verlustleistungsschätzung von programmierbaren Prozessoren vorgestellt und bezüglich ihrer Übertragbarkeit auf moderne Prozessor-Architekturen wie beispielsweise Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW)-Architekturen bewertet. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt hierbei auf dem Konzept der sogenannten Functional-Level Power Analysis (FLPA). Dieser Ansatz basiert auf der Einteilung der Prozessor-Architektur in funktionale Blöcke wie beispielsweise Processing-Unit, Clock-Netzwerk, interner Speicher und andere. Die Verlustleistungsaufnahme dieser Bl¨ocke wird parameterabhängig durch arithmetische Modellfunktionen beschrieben. Durch automatisierte Analyse von Assemblercodes des zu schätzenden Systems mittels eines Parsers können die Eingangsparameter wie beispielsweise der erzielte Parallelitätsgrad oder die Art des Speicherzugriffs gewonnen werden. Dieser Ansatz wird am Beispiel zweier moderner digitaler Signalprozessoren durch eine Vielzahl von Basis-Algorithmen der digitalen Signalverarbeitung evaluiert. Die ermittelten Schätzwerte für die einzelnen Algorithmen werden dabei mit physikalisch gemessenen Werten verglichen. Es ergibt sich ein sehr kleiner maximaler Schätzfehler von 3%. In this contribution different approaches for power estimation for programmable processors are presented and evaluated concerning their capability to be applied to modern digital signal processor architectures like e.g. Very Long InstructionWord (VLIW) -architectures. Special emphasis will be laid on the concept of so-called Functional-Level Power Analysis (FLPA). This approach is based on the separation of the processor architecture into functional blocks like e.g. processing unit, clock network, internal memory and others. The power consumption of these blocks is described by parameter dependent arithmetic model functions. By application of a parser based automized analysis of assembler codes of the systems to be estimated the input parameters of the Correspondence to: H. Blume (blume@eecs.rwth-aachen.de) arithmetic functions like e.g. the achieved degree of parallelism or the kind and number of memory accesses can be computed. This approach is exemplarily demonstrated and evaluated applying two modern digital signal processors and a variety of basic algorithms of digital signal processing. The resulting estimation values for the inspected algorithms are compared to physically measured values. A resulting maximum estimation error of 3% is achieved.

Programmable Pulse-Position-Modulation Encoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, David; Farr, William

2006-01-01

A programmable pulse-position-modulation (PPM) encoder has been designed for use in testing an optical communication link. The encoder includes a programmable state machine and an electronic code book that can be updated to accommodate different PPM coding schemes. The encoder includes a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed to step through the stored state machine and code book and that drives a custom high-speed serializer circuit board that is capable of generating subnanosecond pulses. The stored state machine and code book can be updated by means of a simple text interface through the serial port of a personal computer.

Programmable DNA-Guided Artificial Restriction Enzymes.

PubMed

Enghiad, Behnam; Zhao, Huimin

2017-05-19

Restriction enzymes are essential tools for recombinant DNA technology that have revolutionized modern biological research. However, they have limited sequence specificity and availability. Here we report a Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo) based platform for generating artificial restriction enzymes (AREs) capable of recognizing and cleaving DNA sequences at virtually any arbitrary site and generating defined sticky ends of varying length. Short DNA guides are used to direct PfAgo to target sites for cleavage at high temperatures (>87 °C) followed by reannealing of the cleaved single stranded DNAs. We used this platform to generate over 18 AREs for DNA fingerprinting and molecular cloning of PCR-amplified or genomic DNAs. These AREs work as efficiently as their naturally occurring counterparts, and some of them even do not have any naturally occurring counterparts, demonstrating easy programmability, generality, versatility, and high efficiency for this new technology.

Cross-section analyses of attitudes towards science and nature from the International Social Survey Programme 1993, 2000, and 2010 surveys.

PubMed

Reyes, Joseph Anthony L

2015-04-01

This paper explores public attitudes towards science and nature in twelve countries using data from the International Social Survey Programme environment modules of 1993, 2000, and 2010. Analysis of attitude items indicates technocentric and pessimistic dimensions broadly related to the Dominant Social Paradigm and New Environmental Paradigm. A bi-axial dimension scale is utilized to classify respondents among four environmental knowledge orientations. Discernible and significant patterns are found among countries and their populations. Relationships with other substantial variables in the surveys are discussed and findings show that the majority of industrialized countries are clustered in the rational ecologist categorization with respondents possessing stronger ecological consciousness and optimism towards the role of modern institutions, science, and technology in solving environmental problems. © The Author(s) 2013.

From political economy to sociology: Francis Galton and the social-scientific origins of eugenics.

PubMed

Renwick, Chris

2011-09-01

Having coined the word 'eugenics' and inspired leading biologists and statisticians of the early twentieth century, Francis Galton is often studied for his contributions to modern statistical biology. However, whilst documenting this part of his work, historians have frequently neglected crucial aspects of what motivated Galton to establish his eugenics research programme. Arguing that his work was shaped more by social than by biological science, this paper addresses these oversights by tracing the development of Galton's programme, from its roots in a debate about political economy to his appeals for it to be taken up by sociologists. In so doing, the paper not only returns Galton's ideas to their original context but also provides a reason to reflect on the place of the social sciences in history-of-science scholarship.

Modern Languages: Learning and Teaching in an Intercultural Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phipps, Alison; Gonzalez, Mike

2004-01-01

This book exudes life and hope. It shows a future where languages can thrive because they are an integral and indispensable part of what it means to be human. It is an exhilarating prospect to help to bring that future closer. This book is written during a time of upheaval and crisis in the field of modern languages and in the context of hi of…

Integrated care.

PubMed

Warwick-Giles, Lynsey; Checkland, Kath

2018-03-19

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to try and understand how several organisations in one area in England are working together to develop an integrated care programme. Weick's (1995) concept of sensemaking is used as a lens to examine how the organisations are working collaboratively and maintaining the programme. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methods included: non-participant observations of meetings, interviews with key stakeholders and the collection of documents relating to the programme. These provided wider contextual information about the programme. Comprehensive field notes were taken during observations and analysed alongside interview transcriptions using NVIVO software. Findings This paper illustrates the importance of the construction of a shared identity across all organisations involved in the programme. Furthermore, the wider policy discourse impacted on how the programme developed and influenced how organisations worked together. Originality/value The role of leaders from all organisations involved in the programme was of significance to the overall development of the programme and the sustained momentum behind the programme. Leaders were able to generate a "narrative of success" to drive the programme forward. This is of particular relevance to evaluators, highlighting the importance of using multiple methods to allow researchers to probe beneath the surface of programmes to ensure that evidence moves beyond this public narrative.

'Saving the lives of our dogs': the development of canine distemper vaccine in interwar Britain.

PubMed

Bresalier, Michael; Worboys, Michael

2014-06-01

This paper examines the successful campaign in Britain to develop canine distemper vaccine between 1922 and 1933. The campaign mobilized disparate groups around the common cause of using modern science to save the nation's dogs from a deadly disease. Spearheaded by landed patricians associated with the country journal The Field, and funded by dog owners and associations, it relied on collaborations with veterinary professionals, government scientists, the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the commercial pharmaceutical house the Burroughs Wellcome Company (BWC). The social organization of the campaign reveals a number of important, yet previously unexplored, features of interwar science and medicine in Britain. It depended on a patronage system that drew upon a large base of influential benefactors and public subscriptions. Coordinated by the Field Distemper Fund, this system was characterized by close relationships between landed elites and their social networks with senior science administrators and researchers. Relations between experts and non-experts were crucial, with high levels of public engagement in all aspects of research and vaccine development. At the same time, experimental and commercial research supported under the campaign saw dynamic interactions between animal and human medicine, which shaped the organization of the MRC's research programme and demonstrated the value of close collaboration between veterinary and medical science, with the dog as a shared object and resource. Finally, the campaign made possible the translation of 'laboratory' findings into field conditions and commercial products. Rather than a unidirectional process, translation involved negotiations over the very boundaries of the 'laboratory' and the 'field', and what constituted a viable vaccine. This paper suggests that historians reconsider standard historical accounts of the nature of patronage, the role of animals, and the interests of landed elites in interwar British science and medicine.

The “Health Coaching” programme: a new patient-centred and visually supported approach for health behaviour change in primary care

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Health related behaviour is an important determinant of chronic disease, with a high impact on public health. Motivating and assisting people to change their unfavourable health behaviour is thus a major challenge for health professionals. The objective of the study was to develop a structured programme of counselling in primary care practice, and to test its feasibility and acceptance among general practitioners (GPs) and their patients. Methods Our new concept integrates change of roles, shared responsibility, patient-centredness, and modern communication techniques—such as motivational interviewing. A new colour-coded visual communication tool is used for the purpose of leading through the 4-step counselling process. As doctors’ communication skills are crucial, communication training is a mandatory part of the programme. We tested the feasibility and acceptance of the “Health Coaching” programme with 20 GPs and 1045 patients, using questionnaires and semistructured interviewing techniques. The main outcomes were participation rates; the duration of counselling; patients’ self-rated behavioural change in their areas of choice; and ratings of motivational, conceptual, acceptance, and feasibility issues. Results In total, 37% (n=350) of the patients enrolled in step 1 completed the entire 4-Step counselling process, with each step taking 8–22 minutes. 50% of ratings (n=303) improved by one or two categories in the three-colour circle, and the proportion of favourable health behaviour ratings increased from 9% to 39%. The ratings for motivation, concept, acceptance, and feasibility of the “Health Coaching” programme were consistently high. Conclusions Our innovative, patient-centred counselling programme for health behaviour change was well accepted and feasible among patients and physicians in a primary care setting. Randomised controlled studies will have to establish cost-effectiveness and promote dissemination. PMID:23865509

The "Health Coaching" programme: a new patient-centred and visually supported approach for health behaviour change in primary care.

PubMed

Neuner-Jehle, Stefan; Schmid, Margareta; Grüninger, Ueli

2013-07-17

Health related behaviour is an important determinant of chronic disease, with a high impact on public health. Motivating and assisting people to change their unfavourable health behaviour is thus a major challenge for health professionals. The objective of the study was to develop a structured programme of counselling in primary care practice, and to test its feasibility and acceptance among general practitioners (GPs) and their patients. Our new concept integrates change of roles, shared responsibility, patient-centredness, and modern communication techniques-such as motivational interviewing. A new colour-coded visual communication tool is used for the purpose of leading through the 4-step counselling process. As doctors' communication skills are crucial, communication training is a mandatory part of the programme. We tested the feasibility and acceptance of the "Health Coaching" programme with 20 GPs and 1045 patients, using questionnaires and semistructured interviewing techniques. The main outcomes were participation rates; the duration of counselling; patients' self-rated behavioural change in their areas of choice; and ratings of motivational, conceptual, acceptance, and feasibility issues. In total, 37% (n=350) of the patients enrolled in step 1 completed the entire 4-Step counselling process, with each step taking 8-22 minutes. 50% of ratings (n=303) improved by one or two categories in the three-colour circle, and the proportion of favourable health behaviour ratings increased from 9% to 39%. The ratings for motivation, concept, acceptance, and feasibility of the "Health Coaching" programme were consistently high. Our innovative, patient-centred counselling programme for health behaviour change was well accepted and feasible among patients and physicians in a primary care setting. Randomised controlled studies will have to establish cost-effectiveness and promote dissemination.

The United Kingdom’s Naval Shipbuilding Industrial Base: The Next Fifteen Years

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

the United Kingdom 71 Lauder College are developing improved procedures for selecting and training craft modern apprentices, as well as programmes...Next 15 Years for the names of the suppliers, information on what they provided, and the amount of money spent on them. We also asked the ship- yards...analysis on all money spent on suppliers; (2) ration- alise the supply base, consolidating contracts where possible (and where this fits the legal

Medical Examination and Poor Relief in Early Modern Germany

PubMed Central

Hammond, Mitchell Lewis

2011-01-01

Summary This article investigates the role of the medical examination in municipal poor relief programmes between 1570 and 1620. Documents from the city of Nördlingen, a community of approximately 10,000 people in 1600, suggest that municipal facilities addressed a range of serious illnesses for a wide spectrum of the population. Practitioners were influenced by their Galenic medical milieu but ultimately focused on a range of practical resource questions rather than the diagnosis of an individual's disease.

Field-programmable beam reconfiguring based on digitally-controlled coding metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Xiang; Qi, Mei Qing; Chen, Tian Yi; Cui, Tie Jun

2016-02-01

Digital phase shifters have been applied in traditional phased array antennas to realize beam steering. However, the phase shifter deals with the phase of the induced current; hence, it has to be in the path of each element of the antenna array, making the phased array antennas very expensive. Metamaterials and/or metasurfaces enable the direct modulation of electromagnetic waves by designing subwavelength structures, which opens a new way to control the beam scanning. Here, we present a direct digital mechanism to control the scattered electromagnetic waves using coding metasurface, in which each unit cell loads a pin diode to produce binary coding states of “1” and “0”. Through data lines, the instant communications are established between the coding metasurface and the internal memory of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA). Thus, we realize the digital modulation of electromagnetic waves, from which we present the field-programmable reflective antenna with good measurement performance. The proposed mechanism and functional device have great application potential in new-concept radar and communication systems.

Developing Online Doctoral Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chipere, Ngoni

2015-01-01

The objectives of the study were to identify best practices in online doctoral programming and to synthesise these practices into a framework for developing online doctoral programmes. The field of online doctoral studies is nascent and presents challenges for conventional forms of literature review. The literature was therefore reviewed using a…

Biotechnology and genetic engineering in the new drug development. Part II. Monoclonal antibodies, modern vaccines and gene therapy.

PubMed

Stryjewska, Agnieszka; Kiepura, Katarzyna; Librowski, Tadeusz; Lochyński, Stanisław

2013-01-01

Monoclonal antibodies, modern vaccines and gene therapy have become a major field in modern biotechnology, especially in the area of human health and fascinating developments achieved in the past decades are impressive examples of an interdisciplinary interplay between medicine, biology and engineering. Among the classical products from cells one can find viral vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and interferons, as well as recombinant therapeutic proteins. Gene therapy opens up challenging new areas. In this review, a definitions of these processes are given and fields of application and products, as well as the future prospects, are discussed.

Programmable nanometer-scale electrolytic metal deposition and depletion

DOEpatents

Lee, James Weifu [Oak Ridge, TN; Greenbaum, Elias [Oak Ridge, TN

2002-09-10

A method of nanometer-scale deposition of a metal onto a nanostructure includes the steps of: providing a substrate having thereon at least two electrically conductive nanostructures spaced no more than about 50 .mu.m apart; and depositing metal on at least one of the nanostructures by electric field-directed, programmable, pulsed electrolytic metal deposition. Moreover, a method of nanometer-scale depletion of a metal from a nanostructure includes the steps of providing a substrate having thereon at least two electrically conductive nanostructures spaced no more than about 50 .mu.m apart, at least one of the nanostructures having a metal disposed thereon; and depleting at least a portion of the metal from the nanostructure by electric field-directed, programmable, pulsed electrolytic metal depletion. A bypass circuit enables ultra-finely controlled deposition.

The Study on the Core Concepts of Contemporary Sociology of Education and Its Theoretical Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Min-hui

2006-01-01

Within the sphere of contemporary social sciences, the terms "modernity," "post-modernity" and "globalization" have penetrated, as the core concepts, into various fields of social sciences in a logical way. In constituting the concept of "modernity," sociology of education develops the educational theory, as sociological theory does, into a "grand…

Different elution modes and field programming in gravitational field-flow fractionation. III. Field programming by flow-rate gradient generated by a programmable pump.

PubMed

Plocková, J; Chmelík, J

2001-05-25

Gravitational field-flow fractionation (GFFF) utilizes the Earth's gravitational field as an external force that causes the settlement of particles towards the channel accumulation wall. Hydrodynamic lift forces oppose this action by elevating particles away from the channel accumulation wall. These two counteracting forces enable modulation of the resulting force field acting on particles in GFFF. In this work, force-field programming based on modulating the magnitude of hydrodynamic lift forces was implemented via changes of flow-rate, which was accomplished by a programmable pump. Several flow-rate gradients (step gradients, linear gradients, parabolic, and combined gradients) were tested and evaluated as tools for optimization of the separation of a silica gel particle mixture. The influence of increasing amount of sample injected on the peak resolution under flow-rate gradient conditions was also investigated. This is the first time that flow-rate gradients have been implemented for programming of the resulting force field acting on particles in GFFF.

A quasi-experimental feasibility study to determine the effect of a systematic treatment programme on the scores of the Nottingham Adjustment Scale of individuals with visual field deficits following stroke.

PubMed

Taylor, Lisa; Poland, Fiona; Harrison, Peter; Stephenson, Richard

2011-01-01

To evaluate a systematic treatment programme developed by the researcher that targeted aspects of visual functioning affected by visual field deficits following stroke. The study design was a non-equivalent control (conventional) group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental feasibility design, using multisite data collection methods at specified stages. The study was undertaken within three acute hospital settings as outpatient follow-up sessions. Individuals who had visual field deficits three months post stroke were studied. A treatment group received routine occupational therapy and an experimental group received, in addition, a systematic treatment programme. The treatment phase of both groups lasted six weeks. The Nottingham Adjustment Scale, a measure developed specifically for visual impairment, was used as the primary outcome measure. The change in Nottingham Adjustment Scale score was compared between the experimental (n = 7) and conventional (n = 8) treatment groups using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. The result of Z = -2.028 (P = 0.043) showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the change in Nottingham Adjustment Scale score between both groups. The introduction of the systematic treatment programme resulted in a statistically significant change in the scores of the Nottingham Adjustment Scale.

A modularized pulse programmer for NMR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Wenping; Bao, Qingjia; Yang, Liang; Chen, Yiqun; Liu, Chaoyang; Qiu, Jianqing; Ye, Chaohui

2011-02-01

A modularized pulse programmer for a NMR spectrometer is described. It consists of a networked PCI-104 single-board computer and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The PCI-104 is dedicated to translate the pulse sequence elements from the host computer into 48-bit binary words and download these words to the FPGA, while the FPGA functions as a sequencer to execute these binary words. High-resolution NMR spectra obtained on a home-built spectrometer with four pulse programmers working concurrently demonstrate the effectiveness of the pulse programmer. Advantages of the module include (1) once designed it can be duplicated and used to construct a scalable NMR/MRI system with multiple transmitter and receiver channels, (2) it is a totally programmable system in which all specific applications are determined by software, and (3) it provides enough reserve for possible new pulse sequences.

An integrated autonomous rendezvous and docking system architecture using Centaur modern avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Kurt

1991-01-01

The avionics system for the Centaur upper stage is in the process of being modernized with the current state-of-the-art in strapdown inertial guidance equipment. This equipment includes an integrated flight control processor with a ring laser gyro based inertial guidance system. This inertial navigation unit (INU) uses two MIL-STD-1750A processors and communicates over the MIL-STD-1553B data bus. Commands are translated into load activation through a Remote Control Unit (RCU) which incorporates the use of solid state relays. Also, a programmable data acquisition system replaces separate multiplexer and signal conditioning units. This modern avionics suite is currently being enhanced through independent research and development programs to provide autonomous rendezvous and docking capability using advanced cruise missile image processing technology and integrated GPS navigational aids. A system concept was developed to combine these technologies in order to achieve a fully autonomous rendezvous, docking, and autoland capability. The current system architecture and the evolution of this architecture using advanced modular avionics concepts being pursued for the National Launch System are discussed.

A role for physicians in ethnopharmacology and drug discovery.

PubMed

Raza, Mohsin

2006-04-06

Ethnopharmacology investigations classically involved traditional healers, botanists, anthropologists, chemists and pharmacologists. The role of some groups of researchers but not of physician has been highlighted and well defined in ethnopharmacological investigations. Historical data shows that discovery of several important modern drugs of herbal origin owe to the medical knowledge and clinical expertise of physicians. Current trends indicate negligible role of physicians in ethnopharmacological studies. Rising cost of modern drug development is attributed to the lack of classical ethnopharmacological approach. Physicians can play multiple roles in the ethnopharmacological studies to facilitate drug discovery as well as to rescue authentic traditional knowledge of use of medicinal plants. These include: (1) Ethnopharmacological field work which involves interviewing healers, interpreting traditional terminologies into their modern counterparts, examining patients consuming herbal remedies and identifying the disease for which an herbal remedy is used. (2) Interpretation of signs and symptoms mentioned in ancient texts and suggesting proper use of old traditional remedies in the light of modern medicine. (3) Clinical studies on herbs and their interaction with modern medicines. (4) Advising pharmacologists to carryout laboratory studies on herbs observed during field studies. (5) Work in collaboration with local healers to strengthen traditional system of medicine in a community. In conclusion, physician's involvement in ethnopharmacological studies will lead to more reliable information on traditional use of medicinal plants both from field and ancient texts, more focused and cheaper natural product based drug discovery, as well as bridge the gap between traditional and modern medicine.

Application of segmented dental panoramic tomography among children: positive effect of continuing education in radiation protection

PubMed Central

Waltimo-Sirén, Janna; Laatikainen, Tuula; Haukka, Jari; Ekholm, Marja

2016-01-01

Objectives: Dental panoramic tomography is the most frequent examination among 7–12-year olds, according to the Radiation Safety and Nuclear Authority of Finland. At those ages, dental panoramic tomographs (DPTs) are mostly obtained for orthodontic reasons. Children's dose reduction by trimming the field size to the area of interest is important because of their high radiosensitivity. Yet, the majority of DPTs in this age group are still taken by using an adult programme and never by using a segmented programme. The purpose of the present study was to raise the awareness of dental staff with respect to children's radiation safety, to increase the application of segmented and child DPT programmes by further educating the whole dental team and to evaluate the outcome of the educational intervention. Methods: A five-step intervention programme, focusing on DPT field limitation possibilities, was carried out in community-based dental care as a part of mandatory continuing education in radiation protection. Application of segmented and child DPT programmes was thereafter prospectively followed up during a 1-year period and compared with our similar data from 2010 using a logistic regression analysis. Results: Application of the child programme increased by 9% and the segmented programme by 2%, reaching statistical significance (odds ratios 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.23–2.30; p-value < 0.001). The number of repeated exposures remained at an acceptable level. The segmented DPTs were most frequently taken from the maxillary lateral incisor–canine area. Conclusions: The educational intervention resulted in improvement of radiological practice in respect to radiation safety of children during dental panoramic tomography. Segmented and child DPT programmes can be applied successfully in dental practice for children. PMID:27142159

Application of segmented dental panoramic tomography among children: positive effect of continuing education in radiation protection.

PubMed

Pakbaznejad Esmaeili, Elmira; Waltimo-Sirén, Janna; Laatikainen, Tuula; Haukka, Jari; Ekholm, Marja

2016-05-23

Dental panoramic tomography is the most frequent examination among 7-12-year olds, according to the Radiation Safety and Nuclear Authority of Finland. At those ages, dental panoramic tomographs (DPTs) are mostly obtained for orthodontic reasons. Children's dose reduction by trimming the field size to the area of interest is important because of their high radiosensitivity. Yet, the majority of DPTs in this age group are still taken by using an adult programme and never by using a segmented programme. The purpose of the present study was to raise the awareness of dental staff with respect to children's radiation safety, to increase the application of segmented and child DPT programmes by further educating the whole dental team and to evaluate the outcome of the educational intervention. A five-step intervention programme, focusing on DPT field limitation possibilities, was carried out in community-based dental care as a part of mandatory continuing education in radiation protection. Application of segmented and child DPT programmes was thereafter prospectively followed up during a 1-year period and compared with our similar data from 2010 using a logistic regression analysis. Application of the child programme increased by 9% and the segmented programme by 2%, reaching statistical significance (odds ratios 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.23-2.30; p-value < 0.001). The number of repeated exposures remained at an acceptable level. The segmented DPTs were most frequently taken from the maxillary lateral incisor-canine area. The educational intervention resulted in improvement of radiological practice in respect to radiation safety of children during dental panoramic tomography. Segmented and child DPT programmes can be applied successfully in dental practice for children.

Looking ahead in systems engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigenbaum, Donald S.

1966-01-01

Five areas that are discussed in this paper are: (1) the technological characteristics of systems engineering; (2) the analytical techniques that are giving modern systems work its capability and power; (3) the management, economics, and effectiveness dimensions that now frame the modern systems field; (4) systems engineering's future impact upon automation, computerization and managerial decision-making in industry - and upon aerospace and weapons systems in government and the military; and (5) modern systems engineering's partnership with modern quality control and reliability.

The EuroDIVERSITY Programme: Challenges of Biodiversity Science in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I.

2009-04-01

In close cooperation with its Member Organisations, the European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched since late 2003 a series of European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes. Their aim is to enable researchers in different European countries to develop cooperation and scientific synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required in a global context. The EUROCORES instrument represents the first large scale attempt of national research (funding) agencies to act together against fragmentation, asynchronicity and duplication of research (funding) within Europe. Although covering all scientific fields, there are presently 13 EUROCORES Programmes dealing with cutting edge science in the fields of Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences. The aim of the EuroDIVERSITY Programme is to support the emergence of an integrated biodiversity science based on an understanding of fundamental ecological and social processes that drive biodiversity changes and their impacts on ecosystem functioning and society. Ecological systems across the globe are being threatened or transformed at unprecedented rates from local to global scales due to the ever-increasing human domination of natural ecosystems. In particular, massive biodiversity changes are currently taking place, and this trend is expected to continue over the coming decades, driven by the increasing extension and globalisation of human affairs. The EuroDIVERSITY Programme meets the research need triggered by the increasing human footprint worldwide with a focus on generalisations across particular systems and on the generation and validation of theory relevant to experimental and empirical data. The EURODIVERSITY Programme tries to bridge the gaps between the natural and social sciences, between research work on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, and between research work on plants, animals and micro-organisms. The Programme was launched in April 2006 and includes 10 international, multidisciplinary collaborative research projects, which are expected to contribute to this goal by initiating or strengthening major collaborative research efforts. Some projects are dealing primarily with microbial diversity (COMIX, METHECO, MiCROSYSTEMS), others try to investigate the biogeochemistry in grassland and forest ecosystems (BEGIN, BioCycle), the landscape and community ecology of biodiversity changes (ASSEMBLE, AGRIPOPES, EcoTRADE), and others focus on the diversity in freshwater (BIOPOOL, MOLARCH). In 2009, the EuroDIVERSITY Programme will integrate the different European research teams involved with collaborative field work campaigns over Europe, international workshops and conferences, as well as joint peer-review publications. For more information about the Programme and its activities, please check the Programme website: www.esf.org/eurodiversity

Modern quantitative schlieren techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargather, Michael; Settles, Gary

2010-11-01

Schlieren optical techniques have traditionally been used to qualitatively visualize refractive flowfields in transparent media. Modern schlieren optics, however, are increasingly focused on obtaining quantitative information such as temperature and density fields in a flow -- once the sole purview of interferometry -- without the need for coherent illumination. Quantitative data are obtained from schlieren images by integrating the measured refractive index gradient to obtain the refractive index field in an image. Ultimately this is converted to a density or temperature field using the Gladstone-Dale relationship, an equation of state, and geometry assumptions for the flowfield of interest. Several quantitative schlieren methods are reviewed here, including background-oriented schlieren (BOS), schlieren using a weak lens as a "standard," and "rainbow schlieren." Results are presented for the application of these techniques to measure density and temperature fields across a supersonic turbulent boundary layer and a low-speed free-convection boundary layer in air. Modern equipment, including digital cameras, LED light sources, and computer software that make this possible are also discussed.

Machine learning phases of matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasquilla, Juan; Melko, Roger G.

2017-02-01

Condensed-matter physics is the study of the collective behaviour of infinitely complex assemblies of electrons, nuclei, magnetic moments, atoms or qubits. This complexity is reflected in the size of the state space, which grows exponentially with the number of particles, reminiscent of the `curse of dimensionality' commonly encountered in machine learning. Despite this curse, the machine learning community has developed techniques with remarkable abilities to recognize, classify, and characterize complex sets of data. Here, we show that modern machine learning architectures, such as fully connected and convolutional neural networks, can identify phases and phase transitions in a variety of condensed-matter Hamiltonians. Readily programmable through modern software libraries, neural networks can be trained to detect multiple types of order parameter, as well as highly non-trivial states with no conventional order, directly from raw state configurations sampled with Monte Carlo.

Conflict or Cooperation: The Use of Backchannelling in ELF Negotiations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjorge, Anne Kari

2010-01-01

The international business community relies heavily on English Lingua Franca (ELF) as a shared means of communication, and English business language programmes thus feature prominently within the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Business ESP programmes, however, have little focus on active listening, which previous research has…

Effectiveness of Alcohol Media Literacy Programmes: A Systematic Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindmarsh, Chloe S.; Jones, Sandra C.; Kervin, Lisa

2015-01-01

Alcohol media literacy is an emerging field that aims to address the link between exposure to alcohol advertising and subsequent expectancies and behaviours for children and adolescents. The design, rigour and results of alcohol media literacy programmes vary considerably, resulting in a number of unanswered questions about effectiveness. To…

In-Service Training Programmes for Inclusive Education in Serbia--Offer and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matovic, Nataša; Spasenovic, Vera

2015-01-01

The initial education and in-service training of all educators, particularly teachers, play a vital role in strengthening competences necessary for implementing inclusive educational practice. This paper analyses offered and implemented inservice training programmes for educators in the field of inclusive education or, more precisely, for working…

Students' Evaluation of Their English Language Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maizatulliza, M.; Kiely, R.

2017-01-01

In the field of English language teaching and learning, there is a long history of investigating students' performance while they are undergoing specific learning programmes. This research study, however, focused on students' evaluation of their English language learning experience after they have completed their programme. The data were gathered…

Data from: Retrospective analysis of a classical biological control programme

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This database contains the raw data for the publication entitled Naranjo, S.E. 2018. Retrospective analysis of a classical biological control programme. Journal of Applied Ecology https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13163. Specific data include field-based, partial life table data for immature stage...

Towards an Ethics of "Research Programmes" in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hausstatter, Rune Sarromaa; Connolley, Steven

2007-01-01

This article presents an analysis of the different perspectives and ideologies within the evolving field of special education research. This examination has claimed that Imre Lakatos' notion of "research programmes", which allows for a plurality of directions of research, provides a valuable guide for understanding the development and current…

Making Sense of Learning: Insights from an Experientially-Based Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwood, Tony; Round, Anna; Pugalis, Lee; Hatt, Lucy

2015-01-01

Entrepreneurial learning is complex, reflecting the distinctive dispositions of entrepreneurs (including nascent entrepreneurs at an early stage in their entrepreneurial life course). The surge in entrepreneurship education programmes over recent decades and the attendant increase in scholarship have often contributed to this convoluted field.…

Collaborations, Courses, and Competitions: Developing Entrepreneurship Programmes at UCL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, David; Skinner, Jeff

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to detail a range of collaborative programmes developed by University College London (UCL) and the London Business School (LBS). These schemes have been developed to exploit synergies between the two institutions with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship within the fields of science and technology.…

Does individual learning styles influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The compressed curriculum in modern knowledge-intensive medicine demands useful tools to achieve approved learning aims in a limited space of time. Web-based learning can be used in different ways to enhance learning. Little is however known regarding its optimal utilisation. Our aim was to investigate if the individual learning styles of medical students influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting. Methods The programme, with three types of modules (learning content, self-assessment questions and interactive ECG interpretation training), was offered on a voluntary basis during a face to face ECG learning course for undergraduate medical students. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and a general questionnaire including questions about computer and Internet usage, preferred future speciality and prior experience of E-learning were used to explore different factors related to the choice of using the programme or not. Results 93 (76%) out of 123 students answered the ILS instrument and 91 the general questionnaire. 55 students (59%) were defined as users of the web-based ECG-interpretation programme. Cronbach's alpha was analysed with coefficients above 0.7 in all of the four dimensions of ILS. There were no significant differences with regard to learning styles, as assessed by ILS, between the user and non-user groups; Active/Reflective; Visual/Verbal; Sensing/Intuitive; and Sequential/Global (p = 0.56-0.96). Neither did gender, prior experience of E-learning or preference for future speciality differ between groups. Conclusion Among medical students, neither learning styles according to ILS, nor a number of other characteristics seem to influence the choice to use a web-based ECG programme. This finding was consistent also when the usage of the different modules in the programme were considered. Thus, the findings suggest that web-based learning may attract a broad variety of medical students. PMID:22248183

Does individual learning styles influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting?

PubMed

Nilsson, Mikael; Östergren, Jan; Fors, Uno; Rickenlund, Anette; Jorfeldt, Lennart; Caidahl, Kenneth; Bolinder, Gunilla

2012-01-16

The compressed curriculum in modern knowledge-intensive medicine demands useful tools to achieve approved learning aims in a limited space of time. Web-based learning can be used in different ways to enhance learning. Little is however known regarding its optimal utilisation. Our aim was to investigate if the individual learning styles of medical students influence the choice to use a web-based ECG learning programme in a blended learning setting. The programme, with three types of modules (learning content, self-assessment questions and interactive ECG interpretation training), was offered on a voluntary basis during a face to face ECG learning course for undergraduate medical students. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and a general questionnaire including questions about computer and Internet usage, preferred future speciality and prior experience of E-learning were used to explore different factors related to the choice of using the programme or not. 93 (76%) out of 123 students answered the ILS instrument and 91 the general questionnaire. 55 students (59%) were defined as users of the web-based ECG-interpretation programme. Cronbach's alpha was analysed with coefficients above 0.7 in all of the four dimensions of ILS. There were no significant differences with regard to learning styles, as assessed by ILS, between the user and non-user groups; Active/Reflective; Visual/Verbal; Sensing/Intuitive; and Sequential/Global (p = 0.56-0.96). Neither did gender, prior experience of E-learning or preference for future speciality differ between groups. Among medical students, neither learning styles according to ILS, nor a number of other characteristics seem to influence the choice to use a web-based ECG programme. This finding was consistent also when the usage of the different modules in the programme were considered. Thus, the findings suggest that web-based learning may attract a broad variety of medical students.

Eradication of schistosomiasis in Guangxi, China. Part 2: Political economy, management strategy and costs, 1953-92.

PubMed Central

Sleigh, A.; Jackson, S.; Li, X.; Huang, K.

1998-01-01

Reported are the results of a study of the political economy, management, and costs of the successful Guangxi schistosomiasis eradication programme, spanning 40 years from 1953 to 1992. For this purpose we analysed all government data and memoranda on the policy, management, technical support, finance, and the control strategy of the programme. We also interviewed many local staff involved in the programme over the 40-year period and obtained cost data from annual county-level records on seven major categories of variable costs. Schistosomiasis control in Guangxi began with one of the first examples of community participation and rapid assessment in public health history--the use of pre-franked envelopes to return disease questionnaires and suspect snails from rural areas. This approach quickly and accurately delineated the endemic area. This was Mao Zedong's "mass line", incorporating ideas and knowledge from peasants directly into services run for and by them, here the schistosomiasis control programme. Recognition by China's leaders that schistosomiasis was a great economic burden, steadfast prioritizing of the programme over 40 years, local innovative scientific study, agricultural and environmental focus on eradicating the snail hosts and boosting rural production, and mass community education and support were all key factors in the final success. Local leaders motivated programme staff and everyone involved knew the objectives. The programme was always multisectoral, with policy developed centrally, and strategy and collaboration encouraged and rewarded at the grass-roots. These features explain how a very poor autonomous region such as Guangxi finally eradicated schistosomiasis, spending less than US$ 0.50 per protected citizen per year; it is remarkable that the disease and snails were initially found across a large area of complex environments and modern drugs such as praziquantel were not available for most of the 40-year period. The lessons from Guangxi can be adapted elsewhere and should encourage other areas to control endemic schistosomiasis using methods devised to suit the local culture and geography. Images Fig. 2 PMID:9868841

[Aerobic methylobacteria as promising objects of modern biotechnology].

PubMed

Doronina, N V; Toronskava, L; Fedorov, D N; Trotsenko, Yu A

2015-01-01

The experimental data of the past decade concerning the metabolic peculiarities of aerobic meth ylobacteria and the prospects for their use in different fields of modern biotechnology, including genetic engineering techniques, have been summarized.

Field programmable gate array processing of eye-safe all-fiber coherent wind Doppler lidar return signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelazim, S.; Santoro, D.; Arend, M.; Moshary, F.; Ahmed, S.

2011-11-01

A field deployable all-fiber eye-safe Coherent Doppler LIDAR is being developed at the Optical Remote Sensing Lab at the City College of New York (CCNY) and is designed to monitor wind fields autonomously and continuously in urban settings. Data acquisition is accomplished by sampling lidar return signals at 400 MHz and performing onboard processing using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The FPGA is programmed to accumulate signal information that is used to calculate the power spectrum of the atmospherically back scattered signal. The advantage of using FPGA is that signal processing will be performed at the hardware level, reducing the load on the host computer and allowing for 100% return signal processing. An experimental setup measured wind speeds at ranges of up to 3 km.

Protecting drinking water: water quality testing and PHAST in South Africa.

PubMed

Breslin, E D

2000-01-01

The paper presents an innovative field-based programme that uses a simple total coliform test and the approach of PHAST (Participatory Hygiene And Sanitation Transformation) to help communities exploring possible water quality problems and actions that can be taken to address them. The Mvula Trust, a South African water and environmental sanitation NGO, has developed the programme. It is currently being tested throughout South Africa. The paper provides two case studies on its implementation in the field, and suggests ways in which the initiative can be improved in the future.

Gynaecological endoscopic surgical education and assessment. A diploma programme in gynaecological endoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Campo, Rudi; Wattiez, Arnaud; Tanos, Vasilis; Di Spiezio Sardo, Attilio; Grimbizis, Grigoris; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Brucker, Sara; Puga, Marco; Molinas, Roger; O'Donovan, Peter; Deprest, Jan; Van Belle, Yves; Lissens, Ann; Herrmann, Anja; Tahir, Mahmood; Benedetto, Chiara; Siebert, Igno; Rabischong, Benoit; De Wilde, Rudy Leon

In recent years, training and education in endoscopic surgery has been critically reviewed. Clinicians, both surgeons as gynaecologist who perform endoscopic surgery without proper training of the specific psychomotor skills, are at higher risk to increased patient morbidity and mortality. Although the apprentice-tutor model has long been a successful approach for training of surgeons, recently, clinicians have recognised that endoscopic surgery requires an important training phase outside the operating theatre. The Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment programme (GESEA) recognises the necessity of this structured approach and implements two separated stages in its learning strategy. In the first stage, a skill certificate on theoretical knowledge and specific practical psychomotor skills is acquired through a high-stake exam; in the second stage, a clinical programme is completed to achieve surgical competence and receive the corresponding diploma. Three diplomas can be awarded: (a) the Bachelor in Endoscopy, (b) the Minimally Invasive Gynaecological Surgeon (MIGS) and (c) the Master level. The Master level is sub-divided into two separate diplomas: the Master in Laparoscopic Pelvic Surgery and the Master in Hysteroscopy. The complexity of modern surgery has increased the demands and challenges to surgical education and the quality control. This programme is based on the best available scientific evidence, and it counteracts the problem of the traditional surgical apprentice-tutor model. It is seen as a major step toward standardisation of endoscopic surgical training in general.

The IMPACT Common Module - A Low Cost, Reconfigurable Building Block for Next Generation Phased Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-31

The SiGe receiver has two stages of programmable RF filtering and one stage of IF filtering. Each filter can be tuned in center frequency and...distribution unlimited. transmit, with an IF to RF upconversion chain that is split to programmable phase shifters and VGAs at each output port. Figure 2...These are optimized to run on medium grade Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), such as the Altera Arria 10, and represent a few of the many

The Catalonian Expert Patient Programme for Chagas Disease: An Approach to Comprehensive Care Involving Affected Individuals.

PubMed

Claveria Guiu, Isabel; Caro Mendivelso, Johanna; Ouaarab Essadek, Hakima; González Mestre, Maria Asunción; Albajar-Viñas, Pedro; Gómez I Prat, Jordi

2017-02-01

The Catalonian Expert Patient Programme on Chagas disease is a initiative, which is part of the Chronic Disease Programme. It aims to boost responsibility of patients for their own health and to promote self-care. The programme is based on nine sessions conducted by an expert patient. Evaluation was focusing in: habits and lifestyle/self-care, knowledge of disease, perception of health, self-esteem, participant satisfaction, and compliance with medical follow-up visits. Eighteen participants initiated the programme and 15 completed it. The participants were Bolivians. The 66.7 % of them had been diagnosed with chagas disease in Spain. The 100 % mentioned that they would participate in this activity again and would recommend it to family and friends. The knowledge about disease improve after sessions. The method used in the programme could serve as a key strategy in the field of comprehensive care for individuals with this disease.

Application of Modern Fortran to Spacecraft Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Jacob; Falck, Robert D.; Beekman, Izaak B.

2018-01-01

In this paper, applications of the modern Fortran programming language to the field of spacecraft trajectory optimization and design are examined. Modern object-oriented Fortran has many advantages for scientific programming, although many legacy Fortran aerospace codes have not been upgraded to use the newer standards (or have been rewritten in other languages perceived to be more modern). NASA's Copernicus spacecraft trajectory optimization program, originally a combination of Fortran 77 and Fortran 95, has attempted to keep up with modern standards and makes significant use of the new language features. Various algorithms and methods are presented from trajectory tools such as Copernicus, as well as modern Fortran open source libraries and other projects.

Analytical methods for dating modern writing instrument inks on paper.

PubMed

Ezcurra, Magdalena; Góngora, Juan M G; Maguregui, Itxaso; Alonso, Rosa

2010-04-15

This work reviews the different analytical methods that have been proposed in the field of forensic dating of inks from different modern writing instruments. The reported works have been classified according to the writing instrument studied and the ink component analyzed in relation to aging. The study, done chronologically, shows the advances experienced in the ink dating field in the last decades. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koper, Rob

In 2003 we started a new research programme at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CELSTEC) that was aiming to help people to further develop their professional competences by using the innovative powers of new media, mobile devices, and modern Internet services. The idea behind the programme was to contribute to one of the bigger challenges in our society: how to deal with the growing complexity, the growing quantity and the permanent changes in knowledge and technologies. For companies this question relates to the core of their business: how to become innovative and stay competitive. For the employees, the ‘professionals’, this question relates directly to their jobs: how to become and stay employable. In this book we will concentrate on the last group, the professionals and their question how to stay employable, how to keep up-to-date and how to develop professional competence during their careers. The professionals represent the human capital, the knowledge, the innovative power in our economy.

An Intensive Programme on Education for Sustainable Development: The Participants' Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biasutti, Michele

2015-01-01

This paper presents the framework of an intensive programme (IP) organised by UNESCO and addressed to young graduate professionals to prepare them for a career in fields related to sustainability. The aims of the IP were to address participants' environmental awareness and to develop attitudes and skills related to environmental planning and…

Backgrounder: The MAB Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). Office of Public Information.

The Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) was launched in November 1971 under the auspices of Unesco. Its aim is to help to develop scientific knowledge with a view to the rational management and conservation of natural resources, to train qualified personnel in this field, and to disseminate the knowledge acquired both to the decision-makers and…

Field-Based Learning: The Challenge of Practising Participatory Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissey, John; Clavin, Alma; Reilly, Kathy

2013-01-01

In 2009, Geography at National University of Ireland, Galway, launched a new taught master's programme, the MA in Environment, Society and Development. The vision for the programme was to engage students in the analysis and critique of the array of interventionary practices of development and securitization in our contemporary world. A range of…

Marketing University Programmes in China: Innovative Experience in Executive and Professional Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ning Rong; Crossley, Michael

2010-01-01

This article addresses the limited amount of research in the realm of programme marketing in the Chinese higher education sector. Original field research examines the emergence of marketing principles and strategies with specific reference to the experience of three higher education institutions in China. The development and promotion of executive…

Establishing a Portfolio Assessment Framework for Pre-Service Teachers: A Multiple Perspectives Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denney, Maria K.; Grier, Jeanne M.; Buchanan, Merilyn

2012-01-01

In the field of initial teacher training, portfolios are widely used to assess pre-service teachers' performance as well as the outcomes of university-based teacher preparation programmes. However, little is known about the explicit design of portfolio assessment mechanisms in teacher preparation programmes. Issues related to the design and…

Alternative Placements in Initial Teacher Education: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdy, Noel; Gibson, Ken

2008-01-01

The paper evaluates a programme of short alternative placements for final-year B.Ed. students in Northern Ireland, which aims to broaden student teachers' experience and develop their transferable skills. The alternative placement programme is set first in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and then set in a local…

Entrepreneurship for Bioscience Researchers: A Case Study of an Entrepreneurship Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinonen, Jarna; Poikkijoki, Sari-Anne; Vento-Vierikko, Irma

2007-01-01

Entrepreneurship is reaching new areas in which the concept of business is more or less unfamiliar and remote. This study focuses on a specific entrepreneurship education programme in the fields of chemistry, physics, information technology and bioinformatics, life sciences and medicine development. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the…

Development of e-Career Guidance Programme for Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John, Imitoro E.; Udofia, Nsikak-Abasi; Udoh, Nsisong A.; Anagbogu, Mercy A.

2016-01-01

This study developed and field tested an electronic career guidance package for secondary schools, the e-Career Guidance System. The study was an educational research and development study and thus utilised the instrumentation research design. The formative evaluation of the developed programme was carried out using the pretest-posttest…

European Association of Echocardiography: Research Grant Programme.

PubMed

Gargani, Luna; Muraru, Denisa; Badano, Luigi P; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Sicari, Rosa

2012-01-01

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) offers a variety of grants/fellowships to help young professionals in the field of cardiological training or research activities throughout Europe. The number of grants has significantly increased in recent years with contributions from the Associations, Working Groups and Councils of the ESC. The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) is a registered branch of the ESC and actively takes part in this initiative. One of the aims of EAE is to promote excellence in research in cardiovascular ultrasound and other imaging modalities in Europe. Therefore, since 2008, the EAE offers a Research Grant Programme to help young doctors to obtain research experience in a high standard academic centre (or similar institution oriented to clinical or pre-clinical research) in an ESC member country other than their own. This programme can be considered as a valorization of the geographical mobility as well as cultural exchanges and professional practice in the field of cardiovascular imaging. The programme has been very successful so far, therefore in 2012 the EAE has increased its offer to two grants of 25,000 euros per annum each.

[Big differences in leadership and management training within health care services. Leadership and issues concerning cooperation should be more emphasized in basic medical education].

PubMed

Hauptig, S; Collste, L; Hammar, M; Calltorp, J; Frischer, J; Haase, H; Lindquist, I; Andersson, C

1999-12-08

A recent survey of medical management programmes at universities across the country showed manifest national differences to exist, both quantitative and qualitative. Using a questionnaire, the Swedish Society of Medical Management examined the programmes for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses and physicians, with respect to such issues as leadership, self-awareness and communication, health economics, and administration. It was concluded that knowledge acquired differs between fields; that physiotherapy programmes tend to have a very didactic approach; that nurses are taught the importance of participation in developmental processes; that doctors are exposed to somewhat the same approach but to a large extent on a voluntary basis; and that social workers obtain good insight into the administrative skills necessary to their work. In the article it is concluded that students would benefit from orientation in the diverse approaches used in the other fields than their own, and that pooling of resources among different programmes might be a more economic alternative to current practice.

ESF EUROCORES Programmes In Geosciences And Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I. G.

2007-12-01

In close cooperation with its Member Organisations, the European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched since late 2003 a series of European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes. Their aim is to enable researchers in different European countries to develop cooperation and scientific synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required in a global context. The EUROCORES Scheme provides an open, flexible and transparent framework that allows national science funding and science performing agencies to join forces to support excellent European-led research, following a selection among many science-driven suggestions for new Programmes themes submitted by the scientific community. The EUROCORES instrument represents the first large scale attempt of national research (funding) agencies to act together against fragmentation, asynchronicity and duplication of research (funding) within Europe. There are presently 7 EUROCORES Programmes specifically dealing with cutting edge science in the fields of Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences. The EUROCORES Programmes consist of a number of international, multidisciplinary collaborative research projects running for 3-4 years, selected through independent peer review. Under the overall responsibility of the participating funding agencies, those projects are coordinated and networked together through the scientific guidance of a Scientific Committee, with the support of a Programme Coordinator, responsible at ESF for providing planning, logistics, and the integration and dissemination of science. Strong links are aimed for with other major international programmes and initiatives worldwide. In this framework, linkage to IYPE would be of major interest for the scientific communities involved. Each Programme mobilises 5 to 13 million Euros in direct science funding from 9 to 27 national agencies from 8 to 20 countries. Additional funding for coordination, networking and dissemination is allocated by the ESF through these distinctive research initiatives, to build on the national research efforts and contribute to the capacity building, in relation with typically about 15-20 post-doc positions and/or PhD studentships supported nationally within each Programme. Typical networking activities are topical workshops, open sessions in a larger conference, Programme conference, (summer / winter) schools, exchange visits across projects or programmes. Overall, EUROCORES Programmes are supported by more than 60 national agencies from 30 countries and by the European Science Foundation (ESF) with support by the European Commission, DG Research (Sixth Framework Programme, contract ERAS-CT-2003-980409). In the framework of AGU, a series of present EUROCORES Programmes in the field of Geosciences and Environmental Sciences are presented (e.g., EuroDIVERSITY, EuroDEEP, EUROMARGINS, EuroCLIMATE, and EuroMinScI).

DMD-based programmable wide field spectrograph for Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Lanzoni, Patrick; Liotard, Arnaud; Viard, Thierry; Costes, Vincent; Hébert, Philippe-Jean

2015-03-01

In Earth Observation, Universe Observation and Planet Exploration, scientific return could be optimized in future missions using MOEMS devices. In Earth Observation, we propose an innovative reconfigurable instrument, a programmable wide-field spectrograph where both the FOV and the spectrum could be tailored thanks to a 2D micromirror array (MMA). For a linear 1D field of view (FOV), the principle is to use a MMA to select the wavelengths by acting on intensity. This component is placed in the focal plane of a first grating. On the MMA surface, the spatial dimension is along one side of the device and for each spatial point, its spectrum is displayed along the perpendicular direction: each spatial and spectral feature of the 1D FOV is then fully adjustable dynamically and/or programmable. A second stage with an identical grating recomposes the beam after wavelengths selection, leading to an output tailored 1D image. A mock-up has been designed, fabricated and tested. The micromirror array is the largest DMD in 2048 x 1080 mirrors format, with a pitch of 13.68μm. A synthetic linear FOV is generated and typical images have been recorded o at the output focal plane of the instrument. By tailoring the DMD, we could modify successfully each pixel of the input image: for example, it is possible to remove bright objects or, for each spatial pixel, modify the spectral signature. The very promising results obtained on the mock-up of the programmable wide-field spectrograph reveal the efficiency of this new instrument concept for Earth Observation.

Evaluating deceased organ donation: a programme theory approach.

PubMed

Manzano, Ana; Pawson, Ray

2014-01-01

Organ donation and transplantation services represent a microcosm of modern healthcare organisations. They are complex adaptive systems. They face perpetual problems of matching supply and demand. They operate under fierce time and resource constraints. And yet they have received relatively little attention from a systems perspective. The purpose of this paper is to consider some of the fundamental issues in evaluating, improving and policy reform in such complex systems. The paper advocates an approach based on programme theory evaluation. The paper explains how the death to donation to transplantation process depends on the accumulation of series of embedded, institutional sub-processes. Evaluators need to be concerned with this whole system rather than with its discrete parts or sectors. Policy makers may expect disappointment if they seek to improve donation rates by applying nudges or administrative reforms at a single point in the implementation chain. These services represent concentrated, perfect storms of complexity and the paper offers guidance to practitioners with bio-medical backgrounds on how such services might be evaluated and improved. For the methodological audience the paper caters for the burgeoning interest in programme theory evaluation while illustrating the design phase of this research strategy.

National mental health programme: Manpower development scheme of eleventh five-year plan.

PubMed

Sinha, Suman K; Kaur, Jagdish

2011-07-01

Mental disorders impose a massive burden in the society. The National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) is being implemented by the Government of India to support state governments in providing mental health services in the country. India is facing shortage of qualified mental health manpower for District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) in particular and for the whole mental health sector in general. Recognizing this key constraint Government of India has formulated manpower development schemes under NMHP to address this issue. Under the scheme 11 centers of excellence in mental health, 120 PG departments in mental health specialties, upgradation of psychiatric wings of medical colleges, modernization of state-run mental hospitals will be supported. The expected outcome of the Manpower Development schemes is 104 psychiatrists, 416 clinical psychologists, 416 PSWs and 820 psychiatric nurses annually once these institutes/ departments are established. Together with other components such as DMHP with added services, Information, education and communication activities, NGO component, dedicated monitoring mechanism, research and training, this scheme has the potential to make a facelift of the mental health sector in the country which is essentially dependent on the availability and equitable distribution mental health manpower in the country.

Family planning in Guinea: a need for better public commitment.

PubMed

Delamou, Alexandre; Koivogui, Akoi; Dubourg, Dominique; Delvaux, Thérèse

2014-01-01

To describe the evolution of family planning (FP) in Guinea and to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the current FP programme. Descriptive study of the evolution of FP in Guinea between 1992 and 2010. First, national laws as well as health policies and strategic plans related to reproductive health and family planning were reviewed. Second, FP indicators were extracted from the Guinean Demographic and Health Surveys (1992, 1999 and 2005). Third, FP services, sources of supply and data on FP funding were analysed. Laws, policies and strategic plans in Guinea are supportive of FP programme and services. Public and private actors are not sufficiently coordinated. The general government expenditure on health has remained stable at 6-7% between 2005 and 2011 despite a doubling of total expenditures on health, and contraceptives are supplied by foreign aid. Modern contraceptive prevalence slightly increased from 1.5% in 1992 to 6.8% in 2005 among women aged 15-49. A stronger national engagement in favour of repositioning FP should result in improved government funding of the FP programme and the promotion of long-acting and permanent methods. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

National mental health programme: Manpower development scheme of eleventh five-year plan

PubMed Central

Sinha, Suman K.; Kaur, Jagdish

2011-01-01

Mental disorders impose a massive burden in the society. The National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) is being implemented by the Government of India to support state governments in providing mental health services in the country. India is facing shortage of qualified mental health manpower for District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) in particular and for the whole mental health sector in general. Recognizing this key constraint Government of India has formulated manpower development schemes under NMHP to address this issue. Under the scheme 11 centers of excellence in mental health, 120 PG departments in mental health specialties, upgradation of psychiatric wings of medical colleges, modernization of state-run mental hospitals will be supported. The expected outcome of the Manpower Development schemes is 104 psychiatrists, 416 clinical psychologists, 416 PSWs and 820 psychiatric nurses annually once these institutes/ departments are established. Together with other components such as DMHP with added services, Information, education and communication activities, NGO component, dedicated monitoring mechanism, research and training, this scheme has the potential to make a facelift of the mental health sector in the country which is essentially dependent on the availability and equitable distribution mental health manpower in the country. PMID:22135448

Lessons from the evaluation of the UK's NHS R&D Implementation Methods Programme

PubMed Central

Soper, Bryony; Hanney, Stephen R

2007-01-01

Background Concern about the effective use of research was a major factor behind the creation of the NHS R&D Programme in 1991. In 1994, an advisory group was established to identify research priorities in research implementation. The Implementation Methods Programme (IMP) flowed from this, and its commissioning group funded 36 projects. In 2000 responsibility for the programme passed to the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D, which asked the Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Brunel University, to conduct an evaluation in 2002. By then most projects had been completed. This evaluation was intended to cover: the quality of outputs, lessons to be learnt about the communication strategy and the commissioning process, and the benefits from the projects. Methods We adopted a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods. They included: documentary analysis, interviews with key actors, questionnaires to the funded lead researchers, questionnaires to potential users, and desk analysis. Results Quantitative assessment of outputs and dissemination revealed that the IMP funded useful research projects, some of which had considerable impact against the various categories in the HERG payback model, such as publications, further research, research training, impact on health policy, and clinical practice. Qualitative findings from interviews with advisory and commissioning group members indicated that when the IMP was established, implementation research was a relatively unexplored field. This was reflected in the understanding brought to their roles by members of the advisory and commissioning groups, in the way priorities for research were chosen and developed, and in how the research projects were commissioned. The ideological and methodological debates associated with these decisions have continued among those working in this field. The need for an effective communication strategy for the programme as a whole was particularly important. However, such a strategy was never developed, making it difficult to establish the general influence of the IMP as a programme. Conclusion Our findings about the impact of the work funded, and the difficulties faced by those developing the IMP, have implications for the development of strategic programmes of research in general, as well as for the development of more effective research in this field. PMID:17309803

Barriers to community case management of malaria in Saraya, Senegal: training, and supply-chains.

PubMed

Blanas, Demetri A; Ndiaye, Youssoupha; Nichols, Kim; Jensen, Andrew; Siddiqui, Ammar; Hennig, Nils

2013-03-14

Health workers in sub-Saharan Africa can now diagnose and treat malaria in the field, using rapid diagnostic tests and artemisinin-based combination therapy in areas without microscopy and widespread resistance to previously effective drugs. This study evaluates communities' perceptions of a new community case management of malaria programme in the district of Saraya, south-eastern Senegal, the effectiveness of lay health worker trainings, and the availability of rapid diagnostic tests and artemisinin-based combination therapy in the field. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods including focus groups with villagers, and pre- and post-training questionnaires with lay health workers. Communities approved of the community case management programme, but expressed concern about other general barriers to care, particularly transportation challenges. Most lay health workers acquired important skills, but a sizeable minority did not understand the rapid diagnostic test algorithm and were not able to correctly prescribe arteminisin-based combination therapy soon after the training. Further, few women lay health workers participated in the programme. Finally, the study identified stock-outs of rapid tests and anti-malaria medication products in over half of the programme sites two months after the start of the programme, thought due to a regional shortage. This study identified barriers to implementation of the community case management of malaria programme in Saraya that include lay health worker training, low numbers of women participants, and generalized stock-outs. These barriers warrant investigation into possible solutions of relevance to community case management generally.

Windmills in the light of modern research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betz, A

1928-01-01

The chief contribution of modern research in the field of windmills is a better understanding of the phenomena and of the available means for the accomplishment of certain results, but also of the natural limits to their productive capacity.

Perspectives in marine science: A European point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthel, K.-G.

1995-03-01

Marine research has always been a field in science which was particularly open to, and at times dependent on, international cooperation, and this has become even more obvious during the last decade when issues of global change became central to any discussion. The global nature of scientific and other problems, required the development of new concepts and led to the establishment of new structures in research, coordination and funding on an international level. In Europe the 12 member European Community often served as a nucleus for larger networks and initiatives (e.g. COST, EUREKA), and in 1989 the EC itself launched a specific programme on marine research and technology (MAST). The various initiatives are not meant to replace, national efforts but to complement them — where added value arises from international cooperation, e.g. in global programmes like IGBP, WCRP and their various core projects. The focus of support for these programmes through international funding agencies and networks is not primarily on additional research money but more on structural support and coordination. In contrast, the MAST targeted projects on the North Atlantic margin and the Mediterranean also receive substantial basic support, and are designed to fill gaps left by other international research projects. Both EC and other projects profit from the coordinating measures offered by the EC Commission. A more efficient use of facilities (research vessels, special equipment) can be achieved by having central information services. Well-integrated international projects also require additional efforts in standardization of instrumentation, methods and units, with respect to sampling, sample processing and data treatment. Furthermore, the scope of the task to tackle questions of global change demands the development of new technologies like ROVs, biosensors, automatized sample and data acquisition and treatment, etc. Full exploitation of the results in scientific, political and economical terms is only facilitated through special concertation. Mathematical modelling of ecosystems is still in its infancy and needs further cooperative development in order to provide tools for forecasting and management. Finally, training and exchange of personnel on a European, and possibly wider, level needs to be intensified in order to meet the requirements of modern science.

Farmer and Veterinarian Attitudes towards the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Programme in Spain: What Is Going on in the Field?

PubMed

Ciaravino, Giovanna; Ibarra, Patricia; Casal, Ester; Lopez, Sergi; Espluga, Josep; Casal, Jordi; Napp, Sebastian; Allepuz, Alberto

2017-01-01

The effectiveness of health interventions against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is influenced by several " non-biological " factors that may hamper bTB detection and control. Although the engagement of stakeholders is a key factor for the eradication programme's success, social factors have been often ignored in the control programmes of animal diseases, especially in developed countries. In this study, we used a qualitative approach to investigate perceptions, opinions, attitudes, and beliefs of farmers, and veterinarians who may influence the effectiveness of the Spanish bTB eradication programme. The study was carried out in two phases. First, 13 key representatives of different groups involved in the programme were interviewed through exploratory interviews to identify most relevant themes circulating in the population. Interviews focused on strong and weak points of the programme; reasons for failure to achieve eradication; benefits of being disease free; future perspectives, and proposed changes to the programme. Based on these results, a thematic guide was developed and detailed information was gained through face-to-face in-depth interviews conducted on a purposive sample of 39 farmers and veterinarians. Data were analysed following an ethnographic methodology. Main results suggested that the bTB programme is perceived as a law enforcement duty without an adequate motivation of some stakeholders and a general feeling of distrust arose. The complexity of bTB epidemiology combined with gaps in knowledge and weak communication throughout stakeholders contributed to causing disbeliefs, which in turn generated different kinds of guesses and interpretations. Low reliability in the routine skin test for bTB screening was expressed and the level of confidence on test results interpretation was linked with skills and experience of public and private veterinarians in the field. Lack of training for farmers and pressure faced by veterinarians during field activities also emerged. Few benefits of being bTB free were perceived and comparative grievances referred to wildlife and other domestic reservoirs, sector-specific legislation for bullfighting farms, and the absence of specific health legislation for game hunting farms were reported. Understanding reasons for demotivation and scepticism may help institutions to ensure stakeholders' collaboration and increase the acceptability of control measures leading to an earlier achievement of eradication.

Canaries in the coal mine: Interpersonal violence, gang violence, and violent extremism through a public health prevention lens.

PubMed

Eisenman, David P; Flavahan, Louise

2017-08-01

This paper asks what programmes and policies for preventing violent extremism (also called 'countering violent extremism', or CVE) can learn from the public health violence prevention field. The general answer is that addressing violent extremism within the wider domain of public health violence prevention connects the effort to a relevant field of research, evidence-based policy and programming, and a broader population reach. This answer is reached by examining conceptual alignments between the two fields at both the case-level and the theoretical level. To address extremist violence within the wider reach of violence prevention, having a shared model is seen as a first step. The World Health Organization uses the social-ecological framework for assessing the risk and protective factors for violence and developing effective public-health based programmes. This study illustrates how this model has been used for gang violence prevention and explores overlaps between gang violence prevention and preventing violent extremism. Finally, it provides policy and programme recommendations to align CVE with public health violence prevention.

Programmable Colored Illumination Microscopy (PCIM): A practical and flexible optical staining approach for microscopic contrast enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Chao; Sun, Jiasong; Feng, Shijie; Hu, Yan; Chen, Qian

2016-03-01

Programmable colored illumination microscopy (PCIM) has been proposed as a flexible optical staining technique for microscopic contrast enhancement. In this method, we replace the condenser diaphragm of a conventional microscope with a programmable thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD). By displaying different patterns on the LCD, numerous established imaging modalities can be realized, such as bright field, dark field, phase contrast, oblique illumination, and Rheinberg illuminations, which conventionally rely on intricate alterations in the respective microscope setups. Furthermore, the ease of modulating both the color and the intensity distribution at the aperture of the condenser opens the possibility to combine multiple microscopic techniques, or even realize completely new methods for optical color contrast staining, such as iridescent dark-field and iridescent phase-contrast imaging. The versatility and effectiveness of PCIM is demonstrated by imaging of several transparent colorless specimens, such as unstained lung cancer cells, diatom, textile fibers, and a cryosection of mouse kidney. Finally, the potentialities of PCIM for RGB-splitting imaging with stained samples are also explored by imaging stained red blood cells and a histological section.

Do ambient noise exposure levels predict hearing loss in a modern industrial cohort?

PubMed Central

Rabinowitz, P M; Galusha, D; Dixon‐Ernst, C; Slade, M D; Cullen, M R

2007-01-01

Background Much of what is known about the exposure–response relationship between occupational noise exposures and hearing loss comes from cross‐sectional studies conducted before the widespread implementation of workplace hearing conservation programmes. Little is known about the current relationship of ambient noise exposure measurements to hearing loss risk. Aim To examine the relationship between rates of high frequency hearing loss and measured levels of noise exposure in a modern industrial workforce. Methods Ten‐year hearing loss rates were determined for 6217 employees of an aluminium manufacturing company. Industrial hygiene and human resources records allowed for reconstruction of individual noise exposures. Hearing loss rates were compared to ANSI 3.44 predictions based on age and noise exposure. Associations between hearing loss, noise exposure, and covariate risk factors were assessed using multivariate regression. Results Workers in higher ambient noise jobs tended to experience less high frequency hearing loss than co‐workers exposed at lower noise levels. This trend was also seen in stratified analyses of white males and non‐hunters. At higher noise exposure levels, the magnitude of hearing loss was less than predicted by ANSI 3.44 formulae. There was no indication that a healthy worker effect could explain these findings. The majority of 10 dB standard threshold shifts (STS) occurred in workers whose calculated ambient noise exposures were less than or equal to 85 dBA. Conclusions In this modern industrial cohort, hearing conservation efforts appear to be reducing hearing loss rates, especially at higher ambient noise levels. This could be related to differential use of hearing protection. The greatest burden of preventable occupational hearing loss was found in workers whose noise exposure averaged 85 dBA or less. To further reduce rates of occupational hearing loss, hearing conservation programmes may require innovative approaches targeting workers with noise exposures close to 85 dBA. PMID:16973736

EDITORIAL: Ultrafast magnetization processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillebrands, Burkard

2008-09-01

This Cluster Issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics is devoted to ultrafast magnetization processes. It reports on the scientific yield of the Priority Programme 1133 'Ultrafast Magnetization Processes' which was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft in the period 2002-2008 in three successive two-year funding periods, supporting research of 17-18 groups in Germany. Now, at the end of this Priority Programme, the members feel that the achievements made in the course of the programme merit communication to the international scientific community in a concerted way. Therefore, each of the projects of the last funding period presents a key result in a published contribution to this Cluster Issue. The purpose of the funding by a Priority Programme is to advance knowledge in an emerging field of research through collaborative networked support over several locations. Priority Programmes are characterized by their enhanced quality of research through the use of new methods and forms of collaboration in emerging fields, by added value through interdisciplinary cooperation, and by networking. The aim of the Priority Programme 1133 'Ultrafast Magnetization Processes' may be well characterized by the call for projects in June 2001 after the programme was approved by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft: 'The aim of the priority programme is the achievement of a basic understanding of the temporal evolution of fast magnetization processes in magnetically ordered films, multilayers and micro-structured systems. The challenge lies in the advancement of the field of ultrafast magnetization processes into the regime of a few femtoseconds to nanoseconds, a topic not yet well explored. A general aim is to understand the fundamental mechanisms needed for applications in ultrafast magneto-electronic devices. The fundamental topic to be addressed is the response of the magnetization of small structures upon the application of pulsed magnetic fields, laser pulses or injected spin-polarized electron pulses on short time scales, ranging from a small disturbance of the system up to the reversal of the magnetization direction.' Now, seven years later, the subject of ultrafast magnetization processes has grown into a mainstream research direction in modern magnetism. The major international conferences on magnetism, such as the Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (MMM), the INTERMAG, the International Conference of Magnetism, as well as many regional conferences, schedule dedicated sessions to ultrafast magnetization processes, very often several of them. The large share in research in this field from German scientists has been made possible by this Priority Programme. Since its beginning, new developments have been picked up by the Priority Programme 1133 and addressed by projects. Spin torque phenomena in spin dynamics, although foreseen at the time of establishing the Priority Programme, have been taken up. The field of dissipation has been addressed and extended by several groups, with contributions both from theoretical and experimental groups. A first set of contributions addresses ultrafast dynamics and materials. T Roth et al [article 164001] in this issue] study the dynamics of coercivity in ultrafast pump-probe experiments on the femtosecond time scale. They show that an all optical pump-probe technique is, in general, not suitable for gaining access to the time-dependent behaviour of the coercivity, since the switching in a fixed external field is an irreversible process. They comment on the possible mechanisms leading to the observed reduction of the coercivity with increasing pump power and propose a potential solution to clarify the origin of such a behaviour. B Heitkamp et al [164002] discuss the femtosecond spin dynamics of ferromagnetic CoPt thin films and nanodots, which they probe using spin-polarized photoemission electron microscopy. They show by photoelectron spin analysis, that enhanced optical near fields can be used to induce a local demagnetization of the sample following femtosecond laser excitation. A B Schmidt et al [164003] report a new access to the surface electronic structure of fcc Co films combining spin-resolved one- and two-photon photoemission. The knowledge of surface states is important for interpreting time-resolved measurements of ultrafast magnetization dynamics in this material. An extension of ultrafast dynamics has been made by several groups. A Melnikov et al [164004] report on the ultrafast dynamics at lanthanide surfaces such as Gd(0001) and Tb(0001) using time-resolved second-harmonic generation and photoelectron spectroscopy. These surfaces exhibit a rich dynamics including a collective response of the crystal lattice and the magnetization. Effects of phonon-magnon scattering are discussed. M Fiebig et al [164005] report on experiments of ultrafast magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnetic compounds, and show that the magnetization dynamics in these systems differs noticeably from that of ferromagnetic compounds. They use optical second-harmonic generation and linear reflection to monitor the evolution of the antiferromagnetic order parameter subsequent to an intense optical excitation. In a theory paper, the local light-induced spin manipulation in two-magnetic-centre metallic chains is studied by T Hardenstein et al [164006] using highly correlational ab initio calculations. They show that, as an example of local spin manipulation, the spin on the iron side of a Co-Na-Fe cluster can be switched. S Halm et al [164007] present evidence to manipulate spin states in a diluted magnetic semiconductor on a submicrometer length scale via the magnetic fringe fields of micro-structured magnets. By optically switching the magnetization of the ferromagnet, the magnetization in the semiconductor is manipulated and the limits of a dynamical interaction between the spin states in the ferromagnet and the magnetic semiconductor are discussed. A second set of contributions addresses the field of spin waves and dynamic spin torque phenomena. C W Sandweg et al [164008] discuss the modification of the thermal spin wave spectrum by a domain wall in a narrow stripe and report the observation of a localized mode near the domain wall using the new technique of Brillouin light scattering microscopy. Time-resolved measurements are often made using a stroboscopic approach, thus missing non-periodic responses. P Möhrke et al [164009] report single-shot Kerr magnetometer measurements to observe the real time-domain wall motion in permalloy nanowires. The dynamics in magnetic disks is studied by I Neudecker et al [164010] using in-plane magnetic microwave fields for excitation. The effect of current-induced magnetization dynamics in single and double layer magnetic nanopillars is reported by N Müsgens et al [164011]. A spin-polarized charge current can modify the damping properties of spin waves in magnetic nanostructures. This is reported by V E Demidov et al [164012] using space-resolved Brillouin light scattering. They also present results regarding nonlinear spin-wave propagation and mode coupling in magnetic stripes and squares. D V Berkov and N L Gorn [164013] report on their results of nonlinear magnetization dynamics in nanodevices induced by a spin-polarized current using micromagnetic simulation. A third set of contributions focuses on dissipation phenomena ranging from a phenomenological description to the investigation of the microscopic origin(s). In a theory paper, M Fähnle et al [164014] revisit the Gilbert equation and discuss anisotropic and non-local damping of the magnetization dynamics. They derive their results by a combination of the breathing Fermi surface model with a variant of the ab initio density functional electron theory given by the magnetic force theorem. On the experimental side, S Serrano-Guisan et al [164015] address Gilbert damping in Ni81Fe19 thin films and microstructures using anisotropic magnetoresistance and pulsed inductive microwave magnetometry to measure the time-resolved precessional magnetization dynamics. The intrinsic and non-local Gilbert damping in polycrystalline Ni films is also addressed by J Walowski et al [164016] using femtosecond laser pulses. Several spin-wave modes are observed and their dissipation is studied. Non-local damping by spin currents emitted into a non-magnetic metallic layer of either vanadium, palladium or dysprosium is studied. Dissipation in small magnetic Ni81Fe19 rings is studied using Brillouin light scattering microscopy by H Schultheiss et al [164017]. They investigate the spatial profiles and the decay constants of spin-wave quasi-eigenmodes. We hope that this cluster of papers will help to stimulate and advance a better understanding of this very interesting field of ultrafast magnetization processes.

Generalized theoretical method for the interaction between arbitrary nonuniform electric field and molecular vibrations: Toward near-field infrared spectroscopy and microscopy

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

Iwasa, Takeshi, E-mail: tiwasa@mail.sci.hokudai.ac.jp; Takenaka, Masato; Taketsugu, Tetsuya

A theoretical method to compute infrared absorption spectra when a molecule is interacting with an arbitrary nonuniform electric field such as near-fields is developed and numerically applied to simple model systems. The method is based on the multipolar Hamiltonian where the light-matter interaction is described by a spatial integral of the inner product of the molecular polarization and applied electric field. The computation scheme is developed under the harmonic approximation for the molecular vibrations and the framework of modern electronic structure calculations such as the density functional theory. Infrared reflection absorption and near-field infrared absorption are considered as model systems.more » The obtained IR spectra successfully reflect the spatial structure of the applied electric field and corresponding vibrational modes, demonstrating applicability of the present method to analyze modern nanovibrational spectroscopy using near-fields. The present method can use arbitral electric fields and thus can integrate two fields such as computational chemistry and electromagnetics.« less

Generalized theoretical method for the interaction between arbitrary nonuniform electric field and molecular vibrations: Toward near-field infrared spectroscopy and microscopy.

PubMed

Iwasa, Takeshi; Takenaka, Masato; Taketsugu, Tetsuya

2016-03-28

A theoretical method to compute infrared absorption spectra when a molecule is interacting with an arbitrary nonuniform electric field such as near-fields is developed and numerically applied to simple model systems. The method is based on the multipolar Hamiltonian where the light-matter interaction is described by a spatial integral of the inner product of the molecular polarization and applied electric field. The computation scheme is developed under the harmonic approximation for the molecular vibrations and the framework of modern electronic structure calculations such as the density functional theory. Infrared reflection absorption and near-field infrared absorption are considered as model systems. The obtained IR spectra successfully reflect the spatial structure of the applied electric field and corresponding vibrational modes, demonstrating applicability of the present method to analyze modern nanovibrational spectroscopy using near-fields. The present method can use arbitral electric fields and thus can integrate two fields such as computational chemistry and electromagnetics.

International education is a broken field: Can ubuntu education bring solutions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piper, Benjamin

2016-02-01

Ubuntu is an African philosophy of human kindness; applying it in the Global South would fundamentally alter the design of the education sector. This essay argues, however, that the field of international educational development is not, in fact, structured to support an education influenced by ubuntu ideals. Specifically, the educational development milieu includes donors, implementers and academicians who do not sufficiently question the power dynamics which underpin education development. This creates a field where the power imbalances between donors and host governments are not interrogated, where development workers place too much faith in their own knowledge rather than that of local education experts, and where development practitioners rarely appreciate the privilege of working in countries which are not their own. An ubuntu education would alter the educational development field in myriad critical ways, a few of which are suggested in this essay. Educational development programmes in universities and intake programmes for implementers and donors should teach officers humility, appreciating existing local talent and expertise. Donor programmes should incentivise reflective practice which formally embeds appreciation for local culture and expertise, thereby supporting structures which help educational development experts to review their metacognitive processes. The field should also dramatically increase the numbers of local, minority and female educational development practitioners and provide more avenues for advancement for those groups. These are activities which are critical to supporting the education development field, but require a fundamental change of attitude by practitioners to ensure the right kind of relationships between the West and the Global South.

Comparison of Octopus Semi-Automated Kinetic Perimetry and Humphrey Peripheral Static Perimetry in Neuro-Ophthalmic Cases

PubMed Central

Rowe, Fiona J.; Noonan, Carmel; Manuel, Melanie

2013-01-01

Aim. To compare semikinetic perimetry (SKP) on Octopus 900 perimetry to a peripheral static programme with Humphrey automated perimetry. Methods. Prospective cross-section study comparing Humphrey full field (FF) 120 two zone programme to a screening protocol for SKP on Octopus perimetry. Results were independently graded for presence/absence of field defect plus type and location of defect. Results. 64 patients (113 eyes) underwent dual perimetry assessment. Mean duration of assessment for SKP was 4.54 minutes ±0.18 and 6.17 ± 0.12 for FF120 (P = 0.0001). 80% of results were correctly matched for normal or abnormal visual fields using the I4e target versus FF120, and 73.5% were correctly matched using the I2e target versus FF120. When comparing Octopus results with combined I4e and I2e isopters to the FF120 result, a match for normal or abnormal fields was recorded in 87%. Conclusions. Humphrey perimetry test duration was generally longer than Octopus SKP. In the absence of kinetic perimetry, peripheral static suprathreshold programme options such as FF120 may be useful for detection of visual field defects. However, statokinetic dissociation may occur. Octopus SKP utilising both I4e and I2e targets provides detailed information of both the defect depth and size and may provide a more representative view of the actual visual field defect. PMID:24558605

Information barriers and social stratification in higher education: evidence from a field experiment.

PubMed

Abbiati, Giovanni; Argentin, Gianluca; Barone, Carlo; Schizzerotto, Antonio

2017-11-29

Our contribution assesses the role of information barriers for patterns of participation in Higher Education (HE) and the related social inequalities. For this purpose, we developed a large-scale clustered randomised experiment involving over 9,000 high school seniors from 62 Italian schools. We designed a counseling intervention to correct student misperceptions of the profitability of HE, that is, the costs, economic returns and chances of success of investments in different tertiary programs. We employed a longitudinal survey to test whether treated students' educational trajectories evolved differently relative to a control group. We find that, overall, treated students enrolled less often in less remunerative fields of study in favour of postsecondary vocational programmes. Most importantly, this effect varied substantially by parental social class and level of education. The shift towards vocational programmes was mainly due to the offspring of low-educated parents; in contrast, children of tertiary graduates increased their participation in more rewarding university fields. Similarly, the redistribution from weak fields to vocational programmes mainly involved the children of the petty bourgeoisie and the working class, while upper class students invested in more rewarding university fields. We argue that the status-maintenance model proposed by Breen and Goldthorpe can explain these socially differentiated treatment effects. Overall, our results challenge the claim that student misperceptions contribute to horizontal inequalities in access to HE. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

[The SGO Health Research Promotion Program. XIII. Evaluation of the section 'Addiction Research'].

PubMed

van Rees-Wortelboer, M M

1999-01-02

As a part of the SGO Health Research Promotion Programme a research programme on addiction research was realized. Aim of the programme was to strengthen and concentrate the Dutch research into addiction. Within the Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research (AIAR), a structural collaboration between the Jellinek Treatment Centre for Addiction, the University of Amsterdam and the Academic Hospital of the University of Amsterdam, strategic research programmes were developed on the borderland of addiction and psychiatry, notably 'Clinical epidemiology addiction' and 'Developmental disorders, addiction and psychotraumas'. The institution of a co-ordinating platform of research groups conducting socio-epidemiological addiction research improved the co-ordination of research lines in this field.

Association of strategic management with vaccination in the terms of globalization.

PubMed

Rabrenovic, Mihajlo; Cukanovic Karavidic, Marija; Stosic, Ivana

2018-04-01

Globalization is having an ever growing impact on the field of vaccine production and distribution in the world and domestically. In this article we examine the impact of taking a strategic approach to vaccination programmes by all the relevant actors: WHO, UNICEF, national immunization programmes, and vaccine manufacturers and distributors. The review of the relevant literature indicates that there are commonalities to the worldwide vaccination programmes. A comparative analysis of various vaccination strategies recommended by WHO and the immunization calendars of certain European countriesis made as well as an analysis of the Serbian vaccination programme. New and more expensive vaccines will continue to appear on the market in increasingly short periods of time.

Feasibility of an experiential community garden and nutrition programme for youth living in public housing.

PubMed

Grier, Karissa; Hill, Jennie L; Reese, Felicia; Covington, Constance; Bennette, Franchennette; MacAuley, Lorien; Zoellner, Jamie

2015-10-01

Few published community garden studies have focused on low socio-economic youth living in public housing or used a community-based participatory research approach in conjunction with youth-focused community garden programmes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility (i.e. demand, acceptability, implementation and limited-effectiveness testing) of a 10-week experiential theory-based gardening and nutrition education programme targeting youth living in public housing. In this mixed-methods feasibility study, demand and acceptability were measured using a combination of pre- and post-programme surveys and interviews. Implementation was measured via field notes and attendance. Limited-effectiveness was measured quantitatively using a pre-post design and repeated-measures ANOVA tests. Two public housing sites in the Dan River Region of south central Virginia, USA. Forty-three youth (primarily African American), twenty-five parents and two site leaders. The positive demand and acceptability findings indicate the high potential of the programme to be used and be suitable for the youth, parents and site leaders. Field notes revealed numerous implementation facilitators and barriers. Youth weekly attendance averaged 4·6 of 10 sessions. Significant improvements (P<0·05) were found for some (e.g. fruit and vegetable asking self-efficacy, overall gardening knowledge, knowledge of MyPlate recommendations), but not all limited-effectiveness measures (e.g. willingness to try fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable eating self-efficacy). This community-based participatory research study demonstrates numerous factors that supported and threatened the feasibility of a gardening and nutrition programme targeting youth in public housing. Lessons learned are being used to adapt and strengthen the programme for future efforts targeting fruit and vegetable behaviours.

High-performance reconfigurable coincidence counting unit based on a field programmable gate array.

PubMed

Park, Byung Kwon; Kim, Yong-Su; Kwon, Osung; Han, Sang-Wook; Moon, Sung

2015-05-20

We present a high-performance reconfigurable coincidence counting unit (CCU) using a low-end field programmable gate array (FPGA) and peripheral circuits. Because of the flexibility guaranteed by the FPGA program, we can easily change system parameters, such as internal input delays, coincidence configurations, and the coincidence time window. In spite of a low-cost implementation, the proposed CCU architecture outperforms previous ones in many aspects: it has 8 logic inputs and 4 coincidence outputs that can measure up to eight-fold coincidences. The minimum coincidence time window and the maximum input frequency are 0.47 ns and 163 MHz, respectively. The CCU will be useful in various experimental research areas, including the field of quantum optics and quantum information.

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

Citterio, M.; Camplani, A.; Cannon, M.

SRAM based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have been rarely used in High Energy Physics (HEP) due to their sensitivity to radiation. The last generation of commercial FPGAs based on 28 nm feature size and on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technologies are more tolerant to radiation to the level that their use in front-end electronics is now feasible. FPGAs provide re-programmability, high-speed computation and fast data transmission through the embedded serial transceivers. They could replace custom application specific integrated circuits in front end electronics in locations with moderate radiation field. Finally, the use of a FPGA in HEP experiments ismore » only limited by our ability to mitigate single event effects induced by the high energy hadrons present in the radiation field.« less

Investment in radiotherapy infrastructure positively affected the economic status of an oncology hospital

PubMed Central

Śmigielska, Mirella; Milecki, Piotr

2012-01-01

Background Radiotherapy is among the most efficient treatment methods of cancer. However, a radiotherapy base needs a substantial financial investment, especially before the beginning of its operation, and in some cases, in developing countries such a huge investment may cause some financial disturbances for a hospital concerned. Aim To assess the influence of investments modernizing the radiotherapy base in the period between 2000 and 2007 on the financial condition of the oncology hospital in the region with population of about 3 million. Material and methods Financial reports and medical statistics for the period between 2000 and 2007 from the studied oncology hospital and a recognized staffing model, as well as data on epidemiological situation of the region have been used to calculate the economic effects of financial investment in the radiotherapy base. Results The growth of RT therapeutic potential has been driven by two cost-effective investment programmes. The total amount invested in both programmes was PLN 127,191,000. The number of radiotherapy patients treated in the hospital increased from 2301 in 2000 to 4799 in 2007 with a the same number of five therapeutic machines, although all five of them were replaced over that period. Investments modernizing the radiotherapy base lead to a significant increase in depreciation and operating costs, which adversely affects financial results of the hospital. Conclusion Long term trends showed that investments had positive influence on hospital performance shown both in increased income and larger number of patients treated. PMID:24377017

Investment in radiotherapy infrastructure positively affected the economic status of an oncology hospital.

PubMed

Smigielska, Mirella; Milecki, Piotr

2012-01-01

Radiotherapy is among the most efficient treatment methods of cancer. However, a radiotherapy base needs a substantial financial investment, especially before the beginning of its operation, and in some cases, in developing countries such a huge investment may cause some financial disturbances for a hospital concerned. To assess the influence of investments modernizing the radiotherapy base in the period between 2000 and 2007 on the financial condition of the oncology hospital in the region with population of about 3 million. Financial reports and medical statistics for the period between 2000 and 2007 from the studied oncology hospital and a recognized staffing model, as well as data on epidemiological situation of the region have been used to calculate the economic effects of financial investment in the radiotherapy base. The growth of RT therapeutic potential has been driven by two cost-effective investment programmes. The total amount invested in both programmes was PLN 127,191,000. The number of radiotherapy patients treated in the hospital increased from 2301 in 2000 to 4799 in 2007 with a the same number of five therapeutic machines, although all five of them were replaced over that period. Investments modernizing the radiotherapy base lead to a significant increase in depreciation and operating costs, which adversely affects financial results of the hospital. Long term trends showed that investments had positive influence on hospital performance shown both in increased income and larger number of patients treated.

The Dutch Techcentre for Life Sciences: Enabling data-intensive life science research in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Eijssen, Lars; Evelo, Chris; Kok, Ruben; Mons, Barend; Hooft, Rob

2016-01-01

We describe the Data programme of the Dutch Techcentre for Life Sciences (DTL, www.dtls.nl). DTL is a new national organisation in scientific research that facilitates life scientists with technologies and technological expertise in an era where new projects often are data-intensive, multi-disciplinary, and multi-site. It is run as a lean not-for-profit organisation with research organisations (both academic and industrial) as paying members. The small staff of the organisation undertakes a variety of tasks that are necessary to perform or support modern academic research, but that are not easily undertaken in a purely academic setting. DTL Data takes care of such tasks related to data stewardship, facilitating exchange of knowledge and expertise, and brokering access to e-infrastructure. DTL also represents the Netherlands in ELIXIR, the European infrastructure for life science data. The organisation is still being fine-tuned and this will continue over time, as it is crucial for this kind of organisation to adapt to a constantly changing environment. However, already being underway for several years, our experiences can benefit researchers in other fields or other countries setting up similar initiatives. PMID:26913186

Fast neuromimetic object recognition using FPGA outperforms GPU implementations.

PubMed

Orchard, Garrick; Martin, Jacob G; Vogelstein, R Jacob; Etienne-Cummings, Ralph

2013-08-01

Recognition of objects in still images has traditionally been regarded as a difficult computational problem. Although modern automated methods for visual object recognition have achieved steadily increasing recognition accuracy, even the most advanced computational vision approaches are unable to obtain performance equal to that of humans. This has led to the creation of many biologically inspired models of visual object recognition, among them the hierarchical model and X (HMAX) model. HMAX is traditionally known to achieve high accuracy in visual object recognition tasks at the expense of significant computational complexity. Increasing complexity, in turn, increases computation time, reducing the number of images that can be processed per unit time. In this paper we describe how the computationally intensive and biologically inspired HMAX model for visual object recognition can be modified for implementation on a commercial field-programmable aate Array, specifically the Xilinx Virtex 6 ML605 evaluation board with XC6VLX240T FPGA. We show that with minor modifications to the traditional HMAX model we can perform recognition on images of size 128 × 128 pixels at a rate of 190 images per second with a less than 1% loss in recognition accuracy in both binary and multiclass visual object recognition tasks.

Note: The design of thin gap chamber simulation signal source based on field programmable gate array.

PubMed

Hu, Kun; Lu, Houbing; Wang, Xu; Li, Feng; Liang, Futian; Jin, Ge

2015-01-01

The Thin Gap Chamber (TGC) is an important part of ATLAS detector and LHC accelerator. Targeting the feature of the output signal of TGC detector, we have designed a simulation signal source. The core of the design is based on field programmable gate array, randomly outputting 256-channel simulation signals. The signal is generated by true random number generator. The source of randomness originates from the timing jitter in ring oscillators. The experimental results show that the random number is uniform in histogram, and the whole system has high reliability.

Reprogrammable field programmable gate array with integrated system for mitigating effects of single event upsets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ng, Tak-kwong (Inventor); Herath, Jeffrey A. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

An integrated system mitigates the effects of a single event upset (SEU) on a reprogrammable field programmable gate array (RFPGA). The system includes (i) a RFPGA having an internal configuration memory, and (ii) a memory for storing a configuration associated with the RFPGA. Logic circuitry programmed into the RFPGA and coupled to the memory reloads a portion of the configuration from the memory into the RFPGA's internal configuration memory at predetermined times. Additional SEU mitigation can be provided by logic circuitry on the RFPGA that monitors and maintains synchronized operation of the RFPGA's digital clock managers.

Note: The design of thin gap chamber simulation signal source based on field programmable gate array

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

Hu, Kun; Wang, Xu; Li, Feng

The Thin Gap Chamber (TGC) is an important part of ATLAS detector and LHC accelerator. Targeting the feature of the output signal of TGC detector, we have designed a simulation signal source. The core of the design is based on field programmable gate array, randomly outputting 256-channel simulation signals. The signal is generated by true random number generator. The source of randomness originates from the timing jitter in ring oscillators. The experimental results show that the random number is uniform in histogram, and the whole system has high reliability.

Field programmable gate array-assigned complex-valued computation and its limits

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

Bernard-Schwarz, Maria, E-mail: maria.bernardschwarz@ni.com; Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8, 1040 Wien; Zwick, Wolfgang

We discuss how leveraging Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology as part of a high performance computing platform reduces latency to meet the demanding real time constraints of a quantum optics simulation. Implementations of complex-valued operations using fixed point numeric on a Virtex-5 FPGA compare favorably to more conventional solutions on a central processing unit. Our investigation explores the performance of multiple fixed point options along with a traditional 64 bits floating point version. With this information, the lowest execution times can be estimated. Relative error is examined to ensure simulation accuracy is maintained.

A control system based on field programmable gate array for papermaking sewage treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zi Sheng; Xie, Chang; Qing Xiong, Yan; Liu, Zhi Qiang; Li, Qing

2013-03-01

A sewage treatment control system is designed to improve the efficiency of papermaking wastewater treatment system. The automation control system is based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), coded with Very-High-Speed Integrate Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL), compiled and simulated with Quartus. In order to ensure the stability of the data used in FPGA, the data is collected through temperature sensors, water level sensor and online PH measurement system. The automatic control system is more sensitive, and both the treatment efficiency and processing power are increased. This work provides a new method for sewage treatment control.

Radiation Hardened Electronics for Extreme Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keys, Andrew S.; Watson, Michael D.

2007-01-01

The Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) project consists of a series of tasks designed to develop and mature a broad spectrum of radiation hardened and low temperature electronics technologies. Three approaches are being taken to address radiation hardening: improved material hardness, design techniques to improve radiation tolerance, and software methods to improve radiation tolerance. Within these approaches various technology products are being addressed including Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA), MEMS Serial Processors, Reconfigurable Processors, and Parallel Processors. In addition to radiation hardening, low temperature extremes are addressed with a focus on material and design approaches.

Self-Adaptive System based on Field Programmable Gate Array for Extreme Temperature Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keymeulen, Didier; Zebulum, Ricardo; Rajeshuni, Ramesham; Stoica, Adrian; Katkoori, Srinivas; Graves, Sharon; Novak, Frank; Antill, Charles

2006-01-01

In this work, we report the implementation of a self-adaptive system using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and data converters. The self-adaptive system can autonomously recover the lost functionality of a reconfigurable analog array (RAA) integrated circuit (IC) [3]. Both the RAA IC and the self-adaptive system are operating in extreme temperatures (from 120 C down to -180 C). The RAA IC consists of reconfigurable analog blocks interconnected by several switches and programmable by bias voltages. It implements filters/amplifiers with bandwidth up to 20 MHz. The self-adaptive system controls the RAA IC and is realized on Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) parts. It implements a basic compensation algorithm that corrects a RAA IC in less than a few milliseconds. Experimental results for the cold temperature environment (down to -180 C) demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.

A programmable controller based on CAN field bus embedded microprocessor and FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Qizhong; Guo, Yifeng; Chen, Wenhei; Wang, Mingtao

2008-10-01

One kind of new programmable controller(PLC) is introduced in this paper. The advanced embedded microprocessor and Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device are applied in the PLC system. The PLC system structure was presented in this paper. It includes 32 bits Advanced RISC Machines (ARM) embedded microprocessor as control core, FPGA as control arithmetic coprocessor and CAN bus as data communication criteria protocol connected the host controller and its various extension modules. It is detailed given that the circuits and working principle, IiO interface circuit between ARM and FPGA and interface circuit between ARM and FPGA coprocessor. Furthermore the interface circuit diagrams between various modules are written. In addition, it is introduced that ladder chart program how to control the transfer info of control arithmetic part in FPGA coprocessor. The PLC, through nearly two months of operation to meet the design of the basic requirements.

A flexible 32-channel time-to-digital converter implemented in a Xilinx Zynq-7000 field programmable gate array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yonggang; Kuang, Jie; Liu, Chong; Cao, Qiang; Li, Deng

2017-03-01

A high performance multi-channel time-to-digital converter (TDC) is implemented in a Xilinx Zynq-7000 field programmable gate array (FPGA). It can be flexibly configured as either 32 TDC channels with 9.9 ps time-interval RMS precision, 16 TDC channels with 6.9 ps RMS precision, or 8 TDC channels with 5.8 ps RMS precision. All TDCs have a 380 M Samples/second measurement throughput and a 2.63 ns measurement dead time. The performance consistency and temperature dependence of TDC channels are also evaluated. Because Zynq-7000 FPGA family integrates a feature-rich dual-core ARM based processing system and 28 nm Xilinx programmable logic in a single device, the realization of high performance TDCs on it will make the platform more widely used in time-measuring related applications.

Studies in Mindfulness: Widening the Field for All Involved in Pastoral Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nixon, Graeme; McMurtry, David; Craig, Linda; Nevejan, Annick; Regan-Addis, Heather

2016-01-01

Since 2010, the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, has offered an MSc in studies in mindfulness degree programme within its School of Education. The programme has attracted over 200 students from multiple professional contexts, providing the authors with the opportunity to gather and analyse demographic data, as well as data regarding student…

Lichen elements as pollution indicators: evaluation of methods for large monitoring programmes

Treesearch

Susan Will-Wolf; Sarah Jovan; Michael C. Amacher

2017-01-01

Lichen element content is a reliable indicator for relative air pollution load in research and monitoring programmes requiring both efficiency and representation of many sites. We tested the value of costly rigorous field and handling protocols for sample element analysis using five lichen species. No relaxation of rigour was supported; four relaxed protocols generated...

The International School Effectiveness Research Programme ISERP. First Results of the Quantitative Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creemers, Bert P. M.; And Others

The International School Effectiveness Research Programme (ISERP) is an example of the exchange of research and research results in the field of educational effectiveness. It aims to build on existing models of good practice and to avoid the variations in approach that limit the transferability of data within and between countries. A number of…

Changes and Challenges in Music Education: Reflections on a Norwegian Arts-in-Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christophersen, Catharina

2015-01-01

With a recent research study on a Norwegian arts-in-education programme "The Cultural Rucksack" as its starting point, this article addresses policy changes in the fields of culture and education and possible implications these could have on music education in schools. Familiar debates on the quality of education and the political…

Multiplying a Force for Good? the Impact of Security Sector Management Postgraduate Education in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macphee, Paula-Louise; Fitz-Gerald, Ann

2014-01-01

This paper argues for the importance, benefits and wider impact of a donor-funded, locally supported postgraduate programme in security sector management (SSM) for government officials in Ethiopia. With the exception of specialised education and training programmes within the field of peace and conflict studies, the role of education in…

Can an International Field Experience Assist Health and Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers to Develop Cultural Competency?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winslade, Matthew

2016-01-01

An emerging focus of teacher education courses within countries such as Australia centres on the development of cultural competency. An international practicum experience or student mobility programme embedded within pre-service teacher education programmes is one way to provide such an opportunity. In subject areas such as Health and Physical…

The Cognitive, Social and Emotional Processes of Teacher Identity Construction in a Pre-Service Teacher Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Rui; Lee, Icy

2015-01-01

This research investigates how three Government-funded Normal Students constructed and reconstructed their identities in a pre-service teacher education programme in China. Drawing upon data from interviews, field observation and the pre-service teachers' written reflections, the study explores the cognitive, social and emotional processes of…

Improving Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms in Pakistan: Issues and Challenges from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juma, Audrey

2004-01-01

This article focuses on an early childhood programme that has been initiated by the Institute for Educational Development at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. The programme is a Certificate in Education and involves training teachers so as to enable them to understand early childhood education and development, and to become effective…

The Effect of Graduate Education on Promotion of U.S. Army Field Grade Officer by Career Field

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Human Capital, 13-14. 8 Ibid. 9 Ehrenberg and Smith, Modern Labor Economics , 157. 10 Ibid., 308. 6 The U.S. Army also provides both general and...to Schooling” Journal of Labor Economics Vol. 11, No. 3 (1993): 521- 544. Bowman, William R. and Mehay, Stephen L. “Graduate education and employee...Introduction, New York: M. E. Sharpe, Inc., 1985. Ehrenberg, Ronald G. and Smith, Robert S. Modern Labor Economics : Theory and Public Policy

Understanding Radiation Thermometry. Part II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Risch, Timothy K.

2015-01-01

This document is a two-part course on the theory and practice of radiation thermometry. Radiation thermometry is the technique for determining the temperature of a surface or a volume by measuring the electromagnetic radiation it emits. This course covers the theory and practice of radiative thermometry and emphasizes the modern application of the field using commercially available electronic detectors and optical components. The course covers the historical development of the field, the fundamental physics of radiative surfaces, along with modern measurement methods and equipment.

Understanding Radiation Thermometry. Part I

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Risch Timothy K.

2015-01-01

This document is a two-part course on the theory and practice of radiation thermometry. Radiation thermometry is the technique for determining the temperature of a surface or a volume by measuring the electromagnetic radiation it emits. This course covers the theory and practice of radiative thermometry and emphasizes the modern application of the field using commercially available electronic detectors and optical components. The course covers the historical development of the field, the fundamental physics of radiative surfaces, along with modern measurement methods and equipment.

Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.

PubMed

Yusuf, I H; Sharma, S; Luqmani, R; Downes, S M

2017-06-01

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ; Plaquenil) is used increasingly in the management of a variety of autoimmune disorders, with well established roles in dermatology and rheumatology and emerging roles in oncology. Hydroxychloroquine has demonstrated a survival benefit in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; some clinicians advocate its use in all such patients. However, Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine (CQ) have been associated with irreversible visual loss due to retinal toxicity. Hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity is far more common than previously considered; an overall prevalence of 7.5% was identified in patients taking HCQ for greater than 5 years, rising to almost 20% after 20 years of treatment. This review aims to provide an update on HCQ/CQ retinopathy. We summarise emerging treatment indications and evidence of efficacy in systemic disease, risk factors for retinopathy, prevalence among HCQ users, diagnostic tests, and management of HCQ retinopathy. We highlight emerging risk factors such as tamoxifen use, and new guidance on safe dosing, reversing the previous recommendation to use ideal body weight, rather than actual body weight. We summarise uncertainties and the recommendations made by existing HCQ screening programmes. Asian patients with HCQ retinopathy may demonstrate an extramacular or pericentral pattern of disease; visual field testing and retinal imaging should include a wider field for screening in this group. HCQ is generally safe and effective for the treatment of systemic disease but because of the risk of HCQ retinal toxicity, modern screening methods and ideal dosing should be implemented. Guidelines regarding optimal dosing and screening regarding HCQ need to be more widely disseminated.

Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy

PubMed Central

Yusuf, I H; Sharma, S; Luqmani, R; Downes, S M

2017-01-01

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ; Plaquenil) is used increasingly in the management of a variety of autoimmune disorders, with well established roles in dermatology and rheumatology and emerging roles in oncology. Hydroxychloroquine has demonstrated a survival benefit in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus; some clinicians advocate its use in all such patients. However, Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine (CQ) have been associated with irreversible visual loss due to retinal toxicity. Hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity is far more common than previously considered; an overall prevalence of 7.5% was identified in patients taking HCQ for greater than 5 years, rising to almost 20% after 20 years of treatment. This review aims to provide an update on HCQ/CQ retinopathy. We summarise emerging treatment indications and evidence of efficacy in systemic disease, risk factors for retinopathy, prevalence among HCQ users, diagnostic tests, and management of HCQ retinopathy. We highlight emerging risk factors such as tamoxifen use, and new guidance on safe dosing, reversing the previous recommendation to use ideal body weight, rather than actual body weight. We summarise uncertainties and the recommendations made by existing HCQ screening programmes. Asian patients with HCQ retinopathy may demonstrate an extramacular or pericentral pattern of disease; visual field testing and retinal imaging should include a wider field for screening in this group. HCQ is generally safe and effective for the treatment of systemic disease but because of the risk of HCQ retinal toxicity, modern screening methods and ideal dosing should be implemented. Guidelines regarding optimal dosing and screening regarding HCQ need to be more widely disseminated. PMID:28282061

The European space exploration programme: current status of ESA's plans for Moon and Mars exploration.

PubMed

Messina, Piero; Vennemann, Dietrich

2005-01-01

After a large consultation with the scientific and industrial communities in Europe, the Aurora Space Exploration Programme was unanimously approved at the European Space Agency (ESA) Council at ministerial level in Edinburgh in 2001. This marked the start of the programme's preparation phase that was due to finish by the end of 2004. Aurora features technology development robotic and crewed rehearsal missions aimed at preparing a human mission to Mars by 2033. Due to the evolving context, both international and European, ESA has undertaken a review of the goals and approach of its exploration programme. While maintaining the main robotic missions that had been conceived during Aurora, the European Space Exploration Programme that is currently being proposed to the Aurora participating states and other ESA Member States has a reviewed approach and will feature a greater synergy with other ESA programmes. The paper will present the process that led to the revision of ESA's plans in the field of exploration and will give the current status of the programme. c2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Sky surveys and deep fields of ground-based and space telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshetnikov, Vladimir P.

2005-11-01

Selected results obtained in major observational sky surveys (DSS, 2MASS, 2dF, SDSS) and deep field observations (HDF, GOODS, UHDF, etc.) are reviewed. Modern surveys provide information on the characteristics and space distribution of millions of galaxies. Deep fields allow one to study galaxies at the stage of formation and to trace their evolution over billions of years. The wealth of observational data is altering the face of modern astronomy: the formulation of problems and their solutions are changing and all the previous knowledge, from planetary studies in the solar system to the most distant galaxies and quasars, is being revised.

Modern Radiation Therapy for Nodal Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma—Target Definition and Dose Guidelines From the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group

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

Illidge, Tim, E-mail: Tim.Illidge@ics.manchester.ac.uk; Specht, Lena; Yahalom, Joachim

2014-05-01

Radiation therapy (RT) is the most effective single modality for local control of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and is an important component of therapy for many patients. Many of the historic concepts of dose and volume have recently been challenged by the advent of modern imaging and RT planning tools. The International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group (ILROG) has developed these guidelines after multinational meetings and analysis of available evidence. The guidelines represent an agreed consensus view of the ILROG steering committee on the use of RT in NHL in the modern era. The roles of reduced volume and reduced doses aremore » addressed, integrating modern imaging with 3-dimensional planning and advanced techniques of RT delivery. In the modern era, in which combined-modality treatment with systemic therapy is appropriate, the previously applied extended-field and involved-field RT techniques that targeted nodal regions have now been replaced by limiting the RT to smaller volumes based solely on detectable nodal involvement at presentation. A new concept, involved-site RT, defines the clinical target volume. For indolent NHL, often treated with RT alone, larger fields should be considered. Newer treatment techniques, including intensity modulated RT, breath holding, image guided RT, and 4-dimensional imaging, should be implemented, and their use is expected to decrease significantly the risk for normal tissue damage while still achieving the primary goal of local tumor control.« less

Programmable spectrometer using MOEMs devices for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viard, Thierry; Buisset, Christophe; Rejeaunier, Xavier; Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Venancio, Luis M.

2017-11-01

A new class of spectrometer can be designed using programmable components such as MOEMS which enable to tune the beam in spectral width and central wavelength. It becomes possible to propose for space applications a spectrometer with programmable resolution and adjustable spectral bandwidth. The proposed way to tune the output beam is to use the diffraction effect with the so-called PMDG (Programmable Micro Diffraction Gratings ) diffractive MEMS. In that case, small moving structures can form programmable gratings, diffracting or not the incoming light. In the proposed concept, the MOEMS is placed in the focal plane of a first diffracting stage (using a grating for instance). With such implementation, the MOEMS component can be used to select some wavelengths (for instance by reflecting them) and to switch-off the others (for instance by diffracting them). A second diffracting stage is used to recombine the beam composed by all the selected wavelengths. It becomes then possible to change and adjust the filter in λ and Δλ. This type of implementation is very interesting for space applications (Astronomy, Earth observation, planetary observation). Firstly because it becomes possible to tune the filtering function quasi instantaneously. And secondly because the focal plane dimension can be reduced to a single detector (for application without field of view) or to a linear detector instead of a 2D matrix detector (for application with field of view) thanks to a sequential acquisition of the signal.

[The necessity and possibility of developing skills in daily living activities in children attending a special kindergarten for the physically handicapped--demonstrated by means of a five-year-old boy suffering from spastic hemiparesis (author's transl)].

PubMed

Burgheim-Raguss, B

1980-02-01

Within the framework of an empirical study carried out in a special kindergarten it was attempted to answer the question whether it is necessary and possible in such an institution to develop the children's skills in daily living activities. A six month systematic programme was set up for a five-year-old boy suffering from spastic hemiparesis which was designed to develop his skills in personal hygiene, and general behaviour in the kitchen area. In preparing the programme each of the two fields was first treated separately in detail, then the common factors taken into account. The programm's subdivision into an ultimate goal and two partial goals assisted the implementation of the eighteen training steps. A comparision of the knowledge of, and skills in, the two fields before and after the training showed that they had increased both in quantity and quality. As the boy still showed a headway over his peers - comparable in their disabilities - three years after completion of the programme as far as independence was concerned, it can be said that special training in daily living activities can and must be carried out in a special kindergarten for physically handicapped children provided the training is based on a specialized and fully structured programme.

Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment. A diploma programme in gynaecological endoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Campo, Rudi; Wattiez, Arnaud; Tanos, Vasilis; Di Spiezio Sardo, Attilio; Grimbizis, Grigoris; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Brucker, Sara; Puga, Marco; Molinas, Roger; O'Donovan, Peter; Deprest, Jan; Van Belle, Yves; Lissens, Ann; Herrmann, Anja; Tahir, Mahmood; Benedetto, Chiara; Siebert, Igno; Rabischong, Benoit; De Wilde, Rudy Leon

2016-04-01

In recent years, training and education in endoscopic surgery has been critically reviewed. Clinicians, both surgeons as gynaecologist who perform endoscopic surgery without proper training of the specific psychomotor skills are at higher risk to increased patient morbidity and mortality. Although the apprentice-tutor model has long been a successful approach for training of surgeons, recently, clinicians have recognised that endoscopic surgery requires an important training phase outside the operating theatre. The Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment programme (GESEA), recognises the necessity of this structured approach and implements two separated stages in its learning strategy. In the first stage, a skill certificate on theoretical knowledge and specific practical psychomotor skills is acquired through a high stake exam; in the second stage, a clinical programme is completed to achieve surgical competence and receive the corresponding diploma. Three diplomas can be awarded: (a) the Bachelor in Endoscopy; (b) the Minimally Invasive Gynaecological Surgeon (MIGS); and (c) the Master level. The Master level is sub-divided into two separate diplomas: the Master in Laparoscopic Pelvic Surgery and the Master in Hysteroscopy. The complexity of modern surgery has increased the demands and challenges to surgical education and the quality control. This programme is based on the best available scientific evidence and it counteracts the problem of the traditional surgical apprentice tutor model. It is seen as a major step toward standardization of endoscopic surgical training in general. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Achlak and professional ethics of the therapeutic professions].

PubMed

Masić, I

1997-01-01

Man's mind is improved only by learning unknown things from scientists and from books, and mankind is exalted through self-developing of its nature. This is essence of Risael achlak (learning about behaviour), that modern humanism consisting of rational science and ethical perspective of Qur'an and its directions (important in the respect of limitation of man's behaviour towards religion and religious ethics in general) is based on. Ethical dimension of Qur'an is a consisting part of Qur'an's metaphysical and anthropological dimension. Basically, in its purpose, ethics appears as practical theology. In Its announcing of the God, Qur'an does not make division of spiritual and ethical; mind and will. Ethics just implements The Message at the field of the world of human acts. Thus, the relations between society and a single human being, as well as the relations among all people, are determined. Through developing its attitudes, ethics has concretized elements, tenets and values of human's real life. Qur'anic ethics is a programme of ethical revolution of mankind and society (whose the most exalted goal is confirmation of personality). That personality has got a task to, according to Qur'an, people have to change the world through enhancing it. These general tenets and attitudes produce specific direction and attitudes in certain fields, including tenets and attitudes in the field of medical ethics. These tenets had been defined in pre-islamic period. Even today, the tenets from Hypocrate's Wote are quoted and implemented. But, Arabian physicians have implemented a modified version of the Wote, that has been based upon Qur'anic tenets. The text and tenets of that Wote was described in this paper.

Hedge your bets on Flood Risk: How do Hedgerows modify hillslope and catchment scale hydrological response?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coates, Victoria; Pattison, Ian

2017-04-01

A dominant feature in the agricultural landscape in the UK are field boundaries. Two thirds of England has been continuously hedged for over a thousand years although most modern hedges were planted during the Enclosures Acts 1720-1840. However, the use of larger agricultural machinery has resulted in the removal of some field boundaries and the subsequent increase in field sizes over the 20th Century. The multiple benefits of hedgerows in ecology have been extensively studied, but the impact of these widespread features on hydrology and flood risk has seen very little attention. Nature-based solutions are increasingly being seen as a complementary approach to hard engineered flood defences. It is hypothesised that hedgerows play a part in this through modifying hillslope hydrological processes, including (a) changing the spatial distribution of precipitation due to sheltering effects; (b) biological loss of water through transpiration; (c) infiltration increased through improved soil structure at the boundaries; and (d) throughflow effected by modified hydraulic gradients. An extensive monitoring programme of a 20m transect through a hedgerow in the Skell Catchment, Northern England occurred from April 2014 to October 2015. The holistic hydrological cycle was monitored, including precipitation and soil moisture at different distances from the hedgerow, leaf wetness interception, stemflow collars, and throughfall gauges, and transpiration losses from the hedgerow. Results indicate that hedgerows modify precipitation volumes at different distances along the transect, but that relationships are complex, probably related to event specific weather conditions such as wind direction and speed and rainfall intensity. Soil moisture levels are significantly (p<0.001) lower along the hedgerow compared to 1, 3 and 10m away from it in all seasons. It has also been shown that hedgerows modify hydrological connectivity at the catchment scale.

Veggie Rx: an outcome evaluation of a healthy food incentive programme.

PubMed

Cavanagh, Michelle; Jurkowski, Janine; Bozlak, Christine; Hastings, Julia; Klein, Amy

2017-10-01

One challenge to healthy nutrition, especially among low-income individuals, is access to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. To address this problem, Veggie Rx, a healthy food incentive programme, was established within a community clinic to increase access to fresh produce for low-income patients diagnosed with obesity, hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes. The current research aimed to evaluate Veggie Rx programme effectiveness. A retrospective pre/post design using medical records and programme data was used to evaluate the programme. The study was approved by the University of Albany Institutional Review Board and the Patient Interest Committee of a community clinic. The study was conducted in a low-income, urban neighbourhood in upstate New York. Medical record data and Veggie Rx programme data were analysed for fifty-four eligible participants. An equal-sized control group of patients who were not programme participants were matched on age, ethnicity and co-morbidity status. A statistically significant difference in mean BMI change (P=0·02) between the intervention and the control group was calculated. The intervention group had a mean decrease in BMI of 0·74 kg/m2. Greater improvement in BMI was found among Veggie Rx programme participants. This information will guide programme changes and inform the field on the effectiveness of healthy food incentive programmes for improving health outcomes for low-income populations.

Veggie Rx: an outcome evaluation of a healthy food incentive programme

PubMed Central

Cavanagh, Michelle; Jurkowski, Janine; Bozlak, Christine; Hastings, Julia; Klein, Amy

2017-01-01

Objective One challenge to healthy nutrition, especially among low-income individuals, is access to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. To address this problem, Veggie Rx, a healthy food incentive programme, was established within a community clinic to increase access to fresh produce for low-income patients diagnosed with obesity, hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes. The current research aimed to evaluate Veggie Rx programme effectiveness. Design A retrospective pre/post design using medical records and programme data was used to evaluate the programme. The study was approved by the University of Albany Institutional Review Board and the Patient Interest Committee of a community clinic. Setting The study was conducted in a low-income, urban neighbourhood in upstate New York. Subjects Medical record data and Veggie Rx programme data were analysed for fifty-four eligible participants. An equal-sized control group of patients who were not programme participants were matched on age, ethnicity and co-morbidity status. Results: A statistically significant difference in mean BMI change (P = 0.02) between the intervention and the control group was calculated. The intervention group had a mean decrease in BMI of 0.74 kg/m2. Conclusions Greater improvement in BMI was found among Veggie Rx programme participants. This information will guide programme changes and inform the field on the effectiveness of healthy food incentive programmes for improving health outcomes for low-income populations. PMID:27539192

Strategies used to guide the design and implementation of a national river monitoring programme in South Africa.

PubMed

Roux, D J

2001-06-01

This article explores the strategies that were, and are being, used to facilitate the transition from scientific development to operational application of the South African River Health Programme (RHP). Theoretical models from the field of the management of technology are used to provide insight into the dynamics that influence the relationship between the creation and application of environmental programmes, and the RHP in particular. Four key components of the RHP design are analysed, namely the (a) guiding team, (b) concepts, tools and methods, (c) infra-structural innovations and (d) communication. These key components evolved over three broad life stages of the programme, which are called the design, growth and anchoring stages.

The Field of Knowledge and the Policy Field in Education: PISA and the Production of Knowledge for Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangez, Eric; Hilgers, Mathieu

2012-01-01

This article is about the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and its actors. It analyses the development and role of PISA as a "cultural product" from the perspective of Bourdieu's field theory. The authors attempt to answer the following questions: Of which field is PISA the product? In which field and by whom is PISA…

Reclaiming the Disengaged? A Bourdieuian Analysis of Work-Based Learning for Young People in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Ron

2011-01-01

This paper uses Bourdieu's concept of field to analyse findings from an ethnographic study of Entry to Employment (E2E) programmes in England. Entry to Employment is a work-based learning programme which aims to re-engage young people with "barriers to learning" inhibiting access to further education, training or employment. The paper…

Evaluation of an Innovative Programme for Training Teachers of Children with Learning and Behavioural Difficulties in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilgrim, Marcia; Hornby, Garry; Everatt, John; Macfarlane, Angus

2017-01-01

This article reports the views of recent graduates of a competency based, blended learning teacher education programme for specialist resource teachers of children with learning and behaviour difficulties in New Zealand. Identifying and developing the competencies needed by teachers in the field of special needs education is important in ensuring…

Education in the New Era: The Dissemination of Education for Sustainable Development in the Political Science Programmes at Notre Dame University--Louaize

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labaki, Georges

2012-01-01

Sustainable development is continuous process of change requiring painful choices resting on political will. This paper examines the developments needed to engage with sustainable development in the field of political science through the following: the reform in political science programmes to cope with the need for sustainable development in…

The Development of Innovative Online Problem-Based Learning: A Leadership Course for Leaders in European Public Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jong, Nynke; Könings, Karen D.; Czabanowska, Katarzyna

2014-01-01

The shift to a knowledge information society has given rise to a need for lifelong learning programmes. Such programmes are especially relevant for public health professionals, whose dynamic field of practice is subject to changes due to rapidly developing technologies, evolving expectations of the labour market and new health treats. Lifelong…

Overview of the Higher Education Systems in the Tempus Partner Countries: Central Asia. A Tempus Study. Issue 05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffio, Philippe; Heinamaki, Piia; Tchoukaline, Claire Chastang; Manthey, Anja; Reichboth, Veronika

2011-01-01

The main aim of the Tempus programme is to support the modernisation of higher education in Partner Countries outside the European Union. The targeted regions include Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Western Balkans and the Southern Mediterranean, with a total of 29 Partner Countries participating in the programme. In the field of cooperation in…

The Creation of Multimedia Resources to Support the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Coach Education Programme (CEP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crotty, Yvonne; D'Arcy, Jimmy; Sweeney, David

2016-01-01

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is an Irish amateur sporting and cultural organisation. It represents in excess of 20,000 teams nationwide and is committed to supporting the development of players and coaches through its Coach Education Programme (CEP). A strategic goal of the CEP is to supplement the traditional field based coach education…

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

Bales, Benjamin B; Barrett, Richard F

In almost all modern scientific applications, developers achieve the greatest performance gains by tuning algorithms, communication systems, and memory access patterns, while leaving low level instruction optimizations to the compiler. Given the increasingly varied and complicated x86 architectures, the value of these optimizations is unclear, and, due to time and complexity constraints, it is difficult for many programmers to experiment with them. In this report we explore the potential gains of these 'last mile' optimization efforts on an AMD Barcelona processor, providing readers with relevant information so that they can decide whether investment in the presented optimizations is worthwhile.

A journey through memory lane of history of tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Thippanna, G; Narayanamma, S

1994-01-01

Tuberculosis, an infectious disease has got a special place in the medical bibliography. Its history dates back to 5000 B.C. of neolithic period. Even in modern world with advancement of the knowledge of tuberculosis with specific drugs to treat and programmes for its prevention, this diseasse is top listed on public health problems in all the developing countries. Its sad impact was felt by the human race throughout the world and in all ages. Thus the people of all countries and so also India fought back against this disease.

The Road Less Travelled: Non-traditional Ways of Communicating Astronomy to the Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, M. J.

2005-12-01

In an age of media saturation, how can astronomers succeed in grabbing the public's attention to increase awareness and understanding of astronomy? Here I discuss some creative alternatives to press releases, public lectures, television programmes, books, magazine articles, and other traditional ways of bringing astronomy to a wide audience. By thinking outside the box and employing novel tools-from truly terrible sci-fi movies, to modern Stonehenges, to music from the stars-astronomers are finding effective new ways of communicating the wonders of the Universe to people of all ages.

3D graphics hardware accelerator programming methods for real-time visualization systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souetov, Andrew E.

2001-02-01

The paper deals with new approaches in software design for creating real-time applications that use modern graphics acceleration hardware. The growing complexity of such type of software compels programmers to use different types of CASE systems in design and development process. The subject under discussion is integration of such systems in a development process, their effective use, and the combination of these new methods with the necessity to produce optimal codes. A method of simulation integration and modeling tools in real-time software development cycle is described.

3D graphics hardware accelerator programming methods for real-time visualization systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souetov, Andrew E.

2000-02-01

The paper deals with new approaches in software design for creating real-time applications that use modern graphics acceleration hardware. The growing complexity of such type of software compels programmers to use different types of CASE systems in design and development process. The subject under discussion is integration of such systems in a development process, their effective use, and the combination of these new methods with the necessity to produce optimal codes. A method of simulation integration and modeling tools in real-time software development cycle is described.

Radiation testing campaign results for understanding the suitability of FPGAs in detector electronics

DOE PAGES

Citterio, M.; Camplani, A.; Cannon, M.; ...

2015-11-19

SRAM based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have been rarely used in High Energy Physics (HEP) due to their sensitivity to radiation. The last generation of commercial FPGAs based on 28 nm feature size and on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technologies are more tolerant to radiation to the level that their use in front-end electronics is now feasible. FPGAs provide re-programmability, high-speed computation and fast data transmission through the embedded serial transceivers. They could replace custom application specific integrated circuits in front end electronics in locations with moderate radiation field. Finally, the use of a FPGA in HEP experiments ismore » only limited by our ability to mitigate single event effects induced by the high energy hadrons present in the radiation field.« less

Trace element chemistry of zircons from oceanic crust: A method for distinguishing detrital zircon provenance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimes, Craig B.; John, Barbara E.; Kelemen, P.B.; Mazdab, F.K.; Wooden, J.L.; Cheadle, Michael J.; Hanghoj, K.; Schwartz, J.J.

2007-01-01

We present newly acquired trace element compositions for more than 300 zircon grains in 36 gabbros formed at the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic and Southwest Indian Ridges. Rare earth element patterns for zircon from modern oceanic crust completely overlap with those for zircon crystallized in continental granitoids. However, plots of U versus Yb and U/Yb versus Hf or Y discriminate zircons crystallized in oceanic crust from continental zircon, and provide a relatively robust method for distinguishing zircons from these environments. Approximately 80% of the modern ocean crust zircons are distinct from the field defined by more than 1700 continental zircons from Archean and Phanerozoic samples. These discrimination diagrams provide a new tool for fingerprinting ocean crust zircons derived from reservoirs like that of modern mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) in both modern and ancient detrital zircon populations. Hadean detrital zircons previously reported from the Acasta Gneiss, Canada, and the Narryer Gneiss terrane, Western Australia, plot in the continental granitoid field, supporting hypotheses that at least some Hadean detrital zircons crystallized in continental crust forming magmas and not from a reservoir like modern MORB. ?? 2007 The Geological Society of America.

Archives and the Boundaries of Early Modern Science.

PubMed

Popper, Nicholas

2016-03-01

This contribution argues that the study of early modern archives suggests a new agenda for historians of early modern science. While in recent years historians of science have begun to direct increased attention toward the collections amassed by figures and institutions traditionally portrayed as proto-scientific, archives proliferated across early modern Europe, emerging as powerful tools for creating knowledge in politics, history, and law as well as natural philosophy, botany, and more. The essay investigates the methods of production, collection, organization, and manipulation used by English statesmen and Crown officers such as Keeper of the State Papers Thomas Wilson and Secretary of State Joseph Williamson to govern their disorderly collections. Their methods, it is shown, were shared with contemporaries seeking to generate and manage other troves of evidence and in fact reflect a complex ecosystem of imitation and exchange across fields of inquiry. These commonalities suggest that historians of science should look beyond the ancestors of modern scientific disciplines to examine how practices of producing knowledge emerged and migrated throughout cultures of learning in Europe and beyond. Creating such a map of knowledge production and exchange, the essay concludes, would provide a renewed and expansive ambition for the field.

The first Spanish space programme 1968 1974

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorado, José M.

2007-06-01

This paper presents the situation of the Spanish aeronautical industry in the early 1960s, the problems suffered during the first ESRO years, the situation in 1975 as a result of the first National Space Programme (1968-1974) and the specific developments carried out within that programme: the first Spanish satellite successfully launched in 1974 (INTASAT) and the first INTA sounding rockets launched from the own Arenosillo range. This justifies the importance of that Programme for the Spanish aeronautical industry, a programme that permitted its transition to the aerospace field. In parallel, agreements with NASA led to the installation of large space ground stations in Spain operated by INTA personnel, to support major NASA space missions, and to the operation of a very active rockets range. These actions allowed Spain to have one of the largest space sectors in Europe, in those years. This paper's purpose is to find out the main reasons behind this effort.

Stated Uptake of Physical Activity Rewards Programmes Among Active and Insufficiently Active Full-Time Employees.

PubMed

Ozdemir, Semra; Bilger, Marcel; Finkelstein, Eric A

2017-10-01

Employers are increasingly relying on rewards programmes in an effort to promote greater levels of activity among employees; however, if enrolment in these programmes is dominated by active employees, then they are unlikely to be a good use of resources. This study uses a stated-preference survey to better understand who participates in rewards-based physical activity programmes, and to quantify stated uptake by active and insufficiently active employees. The survey was fielded to a national sample of 950 full-time employees in Singapore between 2012 and 2013. Participants were asked to choose between hypothetical rewards programmes that varied along key dimensions and whether or not they would join their preferred programme if given the opportunity. A mixed logit model was used to analyse the data and estimate predicted uptake for specific programmes. We then simulated employer payments based on predictions for the percentage of each type of employee likely to meet the activity goal. Stated uptake ranged from 31 to 67% of employees, depending on programme features. For each programme, approximately two-thirds of those likely to enrol were insufficiently active. Results showed that insufficiently active employees, who represent the majority, are attracted to rewards-based physical activity programmes, and at approximately the same rate as active employees, even when enrolment fees are required. This suggests that a programme with generous rewards and a modest enrolment fee may have strong employee support and be within the range of what employers may be willing to spend.

What is “colonial” about medieval colonial medicine? Iberian health in global context

PubMed Central

McCleery, Iona

2015-01-01

Colonial medicine is a thriving field of study in the history of nineteenth- and twentieth-century medicine. Medicine can be used as a lens to view colonialism in action and as a way to critique colonialism. This article argues that key debates and ideas from that modern field can fruitfully be applied to the Middle Ages, especially for the early empires of Spain and Portugal (mid-fourteenth to mid-sixteenth centuries). The article identifies key modern debates, explores approaches to colonization and colonialism in the Middle Ages and discusses how medieval and modern medicine and healthcare could be compared using colonial and postcolonial discourses. The article ends with three case studies of healthcare encounters in Madeira, Granada and Hispaniola at the end of the fifteenth century. PMID:26550030

[Acceptance of the Implementation of Standardised Patient Education Programmes by the Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Team Using the Example of a Back School - A Qualitative Study].

PubMed

Peters, S; Schultze, A; Pfeifer, K; Faller, H; Meng, K

2016-03-01

The transfer of standardised patient education programmes into practice is a complex process with a multitude of influencing factors. Determinants relate among others to the organisation and individuals (e. g., practitioner, patient). Knowledge about individual factors regarding the trainers of patient education programmes in the German rehabilitation system is scarce. The aim of this study is to explore the acceptance of trainers concerning the implementation of a standardised back school and to derive facilitators and barriers to the implementation of patient education programmes. Semi-structured guideline-based interviews were conducted in 10 rehabilitation clinics. The sample consisted of 46 trainers (25 women): 11 physicians, 11 psychologists, 21 physio-/exercise therapists and 3 occupational therapists with a mean age of 41. The opinions of the trainers regarding the central components of back schools in general, their opinions about the new curriculum, their expectations on its implementation, anticipated difficulties with implementation and requests to the project team were explored as indicators for acceptance. The data were analysed with a multi-step qualitative content analysis. 6 main categories comprising 136 subcategories were created and 729 quotations coded. Regarding the central components that should be covered by back schools, back-friendly behaviour was addressed most often. Opinions regarding the new curriculum were mostly positive. Trainers' approval of content and methods was highlighted and the similarity with existing offers in the clinics as well as the structure of the programme were rated positively. The trainers expected an increased patient orientation and personal development as well as a common, coherent language and interdisciplinarity. Difficulties were anticipated regarding time and personnel as well as therapy and appointment planning and also regarding the motivation/acceptance of patients. A wish for communication, education of trainers and feedback was directed at the project team. The study demonstrates high acceptance of programme implementation and central components of modern patient education programmes among trainers. The basis of individual facilitators and barriers has been investigated and might contribute to further development of implementation interventions. Communication and education considering those factors play a central role. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Compact field programmable gate array-based pulse-sequencer and radio-frequency generator for experiments with trapped atoms.

PubMed

Pruttivarasin, Thaned; Katori, Hidetoshi

2015-11-01

We present a compact field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based pulse sequencer and radio-frequency (RF) generator suitable for experiments with cold trapped ions and atoms. The unit is capable of outputting a pulse sequence with at least 32 transistor-transistor logic (TTL) channels with a timing resolution of 40 ns and contains a built-in 100 MHz frequency counter for counting electrical pulses from a photo-multiplier tube. There are 16 independent direct-digital-synthesizers RF sources with fast (rise-time of ∼60 ns) amplitude switching and sub-mHz frequency tuning from 0 to 800 MHz.

Evolutionary Multiobjective Design Targeting a Field Programmable Transistor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aguirre, Arturo Hernandez; Zebulum, Ricardo S.; Coello, Carlos Coello

2004-01-01

This paper introduces the ISPAES algorithm for circuit design targeting a Field Programmable Transistor Array (FPTA). The use of evolutionary algorithms is common in circuit design problems, where a single fitness function drives the evolution process. Frequently, the design problem is subject to several goals or operating constraints, thus, designing a suitable fitness function catching all requirements becomes an issue. Such a problem is amenable for multi-objective optimization, however, evolutionary algorithms lack an inherent mechanism for constraint handling. This paper introduces ISPAES, an evolutionary optimization algorithm enhanced with a constraint handling technique. Several design problems targeting a FPTA show the potential of our approach.

Compact field programmable gate array-based pulse-sequencer and radio-frequency generator for experiments with trapped atoms

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

Pruttivarasin, Thaned, E-mail: thaned.pruttivarasin@riken.jp; Katori, Hidetoshi; Innovative Space-Time Project, ERATO, JST, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656

We present a compact field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based pulse sequencer and radio-frequency (RF) generator suitable for experiments with cold trapped ions and atoms. The unit is capable of outputting a pulse sequence with at least 32 transistor-transistor logic (TTL) channels with a timing resolution of 40 ns and contains a built-in 100 MHz frequency counter for counting electrical pulses from a photo-multiplier tube. There are 16 independent direct-digital-synthesizers RF sources with fast (rise-time of ∼60 ns) amplitude switching and sub-mHz frequency tuning from 0 to 800 MHz.

Some innovative programmes in Astronomy education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, G. S. D.; Sujatha, S.

In order to inculcate a systematic scientific awareness of the subject of Astronomy among the students and to motivate them to pursue careers in Astronomy and Astrophysics, various innovative educational programmes have been designed at MPBIFR. Among them, the main programme is termed as the ``100-hour Certificate Course in Astronomy and Astrophysics'' which has been designed basically for the students of the undergraduate level of B.Sc. and B.E. streams. The time duration of the 100 hours in this course is partitioned as 36 hours of classroom lectures, 34 hours of practicals and field trips and the remaining 30 hours being dedicated to dissertation writing and seminar presentations by the students. In addition, after the 100-hour course, the students have the option to take up specialized advance courses in the topics of Astrobiology, Astrochemistry, Radio Astronomy, Solar Astronomy and Cosmology as week-end classes. These courses are at the post graduate level and are covered in a span of 18 to 20 hours spread over a period of 9 to 10 weeks. As a preparatory programme, short-term introductory courses in the same subject are conducted for the high school students during the summer vacation period. Along with this, a three-week programme in basic Astronomy is also designed as an educational package for the general public. The students of these courses have the opportunity of being taken on field trips to various astronomical centers as well as the Radio, Solar and the Optical Observatories as part of their curriculum. The guided trips to the ISRO’s Satellite Centre at Bangalore and the Satellite Launching Station at SHAR provide high degree of motivation apart from giving thrilling experiences to the students. Further, the motivated students are encouraged to involve themselves in regular research programmes in Astronomy at MPBIFR for publishing research papers in national and international journals. The teaching and mentoring faculty for all these programmes includes the visiting Scientists and Professors from various Research Organizations located in and around Bangalore as well as the in-house Scientific staff. It is gratifying to note that several students, after going through one or more of these courses, have indeed made commitments to pursue Astronomy as their career, some of them even obtaining admissions in to the institutes and universities in India and abroad for further studies in this field.

Programmable shunts and headphones: Are they safe together?

PubMed

Spader, Heather S; Ratanaprasatporn, Linda; Morrison, John F; Grossberg, Jonathan A; Cosgrove, G Rees

2015-10-01

Programmable shunts have a valuable role in the treatment of patients with hydrocephalus, but because a magnet is used to change valve settings, interactions with external magnets may reprogram these shunts. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of magnetic toys and iPads to erroneously reprogram shunts. Headphones are even more ubiquitous, and they contain an electromagnet for sound projection that sits on the head very close to the shunt valve. This study is the first to look at the magnetic field emissions of headphones and their effect on reprogrammable shunt valves to ascertain whether headphones are safe for patients with these shunts to wear. In this in vitro study of the magnetic properties of headphones and their interactions with 3 different programmable shunts, the authors evaluated Apple earbuds, Beats by Dr. Dre, and Bose QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones. Each headphone was tested for electromagnetic field emissions using a direct current gaussmeter. The following valves were evaluated: Codman Hakim programmable valve, Medtronic Strata II valve, and Aesculap proGAV. Each valve was tested at distances of 0 to 50 mm (in 5-mm increments) from each headphone. The exposure time at each distance was 1 minute, and 3 trials were performed to confirm results at each valve setting and distance. All 3 headphones generated magnetic fields greater than the respective shunt manufacturer's recommended strength of exposure, but these fields did not persist beyond 5 mm. By 2 cm, the fields levels were below 20 G, well below the Medtronic recommendation of 90 G and the Codman recommendation of 80 G. Because the mechanism for the proGAV is different, there is no recommended gauss level. There was no change in gauss-level emissions by the headphones with changes in frequency and amplitude. Both the Strata and Codman-Hakim valves were reprogrammed by direct contact (distance 0 mm) with the Bose headphones. When a rotation component was added, all 3 headphones reprogrammed the Strata and Codman-Hakim valves at 0 mm. At all distances above 0 mm, the headphones did not affect the shunts. The proGAV valve was not affected by headphones at any distance. Although all the headphones studied generated significant gauss fields at distances less than 5 mm, the programmable valve settings only changed at a distance of 0 mm (i.e., with direct contact). Given the subcutaneous location of the valve, the authors conclude that is highly unlikely that commercially available or customary headphones can contribute to the reprogramming of shunts.

Current status of master of public health programmes in India: a scoping review.

PubMed

Tiwari, Ritika; Negandhi, Himanshu; Zodpey, Sanjay

2018-04-01

There is a recognized need to improve training in public health in India. Currently, several Indian institutions and universities offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme. However, in the absence of any formal body or council for regulating public health education in the country, there is limited information available on these programmes. This scoping review was therefore undertaken to review the current status of MPH programmes in India. Information on MPH programmes was obtained using a two-step process. First, a list of all institutions offering MPH programmes in India was compiled by use of an internet and literature search. Second, detailed information on each programme was collected via an internet and literature search and through direct contact with the institutions and recognized experts in public health education. Between 1997 and 2016-2017, the number of institutions offering MPH programmes increased from 2 to 44. The eligibility criteria for the MPH programmes are variable. All programmes include some field experience. The ratio of faculty number to students enrolled ranged from 1:0.1 to 1:42. In the 2016-2017 academic year, 1190 places were being offered on MPH programmes but only 704 students were enrolled. MPH programmes being offered in India have witnessed a rapid expansion in the past two decades. This growth in supply of public health graduates is not yet matched by an increased demand. Despite the recognized need to strengthen the public health workforce in India, there is no clearly defined career pathway for MPH graduates in the national public health infrastructure. Institutions and public health bodies must collaborate to design and deliver MPH programmes to overcome the shortage of public health professionals, such that the development goals for India might be met.

Research Capacity Strengthening in Low and Middle Income Countries - An Evaluation of the WHO/TDR Career Development Fellowship Programme.

PubMed

Käser, Michael; Maure, Christine; Halpaap, Beatrice M M; Vahedi, Mahnaz; Yamaka, Sara; Launois, Pascal; Casamitjana, Núria

2016-05-01

Between August 2012 and April 2013 the Career Development Fellowship programme of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (World Health Organization) underwent an external evaluation to assess its past performance and determine recommendations for future programme development and continuous performance improvement. The programme provides a year-long training experience for qualified researchers from low and middle income countries at pharmaceutical companies or product development partnerships. Independent evaluators from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health used a results-based methodology to review the programme. Data were gathered through document review, surveys, and interviews with a range of programme participants. The final evaluation report found the Career Development Fellowship to be relevant to organizers' and programme objectives, efficient in its operations, and effective in its training scheme, which was found to address needs and gaps for both fellows and their home institutions. Evaluators found that the programme has the potential for impact and sustainability beyond the programme period, especially with the successful reintegration of fellows into their home institutions, through which newly-developed skills can be shared at the institutional level. Recommendations included the development of a scheme to support the re-integration of fellows into their home institutions post-fellowship and to seek partnerships to facilitate the scaling-up of the programme. The impact of the Professional Membership Scheme, an online professional development tool launched through the programme, beyond the scope of the Career Development Fellowship programme itself to other applications, has been identified as a positive unintended outcome. The results of this evaluation may be of interest for other efforts in the field of research capacity strengthening in LMICs or, generally, to other professional development schemes of a similar structure.

The Effect of Literacy Training on Modernization Variables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herzog, William Adam, Jr.

The present research was a field experiment exploring the relationship of literacy to certain modernization variables. Data were collected in five rural communities in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in July 1966. The communities were matched as closely as possible on population, literacy rate, distance to an urban center, community institutional…

Modern Gravitational Lens Cosmology for Introductory Physics and Astronomy Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huwe, Paul; Field, Scott

2015-01-01

Recent and exciting discoveries in astronomy and cosmology have inspired many high school students to learn about these fields. A particularly fascinating consequence of general relativity at the forefront of modern cosmology research is gravitational lensing, the bending of light rays that pass near massive objects. Gravitational lensing enables…

A Research Agenda for Helminth Diseases of Humans: Diagnostics for Control and Elimination Programmes

PubMed Central

McCarthy, James S.; Lustigman, Sara; Yang, Guo-Jing; Barakat, Rashida M.; García, Héctor H.; Sripa, Banchob; Willingham, Arve Lee; Prichard, Roger K.; Basáñez, María-Gloria

2012-01-01

Diagnostic tools appropriate for undertaking interventions to control helminth infections are key to their success. Many diagnostic tests for helminth infection have unsatisfactory performance characteristics and are not well suited for use in the parasite control programmes that are being increasingly implemented. Although the application of modern laboratory research techniques to improve diagnostics for helminth infection has resulted in some technical advances, uptake has not been uniform. Frequently, pilot or proof of concept studies of promising diagnostic technologies have not been followed by much needed product development, and in many settings diagnosis continues to rely on insensitive and unsatisfactory parasitological or serodiagnostic techniques. In contrast, PCR-based xenomonitoring of arthropod vectors, and use of parasite recombinant proteins as reagents for serodiagnostic tests, have resulted in critical advances in the control of specific helminth parasites. The Disease Reference Group on Helminths Infections (DRG4), established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. In this review, the diagnostic technologies relevant to control of helminth infections, either available or in development, are reviewed. Critical gaps are identified and opportunities to improve needed technologies are discussed. PMID:22545166

Influence of supplementary lighting during artificial scab inoculation tests in an apple breeding programm focused on partial resistance.

PubMed

Lefrancq, B; Lateur, M

2006-01-01

In 1988, the Department of Biological Control and Plant Genetic Resources at the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre started an apple-breeding programme using local genetic resources and modern varieties. Our objective is to create high quality commercial cultivars with durable resistance to scab (Venturia inaequalis), powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha) and canker (Nectria galligena). The breeding strategy is based on crossing old apple cultivars and landraces selected as parents for low disease susceptibility and possessing other desirable horticultural characteristics. The programme aims to develop an early and efficient selection methodology adapted to partial disease resistance. One of the objectives is to define the optimal screening limit for discarding individuals after artificial scab inoculation tests. Working with large populations of seedlings entails spacing the seedling scab tests throughout the year. In order to work during winter, seedlings were grown in controlled cabinet conditions and in a glasshouse with supplementary lighting. To assess the bias introduced by these conditions, two trials were conducted: the first one to compare the influence of both environments on the results of scab inoculation tests, and the second one to assess the influence of the duration of supplementary lighting. The results enabled us to evaluate the limits of artificial cultural systems.

Coordination and Data Management of the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-30

for forcing, validation and assimilation into numerical climate models , and for forecasting weather and ice conditions. TRANSITIONS Using IABP ...Coordination and Data Management of the International Arctic Buoy Programme ( IABP ) Ignatius G. Rigor 1013 NE 40th Street Polar Science Center...analyzed geophysical fields. APPROACH The IABP is a collaboration between 25 different institutions from 8 different countries, which work together

Marine Sciences in CMEA Countries: Programme and Results of Co-operation. Unesco Reports in Marine Science No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksionov, A. A.

In 1971, the 25th Session of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) adopted a Programme for the Development of Socialist Economic Integration. Later, part of this program became a program of cooperation in the field of oceanography, particularly the chemical, physical, and biological processes of certain important areas of the ocean. To…

Evaluative Study of M.A. Education Programmes of Teacher Education at Higher Education Level in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fatima, Jabeen; Naseer Ud Din, Muhammad

2010-01-01

The study was aimed at evaluating the MA Education Programme of teacher education in Pakistan. Post-graduate teacher's training institutes in Pakistan grant the Master of Education (MA/M.Ed.), Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) post-graduate degrees in the field of education to enhance the careers and accelerate the…

Student Teachers of Technology and Design into Industry: A Northern Ireland Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Ken

2013-01-01

This paper, based in Northern Ireland, is a case study of an innovative programme which places year 3 B.Ed. post-primary student teachers of Technology and Design into industry for a five-day period. The industrial placement programme is set in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and in a local context defined by the…

Making Fieldwork Valuable: Designing fieldwork programmes to meet the needs of young geologists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, Michael

2016-04-01

This work presents the culmination of many years' in designing and operating field courses for students studying Geology at post-16 level in the context of the British schooling system. Provided is a toolkit, and accompanying rationale, for the educators use when building a sustainable and manageable programme of fieldwork for young geologists. Many educators, particularly under the confines of new regulations have found the promise of increased paper work and accountability challenging and consequently field courses often play a peripheral, even non-existent role in the scheme of work for a large number of young geologists. The process of designing a suitable programme of field study must take account of the relevant stakeholders, chief among these are the views of students and staff but also those of parents, potential destination universities, exam boards and qualification accrediting groups. An audit of desired characteristics a programme of fieldwork would contain was completed using information gained through first hand research with students as well as in conversation with local universities. The results of this audit highlighted several confining factors ranging from the potential cost implications for school and parents, the extent to which content would support learning in class, and the feasibility of achieving all characteristics given limitations on staff and time. Student perceptions of the value of fieldwork were gauged through various means; group interviews were conducted during a number of academic years, field course evaluations were completed following excursions, and questionnaires were distributed at the close of the 2014-2015 academic year. Findings demonstrated that student perceptions of the benefits offered by fieldwork were several fold; chiefly students felt the inclusion of fieldwork was a very important motivator in their decision to study the subject and maintain curiosity in their studies, the belief that fieldwork acts as a consolidator to abstract ideas in class and the importance of its role in team building exercises were also broadly held views. The strength of opinion demonstrated by students reinforces the importance of decisions made regarding fieldwork. Following the initial auditing stage potential field sites were then investigated by staff and assessed for their potential to meet the desired characteristics, where promise was shown these localities were then developed into individual courses where discrete skills could be developed. By assembling together the range of learning outcomes from each individual field trip a narrative 'learning journey' was developed with a clear end goal. Having been through this process and seeing the positive effects on student progress this work presents a toolkit to educators to provide assistance and framework in the development of further programmes of field study through equally considered design.

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT)

PubMed Central

Vallières, Frédérique; Hyland, Philip; Murphy, Jamie; Hansen, Maj; Shevlin, Mark; Elklit, Ask; Ceannt, Ruth; Armour, Cherie; Wiedemann, Nana; Munk, Mette; Dinesen, Cecilie; O’Hare, Geraldine; Cunningham, Twylla; Askerod, Ditte; Spitz, Pernille; Blackwell, Noeline; McCarthy, Angela; O’Dowd, Leonie; Scott, Shirley; Reid, Tracey; Mokake, Andreas; Halpin, Rory; Perera, Camila; Gleeson, Christina; Frost, Rachel; Flanagan, Natalie; Aldamman, Kinan; Tamrakar, Trina; Louison Vang, Maria; Sherwood, Larissa; Travers, Áine; Haahr-Pedersen, Ida; Walshe, Catherine; McDonagh, Tracey; Bramsen, Rikke Holm

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT In this paper we present a description of the Horizon2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded, research and training programme CONTEXT: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology. The three objectives of the programme are put forward, each of which refers to a key component of the CONTEXT programme. First, we summarize the 12 individual research projects that will take place across three priority populations: (i) refugees and asylum seekers, (ii) first responders, and (iii) perpetrators and survivors of childhood and gender-based violence. Second, we detail the mentoring and training programme central to CONTEXT. Finally, we describe how the research, together with the training, will contribute towards better policy, guidelines, and practice within the field of psychotraumatology. PMID:29372015

Radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate array exploiting holographic memory characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seto, Daisaku; Watanabe, Minoru

2015-09-01

In this paper, we present a proposal for a radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate array (ORGA). The ORGA is a type of field programmable gate array (FPGA). The ORGA configuration can be executed by the exploitation of holographic memory characteristics even if 20% of the configuration data are damaged. Moreover, the optoelectronic technology enables the high-speed reconfiguration of the programmable gate array. Such a high-speed reconfiguration can increase the radiation tolerance of its programmable gate array to 9.3 × 104 times higher than that of current FPGAs. Through experimentation, this study clarified the configuration dependability using the impulse-noise emulation and high-speed configuration capabilities of the ORGA with corrupt configuration contexts. Moreover, the radiation tolerance of the programmable gate array was confirmed theoretically through probabilistic calculation.

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT).

PubMed

Vallières, Frédérique; Hyland, Philip; Murphy, Jamie; Hansen, Maj; Shevlin, Mark; Elklit, Ask; Ceannt, Ruth; Armour, Cherie; Wiedemann, Nana; Munk, Mette; Dinesen, Cecilie; O'Hare, Geraldine; Cunningham, Twylla; Askerod, Ditte; Spitz, Pernille; Blackwell, Noeline; McCarthy, Angela; O'Dowd, Leonie; Scott, Shirley; Reid, Tracey; Mokake, Andreas; Halpin, Rory; Perera, Camila; Gleeson, Christina; Frost, Rachel; Flanagan, Natalie; Aldamman, Kinan; Tamrakar, Trina; Louison Vang, Maria; Sherwood, Larissa; Travers, Áine; Haahr-Pedersen, Ida; Walshe, Catherine; McDonagh, Tracey; Bramsen, Rikke Holm

2018-01-01

In this paper we present a description of the Horizon2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded, research and training programme CONTEXT: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology. The three objectives of the programme are put forward, each of which refers to a key component of the CONTEXT programme. First, we summarize the 12 individual research projects that will take place across three priority populations: (i) refugees and asylum seekers, (ii) first responders, and (iii) perpetrators and survivors of childhood and gender-based violence. Second, we detail the mentoring and training programme central to CONTEXT. Finally, we describe how the research, together with the training, will contribute towards better policy, guidelines, and practice within the field of psychotraumatology.

Five road safety education programmes for young adolescent pedestrians and cyclists: a multi-programme evaluation in a field setting.

PubMed

Twisk, Divera A M; Vlakveld, Willem P; Commandeur, Jacques J F; Shope, Jean T; Kok, Gerjo

2014-05-01

A practical approach was developed to assess and compare the effects of five short road safety education (RSE) programmes for young adolescents that does not rely on injury or crash data but uses self reported behaviour. Questionnaires were administered just before and about one month after participation in the RSE programmes, both to youngsters who had participated in a RSE programme, the intervention group, and to a comparable reference group of youngsters who had not, the reference group. For each RSE programme, the answers to the questionnaires in the pre- and post-test were checked for internal consistency and then condensed into a single safety score using categorical principal components analysis. Next, an analysis of covariance was performed on the obtained safety scores in order to compare the post-test scores of the intervention and reference groups, corrected for their corresponding pre-test scores. It was found that three out of five RSE programmes resulted in significantly improved self-reported safety behaviour. However, the proportions of participants that changed their behaviour relative to the reference group were small, ranging from 3% to 20%. Comparisons among programme types showed cognitive approaches not to differ in effect from programmes that used fear-appeal approaches. The method used provides a useful tool to assess and compare the effects of different education programmes on self-reported behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An anatomy of industrial robots and their controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luh, J. Y. S.

1983-02-01

The modernization of manufacturing facilities by means of automation represents an approach for increasing productivity in industry. The three existing types of automation are related to continuous process controls, the use of transfer conveyor methods, and the employment of programmable automation for the low-volume batch production of discrete parts. The industrial robots, which are defined as computer controlled mechanics manipulators, belong to the area of programmable automation. Typically, the robots perform tasks of arc welding, paint spraying, or foundary operation. One may assign a robot to perform a variety of job assignments simply by changing the appropriate computer program. The present investigation is concerned with an evaluation of the potential of the robot on the basis of its basic structure and controls. It is found that robots function well in limited areas of industry. If the range of tasks which robots can perform is to be expanded, it is necessary to provide multiple-task sensors, or special tooling, or even automatic tooling.

SIMD Optimization of Linear Expressions for Programmable Graphics Hardware

PubMed Central

Bajaj, Chandrajit; Ihm, Insung; Min, Jungki; Oh, Jinsang

2009-01-01

The increased programmability of graphics hardware allows efficient graphical processing unit (GPU) implementations of a wide range of general computations on commodity PCs. An important factor in such implementations is how to fully exploit the SIMD computing capacities offered by modern graphics processors. Linear expressions in the form of ȳ = Ax̄ + b̄, where A is a matrix, and x̄, ȳ and b̄ are vectors, constitute one of the most basic operations in many scientific computations. In this paper, we propose a SIMD code optimization technique that enables efficient shader codes to be generated for evaluating linear expressions. It is shown that performance can be improved considerably by efficiently packing arithmetic operations into four-wide SIMD instructions through reordering of the operations in linear expressions. We demonstrate that the presented technique can be used effectively for programming both vertex and pixel shaders for a variety of mathematical applications, including integrating differential equations and solving a sparse linear system of equations using iterative methods. PMID:19946569

Promoting research integrity in the geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, Tony

2015-04-01

Conducting research in a responsible manner in compliance with codes of research integrity is essential. The geosciences, as with all other areas of research endeavour, has its fair share of misconduct cases and causes celebres. As research becomes more global, more collaborative and more cross-disciplinary, the need for all concerned to work to the same high standards becomes imperative. Modern technology makes it far easier to 'cut and paste', to use Photoshop to manipulate imagery to falsify results at the same time as making research easier and more meaningful. So we need to promote the highest standards of research integrity and the responsible conduct of research. While ultimately, responsibility for misconduct rests with the individual, institutions and the academic research system have to take steps to alleviate the pressure on researchers and promote good practice through training programmes and mentoring. The role of the World Conferences on Research Integrity in promoting the importance of research integrity and statements about good practice will be presented and the need for training and mentoring programmes will be discussed

Fifty years of immunisation in Australia (1964-2014): the increasing opportunity to prevent diseases.

PubMed

Royle, Jenny; Lambert, Stephen B

2015-01-01

Medicine has seen dramatic changes in the last 50 years, and vaccinology is no different. Australia has made a significant contribution to world knowledge on vaccine-preventable diseases. Certain deadly diseases have disappeared or become rare in Australia following successful introduction of vaccines. As diseases become rarer, public knowledge about the diseases and their serious consequences has decreased, and concerns about potential vaccine side effects have increased. To maintain confidence in immunisations, sharing of detailed information about the vaccines and the diseases we are trying to prevent is integral to the continued success of our public health programme. Modern quality immunisation programmes need to communicate complex information to immunisation providers and also to the general community. Improving immunisation coverage rates and eliminating the gap in coverage and timeliness between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people has become a high priority. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2015 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Changing techniques in crop plant classification: molecularization at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany during the 1980s.

PubMed

Holmes, Matthew

2017-04-01

Modern methods of analysing biological materials, including protein and DNA sequencing, are increasingly the objects of historical study. Yet twentieth-century taxonomic techniques have been overlooked in one of their most important contexts: agricultural botany. This paper addresses this omission by harnessing unexamined archival material from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), a British plant science organization. During the 1980s the NIAB carried out three overlapping research programmes in crop identification and analysis: electrophoresis, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and machine vision systems. For each of these three programmes, contemporary economic, statutory and scientific factors behind their uptake by the NIAB are discussed. This approach reveals significant links between taxonomic practice at the NIAB and historical questions around agricultural research, intellectual property and scientific values. Such links are of further importance given that the techniques developed by researchers at the NIAB during the 1980s remain part of crop classification guidelines issued by international bodies today.

The development of an intervention programme to reduce whole-body vibration exposure at work induced by a change in behaviour: a study protocol

PubMed Central

Tiemessen, Ivo JH; Hulshof, Carel TJ; Frings-Dresen, Monique HW

2007-01-01

Background Whole body vibration (WBV) exposure at work is common and studies found evidence that this exposure might cause low back pain (LBP). A recent review concluded there is a lack of evidence of effective strategies to reduce WBV exposure. Most research in this field is focussed on the technical implications, although changing behaviour towards WBV exposure might be promising as well. Therefore, we developed an intervention programme to reduce WBV exposure in a population of drivers with the emphasis on a change in behaviour of driver and employer. The hypothesis is that an effective reduction in WBV exposure, in time, will lead to a reduction in LBP as WBV exposure is a proxy for an increased risk of LBP. Methods/Design The intervention programme was developed specifically for the drivers of vibrating vehicles and their employers. The intervention programme will be based on the most important determinants of WBV exposure as track conditions, driving speed, quality of the seat, etc. By increasing knowledge and skills towards changing these determinants, the attitude, social influence and self-efficacy (ASE) of both drivers and employers will be affected having an effect on the level of exposure. We used the well-known ASE model to develop an intervention programme aiming at a change or the intention to change behaviour towards WBV exposure. The developed programme consists of: individual health surveillance, an information brochure, an informative presentation and a report of the performed field measurements. Discussion The study protocol described is advantageous as the intervention program actively tries to change behaviour towards WBV exposure. The near future will show if this intervention program is effective by showing a decrease in WBV exposure. PMID:18005400

Health-seeking behaviour for schistosomiasis: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative literature.

PubMed

Cronin, Thomas; Sheppard, James; de Wildt, Gilles

2013-01-01

Schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating parasitic disease acquired through contact with infested freshwater. An essential component of its control is passive case finding, which, in order to be effective, requires a detailed understanding of health-seeking behaviour. This study aimed to systematically review evidence on health-seeking behaviour for schistosomiasis, in order to determine factors influencing use or non-use of modern health services for the infection. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed method studies reporting on factors related to seeking treatment from modern health services for schistosomiasis were obtained, combining electronic and hand searching. Data extraction and quality assessment of the included articles were performed, with all studies qualitatively analysed using thematic synthesis. A total of 19 studies were included in the review. Six themes were identified from the analysis: biomedical knowledge on schistosomiasis, perceptions of modern treatment and health services, financial considerations of treatment, perceptions on the symptoms, stigma of the infection, and physical location and community. These findings were consistent across studies of different design, setting and quality. Many of the themes identified echo existing literature on health-seeking behaviour. The synthesis also highlighted the role of stigma, and aspects of the physical location and community that may affect treatment-seeking for schistosomiasis. Health education programmes that intend to improve the utilisation of modern health services for the infection need to acknowledge the multiple determinants influencing their use. Future research should move beyond describing health-seeking behaviour to identifying the factors that underlay such behaviour.

Setting research priorities for HIV/AIDS-related research in a post-graduate training programme: lessons learnt from the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme scientific workshop.

PubMed

Poggensee, Gabriele; Waziri, Ndadilnasiya Endie; Bashorun, Adebobola; Nguku, Patrick Mboya; Fawole, Olufunmilayo Ibitola; Sabitu, Kabir

2014-01-01

In Nigeria the current prevalence of HIV is 4.1% with over 3.5 million infected and estimated 1.5 million in need of anti-retroviral treatment. Epidemiological and implementation studies are necessary for monitoring and evaluation of interventions. To define research areas which can be addressed by participants of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Training Programme (NFELTP) a workshop was held in April 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria. Priority research areas were identified using criteria lists for ranking of the relevance of research questions. Based on a research matrix, NFELTP residents developed the aims and objectives, study design for HIV-related research proposals. This workshop was the first workshop held by the NFELTP to establish an inventory of research questions which can be addressed by the residents within their training period. This inventory will help to increase HIV/AIDS-related activities of NFELTP which are in accordance with research needs in Nigeria and PEPFAR objectives.

Modern contraceptive use among migrant and non-migrant women in Kenya.

PubMed

Ochako, Rhoune; Askew, Ian; Okal, Jerry; Oucho, John; Temmerman, Marleen

2016-06-01

Manifest socio-economic differences are a trigger for internal migration in many sub-Saharan settings including Kenya. An interplay of the social, political and economic factors often lead to internal migration. Internal migration potentially has significant consequences on an individual's economic growth and on access to health services, however, there has been little research on these dynamics. In Kenya, where regional differentials in population growth and poverty reduction continue to be priorities in the post MDG development agenda, understanding the relationships between contraceptive use and internal migration is highly relevant. Using data from the 2008-09 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), we analyze data from 5,905 women aged 15-49 years who reported being sexually active in the last 12 months prior to the survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions are fitted to predict correlates of contraceptive use in the presence of migration streams among other explanatory variables. Modern contraceptive use was significantly higher among women in all migration streams (non-migrant urban (OR = 2.8, p < 0.001), urban-urban (OR = 2.0, p < 0.001), urban-rural (OR = 2.0, p < 0.001), rural-urban (OR = 2.6, p < 0.001), rural-rural (OR = 1.7, p < 0.001), than non-migrant rural women. Women who internally migrate within Kenya, whether from rural to urban or between urban centres, were more likely to use modern contraception than non-migrant rural women. This phenomenon appears to be due to selection, adaption and disruption effects which are likely to promote use of modern contraceptives. Programmatically, the differentials in modern contraceptive use by the different migration streams should be considered when designing family planning programmes among migrant and non-migrant women.

Developing standards for malaria microscopy: external competency assessment for malaria microscopists in the Asia-Pacific.

PubMed

Ashraf, Sania; Kao, Angie; Hugo, Cecilia; Christophel, Eva M; Fatunmbi, Bayo; Luchavez, Jennifer; Lilley, Ken; Bell, David

2012-10-24

Malaria diagnosis has received renewed interest in recent years, associated with the increasing accessibility of accurate diagnosis through the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests and new World Health Organization guidelines recommending parasite-based diagnosis prior to anti-malarial therapy. However, light microscopy, established over 100 years ago and frequently considered the reference standard for clinical diagnosis, has been neglected in control programmes and in the malaria literature and evidence suggests field standards are commonly poor. Microscopy remains the most accessible method for parasite quantitation, for drug efficacy monitoring, and as a reference of assessing other diagnostic tools. This mismatch between quality and need highlights the importance of the establishment of reliable standards and procedures for assessing and assuring quality. This paper describes the development, function and impact of a multi-country microscopy external quality assurance network set up for this purpose in Asia. Surveys were used for key informants and past participants for feedback on the quality assurance programme. Competency scores for each country from 14 participating countries were compiled for analyses using paired sample t-tests. In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants including the programme facilitators and national level microscopists. External assessments and limited retraining through a formalized programme based on a reference slide bank has demonstrated an increase in standards of competence of senior microscopists over a relatively short period of time, at a potentially sustainable cost. The network involved in the programme now exceeds 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific, and the methods are extended to other regions. While the impact on national programmes varies, it has translated in some instances into a strengthening of national microscopy standards and offers a possibility both for supporting revival of national microcopy programmes, and for the development of globally recognized standards of competency needed both for patient management and field research.

Lessons learnt on implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral programme in water sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

Using the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems as a case study, this work describes how the characteristics of the programme can be evaluated to identify which process features are important for developing interdisciplinary research at the doctoral level. The Programme has been running since 2009, and to date has engaged 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). Collaborative, multi-disciplinary research is encouraged and supported through various mechanisms - shared offices, study programme, research cluster groups that hold regular meetings, joint study sites, annual and six-month symposia that bring all members of the programme together, seminar series, joint supervision, and social events. Interviews were conducted with 12 students and recent graduates to explore individual experiences of doing interdisciplinary research within the Programme, and to identify which mechanisms are perceived to be of the greatest benefit for collaborative work. Analysis revealed four important process features. Firstly, students noted that joint supervision and supervisors who are motivated to collaborate are essential for multi-disciplinary collaborative work. Secondly, interviewees described that they work with the people they sit close to or see most regularly. Physical places for collaboration between different discipline researchers such as shared offices and shared study sites are therefore important. Thirdly, the costs and benefits to doing interdisciplinary work were highlighted. Students make a trade-off when deciding if their time investment to develop their understanding of a new research field will support them in addressing their research question. The personal characteristics of the researcher seem to be particularly relevant to this decision making process and need to be considered during student selection. Finally, communication skills are critical. Students noted that they need to be able to understand what each other are doing in order to work together and the symposia and research cluster meetings are good places for developing these skills.

Developing standards for malaria microscopy: external competency assessment for malaria microscopists in the Asia-Pacific

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Malaria diagnosis has received renewed interest in recent years, associated with the increasing accessibility of accurate diagnosis through the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests and new World Health Organization guidelines recommending parasite-based diagnosis prior to anti-malarial therapy. However, light microscopy, established over 100 years ago and frequently considered the reference standard for clinical diagnosis, has been neglected in control programmes and in the malaria literature and evidence suggests field standards are commonly poor. Microscopy remains the most accessible method for parasite quantitation, for drug efficacy monitoring, and as a reference of assessing other diagnostic tools. This mismatch between quality and need highlights the importance of the establishment of reliable standards and procedures for assessing and assuring quality. This paper describes the development, function and impact of a multi-country microscopy external quality assurance network set up for this purpose in Asia. Methods Surveys were used for key informants and past participants for feedback on the quality assurance programme. Competency scores for each country from 14 participating countries were compiled for analyses using paired sample t-tests. In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants including the programme facilitators and national level microscopists. Results External assessments and limited retraining through a formalized programme based on a reference slide bank has demonstrated an increase in standards of competence of senior microscopists over a relatively short period of time, at a potentially sustainable cost. The network involved in the programme now exceeds 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific, and the methods are extended to other regions. Conclusions While the impact on national programmes varies, it has translated in some instances into a strengthening of national microscopy standards and offers a possibility both for supporting revival of national microcopy programmes, and for the development of globally recognized standards of competency needed both for patient management and field research. PMID:23095668

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: FIELD ANALYTICAL SCREENING PROGRAM: PCB METHOD - U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Science Inventory

The field analytical screening program (FASP) polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) method uses a temperature-programmable gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with an electron capture detector (ECD) to identify and quantify PCBs. Gas chromatography is an EPA-approved method for determi...

Assessing The Role Of Integrated Learning In The BSc International Field Geosciences (IFG) Joint Degree Programme At University College Cork, the University of Montana and the University of Potsdam.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meere, Patrick; Hendrix, Marc; Strecker, Manfred; Berger, Andreas

2010-05-01

The Department of Geology at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, in conjunction with the Universities of Montana (UM) and Potsdam (UP) launched a new BSc in International Field Geosciences in Autumn 2008. In this program superb natural field geoscience laboratories available in Europe and the western United States are utilized as learning environments forming the basis for a ‘Joint' Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree. This programme focuses on the documentation, interpretation, and synthesis of critical geological issues in the field. It rests upon a backbone of existing modules that are the foundation of current geology programs at three partner institutions complemented by an emphasis on the development of field-based learning in an intercultural setting. The core curriculum is identical to that required for the existing BSc Geology at UCC except the third Year is spent abroad at UM while additional courses are taken at the UP at the start the fourth year. The mobility component of the programme is funded as part of a joint EU/US ATLANTIS project. The motivation for the new programme was primarily driven by the growing international demand for geoscientists with integrated field skills. Over the last two decades existing geoscience programmes in Europe and the US have tended to progressively reduce their field based learning components. One of the major reasons for this neglect is the increasing cost associated with physically transporting students into the field and maintaining a safe outdoor working environment. Heath and safety considerations in an increasingly litigious society have led to increasingly limited choices for suitable field areas in the last few decades. Lastly, recent technological advances such as GIS and various other forms of remote sensing have led to new ways of analyzing geospatial data that, while certainly useful, divert the attention of the Geoscience community away from collecting ‘ground truth' data and making direct observations in the field. It is very much the case that the field experience is "greater than the sum of its parts" and that substantial time in the field; (1) allows students to make their own conceptual connections and adopt a problem solving approach that requires them to draw on and integrate various sub-disciplines in the geosciences. (2) provides students with direct access to their study subject (Earth) (3) allows students to acquire 3D visualization of geological structures and relationships (4) offers students an opportunity to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning experience (5) offers the opportunity for students to show personal learning initiative (6) raises awareness and enhances student appreciation for environmental issues and their complex feedback mechanisms (7) enhances generic scientific investigative skills (8) enhances personal development, through increased self-reliance, self-confidence and team-building (9) promotes deeper learning through direct experience and complete immersion We will use a variety of means of assessing the level of impact of the integrative learning aspects of our program, focusing both on the cognitive and affective domains. Cognitive activities are concerned with the direct processing of information and subsequent construction of meaning while the affective domain is related to processes that are concerned with the learner's emotional response (feelings and attitude) to learning.

A countrywide programme of continuing professional development in Argentina

PubMed Central

Lejarraga, H; Ageitos, M; Galli, A; Castro, C; Paediatrics, A. S.; Education, S. o.; SHRIBMAN, S

1998-01-01

The Argentinean Society of Paediatrics introduced in 1993 a continuing professional development (CPD) programme to raise standards of clinical practice. The aims of the project were to introduce a structured, distance learning programme accessible to all paediatricians in the country, but especially for those working far from centres of paediatric excellence. The programme is planned on an annual basis. It includes four activities: a written manual designed by a team of medical experts and educationalists comprising 12topics; field work for participants; annual meetings in several locations in the country for discussion of the subjects; and an evaluation based on centrally designed multiple choice questions distributed by mail. In spite of a registration fee of £90 a year, participation in the programme increased from 3357 in 1993 to 4126 in 1996, from a membership of 10 216 paediatricians in Argentina. The popularity of the programme may result from an appropriate interpretation of professional needs of paediatricians in Argentina, adequate organisational arrangements that reach all colleagues, including those working in remote areas, and a genuine motivation of paediatricians for participating in a learning process. 

 PMID:9713017

Programming jammed Codman Hakim programmable valves: study of an explanted valve and successful programming in a patient.

PubMed

Wong, Sui-To; Wen, Eleanor; Fong, Dawson

2013-08-01

Malfunction of a Codman Hakim programmable valve due to jamming of its programmable component may necessitate shunt revision. The authors report a method for programming jammed Codman Hakim programmable valves by using a Strata II magnet and additional neodymium magnets. The programming method was derived after studying a jammed valve in the laboratory that was explanted from an 10-year-old boy with a history of fourth ventricle ependymoma. Programming the explanted valve with a Codman programmer failed, but rotating a Strata II magnet above the valve resulted in rotation of the spiral cam in the valve. It was found that the Strata II magnet could be used to program the jammed valve by rotating the magnet 90° or multiples of 90° above the valve. The strength of the magnetic field of the Strata II magnet was able to be increased by putting neodymium magnets on it. The programming method was then successfully used in a patient with a jammed Codman Hakim programmable valve. After successful programming using this method, clinical and radiological follow-up of the patient was advised.

PORT (Programme of Recognition and Therapy): the first Polish recognition and treatment programme for patients with an at-risk mental state.

PubMed

Kotlicka-Antczak, Magdalena; Pawełczyk, Tomasz; Rabe-Jabłońska, Jolanta; Pawełczyk, Agnieszka

2015-08-01

To present the activities of the first early intervention centre in Poland and the Programme of Recognition and Therapy (PORT) run by the centre. An overview of the admission process, diagnostic procedures and therapeutic interventions offered to individuals with an at-risk mental state. The PORT programme, developed in 2010, included 81 individuals, aged 15-29 years so far. The diagnostic procedures consists of evaluation of symptoms with the use of the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental State (CAARMS), assessment of premorbid and current personality traits and the evaluation of cognitive functions. Therapeutic interventions include cognitive behavioural therapy, diet supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and pharmacological treatment. Overall rate of conversion into psychosis within the years 2010-2103 was 18.5%. The programme has also been a source of research in the field of early psychosis. The PORT programme enables young people with an ARMS an easy access to the specialized service offering treatment tailored to their specific needs. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Evolution of the Space Shuttle Primary Avionics Software and Avionics for Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Roscoe C.

2011-01-01

As a result of recommendation from the Augustine Panel, the direction for Human Space Flight has been altered from the original plan referred to as Constellation. NASA s Human Exploration Framework Team (HEFT) proposes the use of a Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (SDLV) and an Orion derived spacecraft (salvaged from Constellation) to support a new flexible direction for space exploration. The SDLV must be developed within an environment of a constrained budget and a preferred fast development schedule. Thus, it has been proposed to utilize existing assets from the Shuttle Program to speed development at a lower cost. These existing assets should not only include structures such as external tanks or solid rockets, but also the Flight Software which has traditionally been a "long pole" in new development efforts. The avionics and software for the Space Shuttle was primarily developed in the 70 s and considered state of the art for that time. As one may argue that the existing avionics and flight software may be too outdated to support the new SDLV effort, this is a fallacy if they can be evolved over time into a "modern avionics" platform. The technology may be outdated, but the avionics concepts and flight software algorithms are not. The reuse of existing avionics and software also allows for the reuse of development, verification, and operations facilities. The keyword is evolve in that these assets can support the fast development of such a vehicle, but then be gradually evolved over time towards more modern platforms as budget and schedule permits. The "gold" of the flight software is the "control loop" algorithms of the vehicle. This is the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) software algorithms. This software is typically the most expensive to develop, test, and verify. Thus, the approach is to preserve the GNC flight software, while first evolving the supporting software (such as Command and Data Handling, Caution and Warning, Telemetry, etc.). This can be accomplished by gradually removing the "support software" from the legacy flight software leaving only the GNC algorithms. The "support software" could be re-developed for modern platforms, while leaving the GNC algorithms to execute on technology compatible with the legacy system. It is also possible to package the GNC algorithms into an emulated version of the original computer (via Field Programmable Gate Arrays or FPGAs), thus becoming a "GNC on a Chip" solution where it could live forever to be embedded in modern avionics platforms.

Quality evaluation in the management of child sponsorship programmes.

PubMed

McDonnell, W A; McDonnell, T P

1994-08-01

Programme evaluation tactics for child sponsorship programmes have historically concentrated on quantitative analysis of service units, amount of money invested, number of countries served, the number of projects, and number of children in each project. While these are valuable measures of programme variables, they do not assess the impact of programmes on the lives of the children sponsored. Outcome measures designed to assess programme impact add greatly to the information available to child welfare professionals. This study collected data about the impact of the programme on the lives of the children. The Child Welfare League's Child Well-Being Scales (CWBS) were used to assess programme impact. Twelve scales were chosen as directly related in type to the programmes administered by Children International, a traditional and well established child sponsorship organization located in Kansas City, Missouri. A thirteenth scale was suggested by field workers in India as particularly relevant to Third World populations. The scales were translated into languages appropriate to each population in the programme countries. Social workers in each country were trained to administer and score them. This analysis used the emerging data technology becoming available to programmes in Third World countries. The system enables administrators in the Third World to evaluate, enhance and summarize their programmes in a way understandable across borders. Epi Info (Dean et al., 1990) was customized to provide the framework for the analysis. The population for this study was selected by a 5% random sampling of children currently enrolled as sponsored children (180,000+ worldwide). These were compared with a waiting-list control group selected randomly from lists of children who have applied for sponsorship but have not yet been receiving services (n = 50 from each project).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Integrated Science and Logistical Planning to Support Big Questions in Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, D. G.; Stockings, T. M.

2015-12-01

Each year, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) supports an extensive programme of science at five Antarctic and sub-Antarctic stations, ranging from the tiny Bird Island Research Station at 54°S in the South Atlantic, to the massive, and fully re-locatable, Halley Research Station on Brunt Ice Shelf at 75°S. The BAS logistics hub, Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula supports deployment of deep-field and airborne field campaigns through much of the Antarctic continent, and an innovative new UK polar research vessel is under design, and planned to enter service in the Southern Ocean in 2019. BAS's core science programme covering all aspects of physical, biological and geological science is delivered by our own science teams, but every year many other UK scientists and overseas collaborators also access BAS's Antarctic logistics to support their own programmes. As an integrated science and logistics provider, BAS is continuously reviewing its capabilities and operational procedures to ensure that the future long-term requirements of science are optimally supported. Current trends are towards providing the capacity for heavier remote operations and larger-scale field camps, increasing use of autonomous ocean and airborne platforms, and increasing opportunities to provide turnkey solutions for low-cost experimental deployments. This talk will review of expected trends in Antarctic science and the opportunities to conduct science in Antarctica. It will outline the anticipated logistic developments required to support future stakeholder-led and strategically-directed science programmes, and the long-term ambitions of our science communities indentified in several recent horizon-scanning activities.

[Proposal for magnetic/electromagnetic fields protection norms on national level].

PubMed

Dordević, Drago; Raković, Dejan

2008-01-01

The modern life is not possible without application of magnetic/electromagnetic fields, which can be both helpful and harmful for human body. The non-ionizing radiation, especially magnetic/electromagnetic fields of all frequencies (0-300 GHz), can have many harmful effects on the human health that is confirmed by numerous epidemiological studies, studies with volunteers, animal studies, and in vitro studies. Proposal for magnetic/electromagnetic fields protection norms on national level based on the WHO Program for Environment, International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)], and WHO International EMF Project. Protection from harmful effects of the magnetic/electromagnetic fields is still a great problem in many countries of modern society--huge costs, impaired quality of life, and more important, damage to the human health. Numerous data and publications of harmful effects of the magnetic/electromagnetic fields represents one's country basic necessary documentation for making decisions and law documents for protection norms on national level concerning the health maintenance according to the ICNIRP normatives.

Programme Reporting Standards (PRS) for improving the reporting of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health programmes.

PubMed

Kågesten, Anna E; Tunçalp, Özge; Portela, Anayda; Ali, Moazzam; Tran, Nhan; Gülmezoglu, A Metin

2017-08-03

Information about design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation is central to understand the impact of programmes within the field of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (SRMNCAH). Existing reporting guidelines do not orient on reporting of contextual and implementation issues in sufficient detail. We therefore developed Programme Reporting Standards (PRS) to be used by SRMNCAH programme implementers and researchers. Building on the first step of the PRS development (a systematic review to identify reporting items), we conducted a three-round online Delphi consensus survey with experts. Consensus was defined a-priori as 80% agreement of items as essential. This was followed by a technical consultation with a group of experts to refine the items, definitions and their structuring. The revised PRS was piloted to assess its relevance to current SRMNCAH programme reports and identify key issues regarding the use of the PRS. Of the 81 participants invited to the Delphi survey, 20 responded to all three rounds. In the final round, 27 items received consensus as essential; three items were ranked as "borderline" essential; 20 items as supplementary. The items were subsequently revised, followed by a technical consultation with 29 experts to further review and refine the PRS. The feedback resulted in substantial changes to the structure and content of the PRS into 24 items across five domains: Programme overview; Programme components and implementation; Monitoring of Implementation; Evaluation and Results; and Synthesis. This version was used in a piloting exercise, where questions regarding how much information to report and how to comment on the quality of the information reported were addressed. All items were kept in the PRS following the pilot although minor changes were made to the flow and description of items. The PRS 1.0 is the result of a structured, collaborative process, including methods to incorporate input from SRMNCAH stakeholders. The World Health Organization will develop a document that explains the items in greater detail, and will also apply the PRS to on-going initiatives. We welcome continuous input from the field, while it is being used, to improve its relevance and usefulness.

Pioneers of Early Childhood Education: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peltzman, Barbara Ruth

Previous works on educators who built the field of early childhood education do not provide the researcher with primary and secondary sources or information on multicultural educators, nor do they discuss some of the more current leading educators. This reference book provides biographies and bibliographies of selected pre-modern and modern men…

The Problem of Absolute Knowledge. Metaphysics as Intellectual Intuition in Classic Modern European Philosophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torubarova, Tatyana V.

2016-01-01

Classic modern European philosophy explicate, reflect; leaving own history in fundamental metaphysical position, where the existence is understood as conscience. This position is representative in the process of historic development, transition of philosophical thought from R. Dekart to G. Hegel. It appears exactly the field of key metaphysical…

Changes of the Human Mind.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Lilian H.

Five books, representing a small selection of possible readings on necessary changes of the human mind, point to a convergence of interest from different fields of study toward the need for modern society to develop the capacity to respond to the complexity of modern life and the newly acquired ability to destroy life on an unprecedented scale.…

Self-Critical Appropriation: An Assessment of Bauman's View of Education in Liquid Modernity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarid, Ariel

2017-01-01

Zygmunt Bauman has devoted considerable amount of attention to the discussion of the educational challenges in liquid modernity. While a good deal of professional attention has been given to Bauman's concept in various fields and disciplines, his views on education have received relatively little response by educational theorists and…

The Story of Nanomaterials in Modern Technology: An Advanced Course for Chemistry Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blonder, Ron

2011-01-01

Nanoscience is an important new field in modern science. It deals with the ability to create materials, devices, and systems having fundamentally new properties and functions by working at the atomic, molecular, and macromolecular levels. Many teachers in the educational system have relatively limited knowledge related to nanochemistry and…

Citation Analysis for the Modern Instructor: An Integrated Review of Emerging Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piotrowski, Chris

2013-01-01

While online instructors may be versed in conducting e-Research (Hung, 2012; Thelwall, 2009), today's faculty are probably less familiarized with the rapidly advancing fields of bibliometrics and informetrics. One key feature of research in these areas is Citation Analysis, a rather intricate operational feature available in modern indexes…

Modern Orthodox Adults Self-Reporting on Their Adult Education Needs and Learning Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohn, Ellen Sue

2016-01-01

This study explored the educational preferences and motivational typology of Modern Orthodox adults, a community that according to previous research appeared to present a contrasting educational paradigm than that evidenced by other adult students. The research conducted in the liberal Jewish community and in the broader contemporary field of…

Sexual and reproductive health outcomes among female sex workers in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa: Recommendations for public health programmes.

PubMed

Slabbert, Mariette; Venter, Francois; Gay, Cynthia; Roelofsen, Corine; Lalla-Edward, Samanta; Rees, Helen

2017-07-04

The sexual and reproductive health (SRH) status of female sex workers is influenced by a wide range of demographic, behavioural and structural factors. These factors vary considerably across and even within settings. Adopting an overly standardised approach to sex worker programmes may compromise its impact on some sub-groups in local areas. Records of female sex workers attending clinic-, community-, or hotel-based health services in Johannesburg (n = 1422 women) and Pretoria (n = 408 women), South Africa were analysed. We describe the population's characteristics and identified factors associated with sexual and reproductive health outcomes, namely HIV status; previous symptomatic sexually transmitted infection (STI); modern contraceptive use and number of child dependents. The women in Johannesburg were less likely than those in Pretoria to have HIV (42.2% vs 52.9%), or previous symptomatic STIs (44.3% vs. 8.3%), and were 1.4 fold less likely to have child dependents (20.1% vs. 15.3%). About 43% of women in Johannesburg were Zimbabwean and 40% in Pretoria. Of concern, only about 15% of women in both sites were using modern contraceptives. Johannesburg women were also more likely to access health services at a hotel (85.0% vs. 80.6%) or clinic (5.7% vs. 0.5%), to have completed secondary education (57.1% vs. 36.0%), and moved house more than twice during the past year (19.6 vs. 2.0%). In both cities, risk of HIV rose rapidly with age (23.8%-58.2% vs. 22.0%-64.8%). Of interest, HIV prevalence was considerably higher in those with consistent condom use with one's main partner than inconsistent users. Sex worker populations are heterogeneous. Local health programmes must prioritise services that reflect the variety and complexity of sex worker needs and behaviours, and should be designed in consultation with sex workers. Segmenting sex worker populations according to age, country of origin and place of service delivery, and training healthcare providers accordingly, could help prevent new HIV infections, improve adherence to antiretroviral treatment and increase uptake of SRH services.

Eradication of measles: remaining challenges.

PubMed

Holzmann, Heidemarie; Hengel, Hartmut; Tenbusch, Matthias; Doerr, H W

2016-06-01

Measles virus (MeV) is an aerosol-borne and one of the most contagious pathogenic viruses known. Almost every MeV infection becomes clinically manifest and can lead to serious and even fatal complications, especially under conditions of malnutrition in developing countries, where still 115,000 to 160,000 patients die from measles every year. There is no specific antiviral treatment. In addition, MeV infections cause long-lasting memory B and T cell impairment, predisposing people susceptible to opportunistic infections for years. A rare, but fatal long-term consequence of measles is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Fifteen years ago (2001), WHO has launched a programme to eliminate measles by a worldwide vaccination strategy. This is promising, because MeV is a human-specific morbillivirus (i.e. without relevant animal reservoir), safe and potent vaccine viruses are sufficiently produced since decades for common application, and millions of vaccine doses have been used globally without any indications of safety and efficacy issues. Though the prevalence of wild-type MeV infection has decreased by >90 % in Europe, measles is still not eliminated and has even re-emerged with recurrent outbreaks in developed countries, in which effective vaccination programmes had been installed for decades. Here, we discuss the crucial factors for a worldwide elimination of MeV: (1) efficacy of current vaccines, (2) the extremely high contagiosity of MeV demanding a >95 % vaccination rate based on two doses to avoid primary vaccine failure as well as the installation of catch-up vaccination programmes to fill immunity gaps and to achieve herd immunity, (3) the implications of sporadic cases of secondary vaccine failure, (4) organisation, acceptance and drawbacks of modern vaccination campaigns, (5) waning public attention to measles, but increasing concerns from vaccine-associated adverse reactions in societies with high socio-economic standards and (6) clinical, epidemiological and virological surveillance by the use of modern laboratory diagnostics and reporting systems. By consequent implementation of carefully designed epidemiologic and prophylactic measures, it should be possible to eradicate MeV globally out of mankind, as the closely related morbillivirus of rinderpest could be successfully eliminated out of the cattle on a global scale.

Coordination and Data Management of the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-30

Coordination and Data Management of the International Arctic Buoy Programme ( IABP ) Ignatius G. Rigor 1013 NE 40th Street Polar Science Center...analyzed geophysical fields. APPROACH Coordination of the IABP falls into the categories of information, resource management, and meeting...the Polar Science Center (PSC) via anonymous ftp. These data and other research products of the IABP are available on the World Wide Web at http

Implementation of a Configurable Fault Tolerant Processor (CFTP) Using Internal Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

Upsets in SRAM FPGAs,” Military and Aerospace Applications of Programmable Logic Devices, September 2002. 8. Wakerly , John F,. “Microcomputer...change. The goal of the Configurable Fault Tolerant Processor (CFTP) Project is to explore, develop and demonstrate the applicability of using off-the...develop and demonstrate the applicability of using commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) in the design of

"Now That I'm Pregnant, I'm No Longer an Example": Peer Educator Experiences of an HIV Prevention Programme in Cape Town, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Kimberly; Africa, Adelene

2017-01-01

Despite the popularity of peer education as an HIV prevention strategy across a range of contexts, understanding of the experiences of those intimately placed within these programmes is limited. Instead, the majority of research in this field relies on hegemonic notions of rational human behaviour that operate under the assumption that knowledge…

Arts, health & wellbeing: reflections on a national seminar series and building a UK research network

PubMed Central

Stickley, Theo; Parr, Hester; Atkinson, Sarah; Daykin, Norma; Clift, Stephen; De Nora, Tia; Hacking, Sue; Camic, Paul M; Joss, Tim; White, Mike; Hogan, Susan J

2017-01-01

Abstract An account is provided of a UK national seminar series on Arts, Health and Wellbeing funded by the Economic and Social Research Council during 2012–13. Four seminars were organised addressing current issues and challenges facing the field. Details of the programme and its outputs are available online. A central concern of the seminar programme was to provide a foundation for creating a UK national network for researchers in the field to help promote evidence-based policy and practice. With funding from Lankelly Chase Foundation, and the support of the Royal Society for Public Health, a Special interest Group for Arts, Health and Wellbeing was launched in 2015. PMID:28163778

A new 4D chaotic system with hidden attractor and its engineering applications: Analog circuit design and field programmable gate array implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdolmohammadi, Hamid Reza; Khalaf, Abdul Jalil M.; Panahi, Shirin; Rajagopal, Karthikeyan; Pham, Viet-Thanh; Jafari, Sajad

2018-06-01

Nowadays, designing chaotic systems with hidden attractor is one of the most interesting topics in nonlinear dynamics and chaos. In this paper, a new 4D chaotic system is proposed. This new chaotic system has no equilibria, and so it belongs to the category of systems with hidden attractors. Dynamical features of this system are investigated with the help of its state-space portraits, bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov exponents diagram, and basin of attraction. Also a hardware realisation of this system is proposed by using field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). In addition, an electronic circuit design for the chaotic system is introduced.

Technology Developments in Radiation-Hardened Electronics for Space Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keys, Andrew S.; Howell, Joe T.

2008-01-01

The Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) project consists of a series of tasks designed to develop and mature a broad spectrum of radiation hardened and low temperature electronics technologies. Three approaches are being taken to address radiation hardening: improved material hardness, design techniques to improve radiation tolerance, and software methods to improve radiation tolerance. Within these approaches various technology products are being addressed including Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA), MEMS, Serial Processors, Reconfigurable Processors, and Parallel Processors. In addition to radiation hardening, low temperature extremes are addressed with a focus on material and design approaches. System level applications for the RHESE technology products are discussed.

Biomarkers in Breast Cancer – An Update

PubMed Central

Schmidt, M.; Fasching, P. A.; Beckmann, M. W.; Kölbl, H.

2012-01-01

The therapy of choice for breast cancer patients requiring adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy is increasingly guided by the principle of weighing the individual effectiveness of the therapy against the associated side effects. This has only been made possible by the discovery and validation of modern biomarkers. In the last decades and in the last few years some biomarkers have been integrated in clinical practice and a number have been included in modern study concepts. The importance of biomarkers lies not merely in their prognostic value indicating the future course of disease but also in their use to predict patient response to therapy. Due to the many subgroups, mathematical models and computer-assisted analysis are increasingly being used to assess the prognostic information obtained from established clinical and histopathological factors. In addition to describing some recent computer programmes this overview will focus on established molecular markers which have already been extensively validated in clinical practice and on new molecular markers identified by genome-wide studies. PMID:26640290

Droplet-based chemistry on a programmable micro-chip

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Jon A.; Vykoukal, Jody V.; Gascoyne, Peter R. C.

2009-01-01

We describe the manipulation of aqueous droplets in an immiscible, low-permittivity suspending medium. Such droplets may serve as carriers for not only air- and water-borne samples, contaminants, chemical reagents, viral and gene products, and cells, but also the reagents to process and characterise these samples. We present proofs-of-concept for droplet manipulation through dielectrophoresis by: (1) moving droplets on a two-dimensional array of electrodes, (2) achieving dielectrically-activated droplet injection, (3) fusing and reacting droplets, and (4) conducting a basic biological assay through a combination of these steps. A long-term goal of this research is to provide a platform fluidic processor technology that can form the core of versatile, automated, micro-scale devices to perform chemical and biological assays at or near the point of care, which will increase the availability of modern medicine to people who do not have ready access to modern medical institutions, and decrease the cost and delays associated with that lack of access. PMID:15007434

User perceptions of and willingness to pay for household container-based sanitation services: experience from Cap Haitien, Haiti

PubMed Central

Russel, Kory; Tilmans, Sebastien; Kramer, Sasha; Sklar, Rachel; Tillias, Daniel; Davis, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Household-level container-based sanitation (CBS) services may help address the persistent challenge of providing effective, affordable sanitation services for which low-income urban households are willing to pay. Little is known, however, about user perceptions of and demand for household CBS services. This study presents the results of a pilot CBS service programme in Cap Haitien, Haiti. One hundred and eighteen households were randomly selected to receive toilets and a twice-weekly collection service. After three months, changes in these households’ satisfaction with their sanitation situation, along with feelings of pride, modernity and personal safety, were compared to 248 households in two comparison cohorts. Following the service pilot, 71 per cent of participating households opted to continue with the container-based sanitation service as paying subscribers. The results from this study suggest that, in the context of urban Haiti, household CBS systems have the potential to satisfy many residents’ desire for safe, convenient and modern sanitation services. PMID:26640322

A Lithography-Free and Field-Programmable Photonic Metacanvas.

PubMed

Dong, Kaichen; Hong, Sukjoon; Deng, Yang; Ma, He; Li, Jiachen; Wang, Xi; Yeo, Junyeob; Wang, Letian; Lou, Shuai; Tom, Kyle B; Liu, Kai; You, Zheng; Wei, Yang; Grigoropoulos, Costas P; Yao, Jie; Wu, Junqiao

2018-02-01

The unique correspondence between mathematical operators and photonic elements in wave optics enables quantitative analysis of light manipulation with individual optical devices. Phase-transition materials are able to provide real-time reconfigurability of these devices, which would create new optical functionalities via (re)compilation of photonic operators, as those achieved in other fields such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA). Here, by exploiting the hysteretic phase transition of vanadium dioxide, an all-solid, rewritable metacanvas on which nearly arbitrary photonic devices can be rapidly and repeatedly written and erased is presented. The writing is performed with a low-power laser and the entire process stays below 90 °C. Using the metacanvas, dynamic manipulation of optical waves is demonstrated for light propagation, polarization, and reconstruction. The metacanvas supports physical (re)compilation of photonic operators akin to that of FPGA, opening up possibilities where photonic elements can be field programmed to deliver complex, system-level functionalities. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Planetary Gravity Fields and Their Impact on a Spacecraft Trajectory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinwurm, G.; Weber, R.

2005-01-01

The present work touches an interdisciplinary aspect of space exploration: the improvement of spacecraft navigation by means of enhanced planetary interior model derivation. The better the bodies in our solar system are known and modelled, the more accurately (and safely) a spacecraft can be navigated. In addition, the information about the internal structure of a planet, moon or any other planetary body can be used in arguments for different theories of solar system evolution. The focus of the work lies in a new approach for modelling the gravity field of small planetary bodies: the implementation of complex ellipsoidal coordinates (figure 1, [4]) for irregularly shaped bodies that cannot be represented well by a straightforward spheroidal approach. In order to carry out the required calculations the computer programme GRASP (Gravity Field of a Planetary Body and its Influence on a Spacecraft Trajectory) has been developed [5]. The programme furthermore allows deriving the impact of the body s gravity field on a spacecraft trajectory and thus permits predictions for future space mission flybys.

State Education Policy in the Field of Adult Education in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hizhynska, Tetiana

2016-01-01

German experience of development and modernization of the field of adult education has been outlined in the paper. Historical development of the field and its recognition as an independent level in education have been considered. The aim of the field has been defined. It has been emphasized that the names of the field in Ukraine and Germany…

A simple modern correctness condition for a space-based high-performance multiprocessor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Probst, David K.; Li, Hon F.

1992-01-01

A number of U.S. national programs, including space-based detection of ballistic missile launches, envisage putting significant computing power into space. Given sufficient progress in low-power VLSI, multichip-module packaging and liquid-cooling technologies, we will see design of high-performance multiprocessors for individual satellites. In very high speed implementations, performance depends critically on tolerating large latencies in interprocessor communication; without latency tolerance, performance is limited by the vastly differing time scales in processor and data-memory modules, including interconnect times. The modern approach to tolerating remote-communication cost in scalable, shared-memory multiprocessors is to use a multithreaded architecture, and alter the semantics of shared memory slightly, at the price of forcing the programmer either to reason about program correctness in a relaxed consistency model or to agree to program in a constrained style. The literature on multiprocessor correctness conditions has become increasingly complex, and sometimes confusing, which may hinder its practical application. We propose a simple modern correctness condition for a high-performance, shared-memory multiprocessor; the correctness condition is based on a simple interface between the multiprocessor architecture and a high-performance, shared-memory multiprocessor; the correctness condition is based on a simple interface between the multiprocessor architecture and the parallel programming system.

Some current views on the origins and prospects of correlation optics.

PubMed

Angelsky, O V; Felde, Ch V; Polyanskii, P V

2016-04-20

The state of the art modern branch of optics and photonics now referred to as correlation optics is discussed in connection with both its origins and promising prospects. We use here the term "correlation" not only as a synonym of the term "coherence," but also for emphasizing the necessity of taking into account fine, sometimes enigmatic, phase relations among the components of complex optical fields, even if such fields are conventionally defined as completely coherent. Selection of topics for this brief review of correlation optics outlooks was not dictated by intention of comprehensive representation of this field of research, but rather by the scientific interests of the authors, ranging from classical theory of diffraction, holography, and light-scattering to modern singular optics.

Independent component analysis algorithm FPGA design to perform real-time blind source separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer-Baese, Uwe; Odom, Crispin; Botella, Guillermo; Meyer-Baese, Anke

2015-05-01

The conditions that arise in the Cocktail Party Problem prevail across many fields creating a need for of Blind Source Separation. The need for BSS has become prevalent in several fields of work. These fields include array processing, communications, medical signal processing, and speech processing, wireless communication, audio, acoustics and biomedical engineering. The concept of the cocktail party problem and BSS led to the development of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) algorithms. ICA proves useful for applications needing real time signal processing. The goal of this research was to perform an extensive study on ability and efficiency of Independent Component Analysis algorithms to perform blind source separation on mixed signals in software and implementation in hardware with a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The Algebraic ICA (A-ICA), Fast ICA, and Equivariant Adaptive Separation via Independence (EASI) ICA were examined and compared. The best algorithm required the least complexity and fewest resources while effectively separating mixed sources. The best algorithm was the EASI algorithm. The EASI ICA was implemented on hardware with Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) to perform and analyze its performance in real time.

Scholarship of teaching and learning: `what the hell' are we getting ourselves into?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swart, Arthur James; Luwes, Nicolaas; Olwagen, Lienie; Greyling, Cameron; Korff, Carel

2017-11-01

Academics must be encouraged to reflect on their teaching, to apply new pedagogies to support student learning and to report on the results of these actions, which really forms part of programmes relating to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). However, there seems to be resistance among some academics to get involved in these programmes due to fear of change or discrimination. The purpose of this article is to highlight the perceptions of four academics from different engineering fields towards such a programme from a University of Technology in South Africa. A qualitative study is employed where a focus group interview was used to gather data which are correlated to the SoTL unicycle detailed in the article. A benefit of joining an SoTL programme includes 'developing a teaching action plan' while a key challenge relates to time concerns. An implication may be to stimulate awareness among non-participating academics about what an SoTL programme really engenders.

U.S. Field Artillery after World War I: Modernizing the Force While Downsizing

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

weapons, and tactics. It convened several boards to assess the requirements for an effective field artillery force, studying the materiel and......weapons, and tactics. It convened several boards to assess the requirements for an effective field artillery force, studying the materiel and

[How to assess and reduce social inequalities in cancer screening programmes].

PubMed

Binefa, Gemma; García, Montse; Peiró, Rosana; Molina-Barceló, Ana; Ibáñez, Raquel

2016-01-01

This field note presents the conclusions and recommendations made at the meeting 'How to reduce social inequalities in cancer screening programmes?' held at the XXVI School of Public Health of Mahon (Menorca, Spain). Participants developed recommendations based on experiences of population-based screening programmes (breast and colorectal) and opportunistic screening (cervical). The conclusions and recommendations focused on four main areas (information systems, evaluation and quality, research, and interventions): the inclusion of social variables at an individual level in health information systems; the establishment of minimum standards for gathering information regarding inequalities in access to preventive services; the performance of actions in vulnerable populations; and the promotion of the exchange of experiences and best practices through the Cancer Screening Programmes Network and working groups of the scientific societies. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Prospects of using Community Directed Intervention strategy in delivering health services among Fulani Nomads in Enugu State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Okeibunor, Joseph C; Onyeneho, Nkechi G; Nwaorgu, Obioma C; I'Aronu, Ngozi; Okoye, Ijeoma; Iremeka, Felicia U; Sommerfeld, Johannes

2013-04-08

The Community Directed Interventions (CDI) strategy has proven effective in increasing access to health services in sedentary populations. It remains to be seen if CDI strategy is feasible among nomads given the dearth of demographic and medical data on the nomads. This study thus characterized the nomadic populations in Enugu State, Nigeria and outlined the potentials of implementing CDI among nomads. This exploratory study adopted qualitative methods. Forty focus group discussions (FGD) were held with members of 10 nomadic camps in 2 LGAs in Enugu State, as well as their host communities. Thirty in-depth interviews (IDIs) were held with leaders of nomadic camps and sedentary populations. Ten IDIs with traditional healers in the nomadic camps and 14 key informant interviews with health workers and programme officers were also conducted. Documents and maps were reviewed to ascertain the grazing routes of the nomads as well as existing health interventions in the area. Like sedentary populations, nomads have definable community structures with leaders and followers, which is amenable to implementation of CDI. Nomads move their cattle, in a definite pattern, in search of grass and water. In this movement, the old and vulnerable are left in the camps. The nomads suffer from immunization preventable health problems as their host communities. The priority health problems in relation to CDI include malaria, measles, anemia, and other vaccine preventable infections. However, unlike the sedentary populations, the nomads lack access to health interventions, due to the mutual avoidance between the nomads and the sedentary populations in terms of health services. The later consider the services as mainly theirs. The nomads, however, are desirous of the modern health services and often task themselves to access these modern health services in private for profit health facilities when the need arises. Given the definable organizational structure of the nomads in Enugu State and their desire for modern health intervention, it is feasible to test the CDI strategy for equitable healthcare delivery among nomads. They are willing and capable to participate actively in their own health programmes with minimal support from professional health workers.

[Christian Wolff (1679-1754) and the medical concept of his time].

PubMed

Kaiser, W

1979-06-01

The 300th anniversary of the birthday of Christian Wolff gave the occasion to set his multilateral work in relation to the medical currents of his time and to analyse it from the standpoint of modern medicine. Especially in his early period at Halle University Christian Wolff develops a new research programme with essential accents for the future physician. His philosophical literature with the postulates containing in this are conformable to the aim of the predecessors of the French revolution and on the sector of the art of therapeutic forms the basis decisive improvements in organised public health.

Field-programmable lab-on-a-chip based on microelectrode dot array architecture.

PubMed

Wang, Gary; Teng, Daniel; Lai, Yi-Tse; Lu, Yi-Wen; Ho, Yingchieh; Lee, Chen-Yi

2014-09-01

The fundamentals of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidics are very strong: advantageous capability in the manipulation of fluids, small test volumes, precise dynamic control and detection, and microscale systems. These advantages are very important for future biochip developments, but the development of EWOD microfluidics has been hindered by the absence of: integrated detector technology, standard commercial components, on-chip sample preparation, standard manufacturing technology and end-to-end system integration. A field-programmable lab-on-a-chip (FPLOC) system based on microelectrode dot array (MEDA) architecture is presented in this research. The MEDA architecture proposes a standard EWOD microfluidic component called 'microelectrode cell', which can be dynamically configured into microfluidic components to perform microfluidic operations of the biochip. A proof-of-concept prototype FPLOC, containing a 30 × 30 MEDA, was developed by using generic integrated circuits computer aided design tools, and it was manufactured with standard low-voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, which allows smooth on-chip integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. By integrating 900 droplet detection circuits into microelectrode cells, the FPLOC has achieved large-scale integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. Compared to the full-custom and bottom-up design methods, the FPLOC provides hierarchical top-down design approach, field-programmability and dynamic manipulations of droplets for advanced microfluidic operations.

Science Teacher Education for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of a Residential Field Course in a Norwegian Pre-Service Teacher Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jegstad, Kirsti Marie; Gjøtterud, Sigrid Marie; Sinnes, Astrid Tonette

2018-01-01

In this paper, we explore how a Norwegian teacher education institution promotes education for sustainable development (ESD) through a residential field course. The residential field course was located in a mountain area and data were collected through participant observation. The data included--together with instructional artefacts--evaluation…

Alenia Spazio: Space Programs for Solar System Exploration .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferri, A.

Alenia Spazio is the major Italian space industry and one of the largest in Europe, with 2,400 highly skilled employees and 16,000 square meters of clean rooms and laboratories for advanced technological research that are among the most modern and well-equipped in Europe. The company has wide experience in the design, development, assembly, integration, verification and testing of complete space systems: satellites for telecommunications and navigation, remote sensing, meteorology and scientific applications; manned systems and space infrastructures; launch, transport and re-entry systems, and control centres. Alenia Spazio has contributed to the construction of over 200 satellites and taken part in the most important national and international space programmes, from the International Space Station to the new European global navigation system Galileo. Focusing on Solar System exploration, in the last 10 years the Company took part, with different roles, to the major European and also NASA missions in the field: Rosetta, Mars Express, Cassini; will soon take part in Venus Express, and is planning the future with Bepi Colombo, Solar Orbiter, GAIA and Exomars. In this paper, as in the presentation, a very important Earth Observation mission is also presented: GOCE. All in all, the Earth is by all means part of the Solar system as well and we like to see it as a planet to be explored.

Haematopoietic SCT in severe autoimmune diseases: updated guidelines of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

PubMed Central

Snowden, J A; Saccardi, R; Allez, M; Ardizzone, S; Arnold, R; Cervera, R; Denton, C; Hawkey, C; Labopin, M; Mancardi, G; Martin, R; Moore, J J; Passweg, J; Peters, C; Rabusin, M; Rovira, M; van Laar, J M; Farge, D

2012-01-01

In 1997, the first consensus guidelines for haematopoietic SCT (HSCT) in autoimmune diseases (ADs) were published, while an international coordinated clinical programme was launched. These guidelines provided broad principles for the field over the following decade and were accompanied by comprehensive data collection in the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) AD Registry. Subsequently, retrospective analyses and prospective phase I/II studies generated evidence to support the feasibility, safety and efficacy of HSCT in several types of severe, treatment-resistant ADs, which became the basis for larger-scale phase II and III studies. In parallel, there has also been an era of immense progress in biological therapy in ADs. The aim of this document is to provide revised and updated guidelines for both the current application and future development of HSCT in ADs in relation to the benefits, risks and health economic considerations of other modern treatments. Patient safety considerations are central to guidance on patient selection and HSCT procedural aspects within appropriately experienced and Joint Accreditation Committee of International Society for Cellular Therapy and EBMT accredited centres. A need for prospective interventional and non-interventional studies, where feasible, along with systematic data reporting, in accordance with EBMT policies and procedures, is emphasized. PMID:22002489

A positron emission tomograph based on LSO-APD modules with a sampling ADC read-out system for a students' advanced laboratory course.

PubMed

Schneider, Florian R; Mann, Alexander B; Konorov, Igor; Delso, Gaspar; Paul, Stephan; Ziegler, Sibylle I

2012-06-01

A one-day laboratory course on positron emission tomography (PET) for the education of physics students and PhD students in medical physics has been set up. In the course, the physical background and the principles of a PET scanner are introduced. Course attendees set the system in operation, calibrate it using a (22)Na point source and reconstruct different source geometries filled with (18)F. The PET scanner features an individual channel read-out of 96 lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) scintillator crystals coupled to avalanche photodiodes (APD). The analog data of each APD are digitized by fast sampling analog to digital converters (SADC) and processed within field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) to extract amplitudes and time stamps. All SADCs are continuously sampling with a precise rate of 80MHz, which is synchronous for the whole system. The data is transmitted via USB to a Linux PC, where further processing and the image reconstruction are performed. The course attendees get an insight into detector techniques, modern read-out electronics, data acquisition and PET image reconstruction. In addition, a short introduction to some common software applications used in particle and high energy physics is part of the course. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Development of a scalable generic platform for adaptive optics real time control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surendran, Avinash; Burse, Mahesh P.; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Parihar, Padmakar

2015-06-01

The main objective of the present project is to explore the viability of an adaptive optics control system based exclusively on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), making strong use of their parallel processing capability. In an Adaptive Optics (AO) system, the generation of the Deformable Mirror (DM) control voltages from the Wavefront Sensor (WFS) measurements is usually through the multiplication of the wavefront slopes with a predetermined reconstructor matrix. The ability to access several hundred hard multipliers and memories concurrently in an FPGA allows performance far beyond that of a modern CPU or GPU for tasks with a well-defined structure such as Adaptive Optics control. The target of the current project is to generate a signal for a real time wavefront correction, from the signals coming from a Wavefront Sensor, wherein the system would be flexible to accommodate all the current Wavefront Sensing techniques and also the different methods which are used for wavefront compensation. The system should also accommodate for different data transmission protocols (like Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 etc.) for transmitting data to and from the FPGA device, thus providing a more flexible platform for Adaptive Optics control. Preliminary simulation results for the formulation of the platform, and a design of a fully scalable slope computer is presented.

Next-generation pacemakers: from small devices to biological pacemakers.

PubMed

Cingolani, Eugenio; Goldhaber, Joshua I; Marbán, Eduardo

2018-03-01

Electrogenesis in the heart begins in the sinoatrial node and proceeds down the conduction system to originate the heartbeat. Conduction system disorders lead to slow heart rates that are insufficient to support the circulation, necessitating implantation of electronic pacemakers. The typical electronic pacemaker consists of a subcutaneous generator and battery module attached to one or more endocardial leads. New leadless pacemakers can be implanted directly into the right ventricular apex, providing single-chamber pacing without a subcutaneous generator. Modern pacemakers are generally reliable, and their programmability provides options for different pacing modes tailored to specific clinical needs. Advances in device technology will probably include alternative energy sources and dual-chamber leadless pacing in the not-too-distant future. Although effective, current electronic devices have limitations related to lead or generator malfunction, lack of autonomic responsiveness, undesirable interactions with strong magnetic fields, and device-related infections. Biological pacemakers, generated by somatic gene transfer, cell fusion, or cell transplantation, provide an alternative to electronic devices. Somatic reprogramming strategies, which involve transfer of genes encoding transcription factors to transform working myocardium into a surrogate sinoatrial node, are furthest along in the translational pipeline. Even as electronic pacemakers become smaller and less invasive, biological pacemakers might expand the therapeutic armamentarium for conduction system disorders.

Impact of Recent Hardware and Software Trends on High Performance Transaction Processing and Analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, C.

In this paper, I survey briefly some of the recent and emerging trends in hardware and software features which impact high performance transaction processing and data analytics applications. These features include multicore processor chips, ultra large main memories, flash storage, storage class memories, database appliances, field programmable gate arrays, transactional memory, key-value stores, and cloud computing. While some applications, e.g., Web 2.0 ones, were initially built without traditional transaction processing functionality in mind, slowly system architects and designers are beginning to address such previously ignored issues. The availability, analytics and response time requirements of these applications were initially given more importance than ACID transaction semantics and resource consumption characteristics. A project at IBM Almaden is studying the implications of phase change memory on transaction processing, in the context of a key-value store. Bitemporal data management has also become an important requirement, especially for financial applications. Power consumption and heat dissipation properties are also major considerations in the emergence of modern software and hardware architectural features. Considerations relating to ease of configuration, installation, maintenance and monitoring, and improvement of total cost of ownership have resulted in database appliances becoming very popular. The MapReduce paradigm is now quite popular for large scale data analysis, in spite of the major inefficiencies associated with it.

Consultation on the Libyan health systems: towards patient-centred services

PubMed Central

El Oakley, Reida M.; Ghrew, Murad H.; Aboutwerat, Ali A.; Alageli, Nabil A.; Neami, Khaldon A.; Kerwat, Rajab M.; Elfituri, Abdulbaset A.; Ziglam, Hisham M.; Saifenasser, Aymen M.; Bahron, Ali M.; Aburawi, Elhadi H.; Sagar, Samir A.; Tajoury, Adel E.; Benamer, Hani T.S.

2013-01-01

The extra demand imposed upon the Libyan health services during and after the Libyan revolution in 2011 led the ailing health systems to collapse. To start the planning process to re-engineer the health sector, the Libyan Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international experts in the field sponsored the National Health Systems Conference in Tripoli, Libya, between the 26th and the 30th of August 2012. The aim of this conference was to study how health systems function at the international arena and to facilitate a consultative process between 500 Libyan health experts in order to identify the problems within the Libyan health system and propose potential solutions. The scientific programme adopted the WHO health care system framework and used its six system building blocks: i) Health Governance; ii) Health Care Finance; iii) Health Service Delivery; iv) Human Resources for Health; v) Pharmaceuticals and Health Technology; and vi) Health Information System. The experts used a structured approach starting with clarifying the concepts, evaluating the current status of that health system block in Libya, thereby identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and major deficiencies. This article summarises the 500 health expert recommendations that seized the opportunity to map a modern health systems to take the Libyan health sector into the 21st century. PMID:23359277

Infection rate of Leptospira interrogans in the field rodent, Apodemus agrarius, in Korea.

PubMed Central

Cho, M. K.; Kee, S. H.; Song, H. J.; Kim, K. H.; Song, K. J.; Baek, L. J.; Kim, H. H.; Oh, H. B.; Kim, Y. W.; Chang, W. H.

1998-01-01

Leptospirosis has significantly decreased in Korea since 1988, following the leptospiral vaccination programme initiated in 1988. Whether this wholly explains the decreased incidence is uncertain. As an initial step to answer this question, infection rates of Leptospira interrogans in field rodents, Apodemis agrarius, were examined and compared with previous data. Two hundred and twenty-two A. agrarius were captured during October-December 1996. Spirochaetes were isolated from 22 (9.9%) and leptospiral DNA was detected in an additional 6 rodents (12.6%). Subsequent microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) classified all these isolates as L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar lai. The above data did not significantly differ from previous surveys in 1984-7. There was no significant change of L. interrogans infection in field rodents following the introduction of the vaccination programme in Korea. Further studies are needed to determine the role of human vaccination in reducing incidence. PMID:10030719

A historical perspective on the development of modern concepts of tissue perfusion: prehistory to the twentieth century.

PubMed

Ashby, Nathan; Squiers, Joshua

2014-09-01

The historical development of the concept of perfusion is traced, with particular focus on the development of the modern clinical concepts of perfusion through the fields of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. This article reviews many of the significant contributors to the changing ideas of perfusion up through the twentieth century that have influenced the modern physiologic circulatory and metabolic models. The developments outlined have provided the modern model of perfusion, linking the cardiopulmonary circulation, tissue oxygen utilization and carbon dioxide production, food intake, tissue waste production and elimination, and ultimately the production and utilization of ATP in the body. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring management's perspective of data quality in Pakistan's Tuberculosis control programme: a test-based approach to identify data quality dimensions.

PubMed

Ali, Syed Mustafa; Anjum, Naveed; Kamel Boulos, Maged N; Ishaq, Muhammad; Aamir, Javariya; Haider, Ghulam Rasool

2018-01-16

Data quality is core theme of programme's performance assessment and many organizations do not have any data quality improvement strategy, wherein data quality dimensions and data quality assessment framework are important constituents. As there is limited published research about the data quality specifics that are relevant to the context of Pakistan's Tuberculosis control programme, this study aims at identifying the applicable data quality dimensions by using the 'fitness-for-purpose' perspective. Forty-two respondents pooled a total of 473 years of professional experience, out of which 223 years (47%) were in TB control related programmes. Based on the responses against 11 practical cases, adopted from the routine recording and reporting system of Pakistan's TB control programme (real identities of patient were masked), completeness, accuracy, consistency, vagueness, uniqueness and timeliness are the applicable data quality dimensions relevant to the programme's context, i.e. work settings and field of practice. Based on a 'fitness-for-purpose' approach to data quality, this study used a test-based approach to measure management's perspective and identified data quality dimensions pertinent to the programme and country specific requirements. Implementation of a data quality improvement strategy and achieving enhanced data quality would greatly help organizations in promoting data use for informed decision making.

Modern developments for ground-based monitoring of fire behavior and effects

Treesearch

Colin C. Hardy; Robert Kremens; Matthew B. Dickinson

2010-01-01

Advances in electronic technology over the last several decades have been staggering. The cost of electronics continues to decrease while system performance increases seemingly without limit. We have applied modern techniques in sensors, electronics and instrumentation to create a suite of ground based diagnostics that can be used in laboratory (~ 1 m2), field scale...

A Field of Desire: Visions of Education in Selected Australian Silent Films

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Josephine

2010-01-01

The 1920s was an ambivalent decade in Australia: on the one hand Australians were still reeling from the disastrous effects of the Great War and on the other they were witnessing unprecedented and exciting technological and social changes brought about by modernity. One of the most important modern technologies was the cinema, which Australians…

[Modern magic and medicine].

PubMed

Prokop, O

1975-01-01

In a paper presented on the occasion of the 5th Congress of gynecology in the GDR the author discusses in details the phenomenon of modern occultism and quackery. Preferably he examines the so called parapsychology and declares that this is a field without any scientific value. Therefore the course of action of parapsychologists is not to be accepted without resolute reply.

Semantic Meaning of Money in the Perception of Modern Russian Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knyazeva, Tatiana N.; Semenova, Lidiya E.; Chevachina, Anna V.; Batuta, Marina B.; Sidorina, Elena V.

2016-01-01

In connection with socio-economic transformations taking place in our country, which caused changes in the system of values and, as a consequence, in moral-economic relationships and human behavior, the subject of money becomes one of the most significant topics in modern Russian researches in various fields of science. The main method to study…

War, Trauma and Children's Development: Observations from a Modern Evolutionary Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belsky, Jay

2008-01-01

Lethal intergroup conflict has been part of the human experience ever since our species emerged on the African savannah. Modern evolutionary thinking suggests that children's development could have evolved a variety of responses to it, some of which are highlighted upon considering, from the field of behavioural ecology, life-history theory and,…

Initial Single Event Effects Testing of the Xilinx Virtex-4 Field Programmable Gate Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Gregory R.; Swift, Gary M.; Carmichael, C.; Tseng, C.

2007-01-01

We present initial results for the thin epitaxial Xilinx Virtex-4 Fie ld Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and compare to previous results ob tained for the Virtex-II and Virtex-II Pro. The data presented was a cquired through a consortium based effort with the common goal of pr oviding the space community with data and mitigation methods for the use of Xilinx FPGAs in space.

German wine in an American bottle: the spread of modern psychiatry in China, 1898-1949.

PubMed

Li, Wenjing; Schmiedebach, Heinz-Peter

2015-09-01

Modern psychiatry was first introduced to mainland China around 1900 by Western missionaries. By 1949 the field had developed gradually as a result of contact with Western psychiatry and especially its American practitioners. This paper analyses the role played by key individuals and events in this process in the years prior to 1949. It argues that modern psychiatry was introduced to China through a process of cultural adaptation in which the USA served as a bridge for German thought. © The Author(s) 2015.

Punch Card Programmable Microfluidics

PubMed Central

Korir, George; Prakash, Manu

2015-01-01

Small volume fluid handling in single and multiphase microfluidics provides a promising strategy for efficient bio-chemical assays, low-cost point-of-care diagnostics and new approaches to scientific discoveries. However multiple barriers exist towards low-cost field deployment of programmable microfluidics. Incorporating multiple pumps, mixers and discrete valve based control of nanoliter fluids and droplets in an integrated, programmable manner without additional required external components has remained elusive. Combining the idea of punch card programming with arbitrary fluid control, here we describe a self-contained, hand-crank powered, multiplex and robust programmable microfluidic platform. A paper tape encodes information as a series of punched holes. A mechanical reader/actuator reads these paper tapes and correspondingly executes operations onto a microfluidic chip coupled to the platform in a plug-and-play fashion. Enabled by the complexity of codes that can be represented by a series of holes in punched paper tapes, we demonstrate independent control of 15 on-chip pumps with enhanced mixing, normally-closed valves and a novel on-demand impact-based droplet generator. We demonstrate robustness of operation by encoding a string of characters representing the word “PUNCHCARD MICROFLUIDICS” using the droplet generator. Multiplexing is demonstrated by implementing an example colorimetric water quality assays for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate content in different water samples. With its portable and robust design, low cost and ease-of-use, we envision punch card programmable microfluidics will bring complex control of microfluidic chips into field-based applications in low-resource settings and in the hands of children around the world. PMID:25738834

Punch card programmable microfluidics.

PubMed

Korir, George; Prakash, Manu

2015-01-01

Small volume fluid handling in single and multiphase microfluidics provides a promising strategy for efficient bio-chemical assays, low-cost point-of-care diagnostics and new approaches to scientific discoveries. However multiple barriers exist towards low-cost field deployment of programmable microfluidics. Incorporating multiple pumps, mixers and discrete valve based control of nanoliter fluids and droplets in an integrated, programmable manner without additional required external components has remained elusive. Combining the idea of punch card programming with arbitrary fluid control, here we describe a self-contained, hand-crank powered, multiplex and robust programmable microfluidic platform. A paper tape encodes information as a series of punched holes. A mechanical reader/actuator reads these paper tapes and correspondingly executes operations onto a microfluidic chip coupled to the platform in a plug-and-play fashion. Enabled by the complexity of codes that can be represented by a series of holes in punched paper tapes, we demonstrate independent control of 15 on-chip pumps with enhanced mixing, normally-closed valves and a novel on-demand impact-based droplet generator. We demonstrate robustness of operation by encoding a string of characters representing the word "PUNCHCARD MICROFLUIDICS" using the droplet generator. Multiplexing is demonstrated by implementing an example colorimetric water quality assays for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate content in different water samples. With its portable and robust design, low cost and ease-of-use, we envision punch card programmable microfluidics will bring complex control of microfluidic chips into field-based applications in low-resource settings and in the hands of children around the world.

Doug Kirby's Contribution to the Field of Sex Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kantor, Leslie M.; Rolleri, Lori; Kolios, Katherine

2014-01-01

Doug Kirby transformed the field of sex education by conducting rigorous research that led to new, critical insights about ways to strengthen programmes, evaluation and policies related to sexual health throughout the world. Throughout his career, Kirby was meticulous in compiling evidence and translating findings into actionable recommendations…

Structuralization of Doctoral Education in Germany: An Interdisciplinary Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qin, Lin

2017-01-01

Taking the establishment of structured doctoral programmes in Germany as an example, this paper focuses on how knowledge production in certain academic fields reshapes their doctoral education in a widely changing policy context. Based on case studies of eight graduate schools in three research fields, namely economics, life sciences, and…

Participative Critical Enquiry in Graduate Field-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Kathy; Clavin, Alma; Morrissey, John

2016-01-01

This paper outlines a critical pedagogic approach to field-based learning (FBL) at graduate level. Drawing on student experience stemming from a FBL module and as part of an MA programme in Environment, Society and Development, the paper addresses the complexities associated with student-led, participative critical enquiry during fieldwork in…

Promoting Interdisciplinary Education: The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blöschl, Günter; Bucher, Christian; Carr, Gemma; Farnleitner, Andreas; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias

2010-05-01

An interdisciplinary approach is often described as a valuable strategy to assist in overcoming the existing and emerging challenges to water resource management. The development of educational approaches to instil a culture of interdisciplinarity in the future generation of water resource professionals will help to meet this strategic need. The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems demonstrates how the adoption of an interdisciplinary education framework has been applied to a graduate programme in the water sciences. The interdisciplinary approach aims to provide doctoral research students with an understanding of the wide spectrum of processes relevant to water resource systems. This will enable them to bring together a range of ideas, strategies and methods to their current research and future careers. The education programme also aims to teach the softer skills required for successful interdisciplinary work such as the ability to communicate clearly with non-specialist professionals and the capacity to listen to and accommodate suggestions from experts in different disciplines, which have often not traditionally been grouped together. The Vienna Doctoral Programme achieves these aims through teaching an appreciation for a wide variety of approaches including laboratory analysis, field studies and numerical methods across the fields of hydrology, remote sensing, hydrogeology, structural mechanics, microbiology, water quality and resource management. Teaching takes the form of a detailed study programme on topics such as socio-economic concepts, resource and river basin management, modelling and simulation methods, health related water quality targets, urban water management, spatial data from remote sensing and basics for stochastic mechanics. Courses are also held by internationally recognised top scientists, and a guest scientist seminar series allows doctoral researchers to profit from the expertise of senior researchers from around the world. Through a structured one-on-one mentoring programme close interaction is ensured between the students and the internationally reputed staff of the programme. This gives the opportunity for the encouragement of interdisciplinary thinking at the individual level. Interdisciplinarity also evolves passively through interactions between the doctoral students in their daily research work, during journal clubs, meetings, workshops and courses. A total of 22 doctoral students are enrolled in the programme at any time which allows for cross-fertilisation across the wide range of research projects. Finally, the programme is holistic, incorporating all aspects of the hydrological system at the catchment and multi-catchment scale. The ultimate aim is to provide an education programme which not only equips the students with an understanding of the need for interdisciplinarity, but also with the skills required to deliver interdisciplinary work in keeping with the holistic catchment management paradigm adopted by the hydrological science community.

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses.

PubMed

Cole, Donald C; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, María Soledad

2016-10-01

Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research.

Contextual factors affecting task distribution in two participatory ergonomic interventions: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Dixon, Shane Michael; Theberge, Nancy

2011-11-01

This article provides an analysis of the evolution of the division of labour in participatory ergonomics (PE) programmes in two worksites. The analysis is based on interviews and field observations in the worksites. In both settings there was meaningful participation by both worker and management members of ergonomic change teams (ECTs) in the hazard assessment and solution identification stages, but as the teams moved to the implementation stage, worker representatives were marginalised and the participatory nature of the programmes was severely curtailed. The removal of workers from the process was the outcome of the interplay among the type of activities pursued in the implementation stage, the skills and knowledge required to carry out those activities, and workers' limited influence in the organisational hierarchies. Findings highlight the salience of the social context in which participatory programmes are located and the importance of examining participatory programmes as they evolve over time. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This article contributes to a growing literature on the process and implementation of PE programmes. The article's focus on social and organisational factors that affect the division of labour and attention to the evolution of involvement over time extend current understandings of participation in ergonomics programmes.

Mentoring health researchers globally: Diverse experiences, programmes, challenges and responses

PubMed Central

Cole, Donald C.; Johnson, Nancy; Mejia, Raul; McCullough, Hazel; Turcotte-Tremblay, Anne-Marie; Barnoya, Joaquin; Falabella Luco, (María) Soledad

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Mentoring experiences and programmes are becoming increasingly recognised as important by those engaged in capacity strengthening in global health research. Using a primarily qualitative study design, we studied three experiences of mentorship and eight mentorship programmes for early career global health researchers based in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. For the latter, we drew upon programme materials, existing unpublished data and more formal mixed-method evaluations, supplemented by individual email questionnaire responses. Research team members wrote stories, and the team assembled and analysed them for key themes. Across the diverse experiences and programmes, key emergent themes included: great mentors inspire others in an inter-generational cascade, mentorship is transformative in personal and professional development and involves reciprocity, and finding the right balance in mentoring relationships and programmes includes responding creatively to failure. Among the challenges encountered were: struggling for more level playing fields for new health researchers globally, changing mindsets in institutions that do not have a culture of mentorship and building collaboration not competition. Mentoring networks spanning institutions and countries using multiple virtual and face-to-face methods are a potential avenue for fostering organisational cultures supporting quality mentorship in global health research. PMID:26234691

Patterns and trends of contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria: evidence from cross-sectional studies

PubMed Central

Hounton, Sennen; Barros, Aluisio J. D.; Amouzou, Agbessi; Shiferaw, Solomon; Maïga, Abdoulaye; Akinyemi, Akanni; Friedman, Howard; Koroma, Desmond

2015-01-01

Background The benefits of universal access to voluntary contraception have been widely documented in terms of maternal and newborn survival, women's empowerment, and human capital. Given population dynamics, the choices and opportunities adolescents have in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services could significantly affect the burden of diseases and nations’ human capital. Objectives The objectives of this paper are to assess the patterns and trends of modern contraception use among sexually active adolescents by socio-economic characteristics and by birth spacing and parity; to explore predictors of use of modern contraception in relation to the health system; and to discuss implications of the findings for family planning policy and programmes. Design Data are from the last three Demographic and Health Surveys of Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. The descriptive analysis focused on sexually active adolescents (15- to 19-year age group), used modern contraception as the dependent variable, and a series of contact points with the health system (antenatal care, institutional delivery, postnatal care, immunisation) as covariates. The multivariate analysis used the same covariates, adjusting for socio-economic variables. Results There are two different groups of sexually active adolescents: those married or in a union with very low use of modern contraception and lower socio-economic status, and those unmarried, among whom nearly 50% are using modern contraception. Younger adolescents have lower modern contraceptive prevalence. There are significant inequality issues in modern contraception use by education, residence, and wealth quintile. However, while there was no significant progress in Burkina Faso and Nigeria, the data in Ethiopia point to a significant and systematic reduction of inequalities. The narrowing of the equity gap was most notable for childbearing adolescents with no education or living in rural areas. In the three countries, after adjusting for socio-economic variables, the strongest factors affecting modern contraception use among childbearing adolescents were marriage and child immunisation. Conclusions Addressing child marriage and adopting effective policies and strategies to reach married adolescents are critical for improving empowerment and human capital of adolescent girls. The reduction of the equity gap in coverage in Ethiopia warrants further studies and documentation. The results suggest a missed opportunity for maternal and newborn and family planning integration. PMID:26562143

Patterns and trends of contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria: evidence from cross-sectional studies.

PubMed

Hounton, Sennen; Barros, Aluisio J D; Amouzou, Agbessi; Shiferaw, Solomon; Maïga, Abdoulaye; Akinyemi, Akanni; Friedman, Howard; Koroma, Desmond

2015-01-01

The benefits of universal access to voluntary contraception have been widely documented in terms of maternal and newborn survival, women's empowerment, and human capital. Given population dynamics, the choices and opportunities adolescents have in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health information and services could significantly affect the burden of diseases and nations' human capital. The objectives of this paper are to assess the patterns and trends of modern contraception use among sexually active adolescents by socio-economic characteristics and by birth spacing and parity; to explore predictors of use of modern contraception in relation to the health system; and to discuss implications of the findings for family planning policy and programmes. Data are from the last three Demographic and Health Surveys of Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. The descriptive analysis focused on sexually active adolescents (15- to 19-year age group), used modern contraception as the dependent variable, and a series of contact points with the health system (antenatal care, institutional delivery, postnatal care, immunisation) as covariates. The multivariate analysis used the same covariates, adjusting for socio-economic variables. There are two different groups of sexually active adolescents: those married or in a union with very low use of modern contraception and lower socio-economic status, and those unmarried, among whom nearly 50% are using modern contraception. Younger adolescents have lower modern contraceptive prevalence. There are significant inequality issues in modern contraception use by education, residence, and wealth quintile. However, while there was no significant progress in Burkina Faso and Nigeria, the data in Ethiopia point to a significant and systematic reduction of inequalities. The narrowing of the equity gap was most notable for childbearing adolescents with no education or living in rural areas. In the three countries, after adjusting for socio-economic variables, the strongest factors affecting modern contraception use among childbearing adolescents were marriage and child immunisation. Addressing child marriage and adopting effective policies and strategies to reach married adolescents are critical for improving empowerment and human capital of adolescent girls. The reduction of the equity gap in coverage in Ethiopia warrants further studies and documentation. The results suggest a missed opportunity for maternal and newborn and family planning integration.

Rapid evolution of analog circuits configured on a field programmable transistor array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, A.; Ferguson, M. I.; Zebulum, R. S.; Keymeulen, D.; Duong, V.; Daud, T.

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate evolution of analog circuits on a stand-alone board-level evolvable system (SABLES). SABLES is part of an effort to achieve integrated evolvable systems. SABLES provides autonomous, fast (tens to hundreds of seconds), on-chip circuit evolution involving about 100,000 circuit evaluations. Its main components are a JPL Field Programmable Transistor Array (FPTA) chip used as transistor-level reconfigurable hardware, and a TI DSP that implements the evolutionary algorithm controlling the FPTA reconfiguration. The paper details an example of evolution on SABLES and points out to certain transient and memory effects that affect the stability of solutions obtained reusing the same piece of hardware for rapid testing of individuals during evolution.

Nine-channel mid-power bipolar pulse generator based on a field programmable gate array

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

Haylock, Ben, E-mail: benjamin.haylock2@griffithuni.edu.au; Lenzini, Francesco; Kasture, Sachin

Many channel arbitrary pulse sequence generation is required for the electro-optic reconfiguration of optical waveguide networks in Lithium Niobate. Here we describe a scalable solution to the requirement for mid-power bipolar parallel outputs, based on pulse patterns generated by an externally clocked field programmable gate array. Positive and negative pulses can be generated at repetition rates up to 80 MHz with pulse width adjustable in increments of 1.6 ns across nine independent outputs. Each channel can provide 1.5 W of RF power and can be synchronised with the operation of other components in an optical network such as light sourcesmore » and detectors through an external clock with adjustable delay.« less

Programmable LED-based integrating sphere light source for wide-field fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Rehman, Aziz Ul; Anwer, Ayad G; Goldys, Ewa M

2017-12-01

Wide-field fluorescence microscopy commonly uses a mercury lamp, which has limited spectral capabilities. We designed and built a programmable integrating sphere light (PISL) source which consists of nine LEDs, light-collecting optics, a commercially available integrating sphere and a baffle. The PISL source is tuneable in the range 365-490nm with a uniform spatial profile and a sufficient power at the objective to carry out spectral imaging. We retrofitted a standard fluorescence inverted microscope DM IRB (Leica) with a PISL source by mounting it together with a highly sensitive low- noise CMOS camera. The capabilities of the setup have been demonstrated by carrying out multispectral autofluorescence imaging of live BV2 cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Field Programmable Gate Array-Based Reconfigurable Smart-Sensor Network for Wireless Monitoring of New Generation Computer Numerically Controlled Machines

PubMed Central

Moreno-Tapia, Sandra Veronica; Vera-Salas, Luis Alberto; Osornio-Rios, Roque Alfredo; Dominguez-Gonzalez, Aurelio; Stiharu, Ion; de Jesus Romero-Troncoso, Rene

2010-01-01

Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines have evolved to adapt to increasing technological and industrial requirements. To cover these needs, new generation machines have to perform monitoring strategies by incorporating multiple sensors. Since in most of applications the online Processing of the variables is essential, the use of smart sensors is necessary. The contribution of this work is the development of a wireless network platform of reconfigurable smart sensors for CNC machine applications complying with the measurement requirements of new generation CNC machines. Four different smart sensors are put under test in the network and their corresponding signal processing techniques are implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based sensor node. PMID:22163602

A field programmable gate array-based reconfigurable smart-sensor network for wireless monitoring of new generation computer numerically controlled machines.

PubMed

Moreno-Tapia, Sandra Veronica; Vera-Salas, Luis Alberto; Osornio-Rios, Roque Alfredo; Dominguez-Gonzalez, Aurelio; Stiharu, Ion; Romero-Troncoso, Rene de Jesus

2010-01-01

Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines have evolved to adapt to increasing technological and industrial requirements. To cover these needs, new generation machines have to perform monitoring strategies by incorporating multiple sensors. Since in most of applications the online Processing of the variables is essential, the use of smart sensors is necessary. The contribution of this work is the development of a wireless network platform of reconfigurable smart sensors for CNC machine applications complying with the measurement requirements of new generation CNC machines. Four different smart sensors are put under test in the network and their corresponding signal processing techniques are implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based sensor node.

Functional safety for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulau, Scott; Williams, Timothy R.

2012-09-01

Since inception, the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) has planned to implement a facility-wide functional safety system to protect personnel from harm and prevent damage to the facility or environment. The ATST will deploy an integrated safety-related control system (SRCS) to achieve functional safety throughout the facility rather than relying on individual facility subsystems to provide safety functions on an ad hoc basis. The Global Interlock System (GIS) is an independent, distributed, facility-wide, safety-related control system, comprised of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) programmable controllers that monitor, evaluate, and control hazardous energy and conditions throughout the facility that arise during operation and maintenance. The GIS has been designed to utilize recent advances in technology for functional safety plus revised national and international standards that allow for a distributed architecture using programmable controllers over a local area network instead of traditional hard-wired safety functions, while providing an equivalent or even greater level of safety. Programmable controllers provide an ideal platform for controlling the often complex interrelationships between subsystems in a modern astronomical facility, such as the ATST. A large, complex hard-wired relay control system is no longer needed. This type of system also offers greater flexibility during development and integration in addition to providing for expanded capability into the future. The GIS features fault detection, self-diagnostics, and redundant communications that will lead to decreased maintenance time and increased availability of the facility.

Indulging our gendered selves? Sex segregation by field of study in 44 countries.

PubMed

Charles, Maria; Bradley, Karen

2009-01-01

Data from 44 societies are used to explore sex segregation by field of study. Contrary to accounts linking socioeconomic modernization to a "degendering" of public-sphere institutions, sex typing of curricular fields is stronger in more economically developed contexts. The authors argue that two cultural forces combine in advanced industrial societies to create a new sort of sex segregation regime. The first is gender-essentialist ideology, which has proven to be extremely resilient even in the most liberal-egalitarian of contexts; the second is self-expressive value systems, which create opportunities and incentives for the expression of "gendered selves." Multivariate analyses suggest that structural features of postindustrial labor markets and modern educational systems support the cultivation, realization, and display of gender-specific curricular affinities.

Social integration of people with intellectual disability: insights from a social psychological research programme.

PubMed

Dijker, A; van Alphen, L; Bos, A; van den Borne, B; Curfs, L

2011-09-01

Social integration of people with intellectual disability (ID) moving into regular neighbourhoods tends to be studied and evaluated without detailed knowledge about the social psychological aspects of everyday interaction between neighbours with and without ID. The goal of the present paper is to show how the authors' social psychological research programme may contribute to this field of inquiry. The different ways in which societies respond to features and behaviours that may be perceived as deviant are theoretically analysed. Results of empirical studies are reported to clarify how social responses to people with ID are special in terms of perceptions, emotions and interaction desires of people with and without ID during a pre-contact and contact phase. On the basis of the theoretical analysis, it is concluded that regular neighbouring in modern Western society often takes the form of benevolent tolerance, rather than stigmatisation and prejudice. However, empirical studies reveal that, prior to getting people with ID as new neighbours, prospective neighbours without ID experience a specific pattern of emotions that are associated with specific desires (e.g. with respect to information supply or a caring relationship). These anticipatory reactions are dependent on the expected size of the group moving in and on the severity of ID. Furthermore, while actually engaging in neighbouring, neighbours with and without ID appear to have experiences related to behaviour of residents, staff and features of housing facilities that are perceived as (in)congruent with regular neighbouring. It is concluded that interpersonal relationships between neighbours with and without ID should not be simplified in terms of attitudes that would be primarily prejudiced/stigmatising versus entirely accepting. Rather, our studies paint a more complex picture of sometimes ambivalent thoughts, feelings and interaction needs that all should be taken into account to make social integration a success. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Occupational safety and health education under the lifelong learning framework in Serbia.

PubMed

Macuzic, Ivan; Giagloglou, Eva; Djapan, Marko; Todorovic, Petar; Jeremic, Branislav

2016-12-01

Serbia is aligning with European Union requirements and the occupational safety and health (OSH) administration is one of the most representative sectors of this alignment. Many efforts were made in this field, by introducing new laws and regulations, but it turned out to be insufficient. OSH professionals need to renovate and strengthen their knowledge in accordance with continuous, updated and improved OSH standards and regulation. Lifelong learning (LLL) programmes can contribute to forming professionals who are always up to date. This paper presents an implemented LLL programme, over the duration of two academic years, dedicated to OSH professionals, and investigates whether this programme will be helpful and accepted by professionals. The results from the study show that the given LLL programme had indeed a positive influence on the professional careers of the participants and that the LLL presents the future trend in OSH education.

Setting Research Priorities for HIV/AIDS-related research in a post-graduate training programme: lessons learnt from the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme scientific workshop

PubMed Central

Poggensee, Gabriele; Waziri, Ndadilnasiya Endie; Bashorun, Adebobola; Nguku, Patrick Mboya; Fawole, Olufunmilayo Ibitola; Sabitu, Kabir

2014-01-01

In Nigeria the current prevalence of HIV is 4.1% with over 3.5 million infected and estimated 1.5 million in need of anti-retroviral treatment. Epidemiological and implementation studies are necessary for monitoring and evaluation of interventions. To define research areas which can be addressed by participants of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Training Programme (NFELTP) a workshop was held in April 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria. Priority research areas were identified using criteria lists for ranking of the relevance of research questions. Based on a research matrix, NFELTP residents developed the aims and objectives, study design for HIV-related research proposals. This workshop was the first workshop held by the NFELTP to establish an inventory of research questions which can be addressed by the residents within their training period. This inventory will help to increase HIV/AIDS-related activities of NFELTP which are in accordance with research needs in Nigeria and PEPFAR objectives. PMID:25426209

Caught between conduct and free choice--a field study of an empowering programme in lifestyle change for obese patients.

PubMed

Knutsen, Ingrid Ruud; Foss, Christina

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate understandings and strategies of empowerment in Learning and Mastery Centres, in a course in lifestyle change for morbidly obese patients. A field study was conducted with nonparticipant observation, and data analysis was inspired by foucauldian discourse analysis. The analysis revealed powerful discourses underlying the course, and the analysis showed how different discourses were set at play within the teaching strategies in the course. The course leaders balanced powerful aspects that involved directing the participants towards strategies promoting their autonomy. The analysis revealed how strategies to reduce the impression of direction and conduct are powerful actions. From a foucauldian perspective of power, this analysis demonstrates how power is everywhere as a productive force. When creating programmes to empower patients to help them deal with their health, it seems vital that health professionals examine power. By accepting the presence of power, professionals can examine the truth motivation underlying an empowerment programme. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2010 Nordic College of Caring Science.

The magnetic map sense and its use in fine-tuning the migration programme of birds.

PubMed

Heyers, D; Elbers, D; Bulte, M; Bairlein, F; Mouritsen, H

2017-07-01

The Earth's magnetic field is one of several natural cues, which migratory birds can use to derive directional ("compass") information for orientation on their biannual migratory journeys. Moreover, magnetic field effects on prominent aspects of the migratory programme of birds, such as migratory restlessness behaviour, fuel deposition and directional orientation, implicate that geomagnetic information can also be used to derive positional ("map") information. While the magnetic "compass" in migratory birds is likely to be based on radical pair-forming molecules embedded in their visual system, the sensory correlates underlying a magnetic "map" sense currently remain elusive. Behavioural, physiological and neurobiological findings indicate that the sensor is most likely innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve and based on magnetic iron particles. Information from this unknown sensor is neither necessary nor sufficient for a functional magnetic compass, but instead could contribute important components of a multifactorial "map" for global positioning. Positional information could allow migratory birds to make vitally important dynamic adaptations of their migratory programme at any relevant point during their journeys.

The Computational Ecologist’s Toolbox

EPA Science Inventory

Computational ecology, nestled in the broader field of data science, is an interdisciplinary field that attempts to improve our understanding of complex ecological systems through the use of modern computational methods. Computational ecology is based on a union of competence in...

Astronomy in the Russian Scientific-Educational Project: "KAZAN-GEONA-2010"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, A.; Kitiashvili, I.

2006-08-01

The European Union promotes the Sixth Framework Programme. One of the goals of the EU Programme is opening national research and training programs. A special role in the history of the Kazan University was played by the great mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky - the founder of non-Euclidean geometry (1826). Historically, the thousand-year old city of Kazan and the two-hundred-year old Kazan University carry out the role of the scientific, organizational, and cultural educational center of the Volga region. For the continued successful development of educational and scientific-educational activity of the Russian Federation, the Republic Tatarstan, Kazan was offered the national project: the International Center of the Sciences and Internet Technologies "GeoNa" (Geometry of Nature - GeoNa - is wisdom, enthusiasm, pride, grandeur). This is a modern complex of conference halls including the Center for Internet Technologies, a 3D Planetarium - development of the Moon, PhysicsLand, an active museum of natural sciences, an oceanarium, and a training complex "Spheres of Knowledge". Center GeoNa promotes the direct and effective channel of cooperation with scientific centers around the world. GeoNa will host conferences, congresses, fundamental scientific research sessions of the Moon and planets, and scientific-educational actions: presentation of the international scientific programs on lunar research and modern lunar databases. A more intense program of exchange between scientific centers and organizations for a better knowledge and planning of their astronomical curricula and the introduction of the teaching of astronomy are proposed. Center GeoNa will enable scientists and teachers of the Russian universities with advanced achievements in science and information technologies to join together to establish scientific communications with foreign colleagues in the sphere of the high technology and educational projects with world scientific centers.

Are female students in general and nursing students more ready for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?

PubMed

Wilhelmsson, Margaretha; Ponzer, Sari; Dahlgren, Lars-Ove; Timpka, Toomas; Faresjö, Tomas

2011-04-21

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is now spreading worldwide and many universities are now including IPE in their curricula. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not such student characteristics as gender, previous working experience in healthcare, educational progress and features of the learning environment, such as educational programmes and curriculum design, have an impact on their open-mindedness about co-operation with other professions. Medical and nursing students at two Swedish universities were invited to fill in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Totally, 955 students were invited and 70.2% (n=670) participated in the study. A factor analysis of the RIPLS revealed four item groupings (factors) for our empirical data, but only one had sufficient internal consistency. This factor was labelled "Team Player". Regardless of the educational programme, female students were more positive to teamwork than male students. Nursing students in general displayed more positive beliefs about teamwork and collaboration than medical students. Exposure to different interprofessional curricula and previous exposure to interprofessional education were only to a minor extent associated with a positive attitude towards teamwork. Educational progress did not seem to influence these beliefs. The establishment of interprofessional teamwork is a major challenge for modern healthcare. This study indicates some directions for more successful interprofessional education. Efforts should be directed at informing particularly male medical students about the need for teamwork in modern healthcare systems. The results also imply that study of other factors, such as the student's personality, is needed for fully understanding readiness for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. We also believe that the RIPL Scale still can be further adjusted.

Are female students in general and nursing students more ready for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Interprofessional Education (IPE) is now spreading worldwide and many universities are now including IPE in their curricula. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not such student characteristics as gender, previous working experience in healthcare, educational progress and features of the learning environment, such as educational programmes and curriculum design, have an impact on their open-mindedness about co-operation with other professions. Methods Medical and nursing students at two Swedish universities were invited to fill in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Totally, 955 students were invited and 70.2% (n = 670) participated in the study. A factor analysis of the RIPLS revealed four item groupings (factors) for our empirical data, but only one had sufficient internal consistency. This factor was labelled "Team Player". Results Regardless of the educational programme, female students were more positive to teamwork than male students. Nursing students in general displayed more positive beliefs about teamwork and collaboration than medical students. Exposure to different interprofessional curricula and previous exposure to interprofessional education were only to a minor extent associated with a positive attitude towards teamwork. Educational progress did not seem to influence these beliefs. Conclusions The establishment of interprofessional teamwork is a major challenge for modern healthcare. This study indicates some directions for more successful interprofessional education. Efforts should be directed at informing particularly male medical students about the need for teamwork in modern healthcare systems. The results also imply that study of other factors, such as the student's personality, is needed for fully understanding readiness for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. We also believe that the RIPL Scale still can be further adjusted. PMID:21510872

Combining Distributed and Shared Memory Models: Approach and Evolution of the Global Arrays Toolkit

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

Nieplocha, Jarek; Harrison, Robert J.; Kumar, Mukul

2002-07-29

Both shared memory and distributed memory models have advantages and shortcomings. Shared memory model is much easier to use but it ignores data locality/placement. Given the hierarchical nature of the memory subsystems in the modern computers this characteristic might have a negative impact on performance and scalability. Various techniques, such as code restructuring to increase data reuse and introducing blocking in data accesses, can address the problem and yield performance competitive with message passing[Singh], however at the cost of compromising the ease of use feature. Distributed memory models such as message passing or one-sided communication offer performance and scalability butmore » they compromise the ease-of-use. In this context, the message-passing model is sometimes referred to as?assembly programming for the scientific computing?. The Global Arrays toolkit[GA1, GA2] attempts to offer the best features of both models. It implements a shared-memory programming model in which data locality is managed explicitly by the programmer. This management is achieved by explicit calls to functions that transfer data between a global address space (a distributed array) and local storage. In this respect, the GA model has similarities to the distributed shared-memory models that provide an explicit acquire/release protocol. However, the GA model acknowledges that remote data is slower to access than local data and allows data locality to be explicitly specified and hence managed. The GA model exposes to the programmer the hierarchical memory of modern high-performance computer systems, and by recognizing the communication overhead for remote data transfer, it promotes data reuse and locality of reference. This paper describes the characteristics of the Global Arrays programming model, capabilities of the toolkit, and discusses its evolution.« less

Ada software productivity prototypes: A case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hihn, Jairus M.; Habib-Agahi, Hamid; Malhotra, Shan

1988-01-01

A case study of the impact of Ada on a Command and Control project completed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is given. The data for this study was collected as part of a general survey of software costs and productivity at JPL and other NASA sites. The task analyzed is a successful example of the use of rapid prototyping as applied to command and control for the U.S. Air Force and provides the U.S. Air Force Military Airlift Command with the ability to track aircraft, air crews and payloads worldwide. The task consists of a replicated database at several globally distributed sites. The local databases at each site can be updated within seconds after changes are entered at any one site. The system must be able to handle up to 400,000 activities per day. There are currently seven sites, each with a local area network of computers and a variety of user displays; the local area networks are tied together into a single wide area network. Using data obtained for eight modules, totaling approximately 500,000 source lines of code, researchers analyze the differences in productivities between subtasks. Factors considered are percentage of Ada used in coding, years of programmer experience, and the use of Ada tools and modern programming practices. The principle findings are the following. Productivity is very sensitive to programmer experience. The use of Ada software tools and the use of modern programming practices are important; without such use Ada is just a large complex language which can cause productivity to decrease. The impact of Ada on development effort phases is consistent with earlier reports at the project level but not at the module level.

Ranking of healthcare programmes based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care in hospital pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Brisseau, Lionel; Bussières, Jean-François; Bois, Denis; Vallée, Marc; Racine, Marie-Claude; Bonnici, André

2013-02-01

To establish a consensual and coherent ranking of healthcare programmes that involve the presence of ward-based and clinic-based clinical pharmacists, based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. This descriptive study was derived from a structured dialogue (Delphi technique) among directors of pharmacy department. We established a quantitative profile of healthcare programmes at five sites that involved the provision of ward-based and clinic-based pharmaceutical care. A summary table of evidence established a unique quality rating per inpatient (clinic-based) or outpatient (ward-based) healthcare programme. Each director rated the perceived impact of pharmaceutical care per inpatient or outpatient healthcare programme on three fields: health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. They agreed by consensus on the final ranking of healthcare programmes. A ranking was assigned for each of the 18 healthcare programmes for outpatient care and the 17 healthcare programmes for inpatient care involving the presence of pharmacists, based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. There was a good correlation between ranking based on data from a 2007-2008 Canadian report on hospital pharmacy practice and the ranking proposed by directors of pharmacy department. Given the often limited human and financial resources, managers should consider the best evidence available on a profession's impact to plan healthcare services within an organization. Data are few on ranking healthcare programmes in order to prioritize which healthcare programme would mostly benefit from the delivery of pharmaceutical care by ward-based and clinic-based pharmacists. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Evaluation of modern cotton harvest systems on irrigated cotton: Economic returns

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A breakeven analysis based on NPV was conducted to compare picker-based and stripper-based harvest systems with and without field cleaners. Under no conditions analyzed was the NPV of a stripper system without a field cleaner greater than a stripper system with a field cleaner. Breakeven curves rela...

VLSI architecture for a Reed-Solomon decoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, In-Shek (Inventor); Truong, Trieu-Kie (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A basic single-chip building block for a Reed-Solomon (RS) decoder system is partitioned into a plurality of sections, the first of which consists of a plurality of syndrome subcells each of which contains identical standard-basis finite-field multipliers that are programmable between 10 and 8 bit operation. A desired number of basic building blocks may be assembled to provide a RS decoder of any syndrome subcell size that is programmable between 10 and 8 bit operation.

Chemistry Is Dead. Long Live Chemistry!

PubMed

Lavis, Luke D

2017-10-03

Chemistry, once king of fluorescence microscopy, was usurped by the field of fluorescent proteins. The increased demands of modern microscopy techniques on the "photon budget" require better and brighter fluorophores, causing a renewed interest in synthetic dyes. Here, we review the recent advances in biochemistry, protein engineering, and organic synthesis that have allowed a triumphant return of chemical fluorophores to modern biological imaging.